Chapter 16: Myth—God Owns Solid Rock

Page 8

Myth—God Owns Solid Rock

found four other families we knew from Union Church that had already made the same move. Like us, they decided not to tolerate the apostasy. I

think it was comforting to us to know that we were not alone. Plus, we had some instant friends we already knew. We found a spiritual home for many years under the tutelage of Pastor Paul Frederick and his wife Lois. These two godly people stuck to the word of God and they opened up their arms to

my family. Our stay at Nowthen Alliance would be interrupted by a job change in late 1984. However, during the two years we were there, we came to love this Bible believing ministry.

Life changed as God called us to California in December 1984. Our stay in the Santa Barbara area would be short lived and we returned to Elk River in September 1985. We spent nine months living in Goleta, which is next door to Santa Barbara. I had accepted a job of Director of Quality for a computer parts manufacturer. We located a church in Santa Barbara; it was

the Living Faith Center. They didn’t advertise it, but it was an Assembly of God Church. My faith started to deepen as I got into a higher form of worship than I had previously experienced. Our family had gone from a mainline church where the word “Amen” spoken out loud wasn’t welcomed,

to a church where it wasn’t so unusual and now we attended a church where it just wasn’t such a big deal. We were introduced to speaking in tongues and the lifting up of hands in worship. Both are biblical; listen to the Word.

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues.” Mark 16:17 NIV

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by

the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another

the interpretation of tongues.” 1 Cor. 12:7-10 NIV