I had no desire to be in ministry at all...
Direction Magazine|March 2020
While Kensington Temple’s Ruthann Cannings had her reservations, she listened to the Holy Spirit and allowed God to steer her life
Ruthann Cannings
I had no desire to be in ministry at all...

For more than 40 years, Ruthann Cannings has aimed to be in the right position to hear and obey God.

It’s not always been instant obedience, she admits, but during this time, God has steered her through a varied and fruitful ministry at Kensington Temple and in her own organisation, Arise Ministries.

Ruthann was nursing when she first heard God call her to this work.

“I had no desire to be in ministry at all,” she says. “But a week later, I heard the Holy Spirit say, ‘I won’t call you again’. I knew I could say no, but I chose to say yes.”

Ruthann joined the staff at Kensington Temple and it was not long before God laid another decision before her. “They told me they were looking for someone to pioneer a pastoral division and my name had been put forward.

“I shot out of my chair and said, ‘You’re nuts!’”

But again, she heard the voice of the Holy Spirit.

“He said, ‘service or not?’ so I said yes.”

Soon afterwards, God reminded Ruthann of some teaching she’d heard: ‘the church is a hospital for sick people.’

“As a nurse, this gave me confidence to set up the new pastoral division and run it as I would a ward; making sure sick people went home well.”

Understanding that her pastoral team needed to offer specialist counselling for different needs, including rape, abuse, marriage and divorce, Ruthann brought in experts to teach staff how to counsel in these areas. “The idea was to get people whole so they could be a blessing to others.”

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 2020 من Direction Magazine.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 2020 من Direction Magazine.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من DIRECTION MAGAZINE مشاهدة الكل
‘Imagine Everyone On This Planet Is Your Equal'
Direction Magazine

‘Imagine Everyone On This Planet Is Your Equal'

David Beasley, Executive Director of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning UN World Food Programme, reveals the words his work is founded on

time-read
2 mins  |
April 2021
God Sets The Example Of Adoption...
Direction Magazine

God Sets The Example Of Adoption...

Many people have ruled themselves out for fostering or adoption when the system would rule them in, explains Krish Kandiah

time-read
6 mins  |
April 2021
The Work Of Missionaries In Lockdown
Direction Magazine

The Work Of Missionaries In Lockdown

When lockdown brought Ian and Katie Moore’s mission work in Macedonia to a halt, they used the time to seek a refined vision for reaching their local area. They told Chris Rolfe their story

time-read
4 mins  |
April 2021
How Nurse Helped Acid Attack Model Find Faith
Direction Magazine

How Nurse Helped Acid Attack Model Find Faith

Katie Piper explains how a life-changing incident changed her life in more ways than she expected as she recovered in hospital

time-read
2 mins  |
April 2021
Big Challenges Issued At Online Conference
Direction Magazine

Big Challenges Issued At Online Conference

Elim’s first online theological conference examines how our understanding of the ‘End Times’ shapes our view of mission

time-read
2 mins  |
April 2021
Lockdown in London deepened my faith
Direction Magazine

Lockdown in London deepened my faith

Living alone in London may not have been what he dreamed about, but Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic says it has driven him closer to God

time-read
1 min  |
April 2021
The Really Good News about new initiative!
Direction Magazine

The Really Good News about new initiative!

Elim’s new online mission programme could be the biggest evangelistic outreach we’ve ever done, says national evangelist Mark Greenwood. As we gear up for Easter, he gives the lowdown on the campaign

time-read
5 mins  |
April 2021
It's the gospel of liberation, not renovation
Direction Magazine

It's the gospel of liberation, not renovation

When Jesus was 30 he went to the prison of sin, and knocked on the door. Satan opened that little window and said, “What do you want?” Jesus told him: “I have come to set the captives free!” A sermon by the late Reinhard Bonnke

time-read
7 mins  |
April 2021
The mystery of Skull Hill
Direction Magazine

The mystery of Skull Hill

Skull Hill is a rocky hill rising just outside the north wall of Jerusa-lem, not far from the Damascus Gate. It was given that name because of the striking resemblance to a human skull appearing on the weather-beaten formation of its southern face.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2021
A decade of mission
Direction Magazine

A decade of mission

With an Easter evangelism programme, the Elim Leaders Summit and a renewed call to mission, General Superintendent Chris Cartwright outlines Elim’s plans for 2021 and beyond

time-read
4 mins  |
April 2021