IF I CAN DO IT ANYBODY CAN! A HANDBOOK FOR CHURCH PLANTERS WRITTEN BY JACK CUNNINGHAM CHESAPEAKE, VIRGINIA IF I CAN DO IT ANYBODY CAN! A HANDBOOK FOR CHURCH PLANTERS Written By: Jack & Elsy Cunningham © September 1998   If  I  Can  Do  It  Anybody  Can!  –  Page  2 Jack  &  Elsy  Cunningham   Newlyweds  &  Church  planters     If  I  Can  Do  It  Anybody  Can!  –  Page  3 FORWARD   "Though  thy  beginning  was  small,  yet  thy  latter  end  should  greatly  increase."  –  Job  8:7                 As  I  travel  throughout  the  United  Pentecostal  Church  participating  in  Church  Growth   Conferences,  Camp  Meetings  and  other  services,  I  am  often  asked  about  the  church  my  wife  and  I   pioneered  in  Newport  News,  Virginia.    This  book  covers  some  of  the  glorious,  and  not  so  glorious,   highlights  of  our  time  as  pioneer  church  planters.    Without  hesitation  I  would  have  you  to  know   that  the  church  planting  years  of  our  life  were  the  most  enjoyable.    Elsy  and  I  have  found  nothing   else  to  equal  the  joy  associated  with  church  planting.    To  have  been  called  of  God  to  start  a  church   and  watch  it  grow  is  the  highlight  of  our  ministerial  life.         If  I  Can  Do  It  Anybody  Can!  –  Page  4 I  wish  I  had  the  space  to  write  about  every  convert  and  the  unique  circumstances   surrounding  their  new  birth  experience.    We  will  share  some  of  the  more  notable  conversions  and   trust  that  these  stories  will  bless  and  challenge  you.    Many  lives  were  miraculously  changed  at  the   altars  of  the  United  Pentecostal  Church  of  Newport  News,  Virginia.               If  you  are  reading  this  book  because  you  are  giving  serious  consideration  to  planting  a   church,  let  us  encourage  you  to  take  the  plunge.    If  God  has  called  you  and  the  church  has  placed   it’s  blessing  upon  you,  you  will  make  it.               Elsy  and  I  are  not  overly  talented,  nor  do  we  posses  a  high  level  of  intellect.    For  the  most   part,  we  are  fairly  normal  people.    We  have  learned,  however,  the  secret  of  leaning  on  the  Lord,  and   the  power  associated  with  being  totally  dependent  upon  Him.    He  has  never  failed  us.    No  matter   the  situation  or  circumstance;  He  has  never  let  us  down.    Jesus  Christ  has  always  opened  doors  and   led  us  in  the  right  direction  to  accomplish  His  will  in  our  lives.                   As  you  read  the  pages  of  this  book  you  will  find  that  Elsy  and  I  are  two  people,  average   people,  who  are  filled  with  a  desire  to  do  something  for  God.    Know  what?    He  has  used  us  to  do     If  I  Can  Do  It  Anybody  Can!  –  Page  5 some  pretty  awesome  things.    Of  which,  planting  churches  is  among  our  favorite  jobs  we  have   performed  for  the  Master.                   As  normal  as  I  am  He  chose  to  use  me  to  build  a  great  church.    If  I  Can  Do  It  Anybody  Can!     May  the  Lord  bless  you  and  lead  you  as  you  give  yourself  to  the  up  building  of  the  Kingdom  of  God.     Jack  Cunningham           If  I  Can  Do  It  Anybody  Can!  –  Page  6 THE CHALLENGE! Chapter  One     "And  so  were  the  churches  established  in  the  faith,  and  increased  in  number  daily."  -­‐-­‐  Acts  16:5       HOW IT ALL BEGAN... We  were  happy  and  content  working  with  the  United  Pentecostal  Church  of  Chicago,  where   Michael  Anderson  was  Sr.  Pastor,  when  God  began  to  deal  with  us  about  pioneering  a  church  on   the  east  coast.                   Not  knowing  exactly  where  we  would  begin  a  new  church,  we  considered  all  our  options.     We  could  have  returned  to  one  of  our  home  districts,  West  Virginia  or  New  York  Metro.    We  also   considered  North  Carolina  and  upstate  New  York.    We  had  visited  both  districts  and  were     If  I  Can  Do  It  Anybody  Can!  –  Page  7 impressed  with  their  burden  for  the  lost  and  their  attitude  toward  planting  and  growing  churches.     One  thing  was  for  sure,  we  wanted  to  pastor  on  the  east  coast.               In  the  fall  of  1980  we  were  invited  to  preach  a  revival  for  our  good  friend  Pastor  Robert  Hall   in  Chesapeake,  Virginia.    While  there  he  informed  me  that  the  church  in  Norfolk,  Virginia  was  in   need  of  a  pastor.    He  encouraged  us  to  preach  for  them,  and  consider  allowing  them  to  vote  on  us   as  pastor.    We  preached  for  them  Sunday  morning  and  evening,  but  did  not  feel  the  leading  of  the   Lord  toward  accepting  the  pastorate  of  this  group.                   After  informing  Pastor  Hall  that  we  were  not  interested  in  the  Norfolk  church,  he  told  us  of   another  opportunity.    The  District  owned  a  small  building  in  the  city  of  Newport  News.    As  far  as  he   knew  there  was  one  member  left  in  the  church,  Sister  Helen  Williams,  a  sister  seventy-­‐four  years   old.    He  told  us  that  the  district  intended  to  shut  down  the  work  because  they  had  no  pastor  to   oversee  it.    Brother  Hall  invited  us  to  go  with  him  to  see  the  city,  as  well  as  the  building,  and  to  meet   Sister  Williams.     If  I  Can  Do  It  Anybody  Can!  –  Page  8 The  building  was  less  than  attractive.    In  fact,  it  was  in  serious  need  of  repair.    The  front   doors  had  been  nailed  shut.    When  we  pulled  on  the  handle  of  the  back  door  the  whole  door  came   crashing  to  the  ground  because  the  wood  was  so  rotted.    What  a  first  impression!               The  window  openings  in  the  building  were  filled  with  a  Plexiglas  material,  and  most  of  it  was   broken.    The  large  gaping  holes  were  large  enough  for  neighbors  and  passersby  to  look  through.     When  it  rained  the  inside  of  the  church  would  get  soaked.                 Lots  of  cleaning  was  necessary,  as  there  were  an  abundance  of  cobwebs  and  dust.    Though   the  building  had  fallen  into  bad  repair,  the  basic  foundation,  walls,  roof  and  mechanical  were  all   sound.               The  small  block  building  had  been  built,  several  years  prior  to  our  arrival,  through  the   personal  sacrifices  of  Brother  and  Sister  James  Floyd.  They  literally  built  the  building  block-­‐by-­‐block,   as  they  were  able  to  save  or  raise  the  funds.    Brother  Floyd  is  a  master  builder,  so  the  block  work,   cement  floor  and  roof  system  was  built  to  last.     If  I  Can  Do  It  Anybody  Can!  –  Page  9 The  building  was  located  in  a  wonderful  and  opportune  place.    It  was  right  off  the  main  four-­‐ lane  road,  Warwick  Boulevard,  which  runs  the  length  of  Newport  News.    I  liked  it  -­‐-­‐  cobwebs  and  all!     Something  felt  good  about  it.               Presbyter  Hall  telephoned    Sister  Helen  Williams  (the  only  member  of  the  church)  to  ask  that   she  join  us  at  the  building  for  a  look  around.    When  she  arrived  she  said  something  I  will  never   forget.    As  she  laboriously  walked  down  the  center  aisle  of  that  little  dirty  church  building,  she  was   carrying  a  bottle  of  olive  oil.    Her  feeble  hands  were  trembling  and  tears  were  streaming  down  her   worn  face.    The  first  words  I  heard  her  speak  pierced  my  heart.    I  will  never  forget  what  she  said  "I   have  not  had  a  pastor  to  anoint  me  with  oil  for  six  months.    I'm  very  sick.    I  need  a  pastor.    Would   you  pray  for  me?"                   To  say  the  least,  this  faithful  saint  of  God  touched  me  deeply.    We  prayed  for  her  and  the   LORD  blessed  her  wonderfully.     THANK GOD FOR MR. HAUGHTON!   If  I  Can  Do  It  Anybody  Can!  –  Page  10