The temperature was below zero, and a bitterly cold, northeast wind was blowing snow into deep drifts on Friday, Feb. 6, much like the preceding two weeks on Montana's Fort Belknap Reservation. But something was different that night as the sound of country gospel music radiated from a little white church on a hill.
Different indeed, the Gospel Road seminar was under way in the Fort Belknap Church as Brian Bechthold and his wife, Denise, from Alberta, Canada, began the first of 20 nightly meetings. By the third night it was evident that God truly was going to do something special for His Native American people. Eight visitors were in attendance that night, and from that point forward, the number of visitors grew to up to 14 per night.
Each night, the opening songs were projected on the wall with pictures of Native Americans. Jim Jenkins, Fort Belknap pastor, then led a Bible search, and, after special music, Brian presented the message for the night. Often the closing prayer emphasized the many needs that people were dealing with in their lives.
Gail Ereaux, partly Tlingit, was baptized after one meeting and received a letter of encouragement from Tlingit members in Alaska. Five people made their decision for Jesus following an appeal at the final meeting. More than 40 people attended church the following Sabbath, and two were baptized.
Neona Abbott, evangelist Brian Bechthold, Gail Ereaux and Fort Belknap's pastor, Jim Jenkins, voted Ereaux into membership after her baptism.
