CHRISTIAN OUTLOOK
NEWLY CONSECRATED BISHOP KEVIN M. HARRISON, SR.
NEWLY CONSECRATED BISHOP DR. DERRICK G. PIERSON
NOW IT SHALL SPRING FORTH
NEWLY CONSECRATED
BISHOP ERROL O’SAVIO
2022 PRESIDING PRELATE ADDRESS
PENTECOSTAL ASSEMBLIES OF THE WORLD, INC. 2022 PRESIDING PRELATE ADDRESS
NOW IT SHALL SPRING FORTH:
WALKING IN THE PROMISE OF GOD
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race and peace and greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Mother Brooks and I send you our warmest love and greetings as we enter the New Year. We believe the Lord for great, incredible, mind-blowing things in 2022. I challenge you to believe with us. It is our prayer that we continue to see a greater return to normalcy and the end of the pandemic in this year. As we know, it has been two years since the COVID-19 virus emerged, creating havoc throughout the entire world. It is in many ways so hard to believe that it has been two years—and in the same breath it feels like it has been so much longer. We have learned, we have adapted, we have grown, we have grieved, we have rejoiced. Across the globe, churches were forced with the age-old adage: adapt or die. And so, we changed the order of the day and become creative in developing services and building community online, finding ways to keep the people of God engaged and meeting the deep wounds that were created because of the deaths and sickness via the virus. The Lord instructed me to stay before the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World online weekly. Following the instructions of God, we were online through social media trying to keep and build the Faith of God before the saints. I never would have anticipated when the Lord gave me the theme for these four years of our administration Now It Shall Spring Forth concerning the promises of God that we would confront the greatest shared experience of our lifetime. Yet, God knows all things and sets all things in order. And, indeed, we have seen the promises of God spring forth in our lives in new, unanticipated, yet confirming ways. In year two, following the declaration that would carry us for four years, we built upon this theme declaring God’s Promise to Perform as we set our hearts in posture to rest in the promise of God to perform in our lives. The third year the Lord instructed us to be Positioned for the Promise, and we strove to put ourselves in position for the move of God in our personal lives so that we might be able to see what God has in store for us. As we transition into the last year of our first administrative term, and the culmination of this four-year journey, God is sending a prophetic and instructing Word—we have heard the promise, we have positioned ourselves for the promise, and now we are commanded to Walk in the Promise of God. I hear Isaiah, the eagle eye prophet, who writes in the Book of Isaiah 54:17 that “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”
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This is the verse that the Lord gave me as the foundation for this year’s theme. You see, beloved, there is a promise in this Scripture that we can hold tightly to—not just for us but for the generations that follow us. As the promises of God spring forth in our lives, we must trust that we will see the fulfillment of all that God has spoken concerning out lives, no matter what comes our way. My brothers and sisters, we can and must trust God to keep us and block everything that comes against us that is not in His Divine Will. As we Walk in the Promise of God, we must be assured that no weapon, no trial, no sickness, no heartache, nothing formed against us can stop God from doing His Divine Will in our lives as long as we do that that is right in His sight. I truly believe that now is our time to rise, to flourish in the Will of God, to live in the place of promise and let the devil know that he can’t stop us. Our faith is rooted wholly in God, and He will see us through everything that tries to stop His Will from being done in our lives. Not just for us, but for the generations that come behind us. For as God springs forth in our lives, these promises are not just for our children, but our children’s children, and their children. So, Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, let us Walk in the Promise of God, knowing that God has never gone back on His Word. He stated that All of His counsel shall stand, and we believe it to be so. We shall spring forth into all that God has declared for us, and we know that His promise shall stand against anything that tries to come against us. We want you to join us for the 2022 Summer Convention of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. as we Walk in the Promise of God. We are hopeful and prayerful that we will be able to meet in-person after two years of virtual conventions in St. Louis, Missouri, Sunday, July 31st – Saturday, Aug 6th, 2022. We continue to keep a pulse of the ebbs and flows of the COVID-19 pandemic, including variant spreads and our movement as a country toward herd immunity through vaccinations. As we engage in our ongoing planning, we are keeping in mind the health and safety of our constituents first and foremost. Please stay connected to our social media pages, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and keep an eye on our website at www.pawinc.org for organizational and event updates. Above all else, let us remain in a posture of prayer. Prayer is what has kept us, and it will be prayer that sustains us—as an organization, as dioceses, as churches, communities and as individuals. Prayer is the key, prayer is our foundation and prayer is our future. Stay connected as we share information regarding organizational prayer initiatives and how you can stay involved. Mother Brooks and I are always praying for you and your families. We love you to life. Now let’s Walk in the Promise of God together!
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CONGRATULATIONS TO NEWLY CONSECRATED BISHOPS BISHOP KEVIN M. HARRISON, SR. BISHOP ERROL O’SAVIO BISHOP DEREK G. PIERSON 24
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BISHOP KEVIN M. HARRISON, SR.
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evin M. Harrison, Sr. is one of the “Sons of Grace,” being under the tutelage and leadership of Bishop David L. Ellis, the late pastor of Greater Grace Temple (City of David) of Detroit, Michigan. Bishop Ellis recognizing Bishop Harrison’s gift to minister, sent him in 1992 to the city of Thomasville, Georgia, where the ministry thrived with great success. He was the pastor of Life, Power and Praise Apostolic Church until he received the call to pastor the Gethsemane Apostolic Church of God (Detroit) in September 2008.
to strengthen leadership skills by helping participants to discover both relational and managerial skills.
During his tenure in the state of Georgia (1992-2008), Bishop Harrison worked tirelessly in the Thomas County community. His vision of reaching out to the lost allowed him to pioneer activities across the community which was greatly impacted then and still witnessed as of today.
Bishop Harrison was installed as Executive Dean of Aenon Bible College in October 2017, after having worked a few months in that capacity.
Bishop Harrison received certification in Leadership Development and Youth Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. Bishop Harrison also received his certification in Leadership and Executive Business Management from the Mendoza School of Business at the University of Notre Dame. While pastoring in the state of Michigan, he also served as a District Elder in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW) organization in which he governed the spiritual and leadership direction of 11 churches. In 2011, Bishop Harrison instituted the Southeastern Michigan Apostolic Bible Institute and served as its President. The institute is a satellite of the PAW Aenon Bible College and has trained over 100 ministers, who have received their credentials with the Northern District Council and their license through the PAW. Bishop Harrison currently serves the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World on the international level as the Adjutant General of Ecclesiastical Protocol as well as Adjutant to the Board of Bishops. He has a passion for teaching and training in leadership and has done so for the past 19 years to churches of all sizes. His leading seminars are entitled, “Would I Follow Me?” and “Who is on Your Bus.” These comprehensive seminars are designed
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On Friday, February 7, 2014, Bishop Harrison and Lady Deborah D. Harrison were elected to become Pastor and First Lady of the historic Grace Apostolic Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. Since moving his residence to the city of Indianapolis, he has become a member of the Indianapolis Chapter of the 100 Black Men as well as a Police Chaplain for the Marion County Sheriff’s Department.
In May 2020, Bishop Harrison was elevated to the sacred office of Diocesan Bishop in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. and assigned to the 47th Episcopal District of Kenya District Council. Bishop Harrison was selected to serve as a Vice President in the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Indianapolis (IMA of Indianapolis) under the leadership of Dr. Lionel Rush in August 2021. A believer of continuous learning, he is currently pursuing a degree in Urban Leadership. Bishop Harrison is truly a 21st century leader. He is the loving husband of Deborah and they have been married for 44 years. He is the proud father of four sons, two daughters, 11 grandchildren and one great grandson. If there were three phrases to describe Bishop Harrison’s approach to serving the congregation, they would be; Love God, Love God’s people and Love yourself. All of the above-mentioned being seen and demonstrated through the lens of Apostolic truth and practices.
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YOUTH CORNER
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NOW IS YOUR TIME! By Elder George Twilley, Jr.
he pew babies of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World have been afforded great opportunities over the years. We are privileged to sit at the feet of great teachers and preachers who deliver sound doctrine. We are covered by the prayers of the saints who have preserved us even in times of peril. We are exposed to environments where our anointings and giftings are cultivated. And we are trained in service and ministry by those who have given their lives in the service of the Lord. But there comes a time when the baton is passed to us, and we are granted the opportunity to continue the legacy and advance the kingdom. Many look forward with great anticipation to “the moment” when we can serve in our local congregations, councils and even internationally. However, in some instances, the timing of “the moment” seems to conflict with the vicissitudes of our life. In July 2018, I was elected to serve as the President of the DC, Delaware & Maryland District Council Young People’s Union. The thought of succeeding leaders such as Bishop Winfield Showell, Evangelist Dr. Audrey Clark, Bishop Andrew Turner, and many
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others who set at the helm of this auxiliary was daunting. Nevertheless, I approached the assignment with excitement and optimism. The Lord blessed me with a vision, direction and an awesome team of leaders to work with. Under ideal circumstances, I would have preferred to begin my term in this office with my attention fully devoted to this assignment. However, the summer of 2018 proved to be one of the most trying times of my life. Within a period of three months, the Lord saw fit to call home three individuals who were very close to me. These were individuals who were a part of my core circle. My godfather, my uncle and a friend (who I regarded as a brother) transitioned within a matter of weeks. It was difficult to watch those who I was so close to endure sickness. Even more taxing was arriving at the hospital to watch one pass away and only moments later to receive a call with a negative report on another who was hospitalized. There was even a moment where I was making arrangements for one while at the hospital for another. True to my nature, I completed tasks as they arose for my family, church, work and council. I made it through
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those three months; however, in the process I did not notice the toil that these losses had on my health and emotions. The timing of each loss did not afford me the opportunity to process the death or mourn the loss of any of the three. When I finally had a moment to reflect and gather my thoughts it felt like things were falling apart all around me. It seemed like I couldn’t find good news anywhere. I knew that I had family, friends and an awesome support system; however, my godfather, uncle and friend were no longer here. I longed for the opportunity to just share with them my news from July; to get their advice; to share more time in prayer with them. The Lord led me to Ezekiel 37 in the days approaching the first council session of my administration. While I have read that passage many times before and have heard sermons and teachings from this text regarding the prophet’s vision of the valley of dry bones, this time the passage seemed to come alive before my eyes and the Lord told me “It’s coming together.” By the Word of the Lord, the pieces, fragments, and remnants of the battle that seemed lifeless and hopeless would come together. As the Lord instructed Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones in the valley, I felt challenged to prophesy to the bones that I saw in my valley season. Encouraged by the Word, I shared this passage with our young people in the fall of 2018. I was grateful to emerge from that experience with the promise of recovery, order and wholeness ... “It’s Coming Together.” In November 2018, I was privileged to complete my first foreign missions assignment in Johannesburg, South Africa, with Hope International Services. We partnered with a group of approximately 10 churches in South Africa and school for a week of outreach, teaching, and worship. We were blessed to set up a computer lab at Emmanuel Primary School while there, as well. However, there were two things that stood out the most from this trip. First, I was fascinated by the expressions of worship by the saints in Johannesburg. Many of these individuals walk for miles to come to church and when they arrive for worship, they are fully engaged with their minds, body, and souls – old and young alike. Secondly, the day I arrived in Johannesburg the Lord confirmed His Word to me from a few weeks before. Prior to our departure, we received a flyer from the host church, Kingdom of Faith Church that was pastored by the late Bishop T.A. Mazibuko, which listed the name of the weeklong meeting, “J’wale Re Kopane.” Upon our arrival, I asked one of our hosts to give me the interpretation of the name of the meeting. To my surprise, the interpretation is “Now We Come Together.” The trip could have ended for
THE CHRISTIAN OUTLOOK
me right then because it was as if the Lord allowed me to travel over 8,000 miles from Washington, DC to Johannesburg just to hear Him speak again. Whereas, prior to this point I knew that it would come together but I certainly had questions regarding how it would happen but at that moment, the questions faded away and were overtaken by the confidence that I had in what the Lord said. I returned home revived and energized for the assignments that were before me. The Lord gave me the confidence that I needed to trust him that things would come together. Over the past few years, our Young People’s Union has provided platforms to empower and train our local youth leaders. We’re witnessing the development of various facets of ministry amongst our youth as they use their gifts and abilities to introduce ministry to new arenas. We’ve completed projects of service that impacted the community during our council sessions. It’s coming together! Even personally, with time the Lord has graciously comforted me with wise counsel; my perspective has been enlightened as I navigated the new norms of life. I have learned that the “ideal” time to serve the Lord is not when everything in your life is aligned the way you desire. The “ideal” time to serve the Lord is while we still have the time! This is our time! To any young person who’s contemplating when to take the next step in walking in your calling and serving, I urge you to delay no further. God can use you at any age and during any stage of your life. Don’t postpone your service…now is your time!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elder George Twilley, Jr. attends Faith, Hope & Charity Ministries in Lanham, MD where his pastor is District Elder George Twilley, Sr. Elder Twilley serves as a Youth Pastor, Church Administrator and the President of the DC, Deleware & Maryland District Council Young People’s Union.
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BL CK O HIST RY A
FACTS
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lack History Month: The celebration of Black History Month began as “Negro History Week,” which was created in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, a noted African American historian, scholar, educator and publisher. It became a month-long celebration in 1976. The month of February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. NAACP: On February 12, 2019, the NAACP marked its 110th anniversary. Spurred by growing racial violence in the early 20th century, and particularly by 1908 race riots in Springfield, Illinois, a group of African American leaders joined together to form a new permanent civil rights organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). February 12, 1909, was chosen because it was the centennial anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. Heavyweight Champ: Jack Johnson became the first African American man to hold the World Heavyweight Champion boxing title in 1908. He held onto the belt until 1915. First Lawyer: John Mercer Langston was the first Black man to become a lawyer when he passed the bar in Ohio in 1854. When he was elected to the post of Town Clerk for Brownhelm, Ohio, in 1855 Langston became one of the first African Americans ever elected to public office in America. John Mercer Langston was also the great-uncle of Langston Hughes, famed poet of the Harlem Renaissance. Famous Protestors and Activists: While Rosa Parks is credited with helping to spark the civil rights movement when she refused to give up her public bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955—inspiring the Montgomery Bus Boycott—the lesser-known Claudette Colvin was arrested nine months prior for not giving up her bus seat to white passengers.
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Supreme Court Justice: Thurgood Marshall was the first African American ever appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson and served on the court from 1967 to 1991. Eminent Scientist: George Washington Carver developed 300 derivative products from peanuts among them cheese, milk, coffee, flour, ink, dyes, plastics, wood stains, soap, linoleum, medicinal oils and cosmetics. First Senator: Hiram Rhodes Revels was the first African American ever elected to the U.S. Senate. He represented the state of Mississippi from February 1870 to March 1871. First Woman Representative: Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to the House of Representatives. She was elected in 1968 and represented the state of New York. She broke ground again four years later in 1972 when she was the first major party African American candidate and the first female candidate for president of the United States. Self-Made Millionaire: Madam C.J. Walker was born on a cotton plantation in Louisiana and became wealthy after inventing a line of African American hair care products. She established Madame C.J. Walker Laboratories and was also known for her philanthropy. Oscar Winner: In 1940, Hattie McDaniel was the first African American performer to win an Academy Award—the film industry’s highest honor—for her portrayal of a loyal slave governess in Gone With the Wind. Author: History.com Editors URL: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-facts Access Date: December 13, 2021 Publisher: A&E Television Networks Last Updated: February 1, 2021 Original Published Date: October 27, 2009 Reprinted from History.com. The Department of Publications does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information.
“WALKING “GOD’S PROMISE IN THE PROMISE TO PERFORM” OF GOD”
JANUARY/FEBRUARY MARCH/APRIL 2022 2020
BUSINESS
BLESSED ARE YOUR EYES “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things…” Psalms 119:18
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magine: • A soon-to-be mother glowing and holding her growing baby bump. • The delicate features of a newborn. • Family gatherings that are full of laughter and happiness creating memories that will be captured and viewed by generations to come. • The pride and joy of a graduate. • A child of God with their hands lifted in adoration and praise to the King of Glory. These are a few of the instances that God has blessed me to capture through Brown Squared Photography. In 1997, at the age of 25, I was diagnosed with a disease that the doctors said would leave me legally blind. The condition caused my left eye to bulge out of its socket and my eye sight slowly started to diminish. The doctors made the proclamation that no one wants to hear, “There is nothing that we can do.” I now realize that it is those types of conditions that God works the best. I am thankful for a praying mother who knows Jesus. Every time she would see me, she would lay her hand over my eye and say, “In the name of Jesus. “ I don’t know how, I don’t when, all I know is that God put my eyeball back in its socket and I have been told by the eye specialist that I do not have 20/20 vision, but 20/10 vision, which means I can see better than the average person. That was 25 years ago! I now have a greater perspective of that experience; it has given me an eye to capture and highlight the details and beauty of the simplest situations. One of my joys is the love of taking pictures. About 15 years ago I was inspired to enhance my skills at the professional level. Ten years ago, “Brown Squared Photography” was born, with my beautiful daughter, Melenie (Professional Clinical Therapist) as my assistant. Interestingly, I can only take photos with my left eye,
By Sis. Malissa Grandberry-Brown
the same eye that God healed. I specialize in newborn, maternity, family, and senior photography. I have a special affinity for worship and church photography. I feel as if God allows me a glimpse into what He is doing in His child’s life at that moment long enough for me to capture it through the lens of my camera. Some of Brown Squared Photography accomplishments includes being featured in magazines nationally and internationally; the Indy Star; placed three times in the Indiana State Fair Photography contest, and was featured on news stations, websites, and local art events. I have learned that Brown Squared Photography is more than just a business—it’s also a ministry. My style of photography is not just art but emotional and spiritual experiences as well. God has a way of strategically placing His children where they are needed to minister. Whether it’s a new mother needing prayer during a newborn photoshoot for postpartum depression, or just lending an ear to frustrated soon to be parents of a baby not arriving exactly on its anticipated due date or helping others to see themselves more positively with the understanding that they are fearfully and wonderfully made or providing words of wisdom to a new graduate. My passion of photographing is in capturing the essence of all those memories. If during a dark time, a person can see a photo of themselves in worship or at a time where God is moving in their life and trigger their memory of how they felt, remember what God told them at that time and be an encouragement, then, the enemy is once again defeated. So, when is the last time you had a photo taken of you and your loved ones? Do it soon, the memories will last a lifetime and beyond. “…blessed are your eyes, because they see…” Matthew 13:16
Malissa Grandberry-Brown lives in Brownsburg, Indiana, with Barry, her husband of 29 years and they are the parents of 4 young adult children. She is currently a member of Zion Tabernacle Apostolic Faith Church in Indianapolis. Brown Squared Photography serves Central Indiana and is available for travel. www.brownsquaredphotography.com | Instagram @brownsquaredphototography
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