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Preface

The church of our day has yet to discover the power of united prayer. We read about this kind of praying in the book of Acts. Armin Gesswein, author of this book, gives us great insight into why the early church in the book of Acts had so much favor and power resting upon it.

It was Armin who spent two years ministering in the great revival in Norway that began in the downtown Oslo Bethlehem Church in the early 1930s. This spiritual awakening lasted for nine years. When Armin returned home, he began an itinerate ministry, teaching and preaching on the importance of prayer and revival in churches and seminaries all across America.

At Armin’s memorial service, March 2001, Dr. David Bryant, president of Proclaim Hope! said, “If ever there was an ‘Apostle of Prayer’ it was Armin. As you know, it was Armin’s ‘Ministers Prayer Gatherings’ in Los Angeles that invited young Billy Graham to hold a Crusade in 1948—and the rest is history.”

Armin and I knew each other for almost thirty years, ministering together in many churches and prayer conferences. I can still remember how often he would talk about the great revival in Norway. In one of his letters, he wrote this: “It was reported that in connection with the Bethlehem Congregation alone, about 20,000 people came to Christ. It was one of the greatest awakenings of this century, and it would take volumes to tell the whole story.”

I remember him saying that if you want to get a clear vision about church evangelism and world missions, read and pray through the book of Acts. Jesus had no other plan except that little prayer meeting group of 120 in the upper room in Jerusalem that would turn the world upside down.

The secret is prayer.

—Rev. LaRue Goetz,

President Revival Prayer Fellowship