Hundreds of community members gathered to pray for healing for 5-year-old cancer patient Gentry Terrell Tuesday.
The sanctuary at North Columbia Baptist Church was filled for the anointing service for the young daughter of Amy and Brydon Terrell of Columbia, who was recently diagnosed with a rare brain tumor.
Gentry is battling a Stage IV Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Gliomas. Since surgery is not an option, radiation therapy began in New Orleans on Thursday. At the family’s request, an anointing, prayer and healing service was arranged, according to Pastor Joe Wiggins.
“The prognosis from the doctors is grim, but the faith community of Columbia and elsewhere are asking God for a miracle and believing he can do it,” Wiggins said.
On Tuesday night, the community did just that with a service that included music from the Crowe Family Singers – a favorite of Gentry’s – and local musicians Sherri Turnage and Reuben McDowell. Pastor Darel Daniels of Improve Baptist Church led the anointing service.
Columbia Mayor Justin McKenzie opened the service and noted that many attendees traveled from other towns to attend.
“We thank you for coming and we welcome you here to North Columbia Baptist Church. This is a blessing, to have a church and a community pull together for this. To God be the glory for her five years already with Gentry. Thank you for being here and thank you for believing,” the mayor said. “We know we will be able to thank our Lord when we leave here tonight for hearing our prayers. Gentry will receive blessing from them.”
Brant Terrell, Gentry’s uncle, also spoke to the church on behalf of the family.
“We can’t say this enough, but thank you,” he said. “Thank you for every text, call, every hug at Walmart, every like or share of a post that goes out to keep everybody updated on social media. Thank you for the love that you have shown my family each and every day since this diagnosis. We’re not sad; we’re joyful in the time we have with Gentry, whether it be nine months or 50 years, we know God is able. We want you to know that we’re not sad at the diagnosis that we’re facing, we’re sad as human beings that the time that we might be given is short with her. We rejoice in the time we’ve already had and we’re thankful for the time that we still get to share with her every day.”
Wiggins then addressed the crowd, speaking of the power of prayer.
“A miracle is something only God can do,” he said. “I watched football this weekend like many of you did and some of the games came down to the wire. The team that was losing, sometimes they would resort to a trick play or the quarterback would just rare back and throw the ball as hard as he could and as far as he could in hopes that in those last few seconds, a touchdown will be scored or they would call on their kicker to kick the longest field goal that he’s ever even tried, hoping maybe that this will be the time that he makes it. Those things rarely work – every now and then, they do. Everybody gets excited and they jump up and down.
“But too many people treat prayer like that. Maybe some of us treat prayer like that. You try everything else that you can first and then pray. You live by the motto, ‘when all else fails, pray.’ Let me tell you something, that’s not just a foolish way to live, it’s an un-biblical way to live. Because, guess what? All else will fail – but God never does. Too often, we pray like the football team seeking one last chance, we pray but we really don’t think it’s going to work. If that is your attitude about prayer, then you’re wasting your time praying.”
Wiggins read several Bible passages addressing the power of prayer.
“There is no such thing as unanswered prayers,” he said. “God hears, God answers and God can heal.”
Wiggins addressed the community’s support for Gentry.
“There is something about corporate prayer – God is at work when his people are praying together,” he said. “Praying together is vital to opening God’s resonance and working among his people in unique ways. We are praying together as a community of believers. We are Baptists, Methodists and Pentecostals; we are Catholics, Presbyterians and everything in between. That doesn’t matter, because when we get to Heaven, those labels will be gone. We are praying together as a community of believers for a child, for a family who lives in our community, who works in our community, who goes to school in our community. We need to worship together as a community. When you worship as a community, it helps your neighbors.”
Daniels concluded the service by praying over the anointing. As he prayed, deacons and pastors gathered at the front with the Terrells.
“It’s an honor to be a part of this,” he said. “As a daddy and a granddaddy, I want you to know that my heart is very heavy.”
Pictured Above: Ministers, deacons and other community members pray for Gentry Terrell Tuesday at North Columbia Baptist Church. | Photo by Mark Rogers
