Our Mission & Vision

The mission of Greater St John is to love God, to love others, and to magnify the name of Jesus Christ.  The vision of our church is to glorify our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, to make true disciples throughout all the nations by means of preaching, missionary work and teaching all to live Godly, to edify believers, and to do all that is sovereignly possible and biblically permissible to magnify the name of Jesus.

Leadership Team:

Our leadership team recognizes the authority of God and realizes that we are shepherds who serve under the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ.  We desire to devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.  Our passion and goal is to equip the believer for the work of the ministry until we all attain maturity in the fullness of Christ.  

1st Administrative Assistant, Doctor Fragier Funches, Senior Pastor

Anointed Teacher, Prolific Speaker, Inspirational Professor-
NewElderFunchesPic
Pastor Funches preaches the full gospel and has a passion for carefully unpacking the truths of Scripture and making them applicable to our lives.  Pastor Funches has served at Greater St. John for twenty one years as Senior Pastor.  He is the 1st Administrative Assistant to our bishop, Bishop Embra R. Patterson Jr, who is the presiding prelate of the Southern Illinois Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in the Church of God In Christ Institution.
 
Pastor Funches attended the Wisconsin University of Theology where he received his Doctorate in Divinity.  He is also a Professor at the Wisconsin University of Theology.  Pastor Funches has ministered to multiple cultures.  He is passionate about spiritual maturity, kingdom building, spiritual edification, education, and helping people. He met and married Missionary Sarah Funches while in high school.  After 4 years of courtship, they married and two sons were added to their union.
 

1st Lady, Missionary Sarah Funches

Prayer Warrior, Praise and Worshipper, Teacher, Missionary, Leader-

NewSisterFunchesPicMissionary Sarah Funches was molded from a child to be a conqueror.  She has accomplished many things in her life.  She graduated from Mississippi Valley State University majoring in Family and Community Service.  She has her Real Estate license and she is a licensed Insurance Broker.

In addition to those accomplishments, she also is very active at Greater St. John and in the Southern Illinois Jurisdiction.  She wears many hats and loves it.  Missionary Sarah Funches is a licensed missionary; she sings on the Greater St. John Praise and Worship Team; she is the president of both the Greater St. John Women’s Department and Puritan Department and she is also the Sunday School President.

Missionary Funches is a graduate of the Southern Illinois Jurisdiction Bible Study Course, which was completed under the late Superintendent James Lenox.  She is also the treasurer of the Southern Illinois Jurisdiction Scholarship Committee.  Missionary Funches loves people and enjoys ministry work.  She loves helping people grow and develop into mature Christians who can add to the Kingdom of God.

Minister Darryl Abernathy & The Greater St. John Music Ministry/ Praise & Worship Team

The Bible has a lot to say about music, and Minister Darryl Abernathy’s role is to lead the music department in a way that matches the character of God.  Sister Sharon Lucas is an accomplished singer and gifted in praise & worship.  Together they connect to create a wonderful worship experience where the prescience of the Lord is ushered in, The Presence of the Lord is here and we are waiting for you to come in and join us as we praise and worship the Lord together. Listen to the GSJ Praise Team Playlist under our Media Tab. 

 

What we believe:

Please view our full doctrinal statement.