Higher Dimension Church www.higherd.net
Pastor Terrance H. Johnson, frequently referred to as Pastor J, is the founder and senior pastor of Higher Dimension Church. His education derives from American Baptist College located in Nashville, TN, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Sociology. Pastor J is known throughout the country as a premier preacher with extraordinary gifts in biblical exposition, interpretation, and proclamation according to the Higher Dimension Church website. His wife First Lady Torsha Johnson, is spiritually gifted in leading women to the heart of God by developing and nurturing dynamic women's ministries. They are both native Houstonians and have three sons, Terrance, Thailan, and Theophilus, and one daughter, Tirzah. Pastor Johnson and First Lady Johnson uphold and exemplify strong family values; believing the church is only as strong as its families. Visit the website link for more information on this ministry.
Brentwood Baptist Church www.brentwoodbaptist.org
The Reverend Dr. Joe Samuel Ratliff has been married to the former Doris Ernestine Gardner since 1980. He is a native of Lumberton, North Carolina; where in 1962, he began his Christian journey by uniting with The Mt. Sinai United Holy Church of Lumberton. Seven years later, he answered his Call to Ministry while attending Morehouse College. He served as pastor of the Cobb Memorial United Holy Church in Atlanta, Georgia for eight years. Dr. Joe Samuel Ratliff was elected as pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church of Houston, Texas in February 1980 and by the year 2000 had grown it from a 500 member congregation to a mega-church of 12,000. The congregation has reached a plateau of more than 7,000 members with over 5,000 worshipers attending its two Sunday morning worship services. Visit the website link for more information on this ministry.
St John’s Church
www.stjohnsdowntown.org
Juanita Rasmus is a Spiritual Director with a desire to see a merger between the contemplative life and active life in society. Rudy Rasmus is an author, and global humanitarian with a passion for out-
reach to the world’s poorest citizens. Together they co-pastor the St. John’s United Methodist Church located in Downtown Houston that began with 9 existing members in 1992. St. John’s has grown to over 9,000 members (30% were formerly homeless) in 21 years into one of the most culturally diverse congregations in the country where every week people of every social and economic background and ethnicity share the same pew. The Rasmus’ attribute the success of the church to a compassionate group of people who have embraced the vision of tearing down the walls of classism, sexism, and racism and building bridges of unconditional love, universal recovery, and unprecedented hope. A recent inhouse poll revealed the number one reason people attend St. John’s is because they can “feel the love” from the parking lot to the pew. Visit the website link for more information on this ministry.
began her career in her family’s business. Now as a supportive wife, mother of two children and a co-pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, TX, Victoria is an inspiration and mentor to women everywhere. She is committed to helping women, children and families discover their purpose and reach their highest potential in Christ. Victoria has recently released a new book from Simon and Schuster, called Love Your Life: Living Happy, Healthy and Whole. In the book, Victoria offers today’s busy modern woman a simple and practical plan to help them embrace joy and live life to the fullest. She speaks directly to women harried by the pressures. Visit the website link for more information on this ministry.
www.second.org
Dr. H. Edwin Young was born and raised in Laurel, Mississippi and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior at the age of 12. While in college at the University of Alabama , he felt led by God to become a pastor, and transferred to Mississippi College to continue his education. Dr. Young's preparation for the ministry continued at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. His first pastorate was in North Car-
Windsor Village United Methodist Church www.kingdombuilders.com
Kirbyjon H. Caldwell is Senior Pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church. Under the leadership of Caldwell since 1982, Windsor Village Church member-
olina, and he pastored in North and South Carolina until 1978 when he moved to Houston, Texas to become the pastor at Second Baptist Church where he continues as senior pastor today. The congregation has grown from 2,000 members in 1978 to over 60,000 members on 5 church campuses. Dr. Young served two terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention and has authored many books including The 10 Commandments of Marriage, The 10 Commandments of Parenting, and Healing Broken America. Dr. Young and his wife, Jo Beth, have three sons, all in ministry: Ed (author, speaker and senior pastor of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas), Ben (author, speaker and associate pastor at Second Baptist Church, Houston), and Cliff (Creative Media and Communications director and associate pastor for Second Baptist Church, Houston, and founding leader of the contemporary Christian group Caedmon’s Call.) Dr. Young and Jo Beth have eleven grandchildren who light up their lives. Visit the website link for more information on this ministry.
Lakewood Church
www.lakewoodchurch.com
Joel Osteen is a native Texan and the Pastor of Lakewood Church, which according to Church Growth Today is America’s largest and fastest growing church. On July 16, 2005 after completing $95 million dollars in renovations, Joel moved Lakewood Church into its new 16,000-seat home — the former Compaq Center. It is the largest regularly-used worship center in the United States. Each week Joel delivers God’s message of hope and encouragement to more than 38,000 attendees. According to Nielsen Media Research, Joel is the most watched inspirational figure in America. His weekly sermon is broadcast into every U.S. television market where it is viewed by seven million Americans each week and more than 20 million each month. His weekly broadcast is also seen in almost 100 nations around the world according to the Lakewood Church website. A life-long Houstonian, Victoria
Second Baptist Church
ship has increased from 25 members to more than 16,000, making it one of the largest Protestant Churches in the country. As a result of Caldwell’s effective social entrepreneurship, both Caldwell and the Windsor Village Church Family have been featured extensively in national and international print and broadcast media, including U.S. News & World Report, the British Broadcasting Corporation, The Wall Street Journal and the CBS Evening News. Caldwell was included in Newsweek’s “Century Club”, the publication’s list of 100 people to watch as America moved into the 21st century. .
28 n HOUSTON BUSINESS CONNECTIONS NEWSPAPER - www.aubreyrtaylor.blogspot.com
Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church www.wheeleravebc.org
The Reverend Dr. Marcus D. Cosby, the third child born to the late Mr. Rogers Cosby and Mrs. Bobbie J. Cosby, serves as the Senior Pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. A proud native of Chicago, Illinois and a product of Emmanuel Baptist Church where Dr. L.K. Curry served as pastor, Cosby received