Morris Cerullo shares his views on world evangelism.

Interview By Jennifer LeClaire

Morris Cerullo is known the world over for taking the Gospel to the nations. Over the past six decades he has not shied away from countries considered closed to the Gospel and he has not compromised the truth of Jesus Christ even in Middle Eastern lands like Qatar, Bahrain and Lebanon. Taking the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth seems to be ingrained in his spiritual DNA.

As an apostle and prophet to the nations, Dr. Morris Cerullo is making spiritual history with demonstrations of God’s power, despite the opposition. Those demonstrations have often resulted in persecution. In fact, during a 1965 crusade in Mar Del Planta, Argentina, there were so many miracles of healing that the College of Doctors issued a complaint accusing Dr. Morris Cerullo of “practicing medicine without a license” and ordered his arrest. He kept right on ministering and the salvations and healings continued until police caught up with him at his hotel and took him to jail. After an intense interrogation, authorities released him just in time to minister at the crusade’s finale.

Dr. Morris Cerullo, president of Morris Cerullo World Evangelism, is a man with a heart that beats for reaching and winning souls. Indeed, few modern day ministers have made such an impact on the destiny of the nations of the world while also equipping believers to “go” do the work of the ministry.

The Voice caught up with Dr. Morris Cerullo in between international crusades to discuss how the apostolic reformation is impacting world evangelism, the role of spiritual warfare in evangelism and the obstacles the Body of Christ is facing today.


THE VOICE: How is the apostolic reformation impacting world evangelism?

Morris Cerullo: The apostolic reformation is reviving interest in world evangelization and raising up an army of God to demonstrate a new dimension of resurrection power. The Bride is finally realizing what it means to let go of the traditions of men and to embrace the commandments of God wholeheartedly (Mark 7:8). That means truly hearing and understanding the heartbeat of the Father to evangelize the lost and then joining the “new thing” God is doing: establishing the apostolic anointing for the “setting in order” of the Church. When all is said and done, it’s all about winning souls, isn’t it?

THE VOICE: It’s absolutely about winning souls. But do you think the Church has become introverted and lost its focus on reaching the nations and souls?

Morris Cerullo: Yes, the Church has absolutely become introverted. We need to stir up the Church through aggressively exposing believers to the dynamics of the Holy Spirit. The real question is can we get the Church focused on reaching the lost, which is indeed God’s priority!

THE VOICE: What is the biggest opposition to world evangelism today?

Morris Cerullo: There are two big oppositions to world evangelism today: the Church itself – meaning the organization of religion – and disunity in the Body.

THE VOICE: What will it take to overcome the obstacles of organized religion and disunity in the Body so that we can work together more effectively?

Morris Cerullo: We need to be united in purpose and stop compromising with the world. When that happens we will probably be able to effectively deal with natural circumstances in the earth and stop major catastrophes, terrorism and financial disasters. Luke 10:1 says we have the power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt us.

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THE VOICE: What if we don’t overcome these obstacles of organized religion and disunity? What is God saying about where the Church is headed?

Morris Cerullo: We are in deep trouble. There is compromise on every hand. Spiritual standards are being swept away. Hypocrisy is on every hand. Ministries are weakened today by lack of prayer and true involvement in God’s Word. The time for God’s judgment may be near. Only a true prayer revival will be able to save the Church today.

THE VOICE: Change typically starts with leadership. Does the disunity stem from a leadership crisis in the Church?

Morris Cerullo: Yes, there is a crisis in leadership development in the Church. By and large, there is a great hunger in the ministry today – a cry for reality, a cry for the truth. The answer to the leadership crisis lies in the exposure to the true divine strategy of the resurrection life-flowing power of God. Paul told the church at Corinth that his speech and preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power so the congregation’s faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. And he told the church at Philippi that his true desire was to know Jesus and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death. That’s the answer to the leadership crisis.

THE VOICE: Getting back to world evangelism, how do soul-winning strategies in Europe, Malaysia, the Philippines and Israel differ? How are they the same?

Morris Cerullo: Evangelism strategies differ only to man’s customs and cultural environments. This really ought not to be so, because the same message of salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ presented in the same demonstration of apostolic power will result in the same fruit. Paul demonstrated this throughout his travels in the different regions of Rome, Ephesus, Corinth, Galatia, Philippi, Colossi and Thessalonica.

THE VOICE: Paul understood the importance of reaching the nations for Christ. He also understood the necessity of spiritual warfare in order to accomplish his missions. What role does spiritual warfare play in successful evangelistic efforts?

Morris Cerullo: Spiritual warfare is the key to unlocking cities and nations. Spiritual warfare opens closed doors. Spiritual warfare breaks the soil, preparing it for harvest. The Lord said in Ezekiel, “I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” I can’t tell you the number of times I have gone into certain countries once closed to the Gospel in my 57 years of ministry and fell on my face in prayer for hours – which turned into days – doing intense battle with the territorial demonic forces of that country and, through God’s anointing and power, won each battle and broke new ground for the Kingdom. Stadiums were packed with thousands of people seeking to be delivered; souls were saved, blind eyes opened, deaf ears opened, diseases and conditions were destroyed, marriages were restored, those possessed by demons were delivered. God then opened the door for other evangelistic outreaches to enter the country. However, the territorial strongholds had to be dealt with first, thereby making way for the Gospel to be preached in those nations. I give God all the glory.

THE VOICE: You mentioned the Prophet Ezekiel. What role do prophetic giftings play in evangelism?

Morris Cerullo: True prophetic giftings, and I stress true prophetic giftings, prepare us for what God is about to do. Amos 3:7 says, “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets.”

THE VOICE: Do you have any prophetic insight into what’s going on in Israel right now? Are the current events a prophetic sign?

Morris Cerullo: Yes – timing. God is preparing the Middle East for the fulfillment of His prophecy. It’s all spelled out in Zechariah 12:2-3; 9-12, 13:1-2; 6-8 and 14:2-9. “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” (Zechariah 12:2-3).

THE VOICE: You’ve witnessed many transitions and movements in the Body. Has your perspective of ministry changed over the years?

Morris Cerullo: Yes, ministry has changed. Ministry is not head knowledge. You must be in love with the ministry to minister by love. Schools are reluctant to teach the basis of ministry from love. We have all types of mechanics and mechanisms but rarely do you see love in action. The love that lays down all that we are and all that we could be for the sake of the Gospel. It is love that causes me to give and give and keep on giving regardless the cost. Believers need to be reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.

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THE VOICE: What are the greatest lessons you’ve learned over the course of your ministry?

Morris Cerullo: In my 57 years of ministry I have learned three great lessons. First, work God’s work. That means His priority is totally and completely my priority. Second, work in His timing. And third, deal with the negative force of unbelief. Habakkuk 1:5 says, “Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe, though it be told you.”

THE VOICE: The Voice magazine is designed to help equip believers for the work of the ministry so they can be sent into the harvest fields to reach the lost. You’re a pioneer of media outreach. Why is media so important in evangelism?

Morris Cerullo: Media outreaches enter in to the remote personal sphere of an individual. With increased technology available to us today, particularly through digital satellite television, we are able to reach more people around the world than we ever have before, praise God!  
 

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