What We Believe

We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God revealing the love of God to the world.
1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; John 3:16.

We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; Ephesians 4:4-6.

We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood on the cross, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
Matthew 1:23; John 1:1-4 and 1:29; Acts 1:11 and 2:22-24; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 1:1-4 and 4:15.

We believe that all men everywhere are lost and face the judgment of God, that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, and that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ results in regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, we believe that God will reward the righteous with eternal life in heaven, and that He will banish the unrighteous to everlasting punishment in hell.
Luke 24:46-47; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 5:10-11; Ephesians 1:7 and 2:8-9

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, whose indwelling enables the Christian to live a godly life and minister supernaturally. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is poured out on believers that they might have power to be His witnesses.
John 3:5-8; Acts 1:8 and 4:31; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Galatians 5:16-18; Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 2:6-10; Acts 1:4-8; Acts 2:4

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; the saved unto the resurrection of eternal life and the lost unto the resurrection of damnation and eternal punishment.
1 Corinthians 15:51-57; Revelation 20:11-15.

We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and that all true believers are members of His body, the church. 1 Corinthians 12:12, 27; Ephesians 1:22-23.

We believe that the ministry of evangelism (sharing and proclaiming the message of salvation only possible by grace through faith in Jesus Christ) and discipleship (helping followers of Christ grow up into maturity in Christ) is a responsibility of all followers of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:9-15; 1 Peter 3:15.

We believe God’s plan for human sexuality is to be expressed only within the context of marriage, that God created man and woman as unique biological persons made to complete each other. God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. For this reason, we believe that marriage is exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female.
Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5-6; Mark 10:6-9; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9.

We believe that we must dedicate ourselves to prayer, to the service of our Lord, to His authority over our lives, and to the ministry of evangelism.
Matthew 9:35-38, 22:37-39, and 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:9-15 and 12:20-21; Galatians 6:10; Colossians 2:6-10; 1 Peter 3:15.

We believe that human life is sacred from conception to its natural end; and that we must have concern for the physical and spiritual needs of our fellowmen.
Psalm 139:13; Isaiah 49:1; Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 22:37-39; Romans 12:20-21; Galatians 6:10.

Our mission is to take a group of men and disciple them intensely in the Word of God, teach them an uncommon faith, and help them stand victoriously in life.

CORE VALUES

We put the Word of God first place in our lives.
We live by faith
We walk in love.
We pray about everything.
We honor God and are led by the Holy Spirit.

^Staff Pic^

Meet The Staff

Sandra Gober – President/Co-Founder

I am the President/Co-Founder of Canaan Land Ministries. Mac and I started CLM in our home in January, 1981. Our daughter, Rachel, was just a baby and I was pregnant with our first son, Caleb. Our youngest son, Joshua, followed soon after.

In the early days, Mac and I traveled together as he preached where he was invited. Once we had our first student, I began staying at home, caring for the students, the ministry, and our growing children. Mac continued traveling and sharing about the ministry, wherever God opened doors to share, and we watched as the ministry began to grow and lives began to change. When Mac shared with me the vision God had given him concerning Canaan Land, I was fully committed. I knew this was the leading of God. We started with one student in our home and never looked back. We never even considered not doing the will of God for our lives.

CLM became my passion. I did everything involved in the ministry…and Mac kept traveling. Mac told me one time I needed to get a hobby. I told him, “This is my hobby, and I love doing this vision with you!” It was not always easy, but we continued standing and moving forward and God brought us through time after time. That was many years and thousands of students ago and God continues to supply every need.

Today, whatever needs to be done I either do it or delegate it, all the while praying for positions that need to be filled as the Lord leads me. Along with being President/Co-Founder of Canaan Land Ministries, I pastor Voice of Victory Church, which Mac and I started in 2002. After Mac went to Heaven on May 5, 2014, I fulfilled the calling of God on my life to continue this important work.

God has never failed me, and has shown Himself faithful to me every time I have called on Him. He has guided our steps as a ministry for the past 40 years, and I know He will continue to do so. This is why my favorite Scriptures are:

Lamentations 3:22-23
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”

Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Caleb Gober – Pastor/Executive Manager

Hello! My name is Caleb Gober, and my Dad and Mom, Mac and Sandra, started this amazing ministry called Canaan Land! I was raised in an atmosphere of love as the love Dad and Mom had for God overflowed on us as children, and the students that came and lived with us. It is truly a ministry like no other!

As a young man, I remember shedding tears during graduation ceremonies begging the students not to return to the life they had left. Seeing men completely broken and hopeless grow to a place of Hope and Victory through the power of God was normal to me. God has called us to triumph and reign in this life, and has given us the power and authority to defeat whatever life issue attempts to control us. I find I receive the most joy, when people shake off the hopelessness that ensnared them and walk into all God has called them to do.

I love to live life … Dad taught me how to enjoy every aspect of adventure. Whether it was seeking God’s face, Scuba diving, or riding Harley’s, he taught me to do it with passion and abandon. This passion drives me as I lead others into the presence of God through worship music and song writing. I guess you could say I’m hooked on the presence of God, because there is not now and never will be, anything like it! I long to see people stand victorious over the devil, and realize they do not have to stay defeated by him. There is nothing like seeing people come into saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, rededicate their lives to Him, and mature into the people God has called them to be.

I am the Associate Pastor and worship leader for Voice of Victory Church, and the “mouth-piece” and spokesman for Canaan Land Ministries. If God opens a door to preach, whether to 2 or 2000, I will go! I love to share about CLM, what God is doing in the lives of the students, and what God can do in the lives of those listening … if they will let Him.

I know we are to take God’s triumphant Grace, say no to sin, and apply it to doing good in every situation. In Luke 4:18 we are told, “Jesus came to heal the broken hearted.” There is no age limit on a broken heart, and Jesus can fix and heal it, regardless of the cause. We have complete and total victory over sin THROUGH the Grace of our wonderful Father and God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Years ago I responded with, “Here I am…send me!” I am still answering that call!

One of my favorite verses was written by Paul in his letter to Titus (2:11-14), “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and Godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Who gave Himself for us, to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

These verses demonstrate what the power of God can do in a person’s life, and what we are called to do while waiting for Christ’s return. We are to take God’s triumphant grace, use it to say no to what is wrong, and apply it to doing good in every area of our lives.

Joshua Gober – Executive Manager

My name is Joshua Gober. I am the youngest son of Mac and Sandra Gober. Watching my parents commit to loving God, their children, and the students in our home provided me with an atmosphere of faith and love that has never left me. From a young age I knew full-time ministry was the direction my life would go.

Not long after graduating high school, I enrolled at Rhema Bible College in Tulsa, OK. After receiving my ministry certificate, I returned home to help with Canaan Land Ministries in whatever capacity was needed. This soon led me to the Sunshine Coast of Australia, where we began to lay the groundwork for the first Canaan Land in Australia.

My passion to teach people how to live a victorious life through God’s Word has continued to shape my roles within CLM. Whether through weekly teaching times, day to day operations, or “whatever needs to be done that day”, my goal is to advance the Kingdom of God on this earth each day. I am so thankful for what God did for me through Jesus that I will continue to share His Love with anyone whom God allows me to interact.

While there have been several guiding scriptures and inspirational quotes in my life, I wanted to share two that have great influence with me. The first is Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” I know, as anyone seeks God first, He will add to them all they need to live a full and effective life.

One of the quotes, among many, that has meant much to me, is from Brother Kenneth E. Hagin, “Anytime you are feeling mistreated, know that the devil is working on you.” Living in Him is the key to victory.

Phil Robertson – Director

I have had the privilege and the honor of being involved with Canaan Land Ministries for the past 20 years as a student, Pilot, and CLM Director. After first using drugs at the age of 11, I spent the next 25 years bound in brokenness and addiction. This all came to an end one cold November night in 1999 at the Brownsville Revival in Pensacola, FL. After receiving Christ as my Lord and Savior, I made my way to Autaugaville, AL and was determined to enroll as a student at Canaan Land. I was a 36 year old biker/drug addict/broken man, who had just gotten saved, and I knew I had to pursue God’s plan for my life.

Once accepted, the direction of my life changed forever. Shortly after graduation, Bro. Mac asked me to be the Director of the ministry. I went on to attain my pilot’s license, and become Bro. Mac’s pilot and “armor-bearer” for the last 8 years of his life. During the hundreds of hours in the air together, a bond was forged, and I knew I would continue Bro Mac’s life’s work. In 2014, Pastor Sandra Gober asked me to resume my role as Site Director for Canaan Land … and the answer was a resounding YES!

I consider it an honor to work closely with our students on a daily basis. This involves potential student interviews, teaching classes, one-on-one counseling, staff scheduling, disciplinary “direction with affection”, and everything in between. My position has me involved with court systems across the USA as many of our students are dealing with court related issues. I am passionate about seeing men’s lives transformed by the power of almighty God.

I believe with all my heart the men of Canaan Land are called to a much higher purpose than simply “warming a pew” on a Sunday morning. We call ourselves “the Navy Seals of Christianity”, because not everyone finishes the program, and those that do tend to go out and engage in spiritual warfare at a heightened level.

Years ago, while a student at Canaan Land, I heard Bro. Dale Roosendaal say, “A man without a future will always go back to his past.” This simple statement took root in my life. It changed my life forever. Over the years, I modified it a bit and now share it with the men God entrusts to me, “A man with a future will never go back to his past!” With this statement deep in my soul, it is no coincidence that my life’s verse is Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for a hope and future.”

Dale Roosendaal – Teacher/Aviation

I have had the privilege of working with CLM for the past 26 years. I spent my growing up years all over rural OK and KS, with a brief stint in AL. During my later teen years, I oversaw the family farm in Perry, KS. Little did I know that my time on the farm would be the catalyst, which led me into God’s call for my life.

After moving to Lawrence, KS, and working for Kansas City Power and Lights, I met Connie, the love of my life, and we have now been married for 35 years. God blessed us with 3 amazing boys and a home full of love. One of the most difficult periods of life came when our middle son passed away unexpectedly. While extremely tough, it was through this experience that God taught me not to look at the emotional loss … but to look at the grandson we never would have had. I have received much comfort from the words of Jesus in Mark 10, “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.” This was the main factor in shaping my passion for seeing families restored and teaching men how to be Men of God.

In 1994, Bro. Mac asked if I would come and help run a program that was in need of someone to work with the horses and run the sawmill. Connie and I knew this to be the direction of the Lord, so we moved back to Alabama. That was 26 years ago, and we’ve never looked back! I firmly believe that, “A man without a future will always return to his past.”, and I am looking to the future for all God has planned.

My current role at CLM is as a teacher and the Director of Aviation. Not only do I have a passion to see men freed from the bondage of life controlling issues, but I want to see the next generation of pilots raised to help fill the need of pastor and missionary transport. “Together We Carry the Vision” as we reach the world with the freeing knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Heath Stone – Publications and Production

I came to CLM 20 years ago as a young man desperately seeking a way out of the life controlling issues that crippled me. Originally from Montgomery, AL, I had spent 11 years in the Army and National Guard, had lived around the world, lived a life of adventure, yet found myself hungering for something more than the next rush. My journey led me back to the Montgomery area, and straight to Canaan Land.

At about the 6-month mark of the program, Bro Mac issued a challenge to the students to see if anyone was serious enough about their journey to commit to an extra year in training. I instantly knew this was me, and to this day, I am the only student to voluntarily complete 2 years. Upon graduating CLM, I came on staff in the production department and traveled with Bro Mac as his “armor-bearer”. The rest, as they say, “is history”.

I am passionate about seeing CLM continue to grow, and to see men become the mighty individuals God has called them to be. While my focus has mainly been in the area of Publications, Production, and I.T. I have also had the privilege of teaching Bible to the men God entrusts to us.

A guiding verse for me has been Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” Once someone truly gets this verse in their hearts, they realize God actually loves them and wants them to win! It is exciting to see the change in a person’s life as they repent, and “let their past be PAST AT LAST!”

Casper Diekman – Intercessory Prayer/Aviation

I was born and raised in the Netherlands. From an early age I was fascinated with airplanes, and loved the Lord. At the age of 22, I decided to learn to fly with the desire to use my piloting skills for the Lord. Several years later, the dream came true for me to continue flight training in the USA. Through a series of miraculous events, God led me to a flight school in Tyler, TX with a scholarship and a position as a flight instructor. Everything was coming together.

In 2003, Brother Mac Gober came to minister at my church, and there was instantly a divine connection. I knew God was connecting me with him. The following year I joined him at Canaan Land, to be a blessing to him and help him advance the ministry. From day one, Bro Mac treated and loved me like one of his own sons, and believed in me, when I did not believe in myself. Brother Mac walked in an amazing tangible love, for which I am eternally grateful to him.

I am absolutely passionate about spending time with the LORD first thing in the morning. I love opening God’s Word, and letting it shine light into my heart. It sets and keeps me on the track of Proverbs 4:18. It gives me strength and direction for the day, and in His presence is fulness of joy … and the joy of the Lord is my strength. Praying the WORD, and teaching the students to pray and to apply the WORD to their lives, brings me great joy. God’s Word never returns void!

Someone once said, “Prayer is an earthly license for heavenly intervention.” Someone else said, “Every failure starts with a failure to pray!” I believe in prayer, and the power of prayer. This is my primary role within the CLM staff … Intercessory Prayer Coordinator. I love to pray for the students, staff, and partners. I enjoy speaking Truth into the lives of the students. I love to see students turn from darkness to light and develop a hope and a future. I find great fulfillment in being part of their journey to freedom at Canaan Land and beyond. I often encourage the students to, “Never doubt in the dark what you have heard in the light!”

Two foundational verses that have shaped and guided what I do daily are Romans 5:17, “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”, and 2 Corinthians 5:21, “ He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Receiving revelation from these verses helps me walk in victory, and enjoy a deeper intimacy with the Lord. I found this is all possible due to the righteousness that the Lord Jesus Christ provided by the blood of His cross.

Jennifer Locke – Partner Manager