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| North Charleston Apostolic Church, UPCI, 2408 6th Avenue Charleston, West Virginia 25312 304-344-1466 |
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| North Charleston Apostolic Church, UPCI 2408 6th Avenue Charleston, WV 25312 304-344-1466 www.connect2ncac.com |
Our Founder
Bishop William H. "Billy" Cole
William H. “Billy” Cole was born to Reverend Jewel C. and Reverend
Mary S. Cole in Newark, Ohio, on July 28, 1934. He was baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ at 7 years of age and received the
baptism of the Holy Spirit at the age of 12 at the Buckeye Lake Camp
in Ohio. Nathaniel Urshan was the evangelist and S. G. Norris was the
daytime Bible teacher.
At the age of 19, Billy married Shirley Ann Kelbaugh in Parkersburg,
West Virginia, on December 22, 1953. After moving to Weirton, West
Virginia, for work in the laboratory at Weirton Steel, he recognized
that God was calling him to preach. God revealed this to his wife while
Billy was away working the night shift. One night God awoke Shirley
and she heard an audible voice ask, “Are you willing to sacrifice if I
call your husband into the ministry?” She was frightened and didn’t
answer. The second night it happened again, and she
Mary S. Cole in Newark, Ohio, on July 28, 1934. He was baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ at 7 years of age and received the
baptism of the Holy Spirit at the age of 12 at the Buckeye Lake Camp
in Ohio. Nathaniel Urshan was the evangelist and S. G. Norris was the
daytime Bible teacher.
At the age of 19, Billy married Shirley Ann Kelbaugh in Parkersburg,
West Virginia, on December 22, 1953. After moving to Weirton, West
Virginia, for work in the laboratory at Weirton Steel, he recognized
that God was calling him to preach. God revealed this to his wife while
Billy was away working the night shift. One night God awoke Shirley
and she heard an audible voice ask, “Are you willing to sacrifice if I
call your husband into the ministry?” She was frightened and didn’t
answer. The second night it happened again, and she
responded in the same way. The third night it happened, God’s voice
came to her three times, very loud and strong. Shirley leaped out of bed
and told the Lord, “If this is really You and I am not having some kind of
illusion, cause Billy to say something to me this morning when he comes
in.” Sure enough he did, and she was convinced.
They began their ministry by going door to door witnessing. Pastor
Allen Cayton came to them after a Sunday morning service and asked,
“Why haven’t you told me God has called you to preach?” Later,
without notice, Pastor Cayton called upon Billy to preach. After his first
sermon, a Catholic lady, whom the Coles had brought to church,
received the Holy Ghost.
Brother and Sister Cole’s first major effort was to open a new church in
Ravenswood, West Virginia. Not a single Pentecostal of any sort resided
in the whole county. They began by pitching a small tent and preaching
every night for a month, resulting in 16 adults being baptized in Jesus’
name.
came to her three times, very loud and strong. Shirley leaped out of bed
and told the Lord, “If this is really You and I am not having some kind of
illusion, cause Billy to say something to me this morning when he comes
in.” Sure enough he did, and she was convinced.
They began their ministry by going door to door witnessing. Pastor
Allen Cayton came to them after a Sunday morning service and asked,
“Why haven’t you told me God has called you to preach?” Later,
without notice, Pastor Cayton called upon Billy to preach. After his first
sermon, a Catholic lady, whom the Coles had brought to church,
received the Holy Ghost.
Brother and Sister Cole’s first major effort was to open a new church in
Ravenswood, West Virginia. Not a single Pentecostal of any sort resided
in the whole county. They began by pitching a small tent and preaching
every night for a month, resulting in 16 adults being baptized in Jesus’
name.
In Ravenswood, they saw their first great healing miracle. One day they
received a call that Sister Barnes, who had been baptized and had
received the Holy Ghost, was dying, and the doctor was on the way to
the house. Rushing there, praying all the way, Billy believed God had
promised to heal her. However, when he got there, the house was filled
with people. The doctor had already closed her eyes and covered her
with a sheet. The doctor said, “You’re too late, Preacher; she’s gone!”
But Billy, believing God to heal her, told the family he would pray for
her anyway if they wanted him to. Pulling the sheet down to her
shoulders, he prayed. Nothing happened. He prayed louder but still
nothing happened. Billy turned to the wall and began praying in tongues
even louder, but still nothing happened. Then he got angry and shouted,
“Sister Barnes, get up!” She sat straight up in bed and was healed.
Reverend Ziegler, her former United Brethren pastor who was there,
fell face down on the floor.
That church is now pastored by a convert of Brother Cole’s, Reverend
T. J. Johnston. There is now a wonderful congregation there, housed in
a beautiful new building.
After pastoring in Ravenswood a few years, Brother and Sister Cole
traveled as evangelists. A number of people received the Holy Ghost
and were baptized. During this time they also witnessed several notable
apostolic events. Then they pastored a church in Spencer, West
Virginia, with a congregation of one hundred people. The church was
debt free when the Coles moved on.
The Coles were invited to Elyeria, Pennsylvania, to preach for their
former pastor, Brother Cayton, who was starting a new home missions
church. One day while Brother Cayton was at work and Sister Cayton
and Sister Cole were shopping, Brother Cole was studying the Book of
Esther in the Cayton’s apartment. Brother Cole answered a knock at the
door to find a visitor holding a note with the address of the Cayton’s
apartment.
He said, “I am Reverend Boon Mark Gittisan, the general secretary for
the Presbyterian Church of Thailand. I have been in Detroit, New York
City, and Toronto, Canada. I don’t know who gave me this note or for
what reason.” Brother Cole was afraid of him but invited him in anyway,
thinking about the verse of Scripture, “Some have entertained angels
unawares.”
Brother Cole checked to see if Pastor Cayton’s address was in the
church directory, but he was still listed 150 miles away at his old
address. He looked for the church’s address, but it was so new it was not
listed at all.
Brother Cole then asked Brother Gittisan, “Have you ever heard of the
baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking with other tongues?”
Brother Gittisan said, “Yes, I speak with tongues; there are six of us in
Thailand who do.”
Brother Cole then intended to ask, “Have you ever heard of being
baptized by immersion in the name of Jesus?” But Brother Gittisan
interrupted Brother Cole and said, “Oh yes, I have been baptized by
immersion in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.”
Brother Cole asked, “Reverend Gittisan, what is the name of the Son?”
Reverend Gittison was stunned. As tears filled Brother Gittisan’s eyes,
Brother Cole asked, “Are you having a heart attack?”
Brother Gittisan answered, “No. You see I can quote the entire New
Testament. When you asked me that question, all the scriptures finally
came together. Like a curtain being rolled back, I could see Jesus Christ
as He really is.” Reverend Gittisan was baptized the next day.
This miraculous visit led to the Coles’ being sent to Thailand as
missionaries. In seven years they baptized nearly 6,000 Buddists and
witnessed a mighty outpouring of the Holy Ghost. One of their first
converts, Reverend Chaiyong Wattanachant, has been superintendent
of the Thailand churches for more then 35 years.
While in Thailand, Brother Cole suffered a stroke, which paralyzed his
left arm. The Coles returned to the USA. However, upon his being
healed, they returned to Asia as evangelists. Thousands were baptized
and filled with the Holy Ghost. When Sister Cole became sick, they
returned to the USA again. When her health improved, they went to
Wheeling, West Virginia. They gathered together six people who were
baptized in Jesus’ name and filled with the Holy Ghost, and in four years
they baptized another 450 people and prayed them through to the Holy
Ghost. The Wheeling church is now pastored by Reverend David
Forsythe, an elder mentored by Brother Cole.
Seven elders who came out of the Wheeling church under Brother Cole
are
1. Jack Cunningham, who became General Home Missions Director for
the UPCI;
2. David Ward, who became superintendent of Tanzania;
3. Robert Kelley, who became superintendent of Ireland and Scotland;
4. Jerry Burns, who became superintendent of Costa Rica;
5. Eugene Kelley, who pastors in Ohio;
6. Rondel Moss II, Brother Cole’s son-in-law, has assisted him in various
capacities since 1972. For the past 23 years he has acted as music
director and preschool director for the North Charleston Apostolic
Church.
7. Danny Scott Jr., who became pastor of a large church in Arizona.
After leaving Wheeling, the Coles returned to evangelizing overseas.
When Brother Cole’s father asked him to come home to help build a new
building in Parkersburg, West Virginia, he did.
When this building was finished, the Coles moved to Charleston, West
Virginia, in 1981 to pastor the North Charleston Apostolic Church.
They have remained in Charleston for over 23 years. Three years ago,
Brother Cole’s grandson, Reverend Anthony Moss, took over the
church upon Brother Cole’s retirement.
Brother Cole preached many camp meetings and revival services,
seeing many filled with the Holy Ghost. The last ten years of his
ministry, he preached crusades at home and overseas. Sixteen times,
more than 3,000 received the Holy Ghost in a single service. The Coles
preached for 50 years and were just short of seeing one million people
receive the Holy Ghost. They were diligent in training many young men,
too numerous to mention, to carry on their ministry.
Brother Cole served on the Executive Board for two terms, and he also
served on the Foreign Missions Board, where he is currently an
honorary member.
received a call that Sister Barnes, who had been baptized and had
received the Holy Ghost, was dying, and the doctor was on the way to
the house. Rushing there, praying all the way, Billy believed God had
promised to heal her. However, when he got there, the house was filled
with people. The doctor had already closed her eyes and covered her
with a sheet. The doctor said, “You’re too late, Preacher; she’s gone!”
But Billy, believing God to heal her, told the family he would pray for
her anyway if they wanted him to. Pulling the sheet down to her
shoulders, he prayed. Nothing happened. He prayed louder but still
nothing happened. Billy turned to the wall and began praying in tongues
even louder, but still nothing happened. Then he got angry and shouted,
“Sister Barnes, get up!” She sat straight up in bed and was healed.
Reverend Ziegler, her former United Brethren pastor who was there,
fell face down on the floor.
That church is now pastored by a convert of Brother Cole’s, Reverend
T. J. Johnston. There is now a wonderful congregation there, housed in
a beautiful new building.
After pastoring in Ravenswood a few years, Brother and Sister Cole
traveled as evangelists. A number of people received the Holy Ghost
and were baptized. During this time they also witnessed several notable
apostolic events. Then they pastored a church in Spencer, West
Virginia, with a congregation of one hundred people. The church was
debt free when the Coles moved on.
The Coles were invited to Elyeria, Pennsylvania, to preach for their
former pastor, Brother Cayton, who was starting a new home missions
church. One day while Brother Cayton was at work and Sister Cayton
and Sister Cole were shopping, Brother Cole was studying the Book of
Esther in the Cayton’s apartment. Brother Cole answered a knock at the
door to find a visitor holding a note with the address of the Cayton’s
apartment.
He said, “I am Reverend Boon Mark Gittisan, the general secretary for
the Presbyterian Church of Thailand. I have been in Detroit, New York
City, and Toronto, Canada. I don’t know who gave me this note or for
what reason.” Brother Cole was afraid of him but invited him in anyway,
thinking about the verse of Scripture, “Some have entertained angels
unawares.”
Brother Cole checked to see if Pastor Cayton’s address was in the
church directory, but he was still listed 150 miles away at his old
address. He looked for the church’s address, but it was so new it was not
listed at all.
Brother Cole then asked Brother Gittisan, “Have you ever heard of the
baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking with other tongues?”
Brother Gittisan said, “Yes, I speak with tongues; there are six of us in
Thailand who do.”
Brother Cole then intended to ask, “Have you ever heard of being
baptized by immersion in the name of Jesus?” But Brother Gittisan
interrupted Brother Cole and said, “Oh yes, I have been baptized by
immersion in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.”
Brother Cole asked, “Reverend Gittisan, what is the name of the Son?”
Reverend Gittison was stunned. As tears filled Brother Gittisan’s eyes,
Brother Cole asked, “Are you having a heart attack?”
Brother Gittisan answered, “No. You see I can quote the entire New
Testament. When you asked me that question, all the scriptures finally
came together. Like a curtain being rolled back, I could see Jesus Christ
as He really is.” Reverend Gittisan was baptized the next day.
This miraculous visit led to the Coles’ being sent to Thailand as
missionaries. In seven years they baptized nearly 6,000 Buddists and
witnessed a mighty outpouring of the Holy Ghost. One of their first
converts, Reverend Chaiyong Wattanachant, has been superintendent
of the Thailand churches for more then 35 years.
While in Thailand, Brother Cole suffered a stroke, which paralyzed his
left arm. The Coles returned to the USA. However, upon his being
healed, they returned to Asia as evangelists. Thousands were baptized
and filled with the Holy Ghost. When Sister Cole became sick, they
returned to the USA again. When her health improved, they went to
Wheeling, West Virginia. They gathered together six people who were
baptized in Jesus’ name and filled with the Holy Ghost, and in four years
they baptized another 450 people and prayed them through to the Holy
Ghost. The Wheeling church is now pastored by Reverend David
Forsythe, an elder mentored by Brother Cole.
Seven elders who came out of the Wheeling church under Brother Cole
are
1. Jack Cunningham, who became General Home Missions Director for
the UPCI;
2. David Ward, who became superintendent of Tanzania;
3. Robert Kelley, who became superintendent of Ireland and Scotland;
4. Jerry Burns, who became superintendent of Costa Rica;
5. Eugene Kelley, who pastors in Ohio;
6. Rondel Moss II, Brother Cole’s son-in-law, has assisted him in various
capacities since 1972. For the past 23 years he has acted as music
director and preschool director for the North Charleston Apostolic
Church.
7. Danny Scott Jr., who became pastor of a large church in Arizona.
After leaving Wheeling, the Coles returned to evangelizing overseas.
When Brother Cole’s father asked him to come home to help build a new
building in Parkersburg, West Virginia, he did.
When this building was finished, the Coles moved to Charleston, West
Virginia, in 1981 to pastor the North Charleston Apostolic Church.
They have remained in Charleston for over 23 years. Three years ago,
Brother Cole’s grandson, Reverend Anthony Moss, took over the
church upon Brother Cole’s retirement.
Brother Cole preached many camp meetings and revival services,
seeing many filled with the Holy Ghost. The last ten years of his
ministry, he preached crusades at home and overseas. Sixteen times,
more than 3,000 received the Holy Ghost in a single service. The Coles
preached for 50 years and were just short of seeing one million people
receive the Holy Ghost. They were diligent in training many young men,
too numerous to mention, to carry on their ministry.
Brother Cole served on the Executive Board for two terms, and he also
served on the Foreign Missions Board, where he is currently an
honorary member.
The Life and Ministry of
Billy and Shirley Cole --
Their long awaited
memoir is in print, but
only a few copies are
left in stock! Order now
at www.BillyColeBook.
com! The Life and
Ministry of Billy and
Shirley Cole
The inspiring true story
of the Cole’s journey
with God is filled with
miracles & wonders of
nearly every
description. Their long
awaited memoir is
finally off the presses
and in stock, ready for
immediate shipping!
Paperback, 256 pgs,
illustrated with over 90
photos!
Billy and Shirley Cole --
Their long awaited
memoir is in print, but
only a few copies are
left in stock! Order now
at www.BillyColeBook.
com! The Life and
Ministry of Billy and
Shirley Cole
The inspiring true story
of the Cole’s journey
with God is filled with
miracles & wonders of
nearly every
description. Their long
awaited memoir is
finally off the presses
and in stock, ready for
immediate shipping!
Paperback, 256 pgs,
illustrated with over 90
photos!
