LEADERSHIP & MINISTRY TEAM
Pastor Garlton George, Senior Pastor.
Pastor Garlton was called to preach the gospel at the age of seven. He emulated his pastor’s preaching by using a stick for a microphone. He served under his pastor for many years beginning with janitorial responsibilities, then bible studies, overseeing the finances, evangelism, preaching, and serving as assistant pastor. His mother was the greatest influence in his life, as he watched her live a life of holiness and righteousness. The Lord also trained him while working a secular job at a local hospital, equipping him to care for and love people. Through his leadership role within his job and serving his pastor, this prepared him for leading and equipping the body of Christ. Pastor Garlton flows and operates in the five fold ministry gifts. He has a passion for the lost to come to the salvation of Jesus Christ. His mandate for these last days is to prepare the Bride of Christ for the soon return of Jesus.
Kay has been called to stand by Pastor Garlton’s side as his help meet to fulfill the mandate upon his life, as well as the vision and mission for Praise International. The heartbeat of Kay includes missions. God used Kay’s calling as an RN to also serve on foreign soil. Kay first answered the call to missions in 1999 and served for one year with Mercy Ships. In 2008 her call to missions included travel to Africa where Praise International was expanded and resulted in an extension of our local church to the village of Bondo, Kenya. Having done many mission trips to various parts of the world she realized the value of the uncompromised, unadulterated Word of God being preached at Praise International.
Johnny and Tammie Murray oversee the Media and Technology Department and lead praise and worship at Praise International.
Tammie Murray, Worship Leader.
Tammie is a vital part of the ministry of Praise International. She is called to usher in the presence of God and lead us into His throne room, while preparing the atmosphere for the Word to be brought forth in Spirit and Truth. Tammie’s passion of being a fully devoted follower of Christ encompasses her desire for the church to experience authentic, heartfelt worship that leads the church towards a transformed life of obedience, holiness, and righteousness. She firmly says that worship is a lifestyle and leading worship corporately only comes from ones private, intimate worship. Tammie leads by example through a life of character and commitment. She is a faithful post in the house of God and has stood with the pastor for 20 years. Also, she assists in the administrative decisions of the ministry.
Johnny Murray, Media and Technology Department Director.
Johnny oversees the Media Department. He is responsible for the recording and distribution of the messages including video, audio, and multimedia presentation. Johnny is gifted in all aspects of multimedia including a combination of audio, video, animation, images, and interactive content that involves various forms of communication and expression. He is an expert in troubleshooting and problem solving, making sure the media equipment works efficiently and runs smoothly. Also, Johnny assists in decision making and maintenance of the church. He has served Praise International with excellence and faithfulness for 20 years.
Calvin oversees all of the internal workings and mechanics of Praise International. His heart is to serve the pastor and the church, which takes a tremendous amount of weight off of the pastor so he can stay on his face before the Lord. As Head Elder of Praise International. Calvin leads with a servant’s heart and he makes himself available at all times to step in to teach and preach when needed. He is also called to pray for the sick and pray over the needs within the body of Christ, while assisting the pastor in watching over the church with humility and a heart of compassion. As head elder, Calvin is called to be a peacemaker, prayer warrior, teacher, exhorter, and he leads others by his godly lifestyle and example. Calvin oversees the ushers, housekeeping, maintenance, transportation needs, and assists with counseling. He is the pastor’s assistant and has been a trusted, faithful servant of the Lord for over 15 years.
Andre accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior in 1999 and he has faithfully served the local body under Pastor Garlton’s teaching and preaching for 17 years. He was raised by his mother and step-father. As a young boy his mother would take him to church, but he never served God or had anyone train him up in the ways of the Lord, to be a strong man of God. As a young man working at Lowes Hardware, a coworker introduced him to their parents and this couple was instrumental in Andre coming to know the Lord. Andre then began the process of being transformed into the man of God his Heavenly Father destined for him to become. This began the healing process from childhood wounds that had brought on much guilt and shame.
Andre’s purpose and calling on his life is to serve Jesus Christ with his whole heart and help fulfill the mandate and calling on Pastor Garlton’s life, through serving the body of Christ and preparing the Bride for the rapture of the church. Andre’s passion is the Word of God and seeing the manifestation of the glory of God within the body of Christ. God has called him to turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers (Malachi 4:6). His desire is to teach and train men of God to be spiritual leaders and servants within their home, as well as protectors and providers. Andre’s heart is to instruct men to first be sons of their Heavenly Father, then a husband to their wife and a father to their children. He leads the “Mighty Men of Valor” men’s group at Praise International.
Pastor of Praise International Bondo, Kenya. (Refer to Missions Link)
Pastor Lawrence and his wife Pamellah are the pastors and overseers of Praise International Bondo, Kenya. Pastor Lawrence gave his life to the Lord in 1995 while he was homeless and living on the streets of Siaya, Kenya. He was born into a very strict traditional family that practiced rituals exclusive to cultural traditions of African village life. These rituals practiced all manners of evil ceremonies and traditions including worship of the dead. Pastor Lawrence’s paternal grandfather was a practicing ritualist and magician and when his grandfather died he was to be “initiated” to take over his spirit and continue his grandfather’s practice. He was barely 14 years old when he was locked in a hut and at midnight was to be taken to the graveside to await his “initiation”. There was a hoe in the corner of the hut and he used it to dig his way out. He fled to his maternal grandmother’s house but realized he could not stay there due to his grandfather’s influence, so he lived on the streets of Siaya, Kenya. Life was very hard in the streets and he tried to commit suicide twice but failed. Once again Pastor Lawrence decided to end it all, and as he walked along the streets contemplating another suicide attempt, there was a crusade going on. As he stopped and listened, the words he heard brought life and hope to him. He gave his life to Christ that day in 1995. Still homeless, he began reading and digging into the Word of God and it gave him direction for his life. One day the Spirit of God lead him to go back home to the village where his family lived, so he gathered the courage and went back. He shared with his family the gospel of Jesus Christ and what had taken place in his life, hoping there would be a change of heart within them. They refused to accept him and his beliefs and they disowned him. In 1999 he went to stay with an uncle in the city and God led him to a Pentecostal Assemblies of God church. Over the years he grew in the Lord serving God with passion. He became the worship leader and an interpreter and assisted the pastor in ministry. Now he and his wife Pamellah serve the village church in Bondo, Kenya. Pamellah is a blessing from Heaven to Pastor Lawrence and the church. She serves alongside her husband in ministry and ministers to the mothers (women) in the village and has a heart for orphans. They have one daughter, Angella, who is 16 years old and loves Jesus with all her heart and shares His love with everyone.