For more than five decades, Dr. Catherine Payne has faithfully answered God’s call to serve His people. Whether ministering to a congregation, encouraging a missionary, mentoring a young leader, or responding to a crisis halfway around the world, her life has been marked by an unwavering commitment to the gospel and a deep love for the Church of God of Prophecy.
Born in Norfolk, Virginia, on June 22, 1956, Cathy’s ministry journey began early. As a young woman serving in Norview, Virginia, she became involved in youth and children’s ministries, developing a passion for serving that would shape the course of her life. Alongside her husband, John, she embraced God’s call to evangelistic ministry, traveling throughout Virginia and beyond from 1977 to 1985. Those years on the road cultivated a heart for people and a dependence on God’s faithfulness that would remain central to her ministry for the rest of her life.
In 1985, Cathy and John relocated to Bakersfield, California, where they served as co-pastors of the local Church of God of Prophecy congregation for eight years. During this season, Cathy also served as California State Youth and Children’s Ministries director, investing in the lives of young people while helping strengthen local churches throughout the state. Never content to stop learning, she earned her associate degree with honors from Bakersfield College while balancing the demands of ministry and family.
In 1993, Cathy accepted an appointment that would influence generations of women around the world. Moving to Cleveland, Tennessee, she became the Church of God of Prophecy International Director of Women’s Ministries, a role she would serve with distinction for 19 years. Through conferences and retreats she helped countless women discover their gifts and deepen their faith in God.
Then, in 2012, she began a new chapter as coordinator of Global Missions Ministries. What followed was an expansion of an already remarkable ministry. Over the years, her responsibilities have taken her to more than 130 nations, connecting her with leaders, pastors, missionaries, and congregations across every inhabited continent. Her work has strengthened partnerships, encouraged indigenous ministry, supported church planting efforts, assisted orphan care initiatives, and helped tell the story of what God is doing throughout the global Church.
Her academic accomplishments reflect the same commitment to excellence that characterizes her ministry. Cathy earned a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Biblical Studies from Pentecostal Theological Seminary in 2013 and a Doctor of Ministry in Global Pentecostalism from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2018.
Cathy is a powerful and effective communicator. Many still remember her evening message during the 2018 International Assembly in Chattanooga, a message that left a lasting impression on those who heard it. Others recall the moving healing service she led during another International Assembly, where she shared her testimony and then led worshippers through times of prayer and healing. Through events such as Mission Encounter and the Mission Breakfast, she has consistently provided opportunities for the Church to hear the testimonies of leaders from around the world, believing that stories of God’s faithfulness inspire faith and vision for the future.
Yet perhaps her greatest contribution cannot be measured by degrees or miles traveled. Around the world, many leaders affectionately call her “Mom.” That simple title may be the clearest reflection of her ministry. Like a mother, she is available when people need her most. Pastors and national leaders know they can call her at any hour, and she will answer. She laughs with them during times of celebration. She weeps with them during seasons of loss. When a crisis arises, she immediately begins making phone calls and seeking practical solutions. Her concern is never limited to a project or a program; it is always centered on people.
Those who work alongside her have witnessed countless acts of quiet sacrifice. She arrives early. She stays late. She carries burdens that few others see. She advocates for leaders facing impossible circumstances. She remembers names, families, and prayer requests. She rejoices when churches flourish and hurts when they suffer. Her ministry is one of heartfelt love and tireless service.
Cathy was married to her faithful husband, John, for 47 years until his passing in September 2023. Together they built a ministry partnership that touched countless lives. She is the proud mother of their son, Christopher, and grandmother to five beloved grandchildren: Alexander, Caden, Jonathan, and identical twin granddaughters, Ashley and Aubrey.
Looking back over more than 50 years of ministry, there is a consistent theme woven throughout every chapter of Cathy Payne’s story: a willingness to say yes to God and yes to people. Whether serving in a local church, leading an international ministry, standing behind a pulpit, or answering a late-night phone call from a leader in need, she has devoted her life to serving Christ and the Church of God of Prophecy.
At the end of the day, what many will remember most is not simply what Cathy Payne accomplished, but how she made people feel: valued, encouraged, and loved. Her legacy is found in the countless lives she has touched around the world and in the leaders who are stronger because she believed in them, prayed for them, and walked beside them. Cathy Payne has faithfully served the Lord, and the global Church of God of Prophecy is better because she did.
TRIBUTE: THE Cathy Payne
Stephanie Roberts | Global Missions Administrative Assistant
In 2016, a friend told me about a job opening with Global Missions. At the time, I wasn’t looking for another position. I genuinely loved my job at White Wing Christian Bookstore and felt content where I was. Still, the opportunity lingered in the back of my mind. For weeks, I debated whether I should apply.
The truth is that I had almost convinced myself not to. Part of my hesitation was that the position meant working with “THE Cathy Payne.”
Now, if you grew up in the Church of God of Prophecy, chances are you knew the name Cathy Payne. I certainly did. My home church had a vibrant women’s ministry, and every year the ladies would travel to Lake Barkley for Ladies’ Retreat. They would return home refreshed, inspired, and full of stories, laughter, and joy. As a young girl, those retreats seemed almost magical, and Cathy Payne was one of the names I heard again and again. Long before I ever met her, I knew of her influence and leadership.
So, when I learned the position would place me under her leadership, I was intimidated. To me, Cathy Payne wasn’t just a ministry leader. She was one of the most respected women in our church movement whose influence reached far beyond the churches she served.
As the application deadline drew near, I had pretty much settled on not applying. Then something unexpected happened.
Cathy Payne walked into my office.
She asked if I would consider applying for the position.
I was stunned. I could not believe that someone I had admired from a distance for so many years would personally seek me out. Looking back, I have realized something: You can’t just say no to Cathy Payne—not because she is forceful, but because she has a remarkable way of seeing potential in people before they see it in themselves.
And thankfully for me, she didn’t take my first hesitation as a final answer.
Looking back now, I can’t help but smile at how intimidated I was by “THE Cathy Payne.”
Over the past ten years, I have had the privilege of seeing the woman behind the reputation. I have watched her minister to people from every walk of life, and I have learned that no one leaves her presence without feeling seen, loved, and encouraged. Her radiant smile and warm hugs have a way of making people feel like they belong. She has a gift for telling stories that captivate your attention and point your heart back to the faithfulness of God. To Cathy, no one is a stranger because everyone is family. It is no surprise that so many of our international brothers and sisters lovingly call her “Mom” or “Mama Cathy.”
While countless people have experienced Cathy’s ministry, I consider it one of God’s greatest gifts that I have experienced it personally.
Over the past decade, Cathy has walked beside me through seasons of transition, uncertainty, and growth. She has prayed with me, counseled me, and cheered me on when I needed encouragement the most. Time and again, she has reminded me that I am valuable, not only to this ministry but to the kingdom of God. Her belief in me often came before I fully believed in myself.
I experienced this firsthand during my very first International Assembly. I had only been with Global Missions for three months, and one of my biggest responsibilities was planning Mission Encounter. The pressure of organizing such a large event in such a short amount of time felt overwhelming. I knew how important it was not only to those attending but also to our international brothers and sisters who had traveled so far to represent their nations.
On the morning of the event, I realized I had failed to assign a booth for two of our African brothers who had not yet been officially appointed. When they came to me asking where their booth was, my heart sank. I was devastated. I tried to hold myself together, but eventually I slipped behind our booth and cried.
It didn’t take long for Cathy to find me.
She gently placed her hands on my shoulders, looked me in the eyes, and said, “It’s okay. We’ll find a solution.”
And that’s exactly what we did. We walked through the event space together until we found an empty booth that was not going to be used. Cathy grabbed a black Sharpie, turned the booth sign over to the blank side, and wrote the names of the two nations in big letters. In a matter of minutes, what had felt like an impossible failure became a solvable problem.
That moment has stayed with me for ten years. Cathy did not make me feel ashamed of my mistake. She helped me find a solution, reminded me that mistakes don’t define us, and showed me what gracious leadership looks like.
I have also had the privilege of witnessing her faith through seasons of profound personal loss. From saying goodbye to her mother to losing the love of her life, I have watched Cathy grieve with honesty and vulnerability. She never pretended the pain wasn’t real. Yet, even in her deepest sorrow, she never stopped proclaiming the goodness and faithfulness of God. Watching her live out her faith in those moments may have been one of the greatest lessons she ever taught me.
The young woman who was once afraid to work for “THE Cathy Payne” could never have imagined that she would one day call her mentor, friend, and someone I consider family. I will always be grateful that she walked into my office that day and refused to let me miss what God had planned for me.
TRIBUTE TO CATHY PAYNE: The Woman Behind the Name
Shelly Wilbanks | Global Missions Administrative Assistant
During the International Assemblies of my childhood, I was usually “working” alongside my dad behind the scenes. So, while I had known of Cathy Payne, I didn’t really know her. It wasn’t until Cathy moved to Cleveland to lead Women’s Ministries that I began to know the woman behind the name.
Several years later, while I was working at the White Wing Bookstore, a position opened in Women’s Ministries. I applied, but I didn’t get the job. A few years later, after Cathy moved into Global Missions, another position became available. I applied again, and I didn’t get that one, either.
What happened next, however, has stayed with me ever since. Cathy came to the mall where I was working to tell me face to face that she had chosen someone else. She could have made a phone call or sent an email, but instead, she took the time to personally deliver the news. Before she left, she told me she would be praying for me. At the time, I appreciated the kindness, but I had no idea how significant those words would become.
Not long afterward, I left the White Wing Bookstore and spent eleven months unemployed. Those months were some of the hardest of my life. I felt worthless and betrayed, and I questioned my abilities, my value, and even my future. When I finally found another job, it wasn’t because it was what I wanted to do. It was simply something to pay the bills while I searched for something else.
Then I heard that Cathy needed to fill another position. I remember questioning myself: Why am I even considering this? She’s already told me no twice. But something kept nudging me to apply, so I did. This time, I got the job.
When I joined the Global Missions team, I wasn’t bringing my best self to work. I was broken, bruised, discouraged, and carrying the weight of months of rejection and self-doubt. More than a job, I needed healing.
For the next two years, Cathy consistently poured encouragement into my life. She reminded me of my value—not just to her, not just to the Global Missions team, and not just to the Church of God of Prophecy, but as a person. Through encouraging words, genuine belief in me, and a willingness to invest in my life, God used her to heal the broken and battered person I had become. She saw value in me long before I could see it in myself.
Twelve years later, she is still pouring into my life. She never really stopped; the encouragement simply became less frequent because, perhaps, she could see the healing taking place. Now it comes more randomly, but always at exactly the right moment. It is as though she somehow knows when my confidence is wavering or when I need to be reminded that I am capable and valued. Those moments rarely feel as though they are coming from a supervisor. They come from a friend.
So, when I think about Cathy Payne’s influence on my life, I think of someone who invested in a person, not just an employee. I think of someone who spoke life into a heart that desperately needed to hear it. I think of someone who helped restore confidence that had been lost and who continues, even today, to offer encouragement with remarkable timing and genuine care. For that, and for the friend she has become, I will always be grateful.