Stand Ministries has some new and exciting plans in the coming months. We are going back to Kentucky to bring much needed food, clothing and supplies. Our new contact person, Brittany, is very blessed by our willingness to help the poverty-stricken area she is committed to help. Also, we recently launched our Stand Bible Broadcast YouTube channel. These are the many messages Terry has recorded over the years at Schultz Studio in Port Huron, Michigan. Our prayer is that Terry’s messages will continue to bless others and continue to bring others to Christ.
Since my husband, Terry, the founder of Stand Ministries, went to be with the Lord in April 2021, grief has been very difficult, but God continues to bless. I think it’s fair to say, since 2020 everyone’s lives have been changed. Stand Ministries and our personal lives have definitely changed. Some things are the same and will never change. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ will never change and his love for us will never change. Our desire to please Him, to give Him honor and glory and our love for Christ will remain steadfast. God’s word says in Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
In 1999 early 2000 God brought Terry some businessmen to form a board of directors. God also brought another strength athlete, Big Buck to work alongside Terry, so he didn’t carry the burden alone. This is when our name changed to Stand Ministries. This is also when Terry met Big James Henderson. Big James taught Terry how to lift the log, smash blocks, blow up hot water bottles and some other fun, exciting stuff. This changed the way Terry did his programs.
Terry’s passion and love for God and God’s word were contagious. Terry made many friends over the years. He met one of his best friends, Luther Elliss, around 1995. Luther is now the head of the Stand board of directors. Luther was very instrumental in starting Stand Ministries. In fact, all the men on our board now were there from the beginning. What a blessing from God it is to have had their support all these years.
Over the years, more athletes were added. For several years, Terry and the “Stand guys” (as many called them) left their homes and travelled from town to town, city to city performing strength programs in schools and churches across the country. We called these programs “crusades.” Stand Ministries was always changing. Over the years, Terry added live music, then he added martial artists to the group.
In 2016 another change happened. Terry met Preacher Bill Holeman. Preacher Bill spent more than 60 years teaching school children about making right choices throughout Eastern Kentucky, through assembly programs as a ventriloquist. His wife and doctors insisted he retire. Preacher Bill met Terry and passed his schools on to him. When Terry discovered the people in these communities were in extreme poverty, he started bringing donations of food, clothing, hygiene items and school supplies to these areas. When everything was shut down in March of 2020, Kentucky schools were also shut down. Even though the schools were closed, Terry travelled back to the mountains of Kentucky to deliver much needed food to the community. During these times, Terry told me, “I don’t know what the ministry will look like when the pandemic is over, but I don’t want to give up Kentucky.” Terry would be happy to know we are not giving up Kentucky. The schools were still not allowing assemblies, so we brought them donations of food and clothing and a coloring book for the elementary students. Terry had our artist friend, Lance, create a coloring book of the Stand guys performing feats of strength and each page gives a “right choice” message to go along with the picture. We will continue to bring hope and the love of Christ to the needy areas of Kentucky.
In July 2021 we were able to share the hope of Christ at the Big Ticket Music Festival in Gaylord, Michigan through our strength programs. We saw over 80 decisions for Christ that weekend. We were given the invitation to come back to The Big Ticket Festival next year. God allowed Big James Henderson to run our program at The Big Ticket Festival. Remember, Big James is the one who taught Terry how to do many of the feats of strength in the beginning of Stand Ministries. Our God is an awesome God!
Thank you for allowing us to share our vision and mission with you. Please continue to pray for Stand Ministries as we move forward. Please pray for our upcoming trip to Kentucky on March 28th. We will be going to three counties. Pray for our Stand Bible Broadcast, that we reach many for Christ through these messages and please continue to pray for the direction of Stand Ministries.
We are excited to continue with Terry’s legacy through Stand Ministries. Terry was working on changes before he went to heaven. We will continue with his visions and life’s work. While we are still working on what exactly Stand Ministries will look like, we know we can trust God. Our goal is to bless others, to be His hands and feet, to spread the gospel and to do God’s will.
CLICK HERE to donate
On the giving tab, enter your amount under “Mission of the Month”.