ON MAY 25, 2023 I DROVE TO ORLANDO TO MEET UP WITH JERRY HOBBS AT THE NATIONAL RELIGIOUS BROADCASTERS CONVENTION. WE VISITED FOR JUST A COUPLE OF HOURS BECAUSE EVEN AT 86, JERRY IS IN MUCH DEMAND. WE HAVE HAD A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP FOR OVER 60 YEARS.  JERRY WAS A YOUNG 25 YEAR OLD EVANGELIST PREACHING AT SOUTHLAWN ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH IN AMARILLO, TEXAS IN 1962 WHEN A 12 YEAR OLD RONNY THOMASON CAME FORWARD TO SURRENDER MY LIFE TO JESUS.  SINCE THEN, WE HAVE KEPT IN CONTACT. JERRY AND HIS WIFE LUCRETIA EVEN CAME TO JACKSONVILLE A COUPLE TIME TO HOLD MEETINGS.  LUCRETIA PASSED AWAY JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, SO IT SEEMED MORE URGENT FOR ME TO PAY HIM A VISIT.  THEY WERE MARRIED 63 YEARS AND HE MISSES HER SO MUCH.  JERRY AND LUCRETIA PASTORED, EVANGELIZED, DID MISSIONS WORK, TELEVISION ETC.  LUCRETIA WAS JAMES ROBISON'S SECRETARY FOR MANY YEARS.  EVEN NOW, JERRY HAS BECOME AN INVENTOR-BUSINESSMAN.  IT WAS A GREAT JOY FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO SEE HIM, EVEN IF IT WAS BRIEF.  GOD BLESS JERRY HOBBS!
 

IRENENORMA

RUTHETHELAMY

 

STEPHANIEANGIELYN

SOME OF THE AWESOME MOM'S IN MY LIFE

(COULDN'T FIND PICTURES FOR ALL OF THEM)

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY!!!!

I returned from Nepal last Saturday (April 24) after almost three weeks of travel, ministry, and fellowship with many Pastors and Church Leaders. It was a very fruitful and rewarding experience.  I teamed up with Adam Culp from Tulsa Ok. who lived in Nepal for 5 years until the Covid Pandemic forced him and his family to leave.  He is greatly loved and respected by the Brethren in Nepal. He is also a real joy to travel and minister with. He is pictured above with me and a newly ordained Pastor. Adam is on the right.

Together we conducted a Kingsway Fellowship International/Nepal Annual Conference in Kathmandu and a Spiritual Growth/Healing Conference in Chitwan, Nepal. We also spoke in several churches and had many one on one meetings to encourage ministers. We saw God bring many ministers and ministries together in a display of unity never seen before. God used us to bridge the gaps and tear down some fences so these precious brothers and sisters can work more closely together for the Kingdom of God in Nepal.

i want to say special thanks to all of those who supported this mission through giving finances and praying for us.  It was awesome how God put it in the hearts of people all over the world to give us this amazing support! Thank you so much!

Upon arriving home, our church entered immediately into a 5 service revival meeting with Evangelist Dr Sean Strong from Lebanon, Mo. What a powerful meeting it was! Souls were saved and added to the church and we were all REVIVED! God is truly doing wonderful things in the earth today!

me with Dr Sean Strong

 

One of the things I love about missions work is being exposed to different cultures and observing their customs and traditions.  Somehow, upon arriving in Ndola, Zambia, we were invited to the private home of a university Chancellor where they were preparing to take food from the home of the Bride, to the Groom's home. The food was all over the floor in the main room inside very nice pots.  They uncovered the pots and passed each dish under our noses so we could see and smell them.  There were dishes we recognized but more that we had no idea what they were. They patiently explained each dish to us. Then the Bride's Father, standing here in this picture, said a blessing prayer and sprinkled a handful of salt over the array of pot and pans. The guests then picked up the food and took it to the Groom's home to give to his family. This was to show them how their son will be eating in his future home. The actual wedding took place the following day. We felt honored to have been invited to join this gracious family at this occasion. Our thanks to Dr and Mrs. John Mumba for receiving us into their home!

 

This photo captured one of the most precious unforgettable moments of my life. It was August 23, 2020 during our Grand Opening celebration of Cornerstones Church's new facility at 7144 Atlantic Blvd in Jacksonville, Florida.  Dr Robert "Papa" Doorn has just finished speaking. As he starts to sit down, Dr James Maloney steps up to escort him to his seat. Captured in this moment was honor, respect, love, joy and many other  emotions.  Here, at a special time for me, are two of the most important people in my life. Both men are Apostles who have impacted the world with the Gospel message. Both have influenced, encouraged, activated, and sponsored ministers around the globe their entire adult lives.  Both were my close friends, confidants, advisors to whom I submitted for many, many years. James Maloney (almost 65) went to be with the Lord shortly before Christmas of 2022,  just weeks after this event.  Papa Doorn made his transition last Saturday, January 28, 2023 at 93 years of age. Little did we expect them to go in that order. I am so glad for this memory! That's me in the background enjoying the moment.  One day I will catch up to them in Heaven. What fun they must be having!

 

SOME OF THE PLACES I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO PREACH THE GOSPEL IN THE LAST FEW YEARS

ZAMBRANO, HONDURAS

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI

 YANGON, MYANMAR

 

KENYA

KATHMANDU, NEPAL

INDIA

I HAVE SHARED. THE LOVE OF GOD WITH PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD. PEOPLE ARE THE SAME EVERYWHERE. THEY ARE DESPERATE TO KNOW GOD AND TO HEAR OF HIS LOVE FOR THEM. WHETHER IT IS IN THE AMERICAS, AFRICA, ASIA, EUROPE, OR THE ISLANDS OF THE SEAS, THE GOSPEL IS THE BEST NEWS EVER TOLD! I AM THANKFUL TO HAVE BEEN HIS AMBASSADOR IN ALL THESE PLACES.

 

One of the great honors that has been bestowed on me over the years is to be asked to serve on various ministry's  Board of Directors.  Some are just honorary, but many are actually working boards that require regular meetings and input. I have always been humbled to serve these great organizations. Some are now inactive but most are still actively pursuing their Gospel mandate. here is a partial list of the ministries I have served:

First Assembly of God, White Deer, Texas 1972-1974
First Assembly of God, Rockwall, Texas 1974-1980
Faith Chapel, Rockwall, Texas 1980-1983
Amarillo Christian Center (Victory Church), Amarillo, Texas 1983-1989
Christian Life Center, Broken Bow, Nebraska 1989-1995
International Christian Center, Jacksonville Florida 1995-1996
Cornerstone Church, Inc, Jacksonville, Florida 1996-Present
Don Normand Ministries 2000-2021
Workers Together With God (Honduras-Jim & Linda Tjelmeland) 1994-Present
Dove On The Rise Ministries (James Maloney) 1998-Present
Branford Oasis Church, Branford, Florida 2003-Present
Burning Plow Ministries (Kenya-Don & Becky Cameron) 2012-Present
Planet Evangelism Ministries (Joshua & Diane Heines) 2020-Present
Wildfire Kingdom Revivals (James Finley) 2022

I have also served unofficially as an an advisor to several other ministries over the years as well as committees and councils, schools and seminaries.  Though I cannot claim any credit for the successes of these wonderful ministries, I can say that it has been a real joy to play however small a role in the work of God all my adult life.

You may ask why me and how? It is all in being there for people with a listening ear and helping hands over time. People learn to trust you and value your opinions. All for the Glory of God! 

I turn 72 today. I know, it is hard to believe. LOL. It is true though. I was born on this date, October 24, 1950 at approximately 10:00 P.M. at St Anthony's Hospital on the corner of Polk Street and Route 66, in Amarillo Texas. This life has taken me on a great journey and to many places. I have met many wonderful people and have made friends with folks of various nations.  God has paired me up with two powerful wives: Norma (1970-2003) and Ruth (2008-present). My natural children, Heather and Aaron are awesome! With Ruth came three daughters, Amy, Angielyn and Ashley whom I have learned to love as my own. Then together Ruth and I have 12 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Aaron's wife, Stephanie, is just amazingly perfect. I truly enjoy Bobby, Amy's husband. Then there is my wonderful church family.  I am truly a blessed man! 

My greatest thrill is knowing my Lord Jesus Christ! It has been my honor to co-labor with Him in ministry all of my adult life.  To represent Him in proclaiming His Gospel is how I get the greatest satisfaction. I aim to do that as long as I have breath.

Some men my age are already retired and doing who knows what, but for me, there remains work to do. The greatest move of God in the history of mankind is upon us and I intend to be in the midst of what God is now doing in the earth.  Whatever He is up to...count me in! When my time comes to leave this world, I will go gladly with His name on my lips and a heart filled with His love. 

 

CONSIDER THIS!

The Holy Spirit dwells within every Believer who is truly born again. Think about the potential in this one truth.  Literally millions of people scattered over the whole earth carrying the Divine Presence in their persons. Consider this along with Who He is and what powers He possesses.  Truly, we are a mighty slumbering army!  It causes me to wonder when and in what way, God is going to call up His troops. It is like He has Holy Spirit filled "sleeper cells" hidden away in reserve for some special moment in the Grand Design.  Is He pulling the trigger that unleashes us on the world? 

If we believe that God is all He says He is (and we do) and if He actually dwells in the midst of us (and He does) then the world has never witnessed us at our full potential.  I am remembering how Smith Wigglesworth once stepped onto a busy factory floor and just stood there looking around. Suddenly all the workers fell to the floor under the convicting power of the Spirit and began to call out to God in repentance. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would be in us and would convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. If all believers who carry the Spirit of God would release His convicting power on those around us at the same time, there would be wholesale revival of historical proportions!

I know there is much more to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit than we, His Church, has ever experienced. All of creation is groaning for the full revealing of the Sons of God.  When that comes to pass, we will witness a glorious harvest of souls and pass to the next generations a great legacy!

Scripture references:

John 14:15-18

John 16:7-15

1 John 5:4-8

Name Droppers

 Who do you know? We live in a time when folks are so insecure that they struggle to find some famous individual they can claim to be “close” with that makes them seem important. Name dropping is the practice of one up man ship in which people claim significance over each other in conversation. The Truth is, in God, no one is insignificant!! We all matter to God and He loves us equally. 

The One whose name is worthy of elevation above all others is Jesus Christ who gave Himself for us all. I don’t care what big names you throw around, I hang out with Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Try to top that!