Healing Line

Healing Line

A Testimony from England: Healing for Arthritis, Sexual Abuse & Women's Roles

by Francis MacNutt
September 1988

For our testimony this month we share parts of a beautiful letter from Hazel Faulkes, who with her husband Ken, was one of the organizers of the 3 day conference in Leeds in the north of England. These are just a few of the healings she shared in her entire letter. Not especially what I said earlier about Judith, Anne Bloch, and Norma Dearing speaking as part of our team and how this was a kind of breakthrough testimony in itself of how men and women, husbands and wives can minister together.

— Francis


Dearest friends,

How can I begin to express adequately what's in all our hearts? I have literally not heard one word of criticism, and when you think that the restoration of spiritual gifts is one of the major events dividing the church, then that's such an amazing achievement. Everywhere I go. I'm hearing nothing but praise — especially for the gentleness and love that is clearly the hallmark of Jesus. Many people have also commented on the clarity of the teaching and how easy it was to understand.

Healing for Arthritis

Three people confined to wheelchairs with arthritis and one who almost missed his turn to be prayed for because he had to keep sitting down ... experienced dramatic improvement in pain and mobility. One lady has a Christian doctor and Radio Leeds will be inviting them to testify together. Radio Leeds is starting a whole series on Christian healing. Two of them were prayed for in the small groups on Saturday afternoon, which obviously encourages us. The man who couldn't stand in line is totally healed — I spotted him running up and down the central aisle at Leeds' Town Hall waving his walking sticks in the air. He walked without sticks for the first time in eight years. Praise God!

Healing of Sexual Abuse

I received a moving testimony from a young girl who attended the Marriage seminar. She had been forced into oral sex when aged 15. At a John Wimber conference she was set free from addictions. This time God healed deeper. "Every time I think about it, Jesus is there like a bright light and I can't look at anything else but him. Hallelujah When we were dealing with it, Jesus came and took me away. He left my body there, but took me away and we walked off upwards holding hands and walking together in love." She asks me to use her testimony to help others and to encourage the team, "especially Peter and Norma who ministered so wonderfully and gently in God's Spirit to me."

Healing Women's Roles

A great. personal encouragement to me was to see Judith teaching. The tide is very slow to turn here on this. It's O.K. for a woman to give a testimony or read scripture, but not to preach or teach. Again, I haven't heard anything but praise for you, Judith, so your contribution to the spiritual climate here on this matter is so significant. This weekend we're to return to the little church we helped plant seven years ago. They now have a full time minister and although he was open, he previously was very doubtful about women taking a teaching role. Now he says he wants us to work with him and his wife — in couples! Triple hallelujah!!!

I have been so moved by the display of God's love through all of you, and through your ministries, I have spent most of my time with my spectacles 'steamed up.' It's all the thanks I shall ever need!


Francis MacNutt Francis MacNutt is a Founding Director and Executive Committee member of CHM. September 1988 Issue