I came to Tampa nearly four weeks ago from North Carolina. God has been doing awesome things through me and tome. Before I go into that I must give you a background concerning before coming to The River. In 2007 I was saved, set free, and delivered from drugs, alcohol and tobacco.  I was radically changed, and knew I would never be the same ever again. I had a passion for God, and loved the things of God. I got plugged in at the church that I got saved in.

Pornography plagued me the whole time in my walk with God. I was always condemned and defeated. I would serve the Lord for two or three weeks, then I would run back into the world. I knew of God, but didn’t really know Him. Fast-forwarding four years  to January of this year. I started watching the Great Awakening, I was greatly blessed, started winning a few souls, but still struggling with pornography.

RMI started offering scholarships to anyone feeling called to the ministry and I knew it was for me. So I moved down here with nothing planned in the natural, just a little money and a plane ticket. I took the city-bus to the river, and started walking down the drive. Overwhelmed with gladness I couldn’t believe I was actually here. Jesus started doing awesome things from the very start. I felt different every single service, I felt free. I knew Jesus was breaking things off of me, probably more than I know.

I feel like I have grown ten years in the spirit. Words really can’t explain what has been going on in me. I’m giving more than ever before, soul-winning like never before. I’m learning to truly trust God and over 100 people have been saved on the streets since I’ve been here. I have finally figured out why I’m alive. God is so good……Nick B.

I did not want to do second year and I decided to go like the day before school started. I actually missed the first day of school because of my work not knowing I was coming to school. I went into work and told my boss that I was coming to school and that my schedule would change. She said that it wouldn’t work out because they needed me there early in the morning. I asked her if I needed to start looking for another job. She said no I’ll make it work and then she hands me papers for review and a raise.

Thursday’s Result in my life:

I had wondered why I wasn’t seeing breakthrough in my finances because I tithe and I give I just wasn’t getting results like everyone else. I had a dream. I was standing at an airport getting ready to go out of the country. I had a duffel bag, a small suit case, and a backpack. Where I was going I couldn’t pack anything into the baggage part of the airplane because I just couldn’t. I didn’t know why I just wasn’t allowed. So I tried to shove everything I had into these three bags. I got up to go through security and they told me that I could only take two bags. So I took everything from the carry on suit case and tried to shove it into either the backpack or the duffel bag. I tried to go through security again and they said, “Ma’am you are still carrying on too much, you are not allowed on this plane until you get rid of some of your things.” I woke up right after that knowing that inside I had a hard time letting things go; in other words I had a hard time being cheerful in my giving. This dream reminded me of what God is calling me to do and that I wasn’t going to reach my full potential until I let some things go. I wouldn’t fulfill what God is calling me to do until my full trust was in him and I wouldn’t be able to step onto the plane (aka my next level in my relationship with God) until I was able to give some things up. Today something broke on the inside of me. I can’t put my finger on it but I just know something is different on the inside of me. I don’t feel like I need to hold on to everything because my trust is in Him and in Him alone…..Jill S.

I come from Santa Ana, California and I never thought I would ever be part of such an amazing church/school. It was such a hard journey for me to get here but I am just glad God opened the door and allowed me to be here. When I first heard of The River was in the beginning of March when my friend Boris Larios called me and started to share with me of all the things God has been doing in his life ever since he arrived to The River.

He also started to share with me about the school program that The River has, as soon as he told me about the School of Worship he got my full attention. I was so happy just hearing his testimony; I just knew my soul wanted what my friend has been receiving. As soon as I hung up many things started to come into my head. Things that I am sure many students went thru, “how will I pay for everything”, “Where will I live”, “I don’t know anyone there”, and many more. All I knew was I had to be here. God started to put everything together, blessed me with a Full Scholarship, he used my friend Boris to help me find a place to live, transportation, and even helped me find friend. He has been a true blessing in my life.

When I came back from the AMT Course with Overland Missions. My heart kept on getting hungrier and hungrier for the things of God. I was so excited to start RBI and continue walking in what God has called me to do, save Souls. When the first day of school started (RBI Revival week), I was excited and yet nervous because I had doubts of going to school. My heart was still in Africa! I fell love with the people in a way that I can’t describe. The first week of school they had pictures from Pastor Rodney in Africa and every time it was shown I had flash backs of the ministry time and the environment that I experienced. I wanted to be back in Zambia walking for miles and ministering the gospel. Yet I knew that God has called me here to be trained up. I knew that this school would help break, shape, and mold me in to the man God is raising me up to be, a servant.

The next week they extend the Revival week and God kept on showing how real he is in, through, and around my life. He started breaking me in giving, and what it means to give. I have learned that if I give because I think I will get something back I am selfish and my heart is corrupt. But if I give with a cheerful heart being selfless, my heart is incorruptible. If you can’t be selfless by giving, you can’t be selfless with God. These Revival weeks have showed me that even in financial deposition that it doesn’t matter what you think because it’s about Jesus. The more I give myself to Jesus the more I get of Jesus. God has used the RBI Revival week to break me into reality in Jesus and this is one of the things that I just take and treasure because is a honor to know more about Him!

On 9/8/20211, God brought much of the student body to a repentance which caused us to let go of some of the idols to which we had formerly given first place.  Today, we more fully joined Jesus when he denied himself and took up the cross.

Today’s service eclipsed all.

After the offering, the Holy Spirit began moving on people to give something special, and I brought my lunch money.  Then I was moved to give up my most precious possession.  During her kindergarten year, my firstborn had given me a silver ring with two hearts, representing our love for each other.  She and her sister had both known the Lord from the very beginning.  They spent every day of their young years in CBN’s cartoons of the Bible, reading Bible stories and their Picture Bibles.  The Lord told me one day when they were playing in the bath tub at about 3 and 6 exactly how to lead them into the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  He said my youngest would receive her language first and then faith would spring up in my oldest who would receive.   Jocelyn received first and Amanda, after an astounded look, began laughing and praying in her language also.

Their father divorced me and married his mistress after the 6-month waiting period required by the Episcopal Church.  Once when the girls were with him, he became infuriated upon finding Amanda praying in the spirit over an injured Jocelyn.  He set out to separate us.  A pathological liar, he was eventually able to alienate my firstborn from me for a number of years.  Later, she realized what had really happened, and our relationship was healed.  However, the girls lacked the fire of their childhood relationship with God.

That ring became a symbol to me of the love we shared so I wore it almost constantly.  Today, when I put that little child’s gift on the steps on the other, more costly jewelry, I was placing that very relationship on the altar.  I realized that I had, like Abraham, put my first-born child on His altar.  Immediately, inspired by God, Pastor Rodney said some of us were “sacrificing our Isaacs.”  Nothing could have been truer.

Since school started God has been revealing to me where in my character he wants me to improve. I have started to tackle my pride, laziness, and impatience.

I used to be worried about how I appeared to others when I worshiped in the church. God spoke to me in His Word that if I exalted myself, I would be humbled. However, if I humbled myself, He would exalt me. I realized I didn’t need to worry about what others might think of me but I should hold nothing back and press into His Presence.

In our second week of our revival, Pastor Todd gave what seemed to be an unpopular message about faith that spoke to me. I learned how to correctly apply faith to my job search. I now rest on the promise of God’s favor over the work of my hands.

God has increased my patience as well. I learned that the more I trust God, the less I worry about His timing. I started school without knowing how it would work out money-wise. I had even sown my Bible right before school started. Since I have started school, someone has already given me a textbook and I know more of God’s provision is on the way.

I am excited about what God has been doing in me. My wife said she can already see a change. I look forward to growing more in character, knowledge, and relationship with God here in RBI…..Gary W.

I was in Tuesday night’s service and the power of God hit me hard. I was so elated with laughter. I hadn’t laughed hard in a while, so as you can see I feel like I got a second wind of energy to do what God has called me to do and that is to GO and tell the world about Jesus! In the meetings I can see joy returning to God’s people. I can see the power of God moving and changing this nation. When I watched on the video clips and I see the people from around the world share their testimony about how our telecast is touching and changing their life I am even more encouraged.

One of my highlight was on Thursday when I served in the Call Center. I love praying for people and so I was excited about this opportunity. I had back to back calls from hungry men and women of God who were watching the program and wanted the Fire of God in their life. As I prayed with each and every one of them I could feel anointing and power come upon myself and them.

The best part of it is when you finished praying and they thank you profusely for praying for them and how they feel the weight come off of them. It is such an honor to serve the Lord and His people. I am very excited about what God is doing and about what is about to take place in the lives of many around the world. -Clover W

The anointing is real and only those who need it can get it. What I’m seeing here is more than my expectations. Last time in the soul-winning class, I saw a woman in her car and she was speaking with somebody on the phone. So I went to her to give her Jesus. After rejecting me, she told me that she would like to accept my Lord Jesus as her personal Savior and I read the script to her.

While I was talking with her, I told her that I’m from a French country and she replied that she’s from Haiti so she can speak French. When I  finished with her, I said, can you give me your phone to speak to the person you’re speaking with. She said no because that man don’t want to hear about Jesus. I insisted and she gave the phone, it was her husband. I spoke  with the man in French and that man accepted Jesus. Not knowing he was in Haiti, I pray for him and he receive the power of the holy spirit and he was just laughing.

The woman was so happy and the man gave me his number so that I can call him time to time for prayer. Coming to The River is a great blessing for me. -Bruno S.

Worship Soundtracks from RMIRiverSong on Vimeo.

This past week at the River at Tampa bay was our annual winter Camp Meeting! It was a week filled with phenomenal morning and night services with people attending from all over the world. What was really amazing to see was how the huge majority of people attending went out daily to go soul winning all around the city of Tampa Bay. Thousands of people came to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior! With so many people going out to preach the gospel we had many written, video, and live testimonies each and every night.

The power of God fell every service and more and more people caught the vision of Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne and the “Great Awakening”.  Pastor’s heart is to have every person, whether in the ministry or not out, winning souls one on one and fulfilling the great commission Jesus gave us in each of the Gospels. One testimony that truly stuck out is from an 80 year old woman who called in to the prayer center during a night service.

She was unable to walk because of an illness and so she can only move by wheelchair. She called a week prior to get prayer for healing and to get a soul winning script. The soul winning script was shipped to her house and she immediately called two of her family members and they received Christ into their hearts! She wanted to soul win so bad but couldn’t get out of her house so she figured why not call people….it works! –Timothy T.

Worship Soundtracks from RMIRiverSong on Vimeo.

As we are coming to the end of week two of the Great Awakening, I noticed a couple big changes in my life. The first thing is I received a healing from a nasty sinus infection.  The thing had been hanging on and I was getting really tired of it.  I got home from one of the meetings a few nights ago and noticed that the sinus pressure and stuffy nose were gone.  It was a relief to be free from the pain and discomfort. The second thing is that I am walking in a new level of love and patience.  We all have things in our lives that are buttons and if pushed, we just hit the ceiling.

I forget what it was, but one of those buttons was pushed and I didn’t notice it until later.  It’s not that I was a horrible and cantankerous person, but there’s just a difference now when working with people. It’s a little hard to describe, but I noticed that I don’t respond to some of the hot points any more.  That’s a relief since when we try to change things on our own, there may be success for awhile, but inevitably, we will fall back into our old habits.  However, being in the presence of God will burn out unwanted things in our lives.  God brings lasting results.-Susan P.