Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen atcharismapodcastnetwork.com.

T.L. Lowery, who spent more than 70 years in Pentecostal ministry, has passed away at the age of 87. 

Lowery accepted Christ on New Year's Day at 13 in 1943. By 1954, however, he had pastored four congregations, married his sweetheart, Mildred, and saw the birth of his son, Stephen.

While in Galax, Virginia, Lowery made the decision to move into full-time evangelism. For the next 15 years, he traveled throughout the country and the world, conducting crusades in over 115 countries and every state in the U.S.

According to mgmministry.org (Maranatha Gospel Media Ministries, which he founded), the name T.L. Lowery "became synonymous with spiritual power, fire-from-heaven sermons and miraculous healings. Summers included week after week of ministry at Church of God camp meetings. Testimonies from thousands whose lives have been forever changed–physically and spiritually–continue to characterize the anointed ministry of T.L. Lowery.

In 1958, Lowery moved his family to Cleveland, Tennessee, and used the city as a home base for his worldwide evangelism.

According to the MGM Ministries website, "From 1969 to 1974, Lowery pastored the North Cleveland Church of God, one of the oldest continuing Pentecostal churches in the world. He accepted this call of God and built the present sanctuary and the North Cleveland Towers, a senior citizens apartment complex. In 1981, God quickened his spirit and placed a burden on his heart for the nation's capital – a church in Washington, D.C. During his pastorate in Washington (1981-1996), Lowery's leadership placed the National Church of God on a trajectory that would catapult its influence in and around the nations' capital guiding the congregation through numerous building programs, establishing community ministries, exponential growth, the construction of a 4,000-seat sanctuary, and the construction of 410 apartments for the elderly and median income families."

Lowery also served 16 years on the Church of God International Executive Committee and 34 years on the International Executive Council. Over the years, he has devotedly served as a member of the boards of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), National Religious Broadcasters (NRB), and the Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches of North America (PCCNA). He authored two dozen books, published inspirational magazines, and was a contributing writer for numerous publications.

Lowery's life and ministry touched many men of God, including Perry Stone, founder of The Voice of Evangelism.

"He was one of my great mentors," Stone said on Periscope Sunday afternoon. "About a week or so ago, he got sick, so we knew it was going to happen. But, it's still a surreal deal. Probably everything I learned about the power of God was under this man. He helped us spread the word. If there is such a thing as announcements in heaven, I know my dad was there celebrating this."

Mildred Lowery preceded her husband in death last March.

As evangelist, Lowery placed the proclamation of the Word in power for spiritual transformation as the central theme of his ministry. In whatever office he held, he was a soul winner. He preached in scores of conventions, camp meetings and citywide gatherings with a legacy of thousands of converts, people healed, and believers filled with the Spirit.

In the 20 years Lowery pastored two churches, membership in each increased exponentially, successive building programs gave the congregations great sanctuaries and educational plants, homes for retired persons were constructed, and hundreds of members were discipled and sent out for ministry. The churches became drawing boards and models for training of other pastors.

The T.L. Lowery Global Foundation began following the completion of Dr. Lowery's tenure as First Assistant General Overseer. The foundation put forth Dr. Lowery as an exemplary model for today's evangelists, pastors and church leaders. It sponsored gatherings in which Dr. Lowery shared Biblical teaching about apostolic ministry, and introduced Dr. Lowery to a new generation of young men and women of God. The goal of the foundation was to encourage effective ministry in the model of this faithful servant.