Tom and Pastor Tim Warner

By Tom Shanklin

In July I was in Hayward, Wisconsin, where I was a speaker for the annual Vacation Bible School (VBS) and Tent Revival for Northern Lights Christian Center. This was my first time to speak at this church, which is led by Pastor Tim Warner. Pastor Tim is also chairman of the International Ministerial Association, a worldwide association of churches and ministries dedicated to helping one another to fulfill the great commission. The theme of the meetings was “The Army of the Lord.” On Sunday morning, I spoke on “Mission Possible” based on Jesus’ statement, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Mt. 16:18) When we look at the world around us we are tempted to think that the devil is winning the battle, but our Lord promised us the victory, so let’s get on with possessing the land and crunching the devil’s head, in Jesus’ name.

Sunday night was one of those meetings you might call a “preacher’s dream.” The Word just flowed from me like a river. The message was called “God’s Boot Camp” based on Ephesians 6:10-19. I focused particularly on one piece of the armor of God, as Paul said, “…having your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.” The footwear of the Roman soldier was one of the most important parts of his equipment. After all, without solid footing, it is impossible to successfully fight the enemy. So we must be firmly established in peace—peace with God, peace in our mind and emotions, and peace in our attitudes towards others—in order to be properly prepared for battle. You can Listen to “God’s Boot Camp” here.

On Monday I shared a message called “A Spirit of Conquest” based on (1) Israel’s failure to believe God and possess the promised land, (2) God’s Word’s of encouragement to Joshua, who finally led them into the promised land, and (3) Caleb’s cry for possession of his inheritance—“Give me this mountain!” Like Caleb and Joshua, we must have a spirit of conquest to attempt and achieve great things for God. It’s so exciting to serve the Lord in this hour. The challenges are great, but they are all just opportunities for God to show Himself strong to those whose hearts are perfect towards Him. We had wonderful altar calls in all the services. In the mean time, the children were being trained in the army of the Lord each morning at the VBS by a capable team of Holy Ghost drill sergeants from the church. While in Hayward I also did two 30-minute radio broadcasts with Pastor Warner on the subject of the “The Biblical Way to Find Rest and Peace.”

Letter from Pastor Warner

Greetings! I am writing this letter on behalf of Rev. Tom Shanklin of Mankato, MN, who is a Gospel minister of Jesus Christ. Tom was recently at our church and did an excellent job in ministering the Word of God in our special meetings. Tom communicates the Gospel message well under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. He is sensitive to the needs of people and has a good grasp on the essential truths of the Bible. As an evangelist, he fills a need in the greater Body of Christ, particularly in the local church, where members are equipped to share their faith (Eph. 4:11). The response of people and “altar times” were handled with clarity and in a non-offensive manner. It is my privilege to recommend Rev. Tom Shanklin to serve as guest minister, pulpit supply, or conference speaker. Our church has been blessed by the ministry which the Lord has given him and Susan. He will be a blessing to any group of people who call him to come to minister the Word of God. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for considering their ministry.

Rev. Timothy L. Warner, Pastor, NORTHERN LIGHTS CHRISTIAN CENTER, HAYWARD, WI
National Chairman, International Ministerial Association (I.M.A.)