SO, WHO ON EARTH IS PAUL BENNISON?

Paul, an Englishman now living in Virginia, USA, has been an itinerant missionary since 1988, and has had the privilege of visiting many nations preaching the gospel, praying for the sick and dying, teaching in Bible schools, working alongside churches, and helping with aid, relief, and development on an individual and corporate level in many third and developing world countries.

A Londoner by birth, Paul became a committed Christian at 18. For 9 years, he worked in a bank, before accepting God’s call on his life to move into full time ministry in 1979, beginning to work for British Youth for Christ, in East Sussex.  In 4 years that ministry grew to encompass involvement in hundreds of schools in south east England, many churches, and the local prisons. God’s next challenge in 1984 was to spend almost a year doing some Bible and ministry training, at Roffey Place Christian Training Centre, Horsham, England. For practical purposes, this meant selling house and home: since that day, Paul has had to trust God for home, security, and income.

Since becoming a missionary, he has travelled worldwide, having the privilege of being in some 100 nations to date. His travels have taken to some of the major revival ‘hot spots’ in the world – China, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia - where he is regular partner with the Pastors in the Cali revival documented in the ‘Transformations’ video. Also, to Eastern Europe, especially Romania, and to many African nations, including Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Kenya, and others, where it has been his privilege and joy to see God move in awesome miracle power. Paul is also privileged to have ministered in some of the ‘tougher’ nations like Cuba, and Haiti, and some other restricted access nations.

Visiting China for the first time some 19 years ago was a life-changing event for him, spending time with people who have been incredibly persecuted for their faith, yet who, in persecution, move in revival power: where salvation is expected in phenomenal numbers, and miracles are a daily occurrence simply because (in the words of Chinese pastors) ‘if it says it in the Bible, it WILL happen’. Meeting two ladies who had both been raised from the dead changed Paul’s life and perspective forever.

He has regularly had the opportunity to be involved in Mexico at the time of the ‘Day of the Dead’ Festival, a huge occult-based festival nationwide, and seen God bring salvation and healing on the streets, in meetings of all types, and even in cemeteries! His heart is very much FOR the world, and God has certainly burned his own heart for the world into Paul.

LEADERSHIP

Paul has been involved in many aspects of leadership in church life, for some 25 years or more: as a home group leader, Elder, youth pastor (one of his delights was to have some of the young men who went on to become the worship band, Delirious, in his youth group), and for those last 19 years as a missionary. He is a member of the International Association of Healing Ministries (www.iahmglobal.org), and an associate of Youth with a Mission. Until his recent move to the USA, Paul was a member of the Evangelical Alliance, in the United Kingdom.

He is part of a wonderful group of pastors and ministers to whom he is accountable (known as the Rhinos!), and is now actively involved in the growth of the church of which he is now a part in the USA; Restoration Christian Centre, Newport News, Virginia, having visited it many times over the past 10 years.

PAUL’S MINISTRY

Paul is primarily a storyteller, exhorter, and motivator/encourager, believing greatly in the power of the testimony of what God does, is doing, and who he is. Revelation 19:10 tells us that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy… which means that when we hear of what God is doing it gives us the right to believe those things will be replicated everywhere else.

Over many years, God has grown faith in Paul to believe increasingly for healing from a number of diseases, especially scoliosis, stress-related illness (fibromyalgia /chronic fatigue syndrome / ME), and for terminal sickness, including cirrhosis, pancreatitis, AIDS and cancer. Amongst many wonderful things, Paul has seen blind eyes opened, the dumb speak, the deaf hear, limbs growing, and paralysed bodies restored instantaneously.

He is ordained (World Bible Way Fellowship, Irving, Texas, USA, and Ripe Harvest Ministries, also USA), but he is not a great lover of titles, much preferring testimonies!

Paul’s heart is to build relationships, network with other people, and in turn be a catalyst for networking and kingdom building. Paul’s focus really would be on motivation and encouragement; urging Christians to ‘live a life worthy of the calling’ and to live life to the maximum rather than settle for ‘minimum’ Christianity. Most of Paul’s invitations come through ‘connections’ and recommendations.

For the past 25 years, he has not earned a penny in salary, but has seen God provide in varying ways for the ministry he is involved in.

SO WHY DOES HE DO WHAT HE DOES…?

Until the late ‘80’s, Paul was one of the quietest, shyest people you could have met! In 1983, a healing conference with Ian Andrews, and the influence of an American preacher, Tony Campolo, began the process of change there…!

He spent many years as an associate of and ministering to, with, and alongside Youth with a Mission worldwide, taking the opportunities afforded through their network to make mission more available to a greater number of people. In truth Paul’s heart is to see CHURCHES set ablaze with vision, dreams, and the power of the wonderful Holy Spirit, and raising faith to believe that we can ALL do what Jesus promised in John 14:12 – that we WILL do what he has done and GREATER things because he has gone to be with his father.

Paul is soccer (football anywhere outside of the United States!) mad, loves cricket and rugby with an almost equal passion, loves music, Indian curries, and watching movies. Not surprisingly, he loves to travel, though that was far from always being the case!

ANGELS…..

He was miraculously rescued by an angel from a car wreck in which he should have died, on the M4 motorway (interstate for American friends!) right by Heathrow airport, London, a few years ago: and was in another almost as exciting car wreck in Mozambique 3 years later in which God saved his life again!