Simon Holley: Sustainable Power

Simon Holley, Sustainable Power: Creating a Healthy Culture of the Supernatural in the Church Today (Crownhill, Milton Keynes: Authentic Media Limited, 2013), 259 pages, ISBN 9781860248849.

Sustainable Power is the story of a pastor, who along with his congregation, took a journey toward ministering in the supernatural power of God. Though this was not a significant part of their church experience, they sought to move in that direction. The supernatural, evidenced in healing, miracles and other gifts of the Holy Spirit, marked the ministry of the New Testament church, the church at other times in history, and they should, scripturally speaking, be a part of the church today. The author, Simon Holley, is the lead pastor at King’s Arms Church in Bedford in the United Kingdom. He is qualified to write this volume because he is intimately acquainted with the journey, for he himself was a participant in it.

The story is told on two levels, both personal and corporate. Pastor Holley writes both freely and frankly about his own struggles and questions along the way as well as about the experiences of his church. This quest for the supernatural began as a result of a prophetic word that was given to Pastor Holley and his wife, Caroline. They were told that God was going to put miracles in their hands, hearts, mouths, and minds (page 1). They were also told to pass on what they would be given by equipping, training, and sending out as many people as they could” (page 2). This prophetic word, along with others, has shaped his life and the life of his congregation, as well as the writing of this book (page 2).

The book gives considerable space to discussing things that need to be changed or taken out of the way so that “the river” of God’s Spirit can flow freely. There are things that can hinder the working of the Spirit and these obstacles need to be removed. The author believes that Christians need to be set free from self-reliance and an orphan spirit. Holley writes “Self-reliance and the orphan spirit are massive rocks obstructing the river-flow of the Holy Spirit, because they push us back into our limited resources instead of God’s unlimited supply” (page 38). In addition to these hindrances Holley says that Christians also need to be set free from fear, being judgmental, the desire to be in control, and unbelief. He goes into some detail as he addresses these areas. This book, while it is in some measure theological, containing Scriptural teaching about the supernatural power of God as well as reasons why we should experience it in the church today, is for the most part a very practical book. The author writes to help churches move in the supernatural power of the Spirit of God as he shares his church’s story.

This book is not a “how to book” in the sense of doing a number of things in a prescribed order so that you can attain a desired result. The author sets forth truth and principles, that if acted upon, can help move a church down the road toward ministering in the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit. How the material presented will be applied in each church or individual will vary from place to place as the needs will be different in different places. One of the most important truths presented in this book is the importance of the presence of God. Holley is clear that we need to seek God’s presence and make room for it. After all God is the one doing the work, He is just working through His people.

This book is very pastoral; Holley deals openly, honestly, and compassionately with the real issues and questions that Christians have with regard to the supernatural power of God. The supernatural, in the sense of healing and miracles, is “uncharted” territory in many churches. Getting started down this uncharted path can be a daunting thought, particularly if you do not have much of an idea about how to proceed. This book can be a help in that regard. In this volume one can learn from those who have already started down the path. For churches that have already started the journey perhaps they can glean some new insights from this book. You may not agree with everything you find in this book but you can certainly learn from it. The author admits that he does not write as one who has arrived but that his church has seen progress in salvations, healings, prophecy, and deliverance (page 12). These are areas that I trust all churches would like to see improvement in. May it be so Lord!

Reviewed by John Lathrop

 

Publisher’s page: http://www.authenticmedia.co.uk/search/product/sustainable-power-simon-holley/9781860248849.jhtml