I liked this...

http://home.att.net/~mcp3_2000/_christmas/my/you.htm

For unto us a child is born

Isaiah 9:6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Luke 2
11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Sign every Christian should display

I made this sign and put it on a fence that faces oncoming traffic of a major road near my home. No one from the city has objected to it in light of my first amendment right to display a 'religious' sign. Although I do have one neighbor who expressed, "I only wish that you would have said, 'Happy Holidays' instead."

The people of our culture are gradually being brainwashed that it is a bad thing to express our faith at Christmas time. I personally think that every Christian has a responsibility to put up some sort of a sign on their homes letting our culture know that Jesus Christ is the reason for the seasonal 'Holiday.' "Happy Holidays" and "Seasons Greetings" is no longer an option for Christians to use, they should make a strong point of using the salutation "Merry Christmas.

There is a war on Christianity in the public market place of ideas. If every Christian of all denominations would express their faith publicly we would be able to counteract the attempts of the ACLU to stomp out Christianity in the public market place of ideas.

Just in my small town alone there are so many churches, and my state has thousands. And yet all of us Christians across America are guilty of just sitting back and doing nothing to express our faith openly during the celebration of the Birthday of Jesus Christ in the public market place of ideas. We have allowed a handful of atheist to regulate us out of the public arena. Shame on us Christians! We outnumber the atheist in America and yet we allow them to push us out of our own culture.

If you have any kind of a social understanding of these things, you should join the crusade to let the culture around us know that you care about publicly celebrating the Birthday of Jesus Christ. Display a sign this Christmas. If you think this is a good thing to do, please pass this along in an email to all of your Christian family and friends.

It is time we speak up and be heard American Christians. Join the Crusade to put Christ back in Christmas in the public market place of ideas!

THIS IS A SCRIPTURAL PRACTICE!

Don't miss out on the blessing...Jesus Christ said:

Matthew 10:32Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

David Sloane

Self evident

What if everyone observed your birthday with out inviting you?

Glory Days Gone Bye

The fellowship was sweet in the days that Christians everywhere were beginning to encounter the same powerful anointing. Today we find it hard to stay in any one church for very long due to our longing for that anointing. Some of the most anointed people of that early encounter with Jesus have detoured into the world for lack of fulfillment. No matter where they go to church they become disappointed and fall away. Everywhere they go to begin fellowshipping with believers they soon find out the belief of that fellowship is extremely limited and so they leave wounded and empty.

Is there anyone out there that even remotely understands what I’m talking about? It’s like witnessing to someone about the grace of God for salvation and then they respond with “Well, I’m not such a bad person”. Can’t they see? And why is it that Christians of today look at you with such a blank when you share spiritual things with them. Soon there is no real fellowship and many backslide and recluse with the feelings of not fitting in...

I have come to understand that when light emanates from the throne of God, it takes on a variety of shades and colors. There must be a billion shades of every color and even colors that are completely unknown to man. When people have encountered the same color or shade of light a kindred spirit is born. When people of that same light ray become dispersed, they are lost without each other and become discouraged. As a result, many of the greatest Christians of our day remain dormant. They are desperately searching for someone out there who walks in the same dimension of light; anyone who has been exposed to the same light ray in shade or color, especially the same shade.

Jesus who is the light of the world said that we are the light of the world. All Christians are partakers of that same light, but within that light there are diversities of anointing. When a Christian receives the baptism of the Holy Ghost they walk in a new dimension of the same light that it took for any of us to be saved. All we like sheep have gone astray. We were lost but now are found, we were blind but now we see.

When we became born again we received spiritual vision. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3). Now that we are saved we see. But until we become baptized with the Holy Ghost it is as though we only see in black and white. If the Christian does not move on to become baptized with the Holy Ghost they will eventually interpret everything spiritual with limited vision. Like the letter of the law, they will only see black and white.

An experience with the Holy Ghost is an exposure to light that will develop your pictures in living color. Once you see in color it’s hard to return to black and white. Black and white is nice, it’s nostalgic, traditional, but color is a dimension of the Christian reality that is available to anyone hungry enough to receive it. Not more of the same, but more as in more. When I speak of GLORY DAYS GONE BYE, I am not talking about day old manna. I am talking about genuine manna. Where has it gone? Good shepherds get ready. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17).

Pastor;
Tilson Shumate

lori W recollects

For a few years now I have been trying to find my friends that were in Shekinah ministry. I have found only a few.

I am happy to say that since I found Davids web site I have been doing a lot of remembering of those days with Brant. I have been silent to long. There are a lot of happy memories and sad ones also. But the work David is doing I feel is Gods work. Those years with the ministry are always with me.

I came out of Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa. I was not a new Christain when I met Brant. It was in the early days when Brant was just starting out. He was only 23 yrs old and already on fire for God. There was only a handful of us.

When I first came to a service I knew that is were I belonged. It was in a small store and we all sat on the ground and listened to him preach. We soon moved into a foursquare Church . Many people started to attend the Sat night services and it soon grew to fill the large church. The choir was wonderful. I remember Joe Dallas at the piano and the various singers. I remember that before each service Brant would be waiting on the side of the stage praying , eyes closed or raised , hands folded or uplifted to the Lord. As we all sang worship to God the room would fill with a cloud of Gods presence. It could literaly be felt and seen.

There were many healings that I saw, and I can testify to one that I saw before my eyes. I was on stage with Brant and Randy West, while people came up to testify of their healings. A lady came up and she was healed of a illness but her hands were still twisted from arthritis and as Brant started to pray for her , I saw her hands staighten out fully. Brant said, "did you see that" Yes, I did.

There were times when it was hard to stand next to him as you could feel the presence of Jesus ever so softly. We all Loved the Lord and looked only to do his will. I was involved for about 3-4 years, from the begining to almost the end of the ministry.

I remember when Brants mother started coming to the services more often. I felt she may have wanted too much control of the ministry and this bothered Brant. She was a lovely and gracious lady but could be domineering. I loved Brants father , he was so sweet and humble.

Brant became engaged to one of my best friends, Lesa Green. This did not last very long. She was so very beautiful and kind. She took this very hard after he broke it off with her.

There are more memories that I want to share but feel I should think about it for a few more days before I share with you all. I must say that if anyone remembers me or were involved in the minisry, please come forward by writing here or David or emailing me if you would.

En Agape
Hannelore

Shekinah

Etymology:

Shechinah is derived from the Hebrew verb 'sakan' or 'shachan'. In Biblical Hebrew the word means literally to settle, inhabit, or dwell, and is used frequently in the Hebrew Bible. (See e.g. Genesis 9:27, 14:13, Psalms 37:3, Jeremiah 33:16). In Mishnaic Hebrew the word is often used to refer to bird's nesting and nests. ("Every bird nests [shechinot] with its kind, and man with its like, Talmud Baba Kammah 92b.) and can also mean "neighbor" ("If a neighbor and a scholar, the scholar is preferred" Talmud Ketubot 85b). The word "Shechinah" also means "royalty" or "royal residence" ( The Greek word 'skene' - dwelling - is thought to be derived from 'shekinah' and 'sakan'. The word for Tabernacle, mishcan, is a derivative of the same root and is also used in the sense of dwelling-place in the Bible, e.g. Psalm 132:5 ("Before I find a place for God, mishcanot (dwelling-places) for the Strong One of Israel.") Accordingly, in classic Jewish thought, the Shekhina refers to extraordinary manifestation of divine spirituality, to the effect that, while Man is in proximity to the Shekhinah, the connection to God is more readily perceivable by Man.

Meaning:

The Shekinah is held by many to represent the feminine attributes of the presence of God (shekhinah being a feminine word in Hebrew), based especially on readings of the Talmud. The word 'Matronit' is also employed to represent this usage.

The public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, published in 1897, says:

Shechinah – a Chaldee word meaning resting-place, not found in Scripture, but used by the later Jews to designate the visible symbol of God's presence in the tabernacle, and afterwards in Solomon's Temple. When the Lord led out of Egypt, he went before them "in a pillar of a cloud." This was the symbol of his presence with his people. God also spoke to Moses through the 'shekhinah' out of a burning bush. For references made to it during the wilderness wanderings, see Exodus 14:20; 40:34-38; Leviticus 9:23, 24; Numbers 14:10; 16:19, 42.

It is probable that after the entrance into Canaan this glory-cloud settled in the tabernacle upon the ark of the covenant in the most holy place. We have, however, no special reference to it till the consecration of the temple by Solomon, when it filled the whole house with its glory, so that the priests could not stand to minister (1 Kings 8:10-13; 2 Chr. 5:13, 14; 7:1-3). Probably it remained in the first temple in the holy of holies as the symbol of Jehovah's presence so long as that temple stood. It afterwards disappeared.

Where manifest:

The Shekhinah is referred to as manifest in the Tabernacle and the temple in Jerusalem throughout Rabbinic literature. It is also reported as being present in the acts of public prayer, ("Whenever ten are gathered for prayer, there the Shechinah rests" Talmud Sanhedrin 39a); righteous judgment ("when three sit as judges, the Shechinah is with them." Talmud Berachot 6a), and personal need ("The Shechinah dwells over the headside of the sick man's bed" Talmud Shabbat 12b; "Wheresoever they were exiled, the Shechinah went with them." Megillah 29a).

Forms of manifestation:

The Talmud reports that the Shekhinah is what caused prophets to prophecy and King David to compose his Psalms Pesachim 117a). The Shechinah manifests itself as a form of joy, connected with prophecy and creativity: Talmud Pesachim 117a) The Talmud also reports that "The Shechinah does not rest amidst laziness, nor amidst laughter, nor amidst lightheadedness, nor amidst idle conversation. Rather, it is amidst the joy associated with a mitzvah that the Shechinah comes to rest upon people, as it is said: 'And now, bring me for a musician, and it happened that when the music played, God's hand rested upon him' [Elisha] [2 Kings 3:15]" (Pesachim 117a). Thus the Shekhinah is associated with the transformational "Spirit of God" regarded as the source of prophecy:

After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:
And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. (1 Samuel10:5-6 KJV).

The prophets make numerous references to metaphorical visions of the presence of God, particularly in the context of the Tabernacle or Temple, particularly visions of thrones or robes that fill the Sanctuary, that are traditionally associated with and described as visions of the Shekhinah. Isaiah wrote "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and his train filled the Temple." (Isaiah 6:1). Jeremiah implored "Do not dishonor the throne of your glory" (Jeremiah 14:21) and referred to "Thou throne of glory, on high from the beginning, Thou place of our sanctuary" (Jeremiah 17:12). Ezekiel spoke of "the glory of the God of Israel was there [in the Sanctuary], according to the vision that I saw in the plain."

Calvin shares his experience

It must have been around 1975...I was about 14 years of age and having a LOT of problems.
I got a job during the summer at the Congress of Racial Equality (C.O.R.E.) doing telephone solicitations.

While there I met an ex-Black Panther by the name of Chris (I can t remember his last name).
Chris is my spiritual father. Though disabled and confined to a wheel chair, high intelligence and a noble spirit distinguished him. He taught me things...gave me back my faith.
He finally convinced me to visit his church (Shekinah Fellowship in Long Beach, CA) for a healing service one Saturday evening.

It was July.

The "church" was a converted movie house (Fox West Coast Theatre on Ocean Boulevard)–the old-fashioned kind that could seat above two thousand. The stage was raised with ramps on either side. And the place was packed with people.
Now I come from a very Fundamentalist background...I had never visited a church like this before: there was singing and worship. People raised their hands as in adoration of an Unseen Lover.

The pastor's name was Brant Baker (I remember his name!). Brant wasn't really a preacher...he was more of a healer as you might say (1st Corinthians 12:9). And he would lead the congregation into a spirit of worship in preparation for his ministry.

When the time came two lines formed at either end of the stage. Brant would fill up the stage with a single line made from the convergence of the two lines and then move from person to person, placing a dab of olive oil on each forehead and praying. At least half of the people prayed for would "faint." Someone would catch them from behind and gently lower them to the floor.
This was all VERY new to me.

Chris then told me to join one of the lines for prayer.
I had no intention of fainting in a theatre full of people: I politely said NO.
But Chris was persistent (the fact was...I TRUSTED Chris).
I finally consented–but promised myself that I was not going to "faint."
And I wasn't going to let anyone PUSH me down either!
In fact, I was pretty much determined not to be cooperative at all!

Anyway, the line I was in was moving, and I was getting closer and closer to the stage.
Finally I took my place on stage (stage left). Brant was on the opposite side working his way toward me. People were fainting, and I was getting more anxious. When Brant got to the person next to me I closed my eyes and told God that I was open to whatever He had for me.
Brant was now in front of me; I could feel his finger place the oil on my forehead, and could hear him whisper the word "Glory!"

And the whole universe disappeared. LITERALLY.
Friend, there IS a place called NOWHERE–and for what was probably less than a split second I was there. A voice (more accurately, a thought) spoke to me saying, "It's all over, you can rest now."

Every cell in my body relaxed in Perfect Peace. Every fear was vanquished. And that's why my body collapsed like a rag doll to the floor on that stage in front of all those people.
When I opened my eyes I was MAD...angry that I was thrown back into this life that took so much delight in exposing my ignorance, weakness and faults.

And on and off (mostly on) I've been seeking that state of Perfection ever since (the links on my web site bear this out).

I've never really understood the meaning of the experience...was it a memory, or a prophecy?

Who was it?

If it was not God who healed all of those people at the services of Shekinah Fellowship, then who did?

If it was not God's presence that was being manifested at Shekinah Fellowship, then who's presence was it?

If it was not the anointing of God that brought so many people together to give of their time and energy to bless others, then who's anointing was it?

If it was not God that touched so many people and impacted their lives even to this day, then who touched them?

If it was not God's Spirit that enabled so many to have the word of knowledge at Shekinah Fellowship, then who's spirit was it?

Here is my point. If God did all of these things, then it can be assumed that He had no problem being associated with Shekinah Fellowship. He had no shame in showing up in the services of Shekinah Fellowship. In fact He made His power and presence known at Shekinah Fellowship.

If all of this is true, then I have questions to ask those of you who were in the ministry of Shekinah Fellowship.

Why are you ashamed? Why are you being silent? Why won't you share with others here about your experiences at Shekinah Fellowship?

Do you have more class then God? Are you better then God? Are you wiser then God? Do you know something about Shekinah Fellowship that God does not know?

God associated with Shekinah Fellowship, He saw fit to be there. He revealed His presence there. What does that tell you? Where does that leave you?

I don't get it? Here you finally have a time and a place to bless others with who you are and what you experienced at Shekinah Fellowship and you choose to remain silent! You choose to sit back like some wisened sage and do nothing. And yet you have come here and you are reading this. Why? What makes you want to even come to this place? Why don't you just click on by...

So many of you have emailed me to tell me you were involved with Shekinah and "may God bless" with out ever sharing one single thing with us.

Do you think that for one minute I and the others who are putting forth the effort to share the Shekinah story are seeking to profit from it? Guess again.

We believe that God knew what he was doing by allowing the full story of King David to be recorded in the bible. Not some sanitized version fit for all audiences.

We believe the suppressed story of Shekinah Fellowship and Brant Baker should be told. And if not by you, then by who?

Are you not the least bit concerned that all that you did for God at Shekinah Fellowship will just be a mere footnote in the historical record? A footnote of no significance.

Well that is what your silence tells me. It tells me that you think Shekinah Fellowship was nothing significant. Your silence tells me that you think everything Brant Baker and Shekinah Fellowship accomplished had no true value in the spiritual landscape.

Your silence tells me that you think your time at Shekinah Fellowship was a waste of time...

Try to tell that to anyone of the people who were healed. Try to tell that to anyone who received the Lord Jesus Christ at a Shekinah Fellowship service. Try to tell that to anyone who's live was changed by the genuine presence of the Lord manifested at Shekinah Fellowship. Try to tell that to those who have emailed me to tell me that they have not come across the presence of the Lord like they experienced in the services of Shekinah Fellowship.

Your silence is not a Godly silence.

God practically pushed me to tell the story of Brant Baker and Shekinah Fellowship. I resisted until I actually had third parties tell me that I should tell the story.

James 4:17Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Go ahead, be silent. Tell all of us by your silence what you think about Brant Baker and Shekinah Fellowship!

333 Ocean Blvd

I was in Long Beach today. Drove past 333 Ocean Blvd. Where the Fox Coast used to be there is now a large Westin hotel. Across the street was the Long Beach performing Arts Center.

I wondered if Brant would be having services at the Arts Center if he were around today. Back in his day this area was full of street people and a bad part of town. Today it is being redeveloped and full of young professionals and upscale buildings.

Long Beach is now a great place to live.

Tile and Tar

I own a small part of TBN in a sense, TBN is my station. Let me explain.

In May of 1973 my boss at the time, Tony Meston of SonShine Electric told me about a fantastic faith enterprise being initiated in Santa Ana. He suggested that we go down there and help out.

Apparently someone was attempting to do the impossible, they were going to get a television station started for the Lord up and running! I was excited about the thought of an all Christian television station. I knew of none. I did know of a radio station, "The Kings Herald of Faith" KHOF, which I listened to in my truck while driving.

Now, having been a part of the birth of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa and having helped to build the current home of Calvary, I knew how awesome it can be to watch God at work. I wanted in on this new venture of faith.

We showed up at TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK on the corner of Dyer and Main street in Santa Ana, 111 West Dyer to be exact. We helped by putting in the flouresent lighting. Every time TBN shows their early start days, you will see them flash a quick picture of me up on a ladder installing the lights, at least I think it is me. We also helped to remove some old linoleum tile that was laid with some aweful tar it seemed. All of us were working for the Lord, so we put our heart into the task.

I can still look back in my memory of Tony helping to run the black and white camera. We were doing this for the Lord.

Paul was an amazing man as I recall, he oozed faith. Jim Bakker and his wife Tammy were there with Paul and Jan Crouch. They all seemed so enthusiastic about what was happening.

I can recall the tech dudes fussing with the stuff, trying to get everything to work correctly. It was a battle field as all of us were trying to get the Lords TV station up and running.

My next time of being in on a major event of TBN was in the 90's. At the time I had no idea that Paul Toberty or Demos Shakarian had anything to do with one another or Paul Crouch.

I was living down the street from the original Dyer street commercial building in Santa Ana. I knew there was a building that I had helped Roy Laney do some painting on, located on Bear Street in Costa Mesa. It originally was one of the locations of the Full Gospel Business Mens Associations. It had been vacated for a long while at this point in time.

One day I felt the Lord telling me to go visit that empty property. So I did. As I walked around it, a sadness filled my heart. I was recalling all the activity and commotion when Roy and I were there painting. Everyone was aware that they were working on a project for the Lord when I first worked on this property. And now here I was years later walking around an abandoned site. I wondered to myself, "What in the world could have happened?"

As I was noticing the brass top of the flagpole sitting in some weeds, the Lord suddenly showed up and told me to prophesy over the property. So I once again walked the property prophesying anything that came to mind.

As I did this the Holy Spirit filled my heart with an unction and an urgency. I felt a righteous anger rising up in my heart and I began to do spiritual warfare.

God was leading me to take back what had been stolen away. He was telling me to call out to Him for restoration.

I went home. But I could not get that property off my mind. So I frequently visited that ghost of a building. Walking around and around it, shouting out to the Lord. Tears streamed down my face as I recalled how it was built for the Lord and here it was in such disrepair and abandoned.

I was angry and jealous for the place to once again be a place known for the Lord. Finally I told my roommate about the place, he was interested. So I took him there and we both prophesyied over the place as we walked every square foot of the place. Each time I looked at the things just lying around on the ground and all of the over grown weeds and such, an anger rose up in my spirit man. I would shout loudly what came to mind prophetically. And each time that I did, the presence of the Lord would manifest and I would end up with tears streaming down my face.

Then one day I knew my task was finished and never went back.

I don't recall how much later but one day I drive by the place and someone was working on it. WOW was I amazed to see that it was going to be a location of TBN. So you see I had a small part to play in TBN once again...

Now you can see how I fit in to the picture as far as TBN. Not to mention that Brant Baker and Shekinah Fellowship was one of the original programs on TBN.

Pastor Leroy Saunders of North Hollywood Assembly of God had opened his church to Brant Baker to have televised prayer meetings there. Pastor Saunders I am sure had a lot to do with Brant getting on TBN since he believed in the vision of Paul and Jan.

It often times trips me out to think of how intertwined everything I have been involved with is. Even though some people don't like how Paul has run the show, the Lord installed him as the steward none the less.

Let me share a small thought on this. Do you think that Jesus would be any good in His choice as to who will do what? You know He prayed a long time before choosing his twelve apostles. And wow, we wouldn't have chosen some of them. Judas was a theif of the kitty and a betrayer!

Mark 14:10And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

Simon Peter was a fairweather friend who cursed and was a liar.

Matthew 26:74Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

These were faulty everyday men and yet Jesus choose them anyway. You see, God does not call who you think He would. God does not call the capable, he makes those who He calls capable!

While most do not agree with me around these parts, I seriously believe that Paul and Jan Crouch were hand picked by God to build TBN. It takes a certain personalty type with a tough skin to accomplish what they have done. Sure you may not like what comes through TBN. But Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel and Pastor Greg Laurie have been on along with a few others that you would agree walk down the middle of the road in their Christian perspective.

Paul and Jan did not just walk into a wonderful up and running popular ministry. They went through all of the hard knocks and the heart breaks and the warfare to make what we all see today.

I have seen Paul alone in the malls at South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island. No body guards, all by himself. I have seen Jan with one of her son's at Fry's Electronics, no body guards.

They are both disliked by a lot of people, and yet they still trust in the Lord. I have talked with Paul in one of my chance encounters with him in South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island. I found him to be very open and friendly, I detected not the slightest bit of apprehension in him.

You know Benny Hinn never goes anywhere without his entourage of Navy Seal bodyguards, what does that tell you? How do I know this? I have worked in his neighborhood within a stones throw of his home for about thirteen years now. Just last week I had two Benny sightings...LOL.

Even if you don't like TBN you have to admit that it is a miracle that it even exists. If you knew the half of what it took to build TBN and maintain it, you would know that it is a miracle.

Of course Brant was very upset at being dropped from TBN. But what did he expect they would do when they found out about his hidden struggles. What could they do? Albeit they did not even say anything to him at all...they just dropped him!

Brant imploded progressively after that, even to the point of speaking against TBN in a "Talking to the door to address the window" fashion from his pulpit. His pain was evident.

Sure Paul is one tough German man, but God did tap him and tell him to build an all Christian television network. And ya, there have been abuse of power and position sort of things, but don't you think God knew that was gonna happen?

It honestly is none of my business with how God's steward takes care of what God requires of him. What he is accountable for is between him and the Lord.

One thing I do know is that the fruit of TBN can not be ignored. Millions of souls have been saved from just watching television because of the vision of Paul and Jan Crouch. How many millions of souls have been saved through your vision?

When I compare my fruit with their fruit, mine is all tile and tar...

And yet?

Surfer51

The People Speak Up

To read what all of you are telling me about Brant Baker and Shekinah Fellowship, go to my other blog here:
http://surfer51.blogspot.com/

The fallen

Isaiah 53:6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Psalm 119:176I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

Rev Ted Haggard confessed to his followers Sunday that he was guilty of sexual immorality.

In a letter that was read to the congregation of the New Life Church by another clergyman, Haggard apologized for his acts and requested forgiveness.

"I am so sorry for the circumstances that have caused shame and embarrassment for all of you," he said, adding that he had confused the situation by giving inconsistent remarks to reporters denying the scandal.

"The fact is I am guilty of sexual immorality. And I take responsibility for the entire problem. I am a deceiver and a liar. There’s a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I have been warring against it for all of my adult life," he said.

Haggard had resigned two days earlier as president of the National Association of Evangelicals, where he held sway in Washington and condemned homosexuality, after a Denver man named Mike Jones claimed to have had drug-fueled trysts with him.
Jones said in a telephone interview Sunday: "I am sad for him and his family. I know this is a tough day for him also. I wish him well. I wish his family well. My intent was never to destroy his family. My intent was to expose a hypocrite.

Haggard, who had been president of the evangelical association since 2003, has participated in conference calls with White House staffers and lobbied Congress last year on Supreme Court nominees.

There are target assignments against Christian ministries by demonic forces. They do everything in their power to promote division and factions in the ministry.In waging war the demons bring down the leadership first and the troops will scatter. This is a basic principle in the art of war.

Zechariah 13:7...smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered...

Matthew 26:31... smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

The name Satan means the adversary, the enemy. He has many fallen angels in his army. This is a mysterious world of rebellious fallen angels and demons.

God's Word tells us:Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Spirit beings, thousands of years old with a highly organized military hierachy authority are constantly waging war against all of us. Even if we chose to ignore this fact it is still the truth.

Nevertheless, despite the clarity of this passage, many theologians and preachers profess a profound skepticism as to whether we should take accounts of people being tormented by Satan and other evil spirits in a literal way.

Here is a man of God who was in a position of leadership over the 14,000-member New Life Church in Colorado. A man who had been president of the evangelical association.
A prime target for demonic assignment. If the kingdom of Satan could take this shepherd out a lot of sheep would scatter. And a lot of people would get wounded as a result. A demonic military victory seemingly.

How are we as Christians supposed to react to this event?

Just as a sidebar...
I know of one man of God, an acknowledged prophet, who got found out in a sin by some high ranking church leaders. They took advqantage of the situation. Telling him that they would publicly expose him if he did not give into their demands. They would publish his sin in a well known Christian magazine, they would put his sin out on the net etc. He gave into their demands, giving up a valuable ministry he had built and a lot of property along with it.

Are we to extort?

Not according to the word of God.

Brant Baker, Lonnie Frisbee, Ted Haggard and all of us are targets of demons. We are in a spiritual war for the souls of humankind. There will be casualtys.

If our eyes are upon Jesus we won't get wounded.
Hebrews 12:2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith...

If we look to any other we will fall if they fall.

Acts 4:12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Jesus.

John 3:14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Men will fail us, Jesus will not.

Revelation 19:11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

Jesus will strike down the enemy of our souls.

I am expecting a manifestation of God in America. I am expecting God to raise up men of God with hearts after God. I am expecting an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our land.
I am expecting restoration for fallen leaders.

OBJECTS OF WORSHIP

After spending the weekend at a new age retreat

OBJECTS OF WORSHIP

As I walked along the garden trails I noticed several shrines and places of devotion: worship to a variety of gods. I was reminded of Paul, the apostle, when he stood and preached Christ at Mars Hill in Athens. He said, "I was passing by and beheld your devotions, and I found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him I declare unto you." Paul knew that all their gods were but dead idols, so he preached to them the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I loved those people and could very much identify with their struggle to find God. Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."

The friend of mine who invited me to that place said it was introduced to him as one of the most spiritual places on earth. It was spiritual alright. 1 John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." A spirit from God will enforce a unity of faith in the one true God. Evil spirits produce a false sense of unity through false prophets, advocating many faiths in many gods. It sounds open minded, loving, and accepting of others; but the Bible warns, "Beloved, believe not every spirit." Faiths (plural) are no faith at all. Ephesians 4:5, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." God honors faith wherever it’s found. Faith is a gift from God. He enforces all faith, but He does not honor or enforce all faiths.

Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." All roads lead to God, but not all roads lead to eternal life in heaven. Those who are on the road called "the way" come unto the Father in heaven. Those who reject Jesus as "the way" will stand before God in judgment. It’s true all roads lead to God__every knee shall bow. Romans 14:11-12, "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." Please listen and consider the words of Jesus in John 5:24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Very truly I tell you when Jesus said, "Verily, verily" He was saying most assuredly I tell you the truth.

OBJECTS OF WORSHIP is a warning. Exodus 20:3, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." John 5:22-23, "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him."

Pastor Tilson Shumate

His Name is as Ointment

I came across a webpage this morning that mentioned Shekinah Fellowship. Apparently he was involved in the ministry of Shekinah. I was impressed with this fellow's writing skills. I was also deeply touched by some of what he wrote.

http://www.trinitymcc.com/prayer/Meditations/meditation_6.htm

I am not a theologist or a scholar when it comes to deep biblical things. Although I have learned from my many years of listening to Pastor Chuck Smith expounding upon the biblical text, that no scripture will ever conflict with another text. All texts go hand in hand. All scripture is given by inspiration of God. The same spirit inspiring the authors of the Gospels also inspired the men who wrote the rest of the Bible.

This fellow said:

" I've found that in most cases by substituting the ancient word "eunuch" with today's word "gay", it all begins to make sense...Jesus did in fact address the issue head on in Matthew 19:12 by stating that "There are some eunuchs who are born that way from their mothers' wombs."

My red flag went up on that one. There are some text that confront this fellow's interpretation.

Just weeks before Lonnie Frisbee passed away he told me:

"Because God used me and moved through me powerfully, I thought that in one sense it was His acceptance of my life style. I thought that God was kind of turning His head the other way and making an exception in my case. I was wrong!"

Brant Baker once said, "I have learned to sin in the presence of the Lord."

Since I was only an attendee when this fellow ministered at Shekinah Fellowship. I think it only right that I let another man who served along side of this fellow at Shekinah address his position.

Here is a webpage with an article by this man entitled:

"Responding to Pro-Gay Theology"

It was written by a man who was deeply involved in the ministry of Shekinah Fellowship with Brant Baker. His name is Joe Dallas. Joe has walked on both sides of the fence and knows from first hand experience what he speaks about. He rightly divides the Word of truth in such a way that there can be no misunderstanding the biblical position.

Here is the article

http://www.leaderu.com/jhs/dallas.html

Here is Joe's story

http://www.stonewallrevisited.com/pages/joe_d.html

Who is the pastor of Shekinah Fellowship today?

Some of you have been courious as to who the pastor of Shekinah Fellowship is today. So I have uploaded a video of pastor Tilson Schumate and his wife.http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5273151088851586980&q=tilson&hl=en

This video is from 1984 when they first appeared on the TBN "Praise the Lord!" program. Tilson was the world's champion of "wheelie's" in the Guinness book of world records at one time. He used this talent to spread the gospel.

Pastor Tilson comes from a long line of men of God as does his wife Melody. They have been happily married since 1973. Their passion is getting the gospel message out anyway that they can. Like Paul the tent maker they have supported every ministry that God has called them to. Even to the point of selling their home to plant a ministry at Lake Havasu for a few years. That is why we always provide Brant Baker's sermons freely on line. We do not believe in using the things of God for personal financial gain.

This ministry team of Tilson and Melodi has ministered from the desert places to the Ritz Carlton hotel in Dana Point California. They go where the Spirit of the Lord leads them. Tilson is a building contractor and Melodi is a real estate agent.

They are available as guest speakers to any group that request them. Their ministry is a breath of fresh air in the routines of daily ministry. And yes, people have been healed during their services. People have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit when they speak. They have a passion for young people to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Pastor Tilson was a personal friend of Lonnie Frisbee and Brant Baker. Their Christmas service of 1992 had invited Lonnie to be the guest speaker. You can hear a little of that incredible meeting here http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6222277981300711349&q=Lonnie+Frisbee&hl=en

Before I run off to work today, I wanted to get something to you that has been a thorn in my side for awhile...in the hopes that someone out there who is a better writer than I will be able to do what I could not do.

After submitting the "Brant Baker Shekinah Fellowship" to Wikipedia on 1/8/06 I received a rejection notice from user Zoe who now has blocked "Brant Baker Shekinah Fellowship" from Wikipedia. Do you think "Zoe" is correct in his assertion? I tried about five times to get him to accept my article on Shekinah Fellowship and Brant. Finally in frustration I gave up.


Perhaps one of you who are reading this might be able to get an article on Wikipedia about Shekinah. Now that I have a few Brant videos on Google video http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Brant+Baker&hl=en and the Shekinah pictures on my website http://groups.msn.com/DesertMinistry/revbrantbaker.msnw, Zoe will be able to realize that Brant Baker had a very large impact in his "field."

Brant was very young when he started Shekinah, which quickly grew into a very large traveling ministry team of over two hundred people. I think that alone puts him beyond your ordinary minister. And how many ministers have had thousands of people healed during their services? And how many ministers can say that they were the first to be featured on Trinity Broadcasting Network? And how many ministers have gotten to hold healing services in Amiee Semple Mcpherson's pulpit in Angelus Temple, Angelus Temple, a 5,300 seat auditorium, and had people receive healing?


Here is what Zoe said to me:

"Please see WP:BIO. Despite the length of your article, it fails to mention anything that puts this person beyond your ordinary minister. User:Zoe(talk) 04:20, 9 January 2006 (UTC)"



Thanks
Surfer51

What is going on here?

Who is bringing Shekinah Fellowship into the spotlight?

I attended Shekinah Fellowship only. I used to fill my hippie van with anyone that would come with me to the services.I first met Brant Baker when my spiritual father and personal friend, Lonnie Frisbee, introduced us at Brant's clothing store in Costa Mesa CA. I thought Brant was a bit odd at that time. Lonnie didn't seem to care.It wasn't until six years later that I encountered Brant once again. This time he was in a strip mall on 7th street in Long Beach CA.

He was on a makeshift stage with the lights dimmed except for a few lights that were trained on him. He was speaking on the topic of, "Sir, we would see Jesus." A sentence from the gospel of John.

John 12:21The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

Now this is a simple enough topic you would think. Somehow there was a different dimension that everyone crammed into that little space was experiencing. While Brant was not saying anything worthy of the deeper life club the words that he was saying were powerfully anointed and had great impact.

The crowd was mesmerized and hung on every word. I knew that this was the evidence of a man of God who was anointed to preach.The difference between the Brant I met in a clothing store and the Brant in this strip mall store front was incredible. This guy was on fire! His words were alive! We were being stirred up inside by the Holy Spirit.

I left that place glowing in the Holy Spirit. The next day I woke up still in the Holy Spirit. I thought to my self that this has got to be God at work. So I determined to go back the next Saturday night.You guessed it, the same thing happened. I began to notice an increase of divine encounters with others who were getting saved through me telling them about Christ. I felt like my "spiritual batteries" were getting charged up at Shekinah Fellowship on Saturday nights. And would deplete slowly through out the week. There began a pattern of charging up on Saturdays and lots of wonderful street ministry throughout the week.That was the extent of my Shekinah experience.

Brant told me in 1973 that I belonged in the ministry of Shekinah. At that time I got a check in my spirit that I was to remain in Laguna Beach where I lived at the time. Then in 1992 I got a phone call at 3:30 AM. It was Tilson Schumate the pastor of Shekinah Fellowship. He told me that God had told him to ordain me. Apparently Tilson, after visiting me ministering in a park on a Friday night, could not get to sleep. God was telling him to ordain me.

He struggled with it for quite some time before his wife told him to call me.I felt the Lord wanted me to go along with it. Even though I wasn't seeking it nor did I need it for what I was doing. But I had learned to listen to the Spirit of God.

Ok, so there I was ordained, and no marching orders from on high to speak of. Nothing. And to make matters worse a close friend got very jealous that I had gotten ordained. Great. Sigh...

I never did anything with that ordination, never needed it. My ministry always took place to the body at large, outside the organized church.

Fast forward to 2006. I had saved a few of Brant Baker's sermons on cassette tapes. I was feeling like I was to share them with others. I kept putting it off. Then you know how the Lord will persist in leaning on you until you respond. After a few people telling me that I should share my Brant sermons, I start to get the picture.

I decided that the best way to go about this is to make a sort of video that I could upload to Google videos. That way an unlimited amount of people could have access to them.

Now I know there are some who would read this and think...gee...you could have made them into MP3's and sold them or transcribed them and sold them as books. That is what I find wrong with the "Christian" world of today. Everyone wants to make a buck it seems. When I got saved in 1967 you had to go to a Catholic Bookstore if you wanted to read Christian books. There just was not any other Christian bookstores around. I was a frequent visitor to Sacred Heart Treasure House in Costa Mesa...LOL

So I finally figure out how to get audio from a cassette tape and into my computer and clean it up enough that you could understand it. Then I have to hook it up to a video so I can be accepted as a video by Google. It took me days to do this. The big moment comes to upload the results to Google video. As the slow process of uploading is taking place, unexpectedly the Holy Spirit falls upon me in my chair. I start to cry as He reminds me of Brant Baker telling me, so many years ago, "David, you belong in this ministry." I cried as I became aware that what I was doing at that moment was directly related to Brant's statement to me.

Now the fruit. I get an email from a friend who tells me he had just spoken with Paul Cain. Paul tells him that someone had forwarded that Brant video to him and he watched it. Paul remembered having once seen Brant at a North Hollywood church and felt that Brant was anointed. Paul was stunned when a few days later he attended a pastors conference and the head speaker starts talking about that first Brant Baker video that I uploaded!

You know, as of this very moment that particular video has been viewed 608 times.

Then I start getting emails from people who were in the choir or the ministry of Shekinah. Some sent pictures and some sent tapes of Brant's preaching. I have posted the pictures on my website and am currently making more videos as time permits. So check in with Google video search engine from time to time.

A few people were holding me at arms length...as if I was trying to start something or profit from Shekinah's name.

No! Never! I loved Shekinah Fellowship. Those people were all unique and played a part in making Shekinah what it was. God's Spirit moved in answer to the people who dedicated their efforts to Shekinah.

I got an idea to have a blog where people could interrelate about Shekinah. This is it. You can leave comments and you should. The Spirit can work miracles among us. Pray it in and be a part of it...

Surfer51

Susan sent me this current update to the story:

"UPDATE: After 30 years, I am still healed of Thrombophlebitis! Praise
the Lord! Through God's mercy and Grace, there has never been another
episode of the condition. My Grandmother died of the exact same thing
when she was 40 so when I came down with the same condition, I was
petrified! I had so much to do with my life! God brought me to
Shekinah Fellowship through their TV show and from that point on, God
changed my life dramatically. I will forever be grateful to the Lord
for showing me His wonderful Healing power and Love. Susan Dixon,
October 10, 2006"

God does heal us...

This originally appeared in The Shekinah Fellowship Magazine Vol. 2. No. 4 FALL 1976 on page 21



Susan Dixon

After two years of continual throbbing pain in her right leg, Susan Dixon can now testify of God's faithfulness to heal His people.

In October of 1974, Susan was hospitalized for eight days after doctor's found two blood clots in the deep veins of her right leg. The condition is called thrombophlebitis. The clots, discovered through a venogram test, caused a consistent throbbing and swelling. In the hospital, Susan was given massive doses of heparin, an anti coagulant, to thin her blood. For three months after her release from the hospital, doctors prescribed a daily supplement of commadine.

As a result of the painful swelling, Susan became very restricted in her daily movements. She could no longer engage in housework or strenuous sport activities. She constantly had to elevate her leg during working hours.

In February of 1976, Susan returned to the doctors, seeking further relief from the painful thrombophlebitis. She was told that nothing further could be done to alleviate the painful throbbing and swelling.

A few months prior to coming to a Shekinah service in July, God mercifully began to heal Susan of the painful clots. Though the pain gradually lessened and eventually ceased, she was still plagued by the throbbing and swelling.

During the healing service on July 24, Brant, in the word of knowledge, called out a serious phlebitis condition. A worker approached Susan and prayed with her, asking God to complete the healing of the thrombophlebitis condition. He then told her to stand and "stomp" on her right leg. As she did, God instantly touched and healed the painful condition. One week later Susan returned to testify of God's grace in completing her healing. There has been no further swelling or discomfort due to the condition.

Susan no longer needs to wear support hose or keep her leg elevated. She is able to engage in all types of strenuous activities including house-cleaning. In August, Susan and her husband joined the Shekinah Choir and are rejoicing in God's goodness and grace.

What happened to Shekinah Fellowship?

It is hard for most people to believe in angels and demons.

If it can't be weighed measured and touched, it is not real. Our world has become extremly materialistic, we are skeptical of any experience that cannot be measured, weighed and verified by everyone else (consensis orthodoxy).

Therefore there is an ignorance about the spiritual world and the reality of demonic forces. We often assume that only the rational exists. We feel that things need to be understood inorder to be real. Our assumptions and preconceived notions about miracles need to be set aside. There is a kind of reationalism which kills miracles before they can begin. When miracles are dead, miraclous things cease to happen. We would receive more miracles, if we stopped insisting that miracles do not happen, and began EXPECTING them to happen.

Demons hate miracles. As we read through the Gospels we cannot help but be struck by the extraordinary numbers of refrences to Jesus confronting Satan and the realm of demons. A major theme in the New Testament is the clash between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.

God's Word tells us:

Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Spirit beings, thousands of years old with a highly organized military hierachy authority are constantly waging war against all of us. Even if we chose to ignore this fact it is still the truth.

The truth of God's Word.

Our rationalism tells us there is no presence of the activity of evil spirit beings. Most of us like to live a flat 2 dimensional reality. We want to believe there is no reality beyond the natural, material universe, thusly ruling out the world of angels and demons.

When we read the Good news of Jesus Christ in the gospels we see Jesus interacting with these spirit beings, casting out evil spirits in full dimensional reality.

Jesus first act of ministry in Mark was casting out an unclean spirit from a man he met in the synagogue. This spirit "shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek." The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching- and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey Him."

Mark 1:26-28

This was a teaching, then, and not just an action to free a suffering man. The teaching was that the kingdom of evil, which up to this point had held sway over the human race was being destroyed and that the Kingdom of God was at hand.

Nevertheless, despite the clarity of this passage, many theologians and preachers profess a profound skepticism as to whether we should take accounts of people being tormented by Satan and other evil spirits in a literal way.

There are target assignments against Christian ministries by demonic forces. They do everything in their power to promote division and factions in the ministry.
In waging war the demons bring down the leadership first and the troops will scatter. This is a basic principle in the art of war.

Zechariah 13:7...smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered...
Matthew 26:31... smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

Shekinah Fellowship was very effective at bringing miracles to the people.
Brant Baker the Shepherd was targeted by the demonic hords and brought down through temptation of the flesh. And the sheep scattered. No more Shekinah Fellowship. The enemy goal against Shekinah Fellowship was accomplished.

The name Satan means the adversary, the enemy. He has many fallen angels in his army. This is a mysterious world of rebellious fallen angels and demons. Some feel demons are the offspring of that strange event that took place in Genesis chapter 6.

"When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal ; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. "
Fallen angels and demons war against Christians constantly. Some warfare is based on deception.

Hence the demonic strategy:

"When able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him. If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected. These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged beforehand."

The enemy fosters unbelief everywhere they go. Recall one of the saddest text in the bible.

"And He (Jesus) did not many miracles there because of their unbelief.
Matthew 13:58

The root word for unbelief in this verse is "apistia," meaning literally "distrust."

Mark in 6:6 of his gospel acount tells us:

"And He (Jesus) marvelled because of their unbelief, "apistia."
Jesus used this same word when His disciples asked why they could not cast out demons:
"And Jesus said unto them, because of your unbelief..."
Matthew 17:20

Paul the apostle used the same word in Hebrews 3:12.
"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an EVIL heart of unbelief..."
Paul says the Children of Israel could not enter in to God's rest because of their unbelief (apistia).
Hebrews 3:19

So you can see, a lack of faith and having distrust can and will rob us of God moving in our lives with His miracles and s regarded as evil by Him. Remember Hebrews 3:12.
We are not seeing New Testament miracles in this our day and age because of our apistia. We should turn off our cultural limits and biases and be open to the greatness and power of the Supreme in all power and authority.

The bible is telling the truth when we read about all the miracles that Jesus performed in the Gospels and in the book of Acts. You would not know that by looking closely at the church of today. We do not seem to allow Jesus to heal and perform miracles in our midst.
Jesus has not changed any since the writing of the bible. He is the same today, yesterday and forever. Then why is He not doing the same today as He did in the bible days? It has got to be us that are preventing Him!

Why do we not expect miracles? What is preventing us from believing?

Start to trust Jesus and believe Him for miracles in your life today. You can start by saying:

Dear Jesus I give You permission to work miracles in my life today. I believe in miracles and I expect them because everywhere you go and are, you work them. I do trust You.
Amen

The people of the New Testament lived in an age which expected miracles.
I believe in the miracle of the original sheep of Shekinah Fellowship coming back together here and sharing their stories of the miracles they have seen. Helping others to believe in miracles. They scattered because the enemy had taken down their Shepherd Brant Baker. I believe the Lord has brought you to this place to assemble with others and tell the story of Shekinah Fellowship and the miracles to others that they may also believe in miracles.

The enemy strategy was to take down your Shepherd and to cause bitterness and hurt to keep you scattered. Brant Baker was ultimately not the problem. The enemy targeted him with his weakness in the flesh and took him out. You still remain...

Now I ask you:
What are you going to do about it?

Some of us have gotten into textualism in our relationship and lost the zeal for God we once had when we first came to Him. Sometimes we think that we know all about the things of God and think there can be no new thing. But there can and will be!

God is good and kind.
Psalms 121:1-2, 123:1-2

He shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost, and with FIRE...
Matthew 3:11

When we gather together we fan to a flame that which is inside of us for Jesus.
When we fail to meet together that flame goes out until only a small pilot light remains. Maybe your spiritual fire has been extinguished from neglect of the things of God. It is a very dangerous place to be. Remember Jesus says:

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold or hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:15-16

You want to be excited for God but feel cold inside. Be of good cheer. It only takes a spark to get a fire going. Jesus turns up the heat.

When water sits with no outflow it will always get stagnant. Give out what you have, share the love of God. Then you will be restored, it's that simple.

I started this site to help bring the people of Shekinah Fellowship back together with one another. Give them a place to come together and share their stories with others.
God is calling out to you, will you respond to His voice? If not here and now, then when and where?

Shekinah Fellowship of Long Beach California

'''Rev Brant Baker of Shekinah Fellowship'''

Brant Baker was a Christian man with an anointing from God similiar to Kathryn Kuhlman's in the early seventies on the West Coast of America. His meetings could be called a sensational healing revival. He came into the spot~light in a strip mall located on 7th Street in Long Beach CA. His fellowship was best known for the healing meetings on Saturday nights at Pastor Billy Adams' First Foursquare Church in Long Beach CA.Pastor Billy Adams and his wife can be seen here:

http://www.music4us.com/shekinah.htm

Shekinah Fellowship eventually acquired the old West Coast Theater across the street from the Convention Center on Ocean Boulevard . Some say that the Marquee out front had Brant's name in large letters above the name of Jesus Christ in smaller letters. It read, "Rev Brant Baker appearing with Jesus Christ."

This somehow reflected the slow decline of his ministry as he was falling back into his past at that time. http://www.cinematreasures.org/theater/1971/

Brant's life has been ex·punged from the records by Christiandom possibly because he died in 1985 of aids. Brant was introduced to Jesus Christ by Lonnie Frisbee who also died from aids.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonnie_Frisbee

A documentary of Lonnie's life has been put together by David Di Sabatino http://www.Lonniefrisbee.com

This is not verified but some say that in the late sixties Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel fame would hold bible studies in Brant's mother's home in Newport Beach before taking the helm of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa located on Church Street in Costa Mesa CA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvary_Chapel

Brant had a clothing store located on 17th Street in Costa Mesa across from The Builders Emporium hardware store. Brant gave away all the clothing to the Jesus People who were living in some of the communal homes of Calvary Chapel before going into the ministry. His Bible studies became noted for the moving of the Holy Spirit in powerful ways. As the study continued to grow it became known as Shekinah Fellowship.

Brant told in testimony of how he was involved in the Hollywood scene before his salvation experience. He told of how he hung with the rich and famous of that crowd during the many parties that he would attend. He experienced the emptyness and the futility of that life. He told of the darkness and the allurement that he experienced during this period of his life.

Brant would attend every meeting at the Shrine Auditorium in LA that Kathryn Kuhlman had there.

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Kuhlman

After those meetings he would sit outside on the steps and plead with God for the same type of an anointing upon his ministry. He would cry for hours afterward, saying, "God I have got to have that anointing or I will die!". One day as Brant was praying for people God started to heal them. And as word got out that God was moving at Shekinah Fellowship through Brant, people started coming from all walks of life.

As Shekinah grew in reputation Brant shaped and molded the ministry after Kathryn's. He had catcher's who stood behind people as he prayed over them because just like in Kathryn's meetings they would fall over backwards under the power of the Holy Spirit as he lightly touched them on the neck. He had a magnificient choir and several musicians in the fellowship. Brant had "workers" who moved in the word of knowledge who would be scattered throughout the crowd to prompt people who were healed during the meetings to go up and share the story of their healing. Today at Benny Hinns meetings you can observe somewhat the same format.

As Brant continued to pattern his ministry after Kathryn's he rented out the Long Beach Municiple Auditorium. It was full of people who had come to see God work. Brant continued to rent adutoriums in CA, holding healing type meetings where people were getting healed of all types of afflictions. His popularity continued to grow and churches started inviting his ministry to visit them.

Shekinah Fellowship got the attention of TBN the Christian television station. Paul and Jan Crouch invited Shekinah to their program. So Brant started to garner more followers as viewers became aware of his ministry. Brant was on his way to filling the space vacated by Kathryn...But such was not to be. Today no one at TBN will hardly mention Brant's name. Even Benny Hinn who eventually became Kathryns apparent replacement has not been told about Brant by TBN... not until Pastor Schumate of Shekinah Fellowship told the Brant Baker story to Benny Hinn at a Christmas party recently (Christmas 2005).

Just like Lonnie Frisbee who passed through the land like a modernday John the Baptist, Brant passed through the land like Jesus the healer. But strange as it may seem, no one wants to talk about Brant. Why? Because just like Lonnie, Brant died in 1985 from aids which can possibly be an embrassment to the fundamental evangelical mind set.

Brant's life radiated the love of Jesus Christ for a few bright fleeting moments before dimming out in his unexpected death. People were stunned and devastated! Many of the workers in his ministry backslide or just wandered away in deep dissapointment. Some who recovered still hold fond memories of those magnificient times in the Lord when the ministry functioned like a well oiled machine.

Brant's story is just as inspiring as other generals of the faith. He forged new territory when everyone else was involved in "cookie~cutter~christianity." As other churches were stressing correct theological and doctrinal foundations to the neglect of the supernatural side of God, Brant presented a Jesus Christ who loved everyone and demonstrated that love by healing the afflicted and making His presence known.

Brant's sermons always presented the person of Jesus Christ. Brant's Christ's presence transcended words in a sense. In his first letter, apostle John expanded on that, saying that He was the Word of life that they heard and saw and touched. It was Christ's physical presence that sealed it for them and for us all. Those who followed Him experienced Him. They heard, saw and handled the word of life in human flesh as Brant presented Jesus to the people in a powerful "preaching" way. Brant never read from notes as he spoke. His voice would go from being soft and intimate to loud and authorative during the course of his sermons. It was an identifyable moment when the Holy Spirit would come in and take over the service as Brant was preaching. At that point Brant would start to call out the healings taking place around him.

The lights were dimmed when Brant would speak. There would be a bright spotlight on him. He was dramatic to watch, almost like watching a stage performance. Brant Baker had the anointing upon him. If you stood face to face with him. you became aware of the childlike innocence he projected during ministry. There was that glowing sensation of the presence of the Holy Spirit that surrounded him. He was young, good looking,tall and thin, and always well dressed. He won over many people just by his likeable presence. Shekinah's choir could have been rated with some of the finest around.

Towards the end of Brant's life he had dyed his hair blond and did not seem to care that anyone was aware of his return to some of his past short comings.Anyone who had the privelege of sitting under Brant's ministry would tell you that of a certainty God had anointed this young man of God inspite of his personal struggles. The Jesus People would bring the hippies from the streets to Brant's meetings where they would receive salvation. Some would come in vans full of hippies from as far away as Laguna Beach CA.

Over time other churches started speaking against Brant's ministry and would publicly do so from their pulpits. This was hard on Brant who was very emotionally sensitive to what was being said. Like most sensitive people Brant often needed to be by himself to recenter his focus.There are those who are still struggling to recover to this day because of the way that Brant died from aids.

Anyone with a Brant Baker Video, audio tape, testimony or pictures of Brant or Shekinah Fellowship who would like to share in the telling of Brant's story...Please contac us at:

david.surfer51 AT gmail.com

Here is a sermon video of Brant at Google:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1413570822680069556&q=brant+baker&hl=en

We at Shekinah Fellowship are currently attempting to put together the story of Brant Baker. We call it "The Brant Baker Project." Brant's story will not be told unless you help. Pastor Tilson and assistant Pastor David located Joe Ellen Baker, Brant's mother in the Palm Springs desert in the early nineties. Joe Ellen had all the video tapes and the audio tapes of Brant stored in an outside storage locker. She refused to release any of the material for a documentary about Brant. It has been reported that Ann Hume now has the archives. We do not know her or how to reach her so...

Perhaps now that the story of Lonnie Frisbee has been told by David Di Sabbatino, others will reconsider allowing Brant's story to be freely told by us...no profit motive...just restoration of the historical record.

For a short period of time Joe Ellen Baker tried to continue the ministry that her son had started in Long Beach CA. Dr. Michelle Corral came out of this fellowship. Here is her site:

http://www.breathofthespirit.org/

This is my website where you will find pictures of Shekinah Fellowship and Brant Baker:

http://www.groups.msn.com/DesertMinistry

Surfer51