Rodney Howard-Browne
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Rodney Howard-Browne (Born June 12, 1961) in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and raised in the Eastern Cape and Transkei is a Charismatic preacher and evangelist from South Africa.[1]
Career
As a young boy in South Africa he claims he was called by God to work in the mission field. His mission calling was to the United States. Though he had previously visited twice before, in 1987, he arrived at Orlando International Airport, with three hundred dollars to his name.[1]
In 1989, in upstate New York, he was able to achieve a very successful revival. Since the time of this success, he has held revival meetings in North America, Central America, South America, various locations in Africa, the United Kingdom, Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Israel.[2]
Howard-Browne is the pastor of a church in Tampa, Florida, The River at Tampa Bay, which he founded on December 1, 1996 with 500 people attending the first service.[3] There has been a spinoff from The River at Tampa Bay in Ocala, Florida: The River at Ocala.[4] Weekly broadcasts of his meetings can be found online. [5].
Family
He and his wife Adonica ,who was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and raised in Johannesburg, have had three children all born in South Africa Kirsten, born in 1982, Kelly May, born in 1984, and Kenneth, born in 1987.Kelly May died December 25, 2002 of Cystic Fibrosis.[6]
Joy
Rodney Howard Browne is the self proclaimed "Holy Ghost Bartender". Rodney claims you can get drunk in the Holy Spirit and followers have been caught on film staggering around like they are drunk on alcohol. Holy Laughter (aka. Joy) is another sign for which he claims to be a dispenser. He recites scriptures taken out of the Bible to support his claims, for example;
Acts 2:14-21
- 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words.
- 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
- 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
- 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
- 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
- 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
- 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:
- 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Good News Crusades
Based on a dream from 1989, Howard-Browne decided to hold a revival series in New York City in the summer of 1999. In the dream, he had spoken with Billy Graham, who told of his success in using Madison Square Gardens for an extended period of time with many people attending the revival meetings.[7]
- In November, 2004 they held revival meetings in Soweto,South Africa[8]
- In October, 2005 revival meetings were held in Mamelodi, South Africa.[10]
Recent Revivals
- In May, 2007 "Great Awakening" revival meetings were held in Tampa, FL where it was broadcast publicly on Sky Angel via the CTN[11] and other nearby local stations in Florida.[12] Some of Day 1[13] and 3[14] was also placed on YouTube.[15]