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April Newsletter 2011

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Worship With Me in Tulsa This Sunday Evening!

Sunday evening, May 1, at 6 PM CST, I will be leading in worship and ministry at Southpark Community Church in Tulsa, OK! Please join me if you can!

More info is below!

Dennis Jernigan

 

May 1, 2011

6 PM Night of Praise

Southpark Community Church

10811 East 41st Street

Tulsa, OK 74146

 

For more information about the church, please call (918) 663-2627 or visit their website here.

 

Next Generation Creative Institute

We recently held our third NGCI in our home and were, once again, amazed at the unique ways each of these weekends unfolds. As varied as the people who gather, the workings of the Holy Spirit continue to inspire me to hold these NGCI events. If you are creatively minded, whether you are a musician or not, these encounters are proving to be of profound encouragement and inspiration to those who are able to attend. I urge you to consider being a part or, if you know of someone who would benefit from the next NGCI, consider providing someone with a scholarship to attend. If you know of an aspiring worship leader, songwriter, author, praise team member, musician, or minister who would benefit from the NGCI, please consider helping them get here! For details and to register, go to NGCI or http://dennisjernigan.com/events/.

I hope to see you there!

DJ


 

March 2011 Newsletter 2

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Dennis Jernigan Newsletter

March 23, 2011

 

• Family Life Today Radio Interview with Dennis Jernigan

• A Simple Way to Help Spread the Word

• Resurrection Day Music

• Become a DJ Insider

• Free mp3 of the Month

• Invite Dennis Jernigan to Minister in Your Church

• Hymns I

• FREE Book Chapter


FamilyLife Today Radio Program

March 28-29, 2011

Listen to Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine's  interview with Dennis Jernigan. The interview is over Dennis' book "What Every Boy Should Know...What Every Man Wishes His Dad Had Told Him". Dennis really wants to encourage men to walk in their true, God-ordained masculine identity - whether they are a dad or not! Listen to this interview to learn more about the book and what it is meant to share. You can find out more information about the show and you can listen online by clicking here. Please check with your local Christian Radio Stations for local showtimes.

 

Next Generation Creative Institute
April 1-3
Only a few spots left for this weekend with Dennis and Melinda in their home. Additional weekends each quarter. Click here.

A Simple Way to Help Spread the Word

If you are a member of Facebook, you are familiar with the importance of use the “Like” button. You can now do that at www.dennisjernigan.com! This helps alert others to the resources we have available on DJ’s web site and helps get the Good News of hope in Christ out to others through the music and books Dennis has received. By sharing comments and “Like”ing DJ’s materials you instantly make others aware of these resources. Go to http://dennisjernigan.com/store and press that “Like” button or leave a comment.

 

Resurrection Day Music

For all your worship leaders out there, we have many songs that would be a wonderful asset to your worship leading up to Resurrection Day (Easter). If you know DJ’s story at all you know how precious the recognition of the resurrection of Christ is to him. The music that has been born through the years is as rich and varied as the grace of God Dennis has discovered along the way of his personal journey. You can now look up songs by category. We suggest ‘the blood of Jesus’, ‘Lamb of God’, ‘Redeeming Love’, and ‘Resurrection’ as places to begin!

 

Become a DJ Insider
Find daily encouragement, ministry discounts, and other valuable resources for your personal walk with Christ by becoming a DJ Insider. The cost is minimal but the return on your investment will be greater personal freedom with the added benefit of helping support the work of ministry as poured out through the life of Dennis Jernigan.

 

Free mp3 of the Month

Each month, Dennis gives away a free mp3 of a song the Lord places on his heart just for you. Please take advantage of this gift and let others know of its availability as well. Go to http://dennisjernigan.com/free-downloads to get your copy of the latest song, Indescribable.


Invite Dennis Jernigan to Minister in Your Church

Dennis Jernigan loves to minister, whether through music or the sharing of his heart through spoken word. Through the years he has had the privilege of seeing literally thousands begin their own personal walk of victory with Jesus Christ. There is no church too big and no church too small for Dennis to minister in. Simply put, DJ wants to go wherever the Lord sends him. Just because you think your gathering place or group may be too small is no reason to not ask. You have not because you ask not! If Dennis feels led to come, he will come…but he cannot come if you do not ask!

Call Glory Thompson at 918-685-2268 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            918-685-2268      end_of_the_skype_highlighting,or email her at  918-685-2268 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            918-685-2268      end_of_the_skype_highlighting Glory@dennisjernigan.com to begin the process!

 

Hymns I

The brand new hymn recording is being reproduced and should be available for shipping by the first week of April (if not sooner)! Call 1-800-877-0406 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            1-800-877-0406      end_of_the_skype_highlightingor go to  http://dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=21&p=2598 to order your copy today!

FREE Book Chapter

Dennis is currently in the process of writing a book for his daughters, but designed to encourage men. Written with help from his 5 daughters, his daughter-in-law, and wife, Dennis hopes to encourage men to be better dads to their girls and hopes to encourage women to rise up and embrace there true calling as women of God. The chapter below has not been professionally edited. It is in the original form Dennis wrote it – fresh from his heart. Please pray for him in this process. He has written 11 chapters in less than two weeks! We think he is really enjoying reliving the memories he has made with his girls. Let us know what you think.

Dennis Jernigan Staff

 

Why Do Girls Cry?

He who finds a wife finds a good thing

And obtains favor from the LORD.

Proverbs 18:22 NASB

Having grown up with no sisters, most of my experience with girls came via my three female cousins who lived a mile from us. We lived in the country and country girls, while very feminine and sufficiently girly, were still able to get right in there and hold their own with my brothers and I. On a farm, everyone has to pitch in. My girl cousins rode horses, hauled hay, and played basketball…and could throw a mean right hook! When I left home and went to college, I discovered that not all girls were as tough as my cousins had been. This caused great consternation and confusion on my part the first time I encountered girl emotions outside the realm of my experience. Growing up without sisters in the house left me somewhat bewildered when my interest in girls – especially in college – turned toward romantic pursuits!

I will never forget the first time I saw Melinda. I sat on the back row – being a dumb guy hoping the teacher would never ask me a question – and she sat confidently on the front row readily and eagerly answering all questions. As she walked confidently into the classroom the first day of our sophomore year, I was mesmerized. Absolutely mesmerized with her incredible beauty…and just as incredibly intimidated by her immense knowledge of the subject matter! Of course, all ability to focus on the teacher went out the window as I sat there staring at her…hoping she would not catch me in my salivating gaze…and hoping she would!

My honest recollection of seeing her for the first time still reminds me of my first thoughts about the possibility of having a relationship with her. My personal view of myself was that a girl in possession of such radiant beauty would never go out with a country bumpkin like me! But after a few weeks of those in-class staring sessions, I finally worked up the nerve to ask her out…and she instantly turned me down! As she tells it now, she really did have a prior engagement and could not go out with me…even though she really wanted to. Feeling so rejected and crushed, it took me months to find the courage to ask her out again.

Getting to know her roommates was a Godsend. Judy knew of my infatuation and was acting as my ‘insider’…giving me clandestine updates as to how to best pursue Melinda. I found my chance as the winter cold faded into pleasant springtime warmth. Judy called me one evening telling me that Melinda was running by herself on the track next to the gym. She told me it was growing dark and that, hint-hint, Melinda might like some masculine protection!

As I nervously walked (make that ran) over to the track, I planned my ‘accidental’ encounter. As she passed by I called out to her, “Are you here by yourself?” Of course, her answer was, “Yes, but I’m OK.” I told her I felt uneasy with a young lady running by herself like that. Of course, I had no way of knowing (remember, I’m a dumb guy) that she and Judy had worked all this out ahead of time. My desire was to be her hero. Her desire was to get me alone!

As our relationship blossomed, I enjoyed getting to know Melinda. The mystery of unraveling the ways a girl thinks were overshadowed by my limited experiences with my female cousins…so much so that everything came crashing to down into the great mysterious feminine reality of emotion the day I decided to teach Melinda how to hit a softball.

I was used to girls knocking the ball out of the park. Melinda could not seem to get the hang of even how to hold the bat! It was quite perplexing to me that she did not know how to keep her eye on the ball. Guys seem to be born with that innate ability. Girls, not so much I discovered! After a few minutes of pitching to her as one would pitch to a small child, my frustration began to grow. She was on the verge of tears and I was on the verge of blowing my brains out. Luckily, there was a small boy riding a tricycle nearby. About 3 years of age, I, with my massive male wisdom and ability to see a need and find an immediate solution, called out to the boy, “Hey, kid. Come here and show her how to hit the ball!”

As I stood back and laughed in my superior male comedic timing, Melinda burst into hysterical tears and ran from the field and right up to her apartment. Fortunately, Judy had been watching the entire interchange and wisely took me by the shoulders and looked me square in the eyes as she resolutely said, “Dennis, go after her!”

This became one of the most profound learning moments for me on my journey of understanding the feminine spirit. Little did I know that the Lord was preparing me to not only be a good husband, but also preparing me to be a good father who knows how to bestow feminine identity upon his daughters.

Men are wired to see a problem and find a solution. Women are wired to feel and discern on a deep emotional level. Men tend to keep everything bottled up inside until we explode in anger and frustration. Women tend to passionately express exactly how they feel. Without emotion, men tend to self-destruct. Without seeking practical solutions, women can become trapped in an emotional maze that never ends. We have need of one another. My weaknesses are diffused by Melinda’s strengths. Her weaknesses are diffused by mine. We are a team…and we are one flesh.

That day I was introduced to a magnificent vista that introduced me to the wonderful mystery of feminine emotion….a beautiful vista with deep, deep valleys and magnificent pinnacles. Who knew that feeling things deeply – whether discomforting or ecstatically beautiful – could bring so much life?

Women: feel deeply…but do not remain stranded in the maze of emotion. Use it to reveal the depth of God’s creativity to us men-folk. That is your birthright.

Men: learn to see life from her point of view. You will find healing for your soul in that special place God has prepared for us hairy ones. Try to learn to feel what she feels while remaining the solid rock of security that she needs you to be.

Why do girls cry? Men and women are meant to find fulfillment as they become one in marriage. Tears bring cleansing and flush out the depths of the soul as emotion is expressed. We all need that.  Men are wired to provide a secure foundation from which emotion – tears – can be expressed in wonderful, cleansing freedom. When my wife cries, I have learned the joy of the process of comforting her in her tears…and always find that my own soul gets cleansed in the process.

As a father, I have found immense solace for my masculine soul as I have wiped the tears from the eyes of a broken-hearted daughter. As a man, I have learned to let the tears flow when necessary…and my girls have learned that there are times when they need to ‘man up’, as we say in the south. Reality is that we have need of one another. Men need women…and women need men…regardless of what the spirit of the age – the wisdom of the world – might say. And, from a husband’s and from a father’s perspective, I am a better man for knowing that.

Lord,

Bless my wife and daughters with even more sensitivity to how You feel. Give them great creativity in expressing their emotions in such a way that healing and cleansing flow from their lives to those around them. Help my sons to be sensitive to the emotional needs of the women in their lives...and to never be condescending or belittling to those precious women. Help my sons learn to embrace the gift of their feminine counterparts and gain health and life for their own souls in the process.

Amen.


 

March 2011 Newsletter

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Dennis Jernigan Newsletter

Monday, March 14, 2011

 

• WFTLR

• Hymns I

• Ministry Support for NYC, Australia, Great Britain, and Documentary

• Oral Roberts University – The Rest of the Story

 

Worship From the Living Room Tonight!

Remember to join me for worship and ministry tonight at 9 PM CST. Go to www.livestream.comdennisjernigantv to join the live broadcast.

 

Hymns I

The new Hymns recording done and is ready to order! We will have the actual CD in hand and ready to ship in approximately 10 business days!

 

Upcoming Ministry Opportunities

I need your help. A group in New York City has asked me to help plan a ministry to the homosexual community in that city…hopefully gaining use of a major theater near or right on Broadway. I do not have the funds for airfare and hotel to NYC for this meeting. The cost for such a planning trip is around $600.00. The group will be able to help some but I would like to not be a burden to them. Go to http://dennisjernigan.com/how-to-support-the-work-of-dennis-jernigan if you feel led to help with this ministry effort.

 

We are also tentatively planning a trip to minister in two Australian cities, Bendigo (in the Melbourne area) and Cairns. Of course, I have a selfish motive behind such a trip – because I would get to see my daughter and her husband (Hannah and Ash)! There are churches in each area who have expressed interest in having me come and minister.

 

In addition, there are groups in Scotland and Wales who would like to plan a ministry trip. In each of these invitations the groups are not financially able to help. We would be able to receive love offerings and sell CDs to help cover some of the cost…but that comes after the need to purchase airfare. My belief is that these trips are worthy causes simply because the word of freedom – especially my specific story in this day and age – is so very needed all over the world.

 

I still have a vision to produce a documentary of my life and story. More on that in the days to come. Please consider giving to these projects. Thanks!

DJ

 

Oral Roberts University – The Rest of the Story

On Wednesday, March 9, 2011, the Lord fulfilled a decades old vision of mine. In 1977, the Lord allowed me to experience the ministry of Keith Green while I was a freshman at Oklahoma Baptist University. This was a life-altering event for me. God used the music of Keith Green to save my life – literally – on more than one occasion. But why and where does Keith Green fit into this story?

 

The night after the OBU concert, Keith moved the ministry to Oral Roberts University in Tulsa...and revival broke out! People began to repent and confess sins to one another. At one point, Keith opened the microphone up for any who wanted to share something…and people began to confess sin. Melody Green writes about it in her book on Keith’s life, “No Compromise”, saying, “Over and above all this, though, it felt like the Spirit of God had settled on us like a thick cloud. It was a brightness you could almost see – something gentle and tender, yet infinite. I knew something powerful was taking place.”1

 

This cloud was only thickened when one young man went to the mic and said, “I’ve been involved in homosexuality here on campus…and God has broken my heart tonight. I see how much I’ve been hurting Him, hurting you, and hurting the school. I really need God to forgive me. With His help I’m going to change.”1

 

Shock waves went through the arena. Brokenness began to occur as a deeper level of repentance and a greater awareness of God’s presence began to issue forth. Soon that shock wave was dampened when one of the pastoral leaders from ORU went to the mic and gave guidelines for further sharing saying, “We feel things like this are to be confessed privately, and we don’t think it’s a good idea for any of you to share personal sins openly.”

 

The anointing was lifted and the meetings discontinued after that night…and after my own deliverance and subsequent launch into ministry, I have held a vision for continuing the work that Keith and Melody helped usher in at ORU.

 

On March 9, 2011, ORU President, Dr. Mark Rutland, allowed me the opportunity to share my story. Leading in worship to begin the chapel service, I then sang “Passionate Obsession” over the student body before launching into my story. After sharing, I invited students to get honest about hidden things, regardless of what they are…and hundreds stood for ministry! Brokenness and weeping began to flow as hearts received the ministry from Father’s heart as I sang “It’s Gonna Be Allright” over them.

 

It had not fully dawned on me concerning the Keith Green connection until I got to the story of Keith’s place in my life…and then was brought home fully as I ended the service. Dr. Rutland addressed the students after I stepped down. With tears in his eyes and a tremble in his voice, he told the students, “Dennis’s story was not one of deliverance from same sex attraction. His was a story of freedom and honesty. It does not matter what your sin is. What matters is that you have a place to be honest and find freedom.”

 

He went on to say that he had decided to bring a new day to ORU in this sense: where formally students were simply categorically dismissed from school if certain sins were confessed, from now on the university would have a policy of amnesty. His reasoning? If students are not allowed honest confession, how can they find true freedom?

 

After Dr. Rutland dismissed the students to lunch and class, I met with many students who were so ministered to by the day’s events. Some could only cry. Some could hardly get the words of gratitude out. One even told me what I shared had literally saved his life from suicide. And then I remembered Keith’s ministry there…how I had been just a small part of seeing freedom ushered into the heart of this world-changing university that Keith had helped begin some 33 years before!

 

I had all but given up on ever seeing this vision fulfilled…but 30 years later, I am utterly stunned at the big-picture God we serve. There is so much more I want to say…but you get the idea. God is amazingly good…

Dennis Jernigan

 

1 From the book No Compromise by Melody Green.

© 2008 Melody Green

Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers.

 

To see pictures from the ORU ministry time go to http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=507304776#!/photo.php?fbid=10150138353269777&set=at.10150138353259777.291429.507304776.507304776&theater


   

February Newsletter 2011

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Dennis will be in Fort Worth, Texas at Bethesda Community Church on Sunday evening, February 27 at 6 p.m. 

If you live in the DFW area we would love to see you there and please let all your friends, families and churches know about this event.

Night of Praise - Bethesda Community Church
4700
North Beach Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76137

For more information about the event or the church, please call 817-281-6350 or visit their website at www.bethesdafortworth.org/.  

Germany
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! We were able to purchase Melinda a ticket to Germany for the High School Retreat I will be ministering at in early March. We are so very grateful for your generosity and sensitivity to our need. We will keep you posted as to other needs and prayer concerns as the time to leave approaches. Thank you for helping us minister to several hundred young people who will literally be sent around the world to do the work of ministry in the years to come.

Hymns I
Dennis is currently recording a hymns project - just DJ and his piano. We will let you know when that becomes available! Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzyzstLeT3c and listen to one of the first rough mixes...and sing along!


 

January Newsletter II 2011

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• Can You Help?

• Read ‘Victim to Victor’ – First Three Chapters FREE

Can You Help?

In December, I was approached by a brother in the Lord who admonished me to be better about making my ministry needs known. This is my attempt to do so.

 

Black Forest Academy High School Retreat

I have just been invited to lead worship and minister in Switzerland this coming March. Black Forest Academy, Kandern, Germany, where my son and daughter-in-law (Israel and Dani) minister, is a boarding school for children of missionaries. They have asked if I would come to lead worship for their High School Retreat in Lenks, Switzerland from March 4-6 of this year. The school is actually able to provide for one plane fare but I would like to take Melinda to help with the technical aspects of worship as well as to love on these kids. I would like to raise an additional $3,000 to cover the rest of the airfare and expenses…and, to be honest, would like to not even have to take the school’s offer for the one plane fare because I know how difficult it is for missionary families to make ends meet. This is a great opportunity to impact the entire world and minister to several hundred young people at the same time. These kids will take what God does during this time and invest what they received into those THEY minister to. I believe this is a worthy endeavor. Can you help?

 

Go to http://dennisjernigan.com/how-to-support-the-work-of-dennis-jernigan to give online or send a check or money order to:

 

Dennis Jernigan

C/O Shepherd’s Heart Music, Inc.

7804 W. Fern Mountain Rd.

Muskogee, OK 74401

 

Thanks,

Dennis Jernigan

 

Other Projects You Can Help Support

Documentary of the Life of Dennis Jernigan

As you know, the need for stories like mine is becoming more and more apparent each and every day. What we have found through the years is that when I share of my deliverance from same sex attraction that people with ALL MANNER of bondages come to us for help. I would like to film a documentary of my life…a movie that would be of sufficient quality that it could be shown on the Discovery Channel or Biography Channel. I already have a filmmaker who is ready, willing, and able to make this happen. We simply need funding. Think of all the places such a tool could be used…Celebrate Recovery groups…schools…universities…churches…the possibilities are endless. This is completely possible. We simply need funding. We are asking the Lord for $10,000.

 

The First-ever Dennis Jernigan Ministry Tour

I would like to create my first-ever ministry tour where I go from city to city along a planned route. My desire is to not burden the local church but to be a blessing. In this present climate, only the large church bodies can afford to bring me in. Some of my greatest blessings have come from going to churches and cities that normally get by-passed by major ministries and artists. Reality is that I need to make a living for my family. Royalties continue to help us throughout the year but they are growing less and less as the years go by. If I had help with finances I could afford to pay for my own travel and lodging rather than placing that burden on the local body. With those needs met I could then find most of my family’s needs met through whatever Love Offerings would be given.

 

My goals for such a tour?

1 Proclaim freedom from WHATEVER binds the human soul

2 Equip the church to be the ministers to those around them so as to multiply the work of ministry and freedom (let’s face it…most people feel inadequate in dealing with the hard issues like addiction, homosexuality, abuse, etc.).

 

I feel I can help equip the church at large to get out of the pews and not expect the lost to come to them…to go out into the fields where they live and, in practical ways, pour out the love of Jesus to those around them. I do not yet know what I would call such a tour, but it could be as simple and straightforward as the ‘Help For the Hurting’ Tour. Please give as you feel led.

 

Thank you!

Dennis Jernigan

 

 

Read ‘Victim to Victor’ – First Three Chapters FREE

Dennis’s book, Victim to Victor, is a helpful tool in discovering who we are in Christ. Written as a continuation of the book Giant Killers, Victim to Victor takes the reader on a journey of discovering not only their identity in Christ, but also the power to overcome temptation that we have been given as new creations. To help make people aware of this helpful ministry tool we are offering the first three chapter of the book (available as an eBook only) for free. Go to http://dennisjernigan.com/store/product.php?c=33&p=2576 and download your free chapters today…and if it speaks to your hart, purchase the entire book for only $10.00. Please tell others you know who are battling for their identity in Christ – battling for freedom in their life – about this helpful book.


   

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