Elder Minchin Was A Dearly Loved Youth Leader
Elder Minchin began his work with young people at Longburn College in Palmerston North, New Zealand. He later did much work throughout the union and division, eventually holding the revival at Avondale that established His calling as an anointed revivalist of young people. He later moved to England where he led the MV work in multiple settings, then on to North America and the General Conference. In all cases, God blessed his efforts.
This is a work in progress. Much more will be added over time.
Youth Conferences And Revivals
The Lord used Pastor Minchin to bring marvelous Pentecost-like blessings on numerous occasions. These began in Australia with the wonderful revival at Avondale in 1939, and spread to other churches in Australasia. Revivals also took place in New Zealand, Fiji and other island countries. Relocating to England, his ministry was also blessed in the United Kingdom, and other countries of Europe. God later blessed his efforts in South Africa and other countries of that great continent. Additional signal blessings were poured out on gatherings in North America.
On this page, documentation will be shared on the revivals, including articles, testimonials, etc. I will also try to share information about the methods followed and other factors that seem to bring about the wonderful blessings enjoyed.
Youth Conferences And Revivals - The South Pacific
June 28, 1937, Kindling The Fires of Revival - Report by S. T. Leeder (AAR).
This is a report of a week of prayer held in the Hamilton, NZ SDA Church. Written by S. T. Leeder, it describes the prayerful preparation by some of the young people, the subject matter, and the wonderful response.
July 19, 1937, Times of Refreshing in New Zealand - Report by Pastor Minchin (AAR) ***
In this report, written by Pastor Minchin, he details the wonderful ways that God blessed during the eight weeks he was working among the churches in New Zealand.
November 22, 1937, Young People's Week at Avondale (AAR) ****
God greatly blessed this early time of blessing at Avondale. The main revival came in 1939.
The Revivals of 1939, Including the Avondale Revival In Late August.
July 17, 1939, Splendid News From Avondale - Report by A. H. Piper
This is a fairly detailed rendering of some aspects of the revival at Avondale, provided by the Principal of the school. Notice the following excerpt:
"Pastor E. L. Minchin was leading the chapel exercise. The time had come to cease, but we could not stop the meeting—it went on, the first period, the second period, the third period of classes, and it was not until the whole morning had passed that the meeting ceased. And what a meeting it was! Students were on their feet confessing their wrongs and asking the forgiveness of teachers and fellow students. All through the day we realized that God had wonderfully blessed, and as we sought the Lord again that Wednesday evening, He came near to us with further showers of grace. Confessions were again the experience of many."
Called to the Highest Service Excerpt by Marye Trim
This excerpt, from a book on A. H. Piper, a pastor and briefly Principal of Avondale at the time of the revival, adds detail about various aspects of the revival, including an especially important time of prayer that continued into the early morning hours, that brought the breakthrough.
Article PDF 8x11 Article
February, 2017, Revival and the Holy Spirit - Article by David Trim (MIN)
Be sure to read this article!
The Revival Spread To Other Churches
Though Elder Minchin did not write the following reports, they help us to better understand what was going on in the meetings, the blessed outcomes, and the wonderful way the revival spread to other churches.
June 26, 1939 A Feast of Good Things - Report by Dorothy Speck (AAR)
This is a description of blessings that came to Rockhampton.
July 10, 1939 The Spirit's Outpouring - Report by Irene Watters (AAR)
This is a detailed account of how the Spirit worked at the Missionary Volunteer Officers' Convention for North and South New South Wales, June 9-11, 1939, as a result of the news of the Avondale revival being shared with the attendees, and the revival speaking of Elder Minchin.
July 10, 1939 The Work of the Holy Spirit - Report by A. W. Knight (AAR)
This is a description of how God worked at the Wahroonga church as a result of the visits of students and Pastor Minchin on the 17th of June. Notice the following:
"The Week of Prayer at this centre was greatly blessed of God, and many received decided help. But the real revival did not appear until following the unusual visitation of God upon the student body at the Australasian Missionary College.
On Sabbath afternoon of June 17, a number of young people, led by Pastor E. L. Minchin, visited the Wahroonga church to relate what God had done for the student body at the College...."
July 17, 1939, Blessed Are Your Eyes - Report by Marian Hay
This is a description of a revival that occurred around the same time Warburton. Elder Minchin was not directly involved, but it shares continuing detail of how God was working. Notice an extract:
"There was a growing earnestness and an increasing boldness of faith as the week progressed. Faults were confessed, idols were cast out of hearts, and sin was put away. But there was no emotionalism, no outburst of feeling; all that was done was done because the Word of God, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, said it was right and necessary."
July 17, 1939, Blessings in Queensland, (AAR).
This is a wonderful description by Pastor Minchin of various revivals that took place among the churches in Queensland.
September 11, 1939, Days of Blessings - report by S. T. Leeder (AAR).
Read about a spiritual revival that swept through the Auburn and Melbourne Adventist churches in 1939, marked by deep prayer, confessions, healing, and powerful testimonies.
September 11, 1939, This Hath God Wrought - M. Gardner (AAR).
Conversion and healing came in the course of the revival.
Article PDF 8x11 PDF Telephone-friendly PDF
September 11, 1939, Sabbath School Workers Gather - reporty by A. Rocke (AAR).
"Sunday, August 6, has been placed on record as a day to be remembered in the Sabbath school history of Victoria. Why? Because in view of the solemn awakening which has taken place among God's people, and the realization that the Sabbath school, the bulwark of the church, dare not miss its share of this vital experience, an urgent call was sounded through the Sabbath schools: "Teachers! Officers! Gather yourselves together to seek the Lord." Was the call heeded? Yes! They came together on August 6, 150 Sabbath school workers, besides numbers of other interested members."
September 11, 1939, The College - report by T. C. Lawson (AAR).
"The week ending August 5 will be long remembered in the history of the West Australian Missionary College as a time when heaven came down to earth and God visited our mountain retreat in a very special way. ... In a quiet, unmistakable way, the Spirit came in and did a thorough work for us. Everything else became of secondary importance that the spiritual might be exalted. Students became burdened for their fellows, and a spirit of intercession such as has never before been witnessed took hold of them. Work, classes, meals, and sleep were forgotten while wrongs were made right, confessions were poured out, and hearts that had never known God, and those that had stubbornly resisted Him for years, found their way into the secret of His peace. A genuine cleaning up has taken place, and the school has been swept of everything that tended to separate from God, and the flames in the presence of the assembled school bore testimony to the fact that there was no retreat. ... And now we stand 100 per cent for God, not one in the College family having held back. "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes."
October 2, 1939, Times of Refreshing, Western Australia - report by Wilson (AAR).
"Never will our believers forget the memorable week that followed as our metropolitan people, old and young, flocked to the special meetings. About three hundred decisions were made for Christ. Remarkable evidences of the power of the gospel to transform sinful lives were seen at every meeting. Backsliders were reclaimed, men held captive by sinful habits were set free, sin was rebuked, and victory obtained."
Youth Conferences And Revivals - England and Western Europe
June 20, 1947, Newbold Spring Week of Prayer (BAM).
October 13, 1950, Youth Congress in England, "For Such a Time as This" (BAM).
September 1, 1952, The Paris Youth Congress (NL).
Youth Conferences And Revivals - North America
Forthcoming
Youth Conferences And Revivals - 1963 into the 1970s
April 22, 1963, Capacity Crowds at Melbourne Revival.
You will find multiple marvelous testimonials in the PDF that follows.
May 1, 1965, Report Middle East Tour, Unknown Author - Middle East Messenger (MEM)
Revival at Andrews University, October 10, 1970
February 1, 1971 Report on Revival Fires on the Campus - Stevenson (MIN).
Revival Methods
Information will be shared on the way God worked through him in the various aspects that took place during his revivals.
Revival Testimonials
November 9, 1965, Camp AuSable Bible Camp (Min)
Elder Minchin spoke at the annual Bible Camp at Camp AuSable, to which came 78 young people from seven schools (Andrews University, Adelphian Academy, Andrews University Academy, Battle Creek Academy, Cedar Lake Academy, Grand Ledge Academy, and Kingsway College in Oshawa, Canada), suggesting the wide appeal for Pastor Minchin's ministry that could draw young people from such a distance. Many of those attending consecrated their lives to God. God greatly blessed, as attested to by the quote that follows.
"The most thrilling moment of the entire session came when Elder Minchin concluded his talk by asking how many young men present would be willing to serve in the gospel ministry if God should see fit to call them. Forty-four indicated their willingness by standing to their feet—over 90 per cent of the men attending."
There will be much more!
