Recently, Reverend Bonnke very graciously took time to answer some of our questions. His frankness, clarity of vision, and heart for the lost are evident in his thoughtful answers.   1. In the light of church history, from the book of Acts to the present, how would you describe and compare the revival taking place in Africa?

The revival is indescribable, and God's workings cannot be compared. God is changeless, and He's always working at full power. He never makes special efforts and doesn't cut down to half power anywhere. God does not reserve special performance power called "revival" until we work hard enough to deserve it. But the fact of the matter is that He can't save anybody who doesn't listen to His Word. Africans are eager to hear. Crowds of today are greater than the crowds in Acts or in recent revival centuries because of greater population density, modern publicity, and ease of congregating. I can also address more people with the new loudspeaker technology. In former years one could only reach 20,000 people, and we can now address upwards of 1,000,000 in a single setting. God works the same now as in Acts, but today in Africa, He has far greater opportunity.    2. What is the greatest need of the church in Africa?

Africa's greatest need is to recognize its historic opportunity. Africa being Westernized and modernized gives Christianity a chance, like in Korea. The African church should advance on all fronts. It also calls for united activity. Africans who guard their independent authority planted many churches that now exist. CfaN's primary job is to bring them together, perhaps for the first time. Without their organized cooperation, CfaN campaign results would be as water spilled on the ground. Our Fire Conferences teach local church leaders to work together to continue revival. However, teachers are scarce. More teachers are needed for new converts that are filling churches.    3. What can people from other parts of the world do to help and how can we participate in what God is doing?

Little or much, money or otherwise, all help is needed and participation is essential. CfaN pressed the trigger that opened the spiritual dam, but CfaN should not be left alone to handle the deluge. Four million new Christians in four months cries out for universal Christian back up. Christ's fish haul needs help from our boats. Christians everywhere should consider seriously their responsibility.     4. What is the most memorable or striking thing about your recent meetings including the one in Calabar, Nigeria, where over 1,000,000 were saved in six days?

Such astonishing audiences are bound to be unforgettable. After Calabar

came, the city of Aba in Nigeria was memorable with 600,000 professing salvation in one meeting and 1,400,000 in six days. That was following other tremendous harvests of new converts. Leaving such sights aside, I think of our encounters with rain. In 1999 in Nakuru, Kenya, I saw 100,000 Christians under a continuous canopy of umbrellas pushing them up and down while shouting praise to God. But I especially recall what happened in Aba the first night. A tropical deluge suddenly sheeted down, and 100,000 people were drenched to the skin. They stood for two hours with nobody leaving. I was as wet as they were. A possible repeat performance by the skies the next night did not deter many. A quarter of a million turned up. I was deeply touched.    5. Can revival be brought from Africa to other regions of the world? If so, how?

The one invariable factor in revival is unconverted people hearing the Word. The New Testament stresses preaching the Word as the secret and basic ground of Christian advance. Preaching Christ crucified is always the catalyst for the power of God, with the Holy Spirit being committed to back up the Word of Christ. He does nothing without it. It is easy to prove that prayer always precedes revival because people always pray, but in fact it is hearing the Word that is the determining factor.     6. What do you think the greatest need in the United States is, both in and out of the church?

My burning call as an evangelist is to save souls, and so, to me, souls being saved is far and away America's most urgent and desperate need, in or out of church. An authentic church is one engaged in the soul-saving business like Jesus was. Only His program justifies church machinery. Only souls being saved can save the soul of America.

While great advances have been made, there is much work to do. Reverend Bonnke is known for saying, "It is time for `All hands on deck' for soul saving." As we pray for revival in Africa to stay on track, pray against the stronghold of Islam, which still dominates much of Africa. Also pray that the political strife and unrest will not impede the continued spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ.