An Uncommon Beginning

Under the tutelage of Dr. Curtis Lake, II, Pastors Lorenza and Vickie Rutledge were licensed and ordained as Ministers and learned the true meaning of love, dedication, and community service. Faith to believe God for the impossible would become a trademark in the couple’s journey ahead. As ministers, Lorenza and Vickie Rutledge led many youth and young adults to Christ.

The Rutledge’s later joined in fellowship with the late Dr. Mattie L. Denmark, Pastor of A United Church of the Redeemed Ministries, Inc. in Hawthorne, Florida. Under the direction of Dr. Denmark, the Rutledge’s were ordained as Pastors of True Wisdom New Hope Ministries, Inc. With much prayer and God-given instructions, Pastors Lorenza and Vickie Rutledge moved to Tallahassee, Florida to begin unfolding the vision for the ministry.

True Wisdom New Hope Ministries began in the living room of the apartment of Apostle Rutledge the year of 2000. The apartment complex at that time was called Oak Pointe Apartments (now Sienna Square). The first service had five members, and three of them were Apostle, his wife, and son. As the ministry began to grow, services moved to the apartment clubhouse. God continued to add to the ministry and it moved into its first storefront building at 1324 South Adams Street. Within the year, the ministry moved two doors down to 1320 South Adams Street which offered more sanctuary space for the growing congregation, a kitchen, and four offices.

With a heart for reaching the lost at any cost, reaching out to the homeless and broken-hearted, and using his own church hurts to create an atmosphere of love, acceptance, and family, Apostle Rutledge began several outreach ministries. These included: ‘Home for the Holidays’ Thanksgiving outreach, Every Gift Every Child Christmas outreach, city-wide Back-to-School bashes, and weekly Saturday feedings for the homeless, and New Hope Foundation, a transitional living program for persons at-risk of becoming homeless. In 2006, True Wisdom joined in fellowship with Chief Apostle S.D. James and the Evangelistic Pentecostal Churches (EPC) Worldwide. The move was on to find a building capable of sustaining a growing ministry; a place that could become the headquarters of the ministry. Fundraising efforts included dinner sales, selling hot food at the local clubs on Friday & Saturday nights, and making personal sacrificial giving. After facing many obstacles from outside leaders and their congregants, the purchase of 1477 Capital Circle Northwest was finalized in 2009.

True Wisdom New Hope Ministries International Development Churches EPC now includes several arms of ministry: Bethlehem City of Refuge (campground), Quality Education Facility (daycare), outreach churches in North Florida and South Georgia, a TAPP Center (emergency provision center), a storage warehouse, over 500 acres of land, 2- school buildings (in renovations), a Bible College, and other negotiations are in process. In order to reach the masses, we have to create avenues for the masses to come and know that they have a part in this vision!