Maryl and I reunited with Pastors Danny and Giselle Bonilla for a powerful worship conference in their new church in West Palm Beach, Florida: Hosanna Palm Beach. They and their team (Worship Pastor Danny Ramos) hosted many churches and worship teams from all over the nation including many from Puerto Rico, Rhode Island and San Diego, CA! What a diverse display of music and worship there in this beautiful city. There seemed to be no boundaries or impediment to the freedom and movement of the Holy Spirit from Thursday through Sunday (Feb.19-22). In fact, I have waited a week to write this report, since words feel pretty inadequate to describe something that was so much of the Spirit.
We were joined by Pastor Marion Overall (Executive Director of the Shiloh Christian Conservatory of Music & Arts in Oakland, CA) and Pastor Portia Sumner also from Shiloh. These two flow so beautifully together, you would never know that they don’t rehearse ahead of time. Song after song came forth for three days from them and many others at the conference, to confirm Jesus’ presence (the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy Rev.19:10). We personally have never experienced such a freedom, beauty, depth and accuracy of the prophetic song like this in any other conference. What a delight to see it confirmed in life after life and church after church.
Thursday: Thursday night started the conference with a bang; the local team lead by Pastor Danny Ramos lead a rousing session of worship that took us into some heartfelt moments on our knees. Then Pastor Portia began the Song of the Lord that really didn’t end for another hour and a half! It ebbed and flowed with Pastor Marion on the keyboard, while Portia sang and wept over many people in the conference. Maryl added her beautiful flute in the middle of it all. An incredible dance team from Puerto Rico – Torre Fuerte – https://wwob.org/page/videos/ blew us all away with a wonderful interpretive dance and flags (professional yet anointed). A powerful beginning to an incredible weekend. Pastor Danny Bonilla was scheduled to deliver the opening sermon, but God got in the way! (He shared later)
Friday: Friday morning was again started in worship that went for quite a while (hard to ‘shut down’ worship at a worship conference) with more prophetic expressions and ministry to many people. Pastor Marion and I then taught separate workshops (I on more practical issues in worship: vocal techniques and instrumental excellence – she ministered on heart issues that had everybody on the edge of their seats). The afternoon session again was so free and delicious that no one ‘taught’, yet all were taught. The worship time was very fluid with others coming up to lead, sharing profound thoughts and scriptures and the dancers tastefully interpreting what God was saying in our midst. Friday night, Pastor Portia lead with a young lady, Joelibeck, interpreting everything into Spanish (many at the conference, only spoke Spanish). It added an incredible dimension to the worship and the ministry. It was amazing to watch Portia, who has a powerful voice, being emulated so perfectly in Spanish and in body language (wish I had a video!). The dance team did another amazing dance that had us on our feet giving glory to God. Then I ministered on the Vision of Worship for the nations.
Saturday: Saturday morning I had the privilege of leading the first worship time. It seemed to take on it’s own impetus (God loves to do that). More fresh songs and ministry that had most of the people in tears and all in love with Jesus. It ended up going so long we had to cancel two classes and just do the final two on Dancing with the Seven Words of Praise, with Sonia Vera, the leader of Torre Fuerte, and the Spirit of Prophecy with Pastor Danny Bonilla. They both did an amazing job of communicating the beauty and power of prophetic worship from their unique perspectives. In the afternoon, more worship and more words of knowledge and encouragement, including a wonderful word to Pastor Giselle’s sister, Marian. She ended up with a timbrel in her hand (see Ex.15) and dancing around the auditorium, leading the women in a celebration! Great release. I was planning to share on the Prophetic Company and then release the new song among us, but we had modeled it so much already, that I modified, condensed and went only where I sensed the Holy Spirit wanted to go. BTW, they rented a cello for me, so I was able to add my ‘voice’ during the spontaneous moments. Loved it! Saturday night, the grand finale was incredible of course, with all the stops pulled out and great anticipation of God’s presence. The worship was lead by the team from Rhode Island (Worship Pastor Leroix Hampton) that set the tone with ‘Let it Rise’. Great vocals and instrumentals that accented what God was saying powerfully. The dancers showed up in mime makeup and created a ‘mime-line’ that went on for quite a while getting everybody involved, old and young (another video moment!). Good luck if you’re out of shape during these services! It was definitely a sacrifice of praise and total abandonment to physical expression. Portia again ministered in prophetic songs with Pastor Marion and myself and Maryl on the flute. The dance team did an amazing mime dance of ‘The 7 words of Praise’ that knocks your socks off! My my.
Then Pastor Marion closed the conference with her powerful thoughts on ‘Seeds’ of our destiny. Taken from her traumatic life experiences, she illustrated the redemptive process in death of our self and the rebirthing of God’s vision in our lives. The seed must die. The response to this message was amazing, and everybody got an acorn from Pastor Marion and then the ‘Moment’ happened: person after person started singing their song to the Lord. On and on it went as Pastor Marion passed out seeds, Pastors Danny and Giselle were handing the mic to different people and they just started singing what God was giving them right then. Portia was releasing singers right and left in the anointing that God has given her. It was beautiful to watch the fluidity of the Holy Spirit moving among His wonderfully tender flock, singing in their ear, and them responding to His loving song. Wow. I’m not sure how it all ended but I think it was about midnight!
Sunday: Sunday morning at Hosanna Palm Beach for their ‘normal’ Sunday morning service, it continued to be full of sweet worship, new songs, dancing, prophetic insights shared; but the sweetest moment was after the dismissal two hours later, many left but the remaining musicians just kept going and going. Pastor LeRoix on the synth, Pastor Marion on the keyboard, me on the cello, Maryl on the flute and the rest of the team just got into a ‘groove’ that wouldn’t quit, and morphed into different styles, songs, tempos, etc. Then Portia walked over and sang a song that should be recorded someday: ‘Greater Than Any Song’ and then we all picked it up and sang it over and over, but we weren’t done yet. It died down and then I went into the hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy on the cello and Pastor Marion did some amazing things on the keys and everybody picked up on it, and then a beautiful young dancer came out and interpreted the moment! And then it kicked into hyperdrive for everybody. I cant do it justice with words, and probably a recording wouldn’t help either. You had to be there. But the delight and purity of that moment was felt by all and I think orchestrated by Jesus! Sweet moments you could never plan, but you should always expect whenever He is in the room.
We love you all. Pastor Danny and Giselle have invited us all back for next year’s worship conference in West Palm Beach, FL – Feb.18-21, 2010. Mark your calendars. You’re all invited.
in Him,
Dr. Tim and Maryl Smith, Your Worship Missionaries