John Pickens, 65, passed away on January 18, 2025, in Cleveland, TN. In 1980-1983, he attended CNI to earn his Bachelor’s Degree. In 1984, John went to Asia to be a missionary. There he met a Chinese businessman on fire for God and who wanted to do mission work. They traveled to Sabah, Malaysia to a small village called Tagaroh where there was a Bible school. John met his future wife, Suzie, who was one of the students there. John lived in Singapore, but kept returning to Sabah, Malaysia to teach in the Bible school.

In July, 1985 John and Suzie got engaged and were married in January of 1986. They have been married for 39 years. In 1993, they returned to the USA where John furthered his education by attending the School of Theology and graduating with an MDiv. In 1996 and 1997, he went to Indonesia for an internship at Bethel Seminary for the Church of God. He and Suzie returned to Sabah, Malaysia which had became a Muslim country. By 2000, he had planted a Church of God there.

As a missionary for over 40 years, John touched many people’s lives and led many to Christ. He stayed true and faithful to God through many trials and adversities.

John and Suzie had four children that survive John: Jordan Pickens, Jeremiah Pickens, Joshua Pickens, and Jessie Pickens. He is also survived by a granddaughter, Maggie May Pickens, his wife, Suging “Suzie” Pickens, his brother, Gary Pickens, and his mother, Emalee Guildner.

John is preceded in death by his father, William Pickens, and his brothers, Bruce Pickens, Randy Pickens, and Donald Pickens.