SEPTEMBER Boy Struck by Lightning at Camp SEPT\12 ~ 1

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1 SEPTEMBER 2012 Boy Struck by Lightning at Camp SEPT\12 ~ 1

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3 C O N T E N T S 10 EDITOR S PERSPECTIVE Rick Hilton...4 APOSTOLIC CRUSADERS...6 WOMEN S ESPRIT Nathan Roberts...14 KIDZQUEST Nathan Roberts...16 by Caleb Tisdale MISSIONS AMERICA George Akers, Bob Koonce...18 EVANGELIST Mark Bishop, Jonathan Atkins...22 by Josh Wilson 28 MENISTRY James Chessor...24 WORLD MISSIONS M.L. Walls, Mark Naimy, Jame Rennard, Horst Krauss...26 N A T I O N A L D E P A R T M E N T D I R E C T O R S World Missions M.L. Walls Missions America George Akers Menistry Kenny Carpenter Women s Esprit Penny Carpenter Apostolic Crusaders Chad Erickson KidzQuest Nathan Roberts Evangelist Department Mark Bishop Christian Schools Department Joe Nelson

4 The EDITOR S PERSPECTIVE RICK HILTON What Doesn t Make The News Senseless violence and murder. Culture wars. Attacks on family values. An expanding deficit, a declining job market and an economy that s in the tank. The headlines are screaming to us that this world is out of control. It is understandable how carnal men and women can place emphasis on these events. To them, the relevance of another doomsday news story is unquestionable. When the red ticker at the bottom of the screen is flashing, it is certain that the banner will contain the word Breaking! The hottest scandal, the latest meltdown or another casualty of war makes many wonder if it can get any worse. While the beat writers dig for the most scathing faults and misdeeds of others, many a more newsworthy item goes unnoticed. For some reason, society has deemed these less important. These stories lack the riveting drama that challenges our minds and shakes us in order to hold our attention. Thankfully, heaven does not apply this same standard in determining what bears repeating. The mainstream may specialize in the sensational. Yet the tantalizing seldom, if ever, gets the attention of an Eternal God. He is not subject to the modern cycle of newspapers, magazines and online publications. What s on our front page is old news to Him. Wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes in divers places. Nation rising against nation. The writers of today s periodic journals may see that as some pretty significant stuff when it happens in real time. But there are more important matters that catch heaven s eyes. When young people are sent into the mission field, it seldom makes the front page of your daily paper. When a Muslim family is baptized in the name of Jesus, they don t interrupt a regularly scheduled episode on television. And when a father receives the revelation of Christ s deity, it doesn t make the news. I m so glad that somewhere in a small church, a man of God boldly declared to me the good news of Christ s death, burial and resurrection. He preached the promise that my sins do not have to follow behind me into judgment. Rather, they can go before me and be covered by His blood. Like so many others, when I bent my knee and repented of my sins it never made the local paper. The day I took on the name of Jesus in baptism, it went largely unheralded. And the day God filled me with His Spirit, the relevance of that moment was unimportant to most. What you find in the pages of this magazine is a contrast to most other publications. Herein lies the good news of men s, women s and student ministries. Evangelists, missionaries and the only hope of a prisoner are contained in the volumes and monthly editions of the Apostolic Witness. While more renowned media may choose to emphasize the obvious examples of a lost world, I am grateful to be a part of one voice that chooses to echo the stories that make all of heaven rejoice. Flip through these pages and find a sinner that repented and a life forever changed. It s quite amazing that what makes all of heaven rejoice somehow doesn t make the news. 4 Apostolic Witness

5 ASSEMBLIES of the LORD JESUS CHRIST DOCTRINAL TRUTHS The Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ asserts that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and that the fundamental plan of salvation consists of these major doctrinal truths: Belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as the one true God; Repentance from sins; Baptism by immersion in water in the name of Jesus Christ; Baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues. Send all offerings to Headquarters, designated by department to: ALJC PO Box Memphis, TN Financially Supporting All 8 ALJC Departments Monthly Offerings to World Missions & Missions America And Annual Offerings to each department listed below: 4 August 31 - Piggy Bank Offering (KidzQuest) October 31 - Overflow Offering (Apostolic Crusaders) November 30 - Missionary Christmas Offering (World Missions) January 31 - Missions Evangelism Offering (Evangelist Department) March 31 - Scholarship Fund Offering (Christian Schools Department) April 30 - Resurrection Sunday Offering (Missions America) May 31 - Channels of Blessings Offering (Women s Esprit) June 30 - Menistry Offering (Menistry) Let s Talk 2013 March Memphis, Tennessee ALJC Headquarters ALABAMA DISTRICT James Knight ARKANSAS DISTRICT Larry Davidson FLORIDA DISTRICT Stephen Reed GEORGIA DISTRICT Nathan Carrell GULF COAST DISTRICT James Johnson HEARTLAND DISTRICT Edward MacDonald ILLINOIS DISTRICT Francis Farney INDIANA DISTRICT Danny St. Clair EXECUTIVE BOARD GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT Robert Martin SOUTHERN REGIONAL Assistant Mark McCool northern REGIONAL assistant Tim Gill western regional Assistant Charles Hancock GENERAL SECRETARY Roger Gray WORLD MISSIONS DIRECTOR M.L. Walls MISSIONS AMERICA DIRECTOR George Akers EVANGELIST DIRECTOR Mark Bishop CHILDREN S MINISTRY DIRECTOR Nathan Roberts DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS KENTUCKY DISTRICT Joel Clemons LOUISIANA DISTRICT David Poole MICHIGAN DISTRICT Shannon Scott MISSISSIPPI DISTRICT Jonathan Vazquez NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT Lisle Lindsay NEW YORK/MID ATLANTIC DISTRICT Eugene Dayton OHIO DISTRICT Robert Fries OKLAHOMA DISTRICT Curt Green DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICT David Akers TENNESSEE DISTRICT John Robinson TEXAS DISTRICT Peter Gray TRI-STATE DISTRICT Billy McCool WESTERN DISTRICT Clarence King WEST TEXAS/NEW MEXICO DISTRICT Dale Bostic WEST VIRGINIA DISTRICT Ralph Tisdale GENERAL YOUTH PRESIDENT Chad Erickson WOMEN S ESPRIT PRESIDENT Penny Carpenter MENISTRY PRESIDENT Kenneth Carpenter CHRISTIAN SCHOOL DIRECTOR Joe Nelson HONORARY SUPERINTENDENTS David Mayo Raymond Bishop Don Johnson Steve Wilson APOSTOLIC WITNESS 875 North White Station Road PO Box Memphis, TN Phone: Fax: EDITOR Rick Hilton MANAGING EDITOR Robert Martin GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kayla LeBon APOSTOLIC WITNESS (V 60 #9) SEPTEMBER Apostolic Witness is the monthly publication and official organ of the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, TN (USPS # ) and additional mailing offices. To order reprints call POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Apostolic Witness PO Box Memphis, TN SUBSCRIPTIONS Individual subscriptions $24 per year; bundles of $2.00 per copy. Send subscription info and check to: Apostolic Witness, P.O. Box 22366, Memphis, TN Advertising 1/8 page - $100 1/4 page - $200 1/2 page - $300 Full page - $500 Discounts for multiple month ads. For info vopnbr@aol.com LETTERS Fax: vopnbr@aol.com Letters may be edited.

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10 Boy Struck by Lightning at Camp by Caleb Tisdale Apostolic Witness It started off as another great day for the ALJC West Virginia District Campmeeting. At the conclusion of the morning service on Wednesday, July 11, the congregation had gathered around the altar to pray. Pastor Ralph Tisdale began to lead them in prayer, instructing everyone to Ask for miracles in your personal life, in your family and in your church. As I left the service there was a sense of expectation that God was going to do something special. There was a sense of unity in the service. Everyone believed God was going to do great things, but what happened shook the whole Apostolic movement throughout the entire state. It validated the very foundations of my faith. After service the young people began to change into other clothes to prepare for the camp olympics. After the final event, a hot dog eating contest (not as fun to watch as you might think), all of the boys became interested in playing a game of softball. It was a little warm, but a nice sunny day for a game.

11 Raised from the I gathered them all up and headed to the softball field. We divided up teams and were a few players short. The boys asked Pastor Tisdale, the district superintendent, and Pastor Michael Jadrnicek, the camp evangelist, to join in. We were still one player short, so Karen Tisdale grabbed a glove and ran to third base. As we began to spread out on the field, I introduced myself to two young men I did not know. One of the young men s names was Zach Sandy. I found a glove and went to the pitchers mound to start the game. I threw the first pitch, and the batter made contact. The ball cleared the infield and rolled right under the glove of the left outfielder, Zach Sandy. We were all laughing and enjoying the afternoon. I looked around the bases and began to throw the second pitch. At that moment everything seemed to stand still. As the ball left my hands, I heard a small rumble of thunder, the first one all day. Then I heard a bang that sounded like a bomb going off. The next thing I realized, I was jumping up from my knees. I had been knocked down by the concussion from a lightn ing strike. I turned and looked toward first base to see if everyone was okay. I heard kids screaming, scared from the sound, and running up the hill towards the gymnasium. I continued my turn SEPT\12 ~ 11 11

12 and looked to center field where Pastor Tisdale was playing. He had been knocked down flat on his stomach but was getting up and looking around as well. I turned to left field and saw a young man lying on the ground. I immediately started running towards him, knowing something was wrong. I heard myself yelling to all the other kids, Get to the gym! Hurry! When I reached Zach I could instantly tell he had been seriously hurt. Zach had taken a direct hit by lightning. His body was lying on the ground, shocked stiff. Smoke was rising from his mouth and his body. I began to yell, Call 911! Call 911! I began to check for vital signs. Pastor Tisdale slid in on the other side of Zach and asked me what his name was. He began to call out, Zach, can you hear me? Zach! Immediately, Pastor Tisdale started praying, Jesus, we need You to touch this young man right now. I found no pulse. He was not breathing, I decided to begin CPR. Pastor Michael Jadrnicek, our camp evangelist, recalled the events: I had just got back from lunch with Pastor Tisdale. We walked to the field to see how the softball game was going. The game had not started yet, so Pastor Tisdale and I decided to join in. As Pastor Tisdale jogged to the outfield, I went behind home plate to await my turn to bat. About the second pitch there was a loud rumble of thunder followed instantly by a boom that sounded like a bomb. I looked into the outfield, and it appeared like a one hundred foot tall bolt of lightning hitting the ground. The force was so strong it made your hair stand up. It felt like someone had grabbed my shirt and shook me as hard as they possibly could. I began to tell the kids to head to the gym. When I looked I saw Caleb Tisdale running to the outfield. I saw him reach a young man lying in the grass. I ran after him to see what I could do to help. When I reached the boy, Caleb was already beginning CPR. I knew he knew what he was doing and that I could not help him. I could tell life was gone from this young man. As CPR was taking place I knelt at the boy s feet calling his name. I knew my responsibility in this situation. The only thing I could do to help was to touch God and pray. I did that. I began to pray and speak in tongues. I prayed, In the name of Jesus I bind death and bring life back into this boy in the name of Jesus. Pastor Tisdale reflected on what happened: I was on the phone in center field talking to Pastor Workman (camp secretary) when I heard a soft rumble of thunder in the distance. I heard no sound and saw no flash. I was thrown to the ground by a violent blow on the top of my head, unsure of what had happened. I arose and saw Caleb shouting, Is everybody alright? Many of the campers were running and screaming. Caleb said, Oh, Lord, and he began to run to left field. We arrived at Zach s side and immediately begin to pray in the Holy Ghost. Emergency services were called instantly, and Caleb began to administer CPR. It was a horrible sight. Zach was in dire straits and had no pulse. We were all claiming life and binding death as Caleb continued to work on Zach. In the midst of all the chaos I realized the only thing that mattered was prayer. 12 Apostolic Witness

13 As I started CPR, I remember thinking, Lord, I can t save this boy. You have to. As I knelt by Zach, working over his lifeless body, I was praying in the Holy Ghost and breathing into his lungs. Rain started to come down and lightning continued to flash in the sky. We continued to pray and do CPR as the minutes seemed to stretch on. Zach s condition never changed, but we never gave up. EMS arrived in about ten minutes. Zach still had no pulse. The paramedics loaded Zach into the truck and closed the doors and continued to work on him. You could see the ambulance rocking back and forth as the paramedics worked on Zach. I stood in the rain praying, and the van stopped rocking. Minsters began to lay hands on the van and pray. The van started to rock again. After approximately eight minutes, they came out of the truck and said, We have a pulse! Zach took a direct hit from lightning. It is a common statistic that anything over five volts of electricity could kill a person. Doctors estimate somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000 volts surged through his body. The lightning burned holes in his shirt and blew his pant legs off from the knee down. It cracked the screen on his cellphone and melted some of the keys on the phone. It burned a hole through his Jordan basketball shoes. He had second and third degree burns on his legs and down his back. Zach was dead for 20 minutes. Zach was rushed to Camden Clark Memorial Hospital, then to Ruby Memorial. Finally, he was life flighted to West Pitt burn center. When Zach s parents arrived in Parkersburg, they prayed around Zach s gurney and spoke in tongues. Sandy walked into the lobby after an hour trip, not knowing if her son was alive or dead and made an amazing declaration of faith, This all for the glory of God. The doctors in Parkersburg, Morgantown and Pittsburgh all agreed that no one survives that type of strike. Furthermore, burns that typically take three to ten weeks to heal were gone in less than 48 hours. The doctors confirmed that Zach is a miracle. Even in the midst of such circumstances we had to push through the fear and touch God. In Mark 5:36, the ruler of the synagogue s daughter was dead. Jesus told the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. In the back of our minds we feared for Zach and what could develop from such a horrible accident. Yet we pushed through all the fear and trusted in Jesus. Every four hours a more encouraging report was received. Pastor Jadrnicek had the difficult task of pulling everyone s focus back to worship and ministry. West Virginia District Campmeeting continued with four receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost, two baptisms in Jesus name and one resurrection! It was an unforgettable camp that connected us forever because of God s incredible power and mercy. Pastor Tisdale and I were able to visit Zach eight days after the strike, and he had been released from the hospital in Pittsburgh to Health South Rehab in Morgantown. He was walking, talking and enjoying his family. The doctors in Pittsburgh and Morgantown are calling for a complete mental and physical recovery. To God be the glory. Zach Sandy is a walking, talking miracle. To see a video about the miracle, look up Zach Sandy - The Miracle on YouTube. Caleb Tisdale serves as the West Virginia District Youth President. SEPT\12 ~ 13

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16 This Crazy Thing Called by Nathan Roberts, KidzQuest Director Sunday school teachers have to be more entertaining than Sponge Bob, as patient as Job and as loving as a mother or father. As there are different folds in the five fold ministry, children s ministry has a few different wrinkles of its own. Where do you fit in in your kids department? Teacher, Super Church worker, children s evangelist, puppeteer, children s worship leader? Maybe you are comfortable being a helper or an assistant. Children s Evangelist. The children s evangelist job is to come in to a church, hold a children s revival or crusade and try to help pray as many children through to the Holy Ghost as possible. The children s evangelists I know are as diverse as the six year olds in the first grade class. There are clowns, puppeteers, magicians, storytellers, ventriloquists and combinations of the aforementioned. These guys and girls are evangelists and normally minister between 30 minutes to an hour and then have an altar call. These guys and girls are very evangelical and are extremely desirous of your children receiving the Holy Ghost. Super Church Worker. Many churches have Super Church or children s church in conjunction with their Sunday school, and some have Super Church as their main children s ministry. I consider this department as between the children s evangelist and the Sunday school teacher. There is almost always more than one person in the Super Church department. These folks cover everything from action songs to puppets, from games to ministry. I have witnessed some great altar services in 16 Apostolic Witness

17 children s church, and I have witnessed little ones getting closer to their Savior. In most cases, Super Church or children s church, whatever you decide to call it, is a precursor to Sunday school. Great names for this department include Kidz Jam, Kidz on the Move, Rock Kids and many more. Utilize this ministry in your church and watch your children s ministry grow. Sunday School Teacher. In my humble opinion, this is the most important ministry for children, as well as the most difficult. Each classroom normally consists of a teacher and a helper. It is up to these folks to help teach the Bible to youngsters. You have to be more entertaining than Sponge Bob, as patient as Job and as loving as a mother or father. When children come into these classrooms, they should be like sponges, and we should be giving them something to soak up. Good Sunday school teachers love their children. They laugh with them, are strong to them, cry with them and pray with them. I credit my Sunday school teacher with me being in church. When I think about my childhood, it is not the pastor or the evangelist that I remember telling me that I needed the Holy Ghost, but rather it was Sister Betty Armstrong, my Sunday school teacher. Whatever part of children s ministry you are in, take it to heart; kids can spot a fake. Whether you are an evangelist, Sunday school teacher, action song leader, puppeteer or an assistant, minister to those children with all your might. They are our next pastors, teachers, choir members and Sunday school teachers. SEPT\12 ~ 17

18 America Can by George Akers, Missions America Director The study of revival is a very intriguing subject. The Acts 2 revival in the New Testament of the original church is captivating. The Day of Pentecost, when the sound of the rushing mighty wind filled all the house and they began to speak with other tongues, was the first move of God after the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ s first decision after ascending back into heaven was to pour out Himself upon His church. Receiving the Holy Ghost is more than just an individual experience. This is God s act to His New Testament church. In fact, His church must be Spirit filled. This was the initial revival in the New Testament. This was the beginning of revivals. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. They did not dream it up. They did not make it up. It was not taught to them in some school of learning. This came directly from the Spirit of God. And the Holy Scriptures tell us there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. This is very important to understand. The Holy Ghost did not fall on a bunch of vagabonds. When we think about revival today, we think about sinners, alcoholics and dysfunctional people coming in the church and receiving the Holy Ghost. That s not what revival is all about; that s called evangelism. Revival is what happens to God s church, God s people. And when the Holy Ghost first fell, He didn t fall upon sinners. The Holy Ghost first fell on devout men. And the multitude that gathered outside this upper room heard those filled with the Holy Ghost speaking in the tongues of nations from around the world where they had been born and raised. They were simply Galileans who spoke only Hebrew and Greek languages. But when they heard them speak in tongues, they asked how this could be. They had come from all over the world, and it confused them that these simple Galilean folks were speaking in the tongues of their native land. What does this mean? That s a great question. What does this speaking in tongues mean? And the Apostle Peter explained this is something the Prophet Joel prophesied of approximately 800 years ago. Don t ever give up on God s Word. It will come to pass. And in the prophecy of Joel, God said, I m going to pour out My Spirit all the way up to the end of the world. This outpouring of God s Spirit is until the sun is darkened and the moon is turned to blood. So don t let anybody tell you the days of revival are over. Revival will not be over until the end of the world. Every time a man of God stands in the pulpit and preaches revival, we ought to be on our feet saying, Amen, I believe that. And the Apostle Peter preached, And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. This is very important. What does it mean to call on the name of the Lord? This is a direct reference to a covenant relationship with us through His name. And how do we enter into a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ? We enter into covenant with Jesus Christ by being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptism, calling on His name, is essential to salvation! Baptism is all through the New Testament, and it is always a command and never a suggestion or just an option. If we are going to enter into a covenant with Jesus Christ as our Lord, we have got to put on His name in the waters of baptism. Where did this revival take place? It is very important to understand that the first revival in the New Testament took place in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the center of everything that God does. Jerusalem was the scene of many Old Testament revivals under King David, King Josiah, King Hezekiah and others. Jerusalem was the capital of God s chosen people. This is where we would expect revival to start. Revival must 18 Apostolic Witness

19 Have Revival always start with the people of God. So the first New Testament revival took place in the capital city of the chosen people of God. Revival is not something that happens in the world. Revival is something that happens to God s people. Evangelism is what happens to the sinner; revival is what happens to the church. It s a work within the body of Christ. God wants revival in the Apostolic church. And a revival will get noised abroad and draw lost souls. What were the circumstances that led to the revival? Many circumstances prevailed in that day and time. The Romans who were in power were atheists and idolaters, carnal and mean people. But revival was not prevented just because the Romans were in power. The Pharisees were the religious majority. They easily outnumbered everybody else. They didn t believe in the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They didn t believe in baptism in Jesus name. The Pharisees did not believe in holiness of spirit. They had their own brand of religion. But none of that stopped the Acts 2 revival. The people were skeptical. They were sick of religion. The attitude was, Churches are just filled with a bunch of hypocrites. So many false prophets were giving religion such a name for hypocrisy. But the church had revival in spite of the skepticism. There was political and religious suppression. It did not stop revival. Carnality ruled. It did not stop revival. In our world, drugs and pornography are rampant. Sports in our world has become a religion with athletes as idols. That s exactly the type of hour Jesus came to. They had the Roman arenas. They had perversion. They were completely submerged in the vileness of iniquity. They worshiped the human body. But it did not stop revival. There s not a perversion shop in America that can stop revival. There s not a brewery in America that can stop revival. There s not a casino in America that can stop revival. There s not a situation or circumstance that can stop revival. There s not enough carnality to stop revival. When God s church makes up its mind that it needs God more than it needs anything else, revival cannot be stopped. There had been no word from God for 400 years. What do you think you would be like if you didn t hear preaching every week? Just think of what it would be like with you if you didn t hear even one God-anointed sermon for one month? Or how about one year? Folks would go astray, lose holiness, drop doctrines and backslide. How can you hear without a preacher? This generation had not heard from God for 400 years! If you are going to live for God, then you are going to have to possess a made up mind that you re going to serve God! No preacher for 400 years did not stop revival! Ritualism prevailed. Dead ritualism did not stop revival. The New Testament church is a leaping, running, shouting, dancing, clapping, singing, praising, worshiping, magnifying and glorifying church. Life contains movement. Ritualism did not stop revival! Rebellion was everywhere. But rebellion did not stop revival. Greed prevailed. In the day of the Acts 2 revival, greed was so rampant that everybody was lusting for wealth. But greed could not stop revival. Some contend they could have revival if certain things were different and situations were not so difficult. The truth is that we need to get all the exceptions out of our conversation. There are no special cases that can stop revival. There are no reservations to having revival. There are no exceptions to having revival. America can have revival, no matter what s going on! SEPT\12 ~ 19

20 Boots On The Ground (Reports given in chronological order from the oldest to newest Adopt-A-City members) Fayette, Alabama Pastor Robert Knight Praying for revival. Baptized one in Jesus name this month at a biker rally. Zanesville, Ohio Pastor Kevin Hopkins Some doors have opened up in our community as we have been helping out at the local soup kitchen across the street from the church. We have connected with many that we have also seen on our weekly Friday night outreach. We have seen two guests come in off the street. God is stirring hearts in our area, and we are thankful for His hand that moves the hearts of men. Blairsville, Georgia Pastor Barry Dotson This month we had two baptisms. One was an 85-year-young man. We were honored to put him down in Jesus name! Walker, Louisiana Pastor Dean Walsworth Last month we had several first-time guests, held our first ladies spiritual fitness meeting (nine in attendance) and our first monthly men s prayer breakfast (five in attendance). God dealt with someone at GMC 12 to pledge to support our work. We are thankful. Coal City, Illinois Pastor Ida Nelson We are seeing growth. We have a renewed vision and desire to give back to both Missions America and World Missions. Warren, Ohio Pastor James Click We are continually seeing new guests as the Lord is drawing new people here. Our Sunday school attendance has been stable with an average of Gulfport, Mississippi Pastor Harvey Jones We had two new guests and have been experiencing great services. Henderson, North Carolina Pastor Rusty Williamson This has been an exciting month as we had one baptized in Jesus name and our altar services have been filled with souls seeking God. This past month we had seven first-time guests. Our Tuesday night Bible study has grown in attendance, and we completed one home Bible study. We marked our first anniversary of our church opening this month. To God be the glory for the things He has done. Monterey, Tennessee Pastor Thomas King This month we started a new Sunday school term, Get Your Praise On! We are teaching our children how to praise God and the importance of worship. We are actively involved in door knocking and food box ministry. Mt. Washington, Kentucky Pastor David Mackowiak We are actively involved in a home Bible study with a family, and we can see the changes it is making. A 21-year-old man stood up to testify and shouted, I want the Holy Ghost! He comes from a background of sin s bondage. We are excited about what God is going to do for him. Our newcomers are testifying that God has been answering their prayer requests, and they are now fasting and praying themselves. 20 Apostolic Witness

21 Church in Prison by Bob Koonce, National Chaplain A Jesus name Pentecostal church inside a prison? Correct! There are scores of them in America s prison system, and the Prisoner s Friend Ministries has been responsible for furnishing training materials for many of these churches. Hundreds have been won from sin and given the wonderful revelation of the name of Jesus Christ through the efforts of Prisoner s Friend. I am including a portion of a letter addressed to General Superintendent Robert Martin and forwarded to me. To my knowledge, the Prisoner s Friend Ministries has had no direct contact with this particular church, but over the years we have received many similar messages. We do not print a prisoner s name without that person s permission, but I personally want to thank MRJ for writing. Here s a portion of his letter: I want to make you aware of a miraculous work of God in this prison system. Christ Jesus has made room for us to establish the very first (and only) autonomous Apostolic Pentecostal fellowship in the entire Virginia Department of Corrections! Though our assembly is not quite three year s old, we have baptized almost 60 men in the saving name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many have received the Holy Ghost with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues! MRJ The Prisoner s Friend Ministries operates a nationwide chaplain network, with more than 150 chaplains working with us in order to get this wonderful message of salvation to as many as we possibly can. We regularly hear from a southern US chaplain, reporting wonderful results. Astounding reports come from a chaplain in Missouri, and an Ohio chaplain is absolutely consumed with desire to reach more prisoners in more prisons. Despite early-release, reduced sentences and timeserved releases, America s prison population is still growing by more than 50,000 inmates annually. Islam is scoring big in prisons, yet many Christian chaplains tend to fight the Oneness Pentecostals. One of our certified chaplains works under such strain from the head chaplain that the chaplain nor anyone in the group is allowed to speak or pray above a normal conversational tone. But despite all this, dozens of inmates receive the Holy Ghost and speak with other tongues in whispers! Please continue praying for this ministry, and support us financially as you can. Prisoners need us; we need you. National Chaplain Bob Koonce and his wife Eileen celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in August. The Koonces have six children 19 grandchildren, and 17 great grandchildren. Bishop Koonce pastored Gibson City (Illinois) Pentecostal Church from 1963 until In 1995 they began the Prisoner s Friend Ministries in the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ. Bishop Koonce is the National Director of this program, and both he and his wife continue to work daily in the ministry. SEPT\12 ~ 21

22 Welcome by Mark Bishop, Evangelist Coordinator The Atkins Family Jesus said unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Matthew 9:37-38 W ith the harvest of souls greater than it has ever been, we are constantly looking for more laborers. Every church needs more workers, more singers, more prayer warriors, more teachers, more prophets and more evangelists. That s why we are enthused to see more evangelists coming on the field. The harvest is plentiful. The Evangelist Department is growing, and we are pleased to have so many great evangelistic teams on the field. In the next few issues, we will be introducing our new evangelist teams to you. We are excited about Jonathan and Kristen Atkins joining the ALJC Evangelist Department. Evangelist Atkins has ministered in our pulpits for several years, and his ministry has proven to be an inspiration and has blessed our churches beyond measure. His anointing will ignite your church, challenging and blessing the entire congregation while reaching for the sinner. Please consider this fine family and make them a part of your next revival. 22 Apostolic Witness

23 Gary and Shelia Ashcraft ashcraftministry.blogspot.com Jonathan and Kristen Atkins James Chessor Jr Jonathan Fortner Greetings from Jonathan Atkins I was born on October 6, 1981, in Covington, Kentucky, where my father, Dave Atkins, served as pastor. When I was 18 months old, my dad resigned the church and went back on the evangelistic field. Then, in November of 1986, he became pastor of the Church of Jesus Christ in Newland, North Carolina. He continues to serve in this pastorate to this day. It was there that I met a beautiful five-year-old girl named Kristen Marie Hogan, who would later become my wife! She and I were childhood sweethearts and eventually married on December 6, In May of the following year, Kristen graduated with a Bachelor s Degree in Elementary Education (K-6), and on August 10, 2003, she and I began evangelizing full time. Our first son, Jonathan David, was born on June 3, 2004, and our second son, Judah, was born May 1, On February 27 of this year, our daughter Paisley was born. The Lord has truly blessed the Atkins family. We have now been evangelizing full time for nine years. During this time, we have seen many filled with the Holy Ghost, baptized in Jesus name, healed and delivered. Thank the Lord that many churches and pastors have been renewed and revived. We preach in more than 80 churches a year, most of which average five-night revivals. We are home in North Carolina about two to three weeks a year. During this time we preach in the Tri-State District. Currently, our schedule is filled until September We travel with a truck and fifth wheel. We sing, and I play the drums while my wife plays the keyboard. God has truly been good to us, and we are nothing without Him! Terry and Valerie Glaspell Tglaspell@gmail.com Chris Leach rev.leach@yahoo.com leachministries.com Michael Maupin MichaeljMaupin@hotmail.com Cody Mayo c_mayo_la@yahoo.com Wilson and Karla Murphy wilsonmurphy22@yahoo.com David Walker ARM2outreach@gmail.com SEPT\12 ~ 23

24 Dad Made A by James Chessor Years ago, a Catholic nun worked at a men s prison. One day an inmate asked her to buy him a Mother s Day card for his mom. She did, and many of the other inmates heard about what she had done. After a few days, she was overwhelmed with the same request from other inmates. She then contacted Hallmark, who kindly donated a few large boxes of Mother s Day cards. The warden made arrangements. Every prisoner could now send a card to his mother. The idea was a hit! Sometime later, the nun looked ahead in the event calendar. She decided to give Hallmark another call and made a request for some Father s Day cards. Hallmark agreed again. The arrangements were made by the warden, and again every inmate could send a card. To the nun s surprise, not one single inmate wanted to send his father a card. Not one. How sad and revealing this instance was. According to Irving Kristol, Almost two-thirds of rapists, three-fourths of adolescent murderers, and three-fourths of long-term prison inmates were abandoned by their fathers. Another study revealed that 92% of prison inmates hated their fathers. Is it possible? Could more favorable fathers drive crime rates down? Does a dad have this much influence in a child s life? Absolutely they do. Fatherhood is a calling that will undoubtedly affect the next generation. Consider the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Before he was born, the angel visited Joseph. The angel warned him that someone was after the young child. The angel appeared to Joseph and gave him a warning about his family. He was told, Flee with your family. Joseph obeyed, took his wife and the child and escaped to safety. The family needed a father. A father who would provide, protect and lead. Is it not astounding that God himself did not want to be raised in a fatherless home? The circumstance was difficult for Joseph, but he still had an obligation to his family. Families are under attack, and it is no time to abandon ship, men. We must stay the course and be the men God wants us to be. You may ask yourself, Can I make that much of a difference? Yes, dad! You can make a difference. Consider Father Abraham. He was instructed to take his son up the mountain to sacrifice. Imagine the impact upon the young Isaac. God called Abraham to sacrifice, but he desired Isaac to come along. We all know the outcome. It was a test. Abraham thought he was going to sacrifice his son, but the angel stayed the knife and provided a lamb. It was a marvelous moment for Abraham, but 24 Apostolic Witness

25 think about Isaac for a moment. He had a front row seat to witness first-hand the blessing his dad received. Abraham passed the most difficult test of his life with his son right beside him. Dads, be spiritual. Go ahead and climb spectacular heights with God, but do not leave your children behind. Take them with you. The first two weeks of every year, my family is privileged to preach in Gilbert, Louisiana. I love spending these two weeks with Bishop Virgil Harris and the congregation in Gilbert. There is one thing I will always remember about this church, and it is their prayer rooms. Each night before each service, there is a mighty prayer meeting. You can hear the roar when you enter the building. The thing I admire most about these prayer rooms is they are filled with people of all ages. I watch as fathers bring their children and grandfathers bring their grandchildren. I have seen children that could be no older than three kneeling and praying beside their parents or grandparents. What an opportunity. We need to expose our children to the things of God. Those same children I see praying in the prayer room are the ones worshiping in the sanctuary. Dads, take your children with you while they are still young. Don t climb without your family in hand. Can you imagine the story Isaac would be able to share all throughout his life? My dad once took me up a mountain out of obedience and was willing to give it all, but the angel intervened! Some may not realize it, but Isaac heard the same voice and shared this experience. Abraham was his hero. Our generation is in desperate need of heroes. It needs a modern day, world changing dad. Can one man make a difference in a child s life? Yes, dad makes a difference. Heroes are not those hitting the game-winning homeruns or buzzer beating three pointers. They are not scoring the game-winning touchdown. Society s real heroes are kissing their children before they go to bed and praying with them. They are taking their little girls on daddy/daughter dates and their little boys on fishing trips. Rebekah had the influence of a godly father, and her actions proved it. Her qualities were noticeable, and she was always going the extra mile. The servant noticed this, and he asked, Whose daughter art thou? In others words, Who do you belong to? There was something distinctive about her, something that made her different and noticeable. She responded, I am the daughter of Bethuel. Bethuel meant man of God or dweller in God. Based on this account, I have to believe that her dad made a difference in the type of woman she became. He was a God dweller. You are irreplaceable. I know it is a busy time. You must make a living for your family, but don t allow it to take you away from your family. Your family would rather have less money and more of you than more money and less of you. You only have a few years with your children. Make them count. Take them with you. Hunt with them. Play with them. Lead them in prayer and worship. Pray with them. Before you make the next trip to an altar, take that little one with you. She may not understand now, but she will soon enough. Dads, take your children with you while they are still young. Don t climb without your family in hand. James Chessor is a full-time evangelist, and he serves as the National Secretary for the Menistry Department of the ALJC. SEPT\12 ~ 25

26 Harvest Time is Now by M.L. Walls, World Missions Director Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest (John 4:35). Jesus was sitting on the well of Jacob when He spoke these words to His disciples. He had just finished speaking to the troubled and confused woman who had come to the well for water. By the time she had finished speaking with Jesus, she forgot her water pot and rushed back into the city, exclaiming, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? (John 4:29). The statement by Jesus was prompted by the words of His disciples who had returned with food for the group. When they invited Jesus to eat, He informed them that He had meat to eat that they did not know about. His meat was to do the will of His Father. The Lord then made the statement concerning the fields being white unto harvest right then, not four months from then. Harvest time in Israel is in April, so the time when the Lord made this statement must have been some time in December. But He was stating that the harvest of which He was speaking must be reaped now! The harvest for souls must never be programmed according to our time schedule. The harvest is now! While we may make plans and set dates for revivals and for other meetings, such dates must never be set for reaching the lost. The harvesting of souls is an ongoing process that we must be actively involved in at all times and at any time. As Jesus spoke these words to His disciples, many were coming out of the village to meet the man of whom the woman spoke. A harvest was taking place right before the eyes of the disciples. John recorded: And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world (John 4:41-42). To have the opportunity to visit the mission field and witness firsthand what is taking place among our missionaries is to witness the harvesting process taking place day and night. Reaching out to souls is resulting in a great harvesting that is taking place in this evening time. Your faithful support of the missionary in the harvest fields is resulting in many souls being added to the church. The missionary is an extension of your own efforts in reaching the lost. Souls that you probably will never meet in your lifetime will one day be included in that great number that will rise to meet the Lord in the air at the time of the rapture. Your prayers and your financial support are not being wasted. The results for your investment will be revealed tomorrow when the great harvest is finished and all the laborers both home and abroad gather for the great celebration at the end of the harvest. Together we are making a difference. The Philippines by Missionary Mark Naimy The toughest thing about being a missionary is parting with those we love so dearly, knowing that it will be many months before we will be able to see them again. But we have committed all into God s care and are comforted in the knowledge that He will take care of both them and us. With that said, it is great to be back in the Philippines, doing what God has called us to do. After recently spending more than two full days of travel, Debra and I arrived in Kabankalan City, which will be our home base for the foreseeable future. We were excited to see firsthand the progress made on the new Apostolic Bible College campus. There is still much work to be done on the classrooms and dorms, but things are shaping up nicely, thanks to the supervision of Pastor Roberto Nino and the hard work of many of his saints. We recently had a historic day for the ALJC Philippines! We officially opened the second branch of the Apostolic Bible College of the Philippines with an enrollment of 22 on-campus students (plus six at the Manila campus). The opening of ABC Kabankalan was made even more special by the arrival and enrollment of Abindra Baral. He came all the way from Nepal to attend our humble Bible college. What could possibly be more rewarding than seeing the fulfillment of a vision? It is here that God is raising up the ministers and church workers that will turn the Philippines and Asia upside down for Jesus Christ! We were recently able to work in trips to Davao City and Bago City. We were honored to preach the tenth anniversary service of Bishop Sanguenza and the fourth anniversary for Pastor Jarobel. We are delighted to report that the Lord met with us in both services in a marvelous way. 26 Apostolic Witness

27 Cuba by Missionary James Rennard The past two years have been quite a transition for our family and our work in Cuba. For several years, we traveled to Cuba frequently, staying for up to three months at a time. During that time, we were thrilled to witness many baptized in Jesus name and hundreds filled with the Holy Ghost. We were privileged to preach and teach at close to 20 churches in the area of Havana. We helped fund and attended numerous conferences where we witnessed the growth and development of pastors, leaders and church members. All of this was possible because of the backing and support of our great organization, and for that, we thank you. We have always struggled with visa issues in Cuba. The longest visa we can obtain is one month, with a maximum of a two-month extension. Then after a trip back home, it can take several more months to obtain another visa. Because of these issues, we felt it was in the best interest of the Cuban church, our organization and ourselves to obtain work here in the U.S., as not to drain funds from the ALJC while living in the U.S. We are blessed to have good jobs in the U.S., which allow us to live without ever touching ALJC funds for our living expenses. All of the money that comes in from the ALJC for Cuba goes into an account that funds our two or so trips a year, youth camps, conferences, church improvement projects, musical instruments, pastoral support and other various causes in Cuba. We are thankful for those of you who give consistently and generously to the work in Cuba. Our two trips a year allow us to oversee where the money is spent, check in with the very qualified and visionary leaders in Cuba and connect with the 20 or so churches with which we are connected. Recently, we have been able to fund a well-attended summer youth camp and in October will be funding and attending the national convention, which we expect to have well over 1,000 attendees. Of course, our passion for Cuba has not died or even faded. We would love for visa restrictions to be lifted and have the option of visiting and staying in Cuba for longer periods of time. However, we are confident that God has our situation in His hands, and our minds are at ease knowing that Armando Roca and the other capable leaders in Cuba are working hard, with our help and your funding, to see the work of God advance in the island. Again, we thank those of you who faithfully support the work in Cuba. As we pray, struggle and press to share the gospel, please be assured that your commitments are secure and necessary for growth. Germany by Missionary Horst Krauss With your help and the help of many others, we have been able to turn a dirty and worn down warehouse into a place of worship! Since we have found this building, God has poured out His blessings upon it. It is incredible how many miracles and open doors we have seen throughout this project. The plumbing, electricity, flooring, drop ceiling and many other things were finished without spending one cent for a craftsman. It was all done through donation and volunteer work. It is amazing what we can do when we are unified, and not just locally, but all over the world. From our hearts we thank you very much. Every one of you had a part in this miracle. Six different companies have donated our main entrance doors and our sanctuary doors. Our bank has given us furniture worth thousands of dollars. We want to express a special thanks to European Regional Director Roland Baker and the World Missions Department for their support throughout this special time. Thank you to everyone who has given sacrificially to help us achieve this miracle. Thanks for rejoicing with us. Please continue to pray because there are still many things to be done before everything is completed. AUG\12 ~ 27

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