Voice of Hope

Please place on your blog: Middle Tennessee Children's Ministry Meetings: I would like to invite all Pastors and anyone in the local church that works with Ministry to Children to meet with me at either of the locations below: January 10th: Crossroads Church in White Bluff at 4pm January 24th: Lakeside Church in Westmoreland at 4pm. These meetings will be on the same days at the District Meetings in these areas. We will conclude by 5:30pm. It will not hinder your attendance to the District Meeting. Please join me for a time of food, fellowship, and sharing from my heart about Ministry to Children in Middle Tennessee. I hope to see you there. Kim Batson Meetings in West Tennessee and East Tennessee will be scheduled at a later date. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

During morning devotions, this song was brought to my memory. It was such a blessing that I wanted to share it with you: Since I started for the Kingdom, Since my life He controls, Since I gave my heart to Jesus, The longer I serve Him, The sweeter He grows. Chorus The longer serve Him, the sweeter He grows, The more that I love Him, more love He bestows; Each day is like heaven, my heart overflows, The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows. Ev'ry need He is supplying, Plenteous grace He bestows; Ev'ry day my way gets brighter, The longer I serve Him, The sweeter He grows. Chorus The longer serve Him, the sweeter He grows, The more that I love Him, more love He bestows; Each day is like heaven, my heart overflows, The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.

For the first 21 days of the New Year of 2010 we are inviting all that the Spirit will call to join us in the greatest Season of Seeking that the COGOP ministry family has ever participated in. We are not alone, in that many ministries around the world will be seeking God at the same time. Let the heavens open for millions of sincere and hungry believers seeking God for great things as we start a new decade of ministry for His Glory! The needs are great at every level. That is beyond doubt. But I stumbled across the data below and it gave me a new perspective on seeking Him at this moment in our journey as a movement. Look at this information about the COGOP journey. It took: 50 years to reach 100,000 members, (1903-1953) [2,000 per year] 25 years to reach the 200,000 member mark, (1978) [4,000 per year] 16 years to reach the 300,000 member mark, (1994) [6,250 per year] 4 years to reach the 400,000 member mark, (1998) [25,000 per year] Only 2 years to reach the 500,000 member mark, (20...

The state-wide District Leadership Meetings are about to begin in Tennessee. I am excited about the great things ahead, and the opportunity to share what God is speaking to my heart. The first meeting is scheduled for January 3, 2010 starting at 6:00 p.m. and will include our West Tennessee churches in the Districts of Bishop Robert Wier and Bishop Clayton Mahan. This year, we are changing locations to the DoubleTree Hotel in Jackson. The hotel is located at 1770 Highway 45 Bypass, Jackson, TN 38305. Everyone is invited to attend, and we expect the meetings to last two to three hours. In past years, these have been great meetings with wonderful fellowship, and we are looking forward to seeing you there. Additional Information: Jackson, TN (1/3/2010) White Bluff, TN (1/10/2010) Westmoreland, TN (1/24/2010) Crossville, TN (1/31/2010) Knoxville, TN (2/7/2010) Cleveland, TN 2/21/2010) All services begin at 6:00 p.m., with the District Presbyter in charge. Locations will be announced o...

"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end..." (Isaiah 9:7) The prophetic words of the prophet were fulfilled two-thousand-years ago when Jesus was born. We pause during this Christmas season to remember the promise of God. We pause with thankful hearts to acknowledge the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we pause to give thanks for you. Our hope and joy is that this will be the most wonderful Christmas for you and your family. Remember, "Jesus is the Reason for the Season." Sincerely, Bishop E.C. McKinley and the Staff Church of God of Prophecy - TN

As I write today, Debra and I are traveling North on I-75 on our way home. We were out of the state over the weekend to attend the memorial service for Bishop Elwood Matthews, who passed away this last week in Florida. It was nice to see such a large representation there from the International Offices and multiple other ministries. Everyone on the program did a wonderful job and we were all blessed, especially by the comments of his family. Sister Roberta was faring well, although it was obvious that she is heartbroken from this event. The service was streamed live from the local church where the memorial service was held, and I understand that DVD's of the service will be made available for a very small cost (mostly postage). I ask you to continue to pray with me for Bishop Matthews' family, and that we will live up to the strong legacy he has passed on to our generation.

Middle Tennessee Children's Ministry Meetings: I would like to invite all Pastors and anyone in the local church that works with Ministry to Children to meet with me at either of the locations below: January 10th: Crossroads Church in White Bluff at 4pm January 24th: Lakeside Church in Westmoreland at 4pm. These meetings will be on the same days at the District Meetings in these areas. We will conclude by 5:30pm. It will not hinder your attendance to the District Meeting. Please join me for a time of food, fellowship, and sharing from my heart about Ministry to Children in Middle Tennessee. I hope to see you there. Kim Batson Meetings in West Tennessee and East Tennessee will be scheduled at a later date. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

As you may have already heard, Bishop Elwood Matthews, renowned evangelist and former General Appointee in the Church of God of Prophecy passed away this week in Florida. Debra and I are planning on attending the memorial service to be conducted Sunday, December 20, 2009 in Titusville, Florida. I learned today that the memorial service will be streamed live on the world-wide-web for those who would like to view the services. The webcast will begin at 5:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time)and may be accessed by visiting the website www.findnewlife.com . I will also post reports of the memorial services.

There is a great article on the front page of the Cleveland Daily Banner about the ministry of Bishop Elwood Matthews. To read it click the following link: http://www.clevelandbanner.com

We are saddened to inform you that former general appointee, Bishop Elwood Matthews passed away this morning. Below you will find the details of his memorial service which will be held on Sunday. Please feel free to inform the ministry in your area of Bishop Matthews’ passing and forward this information if you wish. Elwood Matthews Memorial Service Sunday, December 20, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. New Life Fellowship 6755 South Washington Avenue Titusville, Florida 32780 For those wishing to send a card, Sister Roberta Matthews may be contacted at the following: Roberta Matthews 7420 North U.S. Highway 1 Unit 206 Cocoa, FL 32927 Thank you for your prayers for the family during this time of loss. Shaun McKinley | Administrative Liaison to the General Overseer

I just learned a few-minutes-ago that Bishop D. Elwood Matthews passed away last night. All who have been around the Church of God of Prophecy for any length of time know this is one of the "legends" of our church. A minister with a great wit and dynamic preaching style, Bishop Matthews served as a State Overseer but most notably as the minister for the Voice of Salvation. I will post arrangements as I receive them. Please join my in prayer for Roberta and the rest of the family.

Regional Ladies Retreat March 5-7, 2010 Ventura, California Regional Ladies Retreat March 26-28, 2010 Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Regional Ladies Retreat April 9-11, 2010 Newark, New Jersey Regional Ladies Retreat April 30-May 2, 2010 Minneapolis, Minnesota Int'l Ladies Retreat February 26-28, 2010 Waikiki, Hawaii

Last night, I returned home after a long day. It was one of those days that could have been better, but could have been worse. It was a day when I realized the difficulties that our pastors and their families face, and how that the people of our churches are in real need of relief in so many ways. These are not random thoughts, but thoughts that I dwell on a lot lately. My heart goes out to those who are deceived by "false prophets" and who are led astray by men/women who care more about their own comforts and agendas than they do the truth. I pray that the Lord will help them through the difficult times they will surely face when the "false prophets" are revealed, and that He will minister to them in that hour. I realize the emotional damage that will be suffered because of the selfishness of these false prophets, but how that in the end, vindication comes to those who do the right thing. It is in moments like this (when the truth is revealed) that God is mos...

A THOUGHT FROM BISHOP HOWARD "For the first 21 days of the New Year of 2010 we are inviting all that the Spirit will call to join us in the greatest Season of Seeking that the COGOP ministry family has ever participated in. We are not alone, in that many ministries around the world will be seeking God at the same time. Let the heavens open for millions of sincere and hungry believers seeking God for great things as we start a new decade of ministry for His Glory! The needs are great at every level. That is beyond doubt. But I stumbled across the data below and it gave me a new perspective on seeking Him at this moment in our journey as a movement. Look at this information about the COGOP journey. It took 50 years to reach 100,000 members, (1903-1953) [2,000 per year] 25 years to reach the 200,000 member mark, (1978) [4,000 per year] 16 years to reach the 300,000 member mark, (1994) [6,250 per year] 4 years to reach the 400,000 member mark, (1998) [25,000 per year] Only 2 years t...

Today I learned of the passing of Deacon Lavern Stephens, a member of the Keith Street Church in Cleveland, TN. The following details are shared with friends as we request your prayers for the family. Visitation Wednesday 5-8 p.m. @ Jim Rush Funeral Home (Cleveland) Services Thursday at 11:00 a.m. at the Keith Street Church in Cleveland.

Please join me in prayer for Earlene King. She has been the local church clerk in Columbia, TN for over 40 years. Tonight she is in ICU and in need of a special touch from the Lord. Please also prayer for her husband, Deacon Billy Ray King and for their boys, Mark and Michael. Earlene has been a dear friend to my family and has had a special play in our hearts. I was privileged to be her pastor for eight years, and she has been such a blessing to so many people.

Yesterday I posted the funeral arrangements for Anna Wadkins, mother of our pastor at Carthage, Donna Guire. I have learned that the visitation and service hours have changed. I apologize for any inconvenience this may create. Here is the correct information: Visitation is Saturday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Services are scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Austin-Bell Funeral Home in Greenbrier, TN

Some-time-ago, Steven Curtis Chapman suffered a terrible tragedy in his personal life. I remember when this happened. I encourage you to check out his testimony of how he is dealing with the death of his daughter at Christmas-time. For those who might be going through a tough time, I encourage you to check out his video testimony. CLICK HERE to be taken to the testimony. God bless you.

Band of Brothers – TN COGOP Men’s Retreat 2010 April 16th – 17th @ Camp Hickory Hills Worship Spirit Filled Speakers Horse Shoe Tournament Golf Tournament Steak Dinner And an opportunity to be inspired, refreshed and challenged! More information coming. Contact: Mike Jennette empoweredmj@comcast.net or 615-375-1364

This is from Nathan and LaNada Tag, daughter and family of Dr. Freddie Harding, Cumberland Plateau District Presbyter. Having traveled that area of the world for four years in all types of weather, I can identify with just how large this miracle is: Dear praying friends and family, “I love You, O Lord, my strength.” The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalms 18:1,2 Yesterday God was our deliverer, strength and refuge. We were in a very bad car accident in the badlands of South Dakota and as our car tumbled out of control God delivered us from serious injury. Thank you Lord!!! You are to be praised!!! We lost control of our car on slick roads and rolled 3 times before coming to rest on a fence along the interstate. LaNada cut her head and we went to the hospital for several stitches and some x-rays to make sure there was no damage to her back. Alaiyah and An...

I learned this afternoon of the passing of Anna Wadkins, age 91 of Greenbrier, TN. Anna is the mother of our Carthage, TN pastor, Sister Donna Guire. Visitation is scheduled for 4-8 p.m., Friday and the funeral services at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, at Austin-Bell Funeral Home in Greenbrier, TN. Please join me in prayer for this precious family.

Special notice to Tennessee Pastors Since our State Convention (July 2009) I have bee receiving photographs from you for your new ID cards. These cards are submitted in "batches" for processing, so it is important that I send groups of these photos on a regular basis. To date, there are still some of our pastors who have NOT sent their photo to my office. If you are a Tennessee minister, I need your photo (passport type) as soon as possible sent to my office: Church of God of Prophecy State Administrative Office P.O. Box 2319 Hendersonville, TN 37077-2319 These photos may also be sent to me by email at: ecmckinley@mac.com In that we have a large block of ministers, as do some other states, it is important that I receive these soon. Thank you for your assistance. Bishop McKinley

Today I spoke with Pastor Eddie Kilgore (Crossville-Stanley Street) about his granddaughter, Katelyn. She underwent surgery last week and because of complications was taken back to surgery yesterday. Pastor Kilgore has asked that we remember her in prayer tonight. Please join me in this prayer for this special need.

Folks, Many of you read the blog on a regular basis to keep abreast of events taking place in and around Tennessee and the related ministries. Another way to stay in contact is through our email newsletter. If you would like to join our list, you may simply reply to this message, or send an email to me asking to be added. God bless.

I am continuing to share events taking place at our local churches here. Pastors should email the information to me at: ecmckinley@mac.com Hello Empowered Family, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. First, there will be a prayer rally in Ashland City this Saturday Dec. 5th @ 10am at the courthouse. This rally is being formed by the Cheatham County Ministerial Alliance to support the practice of religious freedom. The school system is being sued for: a planned prayer that took place at graduation last spring, the Gideons allowed to speak at school and distribute Bibles, a cross that hangs in a classroom and because a history teacher taught the United States is a "Christian Nation." I met with their ministers today and told them that the Christians in Dickson support their cause and we will get the word out. Also there is an exciting movement happening called the Mahattan Declaration. Over a 150 ministers have signed this document and pledged to stand by its st...

Here is an update from Dr. Freddie Harding, our District Presbyter for the Cumberland Plateau region. "Money was raised and a beautiful Gray Metal roof now dresses up the church at Pikeville. We need workers, teachers, musicians, and caring souls to help in the work here. Just set your GPS for 112 Birchwood Street Pikeville TN and meet with us Sunday Morning 10-12 Sincerely, "Freddie" Harding Cumberland Plateau District Presbyter"

It is approximately 4,700 words, and it is entitled the Manhattan Declaration - it is a manifesto signed 148 Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical leaders promoting Civil Disobedience. Some of the words are quoting the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. The document released in Washington, D.C. at a press conferences is compared to the "drawing of a line in the sand." There are three issues addressed; 1. The sanctity of human life. 2. Marriage is an institution of one man and one woman. 3. Christian conscience and liberty. I encourage you to read the document and decide for yourself whether your name will be added to the list that now has passed 150,000 in less than one week. To read the declaration, CLICK HERE

The sleep has barely left the eyes from the night before as millions of people across this great nation join the made rush of bargains galore. Some of our extended family didn't even go to sleep last night, but chose rather to go the the local Walmart at midnight to be sure to capture the best deals as they came available. Others of us chose rather to sleep just a little, and then head of in the mad dash for savings! At our house, we took a much more leisurely approach and still found plenty of savings. While at the local Walmart, I found one of our church members (who is an employee) working hard at opening boxes to give the eager shoppers something to put in their baskets. I asked what time he arrived at work, and with sleepy eyes he said, 4:00 a.m. Across America this annual pilgrimage has started, and the folks at Madison Avenue in New York have worked hard to market their plethora of products with commercials that range between zany and absurd. Wall Street also hopes tha...

This morning my eyes opened, and I breathed in fresh air, I could hear the television in the living room tuned into the Thanksgiving parade. My blood pressure was normal, I was well-rested and as my feet touched the floor, I realized that I am a blessed man. I have a wife who loves me without condition, and I have a son, daughter, and daughter-in-law who make me proud. I have two beautiful, bright-eyed granddaughters that cause me to smile with just a thought of them. I have an extended family of sisters, brother-in-laws, nieces and nephews who are all well-adjusted. Everything major holiday causes me to remember my parents. They died almost 20-years-ago, but I have the calm assurance they are in heaven. I have that assurance because of the blessed hope that all Christians possess. I confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord of all, He is the hope of mankind, and He is the answer to all of the problems of the world. As I close my eyes in prayer, I do so with confidence that He hear...

Today, I spent much of the afternoon putting up Christmas decorations at the state parsonage, to celebrate the season, but also to have it ready for when our two granddaughters and their parents Shaun and Stephanie come for a Thanksgiving visit. While trying to untangle the extension cords and figure out how to put a lighted sled together, I couldn’t help but find myself praying....yes, praying that I could get it figured out, but also that the Lord will bless my family, and help me to make righteous decisions. I am so thankful to know that God hears us and answers. As we prepare for the Thanksgiving visit from the kids, I am also stopping to have a thankful heart for so many other blessings...you are among them. Each day, people take time out of their busy lives to read our blog and share in the prayer requests and announcements. I know there are other places you could go, but to know that many of you see the posts is a blessing to me. I pray your weekend will be blessed, and that...

I am happy to report that in the last couple of months, the church at Big Sandy has added eight new members. We are so grateful to hear the good news from across Tennessee of the good things happening around us. God bless.

From Pastor Milton Gordon’s Facebook Page “We were blessed to serve Thanksgiving dinner to 16 ladies from the Hope Center and some of their family members and also two new families from the Waverly area. We give recognition to David and Peggy Stephenson and their two daughters (Shirley and Melissa) who worked very hard to get these ladies and families to this celebration and to all the Waverly members who worked and served. GOD IS GOOD! ALL THE TIME!”

I received a report from Senior Pastor Steve Wilson that this past Sunday, he received 19 new members into the local church. We thank God for growth! Pastors, please send me your good news, I would love to share it with our readers. God bless

The following is an email I received from Pastor Mike Jennette. I am sharing with all of you with his permission: Hello Bro. McKinley, We had a great Community Revival @ Empowered Nov. 22-24. Three different ministers and two different worship teams ministered to our congregation and our community. Many people received healings and a deeper call to follow Christ. The ministers were Bro. Reggie Ward - Methodist, Bro. JB Smith - Dickson Jail Chaplin, and Bro. John Weaver - Missionary to Afgahnistan. The worship teams were the Union Choir and Oak Grove FWB Church. It was a great feeling of unity coming together from different fellowships. We are trying to win our city for Christ. Thanks to our District Presbyter, Bishop Gary Riley for attending. We had a packed house each night.   In Christ, 

 Pastor Mike Jennette 
 Empowered Ministries Church 
 1415 Hwy. 70 East 
 Dickson, TN  37055 
 615-375-1364 
 www.empoweredministries.net

Last Sunday evening Debra and I returned home after a great Regional Ladies Retreat sponsored by the International Women’s Ministries Department of the Church of God of Prophecy. Tuesday and most of Wednesday was spent in meetings with pastors and other visionary leaders of our movement. On Wednesday evening, I made the trip to Cleveland for our Administrative Committee meeting for the month of November. I am always blessed to share in the times of conducting the normal corporate board business of the general church, but also to share vision and look forward to fulfilling the core values of our movement. By way of reminder, we are committed to: PRAYER HARVEST (Outreach/Church Planting/Youth Harvest) LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SPIRIT-FILLED (and directed) MINISTRY I am looking forward to the next International Assembly (in July 2010-Greensboro, NC) where these values will be on display to our constituency. At the end of our Thursday meeting, I made the trip to Camp Hickory Hills for the ...

I can't believe that its been one whole week since last posting on the blog. It has been a week filled with challenges and victory. In the next few days, I will be posting some great news by way of updates. Please be sure to check back each day. God bless!

I am asking you join me in prayer tonight for Larry Rea. Larry is the brother of Charlotte Adams, who serves alongside her husband, Bishop Billy Adams, the State Overseer of the Church of God of Prophecy in Georgia. Larry has been in the hospital (in Mississippi) for eight weeks, and is in desperate need of prayer. Bishop Adams has requested our prayers for Larry and the entire family.

The first night of the Lake Barkley Ladies Retreat just ended, and was a great success. Cathy Payne and her staff have done a wonderful job of preparation, and Cathy's message tonight was timely and well-delivered. The retreat is being carried on live video feed. Go to the following link to watch the retreat as it continues at 9:00 a.m., Central time tomorrow. http://cogop.org/446329.ihtml

The following is from Pastor Terry Swaw of our Crab Orchard church. "Greetings everyone, I am excited about revival at Crab Orchard Church of God of Prophecy. Over the past three weeks we have seen three saved and Sunday night we baptized three. I believe it shows the good things that God is doing at our church. I would like to invite everyone to come out Friday night Nov. 13th at 6:30pm, Saturday night Nov. 14th and Sunday morning Nov.15 at 10:00am and 6:00pm. Please join with me in prayer for a mighty move of God for each service, and do not forget to pass this along to others and invite someone to come and see what God is doing at Crab Orchard Church of God of Prophecy.. In Christ Pastor Terry Swaw (931) 465-9781"

COGOP Member Wounded at Fort Hood, TX Massacre Justin Timothy Johnson, a member of the Punta Gorda, FL Church of God of Prophecy, was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas last week when shots rang out across the military base killing and injuring a number of military personnel. At the time of the shootings, Justin was on the telephone with his mother Jeannie also a member at Punta Gorda. While on the telephone with her son, Jeannie heard the shots being fired. Fear overcame her as silence crossed the phone lines. Justin had been shot twice by the attacker. Despite being shot in his foot and chest, Justin sprang into action attempting to help the many wounded and frightened people around him. Thanks to the prayers of his family, church, and saddened nation, as well as the care of his doctors, Justin's healing has progressed rapidly. He has been removed from a ventilator and will soon be released from the Critical Care unit. Through the care and generosity of his local church family, ...

This past week, Debra and I attended the North American General Presbyter's meeting in Murfreesboro. This meeting was conducted at the same location that hosted our State convention. All but three of the North American State/Regional Overseers were in attendance, and Bishop Clements did an excellent job of bringing together diverse group to discuss the direction of the Church of God of Prophecy in North America. Three presenters were with us, one dealing with church building/loan packaging for local churches, the second dealt with church planting, and the third presented on security/background check services. On the last day of the meeting, Bishop Randall Howard, our General Overseer addressed the leaders concerning our core values and the future direction of our movement. After one day home, we left for Cleveland to attend a training/technical event hosted by our Pennsylvania overseer, Bishop Jay Croyle with all of the departments and two overseers. This is a morning meeting, a...

Chris Weir is a member of the Peerless Road Church in Cleveland. This event was carried on all Chattanooga Television Stations tonight.

January 14-17, 2010 Embassy Suites Murfreesboro, TN Registration is open for Youth Harvest Training. All levels of youth and camping ministries are invited to attend this intensive training weekend, including state/regional youth and camp directors, youth pastors, camp directors, senior pastors, camp board directors, cabin leaders, youth workers, parents and volunteers. The conference begins with early bird intensives on Thursday, January 14 @ 1:00 p.m. Sample intensives include, but are not limited to: Re-envisioning Camping Ministries The Profession of Youth Ministries The Dynamic Duo: Youth and Camping Ministries Implementing Operation Omega The first general session begins on Friday morning @ 8:30 a.m. The conference will end at noon on Sunday. If you are planning to attend on Thursday night and need a room at the hotel, please be sure to check that off on your registration form. We'll let you know the total cost depending on the number of persons in ...

The following note is from our State Evangelist/Youth Director Dear Pastor, I am currently scheduling revivals, youth revivals, and community crusades from January thru May. My schedule is already beginning to fill up, but there are plenty of good dates still available. Whether you’ve already had me for a revival or if this would be my first visit, I believe God can use me to be a blessing at your church. I am open to what ever length of event you may need. If you are interested in scheduling a date, please contact me at pastortimfarmer@hotmail.com or by my cell phone at 931-200-1548. I look forward to hearing from you and serving your church. May God bless. Tim Farmer Tennessee State Evangelist Tennessee State Youth Director

  Friends, I am sending the following letter for your review, and consideration.  This is an opportunity for you or your church to extend your sphere of influence to another continent.  I believe Kim has a heart for children, and she loves our Lord with all of her heart.  My wife and I are going to give the first $100 dollars to this project, and I hope many of you (or your church) will join us.  God bless. E.C. McKinley     October 30, 2009 Dear Friend, I have been given an awesome opportunity. In February 2010, I have been asked to teach in an International Institute of Children’s Ministry in Egypt. We will have the opportunity to train 120 Sunday School Teachers in Cairo and Assuit in two weeks. We feel we have challenges in the United States. They minister to hundreds of children each week with very limited space and resources. What an opportunity to be able to pour into them and lift them up! We will have a day in eac...

Columbia Church of God of Prophecy conducted “Decisions: Reality Check 2009” on October 21 – 24. This year’s inspiration came from a vision given to Joey Sims. The title Decisions came by realizing each of us has choices to make every day that will affect our eternal destination. The emphasis of this walk through drama was about decisions our youth are confronted with – depression, loneliness, cutting, teen pregnancy, and abortion. These were addressed with the fact that God chooses life every time! The decisions of two teen girls were followed to their eternal destination. One died from a botched abortion procedure after having made the decision not to accept Christ in to her life. The audience witnessed her arrival in hell. We were made vividly aware of the torture that awaits a soul that doesn’t make the decision to accept Jesus. The other girl was a sad depressed soul. She carried some hurts and was bound by cutting in an attempt to release pain from her heart. After a fri...

It is Sunday evening as I write this post, reflecting over the past week. It doesn't seem possible that I haven't posted for such a long period of time, so I hope to catch up with this post, and hopefully get back to a daily post beginning tomorrow. On Monday, I posted about the arrival of our second grandchild, Madison Ormie McKinley. Born in Cleveland to Shaun and Stephanie, Madison joins her big sister Reagan to make all of our lives more blessed. On Tuesday, I spent most of the day in Administrative Committee Meetings at the International Offices, and sharing a great time of fellowship afterward with fellow committee members. Of course, I didn't linger too long, because Madison and Regan were waiting to see "Big Daddy." Debra and I stayed in Cleveland until Stephanie and Madison were settled in at home and then we made the return trip to Hendersonville. Thursday was spent in the office trying to catch up on administrative duties, and then Friday was filled...

Madison Ormie is here! Born October 19, 2009 at 1:11 PM weighing 8 lbs and 6 ounces. Mom and baby are doing well. We are so blessed. Madison is our second grandchild, and her middle name is that of her maternal great-grandmother, Ormie Sutherland of Wyoming. Mom, dad, sister and baby are all doing well.

On Friday, I was out of the office early to spend some time at the campground praying and seeking the Lord for several appointment changes. When in these moments of seeking the Lord, I am so blessed to be able to retreat to Camp Hickory Hills for a time of peace, quiet and reflection. Late in the evening, I heard a knock on the door of my cabin and found several of the men from the Keith Street church. They were using the campground for a weekend Father/Son time. I was so happy to see our local churches taking advantage of such a wonderful place, but when they invited me over for ribs (and the trimmings) cooked on a wood fire, I was even more happy! Early Saturday morning, I left the campground and traveled to Big Sandy, Tennessee to visit with the family of Vernor Evans. Many of you may know Vernor's wife, Ruby, who was the Post Mistress for the U.S. Post Office in that city, and her son Gary is a retired Federal Agent with the Immigration Service. Our families go back many...

On October 16, 2009 the Tennessee State Office will be changing over from our analog phone system to digital services. This change will enhance every aspect of contacting the state office and staff. We are anxious to have the new services in place which will hopefully upgrade the services we offer to our churches and related ministries. If you should reach the office during this transition period, please call back a little later. Our hopes are that this will be fully ported by 5:00 p.m. today. In the mean time, here are our various points of contact for your convenience: Bishop's Daily Blog Children's Ministries Website State Evangelist's Website State Offices Website Women's Ministries Website Youth Ministries Website We apologize in advance for any difficulties this may cause.

Visitation for Sarah L. Jones will be tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m: Shackleford Funeral Home 160 W. Cypress Ave Selmer, TN 38375 Sister Jones will lie in state from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Curtis Hill Church in Bethel Springs, TN. Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. CLICK HERE for obituary and further information.

When is the last time you gave thought to the subject of spiritual immaturity? If you are a pastor or other ministry leader, chances are you've spoken about this with your peers or supervisor in the last few months. You have wondered how long will it take before the children of God (even leaders) walk in the mature, spiritual path the Lord has desired and required. The great apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, primarily on the theme of the purification of the church, about this very topic, although in a casual reading of the book, one might miss it. I have always found it fascinating that Paul opened his letter this way, "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus..." (1 Co 1:2) Yet, when you get past the pleasantries, you can't help but notice his subject in Chapter 3:1, "And I, Brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ." My question has ...

I am saddened to announce that Sister Louella Jones passed away at 1:30 a.m. today in Adamsville. Sister Jones had been very sick, and had most recently spent time in the hospital in Nashville before being moved back home under the care of hospice. Sister Jones is the spouse of Bishop Alvin Jones, a minister of many years in Tennessee, who is currently serving as pastor of the Adamsville congregation. Bishop Alvin and Louella Jones are well known and loved by people across Tennessee and beyond. I will post arrangements, once known later this afternoon. Please join me in prayer for the Jones family.

A note from Pastor Verlin Thornton, at Restoration Fellowship Church in Murfreesboro: Youth revival Oct 23 - 25, 2009 Bro. Tim Farmer will be the Evangelist. A praise team lead by Glynis Varlack Algood will lead the worship on Friday night. Kevin Carver and the praise team from Lakeside will lead on Saturday night. For further info, interested parties may call me at 615.893.1819.

This week would have been my father's 83rd birthday. Without fail, I remember my parents birthdays and spend parts of the day reflecting on their influence in my life, and what it might be like if they were still alive. While it can provoke a sense of melancholy on those days, it also tends to help by being reflective on their lives. My father was a simple man. As a child growing up in the depression era, he only finished the sixth grade. Working to help support the family seemed to be more important than an education. I was always amazed that my dad had a large dose of common sense to make up for whatever he may have lacked in classroom time. I would like to think that some of that common sense may have been passed on to his children. While reflecting on my own life, I found myself thinking about the Apostle Paul, and the relationship he had with a young preacher by the name of Timothy. For some-time-now, I have been studying the book of First Timothy on a word-by-word basi...

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Charles Erickson to serve as the pastor of the Abundant Life Church of God of Prophecy in Crossville, Tennessee. Pastor Ronnie & Theresa Tackett accepted a church in Arkansas. Please join me in prayer for the Ericksons and the Tacketts.

Over the past weekend, Debra, Lindsey and I attended the Operation Omega youth conference at Sevierville, Tennessee. Trevor and Aileen Reid and their staff did a wonderful job of program preparation and the crowd was blessed in a special way. This conference featured several well-known artist who led in worship and anointed preaching and teaching. We are blessed to be surround by such wonderful, talented leaders in the younger generation and publicly cheer them on as they pursue the Lord. May God bless each of you.

I spoke with Bishop Alvin Jones (Pastor at Adamsville) and learned that Sister Jones may be moved to Adamsville tomorrow or Tuesday to a skilled-care facility. I am asking that you continue to help us pray for the entire Jones family. May the Lord bless you.

At the second day of the Operation Omega Youth Conference in Sevierville, Tennessee. Great crowd and ministry going on. Be sure to check the website for a link to a live-stream. Warren Barfield and Ricardo Sanchez tonight. Message by Chris Weathers. To watch go to: www.operationomega.org

The Operation Omega Youth Conference is being broadcast live at: www.operationomega.org -- Posted from my iPhone

Friends, This last week I had to use a PC for a little while (yuk) and I am afraid I may have missed some emails....if you've sent anything in the last week, please re-send it and I apologize. I am back to Mac and there is peace in my world.

You are invited to a district Youth Fellowship at the Cookeville Church of God of Prophecy on Saturday October 17th at 4:00 P.M. State Evangelist, Tim Farmer will be speaking. Gale McClain Cookeville C.O.G.O.P. 931-261-5482 gmcclain@frontiernet.net

We just finished our 2010 Marriage Retreat Committee meeting. Special thanks to: Debra McKinley Paul & Barbara Holt Steve & Lee Wilson Winston & Reid John A. & Judy Stone We're looking forward to the retreat, February 12-14 2010 at MainStay Suites in Pigeon Forge, TN

Hello everyone- The camp website is up and running. Feel free to spread the word. This will act as our one stop experience for all things at the campground. We plan on keeping it up to date not only with Youth Camp information, but also Ladies Day, Men's Day, POWERHouse and any training days we have at the campground. You can check it out at www.camphickoryhills.org Jeff

POWERhouse 2009 Your Tennessee Youth Retreat is going to be dynamite this year! Packed with God's presence, special guests, and great giveaways, we are getting ready for an explosion. The theme for POWERhouse 2009 is “REVELATION!” We all need God to reveal Himself in our lives, and He has a revelation for each young person! Special Guests: o International Youth Director, Trevor Reid o Pastor at Peerless Road Church, Steve Wilson o Tennessee Youth Director, Tim Farmer o Recording Artist, Warren Barfield o Worship Team, Onyx Youth Ministry The POWERhouse Flyer is currently in the process of being designed and is expected to be printed this week. Look for your church's POWERhouse promotional packet to arrive in the mail next week. You can also visit the new TN Youth Ministries website, www.tncogopyouth.org , to view and print the flyer, application, and promotional slide which will all be posted soon.