I never get tired of telling the story of how Crown Jesus began and today on the anniversary of Steve Hill’s death it seems fitting to reflect and share it one more time.
He has been one of the most influential preachers in my life.
Maybe for some of you this will be the first time reading the story of how Crown Jesus began. My heart is that you will catch the fire of the story and vision that unfolded.
In May 1999 I was in my 2nd year at Belfast Bible College studying part-time. Steven Thompson and Pip Kerr were in their first year as full-time students at the same college.
We all had a heart for evangelism but at that time it looked like Steven would probably go on to be an Elim Pastor and Pip would follow in the footsteps of his mum and dad in overseas mission.
I had been following the Brownsville Revival with much interest and often sat up late at night watching the Revival meetings led by Steve Hill on God TV (in truth I think in general most of what is on God TV is rubbish and a distortion of the Gospel but I must thank them for their broadcasts from Brownsville). Steve was a former drug addict who came through the Teen Challenge programme. He was the primary preacher and influencer in the Brownsville revival which witnessed hundreds of thousands come to faith in Jesus.
Steve Hill, along with Reinhard Bonnke, were the most influential preachers in my life at that time. Bonnke, a native of Germany witnessed millions of people come to Christ in Africa. In the 13 years from 1987 until the end of 1999, more than 42 million people attended CFAN’s Great Gospel Campaigns. Ten million of them made a decision for Jesus Christ. I had heard Bonnke preach in Birmingham, Kenya and Belfast and I recall him preaching and praying over me in the Spires Conference Centre, Belfast, during the minus to plus campaign.
A prayer letter came from CFAN (Reinard Bonnke’s ministry), highlighting a European Fire Conference taking place in Germany, and both Reinhard and Steve Hill would be speaking at it. I suggested to Steven and Pip we should attend and as I was the only one in full-time employment (then a firefighter), I offered to cover the cost of the flights.
On a sunny evening in Barcelona, as Manchester United achieved the impossible win over Bayern Munich in the Champions league final, we had just landed in Germany. I had a ticket to the game and gave it away for free to a United Supporter (Ian Crow)...a greater Miracle, however, was about to unfold in Germany.
On the 28th May 1999 Steve Hill stood in a Leisure Complex in the town of Boblingen Germany and preached from Revelations 3:11: ‘Hold fast to what you now have that no man may take your crown.’
Whatever the anointing is…he had it. I have never heard preaching like it. I cried through much of the preach. They had to find another interpreter as he collapsed weeping on the stage.
At the end Steve made an alter call and hundreds ran to the front to give their lives to Jesus. I almost gave my life Jesus again. Such was the holiness and fire mix I wondered if I was even saved at all before that meeting!
That night Steven, Pip and I walked back to the hotel knowing God had lit a fuse within us. We stayed up late and talked, dreamed and prayed.
The following night on 29th May, Reinhard preached and called upon people to get into groups representing their native country as he wanted to commission us and lay hands on us in the hope that God would use us to change our nations. There was a group and flag for the UK and there was one for Ireland. In our hearts, minds and spirit there was only one island and nation to align ourselves with, God didn’t see the border and so when they called out Ireland, three young men walked forward. Although thousands of people had gathered from across Europe there was no one else representing Ireland.
That night at the back of the hall we huddled together and prayed. I cried like a baby knowing my life would never be the same again.
A vision was birthed to reach Ireland, the whole island, with the Gospel. The next day we began to put some plans into action but we really didn’t know what we were doing. We had a vision and calling but God had not dowloaded a guidebook and maps.
How did we end up with the name?
It was quite simple, Steven wanted to call the ministry Crown ministries or Crown Him ministries after Steve's preach. I wanted to call it ‘Jesus ministries’ as Reinhard had preached ‘Only Jesus’. And as Pip refereed the debate (he would often step in between us and do this) we agreed on a name: Crown Jesus Ministries.
Back home we shared the vision with our pastors, leaders, friends, Bible College Principal etc and set the wheels in motion to appoint a board of directors. The first ten months we took four bookings; Finaghy youth Club and Bangor Elim (J Zone) being two of them.
The rest as they say is history…
Evan Roberts during the Welsh revival of 1905 prayed over George Jeffries. George Jeffries prayed over Reinhard Bonnke, Reinard Bonnke prayer over me... now listen, i’m not arrogant enough to put my name alongside these Generals, I'm not sure what theology you have on this (i’m not sure what theology I have on it!), but I live with a vision and a calling birthed that weekend in Germany.… will you join me and our team? ‘To see the people of Ireland Crown Jesus Lord of their lives.’
Since 17th November 2017, (in less than four months) we have recorded 267 people responding to the Gospel through the ministry of Crown Jesus.
Thank you Steve Hill and Reinhard Bonnke for your faithfulness to the Gospel.
Below is a link to Steve Hills preach, titled 'The Crown; You Cant Have It' (it was the same message he preached in Germany). I used to have the VHS cassette of the original Germany preach but I literally played it so many times I broke it.
I’d love you to find the time to watch it…we look forward to his wife Jeri coming to visit us in June for a week of ministry. I’m hoping she will bring the Crown with her.
I give thanks today for the life and ministry of Steve Hill.
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