A small congregation at New Life Assembly of God in Woodstock, Alabama, has experienced miraculous healings in the past 12 months.
Pastor Chad Payne of the congregation said that the Lord has done marvelous works of healing in their church.
The first healing started with Katherine Hubbard who had suffered for five years with ankylosing spondylitis--a chronic back condition that doctors told her was untreatable.
In February 2002, Hubbard went forward during a Sunday evening service for prayer regarding her condition. On her way home, she noticed no pain, but her true healing came the next morning.
"I got off the bed without any problem, and I just started moving around. And it just dawned on me: 'my pain is gone!'" she said the Monday after the healing prayer.
Her healing sparked a new hope in the congregation. "It was just what the church needed to get started, and we've had several miraculous healings since then," Hubbard said.
Her husband Robert had an accident over 20 years ago, impairing his ability to turn his head to either side, also received healing after a prayer realizing he could turn his head either way.
Later, church board member Melvin Cope received word from his doctor that he could have prostate cancer. The church prayed for Cope's healing, and when he returned to the doctor for biopsy, the doctor found nothing.
Another was healed of back pain; another was healed of a heart condition; others were healed of minor ailments.
With all these miracles, according to Payne, "the Lord has just done such a work of pruning and establishing a sense of unity here."
Payne hopes for continued miracles. "We have been praying that God would make this a healing church," he said.
Payne also believes the miracles have enabled further ministry. "Our vision is to be a spiritual hospital for the hurting in our community--and we've got a lot of desolation in our community...the same God that can heal your body, can heal your soul and your spirit," he said.
The church plans to hold monthly healing services.
By Yhanee Hilado
editor@chtoday.com.ph
