The Ministering Spirit of Janice Stokes-Hollowell-Wiseman

he Bible tells us that love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness and faith are the fruit of the Spirit. As a Northside High School Class of 1971 graduate, Minister Janice Stokes-Hollowell-Wiseman travels, career and spiritual awaking has been the fruit that has feed and nourished her spirit. It is a spirit that is deeply rooted in the years that she spent at Northside High School.

A Time of Self-Awareness

During high school, Wiseman lived on Alaska Street in the Klondike community. She has cherished memories of her time at Northside and developed long-term friendships with former students Gwendolyn Thomas, Regina Drake, Sandra Jones and Sharon Ingram. Wiseman was acutely aware of the political and racial tensions of the 1960's. "When I started at Northside, Memphis was dealing with a lot of Civil Rights issues. We were also dealing with African Americans being taught Black History in school. I really came into an awareness of whom I was as an African American." Her favorite faculty member was Business teacher Ms. Jones, because of her concern with her students overall success, which included their personal lives. Ms. Jones also provided spiritual guidance to her students. "Students at Northside had a good relationship with the teachers," says Wiseman.

Adjusting to Change

Near the end of her senior year, Wiseman planned to continue her education and become a teacher. Instead, she decided to get married. As the wife of an Air Force serviceman, Wiseman had to move from Memphis to Austin, Texas. Traveling with her husband in the Air Force for 20 years gave her an opportunity to meet people all over the world. "The thing I remembered, most about that time, was learning to adjust. I was introduced to different cultures and ethic groups and that was exciting to me."

Discovering a Spiritual Gift

In 1985, Wiseman was living in Arizona. It was during this time that she decided to go into ministry. She was teaching Sunday school at her church when she realized that she had a gift for teaching. "I had a wonderful mentor in Pastor Richard Brown. He began to introduce me to my gift. It was then that I realized that I had been given the gift of teaching the word of God." Wiseman's gift is teaching practically an entire sermon through illustration and singing. It is a gift that has always been a part of her. "I think that my ministry and singing go hand in hand," says Wiseman.

Presently, Wiseman is ordained and licensed as a Non-Denominational Evangelist and Missionary Baptist Minister. As an Evangelist and Minister, she usually travels at least twice a month speaking at church and youth events, workshops, and etc. In May of 2001, Wiseman graduated from Jacksonville Theological College with a B.A. in Christian Education and is presently enrolled in the Master of Divinity program at the school.

Discovering an Interest in Chaplaincy

Wiseman is presently trying to get information regarding Chaplaincy because of her interest in bereavement and healing. Within the last three years, she has ministered to the bereaved, mostly within her own family. She had a brother to pass away, a sister to die of cancer and an aunt that raised her who died this pass December. The passing of these relatives has given her more compassion for ministering to people emotionally hurting and ill.

Working for a Social Service Organization

In 1998, Wiseman started working for the Neighborhood Christian Center (NCC) as a Site Coordinator. She oversees thirty churches that serve the less fortunate in their neighborhoods. "It gives me an opportunity to speak to different people. I get a chance to communicate with community leaders and feel their heartbeats about what people really need. This is an opportunity to pass on the wisdom that God has given me about the best way to reach people." The Neighborhood Christian Center was established in 1978 to provide numerous social services for the economically disadvantaged and their spiritual counseling. The NCC currently has an annual budget in excess of $975,0000, a full-time staff and approximately 1,000 volunteers.

Loving Family

Wiseman has two children, son Alex Hollowell IV and daughter Adrienne Hollowell-Perry. She also has a one-year-old granddaughter name Syian Cimmone Perry. Wiseman performed the wedding ceremony for both of her children. In 1998, her son, graduated from the University of Washington and was recently hired by Merck Pharmaceutical as a Pharmaceutical Representative. He lived and worked in Seattle, Washington as a Financial Advisor before moving to Modesto, California. Her daughter is in the U.S. Air Force and stationed at Scott Air Force Base. Wiseman has been married for two years to husband Christopher Wiseman.

Wiseman took time out to discuss with us her ministry, plans for the future and other interest.

-Jalia: What steps did you have to take to become a nondenominational Evangelist?

Wiseman: First, I had to know the word of God. I also had to have written goals as to what I wanted to do in the ministry. After being reviewed by the board, I was ordained.

-Jalia: What lead to you being ordained as a Baptist Minister?

Wiseman: Being ordained as a Baptist Minister was a historical move for me. After moving back to Tennessee, I started attending Full View Baptist Church in 1998. This past January, the pastor of my church asked me if I would allow him to ordain and license her as a Baptist minister. This was the first time that my pastor decided to ordain women as Baptist ministers during his ordinations service. I thought that it would be a fantastic opportunity for me to be licensed and ordain as Non-Denominational and Baptist because it would allow me to minister to more people.

-Jalia: What has made you acquire an interest in Chaplaincy?

Wiseman: I have found in ministering to my own family that they did know how to express grief or how to react to things that they did not understand. I was very impressed with the Hospice Chaplain that dealt with my Aunt Bea during her illness. I realize how many people need someone to come in and listen or have prayer with him or her. I have been called on to minister to families or perform funerals for people that were not in the church. I feel that becoming a Chaplain would allow me to meet and be of service to many families that are not in the church.

-Jalia: What are your goals for the next two to five years?

Wiseman: In the next two to five years, I hope to complete my Master's degree and then my Doctoral degree in Christian Psychology. After I complete my Master's degree, I will be eligible to enroll in a residency program for Chaplaincy. The Chaplaincy program will take her about two years to complete. I would also like to teach in the Evangelistic circuit.

-Jalia: What made you interested in working for the Neighborhood Christian Center?

Wiseman: It started with a chance meeting. While attending Memphis Bible College, I attended a board meeting at Memphis Leadership Foundation for a project that I was working on through the college. It was there that I met the cofounder of the NCC. Monroe Ballard. He was talking about a transitional housing program at the NCC. I started to gain an interest in the program. After the meeting, I heard one of the attendees talk about how Monroe and JoeAnn Ballard was involved in the community. Weeks later, I was handed a brochure on the NCC in class. I thought about how interesting their work was in the community and having an opportunity to work for the organization. A chance encounter with JoeAnn Ballard, Director of the NCC, led to an invitation to speak to a women's group at the NCC and Mrs. Ballards church. After meeting her, I believed that God had ordained me to work for the NCC.

-Jalia: What do you do in your spare time?

Wiseman: In my spare time, I enjoy reading and listening to music.

Janice Stokes-Hollowell-Wiseman has a genuine compassion for people of different races and religions. She is always looking for opportunities to minister to others. During times when there are so many unanswered questions, she shares her gift to comfort others.