'Cheerleader for the Lord' COGIC Evangelist Joyce Rodgers Dies at 65

Joyce Rodgers, evangelist, speaker, author and founder of Joyce Rodgers International and Primary Purpose Ministries Inc. died Wednesday at the age of 65 after battling an undisclosed illness.

In a social media post, the ministry announced the “peaceful transition” of its founder, saying, “Today, we honor and celebrate the life of this extraordinary woman who has gone on to receive her reward. May the God of peace be with the Timmons family; our friends and partners of this ministry and the countless lives she touched around the world.”

The announcement comes just days after Rodgers was installed as the supervisor for department of women for the Texas Northeast First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. Prior to taking that post, she served as the chairperson and administrative facilitator for the International Department of Women.

Born Nov. 13, 1955 in Texas, Rodgers started her illustrious ministry career serving in the children and youth ministry. She was described as a life-strategist who coached “women and young girls on how to achieve success on God’s terms,” according to the ministry website.

She wrote the 2017 hit, Go Big: Believe in God, following a devotional titled ReJoyce in 2013. Her first book, Fatal Distractions, was based on the 1987 morality tale, Fatal Attraction, to educate women on the “subtle killers” that can steal a woman’s spiritual passion.

Rodgers became known throughout her time in ministry as a “cheerleader for the Lord,” but she first accepted His call to ministry in the late 1980s under the late S.E. Mitchell, pastor of St. Andrew Church of God in Christ, her local church in the north Dallas suburb of Denton. “My life was centered around the church, and I was always the youngest assigned to read Scripture at the revivals, even when I couldn’t read very well,” she said in a 2004 Charisma interview.

She was commissioned in 1999 as COGIC’s International Youth Department chairlady.

Earlier this week, the ministry requested the body of believers to rally behind Rodgers in prayer for healing.

As reports of her death traveled, prayers and stories of her legacy flooded in.

Current presiding COGIC Bishop Charles Blake tweeted in loving memory of the renowned evangelist.

In loving memory of the incomparable, one and only, faithful woman of God, Supervisor Joyce L. Rodgers. We honor her life and legacy! Praying! pic.twitter.com/UPwb4rJfKp

— Bishop Charles Blake (@BishopCEBlake) May 19, 2021

Famed Gospel singer Donnie McClurkin was reportedly one of the first to share the news of Rodgers’ death. He called her his sister in his Facebook post, saying, “With a heavy heart that expected a different outcome, it is the will of God…we concede to God’s sovereignty and accept His will!”

Bishop T.D. Jakes, who had also petitioned for her healing prior to her death, thanked Rodgers for “teaching us to slay our giants with the full fervor of faith” in his Twitter post.

Though we will miss her guiding wisdom, we know that she will continually captivate the Lord with her daring, beautiful words as she sits with our Heavenly Father. Rest in power, @MsJoyceLRodgers. Thank you for teaching us to slay our giants with the full fervor of faith! #COGIC pic.twitter.com/g8BN2xpIda

— T.D. Jakes (@BishopJakes) May 19, 2021