Pastor Bob Holmbeck

By Tom Shanklin

Yesterday, Susan and I ministered at the Gaylord Assembly of God, Gaylord, Minnesota.

It was great to be with Pastor Bob and Judy Holmbeck and the people of Gaylord AG. We have ministered there in December for several years and it’s always a treat to receive the love and encouragement of that evangelistically-minded congregation. They always encourage us to keep going with the Gospel.

I preached on “How to Receive a Miracle” based on the miracle of the virgin birth. (See our recent post on Mary’s question, “How Shall This Be?”) As always, I told the people that the greatest miracle that anyone can receive is the miracle of the new birth. I gave an invitation for salvation and two people came forward to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They were a mother and daughter. They thanked profusely me for coming and sharing the Good News. A number of others came forward to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit or another miracle in their lives.

The angels get happy when one person repents. What happens when two return to our Father. When I hear reports of ministries recording thousands of people receiving salvation, I sometimes think that what this ministry is doing is so small. But the truth is, the message of salvation is needed in small churches and small places as well. So I rejoice that we are counted worthy to proclaim this glorious message of salvation wherever God opens the door, whether it’s in a small or a large place.

Gaylord AG is small church with a big heart for souls. Pastor Holmbeck shared that the two people coming to Christ means that the Gaylord AG, through their church services,  jail ministry, and various outreaches, had 60 people pray for salvation during 2011. The angels are most certainly happy!

Check out our recent radio program, “How God Does Miracles.”