Arise and Build Springfield Your Day Is Now

SPRINGFIELD, IL -- He was sent four years ago to close the church. No one ever thought Eric Hanson would do anything in Springfield, Illinois. First Assembly of God was decaying in the downtown section of the city. Everyone was ready to turn their back on the old ruin and walk away but God had a purpose. Eric became pastor the same year Paul Martin, Illinois District Superintendent, was installed. Martin said this about the young man at the helm there, "It’s exciting to see what has happened in the last four years."

Eric has a vision for the city and the surrounding area to raise up men of God and start new fires all over the city. Today the Springfield Bible Institute has the largest seminary class of any Assembly of God in America. More than 100 students are being raised up to be ordained for ministry.

2,200 SEAT SANCTURARY

On Interstate 55 land has been purchased and on that land will be a new 2,200 seat sanctuary. Right now you have to come early on revival nights on Friday and Saturday to get a seat. What has happened came about as the mighty river of revival swept through in the last two years and has brought people who are hungry. Prostitutes, homeless people, and cancer victims have all found that the power of God in the sanctuary is sustaining to meet every need. Many have joined the congregation to escape the religious situations in which they have found themselves. Eric Hanson brought a life and a vitality to the Springfield, Illinois, area that is very unusual.

It has been four years, and this weekend would be the marker for growth. Several were asked to come and celebrate in the Springfield First Assembly pulpit. Editor Jerrell Miller ministered on Friday, Saturday night District Superintendent, Paul Martin, spoke at the church banquet. On Sunday Tom Trask, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God spoke, followed by the singing group Acappella.

First Assembly of Springfield, IL is one of the of the grass roots moves of God that speaks to the dried bones of ministry. It is truly a revival story about a man that sought God’s face at an altar early during the Brownsville Revival. Eric Hanson is a man who believes that prayers demand action. Not a single day goes by unless there is a specific prayer meeting going on in the church.

On Sunday night the homeless people of Springfield are brought to the church for a hot meal, and then they come to service to be a part of ministry. While the church is moving to I-55 the ministry staff is planning a downtown clinic and mission. Many nurses and doctors have already promised to help with the clinic. It will be a place where those who have no medical insurance or means can come and receive medical treatment.

ISAIAH 55 - Prophetic Editor Jerrell Miller

Editor Jerrell Miller spoke on the Watch of the Lord saying that the move of God has shifted to prayer. Not knowing that the church had adopted the scriptures in Isaiah 55, the Editor opened the Bible and went right to it. Pastor Eric Hanson had found a prophecy spoken by Bob Jones, a Morning Star Prophet about I-55 in the 1991 publication of The Shepherd’s Rod. "I-55 will have a "shaking" and a "visitation of favor". Even as this highway runs through the heart of our nation, so shall divine favor touch the heart of the people in occurrence with a great "shaking". An I-55 corridor will begin, providing the unveiling of the "Highway to Heaven" outlined through Isaiah 55." The church will relocate along Interstate 55 later this year.

After the reading of the scriptures the Editor went on to speak about the move of God at this time. "Our newspaper is supposed to reflect what God is doing at the present time. I have just been in Little Rock, Arkansas, and I saw the future of the church before my face. We have a hungry church right now that is willing to go to God so He will show His face. Tommy Tenney said, "We are like my little child that continually tries to get my attention by saying - daddy, daddy, please daddy, look at me. We are looking at the father as the body of Christ and crying out to him, daddy, daddy look at me. Look at me daddy. We are getting the Father’s attention and we are on the eve of seeing what God wants to do. We are living in the greatest time of all mankind. We are about to see the manifestation of His glory all over the face of the earth. We are hungry for His presence and will not be satisfied until the supernatural becomes the natural in the church. We are a supernatural people who are looking for a supernatural God. He is about to show His face, and when we see Him we shall be like Him." As Miller spoke, an intense glory began to fill the small sanctuary on Carpenter Street in downtown Springfield. Miller called forth the congregation for personal ministry and prophecy. The editor prayed until late into the night until the last person came forward. At the end of the night Pastor Eric Hanson and Editor Jerrell Miller were coming out the pastor’s entrance when an explosion happened on one of the telephone posts. "It sounded like a howitzer going off. It was apparent that the ministry of comfort which had gone on in the church had angered the devil and it was just the first night of the celebration.

Saturday the celebration began to get more intense at the banquet hall of a local hotel. Paul Martin, the Superintendent of the Illinois District, spoke. Many were asked to give testimony of the time when they came out of Egypt. Many raised their hands as Martin called them forth to give testimony.

PAUL MARTIN SATURDAY NIGHT

We could feel the presence of God on the celebration on Friday, and Saturday was no different as Paul Martin and his wife, Ann, came to bless the banquet with an end time harvest message. "Paul Martin above everything else is a soul winner. He is an intense person when it comes to the lost. Martin has always been that way and even during his time of grief at the loss of his wife four years ago, he pressed on when many men would have withdrawn from their daily circumstances. The devil fears this man of God because he does not let circumstance and situation rule his life -- first and above all Paul Martin is a soul winner," said Eric Hanson.

TOM TRASK GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT

On Sunday morning the church was preparing for a celebration. Two new banners were being presented today. The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God was going to speak. As the service began the power of God was there in a heavy fashion. The worship and praise reached a high where the presence of God settled on the entire congregation. Just as the new banners were about to be presented the music came forth, "Behold He Comes, Riding on a Horse." At that very moment a banner appeared at the back of the church. It was Jesus on a horse with a sword coming from his mouth. Brother Trask nudged me and said, "I have never seen a more beautiful banner, who made it." Mary Shaffer was in the praise team down front -- I pointed her out to Brother Trask, "That’s the lady." Brother Trask even made mention from the pulpit that it was the most striking banner he had ever seen. The banner was three dimensional. The horse on the front was stuffed with cotton and the beautiful velvet that surrounded the horse was striking. The hair from the mane of the horse and the tail of the horse was perfect for presentation. The banner was called Faithful and True and was designed from Revelation 19:11-16. It is a complete representation of that scripture in every word written within this passage of scriptures. The power of the presentation was overwhelming in the Spirit of God - the worship led by Pastor Eric Hanson touched and moved the capacity crowd that had gathered. From every area of the sancturay people were in celebration. The moment was set as Thomas Trask came to deliver his message.

As Thomas Trask took the pulpit, his message was about the power of the supernatural and how the Pentecostal Church would be the church of harvest for the last move of God in the world. "I just returned from Brussels, Belgium. In that meeting of the World Pentecostal Conference Executive Committee they said there are now 500,000,000 Pentecostals around the world. In the last days it says I will pour out My Spirit. The last days revival is going to escalate, no not maybe, you can take this to the bank with you. The Word of the Lord and God have spoken it. There is going to be a great revival around the world and it will come through the Pentecostal Church, because the Pentecostals believe in the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit."

Trask started out by reading Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. He spoke about the highs and the lows we feel when we are in the market place and at work. "You might feel the glory of God in here and go to work the next morning and hear cussing on the job." We must keep the celebration of what God gives us on Sunday and take it into the week. The world needs to know that there is a God in this world. It’s not by our ability that they will know we serve God but it will be by God’s ability. It’s not by might, nor by power, but it is by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts. He asked the church, "how many are in a battle? The battle is the Lord’s whether it be a spiritual battle, financial battle, or a physical battle, the battle is the Lord’s. Some people don’t know they are in a battle -- He already has those that don’t know Him but the war is waged against those who are believers."

The focus of the entire message was the supernatural power that God has given the Spirit-filled believer in Pentecost. He next spoke about the amazing insight the prophet Elisha had when the Syrians decided to attack Israel one day. "II Kings 6 speaks about the King of Syria warring against Israel. It spoke about the man Elisha and how the mighty prophet could see spiritually. When Isreal was out numbered by another army -- Elisha could see angels in flaming chariots surrounding them and out numbering the enemy. The power of God came forth as the Syrian Army was blinded and led to Samaria. It was there the prophet ordered that they be fed as God returned their sight. Israel made peace with them that day and the army returned without a man losing their life. Many around Elisha could not see the flaming chariots but Elisha had a supernatural touch." Trask reminded those gathered that the Pentecostal has the opportunity to have insight into the purposes of God. That’s why we have what we call the word of knowledge. The gifts of the Spirit are supernatural gifts given to the church to prepare us and equip us so we don’t fall into the trap of the enemy. The King of Isreal listened to the prophet and did not ignore the warning. We should listen to our pastor week by week because he will give us warning."

Thomas Trask is a formidable weapon against the powers of darkness. In the seven years of his term as General Superintendent, the denomination known as the Assemblies of God has exploded in revival. Missionary work all around the world has began to move and take ground in every area of the globe. He is a very humble man, but make no mistake about this gentle giant, his name is known in Hell for his obedience to the will of God. All who heard him speak knew they were in the presence of one called forth for the last days of the church.

AWESOME PRESENCE ALL THREE DAYS

First Assembly has a joy in their congregation that is hard to explain. You would have to visit one Friday night to understand. Eric is very much like David. He leads his congregation in worship and dreams dreams no normal man would attempt. He knows the power of worship and what it can achieve. The one thing the devil fears about First Assembly of God in Springfield is when Eric picks up his guitar to worship Jesus. He’s been a headache for him for the last four years. Brother Trask said this about the pastor, "What will happen in the next four years if you’ve come this far already?" The three men we have written about in this copy are men of God with vision. Thomas Trask, Paul Martin, and Eric Hanson are doers of his Word. They have felt the pain and know the hardship of ministry but the one thing they have kept before them is the goal and that goal is to fulfill the will of God in their lifetime and do the very best they can do in obedience to God. God’s presence was on the entire weekend because the battle is starting all over again, it is time to build, First Assembly, may God be with you.