Samvel Minasyan, church planter, overlooks the city of Yerevan in Armenia
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Contents w w w w September 2011 • Volume 88, Number 3
Bringing honor to the WORD by the printed word, the White Wing Messenger strives to inspire Christian thought and practice as it imparts the “good news” of the Gospel while serving the connectivity needs of our church community.
Calendar of Events September 1–4, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies II Europe (English/Spanish)—London
page 6
page 18
Features
September 8–11, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies I Paris, France September 14–16, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies II Bolivia
6 iMission by David Bryan
Ministries
8 The Sierra Leone Story by Levi Clarke
15 Ladies Retreats 2011-2012
10 God’s Grace Is Sufficient in India
18 Children’s: Reaching the Children of Asia/Oceania
by K. F. Wynnis
11 Serving in the South Pacific
25 Stewardship: Lifestyle Stewardship
by Nonita Que
26 Youth: Vision of Transition Part Two
12 Operation Rebuild Haiti Update
Editorials
by Tim McCaleb
4 Facing Forward: Global Outreach, Local Initiative by Randall E. Howard, General Overseer
14 Cuba, Riding the Wave of Revival by Ben Feliz
31 Messages: Evil for Good? by DeWayne Hamby, Managing Editor
20 Astonish Me Today! by Ben Duncan
22 The Faith of a Few Good Friends
Updates
by Marsha Robinson
23 Prayer: A Life Attitude of Dependence Part Two by Adrian L. Varlack, Sr.
September 7–11, 2011 Children’s Ministry Training Argentina • children.cogop.org
5 News: Here & There 28 Local/State/International News In His Presence
Visit us online—www.whitewingmessenger.org
White Wing Messenger Editorial Board: Londa Richardson, Chair; Daniel Chatham; Hanny Vidal; Cervin McKinnon; Perry Horner; Tapio Sätilä; Shaun McKinley; and Adrian Varlack
Executive Editor/Publisher: R. E. Howard, Managing Editor: DeWayne Hamby, Copy Editor: Marsha Robinson, Editorial Assistant: Pamela Praniuk, Graphic Artists: Perry Horner and Sixto Ramirez, International Offices (423) 559-5100, and Subscriptions (423) 559-5114 Please submit all material to the White Wing Messenger; Managing Editor; P. O. Box 2910; Cleveland, TN 37320-2910; phone (423) 559-5128; e-mail us at Editorial@cogop.org.
September 14–17, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies II Alabama September 18–23, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies II Freeport, Bahamas September 22–25, 2011 Institute of Children’s Ministry Ridgecrest, NC • children.cogop.org September 25–30, 2011, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies II Nassau, Bahamas September 26–29, 2011 Central America Leadership Conference Tegucigalpa, Honduras September 30–October 2 Youth Harvest Training Arizona/New Mexico • operationomega.org October 6–8, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies III Midwest Region White Wing Messenger (ISSN 0043-5007) (USPS 683-020) is published monthly as the official publication of the Church of God of Prophecy, 3750 Keith St NW, Cleveland, TN. Send all materials for publication to Editorial Department; PO Box 2910, Cleveland, TN 37320-2910; e-mail: editorial@cogop. org, fax: (423) 559-5121. For subscription rates, visit wwm.cogop.org; call (423) 559-5114; e-mail: subscriptions@cogop.org. Subscription rate: $18.00 per year, payable to White Wing Messenger by check, draft, or money order. Periodical postage paid at Cleveland, TN 37311 and at additional mail office. Donations for the White Wing Messenger may be sent to the above address. All scripture references are from the King James Version unless otherwise indicated. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to White Wing Messenger, PO Box 2910, Cleveland, TN 37320-2910.
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Global Impact, Local Initiative I recently had the opportunity to attend the Haiti convention. This was the first convention they have held since the huge destruction from the earthquake that killed over one hundred thousand people and destroyed so much all over the nation and especially in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. I know that Church of God of Prophecy members can remember that 46 church buildings were critically damaged or destroyed, with about fifty church members losing their lives, including four orphanage children in our Orphans’ Home there. It was actually not possible to hold the convention in 2010 due to the trauma suffered by the people and damage to the central church. That national property was turned into a temporary refugee camp for church members for a number of months. So, the 2011 convention was a great reunion of our people from all across the nation. I was touched by the joy and thanksgiving that I saw among them. They were grateful for the gracious support and help they had received and the mercy of God that spared most of them from the greater trauma others had experienced. I recall that the team from their neighboring nation, Dominican Republic, led by the National Overseer of Panama, Flavio Rosario, brought several trucks full of supplies for the orphanage within days of the earthquake. The people were so appreciative of the ‘Rebuild Haiti’ project going on from the Global Outreach Ministry—under the direction of Bishop Tim McCaleb (an update is given later in this issue). The orphanage has received great help and the future plans for development
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there are amazing. Eight churches have been helped already, with Bishop McCaleb leading about 13 construction teams already in the last 15 months. It was impossible to miss the appreciation and gratefulness of Bishop Dorlean and our Haitian leaders as we visited three of these churches under reconstruction. They were deeply touched by the real demonstration of love and family bonds each of these teams brought with them. The ‘Rebuild Haiti’ project gives us one example among many opportunities to confirm that Global Impact can be achieved by local initiative. The churches, leaders, and teams that have participated in ‘Rebuild Haiti’ have generated Global Impact because of their desire and decision to activate local initiative. Let’s give a cheer for these churches and areas that have participated—Long Island, New York; Acworth, Georgia; Tilghman Road, Maryland; Canada; Cleveland, Tennessee; Washington; Indiana; Germany; Billings, Montana; Sheridan, Wyoming; South Carolina; and Pennsylvania (a partial list). Harvest Partners is a ministry specifically designed to provide opportunities for Global Impact to local initiatives. This White Wing Messenger targets the call to get involved in the global scene for God. I encourage pastors and local lay leaders to give serious consideration to becoming involved in Global Impact through local initiative. One call to the Harvest Partners Office might reveal needy areas where God will call you to Global Impact by local initiative. You may reach Harvest Partners by calling 423-559-5207, or find them on the Internet at www.cogop.org
Elva Howard Recovers from Injuries In the spring, Elva Howard, former International Women’s Ministries director, was involved in a tragic accident at a local home building supply store in Cleveland, Tennessee. She was in line— behind another customer in the garden center of the store—when a truck driver backed over them. The other customer, Rev. Billy Joe Moffett of the Church of God, passed away a few weeks later due to injuries sustained in the accident. Through email prayer alerts, phone calls and internet posts, many in the area and the worldwide COGOP joined together to pray for Sister Howard’s health. In July, her recovery was noted in the Cleveland Daily Banner: “Now Howard is recuperating from injuries she suffered about six weeks
ago, when she found herself in the path of a runaway truck at a local building supply store. She was airlifted to Erlanger Medical Center where her condition was listed as critical. After her stay at Erlanger, she was admitted to Siskin Hospital for therapy followed by treatment at Life Care. She was able to go home recently, where she continues to receive therapy. Although her upper body is still in a brace, she’s getting back her mobility. Doctors said her exercise program prior to the accident was what strengthened her body, helping her to heal. Howard’s upbeat attitude and sense of humor ensures her recovery. ‘I was just wanting to buy some bird seed,’ she said, ‘and got in the wrong aisle’.”
—Source: Cleveland Daily Banner
COGOP
A Global Church
As it nears 1.5 million members worldwide, how does the global membership of the COGOP spread out worldwide?
59% Africa 889,268
AsiaOceania 64,248
Caribbean/ Atlantic Ocean Islands 117,145
Central America/ Mexico/Sp. Caribbean 125,987
Europe/CIS/ Middle East 149,163
North America South America 92,585 48,187
—2010 statistics provided by the Global Outreach department of the Church of God of Prophecy
Bishop Beya Passes Away in DRC
by Jennifer LeClaire, Charisma News Online. Reprinted by permission. A key Church of God of Prophecy leader has died in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bishop Ntambwe Beya, 57, passed away on June 18, 2011 of natural causes. Beya had served as COGOP national bishop in the DRC since 1998. He was involved in leadership on a national level in the Congo for more than 25 years. According to the Global Outreach Ministries, Beya had been struggling over the past several months with health issues—mainly diabetes. In mid-June he became very ill and developed a high fever. He was admitted to the hospital on June 16 and passed away two days later. Bishop Randall Howard, general overseer of the Church of God of Prophecy, told Charisma News, “Bishop Ntambwe Beya has borne the burden of leading in the great harvest environment of the Democratic Republic of Congo while trying to plant churches, train and equip new and emerging pastors, structure and organize in a time of colossal growth and colossal in-flow into our ministries and many other ministries. In the midst of that, we are so grieved that he has passed away.” Diminutive in stature, Beya was the COGOP’s first native national bishop of the DRC, taking the baton of leadership
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Feature
David Bryan, Director Global Outreach
iMission Living, Breathing, Eating, Sleeping, Travel for Jesus’ Sake
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Recent statistics out of the U.S. State Department puts the number of Americans with a passport at 114, 464,041. That’s a lot of people, but it’s still only a little bit more than one-third of the population. Two out of three Americans cannot travel to Canada or the Bahamas because you must now have a passport. I mention this not to point the bony finger of guilt at the unadventurous coward for whom everything different is foreign and fear-inducing. Nor is it a way to cast a verbal dirty look at the isolated, live-in-his-ownbubble individual whose curiosity never imagines much worth discovering outside his own world of family and friends. It has to be noticed, though, that it is impossible to obey our Lord’s primary commands about sharing His life with other people unless we are willing to go somewhere. It might be across the street, to the next block, or around the corner. None of those places requires a travel document that must be stamped by officials manning checkpoints of entry and exit, but you still have to go. That going might take you across state lines or over national boundaries. For the latter, you do need a passport. So, being involved in missions is not always a function of whether you have a passport or not. You need the spirit of the traveler—the right kind of traveler. I came across a description of the seven types of traveler that I found mildly fascinating. The memoirist is full of stories of their adventures in far-flung (or out of
the way) exotic places. Talking with this kind of traveler sometimes becomes a subtle competition to see who can tell the most captivating travel story. The joy is not the journey but the telling. The navigator plots every second, maps out every square, which helps if you are not sure which restaurant has something you might like, but it can be irritating when you want to get off their well-planned schedule. The ignoramus is one of those people who does not know the basic etiquette of traveling and does not care. The casanova is self-explanatory. The jokester makes every trip a fun experience because she giggles at everything. Laughter is a wonderful medicine, but cemeteries and AIDS clinics are just not very funny places. The linguist is the seasoned traveler who brilliantly picks up languages and absorbs the cultural nuances so quickly that the locals don’t realize they are tourists. The pack traveler is the kind of person who picks up new friends like Imelda Marcos picked out shoes. I have met all of these types. The follower of Jesus who is living missions requires being a unique kind of traveler; one who is bit like the linguist, going and picking up whatever language is needed so she can share Christ’s love with the locals. Missions has often been lumped into the program category. It’s something your church does through a program. Churches are involved in missions. That’s true, but missions is a personal
calling and commitment. That’s what I mean by iMission. Missions requires personal decisions about what kind of traveler you are going to be. Don’t be an ignoramus. It’s unworthy of you and the people God has called you to reach. Whether you are traveling across the street, across the state, or across the globe, you have to allow the travel bug to bite you. If you are going to take missions seriously, you really have to go. If you go next door, you may meet someone from one of the 238 countries in the database of nations recognized by the United Nations. You will not even need a passport. But do get one. Acts 1:8 is the map for the premodern, or post-modern worlds. When the Spirit comes on you, you will want to travel; to Jerusalem (across the street), Judea (throughout the neighborhood), Samaria (into the ‘hoods which might be racial or cultural) and the uttermost parts of the earth (you will need a passport!). The stories in this issue are about people who are traveling for Jesus. For many of them, the travel conditions are rustic and unpleasant, but that does not stop them from traveling. For others, their travel conditions are really dangerous. They are my heroes. For others still, the roads are long and results are hard to come by but they continue to travel. I am praying that the travel bug will bite you, too. That’s what missions is about. See more at http://cogop.org/globaloutreach.html.
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Feature We join with the psalmist who said, “Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalms 106:1). Looking back over the events that have taken place in the nation and particularly in the Church of God of God of Prophecy, certainly there is cause to be thankful to our blessed Lord. There has been a civil war that divested the nation, leaving many with shattered dreams and little hope. Last year, March 7, 2010, the Church as a body in Sierra Leone went through one of its most tragic periods. Our Field Secretary, John P. Mendy, and three other leading ministers were tragically killed in an automobile accident. As a result of the devastating news, a week later, Reverend Mendy’s wife had a heart attack and she too passed away. It still remains a mystery how a people who have been through so much are still able to keep hope alive and keep moving forward. Yes, we must say thanks to God for His amazing grace, and to our church family around the world for their overwhelming support. Special thanks to our General Presbyter, Bishop Sherman O. Allen, for making a special trip to Freetown, Sierra Leone, during this critical period to comfort, strengthen, and support spiritually, as well as materially, both the bereaved family and the church. Special thanks go to our International Offices, especially the Global Outreach Department for their support and prayer. The African Administration is to be commended for their proactive stance in not just praying, but coming to Freetown as a team to be with the families and the church. We would be remiss if we did not mention Bishop James Kolowale of Nigeria, who made an awesome sacrifice to be at the funeral to represent the global church when others could not be there due to several restraints. In October 2010, Bishop Levi Clarke and his wife, Floreth, after hearing of the tragedy, sought the Lord and decided
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to take up the challenge to move into Sierra Leone to assist in the rebuilding and strengthening of the work there. The Clarkes are now in Sierra Leone, and have rented a house in Freetown. They are busy trying to provide comfort, leadership, training, and development. In the Clarkes’ own words, “This is one of the most difficult challenges we have ever embarked upon in our entire ministerial tenure in the Church of God of Prophecy. However, we are convinced that we are in the will of God, and the people expressed love and appreciation, and that makes all the difference.” Day by day, we can see God turning things around for His glory and we are grateful. Below are some of the wonderful things God has done since the arrival of our new National Overseer team, Bishop Levi and Floreth Clarke.
Levi Clarke
Baptism and New Members
The national Church organized a national baptism on Easter Sunday, April 24th, 2011 at one of our local churches (Hastings Branch). A joyful worship service commenced at 3:00 p.m. followed with baptism by emersion at the nearby river of the Hastings village. Candidates were drawn from seven of our functioning local churches (Kissy, Kuntoloh, Calaba Town, Tengbeh Town, Tagrin, Makosseh and Hastings) with a total number of 64 candidates baptized and added to the churches.
Statistics on Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is a small coastal state between Guinea and Liberia in West Africa, with an area of 71,740 square kilometers. According to Operation World, in the year 2000, the population was approximately 5,559,253. The capital is Freetown. The people are comprised of Mandes, Kwa, Krio and others. The official language is English. Trade language Krio (Creole) is spoken by 10 percent of the population as first
New members being brought in
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language and 90 percent as second. In 1797, Freetown was founded as a home for freed slaves. They achieved their independence from Britain in 1961. The onset of the Liberian war in 1990 triggered the collapse of the government and resulted in a series of serious challenges for the people of Sierra Leone. However, thank God the church is alive and there is freedom to preach the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.
Church Construction
This is the Kuntoloh church, located in Freetown. It is the second largest church under construction for the past twelve years. Pastor Elba and his congregation are to be commended for their initiatives and hard work. Most of what has been done is a result of contributions from the members; hence, the reason the work is taking so long to finish. In March 2011, they were assisted with a donation from the Brampton Church of God of Prophecy (Canada) to do the floor and plastering on the inside, and have even started on the outside.
Kalaba Town Local Church
Another church under construction is in Kalaba Town. Windows will be installed soon. These were made from a donation from the North Park Worship Center, Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
The Kuntolah church in Freetown
The congregation of the Hasting Church has been working on their building for years now. The congregation took a photo, standing on the foundation. Thanks to the Toronto New Covenant Cathedral and their very generous contribution, the walls have now been raised. It will not cost much to have these saints worshipping in this building.
Report On The National Children’s Retreat
On April 20th through 23rd, the second children’s retreat was held in Sierra Leone, under the able direction of the National Children’s Director, Sister Kaday Johnson. According to all the reviews, this retreat has been the best. The theme of the retreat was “Children are a heritage from the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). There were 75 children that participated from seven local churches. The retreat was held in Songo, which happens to be one of our school compounds, our first-ever school for the Church of God of Prophecy in the nation. Activities enjoyed were: Bible teachings, Bible quiz, memory verses, Gospel film, visit to a historical monument, etc. There were 11 saved in this retreat. To God be the glory.
The Children Left Behind
In January 2011, a generous donation was received for the children left behind after the deaths of the Meindys and the other leaders, as well as two orphans. We were able to pay all school fees, subscriptions, and their transportation for the school year. These children and remaining relatives are grateful to the donors in the Calgary Church of God of Prophecy, Alberta, Canada. These children are different ages and are enrolled from nursery school to medical school. Thanks to the General Church for its support and to the Africa Leadership Committee. May God continue to bless His Church.
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God’s Grace Is Sufficient in India I was born in a Lutheran Christian family. My parents, John Chittian and Sundaramma, were church elders. They brought up both me and my only sister, Hemalatha, in a disciplined and godly way. I was born on June 16, 1952, and when I was ten years of age, my father slept in the Lord (in the year 1962), due to ill health. My mother, with great hardship, brought up and educated me. I was first in every event up to high school level and had an ambition to become a doctor. But after entering college, I became habituated to all evil habits and sins and failed in my studies. As the circumstances could not stand in my favor, my mother sent me for Bible training at Godavari Delta Mission. I was saved in the year 1969, during which time my maternal uncle, Bhavana Devadas, was a pastor with the Church of God of Prophecy, under the leadership of Bishop D. Joseph. In 1970, I got married to my lovely wife, Bhagyavathi. Beginning the next year, my wife and I studied in the Bible Training Institute for three terms. After completion of my BTI studies in 1972, Bishop Joseph baptized us. In 1974, I was selected as a teacher to work in BTI, and also as the principal. I was able to serve many young students by explaining the Word of God. I was deeply touched by the principles of the Church of God of Prophecy, and started a ministry with three souls. God has blessed and developed the church in spite of attacks, temptations by Satan, and financial difficulties. I was appointed as an area pastor by Bishop D. Joseph and served for 30 years. According to God’s perfect plan and abundant grace, I had the rare opportunity to attend classes in Singapore in the year 1988, a conference in 1991, and a leader’s conference in the Philippines in 1994. I was very much blessed to attend these classes. I served as coordinator of the general convention conducted at Tanuku successfully, and my wife, Bhagavathi, was appointed as the director of the Women’s Ministry Department, which she led for the glory of God. As a National Overseer, for the first time, Bishop David L.
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Browder, Bishops Randall Howard and Perry Gillum attended the Tanuku convention and strengthened the church. These great men of God visited my house, and by their touch, miracles happened in my life. My house has been modified, and without any outside support, we built a beautiful church building. The church has grown to more than 250 strong believers as a result of the promise of God: “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23). I also had the privilege to lead our church people to build a church building in Duvva. God blessed me with a daughter, three sons and six grandchildren. Kindly do remember my family and me in your prayers. We want to serve the Lord more faithfully, and be used mightily by the Lord. We are also in the process of constructing a building at Kanuru. Please remember this endeavor.
Yours for Christ, Bishop K. F. Wynnis Kanuru, Andhra Pradesh, India
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Serving in the South Pacific: Nonito Que Tells His Story
Whenever I think back to where I was before my life in the Lord Jesus Christ, I am reminded of what Isaiah said about our own righteousness. I would have never thought that I was on a path towards destruction. After all, our family was devoted, and I had two sisters who were nuns, and a brother who is a Jesuit priest. My logic told me that I was a part of a “godly” family and that we were in a much better position to go to heaven than any of our neighbors or even the other people in our town. Such was my thinking, and this attitude continued from youth to my early adulthood. I thank God for His mercies in my life, and that He delivered me from the many situations where serious physical harm or death would have overtaken me. I would have been unfortunately surprised that my self-righteousness and my family background could not buy me into the gates of heaven. The date was February 21, 1988. I was invited by my friend (who later became my wife) to attend an open air service in Araullo High School, Manila. It is amazing how God touched me. I felt like I had to make a decision after I listened to the sermon. Would I believe what is written in the Bible as read by the pastor, or would I hold on to the things I thought were right? Somehow, for reasons I cannot explain, I stood up and proceeded to the altar crying like a child, not minding the many people looking at me during the altar call. This was something I would have never done, considering my very shy nature at the time. I felt as if a big weight was taken off me after being prayed for. There was a hunger for something that started in me. Although I could not identify it at that time, I later realized that it was a hunger for Him. It
slowly dawned on me as I desired more and more to learn about Him. The Lord did change something in me, as evidenced with my somehow changed desires. Little by little, I found it easier to have a different kind of mindset, especially when it comes to my commitment to Him. When the Lord called me to teach, the Lord also baptized me in the Holy Spirit! It was sometime in 1992, when I was prayed over by the laying on of hands by my pastor and several other pastors, during a meeting of our churches. The Lord started something new in my life. The shy nature I’ve always known to be “me” faded away as the Lord used me more and more as a vessel to teach His Word. The Lord’s call for me to serve as a pastor came in the middle of September, 2005. It was a call I did not immediately recognize, because I was already serving as one of the associate pastors of another congregation. It was a difficult decision, considering that the church I was in had just constructed a beautiful church building. We were in a comfortable place. The call was clear; the need was pressing; and after much prayer, a transition for me and my family started. It took me and my wife one full year to finally realize and obey the call of the Lord. We became pastors of South Pacific Missions Church of God of Prophecy in American Samoa. It was another milestone in my walk with the Lord. I thank God for bringing me and my family to the place where we are now, physically and spiritually. The Lord is faithful; the Lord is true. I thank Him for His mercies, peace, love, provisions, and the anointing. To Him be all the honor and thanksgiving and glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Nonita Que
South Pacific Missions COGOP
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Feature
O
Operation Rebuild Haiti project manager, Bishop Tim McCaleb, happily reports that another construction team has just returned from one more wonderful trip to Haiti: “The team was composed of four members from the Acworth, Georgia church, six from the Tilghman Road church in Salisbury, Maryland, one from Toronto, Canada, and one from Cleveland, Tennessee. Our mission was to put roofs on two large churches, and it seemed a daunting task, to say the least. “When we arrived, the LaSalle church of more than two hundred, was worshipping under an old tin roof that was hanging low, just above the heads of the congregation. We worshipped with this congregation on Sunday morning, May 15th, and the Spirit of God was evident. The choir sang for us, and their voices were absolutely beautiful as they blended together in harmony and praise to our Lord. “After Sunday morning worship, we went back to our compound and began designing new trusses for this building. It soon became evident that we would have to
“I cannot say enough about the men and women on this team, as well as the previous teams and our Haitian brothers and sisters who have all worked together to make these dreams come true.” May 2011 Operation Rebuild Haiti Team Members are in the picture below. From left to right in the first row is Kettia Massenat, Kyle Schafer, Tim McCaleb, Martha Minton, Cynthia Smith, Jeremy Gilmore (second row) Ben Howard, Neal Wright, John Howard, Jamie Ellis, John Minton, Gary Smith, and Mike Smythers. “The people of the the church at Merger were having church in a building with a tarp for a roof when we arrived. One day while we were working, a heavy rain moved in, and the tarp offered very little protection. I told the pastor that we could build the roof, but we could not do so in that kind of weather. The church began to pray and sing, and in a little while a blue sky began to appear and the rain ceased.
The team constructed roofs for churches while in Haiti
modify our plans in order to accomplish our task, but the team was ready for the challenge. By Wednesday afternoon, this church had a new roof. “The second church was Merger, and it sat upon a hill overlooking the ocean. It is a beautiful property, but this church of five hundred was worshipping under a tarp that gave very little protection from the elements. The building was so wide that we had to abandon our initial plans to use wood trusses, and the trusses had to be constructed out of steel and welded together. This is a much slower process so part of the team worked on these steel trusses at Merger, while the others worked at LaSalle. It was a major ordeal to set these steel trusses in place, and it took 15 to 20 men (Haitians and Americans) working together to accomplish the task. However, I am excited to report that this roof is complete, and the church is now gathering under a beautiful building from which the Gospel will flow.
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“Although it rained at night, we were never hindered by the rain again, even though it is the rainy season in Haiti. If you ever thought about going on a mission trip to Haiti, now is the time. I would welcome your questions. Please contact me via Email: TMcc1200@aol.com Please put Haiti in the subject line so that I will not delete the message as junk mail, or you may telephone me at (615) 633-5732. “At the church in LaSalle, the old roof was torn off and replaced within three days. The team sure worked hard, and for our efforts the church prepared a Haitian banquet for us that included fried chicken and all the fixings.” Harvest Partners, your loving support to our brothers and sisters in Haiti has been amazing. Thank you so much for your continued efforts to help us Rebuild Haiti. Certainly, God is to receive all the glory for His marvelous intervention and touching the hearts of our people to respond so readily when disaster struck—your prayers, WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
financial and physical support have literally portrayed the Father’s love. We still have a long way to go in assisting our Haitian family and your prayerful and loving support is continually deeply appreciated.
Personal Testimonial from Operation Rebuild Haiti
Canadian team member, Kettia Massenat gives her personal testimony: “I had the privilege of participating in the last missionary trip to Haiti that was led by Bishop Tim McCaleb (May 14 –21, 2011). It was an enriching and inspiring experience for me. The team was composed of 13 people. I knew no one previous to my trip; however, we all had one point in common—the desire to help in Haiti and make a difference in God’s Kingdom. I thank the Lord that He enabled us to accomplish the mission that we had set out to do: cover the roofs of two churches (Merger and Lasalle).
“Bishop Tim is an excellent project coordinator. He knew what to do and when to do it, not only to ensure the team’s well-being during the stay, but also to ensure the realization of the project that was at hand. His efficiency contributed to making this trip a success. “I would definitely recommend this type of missionary trip to someone who has a heart for Haiti and would like to do something tangible there for the Kingdom. If the Lord would tarry to return, I hope to be able to go back to Haiti and work on a similar project.” Kettia was able to translate during our times of worship with the Haitian saints, and she worked very hard each day as the team endeavored to accomplish the task of completing two church roofs. Below are several future dates that are already scheduled for Operation Rebuild Haiti mission teams to participate in this worthy cause:
Update “Some missionaries brought their equipment. The others brought their good will and their manpower. We carried material, nailed, sawed, drilled, and did all that was necessary for the project to come to completion. We also had the precious help of members of the local churches. It was beautiful teamwork. “The team slept at the COGOP orphanage, in Leogane. This facility is quite nice and will definitely be amazing once it is completely renovated. While I was there, I must say that it was a blessing for me to wake up every morning (5 a.m.) to the sound of the children and staff reading the Word, praying, and singing hymns unto the Lord (not to mention the roosters, the dogs, and the goats). “Afterwards, every day (around 8 a.m.), I was touched to see more than one hundred children and teenagers gather outside, in the center of the property. They were all beautifully dressed in their school uniforms, as they sang the national hymn and prayed before heading to their respective classes.
• • • • •
September 10–17, 2011 November 5–12, 2011 December 3–8, 2011—Orphanage Christmas party and visiting projects. This trip gives a chance to mission enthusiasts, who are not able to work, to visit Haiti and see the work first-hand January 7–21, 2012 February 25, 2012—March 3, 2012
If any of these dates will work for your schedule, and you would like to join the efforts by providing your services to help Rebuild Haiti, please contact Bishop TimMcCaleb, Project Manager, Operation Rebuild Haiti. Email is: TMcc1200@aol.com Please put Haiti in the subject line. Telephone: (615) 6335732
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Feature
Cuba
Riding the Wave of Revival
The Church of God of Prophecy was officially established in Cuba in 1935. Until about 1961, there were only 11 congregations in the country. That year, Americans had to leave the country and the new government no longer allowed foreigners to work as pastors. Bishop Roberto Lam, pastor of Guines, Havana, led the work for over 40 years, until 2002. With the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, he kept those 11 congregations and some other missions that had begun in those days.
Construction of a church in havana
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In 2002, Cuba was added to the responsibility of Bishop Jorge Marrero, overseer of the Dominican Republic. Working under him was Moises Hernandez, a Cuban pastor, recognized by the government as national president of the church. In recent years, the church extended from three provinces to seven provinces and new churches have started, through the united effort of missions and local churches that have been selecting and training missionary families. Many of our people in Cuba have been serving the Lord under extremely difficult conditions for years. Economic and political situations have imposed great limitations, but God has been doing incredible things in this island nation. What is happening in Cuba today is amazing. Our church has doubled the number of local churches and membership since 2006. There is a revival in the land. We are planting so many churches, so rapidly, that is hard to keep an accurate account. We have congregations in 10 of the 14 provinces in the country. Many young men and women have accepted the call to plant a church in urban and rural areas. Currently, we have many buildings under construction; however, due to financial and legal constraints, we are not able to complete these projects. Many lots are for sale, at very low prices, in areas that we are penetrating. We know this is a door that God has opened that may soon close. A great door has opened for the Church of God of Prophecy. We can now travel to Cuba and assist our brothers and sisters in the island. My desire is to have North American churches partner with local churches in Cuba to establish long-term relationships. To know more about mission opportunities in Cuba, please contact the office of General Presbyter Benjamin Feliz at bfeliz@cogop.org WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
Dwelling Place Regional Ladies Retreats 2011-2012
I don’t ever remember a time in my life when we have seen so many natural disasters in such a short amount of time. In fact, we have experienced so many just since the beginning of this year that I have heard people questioning whether the world is literally falling apart. Think about it. This year alone has produced a record number of monstrous, killer tornadoes, earthquakes in diverse places, unprecedented floods swallowing cities and towns, volcanic eruptions, and a number of tsunamis, including the one in Japan that brought such death and destruction that attempts are ongoing to measure the full fallout. There seem to be no answers for what is happening in the earth as we continue to witness one catastrophic disaster or emergency after another. While reading through the book of Revelation recently, I considered how America has always responded quickly to minister to the nations in times of disaster. In light of recent events, many Americans are experiencing a loss of how to respond to bring relief efforts to so many needs around the world, as well as meet the needs within their own communities. Unfortunately, these natural disasters are coming at a time when the world economy is also in distress. This summer we have witnessed regularly the news concerning the world debt crisis, and even the United States is having difficulty with solvency. Additionally, we have watched nightly as the news reports of national revolution and rebellion overthrowing governments that have exercised power and experienced stability for hundreds of years. Wildlife is also experiencing unnatural events. There are reports of thousands of birds dropping, already dead, from the skies all over the world. Tons of dead fish and ocean life are washing up again on diverse national shores. Add to this the out of control wildfires and eerie dust storms overtaking major cities, and we realize that our world has become an extremely unstable place. No one can really predict what will happen next. In times like these, we truly do need a Savior. Thank God for Jesus! And thank God that “the Lord has been our dwelling place in all generations” (Psalm 90:1). Often acknowledged as the oldest psalm in the Bible, Psalm 90 sings of hope restored in the eternal God who is our Dwelling Place. While Christ prophesied of the beginning of sorrows (Mark 24:8), He prepared his disciples for an even greater outpouring of turmoil in the earth. However, He also encouraged them (and us) that in Him we can have peace. Christ promised, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). As the world seems to move toward destruction and people long for a safe place in which to run and dwell, those who are in Christ have a confidence that “. . . in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His Dwelling; He will hide me in His shelter!” (Psalm 27:5 NIV). Perhaps there has never been a better time to provide ministry to women through retreats; to declare the safety of our Dwelling Place in all generations. Perhaps there has never been a better time to provide a ministry to women that will reach, not only the church, but also unsaved families and friends. This month begins the new season of Regional and International Ladies Retreats. Come join us for a new season of blessing, anointing, restoration and recognition of our only true safe refuge—God, who continues to be our Dwelling Place.
Cathy Payne International Director Women’s Ministries
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Regional Ladies Retreats Fall 2011
2011-2012 Season
Southeast
September 30–October 2, 2011 Ridgecrest Conference Center Ridgecrest, North Carolina Total cost per person: 3 or 4 in a room $140.00; 2 in a room $180.00 Applications must be postmarked before August 19, 2011
Mid-America October 14–16, 2011
Radisson Hotel Branson, Missouri Total cost per person: 3 or 4 in a room $195.00; 2 in a room $230.00 Applications must be postmarked before September 2, 2011
Rocky Mountains October 21–23, 2011
Crowne Plaza Billings, Montana Total cost per person: 3 or 4 in a room $185; 2 in a room $215 Applications must be postmarked before September 9, 2011
Pacific Northwest
Spring 2012 Niagara (Canada) March 30-April 1, 2012
Skyline Hotels Niagara Falls Ontario, Canada Total cost (Canadian Currency) per person: 3 or 4 in a room $265.00; 2 in a room $290.00 Applications must be postmarked before February 10, 2012
Pacific Southwest April 13-15, 2012
Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach Hotel Ventura , California Total cost per person: 3 or 4 in a room $210.00; 2 in a room $250.00 Applications must be postmarked before March 2, 2012
November 4–6, 2011
Atlantic Northeast Red Lion Hotel at the Quay Vancouver, Washington Total cost per person: 3 or 4 in a room $195; April 27-29, 2012 2 in a room $240 Sheraton Newark Hotel Newark, New Jersey Applications must be postmarked before September 23, 2011 Total cost per person: 3 or 4 in a room $190.00; 2 in a room $220.00 Lake Barkley Applications must be postmarked before March 16, 2012 November 11-13, 2011
Lake Barkley State Park Cadiz, Kentucky Great Plains Total cost per person: 3 or 4 in a room $155.00; May 4-6, 2012 2 in a room $180.00 Sheraton West Des Moines Des Moines, Iowa Applications must be postmarked before September 30, 2011 Total cost per person: 3 or 4 in a room $185.00; 2 in a room $225.00 Gulf Shores Applications must be postmarked before March 23, 2012
November 18-20, 2011
Ramada Plaza Beach Resort Fort Walton Beach, Florida Total cost per person: 3 or 4 in a room $170.00; 2 in a room $195.00 (Additional cost for beachfront room request) Applications must be postmarked before October 7, 2011
Please note: The international information is for U.S. citizens only. If you would like transportation information concerning the international retreats, please call the International Ladies Retreat office at (423) 5595337 or Email: womens@cogop.org Visit our web page at http://www.cogop.org
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! It is retreat season again, and this brochure serves as your personal invitation to the 2011–2012 retreat season. Last season, the Holy Spirit ministered to women in eleven nations and in all seven of our continental regions through international and regional ladies retreats. We have received many testimonies of the miracles of God during this time, as we examined Turning Point moments in our lives and ministries. We rejoice in the Lord for His work among us. Thank you for your prayers, efforts, and support that continue to impact this ministry, as it continues to be a tool which God can use to minister to women everywhere.
Register Early
Early registration will help you avoid late registration and walk-in fees. Be sure to share this with women you invite to the retreat.
Payment
The entire cost of the retreat tuition must accompany your application.
Check Policy
We are unable to accept postdated checks. Bank processing fees will apply to returned (NSF) checks.
No Woman Left Behind
Work together, in advance, as a group to raise funds so that every woman will be able to attend and have her money in on time. The theme for the 2011–2012 season is Dwelling Place. As you remember the anointing and freedom of the Holy Spirit experienced during the last retreat, allow the Lord to speak to you concerning who you might invite to share this ministry experience with you. Please join me in prayer and fasting for this retreat season. Let me personally encourage you to make plans now to come and join us at a regional ladies retreat. We will worship, fellowship, and explore God’s Word together. I am looking forward to seeing you in an upcoming retreat. I will be watching the mail for your applications. The Lord is our Dwelling Place throughout all generations! Cathy Payne International Director
International & Outreach Retreats SOUTH AMERICA
December 2–4, 2011 • Argentina
PACIFIC ISLANDS
February 17–19, 2012 • Waikiki, Hawaii
SPANISH CARIBBEAN Spring 2012 • Cuba
CENTRAL AMERICA May 18–20, 2012 • Panama
E
Ministry
Even though their numbers are said to be shrinking, children from birth to age 14 still make up almost 25 percent of the world’s population. According to statistics taken from the Euromonitor International, almost 80 percent of the children of the world are located in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. In the continent of Asia, China has the second-largest child population in the world, at 218.4 million, after India at 365.5 million. And in the country of Pakistan, this age group makes up over 45 percent of the entire population. Dedicated children’s ministry workers all over our region are faced with a great task. I’ve asked a few of these ministers to share with you. As you read through this article and look at the photos, you will understand just how great that task is. Many of our children are poor, abused, neglected, and abandoned. We long to reach out to them showing them Christ’s love.
Khin Hnin Yee, Director of Children’s Ministry in Myanmar states:
The Church of God of Prophecy has established four children’s ministries centers and one orphanage in Yangon, the capital of Myanmar. These established ministries give me great opportunities to minister to the urgent needs of the children. These children, who are Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims, struggle daily to survive. Myanmar is known as the “Land of the Pagodas” and the city of Yangon stands under the shadow of that. The shadow has been rich in its culture, myth, folklore, and art form. This makes it extremely difficult to create a true connection with the children. Our country still views Christianity as a colonial religion, so they say that Jesus is a tribal God. As the director for the past five years, I think about ways to reach the children all the time. I have come to realize that methods alone will not change children. Non-believers are very discerning. They have expectations that Christians will live what they preach and show love. To show love is the door opener. Love crosses cultures, faiths, generations, and leads us to children. I feel that the best thing I can do is to educate the children and to help them develop. The Holy Spirit is moving in the lives of our children. We are helping the children to know how to listen to His prompting and to discern right from wrong, good from bad, and holy from profane. Most recently, our focus has been on children winning other children to Christ, developing godly character, and meeting their needs. Thank you for all of your prayer, support and partnership with us in Myanmar!
We plan and creatively prepare weekly lessons, with strong, Bible-based activities that are fun and help strengthen each child’s walk with God. We have drama and dance for the children, as well, that is used for outreach. In addition, we have training classes for our staff on how to effectively minister, small group classes for parents, and bi-weekly parenting classes for incarcerated women. We are excited to report that within the last six months, 11 children were baptized in water. This summer we have plans to train the older youth in our Children’s Ministry: puppetry, finding and using your talents, and leadership responsibilities. A strategy is under way to include our Spanish congregation in a Children’s Day event in June, where we will join together to reach out to the children in the nearby community. In other cultural areas, we have been approached by a Micronesian Chukese Church in Hawaii, requesting their leaders be taught and trained in children’s ministry. They have close to 100 children in their church. We look forward to the opportunity to train these servant-hearted leaders and help them create their own style of children’s ministry. Our aim has always been to train and mentor young people and families so the ministry can continue for years to come. Every child the Lord brings our way has potential. Most importantly, we aim to involve the children’s parents and other family’s members, as much as possible, so that they can model what is being taught in children’s ministry. We believe an effective children’s ministry means working alongside the family, partnering together to bring about the best spiritual growth in a child’s life!
Elaine Que of American Samoa writes:
Most of the children at our local church are Filipinos born in American Samoa. Other kids are Americans and Samoans. Challenges that we face are the need for effective curriculum, teacher’s materials and resources, committed teachers, and transportation for the children. We are reaching out to the children through the means of Sunday school, youth programs, and other activities. Our hope for the future is:
• to have more qualified and dedicated •
teachers and workers to teach the children to evangelize the children and teach them God’s plan of salvation
National Children’s Ministry Directors Linda Ruddell and Amy Langley write:
We are excited about what God is accomplishing in the lives of our children, especially with the help of loving volunteers who give of their time and talents to minister to their needs. Hawaii is a very special place; it is called the melting pot of the Pacific. We have children from all nationalities and economic diversities. Some may find the diversity to be challenging, but we are teaching whomever God sends our way.
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• to increase motivation and learning abilities of the children by training them • to involve children in winning other children Northern India Regional Overseer, Joshua Wijonamai reports:
The Northeast region of India is home to over two hundred indigenous and tribal peoples of Mongoloid heritage. After India’s independence, when these territories were divided between Myanmar and Bangladesh, a number of national movements emerged, many of which have taken to armed resistance. Children of this region are witnesses, survivors, and direct victims of armed conflict between the State and various national liberation organizations. Violations of civil rights, including the right to life, have become routine. Civilians not engaged in armed conflict are frequently either casualties in the crossfire or targeted for reprisal. The use of beatings with bare hands, sticks, and weapons, as well as kicking, tying of hands, hanging from ropes, use of electric shock on body and genitalia, etc. are employed by the armed forces on civilians. Children are made to witness their mothers being sexually abused and raped and also are victims of the abuse; HIV is prevalent in this region. Of course, these are major challenges when trying to reach out to these children.
We also face the challenge of parents’ reluctance for children to join the literacy class because they feel it would be better for the children to be trained in field or construction work and that learning is a waste of time. We have taken some of the children into our home (orphanage) and continue to show the love of God to them and their families. In the future, we hope to see the children reach the potential that God has given them and to help them to know Jesus as their personal Savior. We have recently organized a new church in Bihar and are working with the children there. What a challenge confronts our brothers and sisters in Asia! More than 45 percent of the population is under the age of 18. Many of our Asian brothers and sisters understand and accept this challenge. Their resources are limited, but their passion and love are huge. Will you pray and give so that more children can hear the “good news” of Jesus’s love for them? Will you pray and give so that leaders and children’s ministers can be trained in the most effective methods of reaching 45 percent of Asia’s population, the children? For more information on how you can become involved, contact Children’s Ministries at cgpkids@cogop.org. —Kathy Creasy, Director Children’s Ministries
Reaching the Children of Asia/Oceania
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“While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done” (Luke 8:49-56)
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A Desperate Father Petitions the Master (8:41-48)
Jairus was a leader of the synagogue, perhaps a rabbi. We could think of him in terms of a leader or pastor of a church. His only daughter, age 12, was dying. He desperately came to Jesus and implored him for deliverance on her behalf. However, as he was asking Jesus for help, others crowded in on him and were doing likewise. Among these was a woman who had been sick the same length of time as his daughter had been alive—12 years. Everyone has needs and all want healing or deliverance. We all may come to Christ to find the same. Like baby birds in a nest not able to fly, completely dependent upon their mother for food and protection, we are likewise dependent upon God.
When the mother bird comes into the presence of the babies, they all cry out to her, with mouths wide open to receive nourishment, strength, love, and comfort. When God comes into our presence, we, too, cry out to Him to meet our need. Yet, just as the mother bird may meet one baby bird’s need at that moment and not the others, so God may, at times, meet one need ahead of the other(s). Jairus’ need was desperate; but, so was that of the woman with the hemorrhage. Perhaps also urgent were the many unmentioned problems of the many who crowded around Jesus. Still, Jesus met the woman’s need first —ahead of the need first mentioned to him by Jairus to come and heal his daughter. Look around you today. Everyone has needs. You have needs, too. Maybe today you have a desire to petition WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
God on behalf of your need. So do all the others. As we crowd in on God, whose need will He meet first—yours, mine, or someone else’s? If God meets someone else’s need ahead of yours, do not be disheartened. Jairus could have said, “Now wait a minute Jesus, I asked You for healing for my daughter before this woman came to you. Why have You healed her when my daughter is at home dying?” Maybe you have witnessed God grant the petitions of others whose requests came much later than yours and you still are waiting for the answer. Remember that Jesus has heard your request, too. Be assured that He is walking with you now and you are in route to your petition being met in His time. Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 speaks of everything having its own season, time, and purpose, and that God makes everything beautiful in His time!
A Declarative Faith Posited to the Man (8:49-50)
Jairus had seen the woman healed of her affliction. While Christ was still speaking to her, a messenger from Jairus’ household interrupted them with the sad news that Jairus’ daughter was now dead and said, “Do not trouble the Master.” Upon hearing this Jesus encouraged Jairus to not be upset or afraid at this news and that all he had to do is believe and she would be restored to life. Sometimes our petitions, that have yet to be answered, are interrupted by the messengers of doubt, fear, unbelief, or even the stark realities that from man’s perspective all is lost, as now any help would be “too little and too late.” But, we serve a God with whom all things are possible! “And he said, the things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27). Who said this? Jesus said it. The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending said it. The Way, the Truth, and the Life said it. The One who spoke the world into existence from nothing said it. Hang on to this truth! Refute the messengers of doubt and discouragement
who are telling you to give up on your petition— that it is too late— that no one, not even God, can help you now. Don’t believe that message, instead believe the message that Jesus gives us—that He is the miracle worker! That Jesus can do the impossible! I often sing this chorus for a faith builder and encouragement: “Got any rivers, you think are uncrossable? Got any mountains, you cannot tunnel through? God specializes in things thought impossible! He’ll do for you, what no other power can do!”
A Divine Force Produces a Miracle (7:51-56)
Jesus, his disciples, and Jairus finally make it to Jairus’ home. His wife must have greeted him to grieve the loss of their daughter. Already, family, friends, and mourners had gathered. Everyone went into the house, and Jesus was heard saying that the girl is not dead – only asleep.
He will exceed it!), that we ask or think (our petitions and imaginations are not bigger than God) according to the power (the resurrection, life giving power) that worketh in us (now operating by faith within us), unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Think for a moment that Christ is walking with you in route to answer your petition. You are traveling by faith from your present situation, problem, trouble, etc., to where He will astonish you with His miracle working power that will exceed by leaps and bounds all that you could have ever imagined or asked for. How many will join Jairus, the woman with the issue of blood, and the multitudes, and “crowd in” on Jesus this very moment for your need? Who will join them and fall at the feet of Jesus and plead your petition? Who will dismiss the messenger that interrupts and says, “It’s too late, do not bother God with this problem.” Who will put out the scoffers who
We serve a God with whom all things are possible! The mourners1 laughed Jesus to scorn as they knew she was dead. Mourners were often solicited in biblical times to lament with the families during the loss of a loved one, similar today when we make use of funeral directors, singers, ministers, musicians, etc., to assist us when we experience loss. Jesus puts everyone out of the house except Peter, James, John, and the parents. He then speaks to the girl, “Arise,” and she comes back to life. She eats some food. Her parents are astonished! When others say it’s too late and there’s no hope, Jesus can walk into midst of your situation and speak life into it. He can astonish you, as he did the girl’s parents, this very day! Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “Now unto him that is able (say God is able) to do exceeding abundantly above all (God will not only meet your expectation,
laugh at your faith? Who will say “I believe in the Miracle Worker and that with God all things are possible?” Who will stand today and declare what the Scripture says, that “God is able?” Who would join me here this very moment and say to God, do with me what you did with Jairus and his wife and “Astonish me today?”
Ben Duncan, Pastor High Point (Ward Ave.) North Carolina Bible (NET) 176. Web. 11 Jun 2011. http://net.bible.org/#!bible/Luke+8:51. This group probably includes outside or even professional mourners, not just family, because a large group seems to be present.
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fff faith
The Faith of a Few Good Friends
“Do you think I ought to take you to the emergency room?” My husband’s face was clouded with concern. “I guess so,” I mumbled. He was relieved that I had agreed to go. At the time, I had no idea that what was happening would become my “story.” Even now, knowing how it all turned out, writing about those first days is difficult. A good beginning is always the hardest part of writing an interesting story. So, here’s my dramatic intro: My name is Marsha Robinson and I am a miracle. I died and lived to tell about it. In January of last year, after being terribly ill for two weeks with what I thought was the flu, my husband drove me to the emergency room. It was a Sunday. I remember being very weak, but I was able to walk in by myself while he parked the car. I was assessed by the triage nurse and taken to the back. Several doctors saw me and a battery of tests were run to try to determine what was wrong with me. My husband was first told that I would be sent home in a little while. Later he was informed I would be kept overnight for observation. As day turned into evening, the nurse told him that he should go home because it would be a long wait for a bed. So, he did as instructed—only to be awakened at two a.m. by a phone call telling him that I had been moved to ICU and was on a ventilator. In a very confused state, he dressed and rushed back to the hospital. On Monday, the lead physician called my family and friends into a conference room. My husband thought the doctor was going to tell him good news. Something like, “This is her condition and here’s what we’re going to do about it and this is when she’ll be going home.” He didn’t think it through that all of that could have been shared with him without the need to “gather the family” as he had been instructed to do. The doctor informed the room full of people that tests had confirmed that I was in total kidney failure, with a raging infection that was so bad that I had a zero percent chance of surviving the night. He also explained it in these terms, “On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst that someone could be, she’s a 12. There is nothing we can do.” With that, he left the room. The click of the door shutting behind him was followed by stunned silence. My family and friends were in shock. For about three seconds. And then, spontaneous prayer burst forth like a broken water main. The entire room became a fervent, Pentecostal prayer meeting. Word spread to the others outside in waiting rooms and hallways. They began praying, too. You see, there are parts of my story that only other people can tell: people who walked the floor, the ones who kept the night watch. They watched—and
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they prayed. I was in a coma for eight days, and they prayed. My heart stopped on day 10, and they prayed. The doctors gave them bad reports, and they kept on praying. Undaunted and unashamed, they were filled with purpose. They bombarded heaven on my behalf. In later days, I would come to realize that what those praying people did for me has a parallel in Scripture. In Luke 5, there was a sick man who was unable to get to Jesus for himself. His friends carried him to where Jesus was, but they couldn’t get into the house. The place was packed with scribes and Pharisees. The scripture says, “And the power of the Lord was there to heal them.” Those friends were not going to let professional doubters keep them from seeing their friend healed. So they took him, on his uncomfortable portable bed, to the top of the house, and proceeded to tear the roof from the house in order to get him to Jesus. That is what praying people did for me. They tore away every obstacle with their prayers. As I pondered this, I knew exactly who was on the four corners of my bed, getting me to Jesus: my family, my friends, my friends’ friends, and unknown intercessors who were prompted by the Holy Spirit to pray for me. People in 30 states prayed—standing, kneeling, driving, in journals, on the phone, quietly and loudly. And I lived. See, the doctors weren’t wrong. They had plenty of evidence to support their belief that I was going to die. God just had a different idea. And faith was the evidence that my family and friends had for their belief that I would be healed. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Marsha Robinson, Cleveland, Tennessee WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
Last month, Adrian Varlack began his exploration into the prayer life of Christ by presenting how prayer disrupts the works of the enemy and how it was such an intricate part of the life of Christ. To read the article in its entirety, visit www.whitewingmessenger.org. Scene Two We have a window into the second prayer scene of Jesus’ life through our text from Hebrews 5. I believe Jesus’ prayerfulness was life-long, although the intensity of the description speaks of His passion leading up to the cross, in other words, His Gethsemane experience. We are told by several of the Gospel writers that, on the evening of His betrayal by Judas Iscariot (during and after His Passover time with the disciples) He began to be “sorrowful and very heavy” (John 13:21; Matthew 26:37–38). In the process, He took away all restraints on evil so it could do its ultimate, dastardly deed, that of executing the only truly righteous man, our sinless Redeemer. This was satan’s final attempt to murder Jesus. Our Lord signified His submission to this deed by saying to His arresters, ”. . . but this is your hour, and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53). Before His arrest, He is in prayer to His Father praying as the Son of God clothed in human flesh, exhibiting, for a few brief but significant moments, our fallen human tendency to avoid the pain of surrendering our self-dependency, the end of our self-assertion and rebellion, that trait that we treasure in contradiction to the God who made us to be dependent upon Himself. The words of reluctance were no doubt from our human side, showing His genuineness as the representative man, but He quickly overcame them with, “ . . . nevertheless, not my will but thine be done” (Luke 22:42). In the words of another passage, “. . . he became obedient unto death even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). This is ultimate dependence, ultimate surrender; it is the ultimate correction which humanity needed, to, as Torrance aptly says, “ . . . [resist] its downward drag in alienation from God, and [convert]
PRAYER: A Life Attitude of Dependence PART 2
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“Men ought always to pray and not to faint” places the onus upon us to follow in His footsteps. it back in Himself to obedience toward God...”1 And Jesus did it and did it victoriously and vicariously. He did it for love of His Father and for love of us. I can feel these two loves as I write in His presence! “Amazing love! How can it be? That Thou my God shouldst die for me!”2
Scene Three The last scene is upon the cross itself as He is utterly Godforsaken and man-abandoned, truly alone in the extreme of separation, in one sense, an eternal separation from the God upon whom His life depended. No other Man had ever been in this position, truly obedient to God, truly dependent upon God but, for God’s own purposes and for His own love of us, must bear the sin of every other man and woman, boy and girl, taking them as His own and suffering God’s eternal judgment against those very sins and against the overarching multiheaded principle of Sin, Death, and Hell itself. Our Lord cried out in this process, “My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). He went to the logical end of our rebellion in the bearing our sins in His own body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24). This is what WE (all human beings) deserved! God in His own mercy and plan had kept us from going there until Christ, His beloved Son, could go there for us! He truly “…spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all” (Romans 8:32). On the cross, Jesus culminated His life of dependence for Himself and for us by confessing, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Then He prayed the ultimate prayer of dependence and obedience even while His Father was putting Him through such unspeakable and unprecedented suffering and judgment because of us, because of my sins and yours, because of the original failure of Adam, because of God’s great love for us all. Truly alone3 and without God or man, Jesus said with complete trust, “Father, into Thy hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46) and did the ultimate act of an honest sinner, dying as all sinners deserve to die (condemned and forsaken) in submission to, and acceptance of, God’s just judgment against sin—death! The book of Hebrews tells us that by the grace of God He tasted death for every man (Hebrews 2:9) but at the same time He accomplished much more than this by destroying him who once held the power of death, the devil himself, the one who caused man to fall in the first place (vv. 14, 15). What a glorious victory our Lord has won! No wonder the earth shook and a non-believer involved with His crucifixion—a representative of us all—exclaimed, “Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39). Jesus was deliberately God-dependent until the very last— His dismissal of His spirit was into the custody of His Father.
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This was the last prayer of His full life of absolute dependence upon God as Son of Man. Oh, how much more we could write about this glorious deed of the God-Man, Jesus Christ, our wonderful Lord and Redeemer! But we must return to conclude our thesis: Prayer as complete, consistent, and absolute dependence upon God, the rightful posture of us all.
Conclusion “Men ought always to pray and not to faint” [to cease] (Luke 18:1). Jesus made this assertion in the midst of His own dependent human life as Son of Man and Son of God. In other words, He demonstrated for us what and how God’s creatures should be. His statement is much more than something we “should” do; it is how we “ought” to be! We were created for God-dependency. Prayer (or praying), without a true and consciously admitted sense of Goddependence in humility and trust (faith), violates Christ’s own spirit of prayer. I suppose this is what E. M. Bounds called “Prayerless praying.”4 Our praying must be “present continuous” flowing out of our true being, our dependency upon God in our daily and momentary living. Anything less demeans our true humanness, dishonors our God, and falls short of true Christian experience because its fails to imitate the example of our Lord. Christ has undone the devil’s control over us; He went about His Father’s business in His mission to save us; the prayer scenes from His life reveal His absolute dependence upon His Father for Himself and on our behalf as creatures made to depend upon God; His teaching that “Men ought always to pray and not to faint” places the onus upon us to follow in His footsteps. A. W. Tozer put it well when he titled one of his articles “The Whole Life Must Pray.”5 We are free to be whom God made us to be through Jesus Christ our Lord! The devil, sin, death, and hell are all defeated. Man has potentially been turned back towards God so that by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we may live in continual God-dependent prayer and service—our true humanity—for G od’s glory. He alone is to be worshipped! He alone is to be depended on! His name alone is to be praised! —Adrian Varlack, Sr. Church Historian ––––––––––––––––– Thomas F. Torrance Incarnation—The Person and Life of Christ, (Edited by Robert T. Walker) (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2008), p.205 1
2 Words from the old Hymn “And Can it Be That I Should Gain” by Charles Wesley 1707-1788 (www.wikipedia.org, wikisource). 3 Jesus had said to His disciples that His Father had not left Him alone (John 8:29) but for this purpose He had to be left alone hence His cry “My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me?” 4
Purpose in Prayer (Chicago: Moody Press Edition 1980), p 93
5 A. W. Tozer, The Whole Life Must Pray, (Bromley Kent: STL Books, 1980) p. 81. Tozer also wrote, in part, “As we go on into God we shall see the excellence of the life of constant communion where all thoughts and acts are prayers and the entire life becomes one holy sacrifice of praise and worship” p 82.
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MINISTRIES
LifestyleSTEWARDSHIP We hear a lot about lifestyle stewardship, which I take to mean that stewardship isn’t just paying our tithes, but practicing stewardship in all areas of our life. It’s not just about money, but about us stewarding, or managing, all God has entrusted to us. This is not an all-inclusive list, but includes our marriage, our families, our health, our time, our giftedness, our ministries, and on and on the list continues. Two of these areas that we may be missing are our health and our families. These two are so closely related because we cannot manage our families well if we neglect our health and vice versa. I was reminded in LDI that all mammals play. We should all be at play some of the time. To not take time to play is to not be a good steward of our family or our health. “. . . we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalm 90:9, 10, 12) “Teach us to number our days,” surely means to budget our days. We know when we budget our money, we will realize about ten percent more spendable income. Budgeting is simply planning, and planning maximizes everything—money and life. Play is important in all relationships. A marriage that isn’t working is a marriage that isn’t playing. In music, the important part is the rest—the rest between the notes is what makes the rhythm. Without the rest, there is no music. Without play and rest, our life will cease to be as beautiful as God intends for it to be. No one on their death bed says, “I wish I had worked more.” Rest and play gives us teachable moments with our spouse, children and grandchildren. It refreshes us so that we see God at work in our lives more clearly. We hear His voice more easily. As we make our pilgrimage—a journey to a holy place—we leave behind goodness. David, in his shepherding, knew that the sheep left a pasture fertilized by their presence. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” means that wherever we’ve been is better because we have lived a lifestyle of good stewardship. Following us is goodness and mercy, or kindness. This is not likely to be the case if we never play and are stressed out, hurried, tired and losing our health. The revealing question is, “Why are we not playing?”
• Is it that we see ourselves as indispensable to God’s work? “It won’t happen without me!” Are • we greed-driven—more work, less play will result in more money? • Has it been so long since we’ve played, we’ve forgotten how—we have no life
outside of the work of “ministry?” As a business owner, I worked to maximize everything—money, time, effort, etc. A lot of times, I thought, “Lord, you could have begun your public ministry earlier—at age 24 or 25, instead of at age 30 and healed thousands more.” God, first of all, followed the Levitical Law, but He also does not rush, hurry, or try to overload every moment. A good life is not measured in length, but in quality. Play brings a quality to life few other activities can. He is calling us to play! Jan Couch Stewardship Ministries Director
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MINISTRIES
Vision of Transition: PART 2
In my last article, “Vision of Transition” (August issue), I presented transition as a normal process within biblical history. I want to continue the discussion of biblical transition from the context of how we develop leaders. What must a vision of transition offer? Ultimately, it must offer emerging leaders the opportunity to develop as God-called, competent servants who are entrusted with leadership for this time. These leaders must be given a developmental track that aids them in their ministry pursuits. Our Movement is now offering more avenues or streams of education than ever before. This is necessary if we are going to encourage ministerial competency and ecclesiastical leadership standards as a church. Most of these streams offer formal training that expose our current leaders to historic and cutting-edge models of leadership, ideas, and trends. While these are necessary and should never be undermined, by themselves they lack the kind of development modeled in scripture that enabled the gospel to transcend first century ministry. Biblical leadership development is personal, hands on, strategic, and healthy. The leadership transition that time now necessitates within our Movement requires a new culture of leadership development. This culture must encompass a sense of ownership for leadership transition and development. The youth pastor, senior pastor, overseer, and even presbyter must see it as their responsibility to personally develop leaders who can potentially replace themselves. Many have said that we are in a leadership crisis because the church has failed to develop its next
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generation of leaders. Well, who is the “church”? If the church has failed then, in reality, I have failed. I take responsibility for developing leaders who can, at least, be considered successors to this ministry. I bear some of the burden for the leadership shortage within youth ministry, as well as emerging pastoral candidates.
Visible
In biblical history, at the death of Moses, it doesn’t seem that there was a quandary regarding who could possibly succeed Moses, because God kept Joshua visible before the people as he served alongside Moses. When a replacement was needed for Judas because of his betrayal and death, Peter didn’t seem to struggle with any candidates. Spiritual leaders in Scripture had leaders accompany and surround them while carrying out their mission entrusted to them from God. If we are going to have a vision of transition that reproduces leadership, then current leaders will have to see themselves as part of the process for ensuring that emerging children’s, youth, and “next-gen” leaders are both visible and being developed.
Strategic Project
Secondly, if we are truly to have a vision of leadership development within this Movement, it must encompass a process for intentionally, personally, and strategically walking with emerging leaders while they are ministering. It also requires that we invest in them to sharpen their skills and challenge them in their personal walk with God. Formal education alone cannot be considered adequate for developing leaders. Current leaders at all levels must consider and implement a process for mentoring emerging leaders. In Carson Pue’s Mentoring Leaders, he discusses what a successful process should at minimum entail, based on WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
his successful leadership development plan within the ministry “Arrow Leadership.” In order to ensure that his leaders develop a lifelong ministry that cultivates character, leadership skills, a growing heart for and fruit in evangelism, and a keen awareness of discerning what God is doing in His Kingdom, Arrow encompasses the following elements1:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Leadership Assessment Leadership Development Plan Residential Seminars Monitored Mentoring Leadership Clusters Assignments Structured Experience
If we are going to take leadership transition and leadership development seriously, we cannot entrust it to seminaries and colleges alone. While these are necessary components, they only educate the leader; they do not fully develop the leader. Development takes place over time, involves assessment, and entrusts responsibility and authority that is recognized and monitored. Consider Paul’s experience in 2 Timothy 2:2 and throughout the book of 2 Timothy. Paul says, over time, you have both observed my ministry and I have entrusted ministry to you. I have prophesied, laid hands on you, entrusted spiritual authority to you, seen your development, assessed your growth, and now release my ministry to you. As stated before, currently, we have more licensed ministers over the age of 60 than under the age of 40. Yes, this is cause for great concern, and thus, this clarion call; yet, what we actually have is an awesome potential pool of mentors, who with strategic guidance and training can complement our formal education tracks with a holistic developmental process.
Mentors
What must a mentoring process encompass? Mentors should walk with their protégés by helping them understand who they are as a person in ministry. Where are they in their honest pursuit of continued spiritual formation? How are they managing their roles and responsibilities as husband, father, wife, evangelist, neighbor and leaders? Mentoring should help the emerging leader gain emotional health in areas of their life that are underdeveloped, such as family relationships, unresolved emotional issues, financial health and indebtedness. The mentoring process will provide a sounding board for vision-casting, team ministry, administration and personal evangelism. The process should also monitor the ability of the leader to both vision-cast and implement ministry.
Lastly, the process should also encompass helping leaders transition to new phases within ministry, both positional as well as new ministry phases. This is certainly not exhaustive, but it begins the dialogue of a fruitful developmental process. It is imperative that we determine that we will be very intentional, strategic, and personal with emerging leaders as they develop. If we are going to pass the baton to a new generation, it must be as Jesus did, with disciples who were with Him, whom He knew intimately, and with whom He was able to empower for ministry. Emerging leaders today are looking for spiritual leaders who offer more than an appointment; they want an ally in ministry who can be honest and giving. While we may not be able to offer emerging leaders all we would like because of limited resources, any vision of transition must encompass, at minimum, offering leaders time, transparency, guidance, opportunity to vision-cast, and see their God-given visions come to reality.
Pray
In conclusion, if we are going to take leadership transition and leadership development seriously, we must pray for new leaders. Jesus instructs His disciples to “ask the Father for more laborers.” This is paramount because no matter how hard we work, none of us truly knows who God is considering to be His next leader. Peter and the apostles thought Matthias was the next apostle whom God would use, but Luke shows through his narrative that Paul was the one the Lord had chosen. We must pray and ask God for discernment to show us in whom He is working. As we pray, let’s thank God for the leaders He has given us in our past, and praise Him for the leaders He will be raising up. Let’s pray concerning the development of these leaders so that their growth is not stunted due to our negligence as mentors. In our praying, let’s believe this is a Movement that will continue to be led by Christ with God-called leaders following Him in the mission of the gospel. Leadership transition rests ultimately upon our dependence upon the Holy Spirit in His choosing of leaders, our sense of personal responsibility for developing leaders at every level of service in this Movement (young harvest leaders, pastors, evangelists, overseers, and presbyters) and a clear development plan that is strategic, intentional, experiential, transparent, and simple. ______________ Carson Pue, Mentoring Leaders, (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2005), 17. 1
Trevor Reid, Co-Director, Operation Omega International Youth Ministries
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NEWSHere&There Appreciating Your Pastor Have you told them lately that you love them? Pastors are a hardworking bunch and even though they should be honored throughout the year, October is set aside as Pastoral Appreciation Month. If you’re at a loss for what to do, consider some of these creative ideas provided by Ministry Outfitters (ministryoutfitters.org), used by permission:
• Cards are always encouraging especially when the notes contain ways the pastor has helped or blessed you. • Gift cards: Arrange for congregation members to mail a card (with a gift card) to the pastor each day during the month of October. • Treasure Hunt: Create a treasure hunt for the pastor and his family to do. They can end up in the church fellowship hall where the congregation is waiting with food and gifts. • Flowers: Give your pastor and family a bouquet of home-grown flowers. • Love language: Learn the love language of your pastor so you can communicate your love in a way that rings loud and clear. • This is Your Life: Have the pastor and his family sit up front. Throughout the event, they hear the voices of people who have been blessed by their ministry and try to guess who the person is. • Tell the World: Write a letter of appreciation for your pastor and have it printed in the local paper. • Make a Quilt: Distribute individual quilt squares to congregation members and encourage each family to personalize them. Have a quilting group put them together for a long-lasting reminder of appreciation. • Cleaning: Hire a cleaning service for 2-3 hours. Share more ideas with others at our Facebook page—ww.facebook.com/whitewingmessenger
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Bishop Beya Passes Away in DRC continued from page 5
from Bishop Levi Clarke and expanding the work into the surrounding nations of Angola, Chad, Congo Brazzaville and the Central African Republic. During his tenure, the gospel work exploded in the Congo from 12,000 COGOP members to more than 650,000, and spread to almost every corner of this impoverished nation. Despite the difficult economic and political conditions in this nation, Beya led resourcefully and organized new churches into new districts. His aggressive spirit is evident in a 2001 report which began, “We are living in the last days during which the devil holds an ace up his sleeve, trying to touch any level so that people could declare he is powerful and witty. . . . Our God never falls into sleep. . . .Even though we do not know what can happen to us in the future, we do know that our God is already there.” This intrepid leader traveled many miles across his nation by car, bus, and on foot, visiting cities and remote areas carrying the gospel. He noted the qualities of others and placed them in leadership roles. In one report on the various districts into which he had divided the work for more effective administration, he noted regarding one superintendent: “[he] is [an] incredibly worthy one in God’s affairs. A tender man, calm, and above all spiritual . . . his ears are always turned to God’s voice.” Bishop Howard also said, “Bishop Beya was a marvelous man. There is no doubt that part of the reason for his death is sacrificial giving, living and going to extend the gospel into the Congo. The Church of God of Prophecy honors the memory of Bishop Ntambwe Beya and the ministry of leadership that he has contributed to our ministries and the kingdom of God and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We mourn his loss and pray for his family.” Beya’s passing leaves a tremendous void not only in his family but in the ranks of Africa’s leadership, since he served on the Africa Administrative Committee, working closely with Bishop Sherman O. Allen, General Presbyter for Africa. Beya is survived by his wife, Mputu, their children, family members and co-laborers in the Lord. —Source: Charisma News Online–June 23, 2011
Youth Explosions in Galax, Virginia
We want to cry out, “Glory and honor to the King!” The youth from every denomination in our area are coming together for monthly “Youth Explosions.” Different churches are meeting and we are seeing an average of 480 to 550 youth in attendance each month! Praise and worship, preaching, and youth seeking the face of God are the “norm” in these meetings. Hallelujah! Here comes the “latter day rain.” —Doug Fleming, Youth Pastor
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Holy Spirit Encounter at Virginia Men’s Retreat The awesome presence of the Lord was present at the Virginia State Men’s Retreat at Camp Lowman, May 13-14, 2011. Special guest Bishop S. Y. Younger brought such a powerful word that ministered to so many of our men. The messages by Pastor Lyndon Johnson and Bishop Younger on Saturday “brought the house down” with men on their faces before God. I saw men that I have known for 35 years lying in the altar with their faces in the carpet, as God ministered to them. Bishop James Pentecost said, “I heard that young man, (speaking of Shaunte Younger), bring things out of the scriptures about the healing of Naaman that I have never heard before.” (Of course, Brother Pentecost is a youngster . . . he has only been preaching for about 60 years.) Ron and Robbie Boyd did such an excellent job of bringing down the wall of generational division in music. The young and senior saints were “one voice” as they worshipped the Lord in song. Our theme was “Striving for Maturity”, and I believe that many experienced “growing up” into the Head, which is Christ. To God be all the glory! —Gene Gillette
Hackleburg Continues Rebuilding In the aftermath of the deadly tornadoes that devastated the region, the Hackleburg, Alabama church and Pastor Clint Knowles have been an integral part of the community’s rebuilding effort. Knowles was quoted in a July CNN.com story about the rebuilding effort taking place in Hackelburg, Alabama. “Everybody is looking for a perspective on it,” Knowles told CNN. “I say, God is not punishing us. That is not the God we know.” The story also detailed the rebuilding and rebranding of the local church to its new name, Hackleburg Community Church. In the Alabama Update, the church reported that “God has added members to our church family every week. The total covenant members added in the month of May was 41! Our attendance is well over 200. God is faithful!”
Film Hopes to Inspire “Courageous” Fathers COURAGEOUS, the fourth release of Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking outreach ministry of Sherwood Church in Albany, Georgia, arrives in theaters September 30. Viewers will again find themselves crying, laughing, and cheering—sometimes simultaneously—as they are inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children. As law enforcement officers, Adam, Nathan, and their partners are confident and focused. They stand up to the worst the streets have to offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle— fatherhood. While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they’re quickly discovering that they are missing the mark. When tragedy strikes, they’re left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to God … and to their children? The film is already receiving high marks from ministry leaders who were invited to attend early previews. “I laughed and I cried,” said Bishop E. C McKinley, Tennessee State Overseer for the COGOP, after attending a screening. “As a former law enforcement officer, I identified with the main characters in the movie. (It was) a realistic portrayal of the emotional roller coaster police officers ride, and a as a minister, I can say without hesitation the veracity of the Scriptural applications was unparalleled.” McKinley added that, “This could be a tremendous outreach tool to help turn the father’s heart to his children, and present the Gospel message in a positive and relevant way. I highly endorse this film.” Shaun McKinley, Director of Communications for the COGOP, echoed his father’s sentiments. “Courageous was perhaps the most intensely emotional experience I have had watching a movie,” he said. “The quality of this film, combined with a compelling storyline, make it a powerful tool that challenges even the most mature of believers. It speaks to many issues that impact families today – grief, parenthood, infidelity, unemployment. Friends, couples, church groups, men’s ministries, young adult groups would all benefit from the experience of viewing this film together.” To learn more about Courageous or find a theater near you, visit www.courageousthemovie.com. —Shaun McKinley, Director of Communications
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NEWSHere&There
Testimony A Fulfillment of a Church-Planting Vision
I am so overwhelmed with God’s grace that I just wanted to share a bit about our church here in Suffolk. Over three years ago, God moved on my heart to build a church here in the large city of Suffolk. Out of courtesy, and also wanting to share what God was speaking to my heart, my wife and I made a point to talk with the pastor of the Suffolk church, who is also our District Overseer, Ben Fulton, and his wife, Rachael. We shared with them that we didn’t know where or how, but we were fully confident that God wanted us to build a church. At the end of our conversation, we prayed for God’s will to be done. God led us to a building designed for wedding receptions. March 2, 2008 was to be our first Sunday service. As we prepared for this exciting moment in our lives, my family of five prayed and put a notice in the local paper. I was hoping for at least 40 people to come. At 9:45, it was still just my family of five. At 9:50, it was still just my family of five. I said, “If no one comes in the next five minutes,
we’re packing it in.” Just then, a couple of people showed up who hadn’t been to church in 10 years. Then their daughter and her two children came. Then, a minute later, the owners of the property showed up. We had 12 in attendance for our first service. I’m being completely honest; I couldn’t wait for the service to be finished because I was so disappointed in the number of people. I sang a song, took an offering, and preached an eight to ten minute message. I told the “few” that I didn’t know if we were going to have another service next Sunday, but that I would continue to pray and let them know tomorrow. The first couple that arrived said to me as they were leaving “We’ll see you next Sunday!” The owner of the property said “I’d like to pay for the lease.” My son said, “Dad, I feel really good about this church plant.” After much prayer, I emailed everyone and said “I sense that God wants to do something very special here.” The next Sunday we had an additional five more people with a total of 17 in attendance. Easter came early that year. We did some outreach and had 75 in attendance. That first year, we averaged 55. The second year, we averaged 73. For our third year
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anniversary, we had 145 in attendance. Presently, we are averaging 125. We are in the planning stages of gong to two services in the fall. We are already going through the strategy and structure phase of this work. We bought this four-acre property in May, 2009, converting the hall into a sanctuary and the large garage into a Family Life Center. In just a few months of our first year, God sent us an “artist extraordinaire” who has done work for the Israeli Government painting murals in their synagogues and bomb shelters. He has sent us carpenters, steel workers, a master electrician, a sound engineer, etc. Walking into the doors of this sanctuary now, it has the feel of old Jerusalem complete with pillars and window dressings. Our heart is to daily reach out to those who are unchurched and to those who are seeking. The scripture that always comes to mind is where Jesus said “Look upon the fields for they are white already to harvest.” (John 4:35). I just wanted to publicly give God the glory. If you would like to know more about this testimony, just go to famharvestchurch.org. —Pastor Ted Fortenberry Suffolk, Virginia
In His Presence MINISTERS Ntambwe Beya; Kinshasa, DRC; June 18, 2011; National Overseer for DRC and licensed minister for 26 years (see news article). Lucy Jane Borders; Glendale, Kentucky; June 22, 2011; Licensed minister for 37 years. John N. Cameron; Clarendon, Jamaica; June 29, 2011; Licensed minister for 63 years.
Leila G. Dickerson; Surrey, BC Canada; July 9, 2011; Licensed minister for 44 years. Oscar W. Emerson Sr.; Salisbury, Maryland; June 28, 2011; Licensed minister for 55 years. Clyde W. Forbes; Connellsville, Pennsylvania; June 22, 2011; Licensed minister for 52 years.
Clyde Stanley Lambert; Fairmont, West Virginia ; June 20, 2011; Licensed minister for 43 years. Onaway McGlothlin; Wagoner, Oklahoma; July 14, 2011; Licensed minister for 62 years. MEMBERS Margie May Craig; Greer, South Carolina; June 30, 2011; Margie was the wife of Rev. Bruce Craig.
Matthews Cotton; Jacksonville, Florida; April 16, 2011; Licensed minister for 36 years.
Lovinah N. Gwebu; Gabrorone, Botswana; July 4, 2011; Licensed minister for 24 years.
Mary Joyce Craig; Greer, South Carolina; May 1, 2011.
Clyde Thomas Dillon; White Salmon, Washington; May 15, 2011; Licensed minister for 50 years.
Chester D. Lobban; New Brooklyn, New Jersey; July 10, 2011; Licensed minister for 21 years.
Ruth Estelle Hyatt; Des Moines, Iowa; June 14, 2011; Ruth was the widow of Bishop Clifton Hyatt.
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MESSAGES
God doesn’t listen to our pleas for vengeance, instead instructing us to pray blessings upon them.
DeWayne Hamby, Managing Editor
Evil for Good? Every once in a while, during your Bible reading, you might come across a passage that makes you wonder if your printing had a typographical error. Perhaps it’s something that revokes prior understanding of a subject or carries with it a nugget of information that rocks your theology. Bible reading tends to do that. I’ll never forget one such discovery that my father brought to my attention. It confused him and perhaps he wanted company in his bewilderment. Well, he succeeded, because I couldn’t make heads or tails of it, either. It was in the story of David and Saul. The Bible says that when the Spirit of the Lord departed Saul, an “evil spirit from the Lord” tormented him (1 Samuel 16:14). This is also referenced in 1 Samuel 19:9. It said an “evil” spirit. Several Bible translations, including the King James Version, write it this way. The Lord sent an evil spirit upon someone? That doesn’t sound like the God we know, does it? When I first encountered that verse, to be honest, I just put it on the top of my mental bookshelf, far back where I couldn’t reach it. So what if I don’t understand it; what’s the harm in that? I don’t have to understand everything. This may be where the “childlike faith” and the “lean not to your own understanding” kick in. Perhaps there really is something to the wisdom coming with age or at least with
life experiences that propel you to another place of understanding. In the years since first presented with that verse, I have lived life and it has not all been great. I definitely feel my journey has been blessed and I am grateful for the road I’ve traveled, but I can’t lie and say that hurt and harm haven’t come my way. I have lain in that hospital bed with friends gathered who shared, what was “meant for evil, God means for good” (Genesis 50:20). I have encountered unnecessary conflicts with others who make me cling to the Scripture that “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28). There have been nights of concern and anxiety where I dove into the promise that “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it” (Philippians 1:6). So what if the people who have hurt me, and the situations that have brought me pain were like the perplexing “evil spirit” sent by God to Saul? Especially in the midst of the trial, we just automatically chalk them up to being workers of the devil. It’s a little fun and cathartic doing that. What if they are unintentionally unaware workers for what God is doing in my life? Someone ended a friendship, cheated or did me wrong in another random way and yet it all works into a greater purpose.
With that in mind, how or why do I hold grudges against them? First of all, the Word teaches against bitterness. And we even know the famous quote says, “Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” It changes us for the worse. Combine that with the fact that it’s actually God behind the curtain orchestrating sometimes painful circumstances for our betterment and we’re blaming others for doing the work of God. Someone came to me once while I was directing a camp and asked me to have a talk to some of the other staff in charge of discipline. “Tell them not to be so tough,” they told me. My response was, “How can I do that when I’m the one who told them to be that way? I’m the one responsible for their actions.” Sometimes we talk to God about these people and say, “Lord, deal with them — they did me wrong!” But how could God heap punishment on someone who’s actually doing His will? God doesn’t listen to our pleas for vengeance, instead instructing us to pray blessings upon them. That gives me a different understanding of what it means to repay evil with good and to pray for our enemies. Maybe it’s not just a happy-go-lucky approach to being a good person when everyone else is evil, but perhaps because God knows that some of the people we’ve labeled as enemies really aren’t. They’re vessels.
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