Mission Report Albania 2015
We would like to glorify God for all He did as we ministered in Albania in July and August 2015. We would also like to thank all those who prayed for us.
The trip was overseen by Pastor Barry Ogden, an American missionary who leads a church in Tirana, the nations capital. Travelling with me were Tanya Parker and Samuel Dent from Revive Church, Hull.
Conference in Tirana
I ministered for four nights at a conference in the International Church in Tirana which Barry leads. There were around 75-140 people in attendance each service, which was a good crowd for the summer season (Albania churches tend to be quite small anyway).
The conference was a huge success with so many people testifying how blessed they were by the ministry and how they truly encountered God.
On the first night I preached on “The Beauty Of Brokenness” and there was a wonderful sense of the presence of God, a beautiful stillness as people came in surrender to the cross.
The second night as I preached on “Don’t Pass Me By” there was a huge response with people shouting and crying out to God with desperation, hunger and passion. How thrilling to see two small children shouting louder than anyone for an encounter with Jesus!
On the Saturday night I preached on the ~Father’s Heart”. We were joined by another church this night, and we didn’t see a 100% response as we had the previous nights. However those that did respond were touched and many people said God had spoken to them through the Word.
On the Sunday night I preached on “Collision” and this was a wild meeting with the fire of God falling and joy and freedom breaking out.
Over the four nights we saw many touched by the Holy Spirit, several salvations, people testifying of healing, prophetic words released and deliverance. It was also amazing to see our hotel receptionist, who had a Muslim background, come to the meeting and give her life to Jesus.
Wider Albanian ministry
Following the conference we travelled to other parts of Albania taking the gospel. Two of these meetings were packed out and we saw many respond to salvation. In one of the meetings I called out a young lady and gave her a prophecy that she was called to serve God. She immediately shrieked and fell to the floor overcome with emotion. She told us afterwards she had been praying about going to Bible college and had asked God before hand for a confirmation.
One of the meetings was very interesting as the pastor took me aside before the meeting and asked me to make sure that no one fell over during the service! I explained that it wasn’t up to me how the Holy Spirit touched people but he was insistent none the less. I decided not to call people forward after the message but prayed over the microphone for the Holy Spirit to honour His Name. Without any further appeal or emotion, people started to respond to God, shaking, crying and laughing. It was sovereign move of the Holy Spirit and was wonderful to witness.
We ministered in another church that was very open to the Holy Spirit and saw God do some great things there and also minister in a very small church in Albania’s historic capital.
As well as the church services, we also took part in an outreach to a local Romany encampment and I also shared the gospel in a prison, speaking on “Identity” and seeing the inmates really touched.
Sam Dent also ministered in several churches including a youth meeting where many souls were saved and a church in Tirana where he had a powerful move of God.
Sunday ministry
On both Sunday mornings I spoke at Barry’s church in Tirana. The first Sunday I spoke on “Joy” and the joy of the Lord truly broke out and impacted many lives. The second Sunday we had a healing service. I don’t know of any specific healings as Barry was away and I don’t speak Albanian! However, I do know we had an incredible response and God’s Spirit touched many people.
The future
We are already planning on returning to Albania in 2016. Throughout the trip God began to speak to me and show me visions of a horse. I wasn’t sure what this meant. Towards the end of the trip I met a prophetic minister who told me that she had a vision of a horse setting his feet on the land of Albania and springs bubbling up. We both felt that the horse was the prophetic ministry that needs to be released in the nation and when it is, revival will spring up. With this word in our hearts we are expectant as to what God will do in the future.