Voice of Hope

Dear Friends, I am asking you to join me in prayer for Pastor Milton Gordon, the co-pastor at our Waverly, Tennessee church. He spent the night at Vanderbilt, but hopes are he will go home today.

This is the last day of 2010. This has been a wonderful year of growth for many of our churches and the people across the State of Tennessee. We are thankful for all of those who received the Lord through the ministry of our churches and ministers this year, and we are thankful for all the new members in our congregations. As we end this year, we look forward to even greater things ahead of us. My family and I love all of you so much, and we consider ourselves privileged to serve with such wonderful people. May God bless you.

The year of 2010 is drawing to a close and we will welcome in a year of promise and hope. Please remember that your contributions to the Church of God of Prophecy are tax-deductible, however to be claimed on your 2010 tax return, your checks and postmarks must be dated before December 31, 2010, even if your check is processed on or after January 1, 2011.

On January 1, 2011 we will begin a church-wide 21 day period of prayer and fasting. In this blog entry, it is my hope to share with you the guidelines for what has become known as the "Daniel Fast." This fast is taken from the life of the Prophet Daniel of the Old Testament, who was a witness to kings and nations. This list is not conclusive, but should give you guidelines of things to AVOID and things to EAT. FOODS TO EAT Whole Grains (brown rice, oats, barley) Legumes (dried beans, pinto beans, split peas, lentils, black-eyed peas) Fruits (apples, apricots, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cantaloupe, cherries, cranberries, oats, figs, grapefruit, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemons, limes, mangoes, nectarines, papayas, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, prunes, raisins, rasberries, strawberries, tangeloes, tangerines, watermelon) Vegetables (artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chili peppers, corn, cu...

Next month we begin our annual District Leadership meetings with the kickoff scheduled for the West Tennessee area. This first meeting will be in Jackson Tennessee on January 9, 2011 at the Double Tree Hotel. Services begin at 6:00 p.m. For a listing of all district meetings, please check out our state calendar by clicking here.

Harvest Fellowship at 237 Jack Exum Lane in Jackson, Tn. Saturday, January 8th from 9am to 3pm. Registration will begin at 8:30am Cost: $15 individual participants or $10 each if you have 3 or more from your local church attending. Lunch will be provided! There will be no charge for Pastors. There will be no charge for churches who currently do not have a Children's Ministry in Operation. Please email or call me to Register. Please let me know by 12/31 if you plan to attend. I need to know how many in order to plan for lunch. You will pay the day of the event. I am looking forward to a wonderful day together. Hope to see you there! Kim Batson 615-604-7484 Harvest Fellowship at 237 Jack Exum Lane in Jackson, Tn. Saturday, January 8th from 9am to 3pm. Registration will begin at 8:30am Cost: $15 individual participants or $10 each if you have 3 or more from your local church attending. Lunch will be provided! There will be no charge for Pastors. There will be n...

SIMULCAST EVENT PURSUING HIS SPIRIT SIMULCAST PRAYER EVENT Friday, January 21, 2011 – LIVE! 8:00 PM EST LIVE from the Sanctuary of the Peerless Road Church in Cleveland, Tennessee Join us for this LIVE worship and prayer event as we celebrate the close of our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. Sign-up below to be a part of this global prayer and praise event! Register your information using the link below. The webcast address will be emailed to you 48 hours prior to our starting time. BE A HOST SITE (at Your Church or Home) FIND A HOST SITE WATCH at HOME *Those participating in this prayer event in person will need to arrive at the Peerless Road Church by 7:30 PM for a period of introduction, instruction, and pre-event worship.

My family and I wish all of you a wonderful, Merry Christmas. We trust this will be the best you have ever experienced and remember, Jesus is the Reason for the Season! May God bless and keep you!

Great job guys!

DECATUR, GA -- Four-year-old Marquel Peters was killed by a stray bullet last New Year's. His community is doing its best to make his memory last. The Church of God of Prophecy in DeKalb County held a vigil Friday evening, at which county officials announced their intentions to bring new legislation against reckless gunfire. "I have drafted legislation calling for an addition to the homicide statute -- reckless homicide," said William Miller, public safety director for DeKalb County. "Other states have it. It would give us another avenue to prosecute these kinds of crimes." Currently, reckless gunfire results in a misdemeanor. Even if police had found the person responsible for the bullet that killed Peters, that person would have received a maximum sentence of 12 months in jail. DeKalb officials want to be able to enact harsher penalties. Meanwhile, hard times continue for the church community of which Marquel Peters was a part. "It's very hard," ...

Debra and I were privileged to be with Brother and Sister Huff at the Liverworth church for their annual Christmas program. Everyone did a wonderful job and the fellowship was rich. The service was followed by a nice dinner prepared by the ladies of the church. Thanks to everyone at the Liverworth church for such a warm welcome. Merry Christmas!

Hello Everyone, I just returned from Haiti, and I wanted to give you an update. Progress continues to be made on the orphanage. The wall is almost complete around the property, a new $50,000.00 generator has been purchased and donated by an outside group, and the generator is on site. Two of the bungalows have been renovated, and they are now adequate to house workers. Forty-six of the children have been moved back to the property. Also, the school at the orphanage is now functioning with about two hundred children in attendance each day (most of these children are from the community). Plans are being made for the rebuilding of dorms and the church. (See some of the pictures below) Nine of us (Tim McCaleb, Ted Cooper, Rhonda Cooper, Curtis Sutton, Gigi Byrd, Joyce Miller, Lenda Gunter, Jim and Paulette Ramsey) carried Christmas to the orphans. It was a great party! We ate, gave gifts, and the children sang and performed skits for us. We were told that the children had never...

Gene Dasher Thanks for prayers for mom, she was sitting with Pam wacthing TV went to get up and couldn't Pam noticed drawn face etc she is an RN and called 9ll, massive stroke, afib etc, 24-48 hrs will be needed we are told, this is all I know, Mark, Quillie, Pam, Stella and Pastor are with her

Lakeside Church Presents Bethlehem Inn Dinner Theatre Playing on Saturday, December 18, 2010 at 7PM Tickets are available and on sale now at Macon Bank and Trust in Westmoreland, TN Adults-$7.50 Children-$3.50 Doors open at 6:15 pm (First Come Seating Preference) Please come and enjoy an evening with us! Lakeside Church is located at 5584 New Highway 31 East Westmoreland, TN 37186 615-644-3373 (Office)

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12) This year is my 30th year in ministry. An accomplishment if you consider those who openly stated that my conversion wouldn’t last two weeks. Of course we all recognize this was not accomplished through my own staying power or abilities, but rather by the grace of God. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Jude 1:24) Yet, we all understand the necessity of keeping our fellowship with Christ fresh by “walking in the light,” (1 John 1:7) in order to do that. In these 30 years I have seen my share of battles, and to be honest with you, I have the scars to prove it. Most of the battles come from “out of nowhere,” and are not only unwanted, but often come at the most inopportune time. There is a reason for this; we are at war with an enemy who wants to destroy us. (1 Peter 5:8) This enemy will do wha...

Dear Friends, Prior to accepting the appointment to serve as a Presiding Bishop, I was involved in accounting and income tax preparation, working in C.P.A. firms and serving clients of my own. During my three pastorates I worked to supplement our income in this field which covered a period of about ten years. During this time, I had the privilege of working with some good accountants who demonstrated integrity, and among some who did not. I was always irritated by the tactics some of the accountants used. Instead of calmly and deliberately following the law to complete proper tax returns, they would use fear to retain their clients. As I began to near the time of my retirement from tax work, a lot of my friends and clients would say, "who am I going to get to help me with this now?" I would honestly explain that if a tax preparer does not continue their education, and stay up-to-date with changes in the tax law, they are not doing anyone a favor. I was often asked who I...

Each local church is urged to set a parsonage allowance for the pastor. This must be done prior to January 1, 2011 because parsonage allowances cannot be retroactive according the Internal Revenue Service. This form may be used to estimate the amount and have the church set it accordingly. REMEMBER, RETAIN A COPY FOR YOUR PERSONAL RECORDS AND FOR YOUR LOCAL CHURCH RECORDS. In the event of an IRS audit, this form will be required. CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE AND PRINT A COPY

I am sharing information about a minister with a powerful testimony. All of the contact information is listed in this post: Hi Brother McKinley, Here is the info for the guest speaker I was talking to you about. Danny Wallace was physically and sexually abused by his father when he was young, and Danny spent most of his young life struggling with homosexuality. When he contracted AIDS, the doctors never expected him to leave the hospital. However, Danny had a powerful encounter with God who not only healed him of AIDS, but set him free from the homosexual lifestyle. Danny is an experienced speaker. His full-time ministry helps others find freedom from abuse and homosexuality. He has a powerful message of forgiveness. Danny is a former Brentwood recording artist. He plays keys and can lead a worship service as well. The 700 Club just aired his story. I've included a link to the program so you can watch it. Here are some links to some Danny Wallace promo videos, his website, etc...

On Saturday morning, Debra and I were privileged to meet with a majority of the pastors and leadership of the local churches in upper-east Tennessee for the annual Christmas breakfast. As always, Bishop Denny and Ruby Ledford did a wonderful job of planning and preparation for the event. We enjoyed slide presentations of last year's banquet as well as a short presentation of a recent trip to Israel by many of the pastors in that area. Special thanks to the Ledfords, for the great cooks, and to Pastor Terry and Sharon Barnwell for hosting the event at the Arrowhead church. We are truly blessed to have such gifted leadership in our state.

Well that time is here again, Tennessee Marriage Retreat in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Please click on the image to download and print a flyer for your local church, and to forward to all your friends. This one is going to be a great retreat and we are looking forward to seeing you in the Great Smokey Mountains. CLICK ON IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT POSTER

Harvest Fellowship at 237 Jack Exum Lane in Jackson, Tn. Saturday, January 8th from 9am to 3pm. Registration will begin at 8:30am Cost: $15 individual participants or $10 each if you have 3 or more from your local church attending. Lunch will be provided! There will be no charge for Pastors. There will be no charge for churches who currently do not have a Children's Ministry in Operation. Please email or call me to Register. Please let me know by 12/31 if you plan to attend. I need to know how many in order to plan for lunch. You will pay the day of the event. I am looking forward to a wonderful day together. Hope to see you there! Kim Batson 615-604-7484 kim.batson@comcast.net

Dear friends, Today I am asking for your special prayers for one of precious pastor's wife. Sister Caruthers from the Campaign church has suffered with physical sickness for quite-some-time. She has also undergone multiple surgeries, the most recent one about four weeks ago. I am including a portion of her email in hopes you will join me in prayer for her and Pastor Caruthers as well... "My surgery was four weeks ago today, and I am doing very well (other than "over-doing it"), considering my history of seven hip surgeries, ruptured discs in back and neck, etc. However, last night I fell in the bathroom, and fell and hit the side of the sink all the way down, and hit the floor square on both knees. Needless to say, it's REALLY swollen today. I would just ask for prayers from the pastors and members all across the State and beyond that check the Blog, and would appreciate your including my name again (if you've included it before)." Thanks for your ...

Debra and I take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to Londa Richardson, Jill Mandrell, Michelle Brooks-Young and Kim Batson for all of their hard work and preparation for the Pastor's wife/Lady pastors retreat held this last weekend in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It was a weekend of good food and good fellowship. We did all we could to spoil the pastor's wives and the lady pastors in attendance. The weekend was filled with shopping, eating, games and a special party and a special dinner at the Apple Barn Farmhouse restaurant. Imagine the fun as we awoke on Sunday to a fresh-fallen snow and a morning devotion in a beautiful mountain-side chapel with a panoramic view of the Great Smokey Mountains. We had to force the ladies to go home.

I received word today that retired minister, Bishop Waleed Bakar Ajamu passed away on December 4, 2010 in Nashville. Bishop Ajamu had served congregations in Tennessee and other states. Please join me in prayer for his family.

iMPACT! for Children's Ministers is available to all of our churches and related ministries. We believe that children's ministers make an eternal impact on the lives of the children they serve. That's why we have developed the IMPACT! on-line training series. The first training series identifies ten competencies of an effective children's minister. A training course including video instruction, pre-and post-assignments, as well as downloadable resources provides practical instruction and hands-on learning activities for each competency: COURSE: The Pursuit of Intimacy. COMPETENCY: Minister to children out of an intimate, daily relationship with God through prayer, study of the Word, and other spiritual disciplines. WRITER AND PRESENTER: Kay Horner COURSE: Build a Bible Lesson COMPETENCY: Critique, select, and adapt curriculum so that it is a useful tool in accomplishing ministry objectives. WRITER: Melissa Minter, PRESENTER: Kathy Creasy COURSE: Making Your ...

This week, two of our pastors are undergoing surgery and are in need of a special touch from the Lord. While you are praying about all of the needs in your personal time and during your church services, will you please remember: Pastor Geneva Carter Livingston, TN Pastor Rick Brogden Cleveland, TN Also please remember Pastor Milton Gordon Waverly, TN Pastor Gene Gouge Madisonville, TN I believe with all of my heart that God is interested in the difficulties we face, and He wants us to prayer together, believe together and work together to see His fullest in our lives.

I am pleased to announce the FIRST semester of the School of Practical and Advanced Studies has been scheduled in Tennessee. This FIRST semester will be at Camp Hickory Hills near Dickson, Tennessee. Classes are scheduled for February 23-26, 2011 and will be taught by the CBL staff from Cleveland, Tennessee. This will be a great time of fellowship and substantive training for anyone who desires to attend. Every pastor, youth minister, teacher or other minister needs to make plans to attend. This class will be invaluable to the lay minister, those at different stages of credentialing, and for those desiring to seek Bishop ordination in the future. More information will follow.

Nov 18, 2010 Fields of the Wood Celebrates 70th Year Category: Press Release NOVEMBER 18, 2010, is the 70th BIRTHDAY of Fields of the Wood. Only Heaven knows the wonderful happenings at FOW during these 70 years! Many people have been saved–some praying at the large altar, others atop Ten Commandment Mountain, some in the Assembly House, others watching baptismal services, etc. Hundreds of thousands have visited the Park since l940 and still, every day several are coming though for the first time. We hear people say “It’s so peaceful here,” “you feel God here!” “It’s the most beautiful place they’ve ever seen!” Many have come saying, “I haven’t been here since I was a child.” They’re bringing family and others with them. Recently, Bro. Allen was making his rounds late in the day. As he walked up Prayer Mountain, he saw a large Ziplock bag with drug paraphernalia in it–cigarettes, drugs, needles and other items. A hand written note was included which reads, “Holy Father, please hear ...

Today I left Hendersonville early in the morning and traveled to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. On of our pastors, Rick Brogden was scheduled for a medical procedure in advance of a kidney transplant next week. I was able to spend a little while with Rick and his wife, Martha and they were both in good spirits, and we believe the procedure turned out well. Next Tuesday, Rick will be undergoing a kidney transplant operation at Erlanger. He has been sick for quite some time and his sister who lives in North Carolina is donating one of her kidneys for Brother Rick. It goes without saying that this is a wonderful gift of life that Brother Rick is receiving from his sister. I am asking in advance of this surgery that you will join me in prayer for the Brogden family...that the kidney will be accepted by Rick's body and that there will be a speedy recovery for both. We are a part of a big, wonderful family and I am thankful for you.

In this video, Bishop Adrian Varlack shares the history recorded in the fourth book of the Foundations Course. This is not only a nice refresher for the ministers in our church, but tells the story from our own perspective. Others have written about the history of the Church of God of Prophecy from the outside (primarily the last twenty years) and were not direct witness to the history as author Adrian Varlack has been. I highly recommend this book.

1,000 UPPER ROOMS “Thank God the early church did not miss the Upper Room experience as a vital part of the package of Pentecost. They recognized that their relating with the Comforter Spirit had come through the prayers of the Upper Room and they understood that ongoing prayer after the model of Christ would continue to build this relationship.” -RE Howard Upper Room Prayer Cells are developing all over globe, as individuals join together together in homes, churches, and other meeting places to pray together. To be a part of the Upper Room Prayer Cell ministry and receive regular email updates and prayer points, click here .

Helping Hands for Kids 2010 Giving Project ∆ Participate in the Helping Hands for Kids giving project and help build a Pyramid of Hope for preschool children who live in the city of Giza, Egypt, just across the Nile river from Cairo. ∆ Many children in Egypt are too poor to attend kindergarten. ∆ Without foundational education, these children will continue to live in the hopeless cycle of poverty. ∆ This kindergarten will not only bring Hope for a brighter future for children in Egypt, but will introduce them to our Hope in Jesus as Savior. Your Donation Is Needed Send To: Children’s Ministries, PO Box 2910, Cleveland, TN 37320 Donate Online: http://children.cogop.org

21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING January 1—21, 2011 “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity;” Jeremiah 29: 12-14a "I invite every individual and local church to join me for 21 days of prayer and fasting, as we seek God’s direction and blessing in the New Year. I believe that a strength of the church is prayer, the ministry of intercession. What can defeat a church on its knees? All over the world God has rekindled the passion and call to prayer saying, 'My house shall be called of all nations a house of Prayer!' Join me and thousands of others from around the world as we unite our heart, minds, and prayers for our families, churches, and world." -RE Howard, General Overseer Coming Soon! 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting Promo Video Daily prayer directives Downloadable prayer g...

OUR MISSION Empowered by the Holy Spirit, through prayer, we will plant churches and equip leaders to carry out the biblical mandate to make genuine disciples of all the peoples of the world, to the glory of Christ our Lord, Head of the church. OUR VISION The Church of God of Prophecy will be a Christ-exalting, holiness, Spirit-filled, all-nations, disciple-making, church-planting Movement with a passion for Christian union.

Dear Friends, Now that Thanksgiving is past, we are headed full-steam for Christmas. As you know, the Friday after Thanksgiving is affectionately known as Black Friday because it is the day the retailers go from "red ink to black ink," indicating they have experienced profit. I am so happy to know that we all profit because of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ 2,000-years-ago on Mt. Calvary. As we move into the season of Christmas, let's keep grateful hearts and me mindful everyday that we have much to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving day is here with all the normal activities. Turkey and Dressing, time with family, Macy's Day parade and of course, football. It is our sincere desire that on this special day you had the opportunity to remember the spiritual blessings in your life. God loves you so much, He can't take His eyes off you! Please know that you are loved and appreciated!

I just learned a few-minutes-ago that Harriman church pastor Howard Scott has been hospitalized in Michigan while visiting family. I do not have full details at this time, but will post updates. Please join me in prayer for Brother and Sister Scott tonight.

For those interested in working in our camping ministries program, please go to the following link: http://www.camphickoryhills.org/applications

November 23, 2010 Dear Fellow-laborer; I trust this letter finds you well, enjoying the Lord’s blessings and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit in your daily work. I am writing today to remind you that the calendar year ending is drawing close, and our office will be preparing the necessary tax statements/information reports necessary for you to complete your Federal Income Tax returns. The reports will include your tithing/offerings to the State Office for the period of January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010. It is our goal to get this information into your hands in a timely manner, and to allow time for any questions to be answered. Please check to make sure that you are up-to-date on your monthly reports to the State Office, and that your tithing/giving is clearly reflected on those reports. Finally, I want to thank you for your dedication to the work of the Lord, and for your ministry in the Church of God of Prophecy. Thank you for your faithfulness in tithing and giving; as y...

Today was a little bit different than normal. While we were gone from home our water heater began to leak and required replacement. While our state properties caretaker David Allen replaced the water heater, I had the opportunity to sit in my recliner and read the Sunday newspaper through and listen to the idle chat on the television. During this time, I decided to surf through the channels on cable television and found a plethora of "Christian" television which featured a lot of people I have never heard of before. Obviously they have some following or they wouldn't be on television, right? Or maybe I am just behind on things. There were some casual observations that started me thinking. Here they are, not in any particular order: 1. Seems like none of the preachers wear a full suit in the pulpit when they preach. 2. Lots of upbeat music. 3. Slick presentation, good editing and camera work. 4. Everyone preaching a series of some type. 5. Most of the preaching...

It is Sunday evening and I just reached home for a little R & R. This past weekend at PowerHOUSE was a special time for so many of the youth of Tennessee, the Lord blessed in a powerful way. The Dove Award winning and Grammy Award nominated group Decemberadio were a real blessing to those in attendance, and we are thankful for their ministry. Special thanks to everyone who made the weekend so special. The anointed messages, teaching, worship and prayer made the difference in many of the lives of our youth. If the Lord spoke to you in a special way at PowerHOUSE (or pastors/leaders if you have heard a testimony) I would love to hear it and share. You can post it o my Facebook page or add your comment to this post. I would love to share it. God bless.

Bro. McKinley, I just wanted to let you know that Minister Lloyd Bell of Selmer, TN, (Member of Bethel Springs, TN) passed away this afternoon around 2:00 PM. There are no details worked out at this time, but the wake probably will be at the Shackelford Funeral Home in Selmer, and the funeral probably will be at the Bethel Springs Church on Monday morning. I'll let you know as soon as feasible. Pastor James L. Lawson, Bethel Springs Church of God of Prophecy -- Post From My iPad

In less than 24 hours, youth will be gathering from across the State of Tennessee for the annual PowerHOUSE event at Camp Hickory Hills near Dickson, Tennessee. It's not too late, we would love to see you! -- Post From My iPad Location: High Point Rd,Greensboro,United States

SURFING WITH JESUS Pastor Gene A. Dasher, Sr. Web Site: http://SurfingwithJesus.Blogspot.com #65911152010 REJOICING WITH BISHOP JOHN B.MURPHY It’s hard to be sad today but I am as my spiritual dad and mentor has gone home to glory. However, I do rejoice with my dear friend, confidant, and spiritual leader as he reached his goal and went to be with Jesus for evermore. I know many of you have never heard of Bro. Murphy but I ask you to bear with me today. Those who knew him knew how he could make you laugh and cry as he fed you the word of God in a way you would never forget. This man gave his all to his family, his church, his friends and many he did not even know. Wherever you found Bro. John you found life and looked forward to being with him. He was a great builder; his hands were involved in 27 different buildings or structures with the money often coming out of his pocket because he wanted to see a job finished. It goes without saying a church and congregation were never the same a...

On Monday, November 29, 2010 from 4 to 8 pm, Chick-Fil-A on Keith Street will be holding a spirit night to benefit one of our pastors. As many of you know, Pastor Rick Brogdon will be having a kidney transplant in December. This surgery is extremely expensive and insurance only covers a little over half the cost. Chick-Fil-A has graciously agreed to host a spirit night to assist in this cause and giving 20% of the evening's profits directly to the pastor's kidney transplant fund. What do you need to do? It's simple...Eat at Chick-Fil-A on Monday, November 29. When you place your order, tell the cashier that you are there to support the DURKEE ROAD CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY (if you fail to mention this, Chick-Fil-A will not donate the 20%). Please tell all of your friends and family to do the same. If you cannot make it to the spirit night for our pastor, and would like to donate, contact the church; Durkee Road Church Attn: Pastor Brogden Kidney Transplant Fund 201 D...

This morning was the first service in the annual Kingdom Celebration at the Keith Street Church in Cleveland, Tennessee. I am so thankful for everyone who was in attendance, the musicians, worship directors, singers and the pastor John A and Judy Stone. The Lord blessed this morning and I am looking forward to more great services this week. Sunday evening starts at 6:00 p.m. and Monday through Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m. If you are in the Cleveland area, we would love to see you there. Lord send revival! Let it start in me.

I am excited about the next few days as I will be at the Keith Street Ministries church in Cleveland, Tennessee for revival services. Pastor John A and Judy Stone have issued a gracious invitation for me to minister twice on Sunday (tomorrow) and Monday through Wednesday evenings. I do hope that you can be with me if you are in the area, as together we join our prayers and faith to see a mighty move of God in Cleveland. If you cannot attend the revival services, I ask that you join together with me in prayer for God's perfect will to be done in the lives of those attending.

The Regional Ladies Retreat hosted by the International Women's Ministries Department (Cleveland, Tennessee) begins today and goes through Sunday at the Lake Barkley Resort near Cadiz, Kentucky. This is an annual event that draws ladies from multiple states for a time of fellowship, worship and the preaching/teaching of the Word of God. Each year, Catherine Payne and her staff, which includes lady ministers from across the United States provides an excellent time for the ladies to draw closer to the Lord and deepen their walk of faith. We always have a large group of ladies from Tennessee in attendance and we are grateful for their participation, which always makes this one of the best Regional retreats in the world. Debra and I are privileged to be here for the retreat, although I will be leaving on Saturday for Cleveland. I will be ministering in a revival at the Keith Street church from Sunday morning through Wednesday night. If you are in the area, I would love to see you f...

Dear Friends, I shared a few minutes with one of our pastors this evening, and he shared that he checks the blog regularly for prayer requests, etc. He knew that I would be going out of the country and asked if I had pictures. With that said, thought I would give a quick update. Last week, Debra and I spent seven days in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic where I ministered at a leadership conference, and taught a class of about two hundred pastors on the "mission" of the church. It was a great trip, and although we thought Hurricane Thomas was going to hit Santo Domingo straight on (it moved toward Haiti instead) we had a wonderful time. I am posting a few pictures here to give you an idea of the conference. We returned Monday night (late) and worked some in the office on Tuesday. Yesterday, I had to make a trip to Mississippi and back, and today we are at Lake Barkley, Kentucky for the Regional Ladies Retreat. On Sunday, I begin a revival at the Keith Street Church in C...

Friday 4:00 pm Registration 5:30 pm Supper 7:30 pm Worship - DecembeRadio Service – Bro. McKinley 10 pm DecembeRadio Saturday 8:30 am Breakfast 9:45 am Class • Missional Living in College – Mavin Escew • Missional Living in High School – Matt Hopkins • Missional Living in Middle School – Jason Dasher 10:30 am Change Classes 10:35 am Elective Class • Awesome God: Praying Teens – Janice Miller • Christianity is Not a Spectator Sport – Robby George • Dreams to Destiny – Gary Clements • Fearless - Lindsey McKinley • I See Dead People – Kevin Carver 11:20 am Break 11:30 am Elective Class • Awesome God: Praying Teens – Janice Miller • Christianity is Not a Spectator Sport – Robby George • Dreams to Destiny – Gary Clements • Fearless - Lindsey McKinley • I See Dead People – Kevin Carver 12:30 pm Lunch 1:45 pm Meet in Chapel 2:00 pm Mentoring Moments 3:00 pm Social and Game Time 5:30 pm Supper 7:30 pm Worship – TN Youth Worship Team Service – Sharon Farruggia • Movie Night: “How to Sa...

POWERHOUSE 2010 Class Synopsis Awesome God : Praying Teens. What happens when teens pray? Session 1: This is an interactive session where we will discuss some of the issues that teens face: • Relationships • Depression/Negative emotions • Finding our Purpose • Peer Pressure • Sexuality • Eating Disorders • Temptation • Safety • Making Wise Choices • …….and more Christianity is Not a Spectator Sport. No more sidelines time to get in the game! God has called us to be Christians, which means to be Christ like. However, too often instead of Christ-like, we have become Christ-lite. We only want appear to look like Christ, by only doing as much as it takes to just get in to heaven, and nothing more. Jesus expects more from those of us who call ourselves Christians. He has called us to truly live a Christ-like life. To be Christ-like is more than just not cussing, not drinking, and not watching really bad movies (that often). In this class, we will attempt to learn how to follow him b...