Elder Barry & Lady Cheryl
Finding God in Every Turn
Following the leading of the Holy Spirit, Elder Barry and Lady Cheryl Kelly launched Overcoming Power Ministries (OPM) on January 1st, 1999, in Rosedale New York. From the very start, the focus of the ministry has been to meet the needs of men and women in the local communities. As the vision and mission of the ministry has always been people minded and sheep-centric, the endeavor is to actively participate in “The Great Commission” detailed by Jesus himself in Matt 28:19,20 – Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always even until the end of the world. Amen. It was a humble beginning, but God has used the ministry to touch the lives of many people in the communities we serve, from inception.
After they married in 1989, Elder Kelly, a native of Brooklyn New York and Lady Cheryl, a native of Roanoke Rapids North Carolina, served faithfully at Kelly’s Temple Church of Christ Holiness Unto the Lord, in Brooklyn New York under the leadership of the late Bishop Edd W. Thomas. Over the course of the next 10 years, they served the Church of Christ on the local, district and national levels. Both of them have always had a heart for young people and for the arts. As such they served in those areas and have even been blessed to be a part of great music ministries as well as contributors to the production of outstanding Christian dramas that have been performed in several cities.
Elder Barry Kelly responded to the call to serve in ministry in April of 1992 and was later ordained to the office of “Elder” in the Lord’s church, in the Church of Christ Holiness Unto the Lord in May 1996. As the Lord continued to bless them, they availed themselves to fasting and prayer and by the Grace of God, began to lay the foundation that would later give Birth to the Exousia Praise and Worship Church, by way of Overcoming Power Ministries (OPM).
The Exousia Praise and Worship Church officially opened on Sunday July 19th, 1999. At that time the small congregation held services at a storefront on Jamaica Ave, in Jamaica New York. The Lord blessed this congregation and sent foundational members who helped to grow and move the ministry forward. As the Lord blessed them to pastor this church, they leveraged foundational principles they garnered over the years as a result of being reared in the Church of Christ Holiness Unto the Lord. They called the people of God to prayer consistently and availed Christian Education, multiple times, on a weekly basis.
Early in 2002, Bishop Jay C. Kelly confirmed to Pastor Kelly that it was time to look for a more permanent church/building and move the ministry from the storefront location. As such, the saints began the laborious process of praying and looking for a church or building they could rent/modify. Ultimately, the Lord blessed them, they found an old clinic in Queens Village New York. The place required massive renovation and remodeling, but God in His faithfulness, provided the resources. During the summer of 2002, the congregation officially relocated to 97-19 Springfield Blvd. in Queens Village New York.
From the time the doors of the church opened in the new location, the ministry determined that they would integrate with the Queens Village neighborhood and become a part of the community. Over the years they sponsored and hosted a multitude of events (i.e. Vacation Bible School (VBS), free bus trips for youth of the community, open houses, barbecues and street fairs) and brought them to the community. In so doing, the church became a part of the fabric and an integral part of local neighborhood. If for some reason the church was not open, the community knew about it, as the church mattered, was relevant and they were missed.
From the very inception of the ministry in Jan.1999, the Lord put the community and the unsaved on the heart of Pastor and Lady Kelly. As such, the focus of the ministry has always been and continues to be, those who do not know Jesus Christ as Savior. To that end, they consider themselves privileged to serve the Kingdom of God and by his grace, since 1999, conducts street services, nursing home ministries, food box give aways, feeding the homeless and much more. After relocating to Charlotte N.C. in 2011, OPM expanded its service offerings to include radio broadcasts, podcasts, holiday food giveaways, nightly prayers, and weekly bible study.
The Lord blessed the launching of Deeper Life Biblical Studies, and they are now in their 5th year of bringing the word of God and making it available to everyone at no cost. Over the past few years, studies have centered on Church History, Inter-Testament History, Doctrine of End Times, Bible Survey, Creation and a few others. More recently, OPM began hosting soul winning crusades and we are excited about what God is going to do by way of this avenue of ministry.