may 2012
CityLight.org 35
I
t started with an invitation to a meeting
that would change my life forever. Ev-
ery time I reflect back on my beginning at
Christ Central Ministry, I'm reminded of
the time when God spoke to me at 5 years
old at a revival where Rev. A. A. Allen was
preaching. At that meeting, God began to
reveal Himself to me and He showed me
a vision of myself baptizing people in a
large body of water. I didn't understand it
then, but almost 50 years later, on a mission
trip to South Africa, I stood in the Indian
Ocean baptizing God's people.
God spoke to me again in 1994 when Rev
S. A. Williams invited me to his church,
they were feeding the homeless out of the
basement. He insisted that I get involved.
I was a young minister at that time and
thought that dressing up and going to
church was enough to make me a good
Christian. But upon accepting that in-
vitation, I found out that it's not about
the church one attends that's important,
but rather it's about the service one gives
WHEN CHURCH IS OVER.
Sometimes now, I still feel inadequate
when it comes to doing Kingdom Work.
Even though I grew up in a loving Chris-
tian family, I still struggled with completely
yielding to God. I, like so many others,
would prefer to do things my way. I now
know that when God chose me, He knew
my faults and imperfections. Yet, He never
repented of the gifts and calling on my life,
but rather, He still chose to use me in His
Kingdom work. Finally, after falling on my
face, running into many dead end streets,
and being beat down by sin, I found out
His Way to be much better than mine.
"For I know the thoughts and plans that I
have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and
plans for welfare and peace and not for evil,
to give you hope in your final outcome.
Jeremiah 29:11.
In 1994, Rev. Williams introduced me to
Pastor Jimmy Jones, CEO and Founder
of Christ Central Ministry Inc. I was
amazed at Pastor Jimmy's humility and
love for God. He prayed about every-
thing, over and over I saw God answer
the prayers he prayed. When God opened
the door for me to walk into Christ Cen-
tral Ministry, He was fulfilling His pur-
pose and perfecting His power in me.
Continued on page 36
p
asTor
s
ylVia
m
iCKens
|Director
Pastor Sylvia Mickens
& Christ Central Ministry...
15 Years Later
How Great is our God!