Joann Witherspoon

Prophet JoAnn C. Witherspoon is the Founder and Chief Executive of Jehovah Machseh (“God Our Refuge”) Teaching and Training Center and the Visionary of “Strengthening the Prophets” School of the Prophets. Jehovah Machseh provides a place for the restoration of faith and hope to God’s people through love, Christian education, prophetic and deliverance training. Through the prophetic and apostolic anointing on her life, she teaches and ministers both locally and nationally in the areas of deliverance, healing and prophecy.

JoAnn is a native of Chicago, IL and accepted her call into ministry in 1994. Born into African Methodism, she spent her childhood at the feet of her grandmother and pastor, the late Rev. Iceola Starling. JoAnn preached her initial sermon in 1995 and received her Itinerant Deacon (Minister) Licensure in 1996. She was later admitted into the National Association of Women in Ministry for her Missionary Certification and received additional training and certification in telephone prayer and counseling ministry through TBN Christian Television, formerly known as TV 38. JoAnn has served in ministry for over 25 years.

As an avid minister, missionary (“sent one”) and educational administrator, JoAnn wholeheartedly served God and the AME church for six years under the late Bishop Robert Thomas, Jr. as President of the Area Missionary Society, Praise and Worship Leader and Sunday School instructor. She also served as the assistant chaplain at the Salvation Army in 2000. Elder JoAnn’s apostolic ministry was set in motion in 2002 at Crusaders Ministry in Chicago, IL under Apostles John Eckhart and Daryl O'Neal, where she received Lay-Ministry Certification/Licensure. In 2004 she began serving at House of Praise Family Church in Aurora, IL under Prophet Patrick McManus, where she was elevated to the office of Associate Pastor. In this assignment, as in all others, Elder JoAnn gave untiring leadership. She assisted in facilitating conferences, provided insight and direction to the Children and Youth Ministry teachers and also served as a member of the Prophetic Roundtable for the West/Northwest Chicago Suburb region. In 2007, she was ordained and confirmed in the Office of the Prophet through Christian International Ministries under the oversight of Bishop Bill Hamon through the confirmation, impartation and laying on of hands by Apostles Leon Walters and Pat McManus.

In 2011 the Lord began a new chapter in Prophet JoAnn’s life as He transitioned her to the Dallas/Fort Worth area to establish a ministry. In 2018 she began to embrace her calling to the Apostleship, though the anointing has always been upon her. Prophet JoAnn now oversees Jehovah Machseh Teaching and Training Center and is committed to raising spiritual sons and daughters, and teaching God’s people to hear His voice and speak what He says.

Prophet JoAnn resides in Coppell, TX and is the proud mother of three children; Armonie, Annjo and Adam, and grandmother of four; Arian, Morgan, Nathan and Marcus. She has also been active in supporting disaster relief efforts in

the Oklahoma area and served alongside Senior Pastors Daren and Denise Dabrowski of Firehouse Community Outreach (Moore, OK).