Apostle Richard D Henton Passes and Leaves a Hole in Many Hearts
“For over 66 years I have been preaching the gospel and ministering to the needs of God’s people as directed by the Holy Spirit. For many decades I prayed over oil to be used as a fulfillment to the scripture. “Is there any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. On a few occasions I have been directed by the Lord to hand our handkerchiefs and oil. I have been blessed and excited to hear testimonies from our partners. I want to share some of these testimonies with you.”~ Apostle Richard D. Henton.
Called into the ministry in 1948 on December 14th, Apostle Richard D. Henton became one of the most prolific speakers of our day. He has been in ministry for sixty-six (66) years and pastored for fifty (50) of those years. With an approximate membership of close to five thousand (5,000), Dr. Henton also founded the R. D. Henton Breakthrough Ministries and is the executive producer of the Breakthrough Telecast. The weekly Breakthrough Telecast program has aired on systems throughout the world such as The Word Network, The Total Living Network, WJYS/TV 62 and WEDE TV34.
The R.D. Henton Breakthrough ministry has an extensive media library of well over 6,000 audio, video, CD and DVD’s, which are a vast extension of his outreach ministry that reaches the world.
Established as a faithful pastor, he is also known to many as their “TV Evangelist” and has ministered at various conferences, convocations, conventions and mass meetings for many decades in several major cities throughout America. He has been the keynote speaker for many ministries: “The Promise Keepers”, Bishop T. D. Jakes, Azusa with Bishop Carlton Pearson, Morris Cerrullo, Bishop O. T. Jones, Sr., Rev. R.W. Shambach, and The late Bishop Gilbert E. Patterson, Bishop Charles Blake, Moore House, Church of God In Christ AIM Convention and many others.
Dr. Henton has held special services in the city where he was born and raised and preached to turn-away crowds after 10,000 seats were filled at the U.I.C. Pavilion.
Dr. Henton has three Doctorate of Divinity degrees and has been the recipient of numerous certificates of merit, letters from the presidents, given key to many cities by their mayors, and honored by congressman and dignitaries alike. He was the recipient of two very special awards in Chicago. (N’DIGO Foundation Recipient of N’Faith Award) and (Former Mayor Richard M. Daley presented Him the Luminary Senior Citizen Hall of Faith Award).
Monument of Faith Breakthrough World Ministries was in the second phase of building a five-thousand (5,000) seating facility on the close to 14 acres of land that the ministry was blessed to purchase in the city of Chicago.
With much sadness we must announce that Apostle Henton passed away Thursday, October 22, 2015.
Richard D. Henton throughout his more than 50 years of service was always available to provide words of comfort and counsel through the challenges that many of in leadership faced on personal and professional levels. His words and comfort and counsel will live on for generations to come from the archives of his radio and tv ministries. And he will certainly live on in the thousands of intergenerational lives he touched personally and through his church ministry.
Dr. Richard D. Henton was a devoted family man and was the father of four children that are working faithfully with him in the ministry. Although he is abundantly blessed, he remains a most humble servant of the Lord, a true servant for this generation. He was an amazing pastor and friend and he will be incredibly missed by all. Most people whom we spoke to said repeatedly, “He was a great minister, he was a great man.” That says it all for the people but in his own words the Apostle shared some of his inner thinking.
In an interview with the late Apostle Richard D Henton conducted by Pastor Jimmie K. Rodgers in 2013
Apostle Hendon provides insight that he was attending Wendell Phillips high school when he was called. He accepted his call but as he explained, he ran from pastoring and instead was assisting other ministers. This often took him out-of-town. He began to notice that when he was scheduled to go out-of-town to assist other ministers he would attempt to find excuses. He then realized that God was settling him.
It was around that time that Delores Washington told him that he had the spirit of an evangelist upon him so he began to host Saturday night crusades in Chicago. So accepted his call to pastor and began his church with 16 members however the sanctuary seated 538. When he held his first special services in Chicago at the U.I.C. Pavilion whited seated 10,000 the security told him that they had to close the doors because all the seats were filled. He had made history. It was before before Creflo Dollar, Delores Washington, Benny” Hinn were packing huge venues.
Apostle Hendon said, “You can’t do much if you don’t love people. See, I noticed that the camera loves many but in person they aren’t friendly, stuck up and just don’t show the people any love. . . . But people know because they feel the spirit. I love people. I recalled once trying to cross the street and I barely got across for people stopping and talking to me, because they recognized me. But I was so happy to be able to say a few good words to each.”
In a segment from one of his sermons the Apostles’ words resonate loud and clear, “People trying to make church out of Hollywood, trying to make church out of make believe . . . like artificial plants, they don’t have to feed it, or water it . . . because it doesn’t live, but a real plant like real religion needs to be nurtured and cared for. You’ve got to be committed to God who is real. . . . But people are Artificial Christians, with artificial smiles, artificial testimonies, and artificial happiness. . . .When you have a hunger for God, you’ll turn off the TV and take time to pray.”
When asked how do you live a consecrated life? the good Apostle answered that, “Everyone has to have someone they can go to, to give an account to. Every pastor needs a pastor. So you have to surround yourself with strong committed religious leaders like EE Cleveland Sr, Amelia Elizabeth Anderson, Angie Ray, and Prophetist Jones were my go to people.”
He was asked, what is your inspiration? Apostle Henton said, “When God called me to preach it was something I wanted to do. If the Lord called you to preach, preach but if he didn’t, then go sit down. If he called you to sing then sing, but if he didn’t then go sit down. If he called you to teach, then go teach but if he didn’t then go sit down. We have too many people doing what they weren’t called to do. I was called to do what was in my spirit to do and I thank God that I listened and that I’ve been fortunate to do his work.”
Funeral Schedule :
Home-going/Funeral Information for Apostle Richard Daniel Henton
– Lie In State –
Friday, October 30, 2015
10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Local Funeral Service
7:00 p.m.
held at
Monument of Faith Church
2750 W. Columbus Ave
Chicago, IL 60652
State Funeral
Saturday, October 31, 2015
9:00 a.m. – Wake
10:00 a.m. – Service
(Doors open at 8:00 a.m.)
held at
The House of Hope
752 E. 114th Street
Chicago, IL 60628
Pastor James T. Meeks – Host Pastor
For further Information visit www.rdhenton.org or call the church office at 773-918-0180.
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