STANTON It took the Rev. Jannie Linney a long time to understand her purpose in life, but when she did she pursued it with a passion that has never waned.
The Rev. Linney, pastor of Hosanna Christian Fellowship at 2001 State Highway 137 and a columnist for the Odessa American, was baptized at age 37 and joined her late husband Leroy, a farmer, in a mission to show people the power they had through faith in Jesus Christ.
“Leroy had a vision of this church exactly like it is today,” she said, explaining that they realized an old three-bedroom house they regularly passed in Stanton should be it. They bought it with $20,000 they had saved and remodeled and expanded it. Services are at 10 a.m. Sunday.
“I was born at Colorado City and have been in Stanton since I was 2,” said Linney, whose maiden name was Standefer. “Back then, you didn’t go to the doctor. He came to you.”
She has three daughters, eight grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
“We started our church in the downtown office of a lawyer who had moved out,” she said. “After three years, we moved into this house and built onto the end of it and built the sanctuary and foyer.
“The Lord has used me from the beginning 45 years ago to break down the barriers of denominational and racial laws and help people grow into a deeper relationship with him,” Linney said. “We’ve always had a mixture of members and when Leroy was pastor we did a lot of traveling with a praise team over South and North Texas, Eastern New Mexico and Gallup, N.M., to preach to the four tribes.
“I still go out and speak to people. I spoke at a Black church in Big Spring a month ago and did a Wednesday night series at Redeemer Church in Midland,” Linney said in early March. “I spoke at a Black church summit in El Paso and have preached in San Antonio.
“I like the Book of Ephesians. The first chapter tells how the power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us. People don’t know we have that same power in us if we just believe God and step out in faith.”
Another often-cited scripture by Linney is the 11th chapter of Hebrews, which opens by saying, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
“It’s the Hall of Faith with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and the others,” she said.
Her assistant pastor is the Rev. Debra Robinson.
Longtime friend Jody Dortch said Linney “is an extraordinary woman of God who teaches what she believes in her heart about God and the Lord Jesus.
“She is so concerned about helping people walk in the Christian way that she has devoted her whole life to that,” Dortch said. “She’s a wonderful encourager and exhorter. She is a straight out of the word preacher.
“I like the depth of the word of God that Jannie brings forth and the fearless way she delivers it. She is sensitive to the Holy Spirit and will do whatever he tells her regardless of anything else.”
