Wide World Of Truth
 

Anyone remember this broadcast from the 80's? It was Mark Hanbys Church live over the CBN Network. I know Mark has departed from Oneness but what about the Church he pastored? Back then it was several thousand people? Still around? Still Oneness?

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

Back in the 80's when MH left the church over personal "issues" (don't ask I am not getting into it here) the church fell apart. The assistant pastor, whose name I forget, continued to try and carry on but over a very few years ended up in a church seating around 1500 or so with only one or two hundred people. I visited during that time. The congregation was not large enough or affluent enough to support the upkeep of that size church and it showed. Some time later, probably in the late 80's possibly early 90's the building was sold to a black congregation. I don't know of what denomination.

I visited the church duing it's heyday in the late 70's twice. The church was packed, the program was nationally telecast, and the church had started a Bible College. The prayer rooms were behind the platform and with several hundred people all praying starting an hour or more before church time when you entered the sanctuary you could hear kind of a muted roar. Maybe it was because I was an impressionable teenager at the time but I recall both visits just feeling the presence of God when you walked in that sanctuary like nothing I have before. Obviously I don't think it was the building or the pastor. I do think it was probably the presence of God being ushered end by those hundreds praying in those prayer rooms.

As others have stated over the years on AFF Mark Hanby was the premiere orator in the UPC in the late 60's through mid 70's. He and Kenneth Phillips were the UPC's top evangelists even though they both were also pastors.

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

CC, the brother asked about the church, not their building...

;)

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

And I responded that it essentially fell apart. Went from around 1500 people (which was huge for the UPC in the early 80's) to one or two hundred.

As far as where the people went I was in the Dallas area in the mid 90's for a bit and asked folks there that were in the know about Oneness churches there that question. It seems they didn't land any particular place. Some had been such preacher worshippers that when the object of their adoration fell they lost their faith and walked away from church and God altogether. Others went to charismatic churches in the area and I am sure a few ended up in UPC ones. There was no cohesive move to one other church group nor did the majority stay with the new pastor of Truth Church.

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

If I'm not mistaken, Jimmy and Becky Pearce were with MH during that time...

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

David Huff of David and the Giants often attended there. They played on a live album recorded there by the Pearce's as Hanby made the really cool introduction.

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

I think we still have that album in the basement somewhere. John Eckstadt also taught at the college for a time in the 70's. I have a paper or book written by an S.R. Hanby, I assume that is the father of Mark Hanby.

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Back in the day there, Hanby had an unbelievably powerful spirit of wisdom and revelation in the Word.

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

I think the gift of the word of wisdom is entirely different. It's wisdom to know how to handle situations. But the wisdom in Eph 1 associated with revelation is wisdom about what the Word teaches and how to hear from God.

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My experience was the same. Very impressive.

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

Yes they were. The television program consisted of the choir singing, Jimmy & Becky Pearce singing, and then MH preaching..

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

So what happened? He's still preaching apparently. Did he go charismatic or something?

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

Yes I tried to connect with him years ago he was ministering from a retreat in Tennessee. His ministry had become basically he was Fathering ministers.

He seemed to have little or no interest in Oneness doctrine as I recall. I gave up and moved on. For a while he was getting a name among Charismatics, dont know how that turned out.

The reason I asked if anyone knew what happened to the Church he Pastored is I was considering using the name "WIDE WORLD OF TRUTH" in my Paltalk ministry.

If it was still being used I would not.

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

Yes. Moved from Chattanooga back to the Dallas area a few years ago. A year or two ago he was having a form of church (just him speaking sitting down in a small group) and was webcasting it. He is in at least his third marriage now.

I don't know about now but for a time he had found a circle of black churches he was preaching in. He probably still has his website if you google it where you can find his books and CD's for sale. Maybe DVD's also.

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

Do you remember when I think either his second or third wife's daughter came on one of the forums trying to find info about him?

Re: Wide World Of Truth
 

I remember her being furious and trying to defend his honor but really without any real defense. She will probably see this thread revived if she does a google search and will be back to do it again!