Ministry History
Apostle Jessie R. Bates was miraculously converted in 1990 at New
Birth Missionary Baptist Church , Atlanta GA, after having been a major drug
dealer for 15 years (the last 7 ½ years ending in crack cocaine addiction).
In April of 1997, Apostle Bates launched Ambassadors For Christ
Ministries as the Administrative Advisor when asked by a group of men
wanting to go to the streets of Decatur, IL and witness for the Lord Jesus
Christ, to lead them. Following several of the group’s less than successful
attempts to witness to people, Apostle Bates began to organize materials he
had in his possession on evangelism, to create a manual for training that
group.
That first 6- week training class took place in the former downtown
Decatur YMCA building, on how to witness to the lost, whether on the streets,
by going door to door or on a more personal level and grew from a group of 6
close friends to an even larger second class and then a third and a fourth and
so on and so on as the word spread very quickly by and to those who had a
hunger to witness the love of Jesus Christ, whether independent students or
entire churches from all across Decatur and the Central Illinois region. All
those who successfully completed the 6-
week training course (including going to the streets) entitled, BEYOND THE
WALLS: A STUDY COURSE ON SOUL WINNING, received a certificate of
completion during a special graduation ceremony. Many of those receiving the
training have gone on to join other well known ministries or even to raise up
ministries of their own, to the glory of God.
Evangelism has been the thrust of Apostle Jessie R. Bates life of
ministry since he received "the call"to preach the gospel in May of 1995.
Apostle Bates, understanding the importance of education and training in
leading people according to biblical principles, began the process of
matriculation by enrolling full-time at Lincoln Christian College and
Seminary (now Lincoln Christian University) in Lincoln, IL. Although that
education process has been temporarily interrupted, Apostle Bates was given
an opportunity to oversee the construction of the Second Baptist Church in
Lincoln, IL, under the leadership of Pastor Glenn Shelton, from fall of 1996
through it’s completion in early spring of 1997.
Under direction of Holy Spirit, Apostle Jessie and his wife, Janice,
planted the Abundant Life Christian Center International on June 9, 2002, as a
extension of the outreach venue, Ambassadors For Christ Ministries, to pastor
and disciple men, women and children that have been born into the Kingdom
as a result of the outreach thrust that they may in turn take this gospel
throughout the world and make more disciples. Apostle Jessie and Janice
have ultimately dedicated their lives to serving God by building and
strengthening the Church, the surrounding inner-city communities and region,
through reaching souls for Jesus Christ!
Crossing cultural, racial, socio-economic, gender and denominational
barriers has been Apostle Bates’ battering ram for promoting the advancement
of the Kingdom of God through evangelism, whether inside the walls through
seminars and conferences, beyond the walls in open-air events such as
festivals, community-wide/regional prayer summits, tent crusades and even
traveling internationally.
In 2007, Apostle Jessie R. Bates was recognized and commissioned
into the office of the Apostle under the direction of Apostle Don Lyon of
Rockford, IL and author and speaker, Presiding Apostle C. Peter Wagner of
the International Coalition of Apostles.
In addition, Apostle Bates is an astute business man with Kingdom
interests in purchasing, renovating and renting residential and commercial
properties and is continually making investments in our inner-city residents
and patrons by providing decent, affordable housing, business and
employment opportunities right where we live, while advancing the
Kingdom of God, one soul at a time!
