Pastor John Lindell of James River Church near Springfield, Missouri, believes in what he calls “creative miracles.” But without tangible evidence to back up his claims, he’s having a difficult time convincing skeptics.
During last week’s Week of Power conference at his church, Lindell described how guest Pastor Bill Johnson, of Bethel Church in California, led a prayer group on March 14. As group members prayed for a woman who’d had three toes amputated years ago, her toes regrew within 30 minutes, according to Lindell. The woman, Kristina Dines, described the experience on video but hasn’t offered proof of the miracle.
James River Church: Woman Describes Seeing ‘Three Toes…Forming’
After being shot in 2015 by her then-husband, Stephen Thompson, Dines lost three toes. In video posted on social media, Dines described attending the prayer group at the James River Joplin campus and being asked if she wanted “new toes.”
When she answered yes, “All the women got down and they prayed over my foot,” Dines said. “I decided to take my shoe off to see what was happening. I saw three toes that were forming, and now there’s length to them. Tonight I can stand on my tippy-toes!”
View this post on Instagram
In a March 15 livestream, Pastor Lindell said, “As the ladies prayed for Krissy over the next 30 minutes, all three toes grew, and by that point, were longer than her pinky toe.” He added, “Within an hour, nails began to grow on all the toes. This morning… she went to a medical doctor; she has three toes.”
Pastor Johnson, whose church made headlines after failing to resurrect a worship leader’s young daughter, elaborated on the definition of “creative miracles.” Instead of mere healing, he said, it involves “healing by decree, in accordance with how God’s world works.” As examples, Johnson cited prayers for God to create cartilage in someone’s knee. He also described a friend whose kidney regrew after people interceded for him.
On March 12, Lindell told congregants some of them would resurrect the dead. “I’m not saying everybody will be raised from the dead,” he clarified. “I’m just saying there are some people in this room [who will] raise people from the dead. It’s going to happen.”
Internet Demands Proof of Regrown Toes
The claim about regrown toes has led to calls for visual proof. In a play on Missouri’s “Show Me State” nickname, someone launched the website ShowMeTheToes.com. It references Luke 17:14, in which Jesus told lepers to go show themselves to the priests and they were healed along the way.
