| OUR ROOTS |
| Bro. William Sowders, Sr. |
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Brother Sowders began by running from God. Brother Sowders had been searching for something, which only God could give him. He became a hunter and fisherman in the small town of Olmstead, Illinois. Olmstead is where the Lord would lead Bro. Sowders to find his Calling. During this time, God was anointing many outstanding preachers during a great outpouring of the Holy Ghost. Men like A. J. Tomlinson of Tennessee, Charles F. Parham of Kansas, Charles Seymour of California, and Bob Shelton of Illinois. |
| Brother Bob Shelton and his brother, Bye Shelton, were having church meetings in Brother Bye's home on the bank of the Ohio, at Olmstead. Brother Shelton had been blessed with preaching the Holy Ghost Baptism from the very first of God's move in this direction with the Pentecost people. Brother Sowders, while fishing the Ohio, came upon one such meeting. Hearing the sounds of singing and rejoicing in the humble setting of this small home of Bro. Bye Shelton, Brother Sowders began attending these small meetings. In the year of 1912, Bro. Sowders was converted from a sinner and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. |
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| Bro. and Sis. Bob Shelton 1919 |
This man, with the divine call of God, gave up his own life, subjected his life to Jesus, and launched into the ministry.At the time William Sowders moved to Olmstead, Illinois, there was a great nation-wide revival underway, with the outpouring of the Holy Ghost and the emergence of the Pentecostal movement. These Pentecostal revival themes were receiving the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, divine healing,and the soon coming of Jesus Christ. In fact they were saying then, that Jesus could come any night! |
| Bro. William Sowders and Linn Johnson On the Boat - Louisville, KY July 7, 1950 |
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| Location: http://www.oocities.org/gacbloomington/Roots.html Updated: 10/25/2001 |
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| From the banks of the beautiful Ohio River in Southern Illinois,the movement of The Body of Jesus Christ was to originate in the twentieth century. The young man, William Sowders, born to Charles and Florence Meeky Sowders in Louisville, Kentucky on September 13, 1879, was Called by God to preach HIS (Gods) gospel. He was chosen by God to bring together the Body of Christ in this day. |
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| Counter Date: 10/04/2001 |