· God opened the door for Bro. Neftali Medina and his family to buy the only new, custom built home on his block despite his legal status.

· Bro. Jose Carlos Marquez was blessed with a brand new car (big enough to bring souls to church) for the price of a used car.

· Bro. Baltazar Franco was healed from acute pain and immobility after falling off a 2 story building.

· Sis. Ana Garcia was released from an INS holding facility even though legal experts stated this was impossible.  Special thanks to our brothers in McAllen, Texas.

· Bro. Arnoldo Medina and his family were blessed not only with a beautiful, brand new, 4 bedroom home, but also a new car.

· Sis. Paz Medina was healed from a skin disorder that covered her entire body.

 When my husband and I received the call from God to pastor a humble church in Long Island, New York, about four years ago, we did not fully comprehend the magnitude of what God was going to do in those cities.  We were definite in our minds that this was the place we needed to go, but we just could not see an aerial view of God's plan.  He had to take us through a journey that we would never forget in order to understand His purpose for our lives.  We had to walk through dry and deserted valleys of brokenness.  We had our losses and cried many tears along the way.  And still God gave us the strength to climb those green luscious mountains of triumph and victory that He placed for us to rest.  He never allowed us to fall by the roadside.  He held us by the hand and guided us in every step of our journey.  I thank God every day for the process.  We now know the direction we need to take.  What God has for New York is huge.  There are thousands of people who need to hear the Gospel.  The church building we have been blessed with is just a tiny piece of the puzzle of the harvest of souls that will be won.  We are going to continue to work and labor here in Long Island.  There is a great hunger to find truth in the hearts of the people.  God is going to do it!  I thank God for the Body of Christ.  We could not have come this far if it wasn't for the prayers and financial support of so many. We give God all the glory!

 Youth Crusade July 13-15 2007

       The hand of God is moving powerfully amongst the Encounter Youth group of Christian Tabernacle NY.  On July 13, 14, and 15, our fourth annual youth crusade took place. Thanks to your prayers and contributions through Project DestiNY, God allowed for this great celebration to take place in our very own church facility. We were grateful to have Pastor Felipe Salazar and his youth group from Compton, California with us. Along with their help our local youth group was able to reach out and witness to the communities of Garden City, Roosevelt, and Freeport, located in Long Island NY. It was powerful to see how receptive, open, and available the people were in these towns. People were prayed for in the streets and many received Jesus in their hearts through our "On Spot Revival." Praise God!

Many young people came from various parts of New York City and all over Long Island to our crusade. On the first night, the young people as well as the adults received a believing heart. Many opened their heart to believe and receive Jesus in their hearts as their personal savior. In fact, many gave their life to the Lord that very night! On the second night, many received a healed heart. Many young people received the spiritual healing that they had been waiting for, for many years. All the pains and hurts from their past were healed and their hearts were restored. On the final night of our crusade, our congregation received a filled heart. We realized that it was time to stop trying to control all of the situations in our lives but rather let God take the control. We had an outpouring of the Holy Ghost and 10 were filled, speaking in other tongues! There is a great revival in Long Island and our passion is for the souls that need Jesus in their lives. We are believing for the salvation of many in this last hour.  In the name of Jesus!

By Eliud Gaxiola, Youth Pastor

The anticipation of a special guest was felt within the men.  He was known by only a few of the members, yet the expectancy was in the air.  All I knew was that he was a missionary from Honduras.  The day arrived and we received him for our men's conference here at Christian Tabernacle.  Friday, the first day of the conference, found several of the members eagerly awaiting the start of a few days where a great man of God was going to minister.  The word of God was everything but moderate.  Bishop Missionary in Central America Juan Lopez Toro stunned us all with an incredible deepness in the word that none of us had ever experienced.  He brought us a word titled "Commitment Brings Blessing".  Even though many of our members are first generation believers, nevertheless the powerful word of God penetrated our hearts in an unexpected way.  God moved as He always loves to do in the hungry hearts and lives of the people of Christian Tabernacle. 

On Saturday we started the day with a morning leadership conference on "The 5 Elements of the Call of God" which proved that the previous day's teaching was just the beginning.  Never had I seen nor heard a man with such a passion and talent in teaching the word of God.  Even today, I have heard quite a few leaders mention various principles they learned that Saturday morning. Saturday night was a time of further unbelievable profoundness.  The title, "The Day Life Died" was sufficient to stir up uninterrupted attention for as long as Bishop Juan Lopez Toro needed.  Our men's conference concluded on Sunday with a powerful worship service and yet another weighty message from Bishop Juan Lopez Toro.  The presence of God moved; the members received an unprecedented sense of commitment.

I believe that this conference was not just an experience of its own.  I believe that it was the beginning of something incredible that God has been doing here in Christian Tabernacle.  God put the desire in the heart of Minister Jose Luis Torres to bring this great man of God all the way from Honduras in order that God could use him to pave the way for a momentum that has surfaced in this little corner of the universe, a movement that is impacting all of the visitors from other churches that have come so far this year.  It's one thing for you to take my word for it and another for you to experience it first hand.

Interview with a CTNY Pioneer

How was the first service you had with Pastor Aguilar? I had just been baptized.  The group was about 10 people.  I felt very happy.  We had our first service in the basement of a church.  Other churches accompanied us.

Did you imagine that God would give you a temple so soon? Yes.  I always had that positive thought that we would have our own church one day.   God used Pastor Aguilar to plant that thought in us.

How did you feel when the Pastor announced the buy? Happiness!  God confirmed the faith that Pastor had planted in us.

What is next for CTNY? Work hard and work to grow in number and to remember that God is with us.  If God has given us this temple, it is because He will also give us the number.

Is there anything you would like to share with the congregation and those who support CTNY? I am very grateful and happy with everyone throughout the country that has done their part.  Thanks for your efforts and for placing your sights on Long Island.

To the congregation and the ministerial body here in Long Island I want to say that I was witness of the start of this work and I can see a great difference.  But, the race is not over yet.  This continues and we are in the best part.   

 Bro. Santos Guevara was ordained as a minister in June 2007.  He and his wife serve faithfully at CTNY and are pillars in our congregation. 

Women's Conference June 6-8 2007

From the platform you can see a multitude of arms raised to the heavens, voices crying out, souls reaching out.  There are more than sixty women at the altar.  A construction site sets the background complete with orange netting, scrap wood, blueprints, paint cans, and hammers propped up on ladders and nestled in corners.  This was the scene of our first annual Women's Conference themed Building Her House.  Guest speakers Sis. Frances Fernandez, National Women's Confederation President, and Sis. Cesiah Aguilar, wife of National Missions Bishop, spoke on building three key areas of a Godly home: marriage, family, and spiritual legacy.  The attendees included sisters and souls from the New York area, Washington D. C., and Silver Springs, PA. 

Miracles of healing both physical and spiritual were imparted on Friday night.    One of the visitors was crippled with pain in her knee and was scheduled for surgery. By the conclusion of our service, she was glorifying God much like the lame man at the entrance of the temple in Acts. The following morning, our speakers shared practical and timely strategies to build up our families.  Then, sisters and friends alike enjoyed a time of fellowship and pampering during our spa.  With nails trimmed, hair dos glistening, and backs well massaged, the ladies entered into the sanctuary ready to hear one last word from God.  God then spoke to us on the importance of building a spiritual legacy cemented on sound biblical doctrine.  Floundering souls were encouraged.  Faith was rekindled and the Spirit of God poured into willing recipients.  Finally, with rejuvenated hearts the sisters mingled in the lobby for one last time of companionship.  A visitor later shared that during the conference she repented from her decision to divorce her husband.  We saw many miracles that weekend-sick women healed, burdened single mothers renewed, pastor's wives strengthened, mother-daughter relationships restored, marriages saved, and many hearts laid out at the altar.  The conference was yet another imminent sign that God's presence dwells in Christian Tabernacle Long Island.  All in all, we received the passion and knowledge to give our homes a much needed spiritual make-over.  Glory be to God!

My Testimony (Abridged)

I was born in 1956 to Jewish parents.  Like every Jewish boy, I made my Bar Mitzvah at the age of 13.  Shortly afterwards, I began to lose interest in Judaism as a religion and a way of life.  In high school, I met up with some people who were interested in the occult.  I could practice divination with almost 100% accuracy; I was skilled at psychometry; I was great at casting spells and became totally immersed in the "religious" aspect of what I became to call "The Craft".  I began to rise through the ranks and, in 1981, was raised to the position of High Priest in a coven here on Long Island.  Just to clear things up, we never used drugs, or did anything to physically or mentally hurt anyone.  At least, not yet.  After my discharge from the Air Force, a man who practiced ceremonial magick began to train me in the ways of magick and we started doing some pretty strange things.  He would cast spells against people whom he felt wronged him in some way and I would assist him.  Eventually he and I got bored doing "conventional" ceremonial magick and decided it was time to broaden our studies.We decided one night on a full moon to conjure up a demon known as Vasago.  And then Vasago appeared.  I thought I was going to die and almost did.  My teacher was utterly destroyed.  He sat on the floor, rocking back and forth, spittle dribbling out of his mouth.  I called an ambulance and tried to explain what happened.  The paramedics thought I had lost my mind as well.  My teacher died that night.

That was the experience that led me to quit witchcraft and the occult.  The night I quit I got into a fight with my high priest.  It was the middle of January, 1983.  While I was warming up my car my "friends" came out of the house and were casti