Date: March 9, 2010
Time: 11 am CST
Topic: The Anointed Church Part II

In November, we shared the story of Operation Holiday Hope, a holiday outreach event hosted by Metro Ministries in Brooklyn, NY.  The event has made such an impact that it is gaining national attention.

Recently, Metro Ministries founder Bill Wilson was interviewed on FoxNews.com. Click on the image below to see his interview and to learn more about Operation Holiday Hope.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

We are pleased to announce that J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma magazine, will serve as Editorial Director for LifeSprings Resources, the communications division of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and as editor of Experience magazine beginning in March 2010.

Lee has worked at Charisma since 1992 and has served as editor for the past 11 years. An award-winning journalist and author, he was ordained in the Georgia Conference of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church in June 2000.

A native of Atlanta, Lee graduated from Berry College in Rome, Georgia, in 1979 and has been involved in Christian journalism ever since. He and his wife, Deborah, live in the Orlando, Florida, area. They have four daughters, two of whom graduated from the IPHC’s Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, Georgia. His oldest daughter, Margaret Grady Turner, currently serves as Assistant Campus Pastor at Emmanuel.

Says Lee: “I’ve been a part of the IPHC family for almost 10 years, so I guess it’s time to take the relationship to another level. I love my IPHC family and I am very excited about this new opportunity to serve. This is a challenging season of transition for the global church, and I know the IPHC has a vital part to play in what God is doing in our generation.”

After his ordination in the IPHC, Lee started a ministry called The Mordecai Project that focuses on empowering women for ministry and confronting the abuse of women around the world. This ministry has taken him to 24 nations where he has preached in conferences, churches, and ministers’ retreats. He was recently given International Evangelist status with IPHC World Missions Ministries and plans to continue his itinerant ministry.

Lee’s work at Charisma included writing his popular “Fire in My Bones” online column, and a print version that appeared in the magazine. Lee will now serve Charisma as Contributing Editor and will continue to write the column. Lee is also the author of three books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women (Charisma House). His next book, The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale, will be released in April 2010 from Chosen Books.

Part of Lee’s assignment will be to shift the IPHC and Experience further into the digital age. The magazine will be re-launched as an online publication in 2010. Lee and Deborah plan to relocate to northeast Georgia to better serve the IPHC from the headquarters of LifeSprings Resources. When commenting on adding Grady to the team, Greg Hearn, CEO of LifeSprings, said, “For the past few years, we have been expanding our capabilities and embracing all forms of communication. As Editorial Director, Lee will be in a position to influence the content of a wide variety of communication projects.”

Lee succeeds Shirley Spencer, who served as Editor of Experience and other IPHC publications for 30 years and will retire in early 2010.

“I am pleased with the selection of Lee Grady as the next editor of Experience,” says Spencer. “He has been a prophetic voice to the body of Christ for many years through Charisma magazine, books he has authored, and other ministries he has spearheaded. Now he focuses that spiritual insight and editorial skill on telling the IPHC story through Experience.”

Bishop Ron Carpenter had this to say about the addition of Lee Grady to the IPHC, “Rev. Lee Grady is a powerful voice in the Pentecostal /Charismatic world. He has never sought to be an “echo” but always spoken from the “Fire in His Bones.” He brings tremendous stature, presence, experience, insight, influence, and commitment to his new position as the Editorial Director for LifeSprings Resources. We are in a significant moment of transition in the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and Lee Grady is a significant man, with a significant mission, in that significant moment. I am excited about his new assignment in ministry and look forward to working with him!”

Lynn Jeffrey
Stedman Pentecostal Holiness Church

Lynn Jeffrey is an outstanding Christian woman whom God has called to work with children. She has served as the Children’s Pastor of Stedman Pentecostal Holiness Church for the past three years. Before accepting the position, Lynn served in many other areas of children’s ministry, including: the nursery, youth camps, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and Missionettes. In addition, she currently serves as the Pre-K four-year old teacher at Stedman Christian Academy.

As the Children’s Pastor, Lynn has the weekly responsibility of planning and preparing for approximately fifty children. What impresses families the most is the patience she has with Stedman’s children. She loves them unconditionally. She is dedicated to providing the highest quality program for them so as to nurture a personal faith in each child. Lynn and her staff work very hard to create a caring atmosphere, one where each and every child realizes that they are loved. Each Sunday, children arrive knowing they will have an opportunity to learn in a loving and joyful environment with games to play, songs to sing, and an exciting Bible story. As the puppets perform, music is played and the teachers become involved with the children, a life-changing experience evolves. In addition to her weekly duties, Lynn plans special activities such as movie night or a day at the park, as well as provide leadership for special events such as seasonal musicals and a community-wide Easter egg hunt.

One of Lynn’s greatest strengths is how well she works with parents. She is never too busy to discuss any concerns a parent may have and she always makes sure that parents are kept informed of the experiences and activities of the child. It is relatively common to hear a parent or a child say, “I love Mrs. Lynn;” a constant reminder of the young lives she’s impacting. That is something they will never forget.

We are all aware that individuals are far more likely to accept Christ as a child than after they become adults. We are thankful for this wonderful lady and her passionate ministry to children, and it is for this that she is the 2009 National Children’s Pastor of the Year.

Alfredo DiPinto
Clinton Pentecostal Holiness Church

Alfredo Dipinto teaches the Faith Sunday School Class at Clinton Pentecostal Holiness Church and has done so for over ten years. Alfredo has developed the Class into a representative model of Clinton. While the class had its roots as a middle-aged adult class, over the years, it has evolved into a hybrid adult class. On any given Sunday, there will be young adults in their early twenties to seniors in their mid-seventies. His class is made up of Caucasian, African-American and Hispanic students.

This diversity is a testament not only to Alfredo’s skill as a teacher, but to his sincere outreach to everyone who visits our church. Alfredo makes a real effort to make everyone feel welcome regardless of age, race, or socio-economic background. In addition to creating an atmosphere that allows for diversity in his class, Alfredo initiated an Ambassador’s ministry for our church. It is based on laymen serving not only as greeters each Sunday morning, but as Ambassador’s of Clinton PH and of our Lord. His goal is to move visitors “from the door to the core” of our local body.

One of the things that is most impressive about Alfredo is that while on any given week he could simply “wing it” with little preparation, he never does. He has a very solid biblical knowledge of the Scriptures. He is exceptionally articulate and has a level of confidence that makes him very effective as a conversationalist. He pours himself into studying for each lesson with unparalleled passion and zeal. His significant preparation allows him to bring to his students much more than an overview of what is contained in the Sunday School quarterly. He delves deeper into each subject with the use of various outside sources. His personal teaching motto is: C.A.P. – make it CLEAR, make it ACCURATE, and make it PRACTICAL.

While Alfredo is very fervent about studying and growing in knowledge, he has just as much passion for teaching. This is very evident not only in the Sunday School class setting but also in other areas that he ministers. Alfredo, along with Carlos Pope, began a summer basketball league seven years ago to minister to teenagers in our community. The foundation of the league is to provide spiritual, physical and practical development for the kids involved. Each game is preceded by a developmental meeting that each player is required to attend. Alfredo uses this platform as another teaching opportunity. Alfredo also coaches high school basketball and an AAU basketball team for teens. He has a strong desire to influence kids not only on the court but by providing a clear model of what it is to be a Christian man.

Finally, beyond Alfredo’s gifting and zeal, what is most impressive about him is his character. Alfredo is known to be a man of honor, conviction, and integrity. It would be very difficult to find a man more deserving of one’s confidence, more prepared to stand for what he believes, or more sincere in his convictions. Alfredo is well deserving of the honor of Karl W. Bunkley Teacher of the Year.