By Felicia Bowens
Felicia Bowens (second from right) with her Kingdom Empowerment Center Bible study group. Apostle Larry Wilson is second from left.
You never know where a friendship will lead
God has blessed me through some amazing children of God since I moved to Mississippi in 2006. Moving beyond racial and denominational lines, God has opened the door for me to spiritually connect with individuals who have enriched and strengthened my growth as a Christian. One of these individuals was William (Bill) Pierce.
William (Bill) Pierce formed a friendship with Felicia Bowens that not only strengthened her walk with Christ, but led her to the church she attends now.
Bill and I met in 2010 as coworkers for the Mississippi Institute for the Improvement of Geographic Minority Health (MIGMH) at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). As we began to interact and learn a little about each other, one thing was clear: We were both believers in the Lord Jesus Christ Bill and I would talk about our spiritual journeys and he would discuss his ministry work, which included being a prayer intercessor and missionary.
God not only brought us together to form an enduring friendship, but He used this same man to be one of my teachers on intercessory prayer and how to witness to others about the gospel.
In February 2014, Bill shared with me a training that he had just completed called “I Am Second.” As he began to describe the training, I shared with Bill that a group of ladies including myself would be starting a prayer ministry at my former church. Immediately, Bill suggested that the “I Am Second” training would be perfect for the new ministry and that he would gladly serve as our trainer. So for eight weeks, the group met with Bill. We learned and discussed how to put Jesus first in our lives and how to share with others the liberty that comes through a connection with the Lord.
In January 2018, building on the foundation laid by Bill, our prayer group decided to conduct another training, which we called “I Am Second — Part II.” This time the group asked Apostle Larry Wilson to serve as our teacher.
Again, this was a divine connection from God. After months of fervent prayer, the Lord planted me at Kingdom Empowerment Center (KEC), a multicultural ministry in Terry, pastored by Apostle Wilson.
At KEC it is not about the color of our skin — it is about people’s hearts and their desire to grow in their relationship with God. The ministry is living out the mission of Mission Mississippi, which is to encourage and demonstrate grace in the body of Christ across racial lines. Psalm 133:1 states, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
Sadly, Bill Pierce passed way in December 2018. But I am so grateful to God for allowing me to become friends with him. My interactions with these wonderful children of God have prepared me for my newest endeavor: becoming a part of the Mission Mississippi team. I am excited about the road ahead and look forward to supporting the mission of this dynamic organization.
Felicia Bowens is executive assistant to the president of Mission Mississippi. She lives in Byram with her son and is a member of Kingdom Empowerment Center in Terry.
