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Here are past testimonies from Aldersgate '08.

“I felt like the woman at the well.  I came thirsty and found living water.  It felt like an old time Methodist camp meeting,” said one attendee.  A pastor wrote, “My life was transformed here as I was healed, empowered, and equipped for ministry.”  Another person attending wrote:  “I came ready to give up on my church.  I wanted freedom from people wanting to do the same old thing and thinking they didn’t need more of Jesus because they are doing good things already. While here, through prayer, God set me free—I was able to give up my anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, wanting to give up.  The Holy Spirit filled me with love.  I am now filled with love to take back and share with our congregation.” 

These are just some of the testimonies from Aldersgate ’08.  Over 1100 people gathered at Columbus, Ohio, July 2-6. They experienced powerful worship, inspired preaching, faith-building equipping sessions, a powerful youth conference, and an engaging children’s ministry.  Aldersgate is the largest annual national family gathering of United Methodists in our country.   

Over 350 people attended a 24 hour pre-conference session under the theme of Prayer that Strikes the Mark.  One attendee wrote, “I soaked up the empowerment to stand tall as the woman of God I have been called to be.  I have been called by Him to do mighty and many things in His name!”  The Concerts of Prayer model for the pre-conference provided opportunities for personal, small group and corporate prayer as well as prayer at prayer stations interwoven with times of worship and praise.  United Methodist evangelist, Rev. Tommy Hays gave an exhortation in the opening session.  Another who attended the pre-conference said, “The presence of God during the pre-conference…is always refreshing, inspiring and empowering.”             

Bishop Bruce Ough of the West Ohio annual conference welcomed the participants to his area and then preached the opening service of Aldersgate.  Other general session speakers were Dr. Jeff Greenway, pastor of Reynoldsburg UMC in Ohio, Bishop James Swanson of the Holston annual conference, Dr. Joy Moore of Duke Divinity School and J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma Magazine.  More than 40 different equipping sessions were offered in the afternoons.  On Sunday Morning there was ministry by a youth dance team and a dramatic “setting of the table” as dancers brought forward different symbols and the communion elements for the communion table.   

Evening services swelled to around 1500 people when local United Methodists joined the celebration.  Worship was exciting with a multi-cultural praise band made up of musicians from all over the country led by Mark Barrow of First UMC, White House, TN.  There were dancers, banners, and flags.  Participants sang, clapped, danced, raised their hands, and waved flags and streamers.  One wrote on the evaluation form, “The highlight of the conference for me was praise and worship in such a way I have never seen or been a part of before.  AWESOME!” 

Times of ministry were offered through prayer teams, a prayer path, a prayer and anointing tunnel, prayer circles and Holy Communion.  Testimonies of inner healings, physical healings and relational healings came from the prayer ministry, workshop sessions, and also the youth sessions.     

There was a moving time during the conference when Executive Director, Rev. Gary Moore, himself a cancer survivor, called up people in the congregation who were suffering from cancer or who were burdened for someone suffering from cancer.  Then he called up other cancer survivors to come and pray for those suffering from cancer while they all stood under huge, congregation-sized glistening tallits (prayer shawls).   

Similar to testimony of experiences in other parts of the body of Christ and in some United Methodist churches, several participants expressed having received manifestations that gave them personal and lasting reassurance of God’s activity in their lives. Both participants in the adult ministry and in the youth ministry indicated having similar experiences. One young woman indicated to ARM that she experienced this two weeks later while giving a testimony at her own United Methodist church.   

Over 130 youth attended The Gate ‘08, the youth conference of Aldersgate.  A youth who attended the conference testified, “On Saturday night we had a healing service, I went up for prayer for my foot, but I got something else instead...I was delivered and set free from several strongholds in my life.”  Another said, “Before The Gate ‘08 I had built up several walls to keep people out, those walls have been torn down and I've been set free.”  A young man was healed of chronic soreness in the throat.  There were numerous emotional healings, salvations, several students called into ministry and dozens of prophetic words shared and confirmed over the lives of youth and adults alike. A youth pastor who attended The Gate wrote, “My youth ministry will never be the same, they were changed at The Gate 08.”  The Gate website is www.gateyouth.org.   

At the Aldersgate conference prophetic words were received from God.  People made new or renewed commitments to Jesus.  Prayers of impartation were received.  People went forth filled, gifted, empowered and led by the Holy Spirit in ministry to the world.   

A lay person attending the conference testified, “This is an oasis in a dry land for many of us.  This encourages us to recommitment and repentance.”  And a pastor wrote that this conference gave him “courage to continue faithfully in ministry, and that there is hope for our church!"