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Faith journey of

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™

A Publication of Word of Faith Christian Center

Liberated TRUTH

by KNOWN

By Kevin E. Wright

Unity in the FAMILY

By Leslie D. Wright

Right and Wrong THINKING

By Kevin E. Wright

Wright Family LEGACY

By Shanderia K. Posey

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Right and Wrong Thinking This is the year of the fullness of blessings. You will not receive the fullness of blessings until you change your thinking.

Know, Sow and Go

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Sarah Hickey Bowling

articles

Kevin E. Wright

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Liberated by Known Truth

Kevin E. Wright

Jesus paid the price for our redemption. He became what we were, so we might become what He is—righteous.

14 Wright Family Legacy!

Shanderia k. Posey

Twenty-five years later, Stephen Wright follows in his father’s footsteps, graduating from Rhema Bible Training Center.

16 Mentorship Program Celebrating 10 Years

Maggie Wade Dixon

Do you want your relationship with Jesus to have more depth? Then make what’s important to Him your priority.

The commemoration for the 10-year anniversary of the WOF mentorship program was an elaborate, love-filled celebration of our youth, mentors, and parents, and honored the vision of Bishop Kevin E. Wright and Pastor Leslie D. Wright.

22 Faith Bible Institute Philis E. Fowler

Faith Bible Institute (FBI) recently marked its 10th graduating class. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women for effective service.

24 Godly Decisions

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Leslie D. Wright Our families should be united in the Lord Jesus Christ.

If your family is not, it will not function as it should.

features

Unity in the Family

Edward Taylor

Do you believe in luck? It is not luck that determines how things turn out in our lives—it’s our choices.

21 The Power of Protection Shanderia k. Posey

Psalm 91 was already a favorite passage of scripture for Curtis Austin, but now the words of that text have a more literal meaning to him of God’s protection.

25 WOFCC-Yazoo City

Word of Faith Christian Center in Yazoo City is centrally located within the city that is commonly known as the “Gateway to the Delta.”

27 Kid’s G6:20 Fun Page

We’ve rounded up some fun stuff to celebrate our freedom in Christ, from tongue twisters to jokes and puzzles. Get ready to have a blast!

Volume 3 ∙ Issue 3 Journey of Faith magazine is published quarterly by Word of Faith Christian Center, a non-profit organization. Editorial Offices: 4890 Clinton Blvd, Jackson, MS 39209. Phone (601) 922-9323. Web address: www.wofcc-ms.com. Copyright © 2008 by Word of Faith Christian Center. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. Journey of Faith and logo are trademarks of Word of Faith Christian Center. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references in this issue are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV). Copyright © 1977, 1984, 2001 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Public domain. Journey of Faith has no subscription or newsstand price and is supported through contributions from its readers. All gifts to this ministry are tax deductible. Editor/Publisher Kevin E. Wright Assistant Editor Leslie D. Wright Managing Editor Philis E. Fowler Graphic Designer Vicki A. Bolden Writers Maggie Wade Dixon, Philis E. Fowler, Shanderia K. Posey, and Elain Yellock Proofreaders Dadra L. Driscoll, and Lori Perez

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Liberated by Known Truth

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very year on July 4th, Americans everywhere celebrate our country’s freedom. Even more important is the fact that, nearly two thousand years ago, the entire civilization of humankind was set free spiritually from the dominion of Satan. Jesus died and rose again on the third day. He went to heaven to present His blood as a sacrifice for our redemption, and then came back to reinforce His will (see Hebrews 9:12, 16-17). The Word of God says, He who knew no sin became sin so “we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). The gospel truth is Jesus paid the price for our redemption. He became what we were, so we might become what He is—righteous.

In St. John Chapter 8, Jesus reveals how to live a liberated life! “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, if you continue [hold on to, obey, abide] in my word, then are ye my true disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (St. John 8:3-32, emphasis added). Known truth will liberate you in every sense of the word—spiritually, mentally, physically, and financially. To know the truth implies having an understanding and working knowledge. The Bible says, “With all thy getting get an understanding” (Proverbs 4:7).

Did you know you can have the truth and still be bound by the enemy?

To walk in truth means more than to give mental assent. It means to apply it to behavior. The truth in and of itself will not liberate you. It is only when you apply the truth to your life that you will experience freedom. Two things keep Christians defeated in life. The first is having no information at all, and the second is a lack of understanding. The Word of God says, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). In other words, people perish because of a lack of “redemptive revelation of God” (Proverbs 29:18, Amplified Bible).

Dr. Kenneth E. Hagin once said, “Faith begins where the will of God is known.” I submit to you today that too many believers live beneath their privileges because of a lack of knowledge or understanding. If you live long enough, you will discover that, contrary to the popular saying, what you don’t know can hurt you. Victorious living begins with understanding what the will of the Lord is and what it means. In Ephesians 1, Paul prayed, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:17-18, emphasis added). Paul understood that revelation knowledge is the key to living a liberated life, free from the bondages of the world.

Jesus stated the purpose for His life and ministry when He quoted Isaiah in St. Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” Until you begin to meditate on God’s word, it will not come alive to you. The Bible will be no different from a novel. Jesus said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide [live in, dwell in and take up residence] in you, ye may ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you” (St. John 15:7). Psalms 1: 2-3 says, “But his delight [passion] is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.” Meditate means to mutter, chew on or say over and over again. God wants us to become students of the Scripture. I encourage you to take full advantage of your God-given rights and privileges, which are found in the Word of God. Begin to walk out the will of God for your life and you will begin to experience victory in every area of your life.

salvation Prayer

If you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior…

If you have never been born again, you need Jesus. If you are born again but you’ve been away from the Lord, come back to Him now. Decide to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life.

Simply pray this prayer: “Heavenly Father, I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe Jesus died for me on Calvary’s tree. I believe He bore all of my sins because He loves me (Romans 5:12 & St. John 3:16). I believe He rose from the dead with all power and is alive today seated at Your right hand” (St. John 1:12).

“Dear Lord Jesus, come into my life and into my heart. I believe in my heart and I confess with my mouth, You are my personal Lord and Savior and I am right now born again. I am a citizen with You and heaven is my home (Romans 10:8-10). Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer you are now born again. It’s time to move forward with God; time to give your life completely to Him. Begin to read your Bible and pray.

Spend time with godly, on-fire Christians who are serving God in a strong church that is teaching the Word of God. Your life will never be the same.

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new, life-changing book

Discover how you can become

God’s voice

In the Earth

by Kevin E. Wright

Join forces with God the Father and carry out His will on the earth. It is the covenant right and responsibility of every New Testament believer.

God’s Voice In the Earth will be available soon!

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P R OD U C T AD S

Allow God to mold you into the champion he created you to be!

Combining the different gifts of many completely ordinary, willing and obedient members, God’s Dream Team is a team of

Bui ldi Dre ng G a od’ m Lead ersh T s ip an ea Tony Fe Semi d Volu m!

Coo atur nar P ntee ke a ing acka rs nd B spea ge uddy kers Bell

CHAMPIONS.

Every gift is needed in the Body of Christ to reach our full potential. Discover the power of putting your gift to work with the Leadership and Volunteers Seminar Package. This wonderful package contains five remarkable CDs, featuring dynamic guest speakers Tony Cooke and Buddy Bell.

5 CDs for just $25.00!

Faith Groups In Acts 2:42–47, believers gathered together to learn, fellowship, and worship with one another. During their time of sharing, the people praised God and “the Lord added to the number daily those who were being saved” (NIV).

Find out more about this unique fellowship to meet people’s needs and increase the Body of Christ with the 5-CD series Faith Groups – It’s All About People!

Bishop and Pastor Kevin E. and Leslie D. Wright discuss: • • • •

Faith Groups 101 It’s All About People One Another Model – Parts 1 and 2 Sharing Your Faith

Listen and become a part of this exciting small-group ministry—start growing in Christ through godly relationships!

Faith Groups – It’s All About People!

5 CDs for just $25.00!

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RIGHT AND

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any Christians live defeated because they do not know God’s will for their lives. I once heard an instructor say something I will never forget. She said, “Knowledge is expensive, but ignorance will cost you even more.” Think about that. Hosea 4:6a says, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.” A high percentage of Christians live beneath their God-given privileges, and they are being destroyed because of a lack of knowledge. They have not renewed their minds as the Bible says in Romans 12:2a, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (emphasis added). If you do not renew your mind, your thinking will be wrong. If your thoughts are wrong, what you believe will be wrong. If what you believe is wrong, that will affect what you say and your confession will be wrong. I want to encourage you to work on your thinking. When you do, what you believe will change, along with your confession. We have to link the three together—what you

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WRONG

KING

By Kevin E. Wright

think, believe and say.

Let’s look at the thought process and what is on your mind. You are the way you are today because of your thoughts or what you have been dwelling on all these years. There is a phrase I like to say, “You will never get beyond your capacity of thinking.”

What you think about does matter because what you continue to focus on will get into your heart or your belief system. It will then begin to affect what you say—your confession.

Wrong thinking is “stinking thinking.” Stinking thinking will cause you to not walk in the blessings of God. This is the year of the fullness of blessings. You will not receive the fullness of blessings until you change your thinking. I have talked with people many times who say, “If it’s the Lord’s will I’ll be healed.” Or, “If it’s the Lord’s will, I’ll walk in prosperity.” You have to learn what the Word of God says about your circumstance.

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RIGHT AND WRONG

THINKING Again, it is a three-step process—your thinking will get down into your heart to form your believing and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak or confess. It starts with your thought process. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.”

Man is a three-part being. He is a spirit; he possesses a soul that includes his mind, will, and emotions; and he lives in a physical body. Man’s spirit is the part that becomes born again. We still have to work on our soul and body.

James 1:21 says, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” This Scripture is addressed to born-again believers, explaining the need to save your soul or mind. The engrafted Word of God is able to wash or renew your mind. This is something we must do daily. The word “renew” simply means to strip away the old and put on the new. It also means to refurbish, to restore and repair, just as you would do with some furniture.

Have you ever seen old furniture refurbished and brought back to life? All the old paint or finish is stripped away before applying the new. It’s the same process when renewing your mind. The renewing process takes time and effort to bring about a change or transformation. The only way to do it is with the Word of God. The Bible says in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.”

God’s Word is the only tool that can minister to or develop the entire make-up of mankind. His Word can feed your spirit, soul and body; helping us to deal wisely in all the affairs of life. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” (Joshua 1:8).

The next step in the process deals with the heart. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7a). We have to watch what we allow to come in and out of our hearts. In other words, you need to put a watchman over your heart.

Keep in mind, although we became spiritually born again, our souls did not. Often the word heart means spirit, inner man or hidden man of the heart. The writer suggests in this passage that God is referring to the spirit of man or the core of man. Wrong thinking will contaminate your spirit. The Amplified Bible in Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”

We contact God with our spirit, with the inner man or the hidden man of the heart. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (St. John 4:24). In your spirit, your heart is where you believe. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart” (Romans 10:9). What you allow in your 10 S U M M E R 2 0 0 8

heart will affect your believing. What does it mean to believe with the heart? Jesus said, “For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith” (St. Mark 11:23).

Whatever you continually deposit into your heart will eventually come out of your mouth. That brings us to the final step, confession. You will never rise above your confession. If you don’t like where you are, change your confession. What you continue to say is what you will become. “Well, I’m just a poor, weak, worm of the dust. God will never use me.”

Remember the television sitcom, “Lost in Space?” Dr. Smith would always say, “We’ll never make it.” Everything he said was negative. Listen to the people around you who talk negative. You may hear, “That thing will be the death of me.”

Or, “I’ll never get married. Nobody wants me.” They have said that for twenty years, and yes, they are right. They never marry. You must watch what you say.

In St. Matthew 12:33-34, notice the words of Jesus.

“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Whatever you deposit inside your heart in abundance is what you are going to confess. In Greek, the word confess means to own up to or to acknowledge. Whatever you acknowledge or whatever you own up to is what will come out of your mouth. That is what you will speak. Jesus goes on to say in St. Matthew 12:35, “A good man out of the good treasure [or the good deposit] of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure [or the evil deposit] bringeth forth evil things.” Jesus also said that for “every idle word” or unproductive word that man speaks, he will give an account of in the Day of Judgment (St. Matthew 12:36). The Day of Judgment could be today or next week or next month.

You will give an account of what you have been allowing to come out of your mouth. Jesus said, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (St. Matthew 12:37).

Hebrews 4:14 says, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession” (or our confession). The Greek text says, “Let us hold fast to saying the same thing.” We must hold fast to saying what the Word of God says. The Word of God settles it, whether my mind can understand it or not.

Confess also means to say the same.

The bottom line is you are going to have to change your thinking. If your thinking is wrong, your believing is wrong; and if your believing is wrong, your confession is wrong.

In order to experience victory in your life, it begins with straightening out your thinking process with the Word of God.

f a i t h

b u i l d ers

Be a channel to fulfill God’s plan.

Help give hope and a message of faith and love.

Together, we are changing lives now and in the future.

Thank you for your commitment

to our Faith Builders project.

As we raise the standard of our physical structure, we continuously look for ways to bless others spiritually, with the good news of the gospel.

Because of your generosity God is bringing great growth to the church.

FAITH BUILDERS

Word of Faith Christian Center

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w o r l d

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impacting the World

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Jesus Word of Faith travels to South Africa, this year, to give help to the people in the township of Langa. We will assist with everything from preparing food, to working with children in the orphanage and going door to door with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Pray for their safety, that no harm will befall them, no disaster will come near them (Psalm 91:10).

Pray that God will empower our team with zeal and boldness to declare the truth of His Word (Acts 4:29) and through them influence the country.

Pray for favor with government officials and churches that our efforts to help will make a difference in the lives of those we serve (Psalm 5:12).

Pray for the physical healing for the people who are hurting and those who need to turn to Jesus Christ (James 5:14-15).

Pray that the love of God will be in our hearts and displayed through us (Psalm 133).

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KNOW, SOW AND GO

By Sarah Hickey Bowling

It’s not about us.

It’s about Jesus and making His passion our priority.

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o you want your relationship with Jesus to have more depth? Then make what’s important to Him your priority. There are three simple things you can do to make His passion your priority.

Step one: Know Jesus’ passion. In the story about the Samaritan woman, St. John 4:4 states, “And he must needs go through Samaria.” Looking back historically, most devout Jews would go around Samaria because the Samaritans were considered unclean; they were Gentiles. So if you were a devout Jew, you would avoid them. But Jesus didn’t do that.

The Bible says He needed to “go through Samaria.” I believe Jesus needed to go to Samaria for two reasons. Firstly, He had a divine appointment with this woman at the well. Secondly, and more importantly, He wanted to demonstrate to His disciples what was important to Him. It’s important to Jesus to connect with people. It’s all about people.

Step two: Sow into Jesus’ passion. In St. John 4:8, the disciples went into town to buy food. They needed food to give to Jesus to keep Him nourished. The Bible tells us He was tired from the journey and needed sustenance. The truth is the gospel requires finances to keep going. It doesn’t just happen automatically. It takes money to get the gospel message spread.

Step three: Go in Jesus’ passion. The woman in the story took what Jesus said and made His passion her priority.

In fact, she left her water jar, inadvertently sowing into His

passion by leaving it, and she went back to her town. She told the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did.” She understood Jesus’ passion. She sowed into Jesus’ passion and she went in Jesus’ passion.

Know, sow, and go—that is what Jesus did. He illustrated this principle to the Samaritan woman. She caught the principle and did the same thing. Then Jesus taught His disciples. In St. Luke 9:1-6, He said, “I’m giving you power over demons and all these things; go and do.” They did. Then the 70 disciples grabbed hold of it in the next chapter (St. Luke 10:1-20) and did the same thing.

Today is your opportunity to know, sow, and go. You can’t just say you love Jesus and not be passionate about what’s important to Him. We have to make His passion our priority.

Romans 10:14-15 (NIV) says, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?” God forbid that we should sit in our hometowns, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year and the world doesn’t have the opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ because we are more concerned about our comfort. It’s not about us. It’s about Jesus and making His passion our priority. There are people waiting for someone to bring some good news; waiting for someone to tell them about a God who loves them.

I challenge you today to do these three steps: know, sow, and go. Make it part of your life. Start to educate yourself on what is important to God. Also, if His passion is your priority, then you are going to be a part of helping financially. Finally, do whatever it takes to go overseas sometime. Get out of your comfort zone. Or maybe getting out of your comfort zone is going to a different state and bring the gospel. Whatever the case, get out there and go! You talk about having a deeper walk with Jesus; if you understand His passion, make it your priority, you will see your relationship with Him deepen.

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25 years

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later

wright family legacy

Another RHEMA Graduate in the Family

By Shanderia K. Posey

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ttending the same Bible training center his dad graduated from years earlier might seem like an expected event in the life of a preacher’s kid.

However, Stephen Wright is quick to admit that it wasn’t initially a part of his plans. “I never wanted to be in the ministry,” said Wright, 20, son of Bishop Kevin and Pastor Leslie Wright of Word of Faith Christian Center - Jackson. “I had never really thought about going to RHEMA so soon.”

Nevertheless, Stephen Wright graduated from RHEMA Bible Training Center in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, a Tulsa suburb, in May of this year—exactly 25 years to the day that Bishop Wright received his diploma from the same institution. Stephen is so glad he went when he did.

After graduating from Northwest Rankin High School in May 2006, the former high school football star wasn’t sure what was next. He thought about joining the military, but also had his love of sports to consider as well. God was dealing with him.

By early fall, he enrolled at Jackson State University.

Kicking off his college career at JSU seemed like the right move at the time, but Stephen was not satisfied. Something was missing. “It was one of the saddest times of my life,” Stephen recalled. “I’ve never been so grieved in my spirit.”

Without his parents’ knowledge, he began looking up information about RHEMA. He told only one close friend he was thinking about attending the center. Time went by, and then one Friday in September 2006, his father called him into his office at church. Stephen said he was flabbergasted by his father’s words. “What do you think about going to RHEMA?” he asked Stephen in a matter-of-fact tone.

So overwhelmed by his father’s words, Stephen recalls having to take a walk on the golf course behind the church to think things through. Go to RHEMA now? Should he or shouldn’t he? The more he thought about it, the more it made sense that the time was right. If he was going to go, he didn’t want to wait until he was married with kids.

When Stephen shared with his parents how he had been secretly researching RHEMA, it was just confirmation of what the right decision was. “Parents know you better than you know yourself,” Stephen said.

The next few days would be a whirlwind. Stephen applied to RHEMA on Friday and by Monday was in class.

His parents were extremely proud of him and expressed their sentiments in a few different ways. One example was a journal they presented to him the day they dropped him off at RHEMA. That journal is almost full today, Stephen said.

In it, his dad inscribed these words, “Son, you’ve made me a proud father. You ran touchdowns for Northwest Rankin. It’s now time to run touchdowns for the Lord. I love you.” Part of his mom’s message to him read, “You have now discovered your purpose. You have done what most people don’t do in their lifetime.”

When asked what was the biggest lesson he learned inside and outside the classroom at RHEMA, Stephen’s response is one of certainty—to have balance in the Word with practical common sense, and to be Spirit led.

The second-eldest child of the Wrights says he doesn’t feel he has to set an example to his siblings or others, but he wants to. “I don’t feel pressure to be an example, but I give myself pressure to,” Stephen said. He hopes others can look at what he has accomplished and be encouraged to know that if he did it, they can do it too.

Now back in Mississippi, Stephen is happy to be home.

He works full-time at the church and is getting more involved in various ministries. In the fall, he will enroll at Hinds Community College.

Being back home will also mean more time for he and his dad to watch sports together. They typically tune in to just about anything with a Detroit or Michigan affiliation, such as the Pistons, Lions, any Michigan college sports and the Redwings—a hockey team they only watch when the team makes it to the playoffs.

With Stephen close by, his parents shouldn’t have to say any more bittersweet, tearful goodbyes for a while like they did when he began his journey at RHEMA. Stephen said his mom told him that when she and Bishop Wright arrived back in Mississippi after leaving him at RHEMA, his dad went up to Stephen’s room and laid across his son’s bed because he missed him so much. “He’s so tenderhearted,” Stephen said.

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sprirt award washington d.c. career day

g n i t a r b e l e c 2008 mr. esquire and miss debutante

mentorship sunday

equipping

youth for service to

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God and humanity!

etiquette OF fine dining

team building ACTIVITY

boot camp

food drive with feed the children ®

Word of Faith’s mentorship program teaches young people how to discover their God-given purpose in life with a focus on servanthood. Since its start in 1998 with college tour

Young Ladies of Virtue (YLOV) for girls ages 12 to 18, the program has evolved to include all youth. The groups include: Young Men of Valor (YMOV) for boys 12 to 18, Junior Virtue and Junior Valor (JV) for children ages 10 to 11, and Kid Virtue and Kid Valor (KV) for children 7 to 9-years-old. Participants take part in handson, interactive lessons on subjects such as health and fitness, academic success, personal and professional development, arts and crafts, and community service.

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Mentorship Program Celebrating 10 Years

The Annual Mentorship Awards

By Maggie Wade Dixon

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or a decade, the Word of Faith Foundation has sponsored one of the best and most acclaimed mentorship programs in the country. In May, WLBT television news anchors Howard Ballou and Maggie Wade Dixon hosted the annual awards program at the WOFCCmain campus. This special commemoration of the 10-year anniversary was an elaborate, love-filled celebration of our youth, mentors, and parents. Bishop Kevin E. Wright and Pastor Leslie D. Wright were also honored for their vision to equip our youth with every tool they need to be servants of God and society, and to be successful in every endeavor.

The evening began with a moving production by participants, “Hold On To Your Dream,” written and coordinated by Minister Karen Porter. It was an evening packed with outstanding oral presentations, dance routines, and music performances by the youth. Participants then received countless honors in the form of certificates, trophies, and medallions for their accomplishments in the Young 18 S U M M E R 2 0 0 8

Ladies of Virtue and Young Men of Valor programs. During the year, the youth in these programs completed assignments that included essays and speeches on the life and service of Dr. Ben Carson, team building activities, journals, and the etiquette of fine dining.

In addition, youth who engaged in the Generation 6:20 youth ministry, attended meetings, maintained at least a 2.8 GPA, and completed all projects for the year, received the coveted Spirit Award. Spirit Award recipients won an allexpense paid trip to Chicago, Illinois and spending money.

In previous years, youth who received this award traveled to Washington, D.C., Universal Studios in Florida, Atlanta, Georgia, and Dallas, Texas.

Other highlights of the evening included crowning Miss Debutante, Jasmine Danzy, and Mr. Esquire, Austin Robinson, as well as a moving performance for Bishop Kevin E. Wright and Pastor Leslie Wright. The audience gave a standing ovation when former Debutantes and Esquires, and current participants from each division of the mentorship program surrounded Bishop Wright and Pastor Leslie to sing, “Because You Loved Me.” The youth expressed through this beautiful song their appreciation for the inspiration, love, and encouragement they have received from our pastors.

The awards program closed with Bishop Wright and Pastor Leslie recognizing mentors who gave tirelessly of their time and talent to work with our youth. The Wrights presented to Mrs. Carla Kirkland and Mrs. Maggie Wade Dixon, a beautiful bronze sculpture, “Divine Servant,” featuring Jesus Christ washing the feet of the disciples. The two received special honors for their long-standing commitment working with the mentorship program since its start in 1998.

Unity

i n t h e Fa m i ly

By Leslie D. Wright

Our families should be united

in the Lord. If your family is not, it will not function the way God intended. The Lord addresses unity in St. Matthew 18:19-20, “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

What does the word unity mean? Unity is “the state of being one, or united, oneness, the quality of being one in spirit, sentiment, and purpose; harmony; agreement; an arrangement; an arrangement of parts in a work, that will produce a single, harmonious effect” (Webster’s New College Dictionary, 2005). Unity produces harmony. If someone who sings bass tries to sing soprano, it throws everyone else off and the group sounds terrible. It’s important to know what position you play in the family so the family can be unified and God can bless.

The key to having unity is to have clear directions, goal and purpose. First, you must discover God’s vision for your family. How do you do that? You discover God’s vision for your family through studying God’s Word and prayer. Also, you must study your family. Discover the gifts and talents that God has placed in each individual in your family and allow God to show you how He wants to use that uniqueness in each person for His Glory. God will unfold the vision to you as you seek Him. So often there is no vision (clear direction) for the family, and in turn the family ends up destroyed. “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18).

The key to having unity is to have clear directions, goal and purpose.

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“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables,” -Habakkuk 2:2

It is important for the head of the household to go before God and seek God’s plans, then communicate those plans to the rest of the family so everyone has clear directions and clear goals they can achieve together. The Children of Israel lost sight of entering the Promised Land; therefore, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and never received God’s best.

Habakkuk 2:2-3 states, “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” What are the short-term and longterm goals for your family? You need to write them down with clear plans on how you will work to reach those goals.

Add scripture references to support the God-given vision.

Just because you write down the vision in 2008 doesn’t mean you can’t make revisions later. God is always giving us more of the plan in bits and pieces. He is continually finetuning the vision. God will expand you and the vision the more you seek Him and follow His plans. He will give you new avenues, new aspects, and new insights. However, the basis of the vision remains the same. God is not schizophrenic. God does not change His mind. We may change our minds, but He won’t give us point “B” until we do point “A”.

When writing the vision, the Lord said to “make it plain.” Many times we complicate our lives and make matters worse with all the crazy stuff we try to take on. Don’t make

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the vision too difficult to understand. The simplest things in life are the most profound. Make it plain so anybody who looks at your life can plainly see which way you are going. It’s like using building blocks. Make certain that your foundation is strong and sure and then build upon that. Every securely placed block will put you higher and higher.

Maybe your family has already united on a God-given vision and you have written it on the tables of your heart.

Now what? Your vision has to become a part of you. You have to keep going over it and envision it coming to pass with your spirit. When you have done that, the Lord says to WAIT FOR IT. “Though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come” (Habakkuk 2:3). Meanwhile, you should delight yourself in the Word of God. “But his delight is the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalms 1:2-3). The vision is for an appointed time and you will bring forth fruit in your season. But the good thing about this is, while you are waiting, you are growing and developing as you delight yourself in the Lord.

God wants our families to be united in His plans for us. Strong, united, godly families make up a strong, united church. The stronger the family, the stronger the church.

Together we stand; divided, we will fall.

Psalm 91 TESTIMONY

Power of Protection The

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”

By Shanderia K. Posey

P

salm 91 was already a favorite passage of scripture for Curtis Austin, but now the words of that text have a more literal meaning to him of God’s protection.

On March 13, the 19-year-old Jackson resident was only minutes from picking up his mom, LaWanna Austin, from work. Suddenly, the brakes failed and the steering wheel locked in the Ford Focus he was driving. The car flipped onto its top and hit a tree; bouncing off, it hit another tree.

The impact left Austin dazed for a moment as he comprehended what just occurred. He could hear people screaming his name and telling him to get out, but could not see anyone. The sight and smell of smoke was intensifying from under the hood.

“I was still processing what had just happened to me when the Spirit of God said in a quiet still voice, ‘My son, Curtis, they are calling your name, get out of the car,’” Austin said. He began looking for an exit, but his door was pinned into the tree. The roof of the car was crushed into the inside of the car, especially on the driver’s side. Then Austin felt a suction pull him through the shattered front windshield on the passenger’s side, and he escaped from the wreckage.

“God gave me the strength to climb out of that window,” Austin said. “And I thank God.”

The car was totaled, but Austin wasn’t.

“God blessed me to walk away from it,” said Austin, who ended up with only cuts, scratches and five stitches in his right arm. Besides a few pieces of shattered glass lodged in his nose, there wasn’t even debris on Austin’s body. He spent five or six hours at the University of Mississippi Medical Center emergency room following the accident. He was prescribed a pain reliever, muscle relaxers, and rest to recover from his minor injuries.

“I want to thank God for the power of prayer and His protection. I thank God for the blood of Jesus. I plead the blood of Jesus over my family, my church, my friends and myself everyday,” Austin said. “God will protect you no matter what.”

During the collision, Austin’s seat belt unbuckled, but despite flipping and hitting two trees, when the car rested, Austin was still stationary in the driver’s seat. He knows angels of protection were encamped around him that day.

“The devil sought demolition, but God purposed demonstration of His power,” Austin said.

The accident had a twofold purpose in his life—to display God’s power of protection, and to help Austin find direction for his future career. He is now studying physical therapy at Hinds Community College and is about to end his second semester. At Word of Faith Christian Center in Jackson, Austin serves as a youth leader.

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CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

Training and Equipping Laborers to Impact the World!

By Philis E. Fowler

Faith Bible Institute (FBI) recently marked its 10th graduating class. The 2008 graduation ceremony was held at Word of Faith Christian Center’s main campus in Jackson. Dr. Orlando Burt, pastor of WOFCC in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, delivered the address.

For the past ten years, the school has trained more than 400 men and women. Bishop Kevin E. Wright, pastor of WOFCC in Jackson, Mississippi, founded the school, originally named Laymen’s Bible School (LBS), in 1997. The former two-year program of study with its motto, “Building a firm foundation through the study of God’s Word,” gave a basic working knowledge of biblical truths. However, in 2005, the name and the curriculum changed to Faith Bible Institute, offering a basic two-year program certificate and a four-year program diploma.

The school’s mission is to prepare men and women for effective service through a balance of general biblical studies as well as leadership training. FBI is committed to teaching God’s people to live a life of devotion to Him, rooted in truth, not just in knowledge.

Christians have a mandate from the Lord to “go” share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those around them. Faith Bible Institute helps students to carry out the Lord’s command: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (St. Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).

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FBI FACTS F A I T H

B I B L E

I N S T I T U T E

Registration has begun!

First and Second Year students can register now through Sunday, July 20.

Course fee:

$250.00 Registration fee: $50.00 Classes meet: Tuesdays, 7 - 9 p. m.

100% of them have served within the ministry of helps either at WOFCC or their home churches 403 graduates from basic twoyear course since 1999 (LBS & FBI) 33 have served as department heads within the ministry 30 graduates have received WOFICC ministerial licenses 23 have served as deacons/ trustees within the ministry 17 graduates have gone on to become LBS/FBI instructors at WOF Mississippi churches 12 graduates currently serve in leadership capacities at other WOFCC Mississippi churches 4 graduates attended RHEMA Bible Training Center

Classes begin: September 2, 2008 SPACE IS LIMITED! Submit payment in the brown SEC envelope found at the church information counters.

See registration brochure for details.

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SATELLI TE PAS TOR

Godly Decisions

By Edward Taylor, Pastor

Word of Faith Christian Center, Yazoo City

It is not luck that determines how things turn out in our lives—it’s our choices.

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deut. 30:19).

Do you believe in luck? Do you believe that if you had been born with a silver spoon in your mouth, life would be a lot better? Or perhaps you can identify with the words from “Gloom, Despair and Agony on Me,” a sketch from the 1970’s television show, “Hee Haw.” The chorus went: “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.”

Sadly, many people believe in luck. However, there is no such thing as luck. It is not luck that determines how things turn out in our lives—it’s our choices. Man is the only creature on earth that has the right to choose. Flowers can’t choose to get out of the dirt and fish can’t choose to come out of the water. But God has given man the right to choose.

Deuteronomy 30:19 advises that if we make right choices, life will be a blessing to us and our children. However, if we make wrong choices, life will be a curse to us and our children. If you are a parent or if you are planning to be a

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parent, know this—the decisions you make will affect you and your children. God directed us to choose life that we and our children may live. This life can only be found when you fully obey God. There is a man in the Bible who fully obeyed God. His name was Caleb. In Numbers chapters 13 and 14, Caleb based his decision on what God said. Caleb was part of an expedition consisting of twelve Israelites sent to spy out the Promised Land. When they returned, ten of the men brought back an evil report. These ten based their decision on fear.

But Caleb and Joshua decided to base their decision on what they believed. They believed the report of the Lord.

All twelve spies saw the same things, but why was Caleb’s report different? The answer is found in Numbers 14:24, “But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him.”

Decision-making has nothing to do with what is going on around you. It is a product of what is inside you. If you want to make godly decisions, you must have the Spirit of God in you. You must learn how to listen and agree with the Spirit of God.

S AT E L L I T E HIGHLIGHT

WORD OF FAITH CHRISTIAN CENTER Yazoo City

Y

azoo City, commonly known as the “Gateway to the Delta,” has fascinated visitors for nearly two centuries with its surpassing scenic landscapes and diverse communities. Centrally located in Yazoo City, Word of Faith Christian Center occupies an entire city block.

Rev. Edward Taylor and his lovely wife Jean have served as pastors of Word of Faith-Yazoo City for eight years. The church membership has grown from 50 to well over 400 since it began in 2000. WOFCC-Yazoo City has a fully developed teaching curriculum based on the church motto, Teaching Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding. From Sunday School classes for all ages to various ministries for the entire body, the church fully commits to reaching and developing families.

WOFCC-Yazoo City ministries include:

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Covenant Partners – Married couples come together and enjoy food, fun and fellowship with other couples.

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S.T.A.R.S. – Singles Taking a Radical Stand for Christ is a single adult ministry.

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Children’s Ministry – Children from nursery age through elementary school

have their own service with lessons that teach them the Word of God.

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Generation 6:20 Youth – Youth ages 12 to 18 learn and develop a godly lifestyle through Bible study and fun activities.

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Women of Virtue and Men of Valor – These programs address issues unique to each gender and offers opportunities for fellowship with other Christian men and women.

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Prime Timers – Individuals age 50 and over join in activities and events specifically catered to them.

With an outreach ministry designed to hit the streets and minister to a lost and dying world, WOFCC-Yazoo City reaches out to the community and surrounding areas, including correctional facilities. In addition, the outreach ministry services extend to several local schools, partnering with them to provide items such as school supplies and uniforms.

WOFCC-Yazoo City is all about touching lives and meeting the needs of people. The diverse congregation works together diligently to make it all possible.

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Wo r d o f Fa i t h academy

A Private, Christian Day School

NOW MPSA ACCREDITED! Register now for Summer 2008 and 2008-2009 Academic Year

Do you know about our Elementary School Referral Program?

Refer an elementary student and get ONE month tuition FREE! Refer two elementary students and get TWO months tuition FREE! If you are not a current parent and refer an elementary student, you will receive a $100 gift card for every referral that registers.

Call the office for details at 601.922.7217 • 4890 Clinton Boulevard, Jackson, MS 39209

www.wordof faithacademy.com 26 S U M M E R 2 0 0 8

fun page fourth of july

word search

lol

(laugh out loud)

jokes & tongue twisters

Q: How do you make the number one disappear?

A: Add the letter “G” and it’s gone.

Q: What washes up on tiny beaches?

A: Microwaves.

Q: How does an Eskimo build his home?

A: Igloos it together.

Say these five times fast: fireworks blue patriotism music summer fun

Brianna baked brown brownies for Bryant’s birthday.

The dirty dog dug dozens of dusty ditches.

red dazzle party parades freedom

white barbecue fourth family holiday

word scrambler

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2.

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4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

wesrifokr rats neplagsd nanerb rebacube cepinedendne yad reyilbt lebl betaicerlon drapae rtass nad pesrits daln fo het refe riaaemc the fetbuailu

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ANSWERS:1. FIREWORKS 2. STAR SPANGLED BANNER 3. BARBECUE 4. INDEPENDENCE DAY 5. LIBERTY BELL 6. CELEBRATION 7. PARADE 8. STARS AND STRIPES 9. LAND OF THE FREE 10. AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

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Word of Faith s e r v i ce s a re h el d a t . . .

M i ssi ssi ppi Basketbal l and Athl et ics (MBA)

SERVICE TIMES SUNDAY 9 a.m.

THURSDAY 6:30 p.m.

2240 Westbrook Road • Jackson, MS 39211

serving north jackson and surrounding areas!

WORD OF FAITH CHRISTIAN CENTER CHURCHES JACKSON - HEADQUARTERS Bishop Kevin E. Wright, Pastor Bishop Keith A. Butler, Founder 4890 Clinton Blvd.

Jackson, MS 39209

GULFPORT Dr. Orlando Burt, Pastor and Founder Gulfport Central Middle School 1310 42nd Avenue Gulfport, MS 39505 (601) 544-7007

North Jackson 2240 Westbrook Rd. Jackson, MS 39211 (601) 922-9323 www.wofcc-ms.com

HATTIESBURG Dr. Orlando Burt, Pastor Bishop Kevin E. Wright, Founder 2111 Country Club Rd. Hattiesburg, MS 39401 (601) 544-7007 www.wordoffaith-hburg.com

MERIDIAN Rev. Clinton Hall, Pastor Bishop Kevin E. Wright, Founder 3718 8th St. Meridian, MS 39307 (601) 485-5373

STARKVILLE Rev. Timothy Bourne, Pastor Dr. Orlando Burt, Founder Armstrong Middle School 303 McKee St. Starkville, MS 39759 (662) 769-9673

Changing Lives Through Faith

VICKSBURG Rev. Reginald Walker, Pastor Bishop Kevin E. Wright, Founder 1201 Grove St. Vicksburg, MS 39183 (601) 638-2500 www.wofcc-vicksburg.com YAZOO CITY Rev. Edward Taylor, Pastor Bishop Kevin E. Wright, Founder 407 Jackson Ave. Yazoo City, MS 39194 (662) 716-9567 www.4wofyazoo.net