About five years ago, my friend,Pastor Zale Lewis, and I engaged

in a conversation about the need for,and our desire to engage in, trainingyoung men for church leadershipand ministry. Not long after mydiscussion with Pastor Lewis, I wason the phone with a young manfrom Texas who told me he was onhis way to the church for PurposeInstitute. Not having a clue whathe was talking about, I asked him totell me more. It was then I realizedthat I might have found the vehicleby which Pastor Lewis and I couldrealize our goal.

Immediately following myconversation with my youngfriend from Texas, I followedhis instructions and, using the"Information Highway", I typedin the home address for PurposeInstitute, www.purposeinstitute.com. Instantly I knew! This iswhat we were looking for! PurposeInstitute was, and is, the perfect toolfor preparing men and women ofall ages for church leadership andministry; perfect because it provideda systematic approach to leadershiptraining and ministry preparationwith an emphasis on biblicalunderstanding.

Established in 1994 in Canton,Ohio with less than twenty students,Purpose Institute has grown into aworldwide ministry and leadership-training program with 79 campusesin 26 U.S. states and 9 nations. There

are currently 2,327 active students(many more thari are enrolled), andliterally hundreds of graduates.

It is a fact that every great leaderis a lifelong learner. Foundationalpreparation prior to ultimateeffectiveness is a leadership reality;and what corporations and churcheseverywhere have come to realizeis that systematic training speedsdevelopment as a leader. PurposeInstitute has proven to be a highlyeffective vehicle providing ministryeducation for local church leadersand young ministers while allowingthem to remain faithful to thelocal church, their work, and theirfamilies.

Concerning young preachers:since there is always a separationbetween one's ANOINTING andone's APPOINTMENT, PurposeInstitute provides an opportunityto prepare for that ministryappointment through diligentstudy and the benefit of classroomtime with seasoned ministers,including pastors, evangelists, andmissionaries. If you are a localchurch leader or a young minister, orif you simply desire to gain a betterunderstanding of God's Word andHis ways, PURPOSE INSTITUTE isjust for YOU!

The Oakdale, Louisiana campusof Purpose Institute, hosted by theFirst United Pentecostal Churchof Oakdale, recently held its firstgraduation ceremony, the first in

the Louisiana District. ReverendT. F. Tenney was our guest speaker,challenging our graduates (and therest of the congregation) to know thesource of spiritual awakening. It wasa "word fitly spoken."

Following the message byBrother Tenney, we were quite proudto bestow upon our graduates thediplomas they so rightly deserved,given the time and effort they putinto receiving them. Receiving theDiploma of Associates of MinisterialStudies was: Alan Farquhar, SarahLewis, and Kevin Reeves. Receivingthe Diploma of Bachelors ofMinisterial Studies was: ChanceLewis and Jonathan Walker.

We commend these devotedchurch leaders and ministers fortheir hard work and dedication tofurthering their knowledge andunderstanding of God's Word andHis ways, and to gaining a keenerinsight into church leadership. Weshall all be beneficiaries of theirtime spent at the Oakdale campus ofPurpose Institute!