Happy New Year

As 2011 ends, we look forward to a new year filled with anticipation of the great things God will do for His people. The Church of God of Prophecy is entering 21 Days of Seeking. I invite you to join this world-wide movement in prayer for a fresh outpouring of God's Spirit.

From my family to yours, Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

As I write this, the clock will soon strike midnight in the Eastern Time Zone. By the time you read this, Christmas will be here and hopefully you will be surrounded by people who love you.

This Christmas has me doing what I've done for so many Christmas days of years gone by. I am thinking of my father and mother who died too young and after too many years of struggle and heartbreak. It is during the special holidays that people often think back and not only reminisce, but also wonder, "what might have been."

Surely by now you are wondering, "why so melancholy for a Christmas day post?" Well, it was during my daydreaming that I looked around the room at my family. Children and grandchildren gathered around me laughing and enjoying the holiday season. I saw a brightly decorated Christmas tree with presents piled around it and the smells of the holidays wafting through the air.

Through the years I've thought about my parents and even said to Debra, "I wish mom and dad could still be here." I know that heaven is a much better place, but I wish mom and dad could have seen so many of their prayers for their children answered. I wish they could have seen how their son and daughters have been involved in ministry to people, and how we've not forgotten the lessons they taught us. I wish they were here so we could treat them to the things they always wanted but could never afford.

After we finished Christmas eve dinner, my immediate family was all together, and our daughter-in-law's parents were with us for a special moment. The dinner was great, festive and delicious, but it was what followed that brought my thoughts together. My son, Shaun said, "Dad, I want you and Frank (Shroyer) to read the Christmas story from the Scriptures and then I have something to say." I turned to Luke chapter two and began to read...then as instructed, I handed my iPad over to Frank and he read the rest."

Shaun then said, "I want to give all of you something for Christmas that is special. There are some verses that I would like all of us to memorize this year, and I want to live my life according to them and invite you to memorize them too." Then he read these verses:

Micah 6:6-8

"6 With what shall I come before the LORD
and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?

7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."

These were Scriptures that my mother read over and over to me growing up.

As he passed out coin and bookmark reminder gifts, I looked at my daughter Lindsey. It was an amazing thing...As I looked in her eyes, I saw the little girl that she had been...in a flash of a moment I realized that my baby was all grown up. She had become a beautiful young woman...and a sense of wonder was still in her eyes. I thought about the blog that she has began writing named, "NEW EYES" (www.lbmckinley.blogspot.com)

I realized how proud my mom and dad would be to read her articles about personal holiness and personal responsibility. I realized how proud they would have been of her continuing her education and living for the Lord.

Then my mind went back to Shaun. How proud they would be to know that he graduated college (Mom had an 8th grade and dad a 6th grade education). How proud they would be of the work he does in the General Overseer's office.

Then I looked at my bride of 34 years. She loved me when no one could and has been patient when no one else would. She is still makes my heart beat strong and I love her more than ever.

Suddenly I had clarity...a clarity that made me realize I was thinking in a new way. Yes, I would like my mom and dad to see how my life has turned out so far...but more than that, I realize how proud they would have been of those around me. My wife, Shaun and his wonderful wife Stephanie, a labor-delivery nurse, Lindsey and especially my granddaughters that were now at my feet playing.

It really is a wonderful life...when you think about it, so many challenges to overcome...but all the way through it, the Lord has kept His hand on us and I would like to think that just maybe...He might allow mom and dad to peep over the sides of heaven...and I can almost see them smiling.

I pray this is a wonderful Christmas for you and your family. I want you to know that you are loved and cared for....sometimes to realize it...we only have to open our eyes.

The Special Day draws near

You can't help but notice the heavy traffic in front of the malls. The people are in a rush running to and fro and wearing themselves out. Nerves are frayed and it isn't uncommon to see tempers flare among shoppers and store employees. It was pretty much the same way in Bethlehem that night...everyone was gathering back to their ancestral homes and the traffic was heavy with all the crowds coming home.

As we coast into the last hours until the celebration of Christmas, I pray that we will all take a deep breath, relax and remember the real reason for this season...Jesus! He is the Prince of Peace and I pray that His peace will rule in your hearts.

God bless you.

REVIVAL - LEBANON

Revival, January 8th-11th
Evangelist Johnny Carver
Service schedule: Sunday morning 11am, Sunday night 6pm, Monday - Wednesday 7pm


Lebanon Church of God of Prophecy
1001 West Spring Street
Lebanon Tn. 37087


Pastor Larry Meadors

Childrens Ministry Training

Children’s Ministry Training coming to your area in January!

January 14th: Sparta Church: 9am to 3pm
213 Lum St. Sparta, Tn. 38583
$10 per participant. Every 4th member of your team will be free.
Lunch will be provided.


January 21st: Jackson: 9am to 3pm
Harvest Fellowship Church: 237 Jack Exum Lane, Jackson, Tn. 38305
$10 per participant. Every 4th member of your team will be free.
Lunch will be provided.

There will be no charge for Pastors to attend.

To register, please contact Kim Batson at kim.batson@comcast.net

Hope to see you there.

New Pastor Appointment - Peerless Road Church

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Pastor Brian Sutton to serve as the new Senior Pastor of the Peerless Road Church in Cleveland, Tennessee.

Brian comes to us from the Cliff Haven Church in Sheffield, Alabama.

We welcome Brian and his wife Renee and their two children, their daughter Tayler and their son Will. I know you will give a warm Tennessee welcome to them.

A Welcomed Death

From time-to-time, I have used this forum to share death announcements of ministers (active or retired) and their families. So, it shouldn't be surprising that I am making another death notice. So here it is....

Last Sunday night, six-days-ago I died, and it couldn't have been a more welcomed event. Now, before you think I've lost my mind, let me explain to you about my death.

For the last ten months I have struggled with multiple problems in churches and faced situations that I simply did not have the answers for, and could not solve. I struggled so desperately with these issues that I found myself drawing inward and dreading the rise of the sun each morning. I went to sleep with these problems on my mind and I woke up with them on my mind. All through the day I thought of nothing else, and that made me unproductive and distracted. You might say there was an internal storm that was raging which didn't seem to have an end in sight.

All through this time, people would call, text and email me to simply say, "Bishop, I've had you on my heart so heavily that I had to stop what I was doing to pray for you." These encouraging calls and messages didn't go unnoticed by me or by our Father in Heaven. The writer of Psalms said, "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." (34:7) and I can testify to the truth of God's Word...the angels of the Lord held me up when I couldn't hold myself up.

When I went to bed last Sunday night these issues were still on my mind. In the moments before I fell asleep I was simply groaning and saying, "Lord help me...Lord help me."

At 3:00 a.m., I fell into a deep sleep...whether it was a dream or a vision, I died. I could hear people talking all around me, and they were talking about these issues I was struggling with. I recognized the voices of most of the people around me and listened intently to what they were saying. I actually heard a few things that surprised me...not WHAT was said, but WHO said it.

When I realized that I had died, I sat straight up and said, "is that all there is to it?" I suddenly realized what Paul was talking about when he said, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" It wasn't as big a deal that I always thought it was. It was like falling to sleep and realizing I was still alive, but I suddenly had clarity to the things going on around me. I suddenly understood what needed to be done and how I was to do it.

When this realization came to me I said, "Praise the Lord!" and I have been saying it ever since.

Now fully awake, I felt different. I felt brand new. I felt the load lift and I had a new life.

Later that morning, Debra called me and said, "honey, are you all right?" to which I replied I died. There was a long pause on the phone and joy burst forth in my heart and came out of my mouth. I then explained to her this simple thought:

You can't hurt a dead man...you can talk about him all you want but it doesn't affect him. You can kick him and he doesn't feel it. In other words, IT AIN'T NO BIG DEAL!

Since that moment there has been a freshness to life. One that I don't ever want to lose.

I feel like the Lord gave me clear direction and gave me a verse for the moment. Let me share it with you:

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58)

I will hold on to that promise for the rest of my life. God bless you!

Empowered Mission Trip to Haiti

I received a copy of an email that Pastor Mike Jennette sent to David Bryan, Global Outreach Director. Pastor Jennette is always so kind to copy me with such correspondence and I have received his permission to share this with you.

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Hello Bro. Bryan,

I hope you are doing well and I wanted to share the great mission experience we just had @ Empowered going to Haiti.

Myself and 9 other men left for Haiti Nov. 5th to meet up with Bro. McCaleb. I believe I was the only one who had been on a foreign mission before and I had only been to Kenya in 2004. The trip was absolutely amazing and life changing for me and the others.

We started preparing in July of this year and raised money several different ways. Also, we scheduled Bro. McCaleb to speak one Sunday morning and everyone who was committed to going went to lunch with him. He prepared us for our arrival into Haiti, which was a very different experience, told us what tools we would need and how much money it would take. This luncheon was very good and as I look back was a necessity to the success of our trip.

The group stayed at the Ca-Ira Orphanage. Within 24 hours the work team and the people and children of the orphanage warmed up to one another. There were conversations early in the morning when the sun would come up and fellowship late into the night. We drank safe water there and ate a fabulous dinner every evening prepared by their kitchen. I'm so proud of the men that went with men, I was the least skilled at carpentry and they were submissive and obedient in everything we did.

The men fell in love with the orphans and staff, it was hard to leave them but we also wanted to return to our families. Now there are several teens and Pastors that are our friends on Facebook with us and people of the congregation who didn't even go on the trip.

While there we put a roof on the old Church at the orphanage that was partially destroyed by the earthquake. This was done, even though it will eventually be torn down for safety, to give the orphanage shade and cover from rain while they have Church.

Next we built trusses from steel, hung them and roofed the Church and its gables in Leogane. The days were hot and the people a little distant in the beginning. But after a half day, people began to come into the Church and speak with us. The National overseer came out with some refreshments, he and some other Pastors from the area helped us for awhile.

It is hard to express the bond we formed as a mission team with each other. This was truly a great experience all the way around. Bro. McCaleb was key as for us having someone onsite to lead us and plan. Bro. Chery from Haiti was exceptional also. He provided us with everything we needed, transported us and was our interpreter. These are great Godly men.

Just wanted to share our experience. There is much more including the services we went to. This was great spiritually and grew our men.

Thank you.
In Christ,

Pastor Mike Jennette - "Pursuing His Spirit"
Empowered Ministries Church
1415 Hwy. 70 East
Dickson, TN 37055

www.empoweredministries.net