Church Leadership / Staff

Interviewing: Darryl Manning, Senior Pastor

1. Can you relate your personal salvation experience and how you came to know God's direction for your life? My father was a pastor and evangelist. My mother taught me Bible stories from childhood. As far back as I can remember I always loved Jesus. On September 8, 1958, I accepted Jesus into my life and He forgave all my sins. I still vividly remember the puddle of tears I cried on the altar and then the joy that came into my heart. I was only eight years old but I tried to hug everyone at church that night. As a teenager I never felt a call to become a minister. I really did not want to be a minister because all the ones I knew were poor. Since I loved sports, I decided I wanted to become a coach.

When I graduated from high school, I decided to attend our denominational Bible college that also could give an accredited two-year liberal arts degree. My plan was to play basketball for the school and take my basics, then transfer to a major college to get a degree that would prepare me for coaching.

My life plan was changed during my sophomore year. I met a beautiful young lady who would later become my wife. She was in the college choir so I joined the choir.  At a Sunday morning service in Apache, Oklahoma the Spirit of God fell upon the church as we ministered in song. I found myself on my knees surrendering my plans and my life to God. I asked God if He wanted me to become a minister and great peace and joy filled my heart. I knew what I was to do. I have been a pastor for 25 years now.

2. What was the church like when you first came and how is it different now?

When we first came to pastor the Central Church (now House of Joy), we found a church that was filled with good people but was steeped in Pentecostal tradition. The church had no real direction except a need to remodel its decrepit facilities. It had little joy and most of the people seemed to come because that was what they had done all their lives.

In the summer of 1999, we had a revival with Rev. Bob Shafer. He taught us about deliverance. He prayed deliverance prayers with numbers of our people including the staff and ourselves. Many of us were delivered from a dead religion and dead tradition. Joy began to fill our lives and our worship. We began to "shout unto God with the voice of triumph." We began to dance before the Lord. We found ourselves at times bowing and falling before the Lord.

Many folks were not able to make the transition to such joy filled and expressive worship. We blessed them and encouraged them to find other churches. We made a decision to change our name to House of Joy Church because that is what we have become.

Our goal is to follow the joy of a fresh relationship with Jesus. We are committed to worshipping Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We want to become a messenger of this Joy to our community and to all the earth.

3. What are the leaders and support staff of the church like?

God has raised up and brought together a team of wonderful leaders in our church. Pastor Joel Tassiello has been with me for almost eight years and is my associate pastor. He and I were at odds for several years but God kept us together. Now we have become “one” in the ministry.  

Alvin Easton has been one of my elders for eight years and has stood with me through thick and thin. Edd Higgins has been one of my elders and recently became secretary-treasurer of the church. He is my prayer partner and a special joy in my life. God has bound these three men and myself together into an oneness I never thought could happen in a church. God is going to use this unity of leadership to bring about great things for our church.

Other key leaders have taken on ministries that are growing and producing wonderful things at HOJC. Rev. and Mrs. James Zenger have joined our staff with a ministry emphasis toward our senior adults. My son Brent Manning and his wife Suzanne have become our Youth Pastors. Sherry Higgins and Stephen Oden have taken on Missionettes and Royal Rangers and are reaching and teaching many children from the neighborhoods of our community.

My other son, Galen is our computer whiz. He has us all on network and the web. He has written computer programs that facilitate everything we do at HOJC. My sister Dona Mason and her husband Leslie have recently moved here from Alabama. Dona is the primary person doing our web page. Les is helping Edd Higgins get the treasurer's books working on the computer.

Many others are unique and special parts of HOJC and our ministry. My goal is to be a pastor who helps all our people maximize their gifts and abilities in the work of God. I want to provide the training and support each one needs and then launch them into specialized ministries that will bring great joy to their hearts and to those to whom they minister.

4. Tell us about your family and what hobbies you have? 

God has taught my wife, Regenia, and I many things in our lives that have become the foundation of our ministry. We have learned to make our marriage a priority, and we work to help others do the same. With God's help, we have raised two wonderful sons who love and serve God with all their hearts. We share things God has taught us about parenting through sermons, classes, counseling, and just impromptu sharing.

We take time to have fun. We love to fish and do it often. We camp occasionally and take trips every few months. We encourage our people to enjoy the life God has given them. We occasionally dismiss Sunday night services to encourage more family time. We even have fishing and camping trips and outings for all who want to participate. We believe we can only continue to minister effectively if ministry remains a joy and not a burden.

Maybe we'll see you at the lake sometime soon or at one of our camp outs.

If You have a question for Pastor Manning, we invite you to email info@hojc.org.  Note: Not all questions will be put on the WebPages.

Interviewing: Joel Tassiello, Associate Pastor

not available yet.

Interviewing: Jim Zenger, Pastor - Seniors

1. Tell us about your salvation experience In August of 1941, I was saved in an old fashion school house.  I remember bowing down on my knees by the old stage.  I had been on that stage giving speaches from my primer.  It was fitting that it was my alter.

2. Were you called into the ministry?

No, I never had God say "Hey, you!  Preach!".  I just had a knowing in my soul that I was to be a minister.  I preached my first sermon April 5, 1942.  I am currently in my 59th year of ministry.

3. Did you ever have God do a miracle in your life?

Yes, about 35 years ago I was hurt in a car accident.  My injuries were so bad that people heard that I had died and sent flowers to my wife.  However, I recovered from the accident, except for my back.  For the next 10 years I suffered debilitating back pain.  No one understands about constant pain that seniors suffer better than I do because of my back.  Although I prayed many times for healing, the pain remained.

I went to visit a revival that was in town.  I was sitting there hurting and reached the end of my rope.  I told God that if I didn't get help that night, I was going to the doctor tomorrow (I never went to doctors because other than the back, God always healed me).  The Lord spoke to me and said, "If you'll go up in front and get prayed for, I'll heal you".  At first, I thought it was too good to be true and the devil reminded me that I had prayed many times before.  But finally, I trusted God and went forward.  As they prayed, I was healed immediately and I have never had another pain in my back to this day.

I still recall the amount of pain and the amount of years I suffered with it and I know that God performed a miracle in my life that day.

4. Fifty-nine years is a long time to be in ministry.  Can you tell us some of the ministries that you have done?

Well, I have been an Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher, and Conference Superintendent (over a number of churches in an area).  Then I have served on the International Pentecostal Holiness Church Boards of Benevolence, Evangelism, and Missions.  When I was on the Missions Board, I was part of six mission trips to build churches in Central America.  God really gave me a burden for these people and I was glad I got to contribute.  This year, I am going to Cuba.  

One of the areas that I worked in while I was on the Mission's Board was intercessory prayer.  I really believe that Prayer changes things and we need to pray for our Missions work.

5.  How did you become part of the ministry of the House of Joy Church?

When I first moved to Oklahoma City, I felt the Lord telling me to accept the first offer of ministry that I received.  Pastor Manning was the first to offer and I know that God sent me to this church.

6.  You work with Seniors in our church.  What is the focus of that ministry?

I know from my ministry that many seniors are lonely and discouraged.  They feel that they are thrown away by the younger adults.  God focuses my ministry on teaching and encouraging seniors, telling them that God sees their needs, their pain whether its spiritual, mental, or physical and that He cares and has a place for them in today's ministry.  

God seems to focus my messages on the power and strength of the Holy Spirit.  I believe that having the Holy Spirit in your daily life is the key to living a fulfilling life for everyone.  I encourage seniors in seeking for the Holy Spirit infilling and their daily walk.

7.  Tell us about your family

I have a wonderful wife who not only supports me in my ministry but is a Bible study teacher herself.  She also understands pain and the taking of that pain daily to the Lord.  I have five children, grandchildren, and one great grandson who is 7 years old.

We lost one of our sons to cystic fibrosis.  That was hard, but I know that he is in heaven and will be there when we go home.

I have a daughter who is in helps ministry.  I also have a son and a grandson who have followed in my steps and are ministers.  I praise God for all my family and know that He is working in their lives.

8. What kind of a person are you?  What fruit of the spirit do people see manifested in you?

My wife says that the fruit of the spirit that is most prevalent in my life is "Peace" and "Kindness".  I see God working these through my life in my ministry here.  I am just a regular old Joe.  There is nothing special about me.  I am continually surprised that God can take a regular old Joe and use me to help others.  I tell everyone, if He can use me to minister to people's hurts, pain, and needs, then He can use them.

9.  Do you have a favorite scripture that God has made yours?

My favorite scripture is Palms 119:105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path".  In the confusion of today's life, only God can lead you.  I have many other scriptures I like, but this one is my life's desire.  I marvel at the continual loving Spirit of God and the "Keeping" power of Jesus Christ so that despite our weaknesses, He loves us.  He loves me.  I can't walk out on that.

10.  We value our seniors at the House of Joy Church and have respect for their advice.  What main advice would you give us?

From your teens through 110, know that God will be with you.  You don't have to be alone or lonely.  Knowing that God is with you is the only way that there is no fear for tomorrow.  

Pastor Zenger leads the Senior Adult Bible Study.

Interviewing: Brent Manning, Youth Pastor

3. Why did you pick the House of Joy Church as the place to minister?

My dad, Pastor Manning, became pastor here when I was in my early teens.  I started ministering even then.  As I grew older, I came to know and love the kids growing up younger than I was.  I have seen them grow up into teens, maturing and becoming more Christ-like.  We also have new teens coming  My ministry is here where I see the needs and God blesses my ministry here.

4. What is the focus of your ministry?

When I started with the youth, they didn't seem to know a lot of Bible.  We talk plainly about the Bible and what it means to us.  For example, we just talked about David and Bathsheba.  A lot of the kids said, "Whoa! We never ever heard about David having done anything wrong much less that he cheated with another man's wife."  It gave us a chance to talk about being true to your spouse when you get married.  That's something that is not prevalent in today's society. 

We also talk about how to share Jesus with our friends and family.

5. Tell us about your family?

I married the love of my life in August 2000, Suzanne.  She works with me.  In fact, with my full-time job at my company Visualize IT and church, we don't have much time for much else.  I am so glad that we work so closely.