On May 22, 2011, Joplin, Mo., experienced one of the worst tornadoes in our nation’s history. The KCM Disaster Relief Team arrived immediately to search for our Partners and provide relief and assistance in any way possible. Today, almost a year later, Kenneth Copeland Ministries is back in Joplin to help in the ongoing process of rebuilding.

“It’s amazing to see all the progress and rebuilding here in Joplin in the past year,” said Steve Poteet, head of the Disaster Relief Team. “But there is still so much work to be done.” With entire blocks of homes still empty, Joplin has a long road ahead. But KCM will be there to help. Partnering with the Joplin Family Worship Center and Feed the Children of Oklahoma City, KCM sponsored The Reach event on March 31. The Reach team, led by KCM’s minister of evangelism, Riley Stephenson, arrived a week before the event and began preparing to distribute boxes of food to 800 local families, host an Easter-egg hunt with 7,000 eggs and lead evangelism teams throughout the city. Lines had already begun forming outside the Joplin Family Worship Center two hours before the event got underway. Stephenson addressed the crowd of about 1,000 people, sharing with them the love of Jesus. Over 200 people received Jesus as their Lord and Savior during the event, and 25 people received healing. At the end of the event each family went home with a box of food, toiletries and Gatorade. Pastor Dan Wermuth of the Joplin Family Worship Center said: “We are here to offer the people of Joplin a hand up, not a hand out. We are spreading the message that life is not about surviving, it’s about thriving. Thank you, Pastors Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, and all the KCM Partners for all the love and hope you have brought to Joplin.” Because of you, Partners, Joplin will never be the same. KCM’s Disaster Relief Fund is our ongoing ministry outlet for our Partners to participate in helping people hit hard by disasters.

This past weekend, I had the honor of training believers in Athens, Ohio, on “How to Share Jesus Effectively.”  We met at Abundant Life Church with Pastor Bob Gall and his team.  After the training, we embarked on the adventure of  winning souls at “The Nation’s Largest Halloween Block Party” in Athens.  Athens is home to Ohio University, the number one party school according to the Princeton Review.  Our team has ministered the love of Jesus at this event for the past few years.

Team members drove in from as far away as Milwaukee, WI, and flew in from Jacksonville Beach, FL, and Fort Worth, TX.

We began at 6 p.m. making our way through all of the costumed Halloweeners.  We asked the Lord to show us specifically whom we were supposed to talk to.  Taking the Gospel in love, and to the glory of the Lord, we were able to pray with 136 people to receive Jesus.  

One of our “Snatch & Rescue” laborers walked up to a man standing against a wall. We asked him If he were to die tonight would he go to heaven. He said, “Man, I already know I’m going straight to Hell. I just want to make sure my 3 yr old makes it to Heaven.” We ministered to him and he prayed to receive Jesus.  We were all excited for him.

A couple of other team members prayed with a young man while his girlfriend, already a Christian, looked on with tears of joy in her eyes.

READ MORE…

If you want to see a video about this outreach, look at the YouTube video below: Thanks for all your prayers and support.