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Shortly after that, at 2:30 in the morning, the sound of gravel hitting the car jerked Bob awake. He'd fallen asleep and lost control of the car. It rolled several times, spun like a top and landed on four wheels with the motor still running. Looking up, Bob saw a helmet-shaped indention in the roof. at's how hard his head had hit it. With no seat belts, it was a miracle he wasn't killed. Crawling out of the totaled car, Bob stood—without a scratch. Kneeling beside the wreckage he prayed, "Lord, You've got me. I'll do whatever it takes to fulfill Your call on my life." Deep Roots of Prayer "Looking back, I shouldn't have been surprised," Bob remembers. "My mother and Kenneth Copeland's mother had prayed together for years. at's how Kenneth and I met. ey prayed for us a lot. "Everyone could recognize the change in my life. I preached my first sermon 90 days later. Following high school, I attended Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas. I met my wife, Joy, there. Her parents loved the Lord, and her father, the Rev. J.C. ompson, pastored for 44 years. Her brother is Evangelist Dwight ompson. Over the years, his ministry has been a great blessing to Calvary Cathedral International and the Body of Christ, holding large crusades in our church and around the world. "I worked as an associate pastor with Joy's father for eight years. In 1962, I received a strong prophetic word from the Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin to wait for God's perfect time and will. Hagin's life and faith ministry have continued to be a source of untold strength and encouragement to us to this very day. In 1964, we borrowed $1,000 from a bank and started our church. Our little building was a former post office. During that time, First Baptist Church was building a cathedral downtown. It was still under construction when I walked into the back door of the auditorium and prayed, 'Oh God, I'd give anything to have a building like this for the full gospel.' "In 1970, I was dissatisfied with the lack of people and salvations we were seeing. I asked God to help me build a New Testament church. I wanted to see lives changed by the gospel. After a Sunday morning service where we had not seen anyone come to Christ, I returned to my study and cried out to God: 'I'll do anything that's right and anything that works to reach more souls with the gospel of Jesus Christ.' "A week later, a group of hippies arrived in their Volkswagens with their dogs. A hippie revival was sweeping the nation during that time. Many churches didn't welcome them because they looked and acted so different. eir presence was causing the biggest money-givers to leave. e hippies asked if they could hold a meeting with us. I almost said no, but God brought to my remembrance the words I had prayed the week before, 'anything that works to reach more souls.' "We agreed on a week to see how it went. Sometimes they'd show up with their dogs. People tried to warn me, saying those hippies were going to ruin our church. To me, a church not winning souls was already ruined. Our chapel filled up, and instead of meeting for one week, the revival went for 13 weeks with around 2,000 salvations. ank God for the move of the Holy Spirit." In 1976, 12 years after starting Calvary Cathedral, Bob received a call from the First Baptist Church. "ey admitted to having serious financial difficulties, and said they thought we were the most likely church to buy their property," Bob recalled. "We had long since outgrown ours. I was so moved that I thought, ank You, Lord, for hearing my prayer so many years ago. e facility was 112,000 The president of Uganda said Lighthouse Television Station had been a major stabilizing force in rebuilding Uganda. Bob received a call from the First Baptist Church. serious financial difficulties, and said they thought we were the most likely church to buy their property," Bob recalled. "We had long since outgrown ours. I was so moved that I thought, You, Lord, for hearing my prayer so many years ago. prophetic word from the Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin to wait for God's perfect time and will. Hagin's life and faith ministry have continued to be a source of untold strength and encouragement to us to this very day. In 1964, we borrowed $1,000 from a bank and started our church. Our little building was a former post office. During that time, First Baptist In 1976, 12 years after starting Calvary Cathedral, prophetic word from the Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin to wait for God's perfect time and will. Hagin's life and faith ministry have continued to be a source of untold strength and encouragement to us to this very day. In 1964, we borrowed $1,000 from a bank and started our church. Our little building was a former post office. During that time, First Baptist In 1976, 12 years after starting Calvary Cathedral, Bob received a call from the First Baptist Church. serious financial difficulties, and said they thought we were the most likely church to buy their property," Bob recalled. "We had long since outgrown ours. I was so moved that I thought, You, Lord, for hearing my prayer so many years ago. JOIN BOB IN TEACHING BELIEVERS HOW TO USE THEIR FAITH. HOW TO USE THEIR FAITH. JOIN BOB IN TEACHING BELIEVERS Calvary Cathedral in downtown Fort Worth, 1976 Calvary Cathedral in downtown Fort Worth, 1976 KCM.ORG.AU/PARTNER

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