Video summary
How to Give Yourself Fully to God | Ben Fitzgerald
Main summary
Key takeaways
Core Argument: Christians Must Return to New Testament Witness
The speaker argues that modern Christians are being diverted from their core calling. Instead of focusing on “influence” or producing religious media without real witness, believers should return to the simplest New Testament pattern: being a “witness” to the gospel in daily life and in public.
Healing and Spiritual Power: Real, but Not Instead of the Gospel
A major theme is that healing and spiritual power are real and should not replace gospel proclamation. Instead, they should accompany preaching and witness.
Prayer/Service Moment and Healing Testimonies
The video includes a prayer/service segment where the speaker:
- Prays for people with shoulder problems
- Claims to “sense” a healing cracking sound
- Reports immediate healing testimonies from multiple people
- Notes that those people check their shoulders and confirm improvement
The speaker then emphasizes that testimonies should be shared publicly.
Testimonies, “Media,” and Acts-Style Preservation
The speaker discusses testimony-sharing and critiques modern “media” approaches:
- He calls “media” a tool the devil may misuse
- He argues Christians should use testimony and media for Jesus’ glory
- He compares contemporary testimony-sharing to “scribes” preserving Acts-style gospel stories
Long Personal Testimony: Why Miracles and Gospel Witness Are for Today
The speaker provides an extended personal account to explain his belief that miracles and gospel witness remain relevant.
Life Progression: From Religion to Trauma to Radical Conversion
The story is presented as a progression:
- Childhood: His father experiences severe mental illness (paranoid schizophrenia) and eventually commits suicide
- Afterward: The speaker describes becoming deeply broken, leading to addictions—particularly pornography
- Later life: He claims involvement in prostitution and drug dealing
- Encounter with Jesus: He describes an “encounter” after a period of spiritual awakening, claiming:
- God’s presence entered his home
- He heard Jesus speak to him for about 45 minutes
- Jesus gave him instructions to preach the gospel
- The event is portrayed as aligning with prayers his mother had been making
Unified Calling: Jesus, Message, and Obedience
He describes moving quickly into:
- Scripture reading
- Evangelism
- Street preaching
- Healing and deliverance
He emphasizes that he does not view these as separate categories, framing his worldview as “Jesus as the message” and gospel obedience as one unified calling.
Critique of Church Culture: “We Don’t Need to Share the Gospel”
The speaker critiques what he describes as a common church mindset: many believers are convinced they “don’t need to share the gospel.”
He cites a study attributed to the Barna Institute—claiming only 4% of believers lead others to Christ—as evidence that most are not witnessing.
He argues that the gap between church and the world is not primarily solved by:
- “Influencing society,” or
- Seeking status (including influence through political connections)
Instead, he says the solution is bringing Jesus himself—his presence, message, and authority—so people truly encounter God rather than receiving only moral or cultural benefits.
Conclusion: A “Healing Wave” Should Lead to Gospel Witness
He concludes by connecting the current “healing wave” in many denominations to what he believes should come next:
- A return to the gospel “to the gospel”
- A commitment by every Christian to be a witness
Presenters / Contributors
- Ben Fitzgerald
- Dr. Randy Clark
- Dr. Heidi (referred to as “Dr Randy and Dr Heidi”)
- “Mama Heidi” (speaker’s mother; same person referenced as Dr. Heidi)