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DON’T FORGET TO VOTE IN THE 2012 DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PRIMARY RUNOFFS IN TEXAS! -- EARLY VOTING BEGINS ON MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012. television ministry. In 1996, Jakes founded The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas, with about 50 families that had relocated with him from his former congregation in Cross Lanes. Jakes purchased the property, which was previously Eagle’s Nest Family Church, from W. V. Grant, after Grant was sentenced to 16 months in prison for tax-related crimes. In its 12 year existence, it has grown to over 30,000 members, located in Dallas, Texas. T.D. Jakes church services and evangelistic sermons are broadcast on The Potter’s Touch, which airs on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, Black entertainment Television, the Daystar Television Network, The Word Network and The Miracle Channel in Canada. Other aspects of Jakes’ ministry include an annual revival called “MegaFest” (which draws more than 100,000 people during that period of time), an annual women’s conference called “Woman Thou Art Loosed”, and gospel music recordings. In the fall of 2009, Jakes planned on launching a secular daily talk show, syndicated through the CBS Television Distribution group; however, economic troubles in the industry may put his new program into jeopardy. In 2005 Jakes accompanied President George W. Bush on his visit to the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. In his book Decision Points, President Bush describes Jakes as “a kind of man who puts faith into action.” Both Jakes and his Potter’s House church are unrelated to the Potter’s House Christian Fellowship, a Pentecostal denomination founded in Arizona in 1971. Source: This information was gathered from wire reports on T.D. Jakes Ministries. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WOODLANDS CHURCH
Pastor: Kerry Shook 1 Fellowship Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77384 Phone: (281) 367-1900
SHOOK
www.fotw.org
Born in 1962, Shook later graduated from the Klein High School in Spring, Texas. Kerry and his wife, Chris Shook, founded Woodlands Church, formerly Fellowship of The Woodlands, in October, 1993; and since then, the church has grown to more than 17,000 in average attendance each weekend. Now Woodlands Church is one church in many locations with its Fellowship campus in The Woodlands outside of Houston and satellite campuses online, in the Humble/Kingwood/Atascocita area, Tomball and its newest location in Katy. Woodlands Church continues to grow, ranking 4th in the top 100 churches for growth in 2009. In 2005, Shook began broadcasting his message on local television stations, beginning with Channel 55 —- The Tube. Within the year, several more networks were added, including KTLA channel 5, Houston’s The CW 39 and DayStar Television Network. Today, Kerry Shook Ministries is a worldwide television ministry both to a national and international audience. Pastor Kerry and Chris can now be seen by millions in 50 states and over 200 countries worldwide. Source: This information was gathered from wire reports on Kerry Shook Ministries. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CORNERSTONE CHURCH Pastor: John Hagee 18755 Stone Oak Pkwy San Antonio, TX 78258 Phone: (210) 490-1600
HAGEE
www.sacornerstone.org
John Charles Hagee (born April 12, 1940) is an American founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, a non-denominational charismatic megachurch with more than 19,000 active members. Hagee is also the chief executive officer (CEO) of his non-profit corporation, Global Evangelism Television (GETV). Hagee is the President and CEO of John Hagee Ministries, which telecasts his national radio and television ministry carried in the United States on 160 TV stations, 50 radio stations, and eight networks, including The Inspiration Network (INSP), Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), and Inspiration Now TV.[2] The ministries can be seen and heard weekly in 99 million homes. John Hagee Ministries is in Canada on the Miracle Channel and CTS and can be seen in Africa, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and in most Third World nations. Hagee is the founder and National Chairman of the Christian-Zionist organization Christians United for Israel, incorporated on February 7, 2006. John Hagee was born in Baytown, Texas, to the former Vada Mildred Swiek and the Reverend William Bythel Hagee. He graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1964. He was on a football scholarship and appeared on the Academic Dean’s List. Hagee received a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of North Texas in Denton in 1966 and completed his theological training at Southwestern Assemblies of God University with a Diploma in Theology in Waxahachie, south of Dallas. Hagee descends from a long line of Anabaptist Mennonite pastors[citation needed], a somewhat curious fact in light of Mennonite beliefs (pacifism, aversion to war, forgiveness of
enemies). In 1989, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 2005, he received another Honorary Doctorate from Netanya Academic College in Israel. Hagee served on the Oral Roberts University Board of Regents from 1989 to January 2008. Source: This information was gathered from wire reports. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW LIGHT CHRISTIAN CENTER CHURCH Pastor: Ira V. Hilliard 11249 Crown Park Drive Houston, TX 77067 Phone: (281) 876-9296
HILLIARD
www.newlight2.org
Ira V. Hilliard, a native Houstonian, was called at the age of nine to preach God’s Word. Having waited one year so that his Pastor would know he heard from God, Ira Hilliard preached his first sermon on a Mother’s Day night at the age of ten. He married the beautiful Bridget E. Harrison on October 4, 1975, who has co-labored with him in building a dynamic ministry that is recognized around the world. This dynamic couple co-founded the outstanding New Light Christian Center Church (“One Church, Multiple locations”) in North, East, West and South Houston; Beaumont and Austin, Texas. The opening of the West location culminates the vision and God’s mandate for a New Light Church facility in all four regions of the City of Houston. Their passion to take God’s Word to a hurting and lost generation has resulted in a current church membership of over 30,000 and counting. New Light Christian Center Church is not only recognized around the country as a Mega-Church, but in September 2007 it was honored as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Churches in America. Included in this sphere of influence as a Mega-Church is a nationwide television ministry, the ministry’s own satellite network, an Aviation Division, Light Commerce Credit Union, and early childhood development centers for the north and south campuses known as Light Christian Academy. In 1995, after a mandate from God many years prior, Bishop Hilliard started Church Development Strategies Conference. Thousands of Pastors and leaders come to Houston annually to sit at his feet to learn church growth and development principles. The conference is recognized as one of the best conferences of its kind in the country. Source: This information was gathered from the New Light Christian Center Church website. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
velop new ministries, programs and partnerships. The FountainLife Center, is the third of three campuses that includes the worship center on Hillcroft Avenue and administrative offices on South Post Oak Road. His vision is uncompromisingly clear, with one central principle; to build and develop a kingdom of empowered people for God. Holding firmly to the commissioned mandate in Matthew 28:18-20, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations”, Pastor Wright has taken the gospel into national and international communities of the world. As an active participant in both foreign and local missions, he was instrumental in establishing three churches in Zimbabwe while supporting The Fountain of Praise - Nigeria, The Fountain of Praise in Cachoeira, Bahia, Brazil and local churches in Houston. Source: This information was gathered from the Fountain of Praise website. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAKE POINTE CHURCH
Pastor: Steve Stroope 701 Interstate 30, Rockwall, TX 75087-5504 Phone: (469) 698-2200
STROOPE
www.lakepointe.org
Called to pastor Lake Pointe shortly after its’ founding in 1979, Steve Stroope leads a congregation that has grown from 53 at its inception to more than 11,000 members or regular attendees each week at several area campuses. In addition to preaching, Steve provides coaching to partnership churches and pioneer missionaries in Africa, Australia, New Zealand, China, Cuba, Russia, Mexico, France, South Africa, and North America. Pastor Steve’s spiritual gifts are evangelism, leadership, teaching, and talking to strangers on airplanes. He has a passion for seeing that the Gospel is presented to unchurched people in a culturally relevant style without compromising its truth. He also believes that one of the keys to an effective church is keeping a balance between evangelism and discipleship. Because of this belief, he is a strong supporter of the small-group ministry at Lake Pointe. Although he is a sought-after speaker and church consultant both nationally and throughout the world, his heart is for the local church, and he looks forward to many more years at Lake Pointe. Pastor Steve graduated from Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, with a B.A. in Psychology and received the Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He and his wife Marsha have two grown daughters, three grandsons and one granddaughter. Source: This information was gathered from the Lake Pointe Church website. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MINISTRY
COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH Pastor: Robert Emmitt 2477 North Loop 1604 East San Antonio, TX 78232 Phone: (210) 496-5096
EMMITT
www.communitybible.com
I was born in Hollywood, Florida in 1957. I was raised in a Christian family and trusted Jesus Christ for my salvation when I was 11 years old. I had the honor of marrying the most wonderful girl in the world, Julie, in 1979. We have three grown children, three grandsons, and one granddaughter. I graduated from Texas A&M in 1979 and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1984. I have been a pastor since I was 20 years old. We started CBC May 26, 1990. The mission of CBC has always been to reach people with the good news of salvation in Jesus’ name, to teach people how to live the Christian life according to the Bible, and to help people through the hard times in life. We gather in large group celebrations for worship and in small groups for Bible study, fellowship, prayer, and ministry. Source: This information was gathered from the Community Bible Church website. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOUNTAIN OF PRAISE
Pastor: Remus Wright 13950 Hillcroft Avenue Houston, Texas 77085 Phone: (713) 433-1824
WRIGHT
GATEWAY CHURCH
www.tfop.org
Pastor Wright received his Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies and Business Marketing from Martin Center University in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is an active participant in the Harvard University Summer Leadership Institute Program for Economic Development through which he has been certified as a developer of faith-based community development programs. He has served on the boards of Madison High School Community Relations and the Westland YMCA. Pastor Wright also serves as a Spiritual Advisor to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department, as well as many entertainers and professional athletes. In April 2007, The Fountain of Praise purchased a 153,000 sq foot facility on 14.5 acres that will provide opportunities to grow and de-
Pastor: Robert Morris 700 Blessed Way Southlake, TX 76092 Phone: (817) 328-1000 Website: gatewaypeople.com
Robert Morris is the Founding Senior Pastor of Gateway Church, a multi-campus, evangelistic, Spirit-empowered church in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Since it began in 2000, the church has grown to more than 24,000 active members. He is featured on the weekly television program, The Blessed Life, broadcast to approximately 90 million homes in the United States and more than 200 countries around the world. Robert holds a Doctorate of Literature and serves as Chairman of the Board of The King’s University. He is the bestselling author of ten books including The Blessed Life, From Dream to Destiny, The Power of Your Words and The God I Never Knew. Robert and his wife, Debbie, have been married 31 years and are blessed with one married daughter, two married sons and two grandchildren. On September 16, 1999, Pastor Robert Morris began to plan a Bible-based, evangelistic church in Southlake, Texas. Morris hoped to serve Northeast Tarrant County, the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and beyond. Gateway’s first service was on Easter morning, April 23, 2000, at the Hilton Hotel in Grapevine with approximately 180 people in attendance. A few weeks later, the church began meeting on Saturday nights at Christ Our King Church in Southlake. In July 2001, Gateway Church began meeting at the A World of Learning daycare facility in Grapevine, during which time the church grew to five services with over 2,000 people attending weekly. Source: This information was gathered from the Gateway Chuch website. MORRIS
ABUNDANT LIVING FAITH CENTER Pastor: Charles Nieman 1000 Valley Crest Dr El Paso, TX 79907 Phone: (915) 532-8543 Website: www.alfc.com
In 1977, Charles, along with his wife Rochelle, began teaching God’s Word in a small railroad union hall with just 20 people. Since that small beginning, their church ministry has grown; and today, they pastor the NIEMAN