Rejoice International Network

04/30/2026

We finished our pastoring season and are excited about new opportunities. All welcome.

Rejoice International is alive and well. It took us a minute to transition but new initiatives to be announced soon. Stay tuned.

04/18/2026

THIS SUN APR 19, 9:00 AM @ REJOICE CHURCH – Special Guest, World Evangelist Michael Turner from New Zealand.

Michael and wife Natasha from Ukraine travel the world sharing Jesus, and always bless us leading worship and preaching a Now Word.

Please invite/tag 10 people now to share the blessing.

www.RejoiceChurch.net

01/24/2026

Sunday Dec 28 was mine and Cathy's last Sunday as the Pastors at Rejoice Church. A little bitter-sweet, as I preached my final message as the pastor, and Cathy led worship for the last time as the music director.

I suddenly realized I won't be hearing Cathy sing every week, and I had a moment. 😢

God has been good to us for 51 years of ministry with eight churches, 31 at Rejoice Church which we founded in 1995. What a great honor it has been to serve in the Olive Branch and DeSoto County region of North MS all these years, with lots of amazing connections to wonderful people throughout the Mempis Metro area.

During this Rejoice Church time, by God's grace we were able to help launch three other regional churches, and also launched a global ministry, Rejoice International Network.

One of our long time members stopped me as I left the building today and said how Cathy and I had changed her life and that we will always be her pastors. Priceless!

Our Associate Pastor for many years, Pastor James Butler, Jr., will begin leading the church next Sunday, being the first Sunday of 2026.

We will officially inaugurate him as the new pastor with a special installation service on Sunday Feb 8 at 10:00 AM. All area friends are invited to make the event special by helping us to celebrate the occasion. Reception following.

Helping us officiate the event will be fellow Board of Directors:
Drs. Fred & Valerie Bennett from Memphis TN,
Apostles Greg & Sharrah Gervais from Houston TX,
Pastor Brian & Dr. Martina Moore from Cleveland Ohio,
and yours truly, George & Cathy Black.

Cathy and I are retiring from pastoring our church but not from continuing to serve as the founders & apostolic overseers. We will still remain available to to serve Rejoice Church as needed, but our presence will be less and less as the transition develops.

We will begin turning our attention to working more with Rejoice International Network, the global expression of our Rejoice orginazation serving pastors and churches I founded in 2011 and is now operating in many countries.

We expect to relaunch a monthly regional and global Zoom meeting for all interested in the new year, as well as begin making plans for our next Go Global Summit this summer.

It is also still our dream to launch an online Bible College using modern technology to reach students around the world.

I also plan to ride motorcycles more. A lot more! 😎👍

Cathy and I recently became the regional Chapter Y Directors for Eagle Wing's Motorcycle Association. Our group is growing and 2026 is going to be amazing with rides, dinners and lots of fun events.

Dear friends in the group, Diane & Harry Schafer, asked if we would be moving or staying after retirement, and I can assure you the plan is to stay put for now...unless of course plans change. Lol

I do plan to complete my bucket list of motorcycling 4,200 miles one-way to my 50th state in 2026... ALASKA! 😱 I will be almost 74. Easy Peasy. 🤔

Cathy plans to continue her career as a Practice Supervisor at the Crosby Clinic in Memphis TN, a neurosurgery office. She has worked with a great doctor and team there for 20 years, I guess someone has to pay for the motorcycles. 😂

I think that we should make all of 2026 a retirement party of a sorts, visiting all of the places we have spent in ministry, and regathering old friends for a dinner and a night of stories to celebrate each other's journeys - a retirement party for you my friends. TBD

Natchitoches LA
Shreveport LA
Dallas TX
Lagos Nigeria
Olive Branch MS

If anyone wants to help take this on in your area let me know possible venues and dates.

We have baptized possibly hundreds of people during our time at Rejoice Church, prayed for thousands of needs personally, and preached and taught several thousand messages, lessons, Bible college classes, and lectures.

If somewhere, somehow, at some time in the past, Cathy or I were used by God to bless your life through our ministry at any time, please let us know. We would like to start a Book of Rememberence to pass on to our kids. Thank you.

Thanks to everyone we served in this community and beyond. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity God have us to help make a difference.

All for Jesus,
George & Cathy Gillespie Black

12/22/2025

THE SHORT STORY: Our founding pastors, George & Cathy Black, announced to the Rejoice Church on Sun Dec 21, that after 31 years of serving as the church's pastors, they have now finished their assignment and are retiring from pastoring and passing the leadership baton to Associate Pastors James and Candy Butler, who will step in as the new Pastors as of Sun Jan 4, 2026.

An official installation service is planned for the Butler's on Sun Feb 8 during the 10:00 AM service. All are invited to attend and celebrate them.

THE LONGER STORY: Prior to the anonouncement to the church last Sunday, the churches Board of Directors, and the Leadership Team had all given their 100% vote of support to this transition.

The church was also invited to affirm this decision by a voice vote, with all in favor.

The Black's will continue to serve as the Rejoice Church Apostolic Overseers (Bishops), as Rejoice Church is one of many churches the Black's oversee globally through the ministry of Rejoice International Network. They will continue to attend and support when possible.

Both George and Cathy Black expressed heartfelt gratefulness to the congregation for the honor and privilege of having served in pastoral ministry for 51 years, 31 of those years at Rejoice Church.

The Black's also expressed deep love and appreciation to the Butler's whose loyalty and dedication are unparalleled.

Pastor George referenced Philippians 2:20 regarding Paul the Apostle's commendation of his son in the faith, Timothy, when he said, "For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your welfare."

The Butler's have been in ministry with the Blacks for over 20 years, serving in numerous capacities. And while of similar age, James was unquestionably a true son in the faith.

Nevertheless, Pastor James has a different skill and gift set that will understandably take the church in a new direction. He is an inspirational preacher and a man of the Word. He is also a capable leader and team builder, and carries the true anointing of a shepherd. The Butler's are often referred to as our "apostles of love."

Pastor James feels strongly that God is doing a new thing in him and in the church for 2026.

Pastor James' wife Ila "Candy" Butler is in complete unity with him on this decision, and while she has been home-bound due to illness, she will be praying and supporting him fully in this next season untill she is fully recovered.

The Butler's will need the love and support of all the members, and their area friends, to not only wish them well, but to join them in this new beginning. All things are possible when God is in it.

In closing the service with prayer for the Butler's, Pastor George reminded everyone that the unfinished hopes and dreams of Rejoice Church will still come to pass. The Black's aren't giving up, their getting out of the way for this next, best season.

God will finish what He started. After all, it's His church, and He said He would build His church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. Selah.

11/06/2025

THIS!

09/10/2025

09/10/2025

I am angered beyond words at this horrific act of violence and the massive loss of this brilliant, legendary and heroic beacon of hope and Christian advocate for Biblical values in the political realm.

I'm not angry at guns, as this is not the result of a gun disease...those that embrace this mantra obfuscate the truth.

It is rather a mind disease, the same mind disease that attempted to assassinate our president twice.

Our nation is at war with this mind disease. It's not a mental illness, it is a diseased ideology that is attempting to overthrow everything good in America, uproot every trace of historical Christian values, and usher in a Godless, humanist social order.

You could never win an argument of darkness against the power of Charlie's well articulated truth. He was a joyful warrior. He invited every debate, and like a chest master could win every game, because he already knew the next move and how to answer every challenge.

He was winning back our college campuses from the corrupt, leftwing, progressive mind disease. He was equipping true American patriots of every age with knowledge and courage that was pushing back the darkness.

In the end the only way to defeat him was to kill him.

I pray for those of us who understand the spiritual warfare we're dealing with, that we will no longer remain silent, or in the shadows, that we will speak up, and call people to accountability...
..and I pray that it's not too late.

🥲

BREAKING: Charlie Kirk has died. Please pray for his family and children. Our hearts are broken for them. 🙏