House of Praise Church
HIS will is that NONE PERISH, BUT THAT ALL COME TO REPENTANCE
2 Peter 3:9
"COMMUNITY BIBLE CLASS"
(WE BELIEVE OUR "CHILDREN" ARE OUR FUTURE)
GOD CHOSE ABRAHAM BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT HE WOULD
'TEACH" HIS CHILDREN
FAITHFULLY, ALONG WITH PASTOR CARMEN, OUR BIBLE CLASS TEACHERS INCLUDE: Sister Cheryl Ventura; Bro. "Gabe" Ford; Sister Tammy Coleman; Sister Barbara Starks; Sister Stefanie Sanders and others.
All of them are saved, sanctified, and filled with the HOLY GHOST. They are dedicated, studious, and "DEVOTED" to God and His Children of all ages. They, Too, BELIEVE THAT GOD'S CHILDREN ARE THE FUTURE FOR THE "KINGDOM" OF GOD!
So, How did this Bible Class get started?
While going to Church with her GRANDMOTHER, young Carmen Jean Clark, (Kitty), was converted, received Salvation, made Jesus Christ her personal Lord and Savior, and was Baptized in the "real" Holy Ghost, at five (5) years old!
Moving to East Birmingham, in 1963, young Carmen began attending the "SUNBEAM BIBLE CLASS FOR ALL PEOPLE". A very old Christian lady, by the name of Mother Anna Lamb, held these "Bible Classes" in her home, every Wednesday evening at 4 p.m. She had a large, handwritten, white sign, attached to a long, wooden post. Whenever you would see that "SIGN" out on her porch or yard, you knew that it was time to "PRAISE THE LORD". Everyone rushed home from school, to quickly do "homework and chores and get permission to go to "Bible Class".
Children, from all over the neighborhood, (young and old), came running to the little house! It was much too small, for all of the people that flowed into the "tiny" living room. How everyone fit in that room, was an amazing "act of God"! They sat all in corners and on floors, but everyone was "HAPPY"!
Mother Lamb taught everything from Adam and Eve, to the Law and the Prophets, to Moses and the Judges, to the sixty-six (66) books of the Bible, to "JESUS CHRIST", crucified, died, buried, resurrected, salvation and Jesus' coming back to judge the world. Everyone learned, and had fun doing it! No two Bible Classes were ever exactly alike, PLUS, Mother Lamb always gave TREATS afterwards!
One day, in 1969, while walking home from school, young Carmen saw an ambulance and a fire truck, at mother Lambs' house. She froze! All of the other children in the community ran to see what was happening.
As Carmen stood alone, she felt as if a mantle had been put on her shoulders. She then heard "A VOICE" in her spirit, that Mother Lamb would not be coming back and that SHE was to carry on the mission of the "Bible Class".
"FRIGHTENED", Carmen ran all of the rest of the way home. True enough, Mother Lamb went Home to be with the LORD!
THROUGHOUT CARMEN'S LIFE, she received many prophecies, words of knowledge and confirmations, that she was to start a Bible Class and TEACH THE CHILDREN.
Carmen continued witnessing to others and sharing the love of Jesus, throughout her childhood. As a young adolescent, she became an Evangelist. After becoming a wife and the mother of three" BEAUTIFUL" children, she began to TEACH them the way of "HOLINESS".
BUT, SHE NEVER STARTED THE COMMUNITY BIBLE CLASS!!!!
One morning, before day, (around 3 a.m.), she was on her knees talking to God. She asked, "Father, what is it that I am doing or am not doing that you want of me? Tell me and I will OBEY".
Immediately, God spoke to her, "I have shown you what you were to do, a long time ago, and you have not done it, yet!" Instantly, she saw the childhood scene of her, standing on the sidewalk, the ambulance, fire truck, the mantle and hearing the voice, "Mother Lamb will not be coming back. You are to carry on her mission of the "Bible Class".
Tearfully, and sobbing, she REPENTED! That day, she instructed her children to tell their classmates about "Bible Class", BEGINNING that evening at 4 p.m. She promised the children snacks and treats after Bible Class BUT she DID NOT have any money! NOT ONE RED PENNY! She prayed, "Lord, if this is you, I know that you will provide".
Well, 4 p.m. came and the children poured in from all over the neighborhood. There were not enough seats, so they were all over the floor. But, they were "SMILING"!
Suddenly, there came a knock at the back door! Carmen went to the door and there was a Brother in the Lord standing there with all kinds of cakes, cookies, ice-cream and cones, and candies! He knew nothing about the Bible Class! He said that he was in the grocery store and God spoke to him to buy these things for her! WHAT A MIGHTY GOD! HE IS SO FAITHFUL!!
From that day, until this present day, God has never ceased to provide Treats/Snacks for the Bible Class.
Many souls have been won to the Kingdom of God, through the Bible Class, which is the only Church that many have ever gone to. Some have gone home to be with the Lord, but, PRAISE GOD, they were "saved". The Bible Class has become "Home" for many of them. Some children that grew up in the first Bible Class, now have "grandchildren". Many have drifted away, but as soon as they need prayer, they come "CALLING" OR "RUNNING" back home.
- STILL GOING STRONG TODAY, The weekly children's Bible class is now, THE COMMUNITY Bible Class! It consists of young and old! Our TEACHERS believe that the CHILDREN are our future and if we teach them well, THEY WILL LEAD THE WAY! How can we be SO confident? Because we have found out that the GREATEST LOVE IS INSIDE OF US............ His name is "JESUS"!