Testimony from Niles, MI

The Great Lakes region has yet another reason to shout the victory. The Church at Niles, MI, recently was blessed in the extreme. I'll start at the beginning ... "a very good place to start" (Julie Andrews, The Sound of Music). :D

Anthony and I weren't here for all of what happened, but we've heard the testimony of it by those who were. Niles, MI, is a church of ours on the southern border of Michigan. The Lord started the local church in 2005 when the small congregation began meeting in the pastor's house. They knew they wanted a building to worship in and the people have testified that they really thought they would only be afford to find a small "shack". It wasn't long before someone who knew Brother Bentley (the pastor) and the church's situation called him with news about a church that had gone up for sale and thought he ought to go take a look. Well, Brother Bentley went over and took one look and immediately thought there was no way the church would be able to afford the building. It was older, but big and pretty nice. An old Presbyterian Church. So he went home with little belief that that could possibly be the church for them.

But the Lord began to deal with Brother Bentley and told him to have faith to believe that He would provide. Brother Bentley called the congregation and had them meet him at the building. The Church laid hands on the corner of the building and began to pray in faith and claim the building for God's Church. Then Brother Bentley called the number and worked out a deal where the church could rent the building with the option to buy. The minister from the Presbyterian Church agreed to the proposal and allowed them to rent the building for a fairly low monthly rent.

The Lord was still dealing with Brother Bentley about purchasing the building, but Brother Bentley knew the building had been listed for around $130,000, (I might be a little off on that price, but I know it was pretty close to that) a price not affordable to our congregation.

They continued to rent the building and pray for God's leading. During one service Brother Bentley announced to the church that God had put a figure in his mind of $50,000 for the building. Sounds ridiculous to the flesh, doesn't it?

Soon after that, Brother Bentley had been on the phone talking with the other minister and the other minister admitted to Brother Bentley that the church was really a nuisance to his people and they really wanted to get rid of it. They had dropped the price to $100,000. Significant drop, but still not within our means. Brother Bentley explained that he still didn't feel we could afford that price. The minister then asked him what figure he had in mind. Brother Bentley didn't want to say $50,000, sure that the other minister would laugh or scoff or worse at such a ridiculously lower figure than what they were asking. But an amazing thing happened. The Presbyterian guy actually made that exact proposal: "How about just $50,000?!!!!!!!" The two came up with a $250 payment a month for ten years with a balloon payment at the end!!!!! And that was the deal we accepted.

When God tells us something, we can believe it is the truth. I am amazed at the deal that was struck. In the flesh, it is unbelievable, but in the Spirit, we can know that God will do what He says He will do. And we know that ALL things are possible .......