Five influential preachers | Part 5 – Rambabu

Finally, I name the extraordinary evangelist and man of faith Rambabu, the most effective evangelist I’ve ever heard.  Whereas I seem to explain or argue for the gospel he, in contrast, proclaims or announces it with such authority and faith that it is obvious that you must embrace its liberating power. The love of Christ pours out of him. The presence of the Holy Spirit is phenomenally manifest.

If part of the preacher’s task is to stimulate the faith of your hearers, I know of no one like him.  He not only preaches, he inspires people’s confidence in a God who is present now and many miracles take place in his meetings.  The presence of Christ is palpable. The lame walk, the blind see, the deaf hear.  Tens of thousands surge to his open-air meetings in India and hundreds of miracles take place and hundreds come to Christ.

In smaller indoor meetings, or when addressing leaders, he again invites people to take God’s word seriously and courageously take the battle into the enemy camp.  I found my own faith invigorated as I listened to him, resulting in my laying hands on the sick far more readily, taking seriously the command of Christ to ‘preach the gospel, heal the sick’.  Our Gospel is not to be word only (word, yes, but not only!), but in demonstration and power through the Holy Spirit.  Through his inspiration and influence I’ve seen many healed in Jesus’ name.

Preaching in the power of the Holy Spirit I heard him declare the words of Jesus, ‘Truly, truly I say to you, the things I do, you shall do also’.  With extraordinary authority Rambabu challenged ‘Why not?’ As I sat there I could not think of any good reason to doubt or ignore these clear words of Christ.  Why not indeed!

He influenced me powerfully and as a result a lot of people have been healed.

Probably I’ve been influenced by many others but these five came strongly to mind when I was questioned.

For each of them preaching was not a job they did but a life they lived.  You met the authentic man, each of them genuinely humble and depending on God’s help. You also met the God whose servants they were.  Preaching isn’t primarily about imparting information.  It does not merely talk about God.  It confronts you with God.  You experience an encounter.

Each of these five helped me encounter God and influenced my life and my preaching.  I hope you find it fascinating to reflect upon what I have been able to share.

Which preachers have shaped your life?

If you are a preacher, ask God to help you not only to shape sermons but to help shape people.