Lives touched by the Spirit

Featuring Lyle & Peggy Albrecht, Dan and Gloria Bentzinger, Richard and Mary Halversen, Leo and Tamara Schreven

Ed Hofkins was a policeman who served on the same force over twenty years in Anchorage, Alaska. Every day his wife prayed that he would love the same Jesus she did and become a part of God's family. When they moved to Nampa, Idaho, he continued to do some work for the force there. He didn't have to work on Saturday anymore. Then Ed started attending Lyle Albrecht's evangelistic meetings. His heart was stirred and he was convicted to accept Jesus and wanted to join the SDA Church. Suddenly, a week before his scheduled baptism, the police force told him he would have to work on Sabbaths. "If that's the way it is, I am finished," he exclaimed! He was so respected for his convictions that arrangements were made for him to have Sabbaths off. He is one of the 41 people who were baptized in Eagle, Idaho during the crusade.

Rhonda Mathiot, a young adult had recently moved to Idaho from California and was looking for a church family. Previously, she had been a Mormon, but was disillusioned with their teachings. One day she "happened" to stop at the Adventist Book Center to buy a Bible. As she paid for the Bible at the register, she saw a stack of handbills advertising Albrecht's crusade. She ended up attending every night, and was baptized with her son by Pastor Keith Hansen at the end of the series in Eagle, Idaho.

The Albrechts' next series took them to the Tri-cities Pasco-Kennewick Crusade in Washington. "My heart was so refreshed with the way God worked through a beautiful Adventist widow," Albrecht reflected. Pastor Irwin Kurtz, a retired minister, was studying with several interests at the time of bis untimely death. His widow, Millie, continued the studies and brought these people to the crusade. She worked so faithfully every night during the meetings. What a joy it was for Millie to see six people baptized as a result of the studies she had continued after her husband's death! Pastors Darrell Larson and Don Kindig were the host pastors.

Two years ago, Mary Warren called the Moses Lake Adventist church asking, "What do Adventists believe?" She started attending church, but moved to Yakima, Washington. Just prior to Albrecht's series, she moved back to Moses Lake and decided to attend the meetings, never missing one. Excitedly, she told her son about the things she was learning and be started attending. It was a thrilling moment when Mary and her son Guy were baptized together in April. Albrecht attributes the many baptisms and church revival to the untiring efforts of Pastor Neil Matson and his wife Diane.

--Featuring Lyle and Peggy Albrecht

 

Pat hadn't washed her face in 30 As a little girl someone grabbed her around the neck and held her under water nearly to the point of drowning. As a result of this experience Pat has an extreme fear of water to the point for 30 years she would not let water touch her face! She washed her face with a washcloth and her hair standing over a sink. When Pat's teenage daughter witnessed her mom's courage in being baptized, and the peace that she radiated afterward, she asked Gloria Bentzinger to personally catch her up on the truths she had missed, so she could be baptized too. A week later she also was baptized into the Waldorf, Maryland church.

When he was 18 years old, James Wydick, a Methodist, formed a friendship with an Adventist literature evangelist. He would go with him house to house, just listening, as his friend gave Bible studies. However, James never made any commitment to Jesus or the church. Since that time as a teenager he has journeyed through many denominations, without making a commitment to any because deep in his heart he knew what the Bible taught. Wydick, who works with the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C., is an avid runner. He runs the New York marathon, and many miles weekly in his Washington suburb town of Waldorf, Maryland. In one of his daily runs he met up with another runner, Dr. Chris Neibauer, head elder of the Waldorf Adventist church. A good friendship was born and together they would jog week after week. Neibauer was praying for God to provide a Divine appointment so he could invite James to Bentzinger's crusade. That opportunity came while they were running together. A few weeks later Wydick was baptized during the crusade.

When the Bentzingers went to their next crusade in Victoria, British Columbia, they were welcomed by a group of workers in the church that had one some phenomenal things, previously unheard of in North America. There had been 250 phone calls for reserved seating tickets and the members, under the lay leadership of Dr. Jim Girard, didn't trust the Canadian postal system to deliver the tickets in time for opening night. In two days they hand delivered all 250 tickets to homes all across the city.

In addition to those that reserved seats, many more came in response to radio, brochure, and personal invitations. Opening night found an overflow crowd of 500 in the Crystal Garden behind the famous Empress Hotel. Fifty people had to stand, and many were turned away because of the crowd. They were told to come back at 9:00 and Bentzinger would preach it again so he did!

The miracles of Victoria are many. A fashion designer recently moved from London, made her decision and was baptized. A highly successful real estate woman who learned her skills in sales many years ago as a literature evangelist came back to the Adventist church through baptism. Gloria Bentzinger sprained her ankle, but was totally pain-free only when she did her daily visitation. A group of six young adult Adventists came to the Bentzingers asking for information so they could start sharing and giving Bible studies. Dr. Herbe and Carol Domke mailed out personal invitations to hundreds of patients and friends, and were happy to see some baptized. The crusade overflowed with miracle after miracle, and the stories of baptisms and blessings continue under the pastoral leadership of the Stoyanowskis and the Boonstras.

--Featuring Dan and Gloria Bentzinger

 

It all began six months before opening night of the crusade. From the very start of the preparation the key ingredient was "prayer". The Valley View Adventist Church in East Wenatchee, Washington unitedly Lathed itself in the ministry of prayer. There were "Prayer Warriors" who spent quality time in prayer six months before the meeting began. They also gathered together before each of the evangelistic meetings, spending 30 minutes praying for the Holy Spirit to be poured out in a marvelous way!

Indeed the Holy Spirit fell upon the church and community in the Upper Columbia Conference. It was seen upon the warm and friendly faces of the greeters who met the visitors at the door each night. It was seen in the fantastic child care, ushering, record-keeping and committees. Miracle after miracle took place because Pastor Joseph Kidder and his church were committed to fulfilling the Gospel Commission.

Twila Spangler was not even a member of the Adventist Church, but was attending. When the meetings started, she volunteered to be a "Prayer Warrior' and to work with the record committee. She came every night and decided to become part of the church family by profession of faith.

Chris and Julie were miracles! They came to the Prophecy Seminar faithfully, even though they lived over forty-five miles away. There were some nights they couldn't arrange car transportation so they took a bus.

Rick Schultz listened to the message on the cross. He felt the Holy Spirit speaking to him, however he didn't respond when the invitation was given. As he was driving home that evening he could not deny that God's Spirit was still speaking to him. About halfway home, he turned his car around and went back to the church. Finding Halversen still there he said, "I made a mistake! I should have come forward in the call. Can I please be baptized along with my son?"

Another miracle was a whole family who were baptized, consisting of sisters, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, daughter and granddaughter, mother and even cousins. All were baptized together.

Byron Allison said he never listens to the radio, but one day be just "happened" to turn it on and hear the ad for Halversen's seminar. "I have to go to that!" he thought, even though he lived outside of the East Wenatchee area. At the conclusion of the series he decided to be baptized. This was a big step of faith, alone, without the rest of his Catholic family. As a result or his courageous stand, his wife is now attending the follow-up meetings the pastor is conducting on Wednesday nights.

How did so many miracles take place in a small town in Washington State? Halversen feels it's because the pastor and members of the church bathed themselves in prayer. They asked, believed, and expected God to answer their prayers. They prayed long before the crusade, and each night during the series. They pleaded for the Holy Spirit to be poured out. And it was, in a marvelous way!

--Featuring Richard and Mary Halversen

There IS such a place as North Pole, Alaska where civilized homosapiens actually do live, way up North, twelve miles east of Fairbanks, Alaska," report the Schrevens. They described the Fairbanks crusade as incredibly fun and enjoyable with its wilderness, wildlife, rivers and awesome mountains. Petite Tamara shivered as she walked through snow over her head!

Before opening night, flood waters had destroyed several native villages from the north, and flood victims were being housed by the Red Cross in the auditorium where the Schrevens were to begin! They were basically canceled out of the hall. Through much prayer and Pastor Jim Kincaid's hard work, God opened a way so the meetings progressed on schedule. The hall was full opening night and all rejoiced!

It was a special joy for the Schrevens to see the hunger tor truth. The Christensen family drove three hours a night to each meeting. Their children sacrificed a lot to take their stand with mom and dad in the waters of baptism. "I will always treasure the memory of visiting them in their mountain cabin," Leo reflects. "We enjoyed an evening of talking, beautiful scenery, and fellowship together."

Mike and Elizabeth Quinn were also baptized during the crusade in Fairbanks. Mike is one of the few F-16 fighter pilots in the world. Now he wants to set the world, on fire with his enthusiasm for Jesus.

Pastor Kincaid reports a strong follow-up program is in place to train and equip new members for service, and to continue to reap more souls.

A few years ago the Westminster Church in Vancouver, British Columbia, burned to the ground. The new building was completed and the opening night had many visitors eager to hear the truth.

Vancouver is proverbial for its European secular culture and is probably one of the most difficult cities to evangelize in North America. Yet with the members utilizing their gifts, making friends for God, and dedicating time to follow up Adventist Media Center interests, the audience grew and God blessed.

There was a young lady who was terribly abused as a child. She had become a prostitute and drug dealer. A caring Christian shared God's love and power. The years of guilt and sin had :ft a few marks, but the assurance of God's love and forgiveness now makes her face shine!

A former Satanist with tattoos covering his body was led to the crusade. Now he rejoices in the truth!

--Featuring Leo and Tamara Schreven

 


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June 1995

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