B V O V
:
7
THE FOUNDING
OF A MINISTRY
In 1967, at a time when Kenneth and Gloria Copeland
didn't even have the means to travel to the nearest
town, they committed their lives to go around the
world preaching the uncompromised Word of God.
KENNETH COPELAND MINISTRIES: A BRIEF HISTORY
Kenneth singing at an Oral Roberts meeting in 1966 (top).
Kenneth and Gloria on the ministry headquarters construction
site, 1986.
It began as a journey of faith, when in
March of that year Kenneth stood in the dried-
up Arkansas riverbed and received God's call to
ministry.
"He told me exactly what He was calling me
to do," Kenneth would recall years later. "He was
calling me to preach the gospel to the nations …
He said nations would be won in a day—some of
them even by this ministry."
For Kenneth, preparing to preach to the nations
would begin the summer of that year, but not in
a pulpit or behind a podium. Kenneth took his
fi rst step toward answering God's call by picking
up his Bible and walking from the bedroom to
the living room of the little house he and Gloria
occupied in Tulsa, Okla. With no money, and no
meetings scheduled, that was as far as he knew to
go. God had given him specifi c instructions never
to ask people for money or a place to preach.
Sitting down to study his Bible, Kenneth
announced to God: "LORD, I'm on call."
Not long after that, the calls for Kenneth
to minister started coming. And they have
been coming ever since. Ever y where they
go, Kenneth and Gloria continue to preach
the uncompromised Word to the nations—
bringing people from the milk to the meat of
Kenneth singing at an Oral Roberts meeting in 1966 (top).
Kenneth and Gloria on the ministry headquarters construction
site, 1986. site, 1986.
fi rst step toward answering God's call by picking
up his Bible and walking from the bedroom to
the living room of the little house he and Gloria
occupied in Tulsa, Okla. With no money, and no
meetings scheduled, that was as far as he knew to
go. God had given him specifi c instructions never
to ask people for money or a place to preach.
announced to God: "
to minister started coming. And they have
been coming ever since. Ever y where they
go, Kenneth and Gloria continue to preach
the uncompromised Word to the nations—
bringing people from the milk to the meat of
