Directory of Contemporary Worship Musicians - Way of Life Literature

Move I Make,” “Love Come Down,” and “You’re Worthy ofMy Praise.”Ruis was involved as a worship leader with the TorontoAirport Vineyard Church during the “Toronto Blessing”charismatic “revival” which broke out in 1994, with peoplespeaking in meaningless gibberish, rolling on the floor,barking like dogs, roaring like lions, howling like wolves,laughing hysterically, and getting “drunk in the spirit.”Vineyard Music published some of Ruis’s Toronto music in“Winds of Worship Live from Toronto” and “Wash Over Me,”which was recorded live at the Industrial Revolution YouthConference in Toronto.e “Toronto Blessing” began in January 1994 with the visitto the Toronto Airport Church of Vineyard Pastor RandyClark. e meeting was originally scheduled for four nightsand at the first service large percentage of the 120 inattendance fell to the floor. e church’s pastor, John Arnott,said: “It was like an explosion. We saw people literally beingknocked off their feet by the Spirit of God.” People shook,jerked, laughed, danced, cried, shouted. Some lay on the floorfor hours. e man operating the sound system got “drunk inthe spirit,” and the church receptionist could not speak forthree days aer that, except in “tongues” (Hank Hanegraaff,Counterfeit Revival, p. 49).By the end of the originally-scheduled four days thedecision was made to continue holding services six nights aweek as long as the crowds continued. Visitors began to flockto Toronto from around the world. By the end of the first yearan estimated 200,000 people had drank of the “TorontoBlessing.” Within the first nine months an estimated 1,500church leaders had attended from Britain alone (Oropeza, ATime to Laugh, p. 26).Following is a description of the Toronto meetings by areporter who attended in 1995:272