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Pastor Darlene Smith-Atkins Pastors Randell & Darlene S. Atkins
Having experienced miraculous healing several times in her life, Darlene Smith-Atkins now leads a ministry of hope
to the homeless, and the food insecure and under resourced children in Greenville, South Carolina.
God healed Darlene Smith-Atkins of fatal kidney disease at the age of 7. At 19, she survived a near-fatal car crash. At 31, she died on the operating table during bilateral breast cancer surgery, but God brought her back to life. Now, at 61, Darlene Smith-Atkins pastors a Sunday evening Street Church in Greenville, South Carolina, sharing a meal and a message of hope with people on the streets.
Born to a musically talented and ministry-driven family , Pastor Darlene accepted Jesus at age 5 and declared one day she would be an Assemblies of God pastor. Pastor Darlene Smith-Atkins attended Southeastern University, then later earned a Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Theology from Holmes Bible College and a Master’s Degree in Biblical Theology from Luther Rice Seminary, and is an ordained minister with the General Council of the Assemblies of God.
In 1980, Pastor Darlene married Rev. Randell Atkins. 0emy thought he would stop the power of the God who had called me and keep me from continuing to carry the gospel to the world.” Following seven major surgeries, massive chemotherapy, and a heart attack, Pastor Darlene says God miraculously healed her.
In 1991. Pastor Randell assumed the lead pastorate of CrossPoint Assembly, which Darlene attended as a child. They continue serving there together. “I love ministry inside the walls, but I had to go beyond to find the most desperate, the most hopeless, and reach out to them with the hope I know is possible,” Pastor Darlene says.
After witnessing poverty and homelessness in Greenville, especially among the children on the streets, Pastor Darlene ask her family to join her for street ministry. The first service took place on Oct. 31, 2009, with five children attending. Pastor Darlene and her team passed out candy, played music, and shared a short Bible story.
By Christmas, Pastor Darlene and her team ministered to around 300 people weekly.
The church has met downtown every Sunday night for the past twelve years -, with crowds ranging from 80 to 400. Pastor Darlene says the gathering is like going to a traditional church service, with worship and a sermon — just no walls. After worship, a team of volunteers serves a hot meals from the ministry’s mobile kitchen as well aprrox. 10 lbs. plus of additional meal provisions . All attending have opportunity for resource referral - shelters, housing, jobs, and rehabilitation services.
G. Ed Nelson, South Carolina District secretary-treasurer, who serves on the Street Church support team with Pastor Darlene , says the ministry has changed the city. He encouraged her in the beginning. “She had no name recognition among the city leaders, and now today, she’s a common household name,” Nelson says. “She has turned what was once seen as suspicious — working with street people in Greenville — into a highly accepted activity.”
Not everyone who attends Street Church is homeless. Over the past twelve years, hundreds have received JESUS as Savior, and their life circumstance changed , many have come back to share their testimonies and to volunteer.
Pastor Darlene says she doesn’t plan on slowing down. “The heartbreaking reality for me is that there are still thousands of people existing in desperate life circumstances, still unreached, that must have the gospel brought into their lives. “
In our beautiful, thriving, food overwhelmed "Greenville" how can it be that there are children who are daily faced with hunger? In the 40 square mile radius of the White Horse Road corridor, in Greenville, there are approximately 80,000 people. 9 of every 10 children are living in under resourced and impoverished life circumstances. Indications from area schools show 93% of the school age children (not including infants -age 4) are food insecure.
“I don’t want these children’s hope to be in the streets, I want it to be in a Savior,” she says. “If we can reach the children, we can reach their families, so they together will be able to have the life-changing power of God in their lives.”
We must reach the children, and then we can reach their families, so they together will be able to have a life-changing power in their lives.” says Pastor Darlene.
in MArch of 2020 the devasting chris -chaos of covid attacked the worle,,,,, but it did not stop the weekly ministry of Street Church
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The new location of Street Church Ministries simce September 2021 has now enabled the expansion of weekend ministry,. we beleive that 2023 will be the year Street Church Kids Kitchen .Ministry Center,
to become reality this year !
and with the construction of the "envisioned ministry center provide Street Church KItchen to become bi-weekly to reach thousands more of our city’s children, families, and individuals, giving them opportunity to life changing hope forever.
Pastor Randell, Doranden, and Doranden’s husband, Pastor Brent Powell, who is associate pastor at CrossPoint,
all minister with Pastor Darlene weekly at Street Church. As well as Pastor Darlene and Pastor Randell's
three grand loves : Drake, 12, Annalyn, 9, and Maverick, 3 ,
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD NEWS PUBLISHED BY NEWS.AG.ORG
Pastor Randell is a one of a kind, faithful, hard- working, committed ,never stopping,
devoted man of prayer, man of the Word, man of faith -Husband, Dad, PaPaw, Pastor and Spiritual Father to many man, many.
Pastor Randell also a one of a kind powerfully Holy Spirit anointed deliverer of the Word
of Truth.
His messages are tremendously unique and are life impacting to the adults, youth
and children alike. He preaches with evangelistic fervor, and the Lord has anointed
him with a great gift of ministry toward deliverance, healing, and holy spirit in filling.
The greatest purpose for Pastor Randell & Darlene they have said is “that the lost, broken,
hurting are reached with the hope of the gospel that all may hear, know and receive the
miraculous life changing power of Jesus and thier lives changed forever.
lives forever changed by HIm .
Pastor Darlene’s life is sharing the giving gospel of hope through the ministry of preaching, singing, teaching, serving, giving , declaring with “still” unshaken faith in the God she knows as the only hope- the life giver and life changer for all the world.
Through every day and every circumstance that has touched Their lives, God has been and remains faithful.
They are blessed with
One miracle daughter Doranden Darlene A. Powell
A “son in love” Rev. Pastor Brent Powell, who serve in ministry with them at
CrossPoint A/G in music ministry, young adult pastors, street church ministries, and
more.
Their Three precious “Grand Loves ” Drake (12) and Annalyn (9) Maverick (3) who are their treasured life Blessings.
devoted man of prayer, man of the Word, man of faith -Husband, Dad, PaPaw, Pastor and Spiritual Father to many man, many.
Pastor Randell also a one of a kind powerfully Holy Spirit anointed deliverer of the Word
of Truth.
His messages are tremendously unique and are life impacting to the adults, youth
and children alike. He preaches with evangelistic fervor, and the Lord has anointed
him with a great gift of ministry toward deliverance, healing, and holy spirit in filling.
The greatest purpose for Pastor Randell & Darlene they have said is “that the lost, broken,
hurting are reached with the hope of the gospel that all may hear, know and receive the
miraculous life changing power of Jesus and thier lives changed forever.
lives forever changed by HIm .
Pastor Darlene’s life is sharing the giving gospel of hope through the ministry of preaching, singing, teaching, serving, giving , declaring with “still” unshaken faith in the God she knows as the only hope- the life giver and life changer for all the world.
Through every day and every circumstance that has touched Their lives, God has been and remains faithful.
They are blessed with
One miracle daughter Doranden Darlene A. Powell
A “son in love” Rev. Pastor Brent Powell, who serve in ministry with them at
CrossPoint A/G in music ministry, young adult pastors, street church ministries, and
more.
Their Three precious “Grand Loves ” Drake (12) and Annalyn (9) Maverick (3) who are their treasured life Blessings.