Interestingly enough, I met Apostle John Boney before I literally met him.
In 1985, when I first started to attend the Jamaica Fellowship of Believers (JFOB), it was a few months til he came on his routine church oversight-strengthening trip. Until then, I met him virtually through Joyce Wedderburn-Dixon (now Canada). She incessantly spoke to me about him and his teachings, making sure that I understood that he was the apostolic father over the Fellowship. Also, that there were other sister churches in our Caribbean region for which he also had apostolic oversight. This “schooling” from Joyce, continued until he arrived.
Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to meet him, and when he did arrive I felt I had already met him, having been introduced to him virtually by Joyce, and that he was no stranger at all. He had no airs or pretentiousness, was gracious, and appeared to be unassuming. Then when he stood and opened his mouth to deliver the Word of the Lord, I realized that it was a mistake to think that he was unassuming, at least, outwardly. His posture and delivery were of confident boldness. His revelation of the Kingdom of God – startling. When he laughed, I felt that the denizens of hell trembled and scattered.
On subsequent mission trips to Jamaica, it was clear to me that Apostle John, was a man with a Vision on a God-given Mission. He operated in the revelatory gifts of the Kingdom, delivering and unravelling some of its mysteries with coherence and credibility. He was consumed with its Message that was chiseled on his heart, ignited and set ablaze, by holy oil. With relentless zeal to see the Kingdom declared and demonstrated, he crossed continents with this life-giving Message, letting nothing stop him, many times at great cost and sacrifice.
His father’s heart made him temper and balance the double-edged Sword of the Spirit with wisdom and insight, but without compromise.
I am sincerely grateful that he enabled me over the years, to accompany him with other team members on some of his overseas missions.
Psalm 84 verse 5 says:
Happy are the people whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage
Apostle John’s heart and ongoing posture was that of a pilgrim. He had a pioneering spirit. He sought to blaze new trails, take new territory, reach for new paradigms, going from faith to faith, strength to strength, glory to glory.
He was an unapologetic and staunch defender and guardian of the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints.
Brother John, taught and expounded on many topics concerning the Kingdom of God. Two of my favorites were – (1) Intercessory Prayer with an offshoot of establishing righteous altars. I have since understood that altars are celestial landing strips and spiritual terminals. (2) The Glory of God. He used to say that there is something greater than the anointing: It is the glory. Now, he has stepped into the glory that he delighted in espousing, of which, perhaps, he had experienced a foretaste.
Finally, the Mandate continues, only because Apostle John had understood and sought to secure Joseph’s blessing by his father, Jacob –
Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine beside a spring; its branches climb over a wall – Genesis 49:22.
The branches are his offspring, both naturally and spiritually. They will transcend usual boundaries.
Faithlyn Stewart
