“…He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Luke 3:16

Fire. This is the recurring word that engulfed the Oakwood building, where nearly four hundred people across the Ohio Ministry Network gathered in November. The School of Spirit conference delivered four power-packed sessions led by some of the finest Assemblies of God leaders in the country. Evangelist, Joe Oden, ignited the first flame by teaching attendees to understand the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelism. As he shared his testimony, a palpable sense of desperation for a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit exploded across the auditorium. Dozens of leaders blazed to the front of the room without waiting for any kind of formal altar call. Many leaders reported a renewed sense of Spirit-empowerment as they soaked in the presence of God.

Author and professor emerita, Dr. Carolyn Tennant fueled the second session by teaching from Ephesians chapter four. She presented the five-fold ministry gifts in a practical way and explained how each current is meant to flow in conjunction with the other currents. Tennant provided valuable insight on the role of each gift and expressed how these essential components are necessary to inflame church health in the body of Christ.

Assemblies of God Assistant General Superintendent, Rick Dubose, lead the after-lunch session eloquently speaking on the role of the Holy Spirit in prayer. He portrayed a vision of Heaven’s throne room that sparked leaders to understand prophetic ministry in a whole new way. His description of Heavenly onlookers peering through the glass floor of Heaven, seeing their prayers of old finally realized, kindled the faith of each enthusiastic listener.

The evening concluded with a final session focused entirely on hosting the Holy Spirit. Prophetic messages were shared, and seekers were baptized in the Holy Spirit. Pastor Chris Gross shared that two young ladies from Radiant Life Church, Dublin, responded to the last altar call of the evening. He said they had been seeking the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues for a long time. That night they received it! Pastor Gross remarked, “I guess they just needed a 10:30pm altar call!”

The next day, Network Resource Center team members took time to reflect on all that happened, and without a doubt concluded that November 29, 2022, will forever be remembered as a day when the glory of the Lord lit up Ohio. But we also believe that day was merely the beginning of more glow ahead, as we embark on the most notorious days of glory this state has ever seen. We look forward to the day when the brilliance of glory illuminates our cities so brightly that lamps will never again be needed. We look forward to more glorious days of fire.

As our Network continues to Seek the Spirit, moments like those experienced at the School of the Spirit are vital. Our prayer is that each of our ministers and churches will have an unforgettable encounter with the Spirit that will serve as a catalyst in reaching Ohio for Jesus!

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Amy Parsell

OMN Operations and Finance Director