Stepping Out in Faith — Baron's Journey to Encounters Ministry

Sometimes you go somewhere expecting one thing and come back completely changed. Join Greg and Baron on this episode of My Brother's Journey as Baron reflects on his trip to Michigan for a 3-day Encounters Ministry Catholic healing conference — sharing the highlights, the spiritual breakthroughs, and the moments that reminded him just how real and present God truly is.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

All right. Well, welcome back to my brother's journey. I'm uh part of the tag team here. I'm Greg Joseph Chuck, and with me is my co-host back from vacation.

SPEAKER_00 0:09

Finally, perfect.

SPEAKER_01 0:11

So good to see you, my friend.

SPEAKER_00 0:12

I was good to uh be back. Um did you uh did you have a great time? I had a great time. I had a great time. And uh um you're not joking all the time. I told them I really don't listen to this podcast because I don't like to hear myself talk, but I did get to listen to the last two that were happened while I was gone, and it was refreshing in all kinds of ways. Uh not to hear my voice, but uh also to hear some some great conversation from some of our uh our guests.

SPEAKER_01 0:34

Some of our guests, and and Chris kind of pinched it for from one of those sessions.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

He did. Did a better job than I can.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

Oh no, you guys you guys all are fantastic and uh really appreciate that. Well, you know, we we always start uh with prayer. Would you mind uh now that you're fully refreshed?

SPEAKER_00 0:52

Thank you. Father, son, holy spirit, amen. Dear Lord, we thank you for this opportunity as always to get together to to talk about you, to talk about how you work within our lives, Lord, how you guide us, direct us, encourage us. Well, we we prayed today for a conversation that uh well, first of all, that that it makes sense uh and that uh it resonates with uh those listeners that we have. And uh Lord, that you continue to to work in our lives to make us better people and to uh get us to heaven. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 1:25

So I see you're wearing a shirt that says Encounter Ministries. And if I recall, this had something to do with you uh your hiatus.

SPEAKER_00 1:35

It did. It did. So uh if I may, I'll I'll tell you how it all came about. So please do. Uh well, you know, as you know, Greg, we ended up going up into uh Michigan, uh started out in Grand Rapids and ultimately went up into the UP and and was trying to get to Canada, but this got smoked out. But this all came about, this this trip started because my wife is uh um who's a creative Catholic uh and very involved with her faith. She started something uh a few years ago uh with Encounter Ministries, and it was is called the Encounter School, and it's remote. But uh what this what Encounter Ministries is all about really is is about um our ability as lay people to to be vessels of God in order to bring about healing. And and so, you know, it's uh that's something that that you know it's been somewhat uh difficult for me to to get past my own, you know, uh um skepticism, maybe in a way and stuff like that. But anyway, so maybe long story short. So anyway, so she said, Hey, would you come to this conference with me? Because they have an annual conference. And um I said, sure, you know, because we and she she she said, hey, if you do that, then we can go on this this bigger trip. I said, All right, I haven't been up that way, so let's do it. So we went up there, and and it I would say it's kind of a uh a cross between traditional Catholicism, as we think of, and evangelical. When we comes to there's there's lots of praise music, there's there's you know, hands in the air type thing, whatever else, which is, of course, as you might expect outside my comfort zone. But nonetheless, I said, I'm gonna go into it with an open mind. I said, let's just see what happens. And and so I and anyway, they had a series of presenters and stuff like that. And as the this this was three weeks, this was a three-day conference, and as it progressed, it basically was kind of living out what it is that they teach over this three years. And this, what they're teaching is is how to, you and I, okay, how we would pray with someone and for someone for the for for God's glory to be shown through a miraculous healing with that person. And typically this is about, you know, uh uh physical healing. But it can be it could be an emotional healing, it could be a spiritual healing, it could be any any number of things, but uh they have kind of a a way they go about it. Um and so one of the things we had for like the first night or two, it was um a prophetic word. And so after they would have a speaker come on or whatever else, they would they would say, if you want to, you know, there's a prayer team over here, and if you want to go pray with them, then they they may they may have a prophetic word for you. And it may be a word that may resonate with you, it may be something that's just like the one word you needed to hear that all of a sudden it's like, wow, I can't believe you said that because that's been all my mind and on my heart, but and and here it is. And it kind of unlocks just kind of the next phase of this thing. So um, so we did that. And you know, again, the first part of that was a little bit, it's me kind of standing with my arms folded and and everybody else behind, you know, around me has got their hands up in the air and listening to music, whatever. But as as this as the the convers went on, I kind of uh I related to to my wife. It's like I remember in the I think it was Santa Claus is coming to town or whatever, and ice the ice man, you know, he starts to melt, you know, because his his heart softened and stuff like that. That kind of happened to me, okay? Um, because it it I saw people, I saw authentic praise, I saw, I saw authentic testimony, and ultimately this thing culminated at the third day with with with authentic healings. And again, me, I'm like, oh, maybe that was in their head, maybe all this kind of stuff. Well, one of the people who actually got healed was was a is a good friend of mine. She had had a meniscus tear, and and she's you know, she's super athletic, super fit, plays tennis, everything else, but she was she was in some physical pain prior going into this conference. And on the day of the healing, somebody prayed over her, and she's healed. Okay, and and what happens in this thing is that is that if you experience a uh a real physical healing, they have you come up on stage and you can just say, Hey, what was what was wrong with me? And but now I'm healed, whatever. But but they can demonstrate that. I mean, they had people there who would use a walker and then cast the walker aside. And again, you you're looking at this kind of like I am. It's like a this disbelief. But then I you know, I start thinking about it. I said, you know, well, I mean, think about it. Jesus in his three years of public ministry, what did he leave with? He led with healing, and and and it's just to show the glory of God and to and also I think to to to give testimony to who he is and what he can do. But when he, you know, when he died for us and then and then rose and went to heaven, it wasn't like you know, kind of Elvis, the old Elvis concert, Jesus has left the building. You know, it doesn't mean that all the miracles stopped. In fact, we know, I mean, through the Acts of the Apostles, that that miracles still happen through them. The question is, is that is that capability to bring about or to be the again a conduit, if you will, uh to calling down God's you know mercy and healing hands to to somebody we love, is that relegated to just uh very pious people, just the pre-people in the priesthood? Uh or is it available to anyone? Because what we are priests, prophet, and kings, every one of us, right? So, so the idea of this ministry is that that's not something that's it's not even something that's actually based on our own worthiness. Okay, it's based on what God's will and our desire to to uh to call upon God to do something. God didn't walk even during his public ministry, he didn't walk along the streets healing people who didn't want to be healed. He would ask them, what do you want me to do for you? Right. So so the idea here with this this ministry is is saying, hey, ask for it. And if it's if it conforms to God's will, it will happen. It could happen. But it wouldn't happen if we never asked for it. And and so that's kind of it's saying that those things can happen and will happen and will happen with greater frequency if we're actually asking for it. Because God, even today, and this is all this, by the way, is is is through the Holy Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit, okay? Is is we're not doing the healing. I'm not, you know, if I if I pray for somebody and they get better, it's not me, okay? It's just that I was willing to sometimes even look like a fool to somebody else. It says, Oh, here's some you know, crazy Charlton guy's gonna put his hands on my shoulder and make me feel better. You know, that's not you have to you have to be willing to do that in order for God's will to be done. So it was it was challenging, but I thought it was very interesting. And I, you know, I was just telling you earlier before we started this. I said, we often at the beginning of our Bible study, we we have you know intentions. And and it kind of dawned me today that I know who I'm praying for, but I don't know necessarily or or or certainly stated very plainly what I'm praying for. If if we have a brother who's got cancer, are we praying what when we say proper brother who has cancer? For what? Are we are we thinking that God can actually heal that? Because if God could if if God could raise himself from the dead, okay, and promise us the same thing, well, couldn't he continue to do that? He he yielded people all all on during his public ministry. He can do that via the Holy Spirit even today. In fact, you know, the beatification process for a saint requires what? Miracles, two miracles. It requires them.

SPEAKER_01 9:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:20

So that must mean they can still be done.

SPEAKER_01 9:22

Right.

SPEAKER_00 9:23

Otherwise, we'd have no saints. That's true.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

That's true. So uh you know, I have a bunch of things going through my head as I hear this, of course. Um I'm a pretty skeptical person, as you probably know. Yes. Uh maybe that's good for a podcast or not, I'm not sure. You know, the first thing that comes to mind is you're talking about this, about you know the power of healing, essentially, and praying over people. I still think of you know, guys like Jimmy Swagger, who, you know, who would go up on stage and claim that he could heal all these people and you know, ask for donations and all that for for his healing. And so, you know, I think maybe that taints my objectiveness a little bit, knowing that's in the background, but but that's not certainly not reason to believe. I already talked about we had a healing mass here with Alan Ames, who's world-renowned for that. And I I think we had talked, I was skeptical then until I saw it myself and participated.

SPEAKER_00 10:29

As was I, as was I.

SPEAKER_01 10:31

And you could clearly feel the power of the Holy Spirit there. You could feel at least I could. I mean, I felt it felt different. It felt when when we were up there and we were catchers, I think, as I recall. Sure. I mean, I don't believe for a moment any of the people that we saw collapse in front of us were faking it. Right. I think it was genuine. I mean, that's just what I believe, and I'm a skeptic, but so I guess what I want to know is day one, you're you're skeptical, you're like I would be, probably arms folded saying, yeah, okay, it's all um but day two, you said it already started changing, if I if I right? So what happened on kind of day two, as you recall, that convinced started convincing you or melting your heart.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

I think that was maybe uh the way you described it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

So I mean, was it the music? Was it the the prayers?

SPEAKER_00 11:35

Was it the speech there's there's a combination of of prayers, uh of music, of speakers. Um Christoph was one he gave a good speech. There were there were a number of speakers there um who kind of testified again to God. And and you know, and I think you brought it up before about you know the Jimmy Swagger days or whatever. You know, the the difference, I think, and we talked about Alan Ames, is Alan as a as a person is a super humble guy. And and and when he was doing his thing, it was never about him. Right. It's always the glory to God. And and there's no ulterior motive, and there's no there's no basket being passed around and all this kind of stuff. And and up there, same thing. It wasn't it was never, it's about you know celebrating the power of God. So I will say this that one of the most poignant, you know, part of this thing for me was was they had adoration um one night. And you know, there's there's five thousand people in this this is not this is not a big, yeah. And and there were about 200 priests there. And um uh and and and three or four bishops. I mean, it's it's uh it's it's something that's starting to take hold in the in the Catholic Church. Um and that's good. I mean, in fact, they even I mean they've they uh they showed a video where the uh the archbishop that that's that under the direction of of the Vatican the Vatican, you know, and Leo was was like we we we see what you're doing here and we like it. We think it's important and we and we you know we we're behind this. And um anyway, so adoration lasts for about an hour at least. And and they're taking the monstrance and and walking around in a procession through this thing because it's impossible for people to get that close. And uh, you know, there was Craig, there was a spot at the point in the in this thing, and it's dark, okay? And all you see is a lip monstrance and stuff like that, and you see, you know, and they got the incense and stuff in around. And we were there kneeling down or whatever else, and they uh the the priest uh stopped at um uh it was a family, and there was a girl there who's probably I want to say nine or ten or something like that, and has some type of of physical ailment that that that controls her the body function. Body functions like that. But this girl, when he stops and he g and he and he brings the monsters down to her, and this girl is sobbing like I mean, it's like it was extraordinarily moving because here's a nine or ten year old who who recognizes Jesus right there. Right there. And it was it was difficult to keep it together because it was just I can see it right now. I mean I can see how emotional our our listeners can, but trust me, it's it was it was so moving. Um and it's hard to deny the power of Christ in that moment. Right. And I think that was you know that kind of that kind of opened it up for me and uh and to see that and to say, okay, well, you know what, don't be so cynical. You know, and and and don't don't don't stand back, put your heart into it and do and and give it a try. What's what's the harm? That you'll look foolish? Well, you guess what? You're looking foolish in front of five other thousand people who feel just like you, right? So you're not gonna be looking foolish at all. Yeah. The harder part is to take that out into the real world. Right. And and Father uh Matthias, who was who was he was uh the he's the guy who's kind of started on this, co-co-founded it. He was writing a story where he was they were somewhere, it's kind of you know, out in the streets of Detroit or whatever else, and they and they you know, this woman's got some type of physical ailment. And and they're like, um, well, can we pray with you? And she goes, Well, no, I mean what is that gonna do? Whatever. And and they're like, Well, and and she's thinking of all excuses. Well, I gotta get back to work. She gets, he says, Well, you're you you're you're on a walk or whatever, you're you're on a crutch. How are you gonna get back to work? What do you what exactly you're doing? Anyway, so and she finally says, you know what? She goes, fine. She goes, but I gotta tell you, she goes, I I I don't believe in Jesus. And father says, Well, that's okay, because he believes in you. And and he said, I don't know where those fours came from. It was just my response, whatever. So they prayed for a woman, and it turns out that that she was here. She was here right then and there. You know, and so it wasn't about the worthiness of her to receive it, or even the worthiness of Father to to give it, it's about God.

SPEAKER_01 16:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:23

And and you know, God wants to make his presence known in this world, and and we desperately need it. And so this is just uh us inviting that to happen.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

So is this a fairly new ministry? Because I've never heard of it before.

SPEAKER_00 16:39

That doesn't mean that I mean there's a lot of ministries I've never heard of before, but but I think I want to say it might be something that's uh 10 or 15 years old, tops, but it's really starting to kind of take take hold, start to take notice. And and um, like I said, the not all, I mean, I'm I'm giving you the version, the reader's digest version, yeah. The some of the stuff that they had to do with the the the um the cleansing prayers and the the the calling out uh it's kind of it's it's beyond what I that's really what would push me. Yeah, but but as far as the whole concept of of miracles happening in in our day-to-day lives with people like you and I, it's simply inviting Jesus to do what he can do through the vis-a-vis the Holy Spirit to do what he can do, to do what he's always shown he could do. Yeah, and and we we I I personally would have to say that I've I've either felt like oh that's just not important enough, that was thin, that was so Jesus could show you who he was, but that doesn't happen today. But but why wouldn't it? Yeah, why wouldn't it?

SPEAKER_01 17:45

No, I I I do believe that there are miracles that happen maybe daily throughout the world. Yeah. Um that that are inexplicable. And uh of course, the power of Christ, the power of God, it doesn't get shut off the day that Christ, you know, goes to heaven and all of a sudden leaves us behind and says, Okay, good luck, I guess. Yeah, yeah. Exactly. No, no, right? I mean, we're his hands and and his feet and his body here and it and it may not, you know, and and and the guys were again Father Matthias was very clear.

SPEAKER_00 18:27

He says, you know, trust me, there's there's plenty of times when you know it, you know, prayer that prayers aren't answered. And he says, and there's times when it's awkward, and there's times when it, you know, it's just downright uncomfortable. He says, but but the times that the prayers are answered, so you know, that they just they they make it all worthwhile. And and again, who we don't who are we to even know God's will? But but you know, God's God has says, hey, you know, you know, ask and you know you'll be answered. Knock and the door will be open.

SPEAKER_01 19:01

So I have to ask this as we kind of get ready to wrap up here, but I have to ask this coming from that now, I mean, where do you go? Where do you go with this?

SPEAKER_00 19:09

I think I think well, you know, it's interesting because I've I've got a brother-in-law who's who's um uh suffering from cancer, and it it I think what it's what it's done for me is, you know, my wife's always the one leading that prayer, you know, when we're over there, and and and she's again, she's just bold about it because she's she's done it enough now and is convinced of its you know uh efficacy. So I think now it's me being more open to to praying with someone as opposed to praying for someone. Okay. Um, and and uh, you know, and and I think that there's even if maybe even if that healing doesn't take place in that moment, you know, one thing you're talking about is that you may be praying for this for weeks, months. Oh, I might run along. I don't think one more thing. They were anyway, they were they were showing Father Moslice would actually show some clips of some of the things that they've happened in the past too. And there was a there was a guy who was a he was a medical physician of some uh uh technician of some type. His daughter, uh six-year-old something like that, started developing a curved spine. And and it was very he showed an x-ray.

SPEAKER_01 20:16

Yeah. You can see it, it's clearly curved.

SPEAKER_00 20:18

And this guy, this his her her father, this guy who was on the on the video, he says, I, you know, I I would say I'm religious, but I wouldn't say I'm necessarily faithful. But he says, you know, uh finally it's kind of giving up. I mean, it's it's like what else is gonna do? And they, you know, he says, I yeah, I I pray for her healing. And and several weeks later, or maybe even a month later, whatever else, goes to the doctor. Spine is perfectly straight on an x-ray. Wow. So he's like, you can, you know, I'm just as skeptical as you guys sitting out there in the audience, but I can't be skeptical about this. I have x-rays to show this. Right. And spines don't don't straighten themselves.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_00 20:56

And uh, so there's there's there's things that are yeah, they're like that.

SPEAKER_01 21:00

Those are miracles for sure. Well, anyway. Well, uh first of all, glad to hear that this affected you so dramatically the way that it did, because I think it um I I mean it sounds like this is yet another door that Christ is inviting you to walk through.

SPEAKER_00 21:19

Well, I think you know, it goes back to our namesake of our little podcast here, Greg. This is it's a journey, okay? And I think that that my wife and I were just talking about this yesterday about about growing in that journey and and how you know sometimes you got to be drug long, and sometimes, and sometimes once you're there, then you you you typically don't go back. But it but it's so important for both her and for I to to be part of a brotherhood or sisterhood that where we encourage each other, where sometimes we're the ones pulling, sometimes we're the ones pushing, right? But being part of that is so incredibly important.

SPEAKER_01 21:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:54

And you're doing it on our own, you're never gonna feel the push and pull. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 21:59

That's awesome. Well, hey, uh, thank you again for for those of you that are turning in. Uh, we really appreciate it and being part of my brother's journey. Hey, seek Jesus and all you do and be fishers of men. God bless you, and please join us again, viva Jesus.