ORLANDO, Fla. — World renowned worship leader turned pastor, William McDowell, hosted his second annual Deeper Worship Intensive last week where he encouraged leaders to refrain from getting sucked into the “epidemic” of imitating others and should instead “stay hidden” in God in order to be moved by divine power.

“I have been sharing a weight and a burden for this gathering for months. DWI is one of the things that I know I was born for. So because of that, I carry the weight of this assignment,” McDowell told the hundreds gathered from several nations at the conference.

The Billboard-topping singer told the pastors and worship leaders gathered that he believes Christians are “either growing or dying, there’s no in-between.” He said many people in leadership are emulating what other leaders are doing and they are not receiving from God on their own.

“What I see is that we have a lot of people imitating things that they see. I want to say imitation is not necessarily, inherently bad. It was Paul that wrote in 1st Corinthians twice, 1st Corinthians chapter four and in 1st Corinthians chapter 11, he said, ‘Imitate me, as I imitate Christ.’ There was a sentiment that there is an OK nature to imitation when it’s done right,” McDowell stressed.

He added, “The problem is that there is a lifestyle that accompanies this call and the expectation of Heaven and the world as a result of this call. I’m going to endeavor to talk to us about Heaven’s expectation because I want you to know that there is a divine expectation for the gift you’ve been given.”

“There is something that we are required to do as a result of this gift that we’ve been given. So many of us do our best to imitate what we see. But I want to share something with you, the issue with imitation without a relationship with God is that it can lead to trouble and confusion. The greater problem with that, is that you won’t discover what’s in you or what’s not in you until you are actually in the moment where you need it,” McDowell maintained.

“Here lies the problem with imitation, because if you’re imitating something that’s not actually in you and you find yourself in a circumstance where you need it, you’re going to have trouble,” he continued.

The Ohio native, who has five critically acclaimed albums, including his latest Billboard-topping album, The Cry, then quoted a story told by the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts chapter 19 in the Bible.

In this account, Paul shared how he was used mightily by God which even allowed him to transfer healing and deliverance to others by sending handkerchiefs as a point of contact. Then the story introduces seven others, named the sons of Sceva, who were just imitating followers of God and were overpowered by a demon because they had no authority in God for themselves.

“The issue with imitation without Christ’s proximity or relationship is you can actually enter into a circumstance, or a situation, or a moment, or a service, or a time in which there is a requirement for what’s supposed to be in you. But it’s not actually in you because you’ve been imitating without relationship,” McDowell warned.

The 43-year-old minister said social media has heightened people’s ability to copy others only for the sake of showing one’s mountain top experience.

“We are the generation that loves to watch YouTube videos, and loves to watch live streams, and loves to buy videos and listen to music. We get up there and we close our eyes, but instead of worshiping, we’re actually trying to imitate or pretend like we’re the person we watched. … Completely not present to the moment, all trying to recreate that moment that’s not even here. [That’s] imitation,” McDowell maintained.

He looked out in the crowd and said, “Many of us are attempting to do this without genuine relationship and I want you to know, that the issue with that, is that you won’t know that it’s not in you until you need it,” he exhorted.

“Scripture says to us that the genuineness of faith is proven in trial. The genuineness of faith is not proven on the mountaintop. The genuineness of faith is proven in trials, which is to say to us that we won’t actually know until we’re in it.”

McDowell said “one of the major pitfalls of the social media age” is that it can potentially remove one of the most important and vital aspects of God’s process, which, he said, is “preparation” developed by “hiddenness.”

“Hiddenness is a critical part of purification,” he continued. “I understand that we’re in a time now that we want everybody to see that we can do something, but our character is developed in the crucible of hiddenness.”

Since McDowell launched his church five years ago, he testified that hundreds of people have had documented healing.

Source: Christian Post

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The wife of leading apologist and academic, Ravi Zacharias, has said that her husband is experiencing significant pain after undergoing surgery on his spine.

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The author went under the knife last month to fix two loose screws and repair a fractured sacrum. Though his recovery was anticipated to take some time, the bounceback has been more difficult than initially expected.

“Ravi is progressing in his healing, but at a much slower pace than he had expected based on his past experience,” wife Margie wrote in an Instagram update.

Hello again friends, Margie here. Thank you so much for your continued prayers for Ravi as he recovers from his spinal surgery 11 days ago. Ravi is progressing in his healing, but at a much slower pace than he had expected based on his past experience (perhaps since he is 18 years older now than when he had his previous back surgery, the healing takes more time). His pain continues to be severe, especially during the night, which makes the nights very long and difficult. We are thankful that Ravi has the expertise of two pain management doctors, including his brother Ramesh, but even so it is a little bit of trial and error. Please keep praying for Ravi, especially his nights. This is a challenging time, and there is still a long way to go before he will be able to pick up his itinerary. Thank you again for your love and caring for Ravi and our family. Your prayers and encouragement mean the world to us. -Margie Zacharias

A post shared by Ravi Zacharias (@ravizacharias) on Mar 2, 2020 at 4:55pm PST

“His pain continues to be severe, especially during the night, which makes the nights very long and difficult.”

Margie added that doctors were attempting to get the pain under control, but that there was “still a long way to go before he will be able to pick up his itinerary.”

“Thank you again for your love and caring for Ravi and our family,” she wrote. “Your prayers and encouragement mean the world to us.”

Faithwire: Worshippers Asked to Ditch Handshakes and Embrace ‘Elbow Bumps’ as Coronavirus Spreads

Zacharias — the founder of international apologetics ministry “RZIM” — announced the surgery last month with a post on social media.

“Dear Friends, Many of you know that I have had serious back issues and struggled after two surgeries. Recently the pain has intensified and I have battled several flare-ups,” he wrote. “This Thursday I will undergo emergency spinal repair surgery and will be recovering until the beginning of April.”

Zacharias added that he would “seldom talk about personal challenges” but was “making an exception because I know you will pray for me—and for my family and the @rzimhq team.”

Keep Ravi and his family in your prayers as he continues to recover.

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BANGKOK (AP) – The global march of the new virus triggered a vigorous appeal Thursday from the World Health Organization for governments to pull out “all the stops” to slow the epidemic, as it drained the color from India’s spring festivities, closed Bethlehem’s Nativity Church and blocked Italians from visiting elderly relatives in nursing homes.

As China, after many arduous weeks, appeared to be winning its epic, costly battle against the new virus, the fight was revving up in newly affected areas of the globe, unleashing disruptions that profoundly impacted billions of people.

The U.N. health agency urged all countries to “push this virus back,” a call to action reinforced by figures showing there are now about 17 times as many new infections outside China as in it. To date, the virus has infected nearly 97,000 people and killed over 3,300. 

“This is not a drill. This is not the time for giving up. This is not a time for excuses. This is a time for pulling out all the stops,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a daily briefing in Geneva. “Countries have been planning for scenarios like this for decades. Now is the time to act on those plans.” 

As Chinese manufacturers gradually reopened their factories,  anti-virus barriers went up elsewhere. 

In Italy, the epicenter of Europe’s outbreak, workers in latex gloves pinned “closed” notices on school gates, enforcing a 10-day shutdown of the education system. Italy’s sports-mad fans are also barred from stadiums until April 3.

A government decree that took effect Thursday urged the country’s famously demonstrative citizens to stay at least 1 meter (3 feet) apart from each other, placed restrictions on visiting nursing homes and urged the elderly not to go outside unless absolutely necessary.

That directive appeared to be widely ignored, as school closures nationwide left many Italian children in the care of their grandparents. Parks in Rome overflowed with both young and old, undercutting government efforts to shield older Italians from the virus that hits the elderly harder than others. Italy has the world’s oldest population after Japan.

“It’s an absolute paradox!” said Mauro Benedetti, a 73-year-old retiree called upon to watch his grandson. “They tell us to stay home. How can we help our kids and grandkids at the same time?”

“Grandparents are now at risk,” he said.

Italy’s death toll climbed Thursday to 148, and its confirmed cases to 3,858. 

Iran, which has registered 107 virus deaths, also closed schools and universities and introduced checkpoints to limit travel between major cities. Iranians were urged to reduce their use of paper money.

Amid the string of bad news, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged state television to offer “happier” programs to entertain those stuck at home. 

“I urge all artists, scientists, psychologists and all who can bring smiles to people’s faces, come into the social media,” he said. 

Brian Hook, the U..S. special representative for Iran, said the United States offered humanitarian assistance to help Iran deal with its outbreak but “the regime rejected the offer.” He said the offer would stand.

Virus fears also affected the joyful Indian celebration of Holi, in which Hindu revelers celebrate the arrival of spring with bursts of color, including bright powders smeared on faces. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders said they wouldn’t attend Holi events and the Holi Moo Festival in New Delhi was canceled. 

In the United States, where 11 have died from the virus, hundreds of people were placed in self-quarantines due to cases in a New York suburb. A school district north of Seattle with 22,000 students announced it would close for up to two weeks because of coronavirus concerns.

Off the coast of California, a cruise ship with about 3,500 aboard was ordered to stay put until passengers and crew could be tested because a traveler from its previous voyage died and another one was infected.

Financial markets remained volatile, as investors continued to weigh the size of the epidemic’s dent on the global economy. The U.S. stock market was down more than 3 percent in Thursday afternoon trading. Analysts say more yo-yo moves on global markets are likely as long as the number of new infections continues to accelerate.

The OPEC oil cartel called for a deep production cut to keep crude prices from falling further as disruption to global business from the coronavirus slashes demand from air travel and industry.

Oil ministers from the 14 OPEC countries decided at a meeting Thursday to push for a cut of 1.5 million barrels a day or about 1.5% of total world supply.

Across the globe, travelers faced ever-greater disruptions, as countries sought to keep the virus out. But South Africa confirmed its first case Thursday, becoming the seventh African nation to report infections. Britain and Switzerland reported their first coronavirus deaths.

“The virus doesn’t care about race and belief or color. It is attacking us all, equally,” said Ian MacKay, who studies viruses at the University of Queensland in Australia. 

The outlook for the travel industry was increasingly grim. The International Air Transport Association said the outbreak could cost airlines as much as $113 billion in lost revenue. The struggling British airline Flybe collapsed Thursday amid sinking demand.

Australia banned travelers from South Korea who aren’t Australian citizens or permanent residents, following similar bans for China and Iran. 

Indonesia announced restrictions on travelers from parts of Iran, Italy, and South Korea after previously banning those coming in from China. The United Arab Emirates warned its people not to travel anywhere abroad.

Germany’s Lufthansa and its subsidiaries Austrian Airlines and Swiss said they will cancel all flights to and from Israel for three weeks starting Sunday after Israeli authorities announced tough restrictions on travelers from several countries because of the new virus.

Palestinian officials closed the storied Church of the Nativity in the biblical city of Bethlehem indefinitely, weeks ahead of the busy Easter holiday. 

Japan said visitors from China and South Korea would face a two-week quarantine at a government facility and be barred from public transit. Sri Lankans arriving from Italy, South Korea and Iran will be quarantined at a hospital once used for leprosy patients. 

In South Korea, with the highest number of infections outside China, exports of masks will be prohibited beginning Friday and people will be limited to buying two masks a week.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in to express condolences over the health crisis.

In China, where hospitals were releasing hundreds of recovered patients, officials reported 139 new infection cases and 31 more deaths. Overall, China has reported 80,409 cases and 3,012 deaths, and authorities say about 6,000 people remained hospitalized in serious condition.

A state visit to Japan by Chinese President Xi Jinping was postponed. It was to have been the first for a Chinese leader since 2008.

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