About

You have arrived at this page because you want to know more about Streams of Water Ministries and the people behind it. Right?

Most bios that I read on blogs of this nature read more like CVs promoting the blogger. It on the about page that I am supposed to brag about how good I am and why my opinion matters. Well I don't like that approach. Here is why:

For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith.(Rom 12:3)

Simply put, knowing that I have been a University student (and graduated), farmer, teacher and IT-Engineer do nothing to build up your faith at all. You may be mildly interested in that I am an Expatriate Kiwi (New Zealander) living in Vanuatu simply because the idea of living in a 'tropical paradise' sounds so romantic. All of which means nothing! I am not that different to any of you.

I can lead you to salvation, but only the blood of Jesus can save you. I can teach you truth and life that is in God's Word - The Bible, but only the Holy Spirit can reveal it as true. I can tell you about God, but only God can reveal himself personally to you.

However

Any good student of scripture is wise to investigate the source of their materials, especially because the Internet allows any crazy person to post their bizarre ideas alongside sound scholarly and academic research. So you are wise in trying to determine if I am the real deal or not. So here are two brief profiles, the Ministry and the man behind the ministry - Me!

Streams of Water Ministries (SOW Ministries)

SOW Ministries is currently a one man ministry run by myself - Dan Dempsey. It is not yet another church name. The name itself is used as tribute to what the Streams of Water represent - Jesus Christ and the gift of Salvation. The name came to me from an episode of prophesies and promptings that I was to inherit Streams of Water. To cut a long testimony short, these streams turned from being physical to spiritual.

Rather than promote a blog under my name, my creating SOW Ministries the emphasis goes off me and more onto the message. SOW has special meaning for me personally, but the name itself is simply branding and convenience. It also allows for expansion to include more than just me, if that is what the Holy Spirit decides.

The double meaning behind SOW is also that it is also the word, sow. The purpose of this ministry at the present time is to sow. It sows seeds of life. This life is only found in Jesus Christ.

SOW Ministries divides its time among several works. In no particular order

Teaching The Word of God (The Bible)
Challenging people to come closer to an understanding of Jesus Christ, so much so that they begin to experience him closely.
Shining the light onto false religions in Vanuatu. (There are many and increasing almost monthly)
Sharing the Gospel message to the unsaved
Encouraging believers in Christ to become true disciples of Him.
Helping those in need with practical advice and solutions, including giving advice on health, drugs, and hygiene.

SOW Ministries does not follow a set program or align itself to one particular church group. This gives it the advantage of being invited to preach or teach to all manner of groups. One week it could be speaking at a Presbyterian Church sponsored "Crusade," and the next at an Assemblies of God Church Provincial Conference. The next time it is in the middle of a football field to a wide spectrum of beliefs. Later on it will be in a small bible study at the Nazarene Church. That flexibility makes it possible for the Holy Spirit to have a major say in what happens.

Click here to read the Ministry's Statement of Faith.

Dan Dempsey

As stated, I am nothing special. I am special to God of course; after all, I am one of his Children (1Jn 3:1). People who know me call me a Pastor, but that title comes from them. I act a lot like a Pastor but primarily as a Teacher of God's Word. (A Pastor must be a Teacher as well since they must feed the sheep, but a Teacher is not necessarily a Pastor). Nevertheless I may become a pastor if God so ordains it and according to the gifts of the Holy Spirit that God elects to give me.

You cannot put me in a denominational box. But if you are considering inviting me to speak at your church you should know that I base my life around the Word of God as the final authority on what is truth.

If you have doctrines that are counter to that which the bible outlines then I will disagree with you. If they are in accord with scripture then I will agree with you. There are some vague areas in between. If it is not important then I may agree or disagree with you, but will share my thoughts about what I understand from the BIBLE. If I don't know an answer I will not pretend to you that I do. As you read my blog, there will inevitably be statements I make that you will disagree with that may even offend you. If that is the case I strongly encourage you to search the bible for yourself. If you find I am in error or wish to challenge me then I encourage you to leave comments. I will do my best to answer.

I often challenge false religions by using their own material, or other sources. If I do challenge your particular faith, then I again encourage feedback. I love a good debate.

Scripture reveals that the word servant in this instance as used by the apostles is better understood as a bond-servant This is an archaic term that means a person who chooses to serve as a slave (as in Phil 1:1). Why choose to be a slave? In ancient times, a bonded servant or slave did so for free, but as they were volunteers and not forced, they were given special privileges and trust by their master. It was often said that the bond-servant was more of an ambassador or emissary of their master. The bond-servant was sent in place of the master, even to negotiate deals and to act as proxy for the master. To harm the bond-servant was to harm the Master. I therefore am best described not as a Conservative Wesleyan Pentecostal with an Evangelical Puritan logic, but simply as a SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST.

Here area few of my important personal beliefs. Be warned though, I reluctantly put this down because writing things like this can easily become so fixed in concrete that any changes that naturally occur as I mature in my faith will lead to modification. This is why we should all lean on an unchangeable benchmark - God and His Word.

Jesus died on the cross according to scripture, was buried, and rose again after three days, according to scripture.
I do not have to do anything to be “saved.” God does not force me to work to gain acceptance by him. I know this because I am saved by God’s grace which I was promised is freely given. (Eph 2:8-9) However I enjoy doing His work, because I have faith and overwhelming gratitude in Him. When we give a gift to someone we love, we like it when they show love back somehow. It may be a hug, or even a sincere thank you. So it is with me. I show God that I love him by thanking him. I thank him in prayer, and in honoring him by obeying his commands and working my best for Him. (2Co 9:8-15
The Commands that I strive to keep are the commands issued by Jesus that summarize God's Law. (Mt 22:36-40) That is I strive to

Love the Lord with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my mind
Love my neighbor as myself

I love God because he first loved me. (Jn 3:16)
I know that I am a child of God because again He promised that if I should believe and follow His Son, Jesus Christ then I would be accepted (the technical word is Atonement) by God as His child.(1Jn 3:1)
I know that those who are called Sons and Daughters of God are collectively also known as the Body of Christ. The body of Christ is also known as the Church. (Rom 12:5, 1Co 12:12, 1Co 12:27, Eph 3:6)
Therefore as a servant of Jesus Christ, I am a small living stone that helps make up the Church. (1Pe 2:5)
I believe in the power that the person known as the Holy Spirit enables me to serve my Master Jesus Christ (Ac 1:8) who loved me so much that he was prepared to die for not only my sins, but also yours. (Rom 5:8) The Holy Spirit helps and guides me in my walk with Christ, in giving me the strength to build up the Church (Eph 4:4-12; Jude 1:20) and to reach sinners whose eternal fate makes me cry. (2Th 1:8, 2Pe 3:7 Rev 21:8)

Thanks be to God for his indescribable Gift (2Co 9:15)
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