Our Mission
ENCOURAGING • BUILDING • SUPPORTING
Massive global demographic shifts are underway, with no majority racial/ethnic group expected in the U.S. by 2050. Ministries that foster intercultural cooperation are essential for advancing Christian ministry. James Seay Ministries offers events and materials to encourage church growth, evangelistic outreach, and relationships among diverse congregations, supporting the global mission to make disciples. With our new 2024 tent (the largest we have owned) JSM sponsors evangelistic tent revivals, Bible studies, and workshops on intercultural ministry, with events focusing on the ministry's three focus areas:
ENCOURAGING
JSM provides an encounter with God’s word and a healing connection with the Holy Spirit. We aim to meet people where they live by the tent’s location, and also spiritually through those that share their testimonies. We pray that the Lord will soften hearts and minds so that they will turn to Him, but some of us just need to know that He is still their Holy Father, still loves them, and has been waiting for their joyful return.
BUILDING
JSM provides a “hot-spot” of God’s love. Those that attend a JSM event are encouraged to attend local community churches. Congregations in those communities partner with us, come together to worship as one, to pray as one for their community, and to provide resources for local needs. Pastors and worship teams from the community are called upon to teach the Lord’s word, and to lead us in worship.
SUPPORTING
JSM provides a living example of God’s love and mercy by connecting those in need with community resources. Examples include a backpack ministry, counseling, and connection with alcohol and drug rehabilitation experts. We accomplish our mission – always in conjunction with local congregations – not just by teaching from the Holy Bible during our events.
"God said, 'Go to the people in the plant that you work in and share with them the vision that I’ve given you’.
“That’s what I did.”
– JAMES SEAY
Retired Pastor and Chaplain
Full-time Evangelist
History
The Blessings…
While pastoring a church in Monroe, Michigan and serving as a Chaplain at Ford Motor Company, the Lord called James Seay to start a tent ministry. In James’ own words, here is his story:
“I asked the Lord, ‘Where’s it going to come from that we’re going to get this tent paid?' We didn’t have that kind of money as a church. At that time… I had been pastoring for 15 years.
“Anyway, went in that morning to work, and I was walking down the aisle-way and a man stopped me, and he said, ‘Here, I want to give you this money.' So I said, ‘What’s this money for?’ and he said, ‘Well you gave me a Bible.' I said, ‘It didn’t come from me it came from the Local.' He said, ‘I don’t care, I want you to have it anyway.' So I said, ‘OK thank-you,' walked away, and the Lord said, ‘That’s the beginning of your tent money.'
“Forty dollars.
“I said to the Lord, ‘How do you want me to do this?' He said, ‘Go to the people in the plant that you work in and share with them the vision that I’ve given you.' That’s what I did. And people would say, ‘Ok, I’ll give you something.' There were several people who wrote me a thousand dollar check right there when I told them what God wanted me to do.”
With Blessing Came the Work…
“And this is the truth: money was coming in so quickly it scared me. People leaving money in my toolbox, and I’m thinking, 'Where’d this come from?’ I didn’t know - they just put it in there.
“The Lord blessed us with local churches that came in and helped. We purchased the tent, and we paid for it all… we paid cash for it. They delivered the tent by freight and… I’ve never put up a tent that big!
“And I would call people, and ask, 'Do you put tents up?' And they would say, ‘Yeah we put up tents,' and they’d ask, ‘How big is it?'
" ‘Fifty-two by one-hundred'
" ‘Oh, that’s too big, we don’t put up tents that big.' So we ended up having to get it to work.
“And the Lord did that, as there were several churches in Monroe that supported us. And one of the things that you’ll read in our bylaws is we always ask churches to support what we’re doing. Because it’s about The Church. THE Church. It’s not about a denomination - it’s about The Church.”
With the Work Came the Mission…
“So what we try to do as a tent ministry when we go places, is we try to get pastors and incorporate them, and have them come alongside of us and support what we’re doing. Somebody gets saved, we dispatch them to the local churches… this is something that’s always been on my heart: evangelism. So that’s what we’re geared toward.
“Coming down here to Louisville, we had to regroup and reorganize and create a Board of Directors here… The reason we have a Board here is that I treasure their ideas and what they bring to the table. We all have different areas that we’re doing, but I feel it’s all part of the puzzle that God wants us to do.
“The tent is big, it takes at least 12 people to get it up… it’s a lot of work. But it’s worth it. It’s worth doing. Every time we put the tent up, somebody gets healed, somebody gets saved, somebody gets blessed. Every time we’ve done it.”
