Bringing Grace & Faith to Minneapolis

CBC-Colorado graduates, Lori and Ken Balma, Directors of the new CBC-extension school in Minneapolis, MN. (Click to enlarge)One doesn't have to look any further than the Pharisees in the Old Testament to see that the religious ear has a difficult time receiving the truth of the Gospel in all its goodness. For Ken and Lori Balma, the truth came like torture. As much as Andrew's teaching cut across the grain of the Balma's Christian religion, they couldn't stop listening. Once they opened their hearts to the truth, the couple began to let the Lord lead their lives. Today Ken and Lori are graduates of Charis Bible College in Colorado, and they have opened a CBC extension school in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Ken Balma (Click to enlarge)Ken had only been listening to Andrew's radio program for a short time when he and Lori watched their first TV broadcast of the Gospel Truth. Lori's introductory teaching came from the series The Word Became Flesh and the topic for the day was The Sovereignty of God. The teaching was quite a shock to her because she had spent many years investing in performance-based church righteousness. Lori said, "I could hardly stand it. I told Ken, 'This [teaching] is heresy—turn it off.' At the same time the Spirit was saying to me, turn the TV back on—listen to this man. We would turn it on, listen for five more minutes, and turn it off."

Lori Balma (Click to enlarge)The Balmas continued listening to Andrew and finally came to realize that their efforts towards holiness had all been dead works. The two would study one of Andrew's teachings as they made their daily hour-and-a-half commute to work. "For the first time in our lives, we were growing in the word together, getting understanding and truth spoken into our lives through Andrew's ministry. We were so excited for all that God had for us," said Lori.

Lori and Ken went to work every day, sensing that God had a different plan for their lives. One day as they were walking together and praying during their lunch hour, the Lord spoke to the Balmas that they were to attend Charis Bible College in Colorado, and bring the message of grace and faith back to their home in Minnesota. Jacob, Sarah and Joe Balma at Sarah's college graduation. (Click to enlarge)Lori admitted, "We did not know much about AWM or CBC, or even that there was such a thing as extension schools. We thought we were going to Colorado for a year. We really had no information about Charis Bible College."

The Balmas immediately made plans to attend Andrew's upcoming Summer Family Bible Conference in Colorado. It quickly became clear to the Balmas that CBC-Colorado was where God wanted them, and six weeks later the couple had relocated. They had rented their home in Minnesota, and sent their three children off to other colleges. Lori is quick to emphasize that their family had five people in college at the same time, with tuition due for each person. "When we said, 'yes' to the plans and purposes of God for our lives, supernatural things and supernatural provision began to be available," she said.

Home of CBC-Minneapolis
(Click to enlarge)Lori shared that prior to attending CBC, she had always struggled with trusting God for finances and had virtually no understanding of how the laws of the Kingdom worked. As a result, she had always worked long hours to help provide for her family's needs. Part of the provision Lori saw, at the time they decided to leave Minnesota, was that the large corporation she and her husband worked for offered them a remote or offsite position, allowing them to stay employed with the company as they moved to Colorado. While this made the transition easier, it didn't last. Within four months of their arrival in Colorado, the Balmas saw this source of income dry up almost overnight. It was during this time that the inner knowing of Students in class listening to guest speaker Tammy Ericco, a CBC grad and the chaplain for Crossroads Ministries USA in Colorado Springs.
(Click to enlarge)God's goodness and care for her became very real. Even facing tuition payments over $24,000.00, Lori was able to release her grip on the things of this world, and she began to receive provision from God's hand.

As their tuition payment deadlines drew near, the couple had dinner with some classmates, and the friends prayed and agreed in faith for the Balma's provision. It was at that moment that something changed in the spirit for Lori and Ken, and the Balmas knew that they knew that they did not have to strive for their provision anymore. The next afternoon, the Balma's employer called and offered them two new positions with a pay increase totaling three times the amount they had been earning. Students enjoy discussion and study time between classes. (Click to enlarge)Ken and Lori's finances were restored, and they were able to meet their tuition obligations.

"We saw this story repeated over and over during those three years in Colorado. We learned to trust in God's goodness and live in a place of the peace of God. We entered a place of Sabbath rest as we understood our position in Christ. I am not saying that we live it out perfectly, but this new place is so different than our old address," said Lori referring to their place of self effort. "God is always speaking if you will take the time to listen. He provided that Sabbath rest for you and me, but it is up to each of us to receive the provisions God has already made," she said.

Students enjoy fellowship between classes. (Click to enlarge)Ken and Lori have since graduated and completed their third-year internship at CBC-Colorado, and they are now directing CBC-Minneapolis. The word the Lord spoke to them during their lunch-hour walk several years ago has come to pass; they have brought the message of grace and faith back to the people of Minnesota. The Balmas are leading 39 students and they know they are in the center of the perfect will of God for their lives. "It is the best place ever. He has this place for each of us. If we will take the time to earnestly seek Him, we will find Him. It is a promise, not made by me, but by Jesus," said Lori confidently.

For more information visit CBC-Minneapolis, contact the Balmas via email: cbcminneapolis@gmail.com or call (612) 217-4565.

Andrew Visits Minneapolis for 2010 GTS

Andrew spent the weekend pointing out the difference between Law and Grace.
(Click to enlarge)Large crowds packed the conference hall for the recent Gospel Truth Seminar held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with more than one thousand people at the opening meeting. Over the course of the weekend's five sessions, Andrew fed all in attendance a steady diet of the Word as he ministered a combination of his True Nature of God and Grace—The Power of the Gospel teachings. As Andrew shared, hearts were touched, evidenced by the more than two hundred believers that stepped forward to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the dozen people who received Jesus as their Savior.

Andrew invited those interested in receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit to come forward. (Click to enlarge)After Andrew concluded his teaching each session he gave and invitation for those desiring prayer to come forward for ministry. Andrew left the platform to mingle with crowd, and the prayer team moved to the front of the auditorium to minister to scores of people as they came forward in faith to receive prayer. As the team flowed in the gifts of the Spirit they saw people set free from the enemy's chains of oppression.

Prayer ministers witnessed the Lord's power as His healing touch relieved the aches, pains and conditions of many. One woman approached the platform in a wheelchair; Awndrew explained speaking in tongues.
(Click to enlarge) she had been suffering from the restrictive and painful symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Before prayer she was unable to lift her arms and she lacked the confidence to get out of the chair. After receiving prayer her healing manifested and she began to thank God. With her arms lifted in praise, and as her confidence increased, she stood up, stepped away from the wheelchair and walked. A minister saw her in the hotel the next day pushing her wheelchair in front of her. The woman remarked that she felt even stronger than she had the night before.

Andrew placed his hand on people as they received the Holy Spirit. (Click to enlarge)Another woman, who had come forward for prayer, had previously been diagnosed with a severe case of vertigo, which is the sensation of constant dizziness. The results from her medical diagnosis were so extreme that her doctor brought in second physician to observe her strange abnormality. As she approached the ministers at the seminar, she was suffering to the point that she was having trouble walking. After receiving prayer, and her healing, she returned to her doctor to be examined again. This time the results were different. This time her results were normal and she was able to walk much better.

Throughout the weekend faith rose in the hearts of those with need as they witnessed the miraculous results in those who had gone ahead of them in the prayer line. God's word and His unconditional love successfully released individuals from blindness, deafness, nervousness, depression, tinnitus, asthma, joint pain and a variety of other physical ailments.

Watch the clip below as Andrew introduces the topic of his teaching at the 2010 Gospel Truth Seminar in Minneapolis: Grace vs. The Law.

Click here to view the entire five-part teaching series.