Greetings, AMI Friends.
I hope you are enjoying the beginning of the fall season, as it is quite wonderful for us here in Phoenix.
This has been a very busy time here at AMI, with numerous ministry opportunities along with the normal responsibilities that we maintain. This year, I have had a significant increase in meetings with various people from numerous parts of the world via Skype. Some of these meetings include a couple of leaders with whom I have begun a mentoring relationship. Over the course of several of years, my time with one young man has produced life-changing results! It is incredible that the internet could make a way for us to meet with people who are on the other side of the world and still feel like we are in the same room!
Northern Ireland
I’m recently back from Northern Ireland where I had the opportunity to minister at Destination Church Belfast (DCB). I had the pleasure of teaching in the Sunday morning service and at the discipleship training class as well. I found each event enjoyable and well-attended with people who desire more of God and were responsive to the message.
In reflecting back to the beginning days of DCB, I would minister in the church service and there would seem to be an awkwardness on the people. I am pleased that this was not the case in my last visit. This reveals that the local church culture of DCB is developing into a community. Yes, Lord!
I always look forward to meeting with the leadership team at DCB (Andrew Montgomery, Colin Woodward, and Mark Gordon). I love these men! I participate as a “Trans-local Apostle” and enjoy having the opportunity to contribute in the development of DCB. This team is doing an excellent job and I am seeing each of them increase in confidence and maturity as they settle into their leadership roles.
Also while in Belfast, I had the opportunity to minister at Vineyard Church Lagan Valley. I knew the young pastor prior to his church plant and have found him to be a true treasure. This church has increased in size quickly and has a large attendance of young people. I had the privilege of speaking at their monthly event called “Jericho Night.” I was accompanied by Andrew and ten of the AMI Interns who came to help minister. The place was packed and the Holy Spirit was present – what a great combination! We had to move several rows of chairs to accommodate the great response to the ministry invitation. Many were filled with the Spirit and encountered God in a new way. We also prayed for numerous people to be healed. I have a sense that my message during this event and our ministry to this church was a “re-digging” of some Vineyard wells. I believe that this church will flourish under the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
During the last part of this trip to Belfast, I visited with a dear friend and fellow minister, Dr. Cecil Stuart, founder and director of Christian Communications Network (CCN). CNN is an international TV broadcasting network that covers Europe and Africa. During our visit, Cecil asked me to do an interview for the broadcast, in which I was happy to participate. We recorded two, 30-minute programs discussing “Why is the Holy Spirit so Necessary?” What a perfect topic to discuss! I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the recording process, as it was easier than I thought it might be. To be honest, the camera man had to remind me a few times to keep my focus on Cecil during the recordings, as there was so much to take in at the time. I am told that millions of people will see these two broadcasts and I pray God will use this message to touch many lives.
Before leaving Belfast, we met with a few local ministers and made plans to return in 2018 to minister in their churches. Thank you, Lord!
Cuba
Pastor Miguel Gomez from Compassion Church, which is our AMI affiliate in Vera Cruz, Mexico, traveled to Cuba with a team to minister to the 20-25 churches we have gathered there. I spoke to Miguel by phone regarding this trip and he reports that the churches there remain hungry for the ministry we are providing. They are interested in becoming an AMI affiliate and continue to inquire about that partnership. We will keep you updated on the activity in Cuba, as it’s very encouraging.
Veracruz, Mexico
I’m soon to travel to Veracruz, as I will be ministering in the annual Leadership Summit at Compassion Church. I will also have the opportunity to minister in both Sunday church services. It is always wonderful to see the great things God is doing in this body.
Be praying for Miguel and me, as we will be spending some time with a man who has interest in being an AMI church planter, which I find very encouraging.
Here at the AMI office in Phoenix and Destination Church Phoenix (DCP), we are making our plans for the upcoming 2018 International Leadership Summit and our annual Super Sunday at DCP. I have faith and revelation that our 2018 Summit will be profound and over-the-top!
I hope you are encouraged with this news from the ministry of AMI.
God’s best to you! Have a dream, a vision, and prophesy!
Dr. Dennis Bourns
Director AMI
Greetings from AMI Ireland!
Greetings from AMI Ireland!
As reported in our last Newsletter, we re-engineered our monthly interns meetings for the second half of the year: September, October and November would be open meetings to one and all. The meetings were previously restricted to participating interns or those interested in joining the programme. The series of open meetings were entitled “Becoming an Acts today disciple” and having held two meetings so far we have been encouraged by attendance and participation.
This has enabled people to dip into our intentional discipling environment, without requiring any commitment or compulsion to join the intern programme. All can engage in our “debriefs” as we seek to assess and learn from previous ministry opportunities. We receive teaching on the necessity of discipleship, the call and commission for all believers to minister in the power and authority of the kingdom of God, and the empowering of the Holy Spirit to achieve the above!! We always seek to experience God and have worship and ministry. There have been some very powerful and transformative encounters. At the end of our first meeting a young man who experienced just such an encounter, came up to me with resolve and conviction in his eyes and stated: “I have to do this course!!” There is certainly an increased interest in potential new interns, that young man being in the process of application.
Dennis joined us again at the end of September bringing his fatherly authority, wisdom, love, encouragement and influence. We had a grand time of ministry culminating in a special Sunday evening event at a large thriving Vineyard church, to which we brought a large team of interns to minister. The people were hungry and thirsty for the manifestation of the promise of the Holy Spirit. They drank and ate well as He came in power, bringing freedom, vision and healing to many! Dennis and I also had some very encouraging meetings with leaders and hope that they produce deeper relationships and Holy Spirit activity from our unity.
Church planting is not for the faint of heart, but what a ride! When we get a rise in numbers on a Sunday at Destination Church Belfast [DCB], we have learned, not in unbelief, but with experience, to steel ourselves for the dip the following Sunday!! Numbers are important when we are trying to build something, but we see so clearly in this season that the Holy Spirit is intent on building us as a foundation of living stones 1 Pet 2:5 for the numbers to come and be built upon at DCB.
We have testimonies aplenty of increasing spiritual growth and wholeness marked by its joy and pain as the fruit is savoured in the death to self. We are witnessing that we are becoming not only a destination church in name, but also in function as we, as destination disciples, seek to become more and more like The Destination, Jesus Christ Eph 4:12-13!! We are also witnessing a greater fulfilment of our vision to prioritise His presence as we gather together. We have had some truly profound experiences and encounters of His presence among us!
There is much to do in this land!!
Thank you for your prayer and financial support.
Blessings
Andrew Montgomery
(Director AMI Ireland)