One of the greatest benefits of living my apostolic life is that the five-fold ministry is in full operation in my local church. We have apostles, teachers, prophets, teachers, and evangelists that move in full spiritual authority just like they did in the New Testament church. (Ephesians 4:11-16) Recently, one such teacher taught a Wholeness Series that stretched me so much that my spirit-man is still wincing from the growing pains. His name is Dr. Mike Dobbs, and he is the focus of today’s Apostolic Effect post. Dr. Dobbs and his wife Pam made a life-changing impact on me. They exude love and humility. And they are someone that I want you to meet.
Dr. Mike Dobbs 3 lessons on Wholeness explained the role of the body, the mind/will, and the spirit in growing and developing our relationship with Jesus Christ. Basing these lessons on 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Dr. Dobbs taught that you cannot have spiritual authority unless you are under authority – unless your body, will, and spirit are in subjection to the Spirit of God, and the spiritual leaders that God has put in your life. And that you take being a steward of your physical body seriously – including not overeating. This lesson in particular hit me very, very hard. Dr Dobbs said, “Lust is the abuse of something. Abuse of yourself, others, or another substance.”
Ouch! Food is a substance… and I do overindulge. Look for an upcoming post about this called, “Is The Devil in a Donut?”
What Is the One Thing You Wish Every Non-Apostolic Understood About the Apostolic Experience/lifestyle?
That our holiness lifestyle is not mandated by the pulpit or peer pressure, but by an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. I wish that they could understand that when you receive the Holy Ghost, you become the BRIDE of Christ. We call it “salvation” but Jesus calls it “marriage.” Holiness, inward and outward, is developed by us becoming more and more compatible with Jesus, as His nature is infused into our souls on a daily basis, by the Holy Ghost that dwells within us. I would that they would understand that the more you become like Jesus, the less you will be like the worldly system that surrounds us.
I received the Holy Ghost in 1972 at the age of eleven, shortly after coming to live with my mother. I had spent most of childhood with my father and we only attended a church occasionally. I had sought the Lord for months and just couldn’t get through hurt feelings and unforgiveness, but during a month-long revival, I was praying in my bedroom and God filled me with the Holy Ghost. I remember getting up and looking for mom to tell her that I had received the Holy Ghost but I could do is speak in tongues. When she heard me, she took my hands and we danced and shouted all over the kitchen!
I have tried to live faithful to the God who saved me since that day and try walk in a daily relationship with my Father as a Son of God! In 2002, while attending a MannaFest meeting in Arnold, Maryland, God instructed me to bring my ministry under the authority of Rev. Chester Wright and that was my first introduction to true Apostolic ministry! Since that time, I have tried to walk in the authority of sonship and the “fear of the Lord!”
I pastor my parents here at Word Alive Revival Center and have for years. My mother, Kay Johnson and her husband Donivan came to our church many years ago and direct Hospitality staff. My dad, Don Dobbs, Sr. and his wife Chris received the Holy Ghost about eleven years ago and have been a part of our church ever since. Dad heads my security staff and Chris is the Administrator for our Purpose Institute Bible School.
I have been married for more than 35 years to the Pamela Sue Hamilton Dobbs and we have 2 children, Ashley, 30 and Adrian 23. Ashley is married to Jonathan Dudeck, a 5th grade math teacher and Children’s Pastor here at Word Alive and they have three children, twins, seven-year-old boys Aidan and Jaron and a two-year-old girl, Joycelyn. Ashley is a graphic artist and Adrian has just received his real estate license and works at an electronic store that we used to own.
Pamela serves as the President of the Ladies Ministry for the Mississippi District UPCI and has for over 8 years and I serve on the District Board as a presbyter. I have pastored Word Alive Revival Center for over 28 years and now oversee the three pastors over the church as Bishop. I have written four books, a three- volume set research study Bible entitled The Word Defined which defines all the proper nouns in the Bible from their original languages, including many “Did You Know?” facts from over 25 years of research and travel to the lands of the Bible. The fourth book is entitled, the Word Alive Summary of the New Testament which covers the New Testament in outline form and includes many character sketches of the key figures in the New Testament.
I am the founder of the five campuses of Purpose Institute in the Mississippi District and Pam and I started the Mississippi Prayer Force, the Mississippi District division of the World Network of Prayer. I received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Cathedral Bible College in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for my work and research in the Word Defined Research Study Bible and a Bachelor’s from Purpose Institute. I have studied Biblical Hebrew with the University of Jerusalem by internet was the Bible teacher for the Word Alive Radio Broadcast, a verse by verse commentary radio broadcast that covered most of southern Mississippi and Alabama.
I currently travel to Norway, Sweden and Greece every year to minister and this year will add Denmark, Holland and England to the list. My exterior ministry is mentor pastors and ministers in preparation for the great end-time harvest that is now underway. I currently pastor nine pastors and try to travel to their churches every year to train and exhort their leadership.
Our church broadcasts live and archives every service on Livestream and we are located at www.wordaliverevivalcenter.org. Word Alive is an Apostolic church that believes in consistent prayer and located in Wiggins, MS. We are very active leaders in our community with a food bank ministry for over 26 years. I have served as founder and president of the Stone County Ministerial Association for over 15 years. We have become the leaders of our community without compromise and are seeing consistent growth in the church, with many visitors in attendance in every service. Several years ago, we established Word Alive Academy, a weekly training night for new converts and saints alike, to continue their Biblical education and spiritual development. Many have graduated into ministry and leadership from this training experience.
What Is One Thing You Wish Every Apostolic Understood?
That their devotion and obedience to the Spirit and Word of God must be based upon a personal relationship and not just a Pentecostal religious culture or belief system. We should not settle on being Christians when we be Christ! The anointed ones who are the embodiment of Jesus Christ upon the earth today! I want them to know that we can walk in Apostolic authority today, which is only possible by a yielded, intimate prayer life with God every day. He wants to trust us with so much more than just an introductory Pentecostal experience, but He wants to make us His sons that walk in the authority of our King upon the earth today! The Lord Jesus Christ is the King of Kings but He wants to make us rule as kings over His earthly kingdom in apostolic power and authority until He returns to take us away to ever be His Bride in the New Jerusalem! Now THAT’S personal!
