By Tim Harrold – second of two reports

This year’s Shiloh Conference took place in the former nightclub venue under the Queensgate Centre opposite the Thameside Complex in Grays, beginning on Monday 24 and ending on Sunday 30 November 2014.

Pastor Niyi Olujobi‘s vision and expectation was for a week of Transformation and Kingdom manifestations. God did not disappoint him. Indeed, Niyi got rather more than he bargained for, as did many others attending Shiloh!

Speaking in the eearly stages of Shiloh, Charles & Donna Ndifon‘s themes were Transformation of the Mind and Identity in Christ.

Towards the end of the week, Rolland Baker‘s themes were Transformation through Joy, and Holiness.

Words cannot fully express what the Lord imparted and the Holy Spirit did among his people over the week, but the following edited notes give a flavour of what was said and what happened. I attended each of Rolland Baker’s five sessions.

Rolland’s talks – which were entirely without notes, but often included scriptures – were accompanied by demonstrations of the power of the Holy Spirit. There were frequent outbreaks of the joy unspeakable that the Bible talks about. Many received the gift of joyful laughter; others received from the Lord in quieter ways; others fell under an complete abandonment to God. It was holy chaos.

Rolland brought admonishments to western and westernised church structure by asking awkward questions, and humourously (and ironically) pointing out religious trappings. In his eyes, many learned behaviours and patterns in church (any church!) are forms of liturgy, which can create a barrier of passivity between congregation and the Holy Spirit. Rolland could say these things because he carries authority and wisdom borne of experience.

“What would church be like if we actually allowed God to turn up?” Rolland Baker

Rolland also talked about his and his wife Heidi’s Iris Global Ministries which is a missionary organisation working in Mozambique. Their stories of divine protection, supernatural healing and Spirit-led adventures are an inspiration and example of complete abandonment to God. They have helped to change a nation that was once impoverished by colonial domination, civil war and communist rule. Declared atheist and then overun by other religions, Iris has been instrumental in bringing many in Mozambique to Jesus, gaining influence and favour along the way. Hopeless and helpless streetkids have grown up to be university educated, and are now in government. Transformation. But as Rolland will tell you, it’s all God’s doing.

Thanks go to Pastor Niyi Olujobi and all at RCCG House of Praise for facilitating such a momentous, significant and blessed event. Worship and musical items were provided over the week by the infectious Kelechi Ify and creative Philippa Hanna.

See the first report for an explanation of events here – https://www.transformationthurrock.com/Articles/423223/Transformation_Thurrock/Events/Be_Transformed_and.aspx

Throne Room, Friday 28 November

Rolland Baker

  • Shiloh pic 3No one will hear gospel if they’re not receiving from you at their first point of need
    • This is because they will think that you don’t have God’s love
  • What would your life be like if the bible was really true? (Rhetorical question)
    • It’s in God’s nature to make somebodies out of nobodies
    • Set your hearts on another life not this one
  • The Christian is someone willing to give up all blessings in this life for the sake of the kingdom
    • Once you hear about a great revival you don’t want to settle for anything less
  • Happy people look forward to being with their lover for eternity
    • If you really want revival do whatever it takes
    • Look for a place to test the gospel
    • Don’t settle for anything less than the absolute best (in God)
    • Don’t grow up – grow down

Miracle Rally, Friday 28 November

Rolland Baker

  • A lot of intercession is just sustained disbelief
    • Quit begging at the door and bust in
    • People often pray with no relationship with God – they just quote all the right verses
  • God knows the difference between tithing as investment and genuine giving to help someone
    • You can’t fool all of the people all of the time; you can fool some of the people some of the time; but you can’t fool God any of the time
    • Don’t chase money – Jesus contrasted himself with money
    • How much prosperity is good for you?
  • God is the most romantic person in the universe
    • He wants to be loved, longs to be wanted, to be completed, and is absolutely love-starved
    • He created humans to love him back
    • He wants a bride, companionship, intimacy
    • That’s what we’re made for – to satisfy God’s extreme desire to be loved
    • Only one thing hits the spot – to be totally in love with a perfect lover
    • All that motivates Jesus is relationship – revival has no content without it…
    • In him we end our search and find our destination
  • We do not pursue revival, but revival pursues us

Throne Room, Saturday 29 November

Rolland Baker

  • Imagine if after lifetime of going to church you get to heaven and find it’s… church? One very long service…
  • Become nothing so God can be everything
    • The most influential are the least, the insignificant
    • Jesus was so much fun, relaxed, approachable
    • It was the church people who didn’t like him, the Pharisees
    • God invented humour!
  • Without joy, you’re dead
    • No one wants what you have
    • You’re not going to transform anything
    • Without joy, Christian life is pointless
  • Blockages are caused by an over complication of the Gospel
    • The Gospel is simple: Jesus is all you need
    • He’s your perfect saviour
  • God is extremely emotional…
    • You don’t leave your emotions outside of a marriage!
    • Christians have taken joy out of church
    • Church isn’t normal until it’s bursting with life, until people are exploding with life
    • The average church is supernaturally depressed
  • Things not being taught:
    • Fear of God – lessening of severity of the word – not designed to bring you down but keep you in the right place of peace
    • Sovereignty of The Lord
  • If you don’t trust that God’s totally in control, you won’t have joy
    • Take joy very seriously
    • It’s only by taking the gospel seriously enough that you get you get set free and laugh like a kid
    • Then you can finally relax!
    • Keep your eye on Jesus and have fun
    • The only rule is enjoy yourself

Shiloh pic 4Miracle Rally, Saturday 29 November

Rolland Baker

  • You’re all doomed to joy!
    • Simple faith in Jesus – that’s all great revivals are
    • Then people come along and complicate it
    • Simple faith gives you everything
  • There’s a secret place the world doesn’t know where everything’s at peace, okay, clear, perfect, another dimension
    • Just you and Jesus
    • Where you find romance, desire of your heart, total satisfaction, excitement, wonder, appreciation, no pressure, no competition
    • Revival starts in the secret place
    • Most people don’t think of God as the Lover as well as Daddy
    • It’s something greater than a Father’s love – the secret place is not perfect without the love between a bride and bridegroom
  • Iris Global Ministry five core values:
    • Find God
      • There is NO ceiling!
      • Always anticipate more from God
    • Miracles are natural and normal
      • You can create prosperity but prosperity doesn’t hug you in the night
    • Go to the bottom of the mountain
      • The most likely place to see God work is among the least
    • Be willing to suffer
      • Do you think you’ll get a reward in heaven for being a bubble-protected spoilt kid?
      • Suffering is necessary
    • Joy of The Lord
      • Theology is so complicated only little children understand it!

Shiloh pic 5After  a time of ministry, which saw many people praying for each other in a Spirit-charged chaotic joy and laughter, a party atmosphere erupted, and Niyi invited everyone up onto the platform to dance and sing (see right). There was a heavenly mixing up of gender, age and ethnicity, and a childlike growing down… It was Spirit-filled Pazzazz!

Celebration Service, Sunday 30 November

Rolland Baker

  • There are two ways to stop God:
    • Be serious
    • Get organised
  • The two most powerful beings in the universe are trying to kill you!
  • When you are in union with God nothing is work anymore
  • When you’re really in love and united with God you have no will of your own
    • Does he need instructions? No!
    • God’s perfect and won’t do anything that’s not right
    • So don’t try to control him
    • God’s in control
  • Don’t ever think of yourself as better than someone else
  • It’s impossible for God not to will for you what’s absolutely the best for you
    • I give my life to Jesus, because he gave his life for me
    • My life means nothing unless I serve him

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