REVIVAL OPPOSITION |
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Pastors Orchestrated First Revival
By Alice Crann
PENSACOLA - For 2 1/2 years, the Rev. John Kilpatrick,
But videotape and statements of numerous people who were
In addition, say present and former church members, the
He talked persistently about bringing revival to
The pastor's wife, Brenda Kilpatrick, and a number of
Kilpatrick had followers of evangelist Rodney
Kilpatrick invited Hill, an "on fire" evangelist whom
The video shows what happened after Kilpatrick turned the
Hill says: "Everyone who would like a refreshing from the Hundreds move into the area in front of the stage.
Hill: "Now if someone falls next to you, work with me, OK?
Hill goes into the audience, touches people on the forehead
Hill continues this for several minutes. He touches dozens of Just a trickle
Hill gets back on stage, gestures to the choir to stop singing
"Listen, this is happening exactly like every one of our
"Stay with what the Lord is doing. We've had the Lord move
"How many of you believe in the power of God? There's
Hill goes back in the audience and repeats his anointings and He gets back on stage.
Hill: "The Lord just spoke to me right here in this section. I
Hill again goes back down into the audience and rapidly Confusion reigns
Kilpatrick takes the microphone from the pulpit and Many in the audience look confused. Hill hurries back on stage and says:
"Pastor! Some of you, if you had any idea what the Lord is A number of people start to leave the church. Hill shouts: "Don't leave! Don't leave!"
He hurries into the audience and again begins laying on hands.
He gets on stage again and says: "Hey! It's getting deeper,
Hill goes back into the audience. Two men and one woman Kilpatrick falls
It is at this point that Kilpatrick falls down. The videotape
Hill pays no heed. He goes up to a man who is shaking and
Hill leads the man up onto the stage and backs away from
The man does not fall down. Instead, with his head bowed he Hill asks him: "What's happening?" The man, eyes closed, speaks unintelligibly. Hill walks away, and the man leaves the stage weeping.
Hill then says: "Friends, let me explain something. We may
"No, no, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no, no! That's not
Hill talks some more, referring to some of his previous
"Some of you are thinking, 'The way this thing is going, I'm
Hill talks some more, touches a child and she falls down. He
Hill says: "I want all the children! Make room right here for all
"Now, kids. I want all you children to look at me. ...OK, I'm
"One little girl who was 8 years old her parents brought her to
"I'm going to pray for you, you're going to fall to the ground.
Hill begins touching the heads of the children, occasionally
Hill leaves the children and goes back to the adults. This time,
The crowd has thinned. Many have left the building or
Hill suddenly falls down with a loud cry. He moans and cries
He says: "I like it when the crowd starts thinning out. Then the Praying for the people
Pointing to his left, Hill says: "God has just moved over here! Nobody responds.
Hill points to someone out of view and says: "Reconstructed Again, he goes back into the audience. Since Hill began, two hours have passed. Most of the congregation has left. The tape fades to black.
Kilpatrick and Hill's ecstatic reports about the wonders of
Kilpatrick says: "When I fell on the floor, it was the most
"It may look foolish when watching the video, but a nation
"Every night we walk into that church we say: 'Lord. Will you
Albert James Dager, who writes Media Spotlight, a Christian
Media Spotlight is nondenominational, nonprofit and
Dager said that viewing the tape, "I felt sorry for Steve Hill.
"Any objective person would have been embarrassed for Copyright 1997 The Pensacola News Journal. All rights reserved. |