I remember a time in my early ministry when Easter truly came alive for me.

The leadership of the Church of God International Youth and Christian Education Department is extremely excited about the upcoming Smoky Mountain Winterfest. It is a highlight event of the Youth and Christian Education calendar each year.

By J. Lee Grady

Charismatic Bible teacher Kenneth Hagin Sr. is considered the father of the so-called prosperity gospel. The folksy, self-trained “Dad Hagin” started a grass-roots movement in Oklahoma that produced a Bible college and a crop of famous preachers including Kenneth Copeland, Jerry Savelle, Charles Capps, Jesse DuPlantis, Creflo Dollar and dozens of others—all of whom teach that Christians who give generously should expect financial rewards on this side of heaven.

The Rev. James A. Stephens, 89, went home to be with the Lord Sunday morning March 9, 2008, surrounded by his family. He was an ordained bishop with the Church of God who served the Church of God in numerous pastoral and leadership capacities. His life was given in service to God, his family, and the church.

Quest Aircraft Co., whose mission is to manufacture a bush plane specifically suited to the needs of missionary and humanitarian organizations in the most remote regions of the world, has delivered its second-production KODIAK 100 to an international flight and maintenance training center.

The Church of God in Alaska/British Columbia recently announced the addition of the formerly independent New Beginnings Christian Fellowship as the New Beginnings Church of God in Barrow, Alaska.

The Church of God Theological Seminary will be hosting a number of special guests, sessions and worship services in conjunction with the annual Ministers Week on the Cleveland, Tenn. campus.

On a mission to “eliminate boredom in the pew and burnout in the preacher,” The Sermonators Podcast has officially launched to help busy pastors everywhere. The Sermonators Podcast is a semi-monthly internet radio show that offers an entertaining mix of coaching and advice along two main areas in the life of the pastor: preaching and time management. Hosted by internationally known Christian speaker, Scott Newton Smith of Knoxville, Tennessee and Joel Southerland, Senior Pastor of Liberty Baptist Church in Dalton, Georgia, The Sermonators Podcast resides on the web at www.sermonators.com.

After months of planning, preparation, and prayer, the day had finally arrived for the first-ever Pastoral Conference on Care in Quito, Ecuador. We had been working feverishly getting all the materials printed in both Spanish and English and securing accommodations for the over 300 South American delegates who would be attending.