Sidney Poe
Sidney LaMarr Poe was born the youngest child and only son of Joseph Fred and Martha Jane Burns Poe on September 29, 1942, in Vernon Parish, Louisiana. His parents were converts to Pentecost and helped build the church in LaCamp; Rev. T. C. and Ovella Bonnette became its first pastors. His early life consisted of hard manual labor on a weedy subsistence farm, too poor to raise even a good fuss. A 1960 graduate of Hicks High School, he received a BS degree in biological sciences from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches in 1964 and an MS degree in 1966.
Barbara Ann Rachal was born the middle daughter of three to Joseph Charles Rachal and Bessie Mae Coutee Rachal on October 20, 1943, in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. Her early life was spent in a rural farm setting. Her only tie to Pentecost was a faithful, praying “Grandma” Coutee at the Flatwoods church. A 1961 graduate of Cloutierville High School, Barbara received a BA degree in elementary education and taught in Morgan City until she and Sidney were married.
From early childhood, God had a claim on Sidney’s life. Following a tragic family accident in 1966, just prior to their marriage, he surrendered to do the will of God and was baptized in Jesus’ Name in a stock pond near the church in LaCamp.
Sidney LaMarr and Barbara Ann exchanged vows on June 4, 1966, at LaCamp United Pentecostal Church, with Reverend J. J. Sanders officiating. Shortly thereafter, they established residence in Columbia, Missouri, where Sidney earned his PhD from the University of Missouri in 1970. Barbara earned her “PHT” (Put Hubby Through) by teaching fourth grade in a public country school during those three years of graduate study. While in graduate school, Sidney taught Sunday school and worked with the youth in a home missions church in Columbia. During this time, he received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and Barbara repented and was baptized in Jesus’ Name.
The first professional position for the newly titled Dr. Sidney Poe began in 1969 as an Assistant Professor at the University of Florida in Bradenton, Florida. Their first daughter, Darla René, was born in 1969, followed by their second daughter, Darnelle Rachal, in 1971. Dr. Poe attained tenure and full professor status by 1977 and transferred to the University of Florida’s main campus in Gainesville. They became teaching and preaching leaders in the United Pentecostal Church in Bradenton and, following the transfer, also in the Gainesville church—first under Pastor James McElhaney and later under Pastor Allan Oggs, Sr.
In 1979, the family moved to Blacksburg, Virginia, where Dr. Poe served as Professor and Head of the Entomology Department at Virginia Tech University. They helped establish and pastor a newly founded home missions church and began a campus ministry at Virginia Tech. Throughout his professional career, Dr. Poe published numerous scientific research papers and book chapters and developed and taught many post-secondary courses.
Responding to an increasingly persistent call of God, Dr. Sidney Poe accepted a new full-time calling as Reverend Sidney Poe when he and his family—wife Barbara and daughters Darla René (15) and Darnelle Rachal (14)—moved to Jackson, Mississippi, in July 1985 to join the faculty of Jackson College of Ministries (JCM) as Dean of Christian Education and Dean of Students. He was ordained by the Mississippi District of the UPCI on May 7, 1986. While at JCM, Reverend Poe developed curriculum and taught courses in Bible, religious studies, Christian education, missions, and theology.
Reverend Sidney Poe was instrumental in founding the Association of Christian Teachers and Schools within the Division of Education of the UPCI and served as Associate Executive Director, preparing guidelines for teacher certification and secondary-level school accreditation.
Within the Mississippi District, Reverend Poe served as Sunday School Secretary under Reverend Gary Erickson (approximately 1990–1992) and was later appointed Sunday School Director to complete the term when Reverend Erickson accepted a position in St. Louis, Missouri. He was subsequently elected to an additional two-year term as director (approximately 1993–1995). During his leadership, the Sunday School department provided regular statewide training, and Junior Camp attendance reached record levels, with his daughters providing music and choir leadership.
In 1994, Reverend Sidney Poe was elected pastor of the United Pentecostal Church in Richland, Mississippi, where he served for two years. His daughter Darnelle assisted with music and taught Sunday school. The impact of their ministry on the congregation was immeasurable.
From approximately 1990 through 1996, the Poe family served as editor, publisher, and distributor of The Mississippi Torch. During this time, the publication expanded to include reports from across the state as well as writings from local Mississippi authors.
While working with The Mississippi Torch, Dr. Poe recognized the need to discover new writing talent and to inspire and encourage those already writing. He began planning and hosting workshops to train and assist writers. The first workshop, held at the Mississippi District office in 1996, was attended by approximately 35 people.
After the editorship of The Torch was passed on, the writers’ group continued meeting and holding workshops—first as the Mississippi Writers’ Guild, then the Mississippi Writers’ Association, and in 2005 adopting its current name, the Mississippi Christian Writers’ Association. Over the years, participants have included now-published authors such as Annie Alford, Elizabeth Motes, G. R. Travis, James Carney, and James Sandy, among others. The Mississippi Christian Writers’ Association continues to grow, providing training and support for authors across the state.
After leaving Jackson College of Ministries, Reverend Sidney Poe became an adjunct professor at Apostolic Bible Institute in St. Paul, Minnesota, teaching courses in Christian Ethics, Major Prophets, Educational Psychology, Theories of Personality, and Human Growth and Development.
He also serves as a faculty member of the annual Apostolic Leadership Institute in New England, teaching courses on Honoring God’s Word (principles of hermeneutics and personal Bible study) and Christian Ethics.
Reverend Poe has extensive experience in Sunday school curriculum development, workshops, and seminar training programs. He is the author of the Pentecostal Publishing House book The Gospel According to Mark, a commentary from an apostolic perspective.
Reverend Poe founded the nonprofit organization Global Training Interaction, Inc., to serve as a self-supported teaching and training resource for educational programs for missionaries worldwide, with a vision for teaching on an even broader scale. Working with missionaries on location, he has taught faculty training sessions in more than 30 countries since 1998. He also serves as a representative to the Global Missions GATS Curriculum Development Committee and Faculty Development Program in Missions.
In 2010, Reverend Poe received a new challenge and passion for the ministry of community chaplaincy. As Director of Education for the newly formed Occupational Chaplains’ Association—now an endorsed ministry of the UPCI—he developed and presented the first OCA chaplaincy training workshop in October 2010. Since then, he has trained and certified chaplains across the United States at UPCI churches and Bible colleges through on-site seminars. Chaplaincy training is also available through the UPCI’s Ministry Central platform.