Heeding The Call

Evangelist Tawanna A. Black is a preacher and servant leader. She heeded the call of God to give her life to Christ at age 12, and became a junior missionary while in college at age 20 at Greater Saint Paul Church of God in Christ in Topeka, KS. After hearing God's voice to accept his name in baptism in 1998, she became an Apostolic in Ottumwa, Iowa. And, she joined the ministry at Christ Apostolic Temple in Des Moines, Iowa in 2000 under the Pastorate of the late Presiding Bishop Jeremiah Reed, of Jesus Christ Apostolic Churches, International (JCAC) (now Christ Apostolic Temple, Incorporated Fellowship). 

Today, Evangelist Black, her husband, Deacon Eric Black, and two children, Traviata (7), and Christian (5) are proud members of Grace Apostolic Church in Minnetonka, Minnesota under the pastorate of District Elder David E. Johnson. She serves faithfully in ministry and as Board Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair, altar worker, and overseeing leadership training for ministry and auxiliary leaders.  

While she is anointed in the pulpit, Tawanna can be found most often exercising her calling  in the pews and beyond as she ministers in prayer, counseling, prophectic teaching and supporting God's people in hearing the creator's voice, using their gifts, and fulfilling the calling on their lives. 

My first sermon came about somewhat by accident, but it was completely reflective of my entire ministry, and frankly, the way God works. One week before I left for college, God told me what the group of new college students needed to hear before leaving for school. I told the head Missionary at my church that someone should preach the message on our last Sunday, and gave her an outline, assuming she'd bring in a preacher, or visiting missionary. She said "It's you." I said "Nope, nope, nope!" But, of course, God said yes, and so did she. God used me to get the Glory and had his way with a message "Where there's God's Perfect Will, There's God's Perfect Way." But, even after that message, I was determined to say no. I wanted to believe that I was 'just a good speaker,' but not called to minister. But, as time went on, the calling became stronger, and I knew the Word well enough to know that nothing else I desired would come to pass until I answered that call. 

Today, I'm grateful, so very grateful to be a witness to the power of simply waking up every morning and saying 'Yes, Lord.' I don't know the steps, or the path I will take. But, the good news is that I don't have to. What I do have to do, is say yes, surrender my will, to His, walk according to the faith I profess, and spread the good news about all of the ways my life has been transformed since I realized all I needed to do was say YES.