Ministry Wisdom and Insight with Apostle Cherry Shepherd

Have you ever wondered how some ministers maintain their passion and resilience through decades of service? Join us in an enriching conversation with Apostle Cherry Shepherd, a dynamic woman of God with over 37 years in ministry. You'll hear firsthand how she has navigated the trials and tribulations since her ministry began in 1987, offering invaluable lessons for anyone aspiring to longevity in their spiritual journey. Apostle Shepherd's unwavering commitment and profound wisdom provide a powerful example of faith in action.

We also discuss the critical role of mentorship and development in ministry. Drawing from Apostle Shepherd's own experiences with influential mentors like Bishop Queenie McCormick and Reverend Arthur Johnson, we highlight the importance of patience, authenticity, and divine guidance. For those just starting their ministry journey, this episode offers sage advice on valuing wisdom and experience, staying connected to wise counsel, and embracing the continuous process of growth and learning with the Holy Spirit. Finally, we explore the necessity of continual study, prayer, and rest, paralleling the rigors of ministry with other demanding professions, ensuring ministers remain spiritually nourished and well-prepared for their calling.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:16

Welcome to the Five-Fold Food Podcast hosted by Dr Robert F Dial, where ministers receive the spiritual nourishment they need to succeed. The word of God declares and he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Prepare to receive revelation, wisdom and insight to empower your ministry for victory. Now let's eat.

Dr. Dowell 0:51

Praise the Lord. God bless each and every one of you. Welcome to the Five-Fold Food Podcast. I'm your host, dr Robert F Dow. I'm so delighted that you joined us for another episode. I don't know if you're with us via Spotify, you're on iTunes or you're watching YouTube or you're seeing this on social media. Nevertheless, I am glad that you are here. I want to ask, whatever platform that you're on, that you please subscribe so that you can get our latest episodes. This is Five-Fold Food, the place where we endeavor to help the five-fold minister eat well so that they can excel. I'm so delighted to have with us today an awesome, powerful woman of God, apostle Shepherd. Welcome to Five-Fold Food. How are we? Woman of God?

Apostle Cherry 1:50

I am well, I am grateful and thankful for hanging out with you today, dr Robert Dowell, my friend from way back when, and here we are today still contending for the faith. So I'm so excited and thankful to sit with you today.

Dr. Dowell 2:07

I am so honored that you could take the time from your schedule to be with us, and you're right, we are friends from way back when. You've been doing this thing for a long time, woman of God, and so it just does my heart so good to see you yet still running for the Lord, this awesome woman of God. You know I'm going to let her kind of introduce herself in a moment, but I just want to say she's been in ministry since 1987. So they would say Cherry, apostle Cherry, you're not new to this, but you have been true to this, and so we're thankful for your service over 37 years of ministry. Also, she's served as an evangelist for 25 years and she accepted the call and the apostolic mandate on her life in 2016. She lives in the Colorado Springs area, where her ministry home base is, and she's doing an awesome work there, and so can you kind of maybe just share a little bit more what you would love for the listeners before we get into this podcast, just to know who Apostle Cherry Shepherd is.

Apostle Cherry 3:20

Well, you know I want to say that first of all, I just I love the Lord. You know he has been so faithful over the years and it's because of his faithfulness that you know that I'm sitting here, that we're sitting here together today. I'm a mother blessed to raise six children, birth seven, birth five, lord Jesus, birth five beautiful children and just been able to have an amazing life here in Colorado Springs been able to serve in charter schooling, christian schooling and just developing schools and working in radio TV just all the fun stuff that we get to do to spread the gospel and, most of all, to do to spread the gospel and, most of all, shepherding the Lord's people and serving as a minister of the gospel by way of social media, youtube and all of that. And so I don't want to start the list.

Dr. Dowell 4:17

I'm just happy to be here and happy to be a part of today's podcast and yes and I thought it would be needful for people to know your background that you are not a novice, someone who's just getting into this, but you've been doing this for many years and I believe you have a lot to add to our conversation today. Well, we want to just share with those ministers and those that are watching or listening just some ministry wisdom and insight. Proverbs talks about how wisdom is the principal thing With all of our getting get understanding, and so I believe God's going to give some wisdom, he's going to give some insight, and so that ministers can be able to propel and really have longevity in the ministry. To propel and really have longevity in the ministry that's just so much of my heart and that's why I'm just so blessed by being with you and I just see how God is moving you on social media and just throughout the body of Christ, because, after being in ministry over 30 years myself, when you see people who once started out in the faith not just in the faith in the ministry and are no longer doing ministry, it's kind of like Lord, what happened? What happened why they couldn't keep their hand to the plow, and so I'm so thankful that you've been able to keep your hand to the plow.

Dr. Dowell 5:42

You know, ministry brings frustration. Ministry brings devastation, not just ministry. Life will bring frustration, life can bring devastation and in the midst of that, we still have to keep our hand to the plow, and I know no doubt that has happened throughout your life and your journey, apostle. And I know those that are listening to us some of them are in the thrones of it now but they're experiencing some frustration. They might be experiencing some devastation and if they're not, if they continue to live and do ministry, there will be a season that they will experience frustration and devastation, and this is not a negative confession. Jesus himself said how that the rain will come on the just and the unjust. He says that we're going to have trials and tribulation, but to be of good cheer, meaning that he's going to give us the victory through it all. And so, having said that, what has been your motivation or your sustaining force that has kept you in the ministry, as you face, no doubt, frustration and devastation?

Apostle Cherry 6:54

You know I think we kind of highlighted this a little bit in our first conversation. And as I was thinking about this question, dr Dowell, I thought about just the call. I thought about July 12th 1987, around 530 pm, you know, being called up to the front of the church. It was a prayer time, you know. The Spirit of God moved so heavy that day that our pastor couldn't even preach. And I'm there with the altar, a young teenage girl, and I hear Holy Spirit speak to me. Well, one, I'm just crying, crying. I don't even know why I'm crying. And in this time of just worship before the Lord, I hear Holy Spirit say I'm calling you to be my servant. And then I feel like this cloak or something come over me. I know it's called a mantle today, but I just thought it was a blanket, I didn't know what it was.

Apostle Cherry 7:50

And he said I'm calling you to bear my word. And so I would say to anybody you know what has sustained me through, yes, turbulence and hardships and challenges and good days and happy days it's just receiving an authentic call from the Lord that I can say I know God called me, he hired me for this job, and so I can't let tribulation fire me, I can't let gossip deter me, I can't allow what people think or, you know, grief or whatever, because who hired me is the only one who really can fire me, you know, and so it's been the call that has given me the strength to stick and stay. So I would say to every minister of the gospel do you know the day, the time, what was the experience of the call? That when life gets difficult, that the call will keep you on the battlefield. When everything in you wants to run, come on. But the call God you called me, god, you placed this mantle on me, and so it's. That call, I believe, is just the foundation of it all and that keeps us in hard days.

Foundation of Authentic Ministry Calls

Dr. Dowell 9:12

Wonderful. What is trying to fire you? Yeah, the tribulation, the test, the trials, the false accusation, the disappointment, the trials, the false accusation, the disappointment is trying to get you to a place that you let go. Wow, that is so good. And when you say that, it reminds me of the day that I remember that I received a call to ministry and we both started out as young bucks in the ministry, and I remember it was spring break, my senior year in high school. On spring break, I read this book by Kenneth Hagin Jr no, kenneth Hagin Sr about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and I read this book get filled with the Holy Spirit. Speak in tongues for an hour, wow, wow. Speak in tongues for an hour, wow, Wow. Say this prayer and he shows me my life to call the ministry and things that I'm walking out. 30 years later, he showed me as a teenager in my bedroom.

Speaker 1 10:20

And so when you say that, that impresses upon me, you know.

Dr. Dowell 10:25

That's why I'm so thankful for the apostolic. You know nature on your life you always refer running. When we met over 30 years ago, I mean you was already doing it, you know, I was just a little young buck in it, you was an evangelist and already moving and I had just accepted the call. But I appreciate you sharing that insight that your foundation is, that you know you have an authentic call.

Apostle Cherry 10:53

Can I say something Can I say?

Dr. Dowell 10:55

something.

Apostle Cherry 10:56

And just really quick with that call. I would also say that you know that we have it, we remember it and we honor it. I think that is going to help any minister. You got to have it one, but then you got to keep remembering the call. You know, just bring yourself into remembrance of that day and that time and that experience and then honor it, honor the fact that the King of Kings, you know Jehovah Shalom, you know that he called you, that he has placed this mantle on you to carry this great gospel, and so, honoring the call, I believe it's so necessary.

Dr. Dowell 11:42

That is so good. I'm glad you add that. And I'm going to ask you to do one thing too, apostle, just to ensure we do when we go back and forth, when I'll mute when you go and you mute when I'm speaking, just in case we run into anything. So will you mute that to help us just double ensure a recap to this. But what wisdom to remember and to honor that.

Dr. Dowell 12:05

That is so good and that's why I said just so, salute the apostolic all on you, because in your basement is that you realized there's an authentic call. And many times in our basement, at our foundation, we don't see the foundation, we just see what's built upon it. And so when we see ministries built, when we see what ministers do we see their. Today, we might see your prayers oh well, she got all of her prayer life, her study life, the revelation, you know. Oh, the social media oh, she a whiz. We see all those things that are on upper level floor, but we know what sustains the building, apostle it's the foundation. And so your foundation is not Greek, it's not Hebrew, it's not a PowerPoint, it's not a social media thing. All of those things are good.

Dr. Dowell 12:59

But you realize I have an authentic call and I honor that call. You realize I have an authentic call and I honor that call. And I remember the call. That blesses me because now that encourages me with other ministers to always be sure that we touch bases in that. Do you remember your call? Do you have an authentic call rather than just? And I love to train. Thank God for training rather than just well, let's just get you trained now. Thank God for training rather than just well, let's just get you trained now.

Dr. Dowell 13:26

But to always be sure, do you have an authentic call and not only do you? Do you remember it? Have you put it in such a way that is, oh God, branded upon the tables of your own heart? Because sometimes we can minimize it, could not take it as much, put as much weight on it and the truth be about it, I know I had an authentic call, but I hadn't always been reminded about that call the apostle. You know it's only in conversations with you that it realized that I do have one. So if you ask me, it's like I do have one, but I think that's so good. Will you take a moment, apostle, for do have one, but I think that's so good. Will you take a moment, apostle, for those fivefold ministers I know there's some pastors, prophets, evangelists, teachers, ministers that are here now that they need to be revived in that that you'll pray, that they'll remember and they'll honor that and not take it lightly or for granted, and they'll honor that and not take it lightly or for granted Absolutely.

Apostle Cherry 14:33

In the book of Second Timothy, chapter four, here's Paul talking to Timothy, son of the gospel, and he says I charge you therefore, before God and the Lord, jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead, as is appearing in his kingdom, at his appearing in his kingdom, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. And I know we know this text, but I want to just encourage us. As you were talking, apostle, the thought came to me it's rough out here, it's rough out here in these waters, and so what I'm thinking? I want to just also just say this make sure that nobody calls you, because we also have, going on in Christend, an entourage of ministers, sons and daughters. They begin to call people. I see the call and I see I thank you for seeing it, but I haven't heard it, and so, and so the person themselves need to hear it. And this is why, even as leaders and that I'm going to go right to what you said, apostle this is why, as leaders, we have to embrace that scripture, be anxious for nothing so many times. Yes, I see the call on people, I see the anointing, I see, but until they have heard it, because, see, it's the hearing that's going to help you to stand when hell break loose, come on. I can't stand on what you said you heard. I can only stand on what I know I heard. Come on.

Apostle Cherry 16:15

And so for every minister that's out there, every five-fold prophet, apostle, teacher, evangelist, pastor, I know it's rough out here, but you know what. You're standing on a call from God, you're standing on a word from God and you know what. We have the capacity by the Holy Spirit to preach this word in season and out of season. So you might be in an out of season season, but God has equipped you with the capacity to preach, teach, minister, in an out of season time. It's rough out here. They want to cancel us just for preaching the word of God. There's a lot of scrutiny, there is judgment. It's tough but at the end of the day, because you've got that call, you've got a sure foundation, come on. You've been equipped for such a time as this. Listen, it's the remnant that's standing up right now and we have what it takes. I want to encourage you Don't forget that call the charge that's on your life. You have the help of the Holy Spirit, but make sure nobody push you before time.

Dr. Dowell 17:31

Are you cooking, woman of God? You cooking? It is not fish grease, that's some Holy Ghost oil. You cooking? You are cooking, and I pray that you all are eating, that you're picking up what she's putting down and I pray that you all are eating, that you're picking up what she's putting down. There's not enough for somebody else to see that they see a call and they prophesy. You've got to hear for yourself. Will you just take a moment and just pray that they'll remember that moment and that it'll be granted upon their hearts?

Apostle Cherry 17:59

Yes, sir, yes sir, Father, we just thank you for your sons and your daughters.

Apostle Cherry 18:07

We thank you, father, for the call that is on their life. We thank you, father, that God, despite what might be going on right now, that they will remember that you called them, you anointed them, father, you set them aside for the work that they're doing, the work that they're doing, and we pray, god, in the name of Jesus, that you would just breathe on them today, refresh them today, encourage them today, father, as they remember it and, oh God, as they honor the call. Father, as they stand by what they know you have called them to do. So, father, we thank you that even as Job said, though you slay me yet, will I trust you. So, even in tough days, father, I thank you that, father, that they will trust you, no matter what season it is in, and that they will have the call, remember the call and honor the call of God that is on their life. We thank you for your sons and your daughters, who are doing a great work in the region where they've been sent In Jesus name Amen.

Dr. Dowell 19:08

They're on the wall and they will not come down. They will not come down this is not the season.

Dr. Dowell 19:15

Amen, amen, good, when you be sure, also mute yourself to Apostle, so we'll make sure we double check. Could we capture this in the Holy Ghost today, apost, today, apostle, can you? Let's turn our attention now. I want you to give us some wisdom concerning mentors, because you just mentioned how that many times many people in their endeavor fathers, spiritual fathers and you know, uh, the patriarchal nornton or matriarchal nornton with women leaders to try to build sons and daughters, an entourage that they may call people prematurely, that makes me think about mentorship and we know that is a need to have covering.

Dr. Dowell 19:55

There is a need to have leaders, mentors. Can you do twofold with us? Maybe you can share about mentors in your life and the role they have had in your life. But then also, I really want to get to help the ministers. How do we go about choosing a, picking a mentor? You know, because we kind of fall on two spectrums. You have some that don't believe in mentors. They're trying to do this thing on their own. They don't have no one pouring into them, they're not connected. Then you got some who they've gotten wrong connections because they never had any guidance concerning how do I get a good mentor. Can you just speak and share with some of some wisdom and insight in this area.

Mentorship and Ministry Development Wisdom

Apostle Cherry 20:44

Amen. Thank you for that question. You know, just looking back at my life first, you know, one of my first mentors was Bishop. Well, she was pastor then, queenie McCormick in Fort Lauderdale, florida. She was the first woman pastor that I had ever seen, and just her excitement for the things of God, her just ability to teach, she was a strong teacher of the gospel. And so just sitting up under her with my mother at New Birth House of Prayer and just seeing that a woman could minister, and so that really inspired me.

Apostle Cherry 21:22

And then, as time went on, reverend Arthur Johnson of Lakeland, florida, allowed me to shadow him, and so when he would work the altar, I would put my hand on his shoulder. And I was a teenage girl, I didn't say anything, I didn't do anything, all I did was put my hand on the shoulder and I just followed him as he worked the altar, not understanding that the impartation of the evangelist was happening right then. And so and they were going to come back to that shadow in just a minute and then you know just different ones I could talk about. So admired Bishop Iona Locke, marilyn Hickey, joyce Myers my brother was an instrumental part of me coming into ministry Apostle Terry Ball, and then there's those preachers' names. I can't remember that made a deposit, and so I want to say to somebody you might be the preacher that nobody can remember, but you made a deposit.

Apostle Cherry 22:20

So, there's some that I can't even remember their name, but I remember the deposit they made, and so mentorship is so important. And so, when you talk about mentorship, when I first, I remember I was now like in my twenties, now, early twenties, and I asked the Lord about a mentor, and he actually his first mentor. He led me to with him, he said, let me mentor you first, and so he had me to study the Gospels, because, because I believe that he became the role model of what I needed to look for A man of humility, a man of authority, a man who understood their calling and their purpose. And so, when you so, so, so, when I, when God began to bring mentors in my life to help me to that next step cause that's really what a mentor is doing they're ready, they've, they've already made it to step six, and you're on step three, and so they can show you how to journey up step four, five, to get to six, you know.

Apostle Cherry 23:23

And so it was people, that one was already on the step that I wanted to get to, okay, and they were modeling it. Well, and so, and then, and then they were serving a diet that I needed. It was a diet that I needed, that I hadn't yet consumed yet, and so my ear was drawn to that, and so I began to look that way, listen that way, watch that way, because they were serving something in their teaching. They were serving something in their life that God. Okay, I want to look like that, I want to sound like that. Now I'm going to keep my identity, but there's something they've got that I need, and so that's how I began to identify, identify mentors and who was helping me to get to that next step, step.

Dr. Dowell 24:21

Wonderful. I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it. That is good, apostle. Share with us, maybe, if you could, some of the things that you learned from some of your mentors. I think that's so good Because evidently they were modeling something that you wanted, mm, hmm. Then also they were serving a diet or something that you felt that you knew you needed for the call and mandate on your life. So I think those are I never.

Dr. Dowell 24:58

That's a good way of looking at deciding to mentor. It's not about the following how many people they that they have or how popular they are. You know, right, not all that, right, right, how popular they are you know, right, not all that Right.

Apostle Cherry 25:14

Right, you know I'm a little different, you know, you know I just you know, if we just allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, he may not lead us to the person that has a million followers. That may not be what you need, you know. And so the steps of a good man, they are ordered by the.

Apostle Cherry 25:32

Lord, of a good woman. They are ordered by the Lord, and so one thing I would say that I've learned from mentorship and just over time is not racing, not racing with the word, not racing with the word to have a great name. I believe that we see a lot of that. Everybody wants to have a great name, or you're in a hurry to speak a word or bring to light something that you've heard God say to you in the dark that you haven't conquered in the dark. You know, because I see a lot that want to. Well, if I get this word out, if I get this out, you know I'm a. You know so many people are going to be clicking on it and listening to me, but many.

Apostle Cherry 26:17

What I've learned is that many times when God drops a word in the minister, when he gives us something, it's not for us to race to get that word out so we can have a great name. You know, because many times people are doing it in hopes of being relevant and wanting to get all this attention. But I believe that sometimes the wrong person is holding the timer. This is what I'm saying now. The wrong person is holding the timer because, because, because sometimes God gives us something, he wants us to incubate it, he wants us to live it out, he wants us to to conquer it in the dark before it comes to the light. But sometimes we're being led by algorithms and being led by subscribers and lights and accolades and the Lord is saying no, no, no, no, no.

Apostle Cherry 27:11

Remember, in Genesis, chapter 12 and two, he told Abraham. He said listen, I'll make your name great, I will make you a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great and so and so, because we're rushing and this is what I learned. Now you asked me ask me what I learned. We're rushing and this is what I learned. Now you asked me ask me what I learned. You know, don't rush with the word. Let that word sit and see what God's trying to do with that word in you. Because when God makes your name great, you've got to have a great prayer life. If God makes your name great, you need great consecration, you need great humility. Great, you need great consecration, you need great humility, you need great contentment and great identity. So you don't want to rush to what you're not ready to carry. So that's something you know, that I've learned.

Dr. Dowell 28:02

Wow. So that means, if a person don't get those things, mute me, mute you for a second. Where in case I do it. If a person don't get those things, apost, mute you for a second. Where, in case I do it. If a person don't get those things, apostle.

Dr. Dowell 28:13

What happens is that's the case, what I'm hearing you saying when a person's anointing, or it could be anointing, even their gifting outrun their character or their maturity, and so their gift or even their anointing can get them in a place where their character, or even not character, just in a bad way, their maturity can't handle that space. That's the wisdom in that your character may be good, but because your gift and your anointing got ahead of you and you didn't get the maturity and the development or anything got ahead of you and you didn't get the maturity and the development, now you're in a place that you you're not able to sustain because you, you got ahead of your skis, so to speak, and so that's one thing you learn. Good, help us with this, apostle, because I like to keep it 100. I know you're not saying but come on. Now you're saying you know I'm wrong for wanting to go viral. I'm wrong for, you know, wanting to influence because I can touch more people.

Dr. Dowell 29:17

You know, if they're going to, if they surely got, you know, 50,000 followers. I'm uplifting Jesus, you know, and they're playing with a cat. They're just doing something crazy. They just doing something crazy. So help the minister understand. You know, have to balance that out. You know that I want to go viral. Yeah, I want to. I want to blow up, I want to be large and in charge. And and what do you mean about how does that look like when we're, when we're uh trying to uh get great by the algorithm? Kind of break that down, because you stirred up something there.

Apostle Cherry 29:54

Oh Lord, I don't want to get in trouble today. You're already out there, I'm already out there. But you know what? Let me say this let's go this way.

Apostle Cherry 30:04

We don't want to try to be Moses in a Joshua season, okay, so that is not a wise thing to do and it's going to backfire on the minister or whoever the person is, when it's really your Joshua season, it's really your developing season. It's really your season where God is preparing you, your character. It's really your season where God is preparing you, your character, your life, your family, whatever it is, because see what comes on the minister, comes on the house. So it's not just about you. It's about can your life, can your family, can your wife, your husband, carry where you're trying to go, because it's going to affect all of you and so and so, yes, I understand the scripture says let your light so shine before men that they may see your good work and glorify the father. Absolutely, I believe that we should shine so bright that people have to wear sunglasses when they see us. Absolutely, I believe in it. But I also believe that we should allow the Holy Spirit to order our steps. That's why we have to let all this word work together, be anxious for nothing. Let God order our steps. Father, is it time for this? In all your ways, acknowledge him. See, we got to get to the. We got to stay with the book.

Apostle Cherry 31:31

I know, I know we want to blow up and I know all this stuff. But he told Abraham listen, god, I'm going to make your name great. Now you know what he might make your name great in a month. That's up to God. He might make your name great in three, that's. You know. I understand that.

Apostle Cherry 31:48

But, god, the biggest thing, apostle, is that, whatever God does, I just want to be ready. I want to be ready because, at the end of the day, is it not about sustaining it? Isn't it about sustaining where God takes us and not becoming an embarrassment? How many have we seen blow up and embarrass the kingdom because they weren't ready? So we understand. But, jesus, let me be ready for this blow up or whatever is going to happen. I want to because I want to be a good example for the sons and daughters coming after me, because, at the end of the day, we got to pass a baton. What are you going to pass? Come on, what are you passing to the next generation Anxiousness. You was in a hurry, you was trying to blow up, okay.

Dr. Dowell 32:45

Wonderful. You said don't try to be Moses when you're in a Joshua season in your life. What wisdom? What wisdom let's speak, then, for maybe the Joshuas and that could mean not just in terms of those who are, they might be young in age and ministry, but or they could be older in chronological age but new in ministry, but or they could be older in chronological age but new in ministry and even new in certain aspects of ministry. Because what I found, apostle, that we will have continual genesis in our life the more I go through ministry and I realize there's a new mandate, a new call, something unfolds, I find myself back at a Genesis, meaning that, lord, I haven't been this way before, even if you know, in terms of doing a podcast or doing something else, it's like I haven't been this way before, and so I'm at a Genesis, or another word I like, how you put it. I'm at a Joshua season in my life. And so I think, the wisdom in what you're saying, if we could catch this that though there's some areas that you may be in a Moses season and though you've been in ministry 30, 40, but then in some areas you're back at a Joshua season and it's important that you catch that wisdom, that you don't get ahead of your skis, that you learn the lessons, you get what you need to learn.

Dr. Dowell 34:17

This segues to the next question I want you to deal with. I want you to give some advice, or what advice would you give to those that are just starting in the ministry? I mean now, let's look at that coin on two sides. They might just be starting in ministry in general, apostle, but I believe this in my spirit even as I speak we all should be at some genesis in different areas of our ministry, because if we're not at a genesis, that means our ministry has gotten stale, we've gotten stuck. And now what we've gotten, we've got in a holding pattern where we've gotten familiar. But I think there should always be a next. There always should be another that will take in new territory, though I might not have a new calling on my life, but there's a new assignment, if you would. There's something new and it causes us to be back at that young ministry stage. Would you speak to those both sides of that if?

Guidance for New Ministry Beginnings

Apostle Cherry 35:17

you would, absolutely. You know, and everybody has been at a genesis. As you said, the beginning days I was a young girl and now I'm still, look, you know 25, but you know, now I'm a little bit older than that teenage girl who started preaching.

Apostle Cherry 35:33

And this is why we don't want to beat up. We don't want to beat up on our Joshua's and those who are coming up, because guess what? That's who we have to pass the baton to. But what we do want to do is we want to make sure that they come out the gate right. Come on, they call it.

Apostle Cherry 35:58

I found out it's called age shaming. Well, we don't want to do that. We don't want to do that because we were 18, 19, 25, and we knew what we knew and we did what we did. You know, but here's a couple of things that I wrote down. And even for that person, because I'm in some Joshua seasons right now, I'm in some Genesis, some things that God has me birthing out After 37 years. Oh, yes, absolutely.

Apostle Cherry 36:21

And listen, and I'm like Jesus for real, I'm a little nervous about it. You know, absolutely, he keeps us depending on him. So he has me launching this. I can't say it right now, but it's dealing with the network, but it's a Genesis thing for me, right? And so if you're listening and you are literally a young woman or man coming into ministry, or if you are birthing out something 30, 25, 40 years into ministry but this is new to you I want to say this, that one that we stay connected to wise counsel. It's one thing you never want to do is become an island. Nobody gets me and nobody understands me. That's a trick. Don't do that. Somebody gets you, somebody, yes, sir.

Dr. Dowell 37:07

Is that the way of the prophet? Though I thought that's the prophet's life. Nobody gets me, and I got to go to a cave.

Apostle Cherry 37:15

But, but. But didn't he come out the cave? He came out the cave. Listen, it's so no. Stay connected to wise counsel, you know. Make sure that you're around people who have wisdom and it's not always you're, you're a BFF, you know. And so stay connected to wise counsel. Listen, even if you don't understand, trust their mistakes and their experiences. Okay. So, even if you don't understand it, trust their mistakes and their experiences, because it's going to expedite you through the process. You won't have to make some of the mistakes that they've made. So that's why you want to be around that wise counsel, someone who understands that industry. If it's for someone who is coming into something new, they understand that industry. They understand that area of influence. You want to hear that counsel from them.

Apostle Cherry 38:14

Give yourself number three. Give yourself grace to grow, okay. So, because I'm telling you this hour of social media, we see so much and everybody's doing so great and they're just, or they portray to be, doing great. And for the younger you know I got to get there tomorrow. No, you don't, you don't. So give yourself grace to grow.

Apostle Cherry 38:39

Enjoy your life, especially for the Joshua generation. You know, the younger. I see young men 18, 19,. And they're making their voices sound like they're 50 and 60. And we're like young man, enjoy your life. You don't have to, you know. Like what's up, doc? I'm like what are you doing? You're only 22. You know, enjoy your life, be your age.

Apostle Cherry 39:04

You cannot build Rome in a day. You can't change the world in a day, and you know what. We're changing the world together. So it's about you doing your part. You can't do all the parts. It's about the part he gave you. But when I look over at what Apostle Dowell is doing in Oklahoma, then I see what my friends are doing in Texas. Together we are building the kingdom, and so you can't change the world in a day.

Apostle Cherry 39:30

Be anxious for nothing. That's just one of my sayings. Be anxious for nothing, day by day. Let Holy Spirit just take you day by day. It's not a race, it's a journey. You're journeying with the Lord, and what I love about the Lord you're going to fall, you're going to make some mistakes, your flesh is going to be dying all the way through this, and the Holy Spirit, he's going to walk with you. That's why he says there's no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. And so you're on a journey. And the last thing, apostle, is remember that God's chastening is ultimately God's expression of his love to you, and so there's going to be chastening along the way. God may have to use the man or woman of God to bring some type of reproof, or maybe even a rebuke, a correction, but take that as God's expression of his love for you.

Dr. Dowell 40:26

What wisdom. You speak, woman of God. And be sure you, you, in case I won't double back on you you, you mentioned something. Uh, I would, I told I've I caught this maybe 15 years ago.

Dr. Dowell 40:40

What happened is, you know, we kind of grew up in the faith era in that time might have been 20 years ago and everybody, you know, people have the lapel nothing wrong with that and people would walk around and fold and talk real slow and I realized they were trying, they, they appreciate and I do the, the anointing, the mantle that was on kenneth hagan's life now we call him dad hagan, and so that's how he would preach and just walk around real slow. But what? They didn't realize that he was doing that because he was older in age. When he was younger he preached faster, he talked faster, he moved more vibrantly, but he was older, so that's why his hands was folded and he talked slower. And they thought that was the anointing, that I talk slow, you know, because we're not being our authentic self, not being young, you know, being ourselves.

Dr. Dowell 41:43

So what wisdom you know. And so you know you're copying something because you think that's the anointing. And they say, no, I'm doing that because of you know, that's just. You know my age. Like with me, somebody mentioned to me about you know, did I do it because of style or whatever? Because I have a chair. When I minister and I'm back and forth in the chair and it's the anointing, it's like man, that ain't got to do with the anointing, it's a sciatic nerve, it's that I'm saying I'm going to preach anyway. It's not cool pointing up notes and then somebody else. You have people that are really trying to copy things and thinking it's a style thing and, not knowing it, we want to be ourselves. So what wisdom, what wisdom in that ourselves.

Dr. Dowell 42:35

So what wisdom, what wisdom in that what? What advice would you give being in those in that arena yourself, to the minister or whomever that's watching? And they're in the new genesis now of man. I've never done a conference and now I'm doing a conference. Or I, I feel, to do what I'm hearing and watching. I, I feel, to do a podcast, but that's the genesis I feel to write a book. I feel that I need to have a, a e-course. Or I'm in my church and my pastor, my apostle, is giving me an assignment for outreach. What advice would you give to those who are new in those aspects of ministry and they find themselves in genesis as well.

Apostle Cherry 43:12

Absolutely. You know, I would say faith when you were in the genesis of anything, as you talked about a book, a podcast, a conference it takes. Know that that that now faith is the substance. You have to really really stay in the word of God so you can always have now faith. You've got to keep now faith for the now thing you're doing and so you have to stay built up in that word, because the enemy listen, he's going to knock you out of it or you could self-sabotage yourself I'm not ready, I'm too old, you know all these different things we come up. So you've got to keep now faith alive on the inside of you. You can only do that by the word of God. And so, and then you got to push back. See, faith will push back. So you got to have that faith, because now faith knows how to push back. Because now faith says no, this is for her to do right now, this is her now season.

Apostle Cherry 44:25

But if you don't keep that faith built up, then you won't have the faith to push back against self-sabotage, push back against low self-esteem, fear, doubt, unbelief. You got it. That faith is going to help you push back. Say no, I'm in a now season. I'm called to do this and I'm moving forward with what I have. And please understand, it's Genesis, it's Genesis. So you look at this person's studio or my well, my studio doesn't look like it's okay, get what you have, make it look as neat and as nice as you can and open your mouth and just begin in the Genesis, and then it's going to move on into Exodus and you're going to come on into Deuteronomy. Come on, it's going to keep growing, but you can never grow if you don't start Okay. So I would just say, keep your faith built up, that now faith for your now season.

Dr. Dowell 45:26

Wonderful, wonderful, apostle, before we get ready to let you go, we know you've got other obligations. I've been so blessed by this time you had with us. You talk about the importance of the word and I look at you as one. You know, and be sure you mute me. Just mute yourself just for a second, in case we get that feedback. The time that we're recording this it's a basketball season and you know I love all the sports. But one thing you notice about the good players, the ones that make it to the NBA, they, they dribble with. They can most of them can dribble with both hands. Some, they can dribble better with others, but they're able to dribble both hands.

Dr. Dowell 46:08

One thing I appreciate about your ministry and I would love for you to give us just some wisdom and insight concerning this area of ministry, maybe with sermon preparation and maybe even a delivery a little bit, if you can too, because when I say dribble with both hands, I see you. You are one who preaches and you're one who teaches. You know you're prophesied, you're in a seed, you know it's kind of like you're ambidextrous in the spirit. Well, some say, well, I'm a teacher and some say, well, I'm a preacher, and I know God gives us graces in some areas. But I just want you, if you could just speak to that, because I've been under persuasion that you know that there's development that we could, we could have in those, you know those areas, like when I met you, you know I was one to submit.

Dr. Dowell 47:02

I'm a teacher and that's it, you know. But as I grew I learned that I could maybe better my preaching skills. I would. Can you just speak to that Because I think that can help serve the ministers and maybe also maybe talk a little about your sermon preparation and your final, you know, minutes with us to kind of help ministers get a grasp of just some practical things of ministry. We've dealt with some other aspects, but I want to serve them and give them some wisdom, you know, concerning those things of teaching, preaching and maybe sermon preparation. I know I threw a whole lot at you but I know you're well able.

Professional Preaching and Resting in God

Apostle Cherry 47:41

Okay, let's see if I can catch all of this. So, as it relates to being ambidextrous in the spirit, allowing the Holy Spirit to help you meet the rest of you, Because that is what he did for me I had to meet the rest of me and he unfolded, he revealed me to me, Because sometimes you become who you were called under. So if your pastor, your preacher, was a teacher, and that's the mantle that you were called under, sometimes that's the mantle that you stay in, but there's more to you that you haven't met yet. And so as you walk with the Lord and journey with him and you'll begin to see another side, Like wait a minute, my voice is kind of going up here and I'm reaching out here and you go with Holy Spirit, Don't be afraid to stretch out in him. Okay, To understand your full metron, your full measure, your full metron, your full measure, because sometimes your measure, oh God, sometimes you stay at a certain measurement but God has it's so much more to you that you haven't met yet. Come on, but Holy Spirit, he lets you meet all of me. Come on, all of you. And so that's one of my prayers God, let me meet all of me. Glory to God, because there's more to me, thank you Lord, than just this or that. And then, if that's it, you go in that. But if there's more God, let me come to the full, because, see, that's in second, that's in Ephesians, that we may grow to the stature of the measure of Christ, you see, and so it's being willing to let Holy Spirit stretch you to your full measurement. So that's the answer, the first one. And so then for the other thing here, the other. You know just preparing for messages. You know over time, you know possible dial, you know when I, if I go back, way back, and look at my first sermon. You know notes up to today it's different. You know how we change and how we grow and how we increase. How we grow and how we increase.

Apostle Cherry 50:24

And I'm going to say one, you have to stay in continual study and prayer. Every minister I'm going to say this, I know I got to go Every minister must be a professional preacher. You must be a professional preacher, Okay, so it's just like the dentist and the doctor. You know, whatever they prepare for there, they prepared for their profession, they are serious about what they're doing, they know their trade. So we have to be professional preachers.

Apostle Cherry 50:52

Well, our profession is that. Our profession calls for us to study the word of God. Our profession is that we pray, that we seek the face of God, that we seek the heart of God for ourselves, our families and then for the people, and so we have to stay in continual study and prayer and then, as we're in that prayer, we have to see what is Holy Spirit highlighting. What is he highlighting in my study? That might be the study that he wants me to share with somebody else. I want to say this Every preacher do not seek the word for a word. I'm just looking for a word. I got to get a word and you know that word's got to rhyme and it's got to no, no, no, no, no, no. We are professional preachers and so I am sharing with you what I do every day. This is a part of my profession, just my walk with God, and you're getting a part of my study, All right, and so, as you're in your study, what is Holy Spirit highlighting? What do you hear him saying? And then God might lead you in that way.

Apostle Cherry 52:08

Now, that is just if you're teaching on a podcast or you're teaching, you know, in a Bible study, but let's say you're a pastor, when is the ministry right now? What do where? Where does the ministry need to go? So you're going to teach in that vein where we are and where we need to go. The pastor must be ahead of the people. You have to be months and months and months ahead of the people in your teaching, in your revelation, because you are leading the way for where God is taking us, and so your teaching should be where you're going Itinerant ministries.

Apostle Cherry 52:45

I specifically ask Now, when it comes to itinerant, I specifically ask what word does God have or does he want me to share with this body that I'm going to minister to? So that word it might be just a teaching that God wants you to share just wherever you go. So it just might be just a word of the Lord that that's just on you for that time that you're sharing everywhere, but then it might be a specific word for that house. So you've got to have an ear to hear. The last thing I want to say something I learned with the Holy Spirit he will not give me a word for a body or give me the message, impart something specifically if I'm not rested I learned that with him If I'm not rested. So I've learned to say I'll see you in the morning, Lord, because I already know he's not going to give me the word until I'm rested.

Apostle Cherry 53:50

And I want you to think about this when you want a quick meal, you go through a drive-thru right, you go get a little hamburger and a fry for just a quick little meal. But when you really want a good meal come on a good meal you're going to go sit down in the restaurant and let somebody serve you. And so when you really want God to give you something, listen, you can't keep having these drive-through experiences with God and wanting him to give you a sit-down word. So you have to rest, sit with the Lord and let that word be served to you. Glory to God. Let that word be served to you so now you can go serve the people. And so rest, rest, rest is important, and that's all I'm going to say on that.

Dr. Dowell 54:40

Oh, you said enough. You know sometimes, when fatigue come in, the anointing to go out, and so that's why we want to be rested. Apostle, you share such great wisdom. I can't wait to have you on again. I know there's so much more to unpack to help those that are in the body of Christ.

Dr. Dowell 55:02

I believe you stirred some things that God is going to stretch people to more, to find and to meet the rest of themselves. You've given a gem of revelation of why they found themselves the way they are, the ministry that you birthed in. Like you said many times, that anointing, that mantle of what you're carrying and if you're not careful, you'll stay contained and you'll stay in that. As we prepare to end the podcast, could you just share maybe some final thoughts that you want to just leave with the ministers, and then we will also like to know, share with them how they can get in contact with you. You know email, different platforms. You are on because you are doing all the things and you are doing them well. We salute you for the work that you're doing, woman of God, and we thank God for the grace that's on your life.

Apostle Cherry 55:54

Amen, and it's all about the grace of God, and we thank God for the grace just on your life. Amen, and it's all about the grace of God. I'm so grateful for all of this grace, grace that he has given to me. And so I would say just in final words, the hour that we're in all boots are needed on the ground and that all of us are doing the thing that God has called us to do. In the book of Mark, chapter 16, as we see Jesus departing, that last verse, in verse 20, the Bible says and they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following Amen. I want to say that, as we as the fivefold, as God's ministers of the gospel, that yes, we are wordsmiths, but we're in an hour of demonstration and manifestation, that you leave room and that you give time for the signs of God to accompany and to follow the word of God, so that people can see that he is the God of miracles, he is the God of deliverance, he is the God of healing, and that he wants to use you, your hands, your mouth, the faith that is in you, to bring healing to the brokenhearted, to set at liberty them that are bound. So I would say, chew on Mark, chapter 16, verse 20, and say, father, let the signs of God follow the word of God that is on the inside of me.

Apostle Cherry 57:32

I would love to for you guys to go check me out on YouTube or Facebook. It's Cherry Shepherd, remnant Nation. I have a broadcast every Monday through Thursday at 7.30 am in the morning, mountain Standard Time, and then YouTube. We come on on Saturdays at 10 am, and justa plethora of things that God has afforded us and allowed us to do here in Colorado Springs. So you can go to Rain Global R-A-I-N. Globalorg to learn more. God bless you.

Dr. Dowell 58:06

Amen, and Facebook and YouTube as well. Is it Rain Global?

Apostle Cherry 58:10

It's a Cherry Shepherd remnant nation. Just Cherry Shepherd. It's a cherry shepherd remnant nation.

Dr. Dowell 58:15

Just cherry shepherd, amen. Yeah, thank you, apostle, for being with us on today. You blessed us in a powerful way. We have eaten well and I believe, because we've eaten well, we believe every five-fold minister is going to be able to excel. I want you never to forget, no matter where you are or what you're experiencing in this season in your life. God is destining you for greatness. God has a plan for your life. We want you to go, be brilliant, do brilliant things because you serve a brilliant God. We love you and we'll see you on our next podcast.