Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

The people are very receptive. Said it from their hearts. You could feel the annointing. The tools made it easy. Thank You. She is 72 years young and winning souls.

Before the sun broke through the eastern sky or the morning fog lifted, the River Church at Tampa Bay was alive with excitement. Tables being set up, toys being organized, groups of 40 meeting here and groups of 50 meeting there was the 6 am order. By 8am, charter buses and RMI vans were zooming through the streets of Tampa, Florida picking up eager men, women, and children for the Sunday morning main event hosted by Pastors Rodney and Adonica Howard-Browne and their River Church team.

As we approached 9:30am, hundreds packed the auditorium and lifted their voices toward heaven in adoration and praise to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Many were touched by His glorious presence as the words of Jesus, delivered by Pastor Rodney, rang true in the hearts of the people. Tears of joy and shouts of freedom declared deliverance, healing, and salvation throughout the congregation as the hearers opened their hearts to receive the powerful, life giving truth that is only found in the living Word of God. The words, “Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive me of my sin…” echoed from wall to wall as 349 of the 1335 people in attendance opened their hearts to the King of Glory, Jesus Christ. Moments later, dozens were empowered by receiving the mighty baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The day was capped with the rear parking lot of the River Church being flooded with a sea of children receiving free Christmas toys. Children ages 0-16 went home with bikes, toy trucks, stuffed animals, dolls, make-up sets, board games, and the like. Smiles on faces and joy filled laughter were the order of the mid-afternoon.

As hundreds journeyed home that day, their hearts turned to next Sunday as many began to look forward to our next meeting here at the River Church and their new found family and home.

Rozella T
Miami Florida United States

Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

I approached a man with the survey and he answered no, but I went up to him again today and he said yes.

This past Sunday, December 13th, I, like the last 2 months was involved with bus ministry. I encountered more children then I ever have on the buses. It seems to be that I saw more children then adults on those buses. They seemed very excited to come. I wonder if some of the kids are the ones that brought the parents to the River Church of Tampa Bay. I wasn’t in service until after worship as I helped out with loading all the busses with food. We had over 7 buses I believe which is the most I’ve ever seen. I like the fact that the church keeps on growing and primarily it’s from bringing people from other communities through consistent outreach. I believe as we tend the heart of God He meets our needs. His heart is house to house.

We are reaching people that won’t necessarily come to church. After we pray with them or minister to them they come to church, because in my mind of what God’s doing on the inside and people taking initiative door to door. I’ve never seen so many come up for an alter call in that main sanctuary since I’ve been here. No matter people theology and heart, the fact remains that there is fruit to this ministry and this is a GO YE church which follows the GO YE call in the scriptures. There was one child who one the bike after his name got picked and he was so excited. Children love receiving free gifts and even on the bus, which had no air condition, this child pressed through it and was very thankful and content it seemed. Some of the ministers or bus servants seemed more excited than the kid and that child was very excited. As we parted with many of the children and even parents, I don’t remember one argument or issue. They all seemed very thankful and gave hugs to many of them.

There’s something when people feel the love. I know we can say we love people, but when they actually feel that, there’s something that shifts or changes. Its an honor for me to be under a ministry like this which is new for me to a degree, because of the fruit and the fact that this isn’t new. This ministries been going on for years and I just know that there are few fathers but many teachers so thankful to be under a Father that’s walked it out. I’ve never heard of a negative report concerning anyone in this ministries love towards people. That’s massive. I expect more increase in souls, more people coming, as the day of the Lords return draws near. May we continue to hunger for the deep things of God both devotionally and in a corporate setting.

Cynthia B
Miami Florida United States

Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

Today I had the privalage through Jesus Christ to lead a lady who practiced witchcraft to our Lord Jesus.

Sunday December 13, 2009 was a special day at the River at Tampa Bay church. It was the first of two toy giveaways scheduled at the River for the surrounding communities. I began attending the River in April, 2008. My family and I started doing the bus ministry very shortly thereafter. Every Sunday we go out into the community and bring people to church from all over Tampa, FL they come to hear and receive from the Lord. They come from all walks of life. Many of them have not experienced the love of God and we have an opportunity as a body to demonstrate God’s love to them. Many give their heart to God and we see their lives transformed.

Last Sunday not only did the grown ups receive from the Lord but the children were blessed with toys. I had the privilege of handing out toys after the service. When I handed a doll to this little girl her eyes lit up and she had the biggest smile on her face. But when I looked up I saw her grandmother who attends regularly, she too was beaming from ear to ear. She was so happy you would have thought she was the one who received the doll. Their rejoicing blessed me. I saw them experience the love of God at that moment. I am so glad that the River Church is making a difference in the lives of people in the community. Pastor Rodney and Adonica Howard-Browne are committed to do what God has called us to do to take the good news of the gospel to every creature. I am privileged to be attending a church where we are sharing the gospel and winning the lost.

Sherly J
Miami Florida United States

Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

I used the gospel script toady on a woman who had intense pain and restricted movement due to herniated discs. She got saved and the power of God came on her. She started crying. Jake and I prayed for her after the salvation. Then jake told her to do something she couldn’t. She bent over and said she was healed, pain free and she couldn’t do thatherself – the pain was gone.

I was trained and how to minister the gospel effectively and then went into the streets. I ran into a man loading shopping carts in to the back of his truck when I asked Him if anyone has ever told him that Jesus loves him and has a wonderful plan for his life. He quickly pushed me away with vulgar language as he moved with haste to get his work done, but I felt that if I did not push in and make the importance of having Jesus known, then who else would tell him.

I kept reading down the soul winning script and he kept pushing me away. He wasn’t giving me the time of day, or so I thought. As I got to the end of the script and read the lines “ I am saved, I’m born again, I’m forgiven” he stopped in his tracks look at me with a broken heart and repeated the words as I said them. His whole heart had changed as if the Holy Spirit had grabbed his heart and made it new right there on the spot. He told me that no one has ever told him about Jesus and that He was real. The man had tears in his eyes and the once angry face now was draped with joy. So how can a man who had no interest in the Lord whatsoever all of sudden have a change of heart? Its 100% God and none of me, the Lord wants to reach the people but its through us, you and me and that’s why I go. It was Amazing and im so blessed, more than I even know! Thank you Pastor Rodney for letting me be apart of the vision for souls, I look forward to seeing that man again in heaven.

Richard M
Miami Florida United States

Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

I want to share how I lead a precious Jewish lady to the Lord. I said can I pray for you? She said I am Jewish. I said that’s O.K. Jesus was a Jew and he can be your Messiah and you can be assured that your name is written in the Book of Life and live forever in heaven with God. When I said the Bible says whosoever calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved-you are a whosoever right? She said that’s right. So we pray the prayer of salvation and she accepted Jesus as her Messiah! Halleujah! Praise the Lord! A lady in a wheel chair started crying after the first question.

This past Sunday was not just another Sunday, but a special Sunday. The atmosphere outside and inside was charged. I have had the privilege to serve in the bus ministry for a while, and have seen a lot of change. Every Sunday the people are coming with expectation. You see their faces as they are leaving the bus to go into the sanctuary, they are shining. You can see that God is about to do something new and fresh in their lives. The people are grabbing a hold of the Word of God and applying it to their lives. We can see on Sunday mornings the expectation on their faces growing and growing. This past Sunday morning was special for me because I got to see the Spanish community going to another level. They are wanting to engage in what is going on at The River. I got to meet new families and shake their hands, and greet them.

Some of the people were kind of shy and hesitant when they walked in but by the end of the service they were shining and their countenance was changed. Many went to the altar and gave their lives to Jesus. Even though they could not really understand the worship but I could see that they were worshipping still even with the language barrier. I look forward to what is ahead with the Spanish ministry and pray for even more souls and more lives to be changed. Not only for the Hispanic communities but for all of Tampa. Everything was organized like a military strategy, and flowed together. The love of God was seen and shown to every person that came not just the ones that came to receive the presents and food but for everyone else who was in the service. God is about to do a quick work with souls. And I feel I am in the right place at the right time to help reap this harvest. And I just want to say thank you to Pastors’ Rodney and Adonica for allowing me to help serve and ultimately impact eternity for Christ. Thank you.

Diane Z
N/A Florida United States

Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

One lady told me how it was so important to ask the question if she died NOW was she sure she would go to heaven. She said because Christian born again also go through temptaion and might sin and yet forget to repeat and just assume they are going to heaven. All the eight people were very glad that. Today I led one lady in her office to the Lord. She said I was a blessing to her.

We had a blast at the Toy giveaway at the River at Tampa Bay Church with Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne! One thing that has caught my attention about this ministry is the heart that they have for reaching others for Jesus¬- even those that speak different languages. The Outreach was focused on Spanish speaking people. Advertising was done, flyers were delivered, posters covered the walls of Hispanic stores and businesses, and the people came! Translation was provided at the Church, with well-able interpreters and people felt comfortable and at home. All the Church worked as a team, with 300+ workers volunteering to see one goal: SOULS. I could see the compassion of Jesus working through the church workers as they served the first time visitors and everybody who came through the doors of the River at Tampa Bay Church. Kids came expecting, and they were certainly not disappointed! For Kids’ church was amazing! With all the new equipment, teachers’ ideas and games! The children LOVE coming to church. People came with a merry heart and expectation and enthusiasm was in the air.

It was amazing to be a part of what this Ministry is doing, for the change in people’s lives is so evident, you can even see it before your very eyes. The event was a bomb! All the workers were in position by the time all the people came out of the service, things were done in order as much as possible, there were people assigned in the parking lot for directing the traffic of people, others were assigned to toys’ distribution and everything went smooth. If people got hungry, hot-dogs and ice-cold drinks were being sold at the property at very affordable prices. The event was awesome, people’s lives were changed, I highly recommend you make the River at Tampa Bay Church your home church!

Rose B
N/A Florida United States

Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

My Aunt that was on the phone got saved. I gave out 22 surveys and 15 said yes on them.

Sunday the 13th of December 2009 The River at Tampa Bay Church had a huge toy and food give away. I had the great privilege to work with our bus ministry. I was put on bus route 3 with Rod and his wife Carolann. It was only the second time I had gotten to work on the buses and I saw the people who do it week after week get all excited about seeing the people. Even the bus driver who was a contrite driver excited to see all the people that would get on the bus. I was getting really in to it. Getting to help register all the kids to get toys seeing all the people coming to church it was so amazing.

I also was in kids church when we got back to the church and dropped the people off at the front door. Ok I had the boring job of helping take the kids to the bathroom for three hours just getting to see there happy faces when they were in service was so sweet. Joe Manno is so great with the kids getting them involved with the service and scramming there heads off. I have been to concerts that were more quitter then kids church. At the end when they gave the alter call to make sure all those awesome kids had Jesus in there harts it was awesome. I remember what Joe Manno said “everyone of these kids count”. I remember as a kid wanting someone to tell me I count for something. That Jesus loves and cares for every last one of those kids individually. Then as soon as church was done it was back to the buses to hand out the toys to the kids on our bus. I could keep on going on all day but the point is I got to see people lives changed and I cant wait to watch them grow in the things of the Lord for weeks to come.

Cynthia B
Miami Florida United States

Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

He was depressed, had a slow job, and had pain in his neck. Jesus healed him. He was full of joy. Said now for the first time he’s happy and free from pain and stress. You could see the change on his face. It glowed. He felt totally different.

This past Sunday for me was very special in many different ways. I felt a great expectancy in the atmosphere. I have had the privilege to serve and be a member of The River for about 13 years, and have been apart of many outreaches here at the church. But there was something about this past Sunday, I believe that God really changed a lot of lives and the people were really expectant. The love of God was evident in the church and everyone who came in the church felt it. My faith has grown to another level since then to believe for more busses and vehicles to bring people to church. The people are now taking responsibility and accountability for their neighborhoods and their friends and bringing their families with them on the busses now. The change is really becoming evident. I feel that I am in the perfect will of God being apart of this ministry and helping fulfill the vision of my pastors’.

I believe that God is about to do something great in Tampa Bay. God has us here for a reason and purpose and it is not just to sit and get blessed. But we are here to reach out of ourselves and to impact a lost and dying world. We have a responsibility to show forth the love of God in everything that we do and say. This past Sunday just showed me not to grow weary in well doing and that in do season we shall reap. The love that we showed to those people as we have gone into their neighborhoods and their homes will not be forgotten by these people. This past Sunday is just the beginning of what God will do with this ministry and this church. I am honored and privileged to be called a member of The River at Tampa Bay. Thank you Pastors’ Rodney and Adonica for instilling the vision into us and speaking it forth and with no shame, and preaching the full counsel of God. You will never know what a difference you have made in mine and my husbands’ life. We pray blessings over you and your family daily. Thank you.

Douglas R
N/A Florida United States

I obtained an revival ipod. I take it to work. I work in a 42-room hotel in Galveston. We have clock-radios with ipod docking stations. I play it all night. One security guard watched ‘The Realms of God-Special Edition’. He was convicted and I prayed with him. God touched him, delivered him, set him free, and restored him. He rededicated his life, and asked God to use him in the ministry. He said that he had a peace on him that he had not had in years. He said that God took away all that pain and anger that he had in his heart. One of my guests stated that his lawyer sent him down here to rest because he was working too hard. He said that his blood pressure was too high. He said that he checked it this morning and that it was normal. He said that he believed that he would stay another day. To God be the glory! Another security guard asked how could she know the voice of God. She watched that recording and developed a hunger and a thirst for God. I thank God for these recordings. As God allows I want to help you take the gospel around the world. God has freed me in my faith. I believe I am going to go into full time ministry this year. I will be taking my first missionary trip to Mexico as part of a ministry team this year. I thank God for sending you to America as a missionary. I have truly been helped by this ministry.

for years we have been praying for our son frank along with the river family. he has tried to take or should i say satan has tried repeatedly to kill him over and over through what was termed suicide . in less than an hour frank will be walking through our doors into what i believe to be the beginning of his complete and total restoration,vindication,deliverance and road back to his heavenly FATHER. after his latest attempt in minnesota where he has refused to leave because of his beloved children the LORD BEGAN TO MOVE ON MY HUSBAND LIKE NEVER BEFORE. he said ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” !!!!! ” I’M GOING TO GET OUR SON” that was almost 4weeks ago and many phone conferences with medical personnel,social workers, ex-wife, ex-girl friend etc. etc. i never thought it would end. but from the beginning frank jr. had said “i think it’s time, i want to come home to you and dad” i choose to believe this also meant he is returning to GOD, FATHER,SON &HOLY SPIRIT. PLEASE PRAY WITH US FOR GOD’S PERFECT WILL AND GOD’S TOTAL HEALING IN THE LIFE OF A MAN THAT I BELIEVE WAS CALLED BY HIM AS A VERY YOUG CHILD.

Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

I met about thirty people today. Two people actually stood out. A woman was watching T.V., and I asked her if I could interrupt her T.V. time to pray and read a scripture with her. She said she was very gald I came. As I read the script,I prayed and she accepted the acceptance prayer. She told me she has three children and they don’t visit her, but she always pray for them and I answer her that God never leave her. The second lady cried and said she prayed to God every day and she belives God is keeping her. She invited me to come again. She could see the transformation in lady. She has always wanted to do this and this is her first time.

Hazel S
N/A Florida United States

Great Awakening Tour City #20 North Miami Beach, Florida

Rom. 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel…..” On 12-04-07 Carisaaisa’s team went to Walmart and the same power that was prevalent on yesterday, 12-03-07, downtown and at the high school was at Walmart. This man was about to pull his car out and leave , BUT the power of God stoped him in his tracks. He turned the engine off. He sat there in his car like a baby, and received the Lord Jesus Christ as his saviour. Hallrjuah! God is doing great things in South Florida.

I started attending The River in January after attending the Winter Camp Meeting. God has entrusted me with a ministry, Christ for Kinshasa Ministries, that focuses upon revival in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I was a Business Development Project Manager for a local College but knew I was to be a full time servant for the Lord. God spoke to me a few months before the camp meeting that I was to “step out of the boat” and go full time in the ministry. The church I was attending said that I was making a big mistake by quitting my job without first speaking with them. I obeyed God the week before the camp meeting. I was fully convinced that God would make the way for His ministry in Kinshasa to come to pass. On March 4th I made a covenant with God that I would be obediant to any command given to me.

That week invitations to hold crusades in Kinshasa suddenly appeared, in addition to that invitations for Crusades in Nigeria and Nepal suddenly came in sequential days. My ministries website vistors increased from 12 visitors a month to 153 as of March 13th. Praise God for His faithfulness to our Covenants as Pastor Brown had preached on. I knew the sermon was speaking to me, especially when Pastor Howard-Brown said, “This is for someone here who is to make a covenant with God”. Tears stream down my face even now in awe of God’s expidited fulfillment of ones duty to bring Him glory. Thank you Pastor Howard-Brown for allowing God to confirm through you my rebellion, which led to my repentence and obediance that now goes forth to win countless souls for His Kingdom. God Bless the Bride of Christ, Rev. Curtis C

Barbara N
N/A Florida United States