The Owens Family

Isaiah A. Owens is a native of Indianapolis, In. The youngest of seven children born to Sheena and Howard Owens.

Isaiah’s childhood was very challenging but with the hard work of his mother he and his siblings didn’t miss a beat. His mother was a believer and provided a spiritual atmosphere that would eventually shape the character of the family.

He was baptized into Christ at the early age of 9 and preached his first sermon at 10 at the Harding Street Church of Christ in Indianapolis. The road wasn’t always so good for Isaiah.

He struggled with behaviors in school which lead to him being in trouble a lot and also kicked out of public schools. Isaiah then had to attend a boy school which taught him discipline and self-control which would help him later in life. He then attended Eastside Selah Christian Academy which was the school of his home church.

Isaiah was passionate about basketball and was one of the top 20 recruits of his class in the state. Isaiah would tell you now “if it wasn’t for God, a praying mother, and basketball I would be dead’.

Isaiah committed to Ball State University his junior year. Isaiah finished high school with 3.87 grade point average and was the valedictorian of his high school class of 2006.

His dreams of basketball would soon be derailed as the family found out that his father was really ill while he was in prison. His father was released so Isaiah had to sacrifice his scholarship to help his mom care for his dying father.

Isaiah and his father didn’t have the best relationship growing up and would say “I think this was Gods way of giving me what I asked for and that’s a relationship with my dad” and would say “sometimes getting what you ask for comes with a sacrifice and mine was basketball but I don’t regret it.”

He and his father grew to love each other and became closer than ever. On May 3rd 2007 the family would get news that Howard was really ill and on May 4th he passed away.

Isaiah was hurt. “The very thing I prayed for my whole life was taken from me”, he would say. He became very depressed but God was about to open a door that would allow Isaiah to play basketball again and change his life.

Isaiah got a call from Cowley Community College basketball coach that wanted Isaiah to come play for him. The school was in Arkansas City, Ks 45 minutes away from Wichita, Ks where his brother Demarcco Owens was ministering at the Madison Avenue church of Christ.

While in college Isaiah studied Religion and became the church intern, youth, and evangelism minister. Taking the youth on mission trips, launching homeless ministers, and many more great efforts that still are in place today.

His sophomore year in college he had broken his ankle and caused him to be sidelined from basketball yet again. “God really don’t want me playing basketball” is what he would say for the next couple months.

Isaiah begin to focus on school and church work. He completed his studies at Cowley with a 3.7 and finished top 2 In the city’s Outstanding Student Award in college.

He would try basketball for the last time in 2009 at the University of Anderson but that was derailed again as he suffered another ankle injury to the same foot.

Therefore he went back to Kansas to help with his friend’s funeral home business where he had worked part time before but little did he know his life was about to change forever.

While he was away from the business, they hired Latoya Wheeler. As they were working a service one day Isaiah wrote on an offering slip a note to Latoya and she couldn’t say no. The two would become a couple soon after.

Latoya didn’t come alone she brought he son Jeremiah who was 2 when the couple met. Isaiah stepped up became the father figure to him.

In 2010 Isaiah started working for USD259 as a Special Education educator. Also being ordained as an evangelist in the same year. Isaiah always had a passion or children with different exceptionalities. Isaiah then returned to school to study Theology/Counseling at Newman University.

Latoya was a big support to Isaiah. After a year and a half of dating Isaiah proposed to Latoya and she said yes. The couple was married on March 25, 2011. Isaiah would say “this was the best day of her life.”

In 2012 Isaiah’s brother would resign from Madison. Latoya was in full support of Isaiah to applying for the position and he did. In the process of time the couple would also find out that they would be expecting their first child together. On January 22, 2013 Isaiah Andrew Owens Jr. was born and on the 23rd Isaiah signed his first contract with Madison.

While at Madison Isaiah launched two renovation efforts to the sanctuary and kitchen. Madison had a face in the community providing feedings and mentoring to youth. Isaiah trained several preachers while at Madison. When Isaiah took the work there were about 30 members and he grew them to 90 in his tenure.

Isaiah has a mindset of ministry so he opened up his home to several foster care kids whom his family has impacted. Not only the children but the parents as well. In 2017 the family would grow again. On January 18, 2017 Sarai Naomi Elizabeth Owens was born.