************** Vessels of Mercy *************
“A Ministry for the 21st Century”
Bishop Tommy & Pastor Deneen L. Benson III
CHURCH HISTORY
(A 1998 conversation between Bishop Benson & God)
I asked God a question, "How does history begin? How do You, God, cause a history to come forth?" And God spoke to me and said, "There are four ingredients used
to begin a history." First, there must be God (I must be first), second, I choose a place to begin this history, third, I choose a people to make a history, and fourth, I give that people a vision. The church's history began with God. God chose 932 Nelson Street in Greenville, Mississippi to be the place: A place where no spiritual life existed, a place of destitution and despair, a place full of dead men's bones. To the human eye, it was hell above ground, but God chose this place and when the subdue this place, He began to look over the land, because God knew that this was going to need a different kind of people. His place would need a people that had a "Send Me Lord, I'll Go" anointing. This place would need a people who were tired of the devil abusing God's people. This place would need a people who were not afraid to go into the enemy's camp and take back everything that the devil had stolen. In 1998, Heaven recorded that God had found a man, and that man was Tommy Lee Benson, III, along with his wife, Deneen and their two children. God said, "I've found a people." God brought Bishop Benson to the place He had chosen and asked him, "Tommy, what do you see?"
Bishop Benson replied, "I see a crack house, a building where trees are growing in, I see needles and condoms, I see underwear, alcohol bottles, old mattresses, and pure darkness." But God said, "Look again, now what do you see?" Bishop Benson replied, "I see a place of refuge and riches. I see youth walking with fire beneath their feet. I see drug dealers as Ministers and Ushers." And God said, " Now you have a vision." And the work began: the tearing down and the building up, the pulling down, throwing down and rising up again, the intercession and the fasting, the sweating and the tears. And from all those ingredients, on May 18, 1998, the history of Vessels of Mercy began. The history didn't begin with man, but it began with God and His vision for this place. An awesome task was placed on the people that God had chosen to carry out His mission. Great sacrifices have been made, awesome favor has been granted, and wonderful friendships have been developed. Yes, God began history here. He chose a place; 932 Nelson Street, Greenville, MS. He chose a people; Tommy and Deneen Benson, and gave a vision.
