Celebrating 36 years of latter rain in

Pastor Godfrey Wippon

 DIVINE HEALING of His energy.” Miracles, healings, signs and wonders Similar experiences occurred  WATER BAPTISM were an integral part of the amongst the Quakers, Pilgrims church life for several centuries. of Britain and other lesser  SPEAKING IN known Christian groups. OTHER Wesley and other great men of REVIVAL God spoke of such things. TONGUES Whilst many of the great  SECOND COMING POWER LOST revivalists enjoyed the The year AD312 saw the Roman Pentecostal experience, few of OF JESUS Emperor, Constantine make their followers have not done CHRIST Christianity the official religion nor seen the necessity for it. of the Roman Empire. But as Christian principles were mixed THIS CENTURY Here is the story with pagan ritual and idol The early 1900s saw another and how it began worship, many fundamentals of great Christian revival. the Christian faith including Thousands of men and women this Pentecostal experiences world-wide started receiving were lost. The churches quickly the Holy Spirit with the became lifeless and powerless. manifestation of speaking in THE ORIGINAL No healings, no miracles and no other tongues. Many drew away CHURCH clear evidence of the Holy Spirit from or were put out of their in the church. Church heads mainline churches and began The Christian church began became less concerned with the what we now call ‘Pentecostal over 2,000 years ago when, as original salvation message and Churches’ in which the infilling told in the Bible, the apostles became political. They of the Spirit with the sign of were gathered together waiting controlled governments and speaking in tongues was and praying for what Jesus had empires, ordered massacres common. Tens of millions of called, “the promised of the and quickly rid themselves of people world-wide enjoy this Father”. Moments later they dissenters. Right down through experience today. were all filled with the Holy the ages however ordinary Spirit and began to speak in people continued to experience other tongues. This experience this infilling of the Holy Spirit is known as the “Pentecostal with the bible evidence of REVIVAL experience” that first occurred speaking in other tongues. CENTRES on the “Day of Pentecost” – a Many were persecuted and even Jewish festival day. The Bible martyred for their faith. FELLOWSHIP gives many other examples of people receiving the Holy Spirit THE GREAT ORIGINS in exactly the same way A major Pentecostal movement demonstrating that this REFORMERS began in just after the experience was normal in the Martin Luther, great reformer Second World War with a early Christian Church. of the 16th Century was known number of new churches to have had the Pentecostal emerging. These churches drew Three hundred and sixty years experience. He challenged the large numbers of people from a after Pentecost, Chrysostom, church leaders of the day on wide cross section of the Bishop of Constantinople wrote, many issues. But at the centre community – some being from “whoever was baptised in was the issue of personal other churches and many with Apostolic days he straightaway salvation itself. According to no church background at all. spoke in tongues for since on Sover, writer of the history of From these beginnings – their coming over from idols the Christian Church, “Dr Assemblies in Victoria and without any clear knowledge or Martin was a prophet, South Australia aligned training in the scriptures, they evangelist, speaker in tongues themselves in their common at once received the Spirit for and interpreter in one person experiences and doctrine and He is invisible, but God’s grace endowed with all the gifts of the the church grew throughout the bestowed some sensible proof Spirit.” country. Today there are over

90 assemblies throughout “I was searching for an (Helen) who was also baptised Australia and overseas alternate therapy in both and received the Holy Spirit including , Great Australia and Papua New and his children and returned Britain, , America, Guinea”. to his homeland. South , , , Indonesia, His search for a cure and He worked as a press publicity , , , healing brought him to officer with the OK Tedi gold Solomon Islands and Papua someone who told him to turn mine for a while then he heard New Guinea. to God. Though a devoted of his mother’s illness. He Catholic – his eventual turn to travelled to his village of REVIVAL search for God landed him an Karaite in Lumi of Sandaun invitation Province at the end of August CENTRES OF to attend a Revival Centres 1982 after thirteen (13) years Fellowship in Melbourne on away to see his mother and PNG the 31st of May 1981. This first eventually to bring back with In Acts 3:22 “For Moses said, meeting convinced Pastor him that ray of light and ray of the Lord your God will send Godfrey that there was more to hope that also changed the you a Prophet just as he sent believing the Word of God and lives of his people. me and he will be one of your actually being filled with the own People. You are to obey Holy Spirit, speaking in other Pastor Godfrey prayed over his everything that he will tell you tongues and receiving healing mother who had been in a to do.” as promised in God’s Word. coma for a few days after suffering from cerebral A native of Papua New Guinea, Being a sick man – the first malaria. The next morning she Pastor Godfrey Onpaye thing Pastor Godfrey wanted to was completely healed. She Wippon was among the first do was to be obedient to the woke up and went downhill to a batch of young vibrant Word of God and he took that water hole to collect water to correspondents working for step by being baptized and do her washing – it was Radio Australia PNG Service in being filled with the Holy obvious God had healed her Melbourne just after Spirit. and she lived for another ten independence. (10) years. Little did he know that the While serving there for three decision he made would change Upon witnessing and hearing years he fell ill and began every aspect of the life he knew of the miracle and following the suffering from lobar and everything he grew up Good news of being baptised by pneumonia (collapsed lung) in with, his family, his entire full immersion and receiving August of 1980. The collapsed village, its customs and his the Holy Spirit – many came to lung diagnosed by his doctors traditions and most hear the Word of God. in Melbourne as severe with no importantly his faith. cure through medication except On the first of September, 1982 its removal through an The good news of being born of – the first nine people, eight operation wasn’t what Pastor the water and the Holy Spirit male and one female Godfrey could wish for. His brought about a huge change in courageously stepped out of a doctors told him he had only his life – a change that gave strong hold Catholic territory two years to live. him a standing ovation of and declared their new found something he never dreamt of. faith by being baptised and “Nothing was helping me. No It was a driving call to preach received the Holy Spirit. medicine was doing me good. I the Gospel to the lost and to the went to see the priest. I went to people who never heard the Their lives were changed and see the priest of the Catholic true Gospel salvation message they began a new walk as the Church I attended and he only of being born of the water and Word of God had promised. sent me to go to the doctor. I the Spirit. The nine (9), one female and thought he would pray for me eight males from the village of so that the God he believed in Pastor Godfrey was healed by Karaite, Kumnate, and Eritei would heal me”. Pastor Godfrey God and subsequently left No.1, were Edward Ripos said. Australia with his then wife Onpaye, Peter Arman Telpeki,

Fabian Ramaka Telpeki, Hagen and Vanimo. Pastor Godfrey recalls other Matthew Meindo Telpeki, With severe persecutions from church groups ordering him to Daniel Tainkel Seiwo, the main line churches after its stop preaching in their Thaddeus Aitu, Alois Yalu, Carl inception with power in territories. And he usually Kaniombo and the only female September of 1982, nothing replies, “If what I am preaching Angela Waminan (nee Weiki could stop the outpouring of comes from man then it will Kati). the Holy Spirit as it spread fade and die away but if it throughout the country. comes from God no man will These first nine people laid the ever stop it and it will continue foundation of the now Pastor Godfrey’s stand against to grow like wild fire.” (Acts Pentecostal Revival Movement persecutions and sheer 5:38-39). hrough-out Papua New Guinea determination to preach the and the inception of powerful word of God boldly within the True to his words, the church ministry with signs, wonders last 36 years certainly paid off. continues to grow in great and miracles following. Revival is now booming in this numbers with Port Moresby as country as we continue to see the largest assembly in Papua Within just three months news more than 150 people from all New Guinea and in the Revival of the healing power of God the provinces being converted Fellowship world-wide with spread like fire. Hundreds weekly. It is spreading because over 3,000 people every flocked in, the sick and the it offers both physical and Sunday meeting. Despite the lame seeking answers to their spiritual healing and there is many occasions – when he was predicament though the power now a real commitment to threatened, laughed and of the good news of God and improvement and to family life. mocked at, called a con man, a 128 others also received the The Fellowship now is in all the false prophet and all sorts of Holy Spirit. 22 provinces even in the names – he never gave up hope remotest parts of the country in the true God he believes in. What a Revival – as what with 900 assembly’s altogether. He always puts on a brave face former parliamentarian, There are about 900 officers coupled with his trademark Gabriel Ramoi termed it, and their assistants smile. “There is certain revolution in administering the churches in Pastor Godfrey vividly recalls the Revival Centres. It is a each province. The success of two of the most memorable spiritual and social revolution. the Revival Centres of Papua events that he will never forget Let’s pray that no human New Guinea would be and that he saw the Lord really interference will disturb this attributed largely to the signs, take charge of the situation. great move of the Lord”. wonders and miracles among The first one was in the people, and changes in the 1983 .During one of their The Revival Centres of Papua lives of the people. A lot of normal visits to help Pastor New Guinea which was known people have been healed of Godfrey with the growing as the Niugini Revival in the various illnesses since the church in the early days, three early days was established on beginning including ulcers, Australian Pastors were the September 1982 in Karaite. cancers, HIV/AIDS, leprosy. ordered to leave and never to From then on it was no turning The lame walk, the blind see, return to Papua New Guinea by back for the now ever populous and deaf hear and many others. government immigration growing church made famous The people testify of officers and police in by its countless healings of themselves. Lumi. disease and illnesses medicine holds no cure to. Since the church’s inception in They claimed the Revival 1982 Pastor Godfrey has since Fellowship was causing The church began to spread out been a real workaholic. He has divisions among families in the to other provinces. Poro in worked tirelessly for the church Lumi and Aitape villages. Aitape was the first village to to be where it is today. His Actually their aim was to stop establish a church in 1984 vision for Papua New Guineans the church from growing outside of Lumi and then 1986 to be filled with the Holy Spirit completely. Government to 1987, it moved to Wewak, was the fruits of his dedication officials acted upon complaints Lae, Onamuga in the Eastern and commitment for the last 36 from already existing churches Highlands Province, Mount years. within the areas.

It was a heart-breaking impressive. Man and woman with the rapid growth of the moment for Pastor Godfrey worked together to improve church. and the newly established living conditions, hygiene and church when he said good-bye health in the villages. The task was tough for one to the pastors at the Jacksons man to oversee a church that airport. That was to be the last Pastor John had the privilege grew so rapidly in the last 36 and the PNG Fellowship was of making twelve trips to Papua years – but for Pastor Godfrey never to see and hear from New Guinea as guest of the – it has been the love, wisdom Australia again. Pastor Godfrey Revival Fellowship Centres of and humbleness of the Lord went back to his people very PNG. His first visit was to Lumi that gave him the strength and sad but deep inside he knew in 1987 where a strong revival courage to fulfil the great work that what he started was never church was already flourishing. that the Lord bestowed upon his – it was God’s and that He “I met many wonderful people him. will never let His people down whose lives had been This September will see the – God was going to make transformed by the power of Revival Centres of Papua New things right. God. Many testified of Guinea celebrate 36 years miraculous healings and lives anniversary of active and But after only three years being changed after being powerful ministry in PNG. Australians were given the baptised by full immersion and green light to continue their receiving the Holy Spirit with It marks a milestone in the work with the church in PNG. the Bible evidence of speaking history of the Fellowship in the And since then Australians in other tongues – Acts 2:4,” country and that God is have been attending PNG He said. Pastor John added pouring out His Holy Spirit rallies, crusades and camps that Australia and other parts until the return of the Lord every year in great numbers of the world are inspired by the Jesus as He promised and His continuously granting their testimonies and faithfulness of Church will continue to grow support. our brethren in Papua New no matter what. Guinea. The Revival Centres of Papua Pastor Godfrey said he only New Guinea is affiliated to the Another incident was in 1986: preaches the Word of God and Australian Revival Fellowship. Pastor Godfrey and some of his it is up to the people to choose The Revival Fellowship has leaders and brethren walked where they want to be as he immensely supported Revival two nights to the Sepik River to always says in one of his Centres of Papua New Guinea baptise a group of people at famous sayings, “Heaven or through its 36 years of Makleri village but were Hell – to live forever or to die existence in both cash and kind threatened and turned away by forever, the choice is yours, no and it is through the extension Yakeltem villagers who pressure.” of its faith as well that the belonged to the CBC church. From the very beginning, he Papua New Guinea Fellowship The group had to retreat to had only one vision and that continues to soar. Karaite. was for Papua New Guinea to be filled with the Holy Spirit. According to the Chairman of This did not stop the power of That is one precious thing he the Revival Fellowship God from moving. Some holds at heart. worldwide and Senior Pastor of months later the people the Adelaide Revival themselves came out to Wewak Today more than 90,000 Fellowship, Pastor John and got baptised and received members throughout Papua Kuhlmann – The revival that the Holy Spirit and went back New Guinea are enjoying the followed Pastor Godfrey’s to their village and established benefits of paying attention to conversion in Melbourne in the church. Now it is all the salvation message of God 1981 paved the way for the Revival. and taking that step to repent, spiritual transformation of be baptised and be filled with many individuals. Pastor Godfrey himself since the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:38. the beginning has been Pastor John said the positive conducting trainings in various What started in a small village impact on the local provinces for young men, high up on the mountains and communities was very leaders, and pastors to keep up among a people who know little about civilisation has definitely been a powerful ministry with signs, wonders and miracles following confirming “THE GREATEST REVIVAL OF ALL TIME… PRAISE THE LORD!”

Pastor Godfrey Wippon has given us permission to circulate this article that was printed just before the 2012 Rally in Wewak in the PNG newspapers: National, Post Courier and Sunday Chronicle.

There were 933 baptisms at the Rally and more over the following days! In 2012, there was 5,833 baptisms recorded, plus others in remote areas which are unable to make regular reports.