Baxter and Branham: were they Latter Rain men?

Ern Baxter (left) and William Branham

"During his years in ministry, Ern Baxter participated directly or indirectly in Classical Pentecostalism, the Healing Revival, the Latter Rain Movement, and the Charismatic Renewal" - S. David Moore, The Shepherding Movement: Controversy and Charismatic Ecclesiology

What made Baxter useful - and prominent - in each of those movements was his "unique blend of what he called 'Word and Spirit'" (Moore, page 36).

While not formally trained, Baxter was always a student of the Scriptures and theology (over 4,000 of the books he collected are now housed in the Ern Baxter Memorial Library in Mobile, Alabama ---  UPDATE: In 2015, the entire collection was donated to The King's University in Southlake, Texas); thus, he was a man of the Word. But at the same time, he was passionate for the gifts and work of the Holy Spirit. He was equally at home in his study preparing masterful teachings or serving as William Branham's right hand man as Branham prayed for the sick and cast out demons; thus, he was a man of the Spirit.

While Moore is correct that Baxter preached in many classical Pentecostal and Latter Rain churches, Baxter is best known for - and most accurately identified with - the Healing Movement of the 1940s and 50s and the Shepherding Movement of 1970s.

And he is a useful figure for untangling popular notions about Branham and the Latter Rain Movement. Branham, who had one of the most - if not the most - powerful healing ministries in the mid-twentieth century, is often blended into the discussion of Latter Rain topics on the internet. It is even frequently asserted that he was the leader of the Latter Rain Movement.

Baxter is immediately helpful as one broaches that topic, as he informs us that Branham was not even really a Pentecostal, saying in a December 1978 interview with New Wine magazine:

"He and I had many sessions that were hours long. During one of these, he told me he didn't believe that tongues was the evidence of the baptism. So I asked him about speaking in tongues, and he said that he had gone to a Pentecostal mission and had told God, 'These are apparently the only people that will accept my [healing] gift - let me talk in tongues so I will be acceptable.' And he said that God let him talk tongues, but he never talked in tongues again. That seemed to be his introduction to the Pentecostals, and they apparently accepted him because of it. Few people would know that story, but I mention it because as his gift became more apparent as he grew older, he saw that the Pentecostal people were probably the only ones that would receive it.... He was a missionary Baptist, so his tradition would not link him into historic Pentecostalism."

So, those that assert Branham's leadership of the Latter Rain Movement are confronted with some difficulty right off the bat because Branham's sentiments are certainly not in keeping with Latter Rain beliefs.

Then, as we observe how Baxter came to work closely with Branham for the better part of a decade

more light is shed on the Branham/Latter Rain assertions. Ministers in Vancouver (where Baxter pastored the large Evangelistic Tabernacle) wanted to bring Branham and his dramatic healing ministry to their city in 1947:

"I was asked to lead the meetings, which I did," Baxter told New Wine, "Later, Branham asked to see me personally. He said that he had been in prayer and the angel of the Lord had spoken to him and told him that I was to be his companion in ministry. He invited me to join him.... I started to travel with him as often as I could be away from my church. One year I was away eight months.... I was with Branham from 1947 until I had to leave him, in about 1953 or 1954."

According to Robert K. Burkinshaw, "Branham had attracted overflow crowds to Vancouver's Exhibition Garden in late 1947 with what appeared to many to be genuine demonstrations of miraculous powers of insight and physical healing. The 'North Battleford brethren' (as they came to be known) and many others viewed the events of the Branham meetings as evidence that old-time Pentecostal power and fervour could be revived" (Pilgrims in Lotus Land: Conservative Protestantism in British Columbia, 1917 - 1981).

James Watt

They were influenced by what they observed in Branham's meetings, but they had no relationship with him - he certainly was not their leader. Jim Watt, another of the leaders in North Battleford, confirms this on his website:

"Some years later Winston Nunes (now deceased) sought me out as the last living elder of the seven. He sought confirmation to his theory that William Branham, J. E. Stiles and Franklin Hall were the three catalysts that God used to launch the 1948 Northern Canada Revival. I agreed that these three were certainly key principles that motivated the prayer and fasting that birthed this move. But I pointed out that there were other principles equally critical. There was the Presbytery revelation itself; the 5-fold ministry emphasis of Ephesians 4:11-12; the high point of worship through the Heavenly Choir; the 'team spirit' operating within the eldership; the humility and teachability of the leadership; the sensitivity to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit."

Interestingly, after the outbreak of revival at the Sharon Orphanage and Schools in North Battleford, on February 12, 1948, leaders from that site (such as George and Ern Hawtin) traveled back to Vancouver to minister in November - but did not do so at Baxter's church, but at Glad Tidings, pastored by Reg Layzell.

Baxter and Branham were Voice of Healing men (VOH being the loosely federated ministries led by Gordon Lindsay and that included men like Branham, Oral Roberts, A. A. Allen, and Jack Coe). The Hawtins, Jim Watt, Reg Layzell, and others were Latter Rain men (those at the North Battleford site actually prefer the term, 1948 Move of the Spirit, wanting to distance themselves from teachings and practices that occurred later as the revival spread across the world).

While with Branham, Baxter was the 'Word' man - he taught in afternoon sessions, while Branham

Ern Baxter (1914-1993)

flowed in the gifts of the Spirit in the evening meetings.

"Branham had a tremendous word of knowledge," Baxter told New Wine, "Before praying for a person, he would give accurate details of their lives - their home town, activities, actions - even way back in their childhood. Branham never once made a mistake with a word of knowledge in all the years I was with him. That covers, in my case, thousands of instances."

But eventually it became necessary for Baxter and Branham to part. Ernest Gentile says:

"Although Baxter honored Branham for his honesty and handling of money, and felt him to be a sincere and godly man, their doctrinal differences became too great for continued compatibility" (Your Sons and Daughters Shall Prophesy: Prophetic Gifts in Ministry Today).

Branham spoke both of their disengagement from each and of his affection for Baxter during a sermon delivered in Chicago in 1958:

"I haven't got an official campaign manager at these times, since our dear, precious brother Ern Baxter had to return to his church. It was calling for him. His church is almost the size of this auditorium. So to be gadding around across the country with me, his church wouldn't stand for it any longer. He had to return back to them or he'd probably lose his church. A wonderful soul, a wonderful man of God, I love him. But he had to go back and since then I haven't had a campaign manager so I have to try to speak myself" (in Door to the Heart, Chicago, Illinois, January 12, 1958).

Branham died after a car crash in 1965. He was 56 years old.

Baxter, as Moore notes above, was never confined to one movement or one fellowship. Though he was primarily with Branham and the Voice of Healing crowd in the period of 1947-1954, he was also impacted by the revival that occurred in Saskatchewan (read: Latter Rain, if you will). In a sermon where he laid out a sketch of his long ministry (EB001 in the Broken Bread Teaching collection), Baxter said:

"Another momentous thing happened - at least for me and many others - and that's something called the Latter Rain.... I went to their second convention in Edmonton, Canada and I never saw such a concentration of the power of God. This was a tremendous movement."

After disengaging from Branham, Baxter went back to pastoring in the Vancouver area for awhile and was often a guest speaker at churches that would have been considered Latter Rain - churches like Bethesda Missionary Temple in Detroit, Gospel Temple in Philadelphia, Word of Faith Temple in New Orleans, Louisiana, Bible Temple in Portland, Oregon, and Inland Christian Center Church in San Bernandino, California. During these years he would often preach a much-loved message, Life on Wings (EB201 in the Broken Bread Teaching collection), which used the development of an eaglet as the metaphor for growth in the Christian life.

In 1974, Baxter became deeply involved in the Charismatic Renewal. He committed himself to be a part of Christian Growth Ministries - joining forces with Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Don Basham, and Charles Simpson. The Charismatic Renewal encompassed much more than CGM and its adherents, of course, but CGM was a very focal segment of the Renewal.

According to the New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, the "initial thrust of CGM was to bring Spirit-baptized Christians to maturity and to teach church-building". However, the five also promoted a concept of church leadership that was labeled Shepherding and/or Discipleship. Despite the Biblical usage of those terms, in practice the oversight in believers' lives often became overly authoritarian by those the CGM leaders had set in authority.

In 1975, he moved to Ft. Lauderdale where CGM was headquartered. It was also in 1975 that he preached the message that he is probably best known for, Thy Kingdom Come (EB202 in the Broken Bread Teaching collection).

During this period of his life Baxter enjoyed immense popularity in the United Kingdom. In this 

Ruth & Ern Baxter

video, British charismatic leader Terry Virgo tells of Baxter's impact in the U. K., referencing Baxter's teaching series, The King and His Army (recordings EB701 - 706 in the Broken Bread Teaching collection).

Although the ministers of CGM had a very high profile and much influence during much of the 1970s, Moore recounted in an article in Minstry Today magazine how things unraveled:

"In 1975, several high-profile charismatic leaders accused the five of trying to take over the charismatic renewal and dominate the lives of their followers, charges the five always denied. Rumors abounded as many unsubstantiated allegations were made against the movement and its leaders.

"The heated controversy divided the renewal for more than a decade, and the dispute was never satisfactorily resolved. Even among the five leaders there were conflicts, and Derek Prince quietly withdrew from the group in 1984. Two years later the other four broke formal ties and ceased publication of New Wine, ending the Shepherding movement as an expression of the five men's shared commitment."

But the total scope of Ern Baxter's life is captured by this eulogizing statement that was until recently posted on the website for his memorial library:

"For more than 60 years, Ern Baxter served the Lord as an evangelist, pastor, teacher, musician, and prophetic leader. He was one of this generation’s outstanding Bible teachers. Ern went to be with the Lord on July 9, 1993."

Baxter and Branham in Battle Creek 1952 · Wed, Aug 13, 1952 – Page 8 · Battle Creek Enquirer (Battle Creek, Michigan) · Newspapers.com Baxter preaching for Leonard Fox in 1971 Sat, Mar 27, 1971 – Page 16 · The San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, California) · Newspapers.com Baxter & Branham (1954) Sat, Aug 21, 1954 – 27 · The Province (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) · Newspapers.com

Garlon Pemberton, remembered



Jon Rising · The Good Samaritan

DIXIE CAMP MEETING - (from l to r) Modest Pemberton, Wayne Pemberton, M. D. "Mom" Beall, Garlon Pemberton

Garlon Pemberton was one of the most vibrant and unforgettable people involved in the Latter Rain Movement of 1948. When the movement started, he and his brothers Wayne and Modest were among the earliest ministers in the U. S. to fully embrace it.

They sponsored the Dixie Camp Meeting in 1951 that did much to spread the blessing and teachings of the young LRM. According to Dennis McClendon in the July 1, 1951 edition of the Houston Post:

"During the meetings that closed June 17, more than 400 ministers were in attendance. Missionary leaders came from every continent of the globe. Countries represented by delegates included Liberia, India, Canada, China, Australia, Peru and England, the Rev. Mr. [Modest] Pemberton said. The average nightly attendance under the oversized tents exceeded 2,000 persons. There were representatives from every state in the Union - more than 30,000 in all [a cumulative attendance figure for the two-week camp meeting]. 'We had made big plans but the Lord made them even bigger,' the minister said."

McClendon also wrote the following about the Pembertons and their wives:

"Three brothers, natives of Cameron, Texas, are at the energetic core of the World Wide Revival 

Garlon & Modest

[Corporation]. The Reverend Modest S. Pemberton, who studied for several years to be a skin specialist, is assisted by an older brother, Wayne C. Pemberton, who had previously been in the oil leasing business.

"A younger brother, the Rev. Garlon L. Pemberton, completes the trio and holds the presidency of the World Wide Revival Corporation. He is a preacher of 12 years, who was once an amateur prize fighter and church-building contractor.

"The ministers are assisted by their wives in all phases of religious activity. Mrs. M. S. Pemberton directs musical programs, Mrs. W. C. Pemberton teaches Sunday school and Mrs. G. L. Pemberton plays the organ."

M. D. "Mom" Beall preached at the camp meeting, and the Pembertons gave this account in the August 1951 issue of the Latter Rain Evangel:

"Sister Beall of Bethesda Temple of Detroit was the principal speaker, speaking each evening at 7:45 P.M. Only God knows just what was accomplished in the meetings. The whole city of Houston was stirred, and people from all over the States, India, Australia, Africa, etc. were here for this glorious time of fellowship with God's people.....

"On Thursday the 14th of June, we saw something we had never seen in our Christian life before. Sister Beall had preached on 'A Lamb for an House,' and we saw approximately 400 men not counting the women and children, who were kneeling on the ground in the sawdust and shavings, weeping and pouring out their hearts to God. We are so sorry we did not have a picture made of this scene. People were healed, filled and delivered throughout the whole meeting. We shall never know until eternity just what was accomplished."

Garlon Pemberton remained close friends with Mom Beall for the rest of her life. In fact, he was one of the speakers at her memorial service in September 1977 (click here to hear Garlon's remarks; first, though, he is introduced by Mom Beall's eldest son, James Lee Beall). Her respect for Garlon was evident in a two-minute portion of one her sermons that can be heard be clicking here.

According to his funeral home obituary, during his 65-year ministry Garlon "started and pastored thirteen churches in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi."

The among the myriad people Brother Pemberton ministered to was the famous pastor, Anne Gimenez. She and her husband, the late John Gimenez, are best known for pastoring Rock Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia, but they also were among the leaders of the massive Washington for Jesus rally in April 1980.

In her autobiography, Born to Preach, Anne relates how Garlon prophesied about her call to minister was she was a teen in Texas. She writes,

"Although the 'presbyters' did not know me, I was called to the altar and Pastor Pemberton began to prophesy over me. The prophetic words were stunningly accurate, reflecting the deepest desires of my heart. 

"'Yea, My child…thou art a chosen vessel, chosen all the days of thy life. Thou art a peculiar treasure, even in thy home thou art noted as such... 

"'The Lord has reserved thee for this last revival…He has poured out His Spirit mightily on thee. Thou were chosen as a little girl, yea chosen all thy life… 

"'The Lord doth lead thee and go before thee. Thou shalt walk in His footsteps and hear Him say, ‘This is the way. Walk ye therein…'". 

Later in life he served as an associate pastor at Word of Faith Temple in New Orleans, Louisiana. That church was pastored by Charles E. Green. New York Times best-selling author Peter Jenkins attended that church for awhile and one chapter of his  now out-of-print book The Road Unseen creates a representative 'snapshot' of the church and Garlon. Here is just a part of that chapter:

"We pulled into the parking lot of the Word of Faith, our church. The building was built out of cinderblocks painted white and the sanctuary was eight-sided. We'd heard our pastor, Reverend Charles Green, say many times that God had told him to buy the five acres the church was on when it was nothing but a dirt road and a swamp. Now it was some of the most valuable real estate in the entire city.

"Word of Faith was located about a half mile off the interstate right next to a sprawling shopping center called Lake Forest Mall and the Methodist Hospital. The Sunday night crowd was always smaller than Sunday morning's but usually there were at least six hundred folks at this service. Although it was a thirty-five mile drive one way, we felt it was more than worth it. We never left a service in which we hadn't been inspired by God and His Word....


Garlon

"I opened the door for Barbara and Rebekah and also held it for Garlon Pemberton. Garlon, an associate pastor, had grown up tough in Texas. The man had a square build, and his muscles and voice were filled with power. Before becoming a preacher he'd been a boxer, and he was so full of energy he could have sold the excess to the power company. Garlon was loved by everyone and must have been in his early sixties - although no one ever thought about how old he was."

Though Charles Green knew countless ministers, he unequivocally asserted, "No one knew the Bible better than Garlon did. No matter what subject came up he could refer you to several Scriptures by memory."

Garlon died at the age of 91 in July 2008, but his effervescent personality and blessed ministry are not forgotten (for instance, churches still sing his song, "Abraham's Blessings are Mine").

[UPDATE October 6, 2014 - His wife Marie 'Honey' Pemberton died on October 3 and her memorial service will be held tomorrow, October 7. Charles Green will officiate the service. Her funeral home obituary can be read here and she can be seen below in a one-minute video that was recorded a few years ago.]

(from l to r) James Lee Beall with Garlon & Marie Pemberton (This photo is the property of Cyndy Green Crider.) 

Garlon and JLB in Lansing 1952 · Sat, Jun 28, 1952 – Page 9 · Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) · Newspapers.com
Garlon Pemberton with the Bealls (Jan 1956) 19 Jan 1956, Thu Sun Herald (Biloxi, Mississippi) Newspapers.com Charles Green and Garlon Pemberton 1981 · Fri, Mar 20, 1981 – Page 10 · The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana) · Newspapers.com
Anne Gimenez and Garlon Pemberton (1978) 05 May 1978, Fri Johnson City Press (Johnson City, Tennessee) Newspapers.com

How it started - the basic facts

A lot of things are said on the internet about the Latter Rain Movement of 1948 - and a lot of it is not true. The aim of this blog is to set the record straight.

First, the faith healer William Branham was never part of this movement - never. Some of the early Latter Rain preachers were influenced by Branham but he was never part of the LRM. Ernest Gentile, an author who participated in Latter Rain meetings beginning in 1950, writes:

"Branham is considered by many the initiator and pacesetter of the healing revivals in 1947, as well as the precursor of the entirely separate Latter Rain movement of 1948" (Your Sons and Daughters Shall Prophesy: Prophetic Gifts in Ministry Today).

The movement started at a bible school in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada. This will be covered in a post down the road (UPDATE: the North Battleford story is now available in three articles on this website: "The North Battleford story", "Jim Watt recalls the LRM's earliest history", and "The Latter Rain Movement in its context").

Reg Layzell

A pastor in Vancouver, Canada named Reg Layzell invited the ministers from the revival site in Saskatchewan to his church (Glad Tidings) in November 1948.

A pastor from Detroit, Michigan named Myrtle D. "Mom" Beall whose church (Bethesda Missionary Temple) was at that time affiliated with the Assemblies of God went out to Vancouver to see what the revival reports were all about. This what she wrote after attending those meetings:

"Everything we saw in the meetings was scriptural and beautiful. We left the meeting with a new touch of God upon our souls and ministry. We certainly feel transformed by the power of God. Never in our lives had we ever felt the power of God as we do now and we feel we are carrying something back to our assembly we never had before" (Sharon Star magazine).

Moses Vegh, a prophet who pastored and traveled the world during his ministry that spanned decades, writes:

"At that meeting the word of the Lord given to 'Mom' Beall, through the prophetic presbytery, was a powerful confirmation of all that the Lord had spoken to her about the 'armory' in Detroit" (The Chronicles of Moses: Acts of an Apostolic Journey)

Hugh Layzell, Reg Layzell's son, was an eyewitness of the prophecy and he confirms the story this way:

"After a day or two, the brethren agreed to minister to her in presbytery. Audrey and I remember this incident very well. As soon as she knelt before the presbyters, Ern Hawtin began to prophesy. He said, (something like this) 'Has not the Lord called you to build for Him an armory, where His last day army will be trained and equipped with the gifts of the Spirit in order to take the gospel to the ends of the earth in these last days?' This was, in effect, the very word she had received from the Lord concerning the Church in Detroit" (Sons of His Purpose: The Interweaving of the Ministry of Reg Layzell, and His Son, Hugh, During a Season of Revival)

When she got back to her church the next month the revival exploded there.

The momentum of the revival thus shifted from its early site in Saskatchewan to Vancouver and Detroit. From Vancouver the revival spread to west coast cities like Portland and Los Angeles, and Pentecostal historian Vinson Synan tells about the importance of Detroit to the LRM:


Myrtle Beall

"A large center of the revival outside of Canada was the Bethesda Missionary Temple in Detroit, Michigan pastored by Myrtle Beall. From Detroit, the movement spread across the United States like prairie wildfire"  (An Eyewitness Remembers the Century of the Holy Spirit)

Following is a list of some of the ministers involved in the early days of the Latter Rain Movement (absent are the names: William Branham ... Earl Paulk ... Paul Cain - because they were not part of the Latter Rain Movement of 1948! Branham and Cain are more accurately associated with the Healing Revival that swept across the United States in the 1940s and 1950s ... back then Paulk was a minister in the Church of God denomination, Cleveland, Tennessee ... he would later go independent. What is true is that Branham's ministry was an influence on the North Battleford ministers, and Cain and Paulk came to have friends that were in the LRM. But the three were not part of the LRM).

      ~ highlighting indicates the individual is still alive ~ 

• Ern Hawtin (Saskatchewan)
• George Hawtin (Saskatchewan)
• P. G. Hunt (Saskatchewan)
• Herrick Holt (Saskatchewan)
• Jim Watt (Saskatchewan)
• Milford Kirkpatrick (Saskatchewan)
• George Warnock (Lethbridge, AB)
• Reg Layzell (Vancouver, BC)
• Hugh Layzell (Vancouver, BC and Uganda)
• Kayy Gordon (Vancouver, BC and the Arctic)
• James Routley, Chilliwack, BC
• A. W. Rasmussen (Edmonton, Alberta)
• Harold Allcock (Edmonton, Alberta)
• Jack Barker (Windsor, ON)
• Moses Vegh (Windsor, ON)
• Arthur Newkirk (London, ON)
• George Chambers (Kitchener, ON)
• B. G. Evans (Toronto, ON)
• Kenneth Mitchell (Montreal, QC)
• Cecil Cousen (Hamilton, ON)
• Charlotte Baker (Seattle, WA)
• Winston Nunes (Tacoma, WA)
• Bill Hamon (Toppenish, WA ... now in Florida)
• Thomas Wyatt (Portland, OR)
• Edie Iverson (Portland, OR)
• Max Wyatt (Salem, OR)
• Violet Kiteley (Oakland, CA)
• Ernest Gentile (San Jose, CA ... now in Fort Sumner, NM)
• Earl Lee (Los Angeles, CA)
• Leonard Fox (San Bernardino, CA)
• David Schoch (Long Beach, CA)
• M. D. Beall (Detroit, MI)
• Patricia Beall Gruits (Detroit, MI)
• James Lee Beall (Detroit, MI)
• Harry M. Beall  (Detroit, MI)
• Vera Bachle (Detroit, MI)
• Manley Higgins (Detroit, MI)
• Owen Shackett (Tacoma, WA)
• Martha Belle Barber (Detroit, MI)
• Paul Stuzman (Roseville, MI)
• Elton Weatherly (Ypsilanti, MI)
• Finley Dafoe (Fraser, MI)
• E. H. Blomberg (Hibbing, MN)
• Joseph Mattsson-Boze (Chicago, IL)
• Clair D. Hutchins (Chicago, IL)
• Stanley Lund (Chicago, IL)
• Raymond Hoekstra (Indianapolis, IN)
• L. O. McKinney (Cleveland, OH)
• Ollie McCubbin (Sandusky, OH)
• Helen Tong (Sandusky, OH)
• Ivan Spencer (Lima, NY)
• Carlton Spencer (Lima, NY)
• Sixto Lopez (Lima, NY)
• Elmer Frink (Lima, NY)
• Taylor Huntley Frazier (Manhattan, NY)
• Fred Poole (Philadelphia, PA)
• Elizabeth Bacon (Philadelphia, PA)
• Adam McKeown (Scranton, PA)
• Paul and Lura Grubb (Memphis, TN)
• Stanley Frodsham (Springfield, MO)
• Bill Britton (Springfield, MO)
• William Kitchen (Oklahoma City, OK)
• A. D. Marney (Tulsa, OK)
• William Marshall (Baton Rouge, LA)
• Carl Neal (Baton Rouge, LA)
• Charles E. Green (New Orleans, LA)
• George Rigler (Dallas, TX)
• Garlon Pemberton (Houston, TX)
• Modest Pemberton (Houston, TX)
• Harry Hodge (Beaumont, TX)
• Bruce Stallwood (Nigeria)
• Paul Stern (Kenya)
• Art Dodzweit (Uganda)
• Bud Sickler (East Africa)
• Constance Eady (India)
• Ray Jackson (New Zealand & Australia)
• Rob Wheeler (New Zealand & Australia)
• Kevin Conner (Australia)
• Peter Morrow (New Zealand)
• Donald Murphy (Miami, FL … later in Atlanta, GA)
• Erskine Holt (Muncie, IN)
• Paul Cannon (Muskegon, MI)

Example of Latter Rain ministers (1952)



Patricia Beall Gruits tells her story (30 minutes)

The late J. Peter Gruits and Patricia Doris Beall were married June 15, 1946. (Photo provided by Joy Gruits)

Patricia Beall Gruits, daughter of M. D. Beall, was entrusted by the Lord with a wide-ranging ministry. In addition to the 30-minute video interview above where she tells some of her and her family's stories, here is a chronology of Patricia's life and ministry:

• Patricia was born February 22, 1923 in Detroit, Michigan to Harry Lee Beall and Myrtle Dorthea Beall. Mrs. Beall would later write in her memoir, A Hand on My Shoulder, "I never had a little sister, and if Patricia had been a little boy, I would have been terribly disappointed for that reason. I always thank God that he gave me a little girl baby to make up for never having had a little sister. Patricia and I have always been more like sisters than mother and daughter."
• On June 17, 1934, her mother opened a Sunday School on Detroit's eastside. That Sunday School grew to be a church with a membership in the thousands (Bethesda Missionary Temple).
• She married J. Peter Gruits on June 15, 1946. Her parents had married on that same date 26 years earlier.
• She gave birth to a son, Peter Harry, in April 1947.
• She gave birth to a son, Harry Lee, in October 1950.
• When Bethesda launched its monthly publication, Latter Rain Evangel, in July 1951 she was the editor.
• She gave birth to a son, Patrick Joseph, in October 1951.
• She became Bethesda's Minister of Education in 1952.
• In 1955, she taught her first youth catechism class. The material she prepared for this class would later be developed into the book, Understanding God. Her brother, the late pastor James Lee Beall, wrote in his book, Your Pastor, Your Shepherd: "When my sister Pat first proposed to instruct our church children in basic Bible truths by means of a catechism, I was sure we would be taking a turn for the worse. The word 'catechism' had a strange feel. I had always associated it with Catholics, Lutherans, and other liturgical groups. But as we looked into the meaning of the word, we discovered that it described an old and reliable method of teaching - as old as the church itself. It uses a series of questions and answers to instill doctrine in an orderly and sensible fashion. And its use among us has brought great blessing to our church and given us a heightened sense of unity."
• Sister Pat, as she is known affectionately by many, was ordained to the ministry in 1956.
• She gave birth to a son, William Stanton, in May 1956.
• She was the founding dean of Bethesda's Minister Candidate School in 1958.
• In 1959, she taught her first adult catechism class.
• The first edition of Understanding God was published in 1962. Eventually, over 1,000,000 copies of Understanding God were distributed. In later years, she also wrote two other books, Understanding the Master's Voice and Understanding Yourself. One of her daughters-in-law, Joy Hughes Gruits, has written both a study guide and a leader's guide for Understanding God. [UPDATE: Sister Pat's fourth book in the Understanding series, Understanding the Winds of God, is now print.]
• Her father, Harry Lee Beall, died on April 26, 1973.
• In 1973, she spent time teaching foundational truths to the large congregation at Church on the Hill in Toronto, Ontario. The church was pastored by Jim and Mae McAlister and had experienced tremendous growth (a couple thousand people) because of the Jesus Movement.
• In 1975, she and her husband, J. Peter Gruits, were called to found a mission project in Haiti. RHEMA International's efforts in Haiti continue to this day. You can see two of her sons describe the ministry's many facets at this link.
• Her mother, Myrtle Beall, died on September 18, 1979. In the eulogy she delivered at her mother's memorial service, Sister Pat told about how she had asked her mother to bless her three years prior. She sought this blessing because she wanted to be equipped for the ministries the Lord was bringing her into. She said, "... as we prayed all heaven came down, and I remember she laid her hand on me ... 'God make of thee a strong prophetess as he has made me. May he give you power over the power of the enemy; power to comfort, and power to know the will of the Lord.'"
• Her husband, J. Peter Gruits, died on May 27, 1989.
• She received an honorary doctorate of divinity from Southern California Bible College (currently known as, Southern California Seminary) in 1990.
• As she had with several churches in the course of her ministry, Sister Pat spent time in 1990 and 1991 at the large Christ Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Christ Church was founded by L. H. Hardwick and his late wife, Montelle. The current pastor, Dan Scott, wrote in his book, Let the River Run: How God Used Ordinary People to Do Extraordinary Things, of Sister Pat's efforts, "Pastor Hardwick and Montelle loved the Bealls, especially loved Patricia Gruits, Ma Beall's daughter. They invited her to Nashville to catechize the hundreds of new people who had come to Christ Church because we too needed a firm foundation for our congregation."
• Sister Pat went to be with the Lord on June 15, 2019. The obituary posted on the Charisma News website can be accessed at this link.

Two newspaper clippings follow - the first announced her as the guest speaker for a Pennsylvania church's anniversary in 2005 (and has a good summary of her ministry), and the second is J. Peter Gruits' obituary that was printed in the Detroit Free Press on May 31, 1989. [UPDATE 6/19/19 - A 13-minute video of Sister Pat talking about her father's miraculous healing has been added to the bottom of the page.  UPDATE 6/29/19 - Two tributes to Sister Pat have been posted online:  Joy Gruits' tribute can be read at this link, and Ruth Simpson Betley's can be read at this link.]

Good summary of Patricia Beall Gruits' ministry · Wed, Aug 31, 2005 – Page 3 · Tyrone Daily Herald (Tyrone, Pennsylvania) · Newspapers.com J. Peter Gruits obit · Wed, May 31, 1989 – Page 24 · Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) · Newspapers.com

The Iversons: integrity & balance

Revival can be messy. By that I mean, that even when a revival is truly the work of God, wrong practices or wrong doctrine may be found right alongside all the positive spiritual benefits. The Lord's work is, of course, pure and holy, but our responses to what is powerful (and very often unexpected) can be off the mark because of our immaturity, ignorance, and even more seriously - our desire to seek personal advantage.

Therefore, every revival needs people like K. R. "Dick" Iverson and his late wife Edie.

There are thousands of people across the globe whose testimony about the Iversons would be: they loved the Lord, loved the moving of his Spirit in power, and they sought always to make sure that doctrinal balance was maintained. 'Fleshiness' or faddishness (which usually crop up as the result of carnal motivations coupled with bad doctrine) were eschewed by the Iversons.

In fact, the titles of two of Dick's several books confirm this: Maintaining Balance When the Winds of Doctrine Blow: Equipping the Believer to Discern Truth and Guarding the Local Church: Identifying False Ministries. And though his other books do not have in their titles this passion for doctrinal stability, that theme is consistently present in whatever topic he addresses.


Dick & Edie Iverson

Edie was the first of the couple to experience the Latter Rain revival. Shortly after their engagement in June of 1949, Dick began traveling with an itinerant healing evangelist while Edie [then Edie Swanson] enrolled in the school in North Battleford, Saskatchewan where the revival had broken out the previous year.

Dick writes, "In fact, that revival (and Edie's experiences there) would have long range implications for Bible Temple [the church they would lead in Portland, Oregon] and our ministry. The 'latter rain' outpouring, as it was called, became a major stream of the Holy Spirit emphasizing praise and worship (with its power to open the Word), along with prophecy and the laying on of hands. It was within that movement that the roots of the charismatic movement originated." (The Journey: a Lifetime of Prophetic Moments)

Steve Ganz, a missionary and former student of the Bible college founded by Dick Iverson (Portland Bible College), says, "Sister Edie, as she was known, would lead worship with enthusiasm. She was not a good singer, but her love of Jesus was so obvious that we in the congregation could care less and followed her as she led us in honoring God with all our hearts" (in "A Tribute to Edie Iverson" which can be read here).

Edie is credited with at least two popular praise choruses, The Lord Reigneth and Thanks Be to God.

Dick's experience with the healing evangelist was not as positive. He recalls, "I remember that night after night there was a tremendous amount of money being given and one of my tasks was to help count the money. As I counted it in a room with several others, the table would be literally piled high with money, yet, at the same time, Neil [his brother] and I never received the weekly wage we had been promised." (The Journey: a Lifetime of Prophetic Moments)

And though Edie had an enriching experience in North Battleford, as the Iversons interacted with others later in the Latter Rain Movement, Dick saw yet more behavior that could be disillusioning. He writes, "... as with other movements or outpourings of the Holy Spirit, there came afterwards distortion and fakery. Charlatans got a hold of it and all sorts of offshoots went spinning out of control. In many church circles the 'latter rain' became known as the 'scattered rain' and was roundly ridiculed." (The Journey: a Lifetime of Prophetic Moments)


Layzell & Schoch

The Iversons were then blessed to meet two Latter Rain pioneers who manifested the fruit of the Spirit as well as the gifts of the Spirit. Dick writes, "David Schoch - and Pastor Reg Layzell, who we would also get to know on the trip - were two sincere men of God who came out of the 'latter rain' movement dedicated to protecting and keeping pure the fruit of that outpouring. While others twisted, distorted, and indulged in various chicanery, these men among a handful of others, preserved the essence of the Holy Spirit's great gifting." (The Journey: a Lifetime of Prophetic Moments)

The doctrinal balance and integrity that the Iversons instinctively longed for, and then saw manifested in people like Schoch and Layzell, became a hallmark of the ministries they headed: Bible Temple (now known as City Bible Church), Portland Bible College, and the ministerial association Dick founded, Ministers Fellowship International. Dick gives an overview of the Iversons' personal story and the story of their ministries on his blog here.

Edie passed away in 2008 and Dick's tribute to her can be read here. He is in his mid-eighties now and is presently married to the former Roxy Kidder.

[UPDATE April 11, 2018 - Pastor Iverson went to the be with the Lord on April 8, 2018. Charisma News just posted a lengthy tribute that can be accessed here. City Bible Church also posted a 52-minute video remembering his ministry and that can be accessed here.]

Roxy and Dick Iverson

The campus of City Bible Church and Portland Bible College

Latter Rain songs

[The audio recording above, captured live at Elim Bible Institute in 1967, is representative of Latter Rain praise & worship in the 1960s. Among the songs, prophecies, and spontaneous worship, listeners will hear three of the songs mentioned in the article below - two by James Lee Beall, and the one by Modest Pemberton.]

In addition to distinctive teachings and practices, the Latter Rain Movement also developed its own collection of songs.

First there was the publication of James and Phyllis Spiers' songbook, Spiritual Songs by the Spiers in November 1949. The Library of Congress catalogue of copyright entries (January - June 1950 edition for published music) says that this songbook contains, "many new latter rain choruses by Phyllis C. Spiers."

Phyllis wrote the very popular Latter Rain song, He's the Lord of Glory, which can be heard at this link. She and James were from Winnipeg and ministered with the Hawtin brothers and others from the site of the Latter Rain's initial outbreak in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. They would later go on to be affiliated with both Elim Bible Institute in Lima, New York and radio evangelist Thomas Wyatt.

Also in the fall of 1949, a convention at Elim saw a development in Latter Rain music that ran parallel with the Spiers' efforts. Marian Meloon writes,

This convention also marked the beginning of Psalm-singing as we know it today, through the ministry of a blind sister on Elim's staff - Rita Kelligan. This gift developed over succeeding months and years, giving us the rich heritage that forms part of the charismatic renewal worship today [in Ivan Spencer, Willow in the Wind: A Spiritual Pilgrimmage, Logos International, 1974. Kelligan's 1952 book, Scripture Set to Music (Elim Bible Institute) is still available for purchase]. 

Other songs by people involved in the Latter Rain revival include: Edie Iverson's The Lord Reigneth and Thanks Be To God; James Lee Beall's It Shall Flow Like a River and Let the Oppressed Go Free; Eleanor Stern's Fresh Oil from the Throne; Charlotte Baker's Set My Spirit Free; and Garlon Pemberton's Abraham's Blessings are Mine. These are but a few of the songs birthed in the Latter Rain revival.

Below is the sheet music for two more Latter Rain songs. The May 1953 edition of Bethesda Missionary Temple's Latter Rain Evangel said, "These songs were given to us by the Lord during the Convention that is still in progress."

River of God is attributed to James Lee Beall and Frieda Campbell, whereas Sing, O, Barren, Sing! is attributed to Modest Pemberton with Frieda Campbell credited for the arrangement.



BETHESDA MISSIONARY TEMPLE trio - Frieda Campbell, James Lee Beall, Betty Treas

SPIERS Rochester paper July 23, 1955 Sat, Jul 23, 1955 – Page 4 · Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, New York) · Newspapers.com

What did M. D. Beall and Bethesda believe?

In 1951 - during the third year of the Latter Rain Movement - M. D. Beall wrote a book entitled, The Plumb Line.

M. D. "Mom" Beall

Mrs. Beall, the pastor of a large Detroit church wrote, "Because of the many questions which we have received concerning the teachings here at the Bethesda Missionary Temple we felt it advisable to make a definite statement concerning our position in this present move of God."

Sixty-three years later, I am very glad that Mom Beall (as she was affectionately known to those who appreciated her ministry) created this record.  It is most helpful in correcting the sloppy, inaccurate, and sometimes malicious accounts of Bethesda's teaching that are here and there on the internet.

Specifically helpful is the following passage from chapter one where she gave clear and concise statements that rebutted Bethesda's critics back then - and also the ill-informed ones of this generation,

"Many folks have wondered just what is being taught at the Bethesda Missionary Temple relative to this new move of God and have had some questions in their minds. In view of such questions we wish to present some statements which we feel will clarify our position. For the sake of simplicity we have listed them both pro and con:

"FIRST OF ALL WE DO NOT BELIEVE AND STRONGLY DISAPPROVE OF THE FOLLOWING EXTREME TEACHINGS:

1. Forgiveness of sins by man.
2. The Church is built solely upon the foundation of present-day apostles and prophets.
3. Trans-substantiation.
4. Personal leadings and guidance by prophecy.
5. Glorification of the physical bodies of saints in this dispensation prior to the rapture.
6. Impartation of the gift of languages as being necessary to a missionary call.

WE DO BELIEVE THAT:

1. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour is the only door into the Church which is His body.
2. Water baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost according to the command of Jesus in Matt. 28:19, or as Peter baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38) and in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:16) is scriptural in each case and is the answer of a good conscience toward God (I Peter 3:21).
3. The sovereignty of the local church in both doctrine and practice.
4. It is also the privilege of every believer to be confirmed through:
   a.  Teaching
   b.  Exhortation
   c.  Consecration
   d.  Laying on of hands and Prophecy.

"We do not believe that believers are placed in the body through the laying on of hands.

"We believe in salvation through the blood, for the sinner, sanctification and the baptism in the Holy Ghost for the believer, and speaking in tongues as a sign following the believer to the unbeliever but we are not Pentecostal, Holiness, Tri-Theistic, Oneness, or Jesus Only, neither are we 'Latter Rain' for Jesus is the 'Latter Rain.' We are Christian believing in the entire Bible and realize that new revelations will come forth from the Word but we do not intend to start another denomination just because of new truth. Bethesda Missionary Temple is NON-DENOMINATIONAL.

"We believe in the FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES of the doctrine of Christ as given in Hebrews 6. The foundation doctrines of:

1. Repentance from dead works
2. Faith toward God
3. Doctrine of baptisms
4. Doctrine of laying on of hands
5. Resurrection of the dead
6. Eternal judgment

"All these are the beginning of the Word of Christ, and the exhortation in verse one is, 'LET US GO ON UNTO PERFECTION!' The whole Bible is our statement of doctrine."

If someone wants to disagree with any of that they can, of course, and they should if compelled by their understanding of the Word and their conscience. But, out of integrity and fairness, if we want to disagree with the late Mom Beall and Bethesda, let's be sure we understand and represent their positions accurately. Lazily accepting internet rumors then using such to besmirch the reputations of brothers and sisters with labels like "heretic" or "cult" is hardly the way of integrity or a search for truth.

The Plumb Line - written by M. D. "Mom" Beall in 1951

David Schoch, a prophet of God

If there's one thing the Latter Rain Movement of 1948 is known for - it's prophecy (but, of course, there is more than one thing!) The LRM was used to restore to the Church the kind of prophecy that strengthens, encourages, and comforts (1 Cor. 14:3) and the kind that confirms gifting in a person's life (1 Tim. 4:14).

The late David Schoch (1920-2007) was a man used mightily in both forms and had a most effective ministry for decades.

Charisma magazine's obituary reads this way:

"David E. Schoch, a prophetic minister who became prominent in the Latter Rain movement of the 1950s and 1960s, died July 19 in his Benbrook, Texas home. Schoch founded what is now known as City at the Cross in Long Beach, Calif., and ministered around the world during 60 years of ministry.... He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Audene; a brother, daughter, son, eight grand children and five great grandchildren."

Schoch experienced the Latter Rain Movement at Immanuel Temple in Los Angeles (pastored by A. Earl Lee) back in 1948. Then in July 1950 he had this dramatic experience at Immanuel Temple:

"A prophet from Ireland named Adam McKeown was in the congregation on the morning that the Lord spoke to us. Pastor [Fred] Poole was speaking. There were about a thousand people in that morning service. The word of the Lord came to this Irish prophet, who began to call different ones by name and he set them into office. I didn't know this man and he didn't know me, but God knows who you are. All of a sudden the word of the Lord came, and he called my name. He didn't even mispronounce it.


McKeown and Poole

"He said, 'I've called my servant David Schoch to be a prophet to the nations, and I'm setting him apart and calling him out from secular life.' And then he prophesied something that was completely a surprise to me. He said that when I was born, my mother had received a phenomenal visitation which had to do with my calling and my ministry. I questioned him, asking whether he had any understanding or any knowledge of what he had prophesied. He said that is all he had received from the Lord. After the prophetic word came, they set us aside and ordained us to the ministry of the Lord.

"I took this man, Brother McKeown, home with me at one in the morning. I awakened my mother, who was living in Pasadena, and said, 'I must talk to you.' She said, 'Alright.' Then I brought Brother McKeown in, and I said to her, 'Tell me what happened when I was born. Did God visit you? Was there something that happened to you concerning my birth?' And my mother started to cry. She said, 'Who told you? I have said nothing to anyone except your father.' My father had died about three years prior to that. I explained to her how the word of the Lord had come to Brother McKeown. Then she told me about a vision God had given her in relationship to the call of God. I prefer to leave that just between the Lord and myself." [Schoch's full account - with much more detail about the LRM at Immanuel Temple - can be read on John Adams' blog, Latter Rain Movement).

Schoch's Pentecostal roots go all the way back to Azusa Street as his parents were baptized in the Spirit in that revival. His brothers Ray and Paul were also Full Gospel preachers.

Adam McKeown's word to David Schoch definitely came to pass as Schoch went on to become a

Dick Iverson and David Schoch

prophet renowned for his accuracy and integrity. Sadly that cannot be said of everyone that prophesied back then. Dick Iverson, the founder of Bible Temple and Portland Bible College in Oregon, wrote the following:

"David Schoch ... and Pastor Reg Layzell ... were two sincere men of God who came out of the 'latter rain' movement dedicated to protecting and keeping pure the fruit of that outpouring. While others twisted, distorted, and indulged in various chicanery, these men among a handful of others, preserved the essence of the Holy Spirit's great gifting" (The Journey: A Lifetime of Prophetic Moments)

Schoch was not a minister who just gave prophetic utterances, though - the man could preach! But often as he paced back and forth across a platform boldly proclaiming the word of God he would suddenly stop and say something like, "If you'll permit me - I've got a word for this couple ... seated right back there behind the man with the yellow shirt ... yes, you - the Lord says ....", and then he would go on to spell out what the Lord was showing him.

Sue Curran

Sue Curran, who founded Shekinah Church in Blountville, Tennessee in 1973 with her husband John, knows that experience:

"We were still in the earliest stage of developing our property and constructing our buildings, and we had only a small congregation working with us. John and I went for a visit to the church in Virginia Beach, pastored by our friends, John and Anne Gimenez. It turned out to be a fortuitous visit, indeed.

"We were entirely incognito in the congregation while Prophet David Schoch was ministering. We had not been introduced. Suddenly, he interrupted his message to point to my husband and me, and he began to speak to us personally in an authoritative, yet comforting, voice. I will never forget his words:

I have a word for the young couple that is standing near the drummer boy. You have begun a work that is very unusual. It is a church, but more than a church. You have land and buildings ... it is more like a community. And the Lord wants you to know that when you return to your charge you will find that He is sending responsible people to help with your ministry. You will find that he has gone before you to prepare for every need. It's going to be a new day for you from this moment.

"That prophetic word of encouragement began to be fulfilled shortly after we returned to our home, and it has continued to be true to this day. God sent professional people who embraced the vision, helping with their skills and financial resources, as well as with their commitment to prayer and to living the commandments of Jesus.

"From that time, Prophet David Schoch and his wife, Audene, became personal friends who ministered with us in conferences and mentored us. We grew to deeply appreciate the accurate, godly prophetic ministry of David Schoch that edified our lives and ministry. Some in our congregation have described his godly character as liquid love flowing over every life he touched, bringing the healing power of God to them" (Define Your Destiny Through Prayer: Your Journey to Divine Revelation).

Once at the Bethesda Missionary Temple during the dark days of recession early in Ronald Reagan's presidency, Schoch challenged the leaders and congregation to band together in intercessory prayer every Sunday morning until the economic stranglehold on Detroit was broken. That was in November 1982 - the very month that economists like Jimmy Pethokoukis tell us the Reagan Recovery began.

In 1961, a young man named Dennis Balcombe believed that the Lord told him that he was going to be used in ministry in Red China - remember that was 1961 he heard that! The prospects for ministry in Red China were not very promising in 1961, not very promising at all.

Two years later, Balcombe started attending the church David Schoch pastored in Long Beach, which was then called, Bethany Chapel:

"The Bethany church conducted occasional prophecy sessions during which prophets would take turns to pray over individuals according to the word they received from the Lord. In one such meeting a prophet said that I had been called 'into full-time ministry'; a second one noted that I was 'to leave the United States and go overseas.' Yet another added that I would be 'ministering to people who have yellow skin and black hair.' And then David Schoch prophesied, 'I see this young man is going to Red China.' What confirmations! Pastor Schoch went on to release spiritual gifts into my life, gifts that included prophecy, healing, and words of knowledge."

In 1966, Balcombe was drafted in the U. S. Army, which was then engaged in the Vietnam War.

"Before I left Long Beach for my inductive courses, David Schoch delivered another prophetic prayer over me, 'You will go [to Vietnam] and you will come back because God is going to send you to Red China to preach the gospel. Not one hair on your head will be harmed'" (China's Opening Door: Incredible Stories of the HOLY SPIRIT at Work in One of the Greatest Revivals in Christianity).

In 1978, Balcombe did begin ministering in Red China! You can hear Dennis tell that wonderful story in this video (including the David Schoch part of the story).

Lastly - though there would be no difficulty writing more - there is the startling word Schoch gave to Dick Iverson's Portland, Oregon church years ago. Iverson writes:

"David Schoch came to Bible Temple for our 'prophetic assembly' in April, 1973, and one morning when he began to prophesy, his word was almost a rebuke to us. 'Rise up and don't profane my word. Knock out these four walls and build as I said.' Then he prophesied that we should go back and listen to what the Lord had already said to us.

"Even as he spoke I thought to myself, 'There's no way we can knock out these four walls.' We had attempted to buy the remaining land behind us and to the side of us but it was not available. Now the Lord was saying to rise up and knock out the four walls.

"Brother Schoch continued, 'Even now the walls are falling.' I thought to myself, 'I sure hope you are in the Spirit, Brother Schoch, because there's no way we can build any more here.' Also, I worried that what he'd said would bring confusion to the people who had supported my efforts to buy out in the suburbs.

"The very same day of the prophecy, one of the Bible college students came to me and said, 'You know, the home that joins our property in the back of the building?' I said, 'Yes,' knowing it quite well as that particular piece of property was critical if we were ever to build more in that neighborhood. The house was on a very large lot and I'd tried to buy it many times. However, since the owners hated the church, they had absolutely refused to sell.

"'Well,' the student went on, 'last night something strange happened. We heard this loud crash like a car wreck and when we went outside to investigate, we discovered that the retaining wall on that property had fallen down.'

"The full length of that retaining wall which had stood in front of the house for probably fifty or sixty years had fallen over onto the sidewalk for no apparent reason. Suddenly I remembered the prophecy, 'even now the walls are falling.' And, of course, the prophet had spoken with no knowledge of what was going on outside.

"I went back into the office and asked our administrator, Warren Steele, to write a check for ten thousand dollars. He looked at me with amazement and said we didn't have ten thousand dollars in the bank. I told him to write the check anyway and I would make sure it was covered. I knew the Holy Spirit had spoken to us and that God was doing something supernatural.

"I walked over to the neighbor's house and knocked on the door. I'd talked to him many times in the past, and he'd always mocked the church while refusing to sell. This time, though, when he came to the door and I asked him again he agreed to sell. Of course, he wanted more than it was worth - fifty thousand - but I gave him the ten thousand as earnest money and within thirty days we'd raised the additional forty thousand from among the congregation. The wall falling down as confirmation of the prophetic word was a rather dramatic testimony as to what the Lord wanted us to do." (The Journey: A Lifetime of Prophetic Moments)

Now, it may appear that I have taken up quite a bit of space merely writing about a man - David Schoch - and the gift of prophecy. That perception will get you accused in some quarters of "lifting up Man" and "being more focused on gifts than on Jesus". To those prone to leveling such criticism, I would gently remind that:

"It was he [Jesus] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers" (Eph. 4:11, NIV)

and

"the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 19:10, NIV).

We praise God for all that he is ... and we thank him for his gifts!

[The video below has the audio of David Schoch prophesying and preaching at Gospel Temple in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the church founded by Fred C. Poole who was mentioned above. This recording, though, was made in 1967 after Fred Poole was deceased and his son John was the pastor. NOTE: the video is distorted in some places, but the distortion does not last long.]

Schoch and Spiers - Latter Rain rally with Layzell ... 1951 · Wed, Aug 29, 1951 – Page 7 · The Chilliwack Progress (Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada) · Newspapers.com David Schoch, Omar Johnson, Max Wyatt (1952) 14 Nov 1952, Fri The Capital Journal (Salem, Oregon) Newspapers.com Poole, Fox, the Schochs, Kelso Glover (Sept 1958) 27 Sep 1958, Sat Independent (Long Beach, California) Newspapers.com David Schoch at Elim (Jul 1959) 04 Jul 1959, Sat Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, New York) Newspapers.com 1964 CONVENTION - Fox, Gentile, and Schoch 31 Oct 1964, Sat The San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, California) Newspapers.com Beall and Gentile w/Schoch (Oct 1969) 04 Oct 1969, Sat Press-Telegram (Long Beach, California) Newspapers.com 3 Schoch brothers together (1970) 27 Jun 1970, Sat Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com Charles Green, Leonard Fox, David Schoch (Oct 1975) 11 Oct 1975, Sat The San Bernardino County Sun (San Bernardino, California) Newspapers.com Presbytery convention - Layzell, Schoch, Schuetz (Dec 1976) 04 Dec 1976, Sat Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com Pemberton, Schoch, Lea, Boschman, Flowers (Jul 1980) 19 Jul 1980, Sat Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas) Newspapers.com David Schoch in Arizona in 1981 18 Apr 1981, Sat Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona) Newspapers.com Schoch "modern day apostle and prophet" ... Boschmans ... Joseph and Florence Rowe (1983) 14 May 1983, Sat The Sun (Biloxi, Mississippi) Newspapers.com Beall, Meares, Schoch in Charlotte (Oct 1986) 11th anniversary 11 Oct 1986, Sat The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina) Newspapers.com Paino, Schoch in Nashville (Apr 1987) 04 Apr 1987, Sat The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee) Newspapers.com Schoch in MS (1988) 12 Mar 1988, Sat Hattiesburg American (Hattiesburg, Mississippi) Newspapers.com Hayford with LR ministers (Jan 1988) 20 Jan 1988, Wed Monrovia News-Post (Monrovia, California) Newspapers.com David Schoch and H. L. Chesser ministering in NY (1999) 04 Aug 1999, Wed Star-Gazette (Elmira, New York) Newspapers.com