Home | Partners | Events | contact us | worship | About us | Donations | Seminars | the Founders |Sitemap | products
*About the Founders *Jeff's Bio *Karie's bio *Karie's Story BMI "The Beginning" *BMI Worship "The Beginning NEW!
By KarieThe Believers' Ministry : The Beginning
It all started in Fontana California in 1996 by 1997 we were busy!
At various points in every person's life they come to cross roads. This one in particular is the one where you get to "tell the tale" so the next generation understands what their foundation. They will never pull up the wood to look at it, never find the person who laid it, but they will enjoy it for many years to come. That is kind of how I feel about Believers' Ministry Worship.
So... Here is a "yarn" to do the Irish proud (if I was Irish).
I want to caution you in advance; this is all a little "supernatural" and seems amazing (or crazy depending on your point of view) that God really took a moment of eternity to give us some direction - but if you look at the long term effects on people's lives because we (and others) obeyed what we believed to be God's destiny for us - it is "good fruit". I was raised in a small Lutheran Church in Northern Minnesota so it seems a little "crazy" to me myself :) So, here goes...
In 1996 Jeff was in Florida at a convention and I was home in California. Believers' Ministry International was not even a twinkle in our eye. I was praying for the Lord to send Children's Pastors into His Kingdom who had a passion and faith that a child "could" and "would" lead us". When I saw the condition of many children in the inner-cities of California and various nations, it broke my heart. Anyway, I was doing the dishes with a Christian program in the background. Suddenly I heard the minister call for Youth Pastors to come to the altar. In a moment there was a handsome young man in a grey suit standing before the minister and the preacher asked him "sir, are you a Youth Pastor?". The young man answered "No sir. I am a Children's Pastor.". He said it with such pride that I started to cry.
As I did, suddenly I had an open vision. Not a normal part of my spiritual life! I get a lot of dreams - but not a movie screen in front of my face. Anyway, I saw Jeff and I on a stage and there were many cultures of people in a stadium from all over - and I heard the Lord say - "because you have touched my hearts praying for the children, not only will you send out Children's ministers but prophets, apostles, missionaries, pastors, teachers and ministers who will reach this generation'. As I hears Him say that, this giant hand came from heaven and began to scoop handfuls of people up and remove them to other places from our gathering.
As I was watching this "screen", my phone rang. WHY I picked it up could only have been Jesus, but I did (movie still playing in front of my face). There was a woman's voice on the line that I did not recognize ( I had only met her once and had no idea she had my number). It said "GOD has called you to pioneer many many churches and you will be Apostles to the nations". I grabbed a pen, started to write, and freaked out because I knew that was what my vision was showing me - we would be a "sending" community of people"... "Who IS this", I asked. "JoAnne." she said ... and I don't remember anything else.
I was stunned. I loved outreach (touching the "untouched"), the streets (saved as a cocktail waitress in adultery in 1986 in Las Vegas NV - I 'get" streets), youth and travelling. Jeff was so painfully shy that he held managerial meetings sitting down because his knees shook. We were married in 1989 and up to that point there was no "thought" of ministry that came out of his mouth. Many prophets would speak it. When they did we would look at each other and say, "Wow." That will be God.". "Church" or "Pastor" or "Apostle" had never crossed our minds or lips.
A little while later when I had pulled myself together, our phone rang again. I answered and it was Jeff. "Karie. You would not believe what just happened to me in the hotel room!" he said. "Try me". I answered. He went on to explain that he was praying and had just finished an open vision. He saw a vision of us going to the nations from church to church and we were overseers of those churches. God told him we would pioneer many many churches.
As I write this now and Jeff sets beside me; This is all true and is now our life... though it is so long ago, it seems like yesterday. Out of that "experience" Believers' Ministry and the People who joined us through the years continues the message of hope, salvation, restoration and love to the world.
From there we waited until the "timing". Timing for ministry is like timing for a baby. It just never is there. It just comes and you hope the parents are prepared.
In December of 1996 or January of 1997, a good friend of mine came to stay with us; J.R. Miller of Ft. Wayne Indiana USA along with his little boy William. His wife, Nancy "Honeytree" Miller was up the mountain doing a "First Love" recording with many artists from the "Jesus Movement" of the 70's and he came to hang out with us. J.R. and I have been friends since late 1987. We are friends and warriors in the trenches of ministry and life together. I was happy he was there. Jeff and I told him what happened to us. He just said "How big is your garage?". Six hundred square feet was our measurement a few minutes later. "How much money do you have?" was his next question. After a check on the bank account we found around $500.00. "That's enough." he said and off to Home Depot he and Jeff went.
People who were with us at the beginning of this time are known as 'garage people". They include people like Johanna Sharp, Esther Pitts, David & Tina Paulson and others you will see here and there in our meetings.
We only lasted about six months in the garage and have had many adventures since then but THE GLORY BROKE OUT IN THE GARAGE after a visitation in April of 1997. Go to Believers' Worship; Karie's Story Link