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'''Jerry Rolan Church, Sr.''', known as '''J. R. Church''' (November 17, 1938 &ndash; March 22, 2011), was an [[United States|American]] [[clergy]]man who founded the [[television]] ministry, ''Prophecy in the News'', based in [[Oklahoma City]], [[Oklahoma]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://legacy.newsok.com/obituaries/oklahoman/obituary.aspx?pid=149598510|title=J. R. Church|publisher=''The Oklahoman''|date=March 24, 2011|publisher=January 13, 2016}}</ref>

'''Jerry Rolan Church, Sr.''', known as '''J. R. Church''' (November 17, 1938 &ndash; March 22, 2011), was an [[United States|American]] [[clergy]]man who founded the [[television]] ministry, ''Prophecy in the News'', based in [[Oklahoma City]], [[Oklahoma]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://legacy.newsok.com/obituaries/oklahoman/obituary.aspx?pid=149598510|title=J. R. Church|publisher=''The Oklahoman''|date=March 24, 2011|accessdate=January 13, 2016}}</ref>

==Biography==

==Biography==

A native of Abilene, [[Texas]], the Reverend Church was one of four children of Henry Gant Church (1908-1998) and the former Jewel Marie Deatherage (1912-1999). An older brother was Bobby Gene Church (1931-1996). These Churches are interred at IOOF Memory Gardens Cemetery in Norman, Oiklahoma. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=37043565|title=Henry Gant Church|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=January 13, 2016}}</ref> His twin brother is Terry Nolan Church of Moore, Oklahoma.<ref name=obit/>

A native of Abilene, [[Texas]], the Reverend Church was one of four children of Henry Gant Church (1908-1998) and the former Jewel Marie Deatherage (1912-1999). An older brother was Bobby Gene Church (1931-1996). These Churches are interred at IOOF Memory Gardens Cemetery in Norman, Oklahoma.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=37043565|title=Henry Gant Church|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=January 13, 2016}}</ref> His twin brother is Terry Nolan Church of Moore, Oklahoma.<ref name=obit/>

Church became a Christian at the age of seven in a home [[Bible]] study and spent his life winning others to [[Jesus Christ]].

Church became a Christian at the age of seven in a home [[Bible]] study and spent his life winning others to [[Jesus Christ]].

After graduation from Lubbock High School in Lubbock, Texas,<ref name=wnd/> he attended Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, [[Tennessee]]. On August 16, 1958, he married the former Linda Clarice Jordan in Lubbock. The couple had two children, Jerry, Jr., and  Terri J. McInnis, and five grandchildren.<ref name=obit/> In 1963, Church was the founding pastor of the Wayne Avenue Baptist Church, located at 5505 Wayne Avenue in Lubbock.<ref name=obit/> An affiliate of the Baptist Bible Fellowship International, Wayne Avenue was originally known as the Western Hills Baptist Church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lubbockonline.com/stories/031806/rel_031806085.shtml#.VpXTS4-cE2w|title=Church Briefly|date=March 18, 2006|publisher=''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|accessdate=January 13, 2016}}</ref> From the Wayne Avenue Church, [[Ross Spencer]] in August 1973 established the nearby Bethany Baptist Church, an Independent Baptist congregation at 40th Street and Quaker Avenue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/61713588/|title=Children Fete Spencer Duo|publisher=''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|date=June 27, 1976|page=27|accessdate=January 10, 2016}}</ref>  

After graduation from Lubbock High School in Lubbock, Texas,<ref name=wnd/> he attended Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, [[Tennessee]]. On August 16, 1958, he married the former Linda Clarice Jordan in Lubbock. The couple had two children, Jerry, Jr., and  Terri J. McInnis, and five grandchildren.<ref name=obit/> In 1963, Church was the founding pastor of the Wayne Avenue Baptist Church, located at 5505 Wayne Avenue in Lubbock.<ref name=obit/> An affiliate of the Baptist Bible Fellowship International, Wayne Avenue was originally known as the Western Hills Baptist Church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lubbockonline.com/stories/031806/rel_031806085.shtml#.VpXTS4-cE2w|title=Church Briefly|date=March 18, 2006|publisher=''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|accessdate=January 13, 2016}}</ref> From the Wayne Avenue Church, [[Ross Spencer]] in August 1973 established the nearby Bethany Baptist Church, an Independent Baptist congregation at 40th Street and Quaker Avenue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/61713588/|title=Children Fete Spencer Duo|publisher=''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal''|date=June 27, 1976|page=27|accessdate=January 10, 2016}}</ref>  

Church also founded the Western Hills Baptist Academy. He remained at the Wayne Avenue Church before relocating in 1979 to Oklahoma City, where he and his family attended First Southern Baptist Church of Del City, Oklahoma. There he launched ''Prophecy In The News''.<ref name=obit/> At the time of his death, Church was hailed as a "true prophetic visionary [whose] system of prophetic interpretation has led the way in understanding the astonishing growth and influence of latter day [[Israel]] and the things that lie just ahead.”<ref name=wnd>{{cite web|url=http://www.wnd.com/2011/03/278889/|title=J. R.  Church lauded as 'true prophetic visionary'|publisher=WND.com|date=March 24, 2011|accessdate=January 13, 2016}}</ref> Church is interred at Heritage Burial Park in Oklahoma City.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=67462436|title=Dr. Jerry Rolan Church|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=January 13, 2016}}</ref>

Church also founded the Western Hills Baptist Academy. He remained at the Wayne Avenue Church before relocating in 1979 to Oklahoma City, where he and his family attended First Southern Baptist Church of Del City, Oklahoma. There he launched ''Prophecy In The News''.<ref name=obit/> At the time of his death, Church was hailed as a "true prophetic visionary [whose] system of prophetic interpretation has led the way in understanding the astonishing growth and influence of latter day [[Israel]] and the things that lie just ahead.”<ref name=wnd>{{cite web|url=http://www.wnd.com/2011/03/278889/|title=J. R.  Church lauded as 'true prophetic visionary'|publisher=WND.com|date=March 24, 2011|accessdate=January 13, 2016}}</ref> Church is interred at Heritage Burial Park in Oklahoma City.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=67462436|title=Dr. Jerry Rolan Church|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=January 13, 2016}}</ref>