Thought for the month

JUNE 2011
7-THE WORD IS ALIVE
8-COMMITMENT AND COMPROMISE
10-WHEN LOVE TARRIES
14-WHERE DOES YOUR FAITH LIE?
17-PASTOR S.J. THURSTON, PRESIDENT
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THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH
“There is no medicine like hope, no
incentive so great and no tonic so powerful as
expectation of something tomorrow.”
— O.S. Marden

“The B-I-B-L-E”
That’s the Book for ME!
I can’t help my self. God is good to
me. Better than He has to be.
July is a busy month for us at Gospel
Review E-Magazine, we have a
lot going on. District Association,
State Conventions and Anniversaries.
WOW!
This month we bring to our readers
Rev. Dr. Steve John Thurston,
President of the National Baptist
Convention of America, Inc., Int’l
and pastor of the New Covenant
Missionary Baptist Church.
I hope you enjoy this months issue and we look forward to
bringing you only the best in Christian news and events.
In an age before cars, trains, and airplanes-in a time when radio,
television, Magazines, and the internet didn’t exist-Jesus
charged His disciples with a seemingly impossible task: Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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1401 Ruthven @ Wilson Street
Houston, Texas 77019-5141 - 713-651-1257
(Located in the heart of Historic 4th Ward)
Cordially Invite You to Share in The Celebration!
Pastor’s R.K. Collins
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COME AND WORSHIP WITH US
Anniversary Schedule
July 10, 2011
3:00 PM
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Truevine MBC
Pastor Franklin D. Callaway
PRE-ANNIVERSARY SCHEDULE
July 17, 2011
3:00 PM
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New Peaceful Rest MBC
Pastor R. Wayne Randle
ANNIVERSARY CLIMAX
JULY 24, 2011
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Zion Missionary Baptist Church
Rev. Lee Nelson Jones, Pastor
For more information please contact
Bro. Noble McGinnis, III
Ph: 713-651-1249
E-Mail: mac111@sbcglobal.net
Rev. R.K. Collins, Pastor
July 24, 2011
11:00 AM
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New Era Baptist Church
Pastor John L. Buckingham

THE WORD IS ALIVE
The Heart of Scripture’s Story
In the beginning was the Word. It’s how the story begins, both Part I
and Part II.
In the very beginning, God speaks the word, and light tears into the
formless void. There’s a reason Genesis 1 tells us that creation began
with light. In the second part of the story, when the Creator
stepped into creation in the form of a flesh-and-blood human baby,
Scripture says that He was “the true Light” (John 1:1-9). Jesus was
again bringing life to the world but this time as more than the mysterious
agent of creation: He was the Word incarnate—the light to all
mankind—come to redeem His creation.
As an old man, John, who’d walked and talked and eaten with Jesus,
looked back on those years and wrote of the experience: “We saw
His glory, glory as the only begotten from the Father, full of grace
and truth” (1:14). The disciple had seen the One through whom all
things sprang into existence—and came to know Him. “That which
was from the beginning,” he wrote to the early church, “which we
have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have
looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning
the Word of life” (1 John 1:1 niv).
The Word made flesh. It’s the key to the entirety of our faith. While
some would assume that, like many other religions, our belief is
centered on a holy book, the Bible itself speaks otherwise. Rather
than a long litany of divine commands, we recognize the Old Testament
as an elaborate, intricate buildup to—and the New Testament
as a celebration of—the person of Jesus Christ. Taken as a whole,
the written words point to the Word.
While inspired by God, the Bible is an incredibly unique anthology,
written by many human authors spanning millenniums. There we
find everything from moving narratives and violent sagas to worship
songs and angry prayers; genealogies and love poetry to historic
records and cryptic prophecy. A stranger to its pages might wonder
why, exactly, believers call such a diverse range of writings God’s
Word. But if you allow Scripture to ask you deep questions—
“piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit” (Heb. 4:12)—and
let it inspire you to ask some of your own, it becomes apparent that
every verse pulls the reader toward the same desire, the same center:
the Word enfleshed. And He reveals the heart of a Creator who
longs to be with His creation—a Father who will do whatever it
takes to bring His children back to Him.
From the very beginning, the story of Scripture is about the Word.
A few decades ago, a group of linguists were welcomed by a community
in Indonesia. The purpose was to live with the tribe, learn
their language, and create a written alphabet so the Bible could be
translated. Considering the scope of the project (66 different books,
with 1189 chapters) the translators initially figured that following
standard procedure would be the most logical: start with a gospel
book from the New Testament and get straight to the story of Jesus
as soon as possible. But as they gradually learned the new language’s
nuances and the culture behind it, they came to realize how
important elaborate oral storytelling was to the tribe’s identity. The
plan changed. If ever there was an epic story to tell, it was this one.
And the story of Christ didn’t just start with His birth.
That year, the translators labored over their spoken language skills
while one of them, an artist, drew hundreds of large, symbolic illustrations
that followed the Bible’s narrative arc. Finally, they announced
that they were ready. All the surrounding villages were
notified, and on the day the storytelling was to commence, the entire
tribe gathered to listen. And the translators started at the very beginning.
The process took days as they moved from character to character:
the first people on earth who hid from God; their son who killed his
brother; Abraham, who climbed up a mountain to sacrifice Isaac;
Moses, who led his people out of slavery; David the teenage shepherd
who became a warrior king and legendary poet . . . The storytellers
told of sin and loss and exile and God’s continual acts of redemption.
And then they finally came to the end of Part I—400
years of silence and waiting. The tribe hung on every word.
All this, and they still had yet to explain “the plan of salvation,” who
Jesus was, and, for that matter, what any of these stories had to do
with one another. Yet, the day Part II began, the translators started to
tell of a baby born in the darkness of night in the town of David, and
something astounding happened. The audience erupted in excitement.
“This is the One!” they said, cries of recognition rippling
through the crowd. “This is the One everyone’s been waiting for! He
is the sacrifice, the Lamb of God who will take away the people’s
sin!”
This is why Scripture says of itself that the Word is alive—because
the Word Himself, to whom the Bible points, is living and active
(Heb. 4:12).
The Word of God goes beyond its written message, and even beyond
history or prophecy or song. It goes beyond the ancient commandments
and even the parables Jesus told. When taken in as a whole
story that points to the Word Himself, the written letters are illuminated
by God’s Spirit, revealing His grace and truth to us.
John ends the closing chapter of the Bible with these words of
Christ’s: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the
beginning and the end” (Rev. 22:13). He is the first word and last
word. Which is why, as Scripture says, “You have been born again
not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the
living and enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1:23). It is His Word—
alive, moving in and through us—that ignites the words and writes
them on our hearts.

COMMITMENT AND COMPROMISE
Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put
to shame. Isaiah 50:7
Shortly before his untimely death, installing a transmitter for a missionary
radio station in Saipan, Byrd Brunemeier wrote a letter to
the personnel director of the Far East Broadcasting Company, the
group with which Byrd served. Byrd, who had a way of saying precisely
what was on his mind, reacted to the plea for short-term personnel.
He asked, "Whatever happened to the sort of person who
said, ‘Here I am; no reservations; no escape clauses; take me; use
me; slay me if it please Thee; I am yours from now on; period’"?
What Byrd Brunemeier had, in one word, was "Commitment!" No
conditions, no escape clauses, “no ifs or ands or buts about it." Little
did Byrd realize then that even his days as an engineer were numbered.
"Better to have died for something than to have lived for
nothing" was Byrd's philosophy.
The ranks of the truly committed have never been very crowded.
Long ago Paul wrote to the Philippians telling them that he wanted
to send Timothy to see them. "I have no man like him," Paul said,
"for all men seek their own, not the things which are Jesus
Christ's" (Philippians 2:20-21). The contrast which Paul made-seeking
the things of God or seeking to satisfy our own desires--is
the fork in the road of commitment.
"No man can serve two masters," Jesus chided His disciples, "for
either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to
the one and despise the other" (Matthew 6:24). The issue of commitment
involves control: who's calling the plays in the game of life,
you or Jesus Christ?
As a Christian I am shamed by the deep commitment of individuals
to causes which are grounded on personality worship or cults. I mark
CALVARY
BAPTIST CHURCH
1184 Genesee Street-Buffalo, New York 14211
713-895-0450/Fax 716-895-2740
“FIND THE JOY THAT LAST AT CALVARY”
8:45 A.M. Sunday School 10:00 A.M Morning Worship
Rev. Quinton Chad Foster
the devotion of those who stand out in the rain selling magazines, or
bow before a Buddha in Rangoon, or press their foreheads to the
ground five times a day intoning, "There is no God but Allah and
Mohammed is his prophet!" And as a Christian, I am ashamed. How
deep does your commitment go? As deep as your personal comfort?
As deep as one-tenth of your income? As deep as a few hours of
your time for Bible study or spiritual enrichment?
There's one more thing which needs to be said. Quite often when
individuals are challenged to rethink their commitment, they immediately
think of the great sacrifice which it carries with it. But
strangely enough, those who have made that sacrifice never consider
it to be such. They consider it to be a privilege. Byrd Brunemeier
was like that. David Livingstone was like that. When asked about
his great sacrifice, Livingstone replied that he had made no sacrifice
whatsoever. It was a great privilege which God had given him to
open a continent to the Gospel.
Almost always we fear two things: 1) What we have not experienced,
and 2) What we cannot quite understand. Commitment strikes
both issues. I have never known anybody who really followed Jesus
Christ who felt that they had been shortchanged, that life had passed
them by, that there was so much more they could have had if they
had only not been such "fanatics." On the other hand, I have known
countless hundreds who looked back over their lives and cried, "I
wish I had given Him more."
When the remains of missionary David Livingstone were carried
through the streets of London to Westminster Abbey to be interred, a
white-haired gentleman who had once been a classmate of the fallen
hero sobbed almost uncontrollably. When a friend tried to console
him, he replied, "I sorrow not for my loss of a friend, but because of
the tragedy of my own wasted life." May God deliver us from the
barrenness of an empty, wasted life.
by Dr. Harold J. Sala
CHRISTIAN HOPE MISSIONARY
BAPTIST CHURCH
5201 Laura Koppe Road-Houston, Texas 77016
713.635.2668
FEEL THE LOVE! EXPERIENCE THE
DIFFERENCE
9:30 A.M.
Sunday School
LOVE*JOY*PEACE*FORGIVENESS
11:00 A.M.
Morning Worship
COME GROW WITH US
Rev. Albert Prince, Pastor

Mt hebron missionary baptist church
Where God is Edified, Glorified, and Magnified
Sunday School 9:00 A.M
Haircut Headquarters
BARBERSHOP FOR MEN & WOMEN
OLD SCHOOL & CONTEMPARY CUTS
1387 West Gulf Bank-Houston, Texas 77088-281.999.1397
Shop Hours 6:30 A.M.-6:30 P.M. Tuesday-Saturday
Looking Towards Heaven in 2011
IF YOU HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED MT. HEBRON
BAPTIST CHURCH YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT
YOU ARE MISSING!
WWW.MOUNTHEBRONMBC.ORG
THE MOUNT-7817 Calhoun Rd-Houston, Texas77033-713.733.9170
Jerone Williams
Master Barber
Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 A.M.
Pastor Max A. Miller Jr.
Rev. F.N. Williams II
Pastor
At Friendship Baptist Church, You
Come Because You Want To!!!
Find Real Answers At Friendship
Sunday Service
Morning Worship 9:30 A.M.
Night Worship 7:30 P.M.
Held at
St. John Missionary Baptist Church
2702 Dowling Street
Houston, Texas 77004

WHEN LOVE TARRIES
Trusting God When He Doesn’t Make Sense
By Joanna Weaver
Of all the difficult things to understand in life, nothing’s more perplexing than those moments God
doesn’t show up in the way we think He should. The way we were taught He would.
I’m certain my Sunday school teachers never intended to teach a formulaic Christianity—one of spiritual
equations that, if carefully adhered to, would assure us a lifetime of prosperity and happiness. A
kind of “if I do this, then the Lord will have to do that” approach to life. But somehow that’s what I
picked up through their lessons.
After all, the Bible stories my teachers told always seemed to end well. Little David stood up to a
mighty giant, and eventually God made him Israel’s greatest earthly king. Moses obeyed God and led
the Israelites out of slavery into a promised land flowing with milk and honey. All the complicated
details left out, each tale seemed so neat and sweet and two-dimensional on Mrs. Everard’s flannel
board. We always sipped our juice and munched cookies in relative ease because we knew how the
story would end. Serving the Lord meant that if we just obeyed, He would make everything turn out
great. Of course we would follow Him always.
But then I grew up and discovered that real life is rarely so tidy, and happy endings often take more
time to develop than we’d like. Not to say I don’t still believe that “God causes all things to work
together for good to those who love [Him], to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom.
8:28). But I’ve learned that life in this world will always include some crooked things that tend to
mess up the straight path we expect to travel between points A and B. Even when we follow Christ,
we will experience extended, twisting timelines that test our faith as prayers remain unanswered and
our hearts are tempted to doubt.
Waiting for a Savior
It was one of those crooked kind of days when Jesus’ close friends Martha and Mary sent word to
Him that their brother was deathly ill (John 11:3). Their emotions must have run the gamut between
fear and hope as they wiped Lazarus’ brow and waited for the Lord to come. Then all would be well.
Lazarus must have thought the same.
They’d all heard of and witnessed so many of Jesus’ compassionate, miraculous healings. With just a
touch, He made the lame walk and the blind see. And with just a word, He’d even healed people at a
distance (Matt. 8:13; 15:28). Nothing was beyond His ability.
Yet as Lazarus’ sickness worsened, his concern must have too. Ancient Jewish culture was deeply
patriarchal, and it’s likely his sisters were dependent on him as the only male in their immediate family.
If he died, what would happen to Martha and Mary? And then, Jesus chose not to come. He actually
waited, instead of immediately hurrying to Bethany to restore His friend’s health. Neither did He
send word that Lazarus would be healed—He simply said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but
for the glory of God” (John 11:4). So, for someone who’d previously known only confidence in Jesus’
love and power, the confusion must have anguished Lazarus as time ran out. He must have wondered,
Does Jesus really love us as much as we love Him? Is He really who we thought He was?
The Winding Path
Such questions tend to haunt us on crooked days, when answers to prayer feel a million miles away.
At times like these, it’s important to remember we’re not the first to feel confused or discouraged as
Christ-followers. “I thought it had been an easy thing to be a Christian,” theologian Samuel Ruther-
ford wrote nearly three centuries ago. “But oh, the windings,
the turnings, the ups and the downs that He has led me
through.”
The struggles of a life submitted to God are clearly portrayed
throughout Scripture, but somehow this reality doesn’t
always make it into Sunday school lessons. So we may
feel blindsided the first time life throws a wrench into our
vision of the Christian experience. Yet the longer we walk
with the Lord, the more we discover that the path leading to
the “promise” is rarely straight. And when it comes to following
a schedule—at least on our terms—God often seems
to dawdle.
Take David, for instance. Had I been a shepherd chosen and
anointed king by God’s prophet, I’d have immediately
packed my bags and ordered my crown. But David apparently
went back to tending sheep and awaited God’s direction.
It would be many years before the shepherd would take
the throne. And the route to the palace would include hiding
in caves as a fugitive—a time when David actually learned
the leadership skills he was later known for. And then
there’s Moses’ story. I’m certain that, as an Egyptian prince,
he never expected exile and 40 years on the backside of the
desert would be necessary to make him the man God would
use to lead the Israelites out of slavery.
Considering those who’ve gone before us, we shouldn’t be
surprised at the rough terrain and roadblocks we encounter
on our journeys. While we may not understand why the
Lord allows us to walk through fire and floods, it’s important
to remember that His intentions are to turn them into
good for our lives and His glory. These seeming impossibilities
may be for us the beginning of a greater revelation
of God.
To Believe or Not to Believe
When Jesus finally did arrive in Bethany, Lazarus had been
dead four days. Four days of the devastation that comes
from hope being completely dashed. But when Martha
heard Jesus was coming down the road, she left the houseful
of mourners and ran out to meet Him. “Lord,” she said, “if
You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even
now I know that whatever You ask . . . God will give
You” (John 11:21-22).
What an amazing statement of faith! In the midst of great
pain and sorrow, she hands Him the quill and asks Him to
write the rest of the story. “That was what I had wanted,”
she seems to say, “but Your will be done.” What a beautiful
pattern for prayer—and for life.
Jesus’ answer to her is nothing short of history-altering
revelation:
CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
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“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in
Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives
and believes in Me will never die” (11:25-26). Then
He asks a crucial question: “Do you believe this?”
It’s as if He’s asking her, “Do you believe that there’s
more to this life beyond what you see now? Do you
believe I can overcome death? Martha, do you believe?”
This is the crucial question we must all answer as we
stand before the impossible. Will we believe or let the
fog of pain obliterate our sense of God’s presence in
our lives? Will we trust Him no matter what or give
into disillusionment and doubt? Will we choose faith
in God over faith in an outcome?
The importance of this question can’t be overstated,
because the depth of our relationship with the Lord
depends on its answer. Until we allow God to be God,
we act as if He is our servant and are sure to be disappointed
in the consequences of such delusion. If we
fail to surrender our agendas, wish lists, and master
plans to Him, we’ll never see Christ as He truly is—
or personally experience Him as our resurrection and
life.
As she stood before Jesus, Martha’s faith was strong,
as was her proclamation: “Yes, Lord; I have believed
that You are the Christ, the Son of God” (11:27). But
the cold, stinking reality of her brother’s tomb wore
down her readiness to follow His will. Wavering, she
balked at His request for the stone door to be rolled
away. Jesus reminded her, “Did I not say to you that
if you believe, you will see the glory of
God?” (11:40).
Those words have echoed in my heart over the past
several years. There’s still a tomb in my life the Lord
has chosen not to open. But in order to see His glory,
I’m having to trust that He can make something new
out of that which is dead and gone. Though I may
grieve what once was, if I want to experience all that
God has for me now, I need to place my hand in His
and walk forward rather than constantly look back.
Martha’s willingness to hope was met with an astounding
miracle. Lazarus walked out of his tomb in a
moment so glorious that it foreshadowed Jesus’ own
victory over death—His resurrection three days after
being crucified. Might Lazarus and his sisters have
remembered God’s miraculous work in their lives and
hoped for more, even when the whole world seemed
to go dark?
When we let go of spiritual formulas and equations
and choose to trust, we eventually find that the Lord
has been busy truly working all things together for
our good. When we believe in Him—in His goodness
and unchanging love—we’ll see His glory in ways we
otherwise never would. Now, that’s a Sunday school
lesson worth remembering.

Where Does Your Faith Lie?
By Tanya S. Martin-James
you have been keeping up with current events, you know
that the story told by the media is very bleak. Unemployment
numbers are at an all time high, crime is on the rise,
marital relationships are deteriorating, the financial institutions
and auto companies are failing, and life threatening
diseases are killing millions of people...
One could find themselves depressed, panicky, stressed and
overwhelmed if they allowed these reports to rule their
lives. And what’s unfortunate is that the church sometimes
seems to be just as scared right now as the world. Which
brings me to the question of where or in whom does your
faith lay?
If your faith is built on worldly institutions – than yes, you
should be running to the hills fearing for your life. But if
you have built your faith in God than your head should still
be hung high as you confidently go through each day
knowing God is in control.
Now I am not foolish enough to think that we won’t sometimes
get discouraged and that worry may not creep up and
rear its ugly head – but when those times come – we must
seek God maybe like we have never done before to get
through those times. God knows that our faith will sometimes
be shaken up...He just wants you to take that first
baby step...
“If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this
mountain, ‘move from here to there,’ and it will move; and
nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20
Have you seen the size of a mustard seed? It’s super tiny!
So don’t throw in the towel because you can’t seem to muster
up an overwhelming amount of faith...walk in the little
bit you may have...and as you continue to seek God’s face
and direction – your faith will continue to grow.
It’s just like a flower, you have to water it and nurture it in
order to cultivate it. And there is no better time than the
present to start (or continue) that process. Do it and watch
God honor your commitment.
Scripture: “For we walk by faith, not by sight” - 2 Corinthians
5:7 (NKJV)
Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
7818 North Main Street-Houston, Texas 77022
(713) 695-6664 Church-(713) 695-9455 Educational Building-(713) 695-3700 Fax
Pastor & Sis. D.R. Dickson
Sunday Morning Worship 10:40 A.M.
We welcome you
to come and experience our weekly
worship
“We are committed to changing lives”

Reverend Stephen John Thurston was
elected the 14th President of the National
Baptist Convention of America, Inc. on
September 4, 2003. He served as the 3rd
Vice-President of the National Baptist
Convention of America, Inc. (NBCA)
from 1989 until 2003. Under the stewardship
of President E. Edward Jones,
Rev. Thurston was elected the youngest
(age 37) 3rd Vice-President in the history
of the Convention. Prior to serving
as 3rd Vice-President, he served for three
years as Corresponding Secretary of the
NBCA, Inc. In January 2005, he, along
with the other
Presidents gave
leadership to the
1st Joint Winter
Board Meeting
of the National
Baptist Conventions.
In January
2008 they
convened for
their 2nd Joint
Winter Board
Meeting along
with the New
Baptist Covenant.
Rev. Thurston is a Board Member of the
NBCA, Inc. Foreign Mission Board and
a Board Member and Revivalist for the
NBCA, Inc. Evangelical Board. He
served for 16 years as the coordinator of
the NBCA, Inc. President’s Annual Banquet
and is an active supporter of the
NBCA, Inc. CAP program. In 1982,
Rev. Thurston introduced a tape ministry
program to the NBCA and has served as
Chairman of the ministry since its inception.
Rev. Thurston hosted the Annual
Session of the National Baptist Convention
of America in 1987 and 2003 in
Chicago.
Rev. Thurston is the immediate past
President of the Illinois National Baptist
State Convention, serving from 1992-
2003. He has also served as Executive
Vice-President and Executive Director of
his state convention. Rev. Thurston was
licensed to preach in April 1970, repre-
senting the third generation of Thurston’s to preach the Gospel.
In 1979, upon the death of his father, Rev. John L. Thurston,
he became pastor of the New Covenant Missionary Baptist
Church.
Rev. Thurston is the recipient of Honorary Doctorate of Divinity
degrees from Temple Bible College and Seminary in Cincinnati,
Ohio, Chicago Baptist Institute, Saint Thomas Christian College
in Jacksonville, Florida, and Richmond Virginia Seminary in
Richmond, Virginia. He is a 1975 graduate of Bishop College in
Dallas, Texas where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion.
In the summer of 2008 he enrolled in Shaw University’s
online Master of Divinity program, and in 2010 he transferred to
Payne Theological
Seminary in Wilberforce,
Ohio.
Rev. Thurston is active
in many religious and
civic organizations.
He serves as a
board member for the
Chicago Baptist Institute,
the Arise and
Build National Church
Building Conference,
and the African American
Religious Connection.
Additionally, Rev.
Thurston is an Executive Board Member of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)-Chicago
South Side Chapter; a member of the National Chapter of Religious
Affairs of the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP); a Life Member of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and a
member of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
Rev. Thurston also holds memberships with the Broadcast Ministers
Alliance of Chicago and Vicinity, the Baptist Pastors Conference
of Chicago and the John Marshall Harlan High School
Alumni Association.
Born July 20, 1952 in Chicago, Illinois, the second child to the
late Rev. John Lee and Ruth Hall Thurston, Rev. Stephen J.
Thurston has been married for over 30 years to the former Joyce
D. Hand. The Thurstons are the proud parents of four children:
Stephen II, Nicole D’Vaughn, Teniece Rae’l and Christon Avery
Elijah.
New Covenant M.B. Church…Past, Present & Future
The rich history of New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church be-

gan in 1934 under the leadership of Rev. Elijah Thurston. The
leadership and vision of four generations of Thurston men and a
committed body of believers have led New Covenant to be one
of the most well-respected and dynamic churches in the Chicagoland
area. With father and son historically leading together,
and pastor and people co-laboring to advance God’s Kingdom,
New Covenant consistently proves that there is “power in pairs.”
Honoring the Past…The leadership of Rev. Elijah Thurston.
In 1934, Rev. Elijah Thurston was called to
pastor the Salem Baptist Church (37th &
Langley) in Chicago after the death of Pastor
B.L. Rhodes. Three years later, Rev. Elijah
reorganized, relocated and renamed Salem
Baptist Church to be called the 44th Street
Baptist Church (735 East 44th Street) in Chicago.
It was here that Rev. Elijah also pioneered
the church’s strong radio presence by
spearheading a weekly Sunday night radio broadcast. Rev.
Elijah’s echoing his motto “I heard, I heard…God knows I
heard” was a mighty testimony to many in the radio listening
area.
In 1956, Rev. Elijah led the congregation to reach another milestone—moving
to its present location at 740 East 77th Street
and renaming the church New Covenant Missionary Baptist
Church. With God’s guidance, and the diligent assistance of his
son (Rev. John L. Thurston), Rev. Elijah Thurston continued to
boldly lead the congregation until his death on March 17, 1968.
The leadership of Rev. John Lee Thurston.
Rev. John Lee Thurston co-labored with his
father (Rev. Elijah Thurston) after accepting
his call to the Gospel ministry and delivering
his first sermon in 1948. In 1956, he was
appointed Co-Pastor of New Covenant and
ultimately served as Pastor after the death of
his father in 1968. Rev. John continued the
legacy of the well-respected radio broadcast—proclaiming
and imploring listeners to
“Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” Rev. John and his
son Rev. Stephen J. Thurston co-labored in ministry until the
death of Rev. John on January 21, 1979.
Celebrating the Present… The leadership of Rev. Stephen J.
Thurston. Easter Sundays have been milestones in the ministry
of Rev. Stephen John Thurston. He accepted his call to the Gospel
ministry and preached his initial sermon on Easter Sunday,
April 11, 1971; was ordained and appointed as the assistant pastor
of New Covenant M.B. Church (Easter Sunday, April 14,
1974); and was appointed as the Co-Pastor on March 30, 1975
(also an Easter Sunday). After the death of his father (Rev. John
L. Thurston) in 1979, he became the Pastor of New Covenant
M.B. Church. Rev. Stephen J. Thurston has also contributed
richly to the Sunday night radio broadcast as he tells the world,
“He has done great things.” Senior Pastor Rev. Stephen J.
Thurston also serves as president of the National Baptist Convention
of America, Inc., and made history when he became the
youngest elected president in September 2003.
The leadership of Rev. Stephen J. Thurston II. Rev. Stephen
J. Thurston II accepted
his call to the
Gospel ministry and
preached his initial
sermon on March 14,
1999. On June 19,
2004, he was elected
Co-Pastor and was
officially installed on
September 12,
2004—becoming the
fourth generation
Thurston to lead New
Covenant M.B.
Church.
Building the Future…
A local church with a worldwide vision sums up the future of New
Covenant. Senior Pastor Rev. Stephen J. Thurston and Co-Pastor
Rev. Stephen J. Thurston II are God’s appointed pair to spiritually
lead the people of New Covenant. Through life-changing ministries,
three Sunday worship services, weekly Bible study and prayer
meetings, a strong media presence (via television, radio, and internet),
extraordinary leadership, and the favor of God, New Covenant
is committed to effectively changing the lives of its members, the
community, and the nation.
In 2007, a $10 million worship center will be completed at the current
location further enabling the church and its members to achieve
its vision of “Creating a Christian Community Cradled in Kingdom
Quali

Mother Zion Missionary Baptist Church
416 East Milam Street-Wharton, Texas 77488
979.532.2908
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MOUNT OLIVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
6811 County Rd 42-Rosharon, Texas77583
281.780.3444
WE’RE A CHURCH THAT’S MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Would you like to feel inspiration
and spiritual connection? Join us this
Sunday at Mount Olive Baptist Church.
Pastor Carl L. Grice Sr. Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 A.M.

2201 Caroline—Houston, Texas 77002
Tel: (713) 655-0335 / Fax: (713) 655-0338 / Toll Free 1-877-655-8335
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