TARGETED GIVING PROJECT 2011
PROJECT BUILD-A-SHELTER The five-year-old Gaborone Church has a Sunday fellowship of 100 adults and an amazing presence of 200 children! Class times of Sunday school are staggered so that we can share the meeting hall. But even then, most of the children’s classes are taught under the trees during the sunny days, and no classes can be held in the winter or rainy season. In spite of this difficulty, the children continue to attend faithfully and are contagious evangelists to their families. Many who attend the Sunday fellowship do so because the children mobilized to grow this church through evangelization of their families. Our dream is to install at least four insulated weather shelters and shades to protect these young disciples from the effects of sun, rain, and cold during their Sunday school classes and other ministry activities. Each shelter costs approximately $2,500 US dollars to construct with labor being provided by church volunteers. Our dream also includes landscaping an area of the church’s property to use as a play area that is complete with a sandlot, swings, and slide. The Project Build-a-Shelter guide contains interactive, creative activities that will involve children in age-appropriate giving and prayer activities and help them develop a compassionate heart for others. To download a free guide, go to children.cogop.org or call 423-559-5328. Phillip Segadika, National Overseer
2
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
Contents w w w w
Upcoming Events
May 2011 • Volume 87, Number 10
FE ATU RE S 6 Children in Ministry?
14 Standing in the Gap
by Kathy Creasy
by Kathy Creasy and Ryan Green
8 Moving Kids From Me to Ministry
18 Chosen to Minister
by Melissa Minter
20 Sharing Jesus
9 Shouting in the Temple
by Vera Wells and Elva Howard
by Amy Langley
E DITO RIALS
10 Overcoming the Barriers
4 Facing Forward: Church Pragmatism and Children by Randall E. Howard
by Phil Carnuccio
12 Here Am I, Send Me!
31 Messages: Information Overload by DeWayne Hamby
by John and Shirley Tasch
MINISTRIES 21 Heritage Ministries: First Assembly Commemoration Service 23 Women’s Ministries: Prayer Chain 24 North America Convention Schedule
U P DATE S 5 News: Here & There; Connect 26 Mission Trip to Haiti 28 Local/State/International News In His Presence • New Churches
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. 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: Elizabeth Witt, 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. The White Wing Messenger is the official publication of the Church of God of Prophecy.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS May 1–4, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies I Nicaragua May 5–8, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies I Costa Rica May 13–15, 2011 Great Plains Ladies Retreat Holiday Inn Select • Minneapolis, Minnesota May 14–21, 2011 Rebuilding Haiti Work Trip May 15–20, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies I Panama May 16–20, 2011 Youth Harvest Training—Kiev, Ukraine www.operationomega.org May 25–28, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies I Jamaica June 3–5, 2011 Caribbean Ladies Retreat • St. Martin June 9–12, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies III SE Spanish Region—Florida June 16–19, 2011 CBL School of Practical & Advanced Studies II SE Spanish Region—Georgia June 22–25, 2011 Youth Harvest Training—Baranquila, Colombia www.operationomega.org For more information, visit www.cogop.org unless otherwise noted. 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.
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
3
Church Pragmatism and Children
Aren’t children part of the high call of Christ to minister to the vulnerable and weak lambs of society?
4
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
The pragmatic says, “Children cannot give money to the church.” I know it sounds cold and calculating that anyone involved in ministry would boil it down to this bare essential. I would hope anyone involved in ministry would land on a much more noble, a much more eternal essential than this. After all, if we are speaking of reaching out to eternal souls, don’t children have them? And won’t children live longer as believers of influence than any other age category? And aren’t children part of the high call of Christ to minister to the vulnerable and weak lambs of society? Yes, I would hope we would all land on a more lofty bare essential when we come to boiling down our motives for ministry to children. Yet we have all heard this claim, so perhaps we could give it some attention here in this small page of reflections. My first point should be obvious to all. Any minister giving this as an excuse for not planning a strategy for ministry to and outreach for children is missing a huge reality. Everyone think with me of the Sunday Night Children’s Christmas Program as just one illustration. Now, the morning Christmas celebration has highlighted the choir and the drama ministry with excellence. The church is nearly full with holiday festivities in the air. So on Sunday night, we all know that in terms of excellence this Sunday night event will most likely lack a bit. As we drive up, it is a shock to
see that the parking lot is quite full even though it is 30 minutes before service time. That is unusual. As we enter the sanctuary, we see that the norm has been reversed. It is often hard to get a seat near the back row, but tonight at five minutes till church you cannot find a seat anywhere close to the front row, and someone has gotten your favorite seat as well. I could go on about cameras and video recorders everywhere, but I think we get the point. Some pragmatic individuals may think children cannot give money, but they certainly are magnets to attract the most economically potent segment of culture to your services. Yes, I am speaking of young parents who will be givers of increasing import for several decades, and their giving will be sustained on through several more decades again. Children are the most significant factor in why these parents will seek out your church and attend regularly. Oh, it pains me to think so pragmatically, but statistics do support such thoughts. The call to the Young Harvest does have pragmatic implications, of course. But far beyond these, we hear our Savior shouting out, “Suffer the little ones to come unto me” (Mark 10:14). If you really want to get pragmatic, in an eternally significant way, it will be to our best interest both now and into the age to come—if we hold dear to the heart what Jesus held dear to His heart.
WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
NEWSHere&There
LOCAL/STATE/INTERNATIONAL
Decreased Sexual Activity Among Young People The number of young people engaging in premarital sex has decreased significantly in the past decade, according to a new report released in March. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveyed 15- to 24-year-olds and found that 27 percent of males and 29 percent of females reported never having sexual contact with another person, a noticeable change from a reported 22 percent in 2002. The report did not specify reasons why premarital sex had gone, but some youth culture experts have speculated reasons could stem from abstinence campaigns to fear of sexually transmitted diseases. —Source: CNN.com
COGOP Couple at Center of Media Storm Over Marital Views
Owen and Eunice Johns, a Jamaican-born British couple that attend the Church of God of Prophecy, were recently spotlighted in the media for a controversy surrounding their plans to provide foster care. The Johns were denied permission to provide care based on their biblical stance on homosexuality. “Would you tell a child it was OK to be homosexual?” the Derby City Council asked them, to which they replied they would not. They said they would love the child but could not support the lifestyle. The Johns took their case to the High Court judges, who upheld the refusal. Cassandra Jardine, who profiled the couple for The Telegraph, said Eunice “might have done better to fudge the issue when asked a direct question. ‘But,’ [Eunice] protests, ‘our Christianity isn’t something we can just take on and off. It is our lifestyle.’” —Source: The Telegraph
Local Church Pastor Shares Story of Rome Mission Church
For Pastor Mark Benning, serving as pastor of the Rome Mission Church of God of Prophecy in Rome, Georgia is a dream come true. In 2004, Benning arrived in Rome to start a mission but faced years of challenges, including membership struggles and less than ideal facilities. “There was no heat or air conditioning,” Benning said. “When we started, we told everyone to bring their lawn chairs, and we would have service.” On top of that, members who were instrumental to the church had decided to leave, adding to the pastor’s discouragement. “I began to question God,” he said. “I had a vision about the church in Rome, and the main workers I had just left. My heart was broken. My vision was gone.” Contemplating quitting, Benning worked in summer youth camp and was encouraged by another pastor who shared his own story of ministry challenges.
News continued on page 28
Benning’s members returned, and the church was eventually able to secure a building he had previously only dreamed of getting—a 5,000-square-foot facility with a fellowship hall, seven classrooms, paved parking, baptismal, and seating for 150. “We are still in a dream,” he said. “The Lord was working the whole time on our future.” WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
5
C
CHILDREN IN MINISTRY?
hildren in ministry? Why is it a question in our minds? Why is it an anomaly in our congregations? Perhaps because we have failed to fully embrace and act on this fundamental truth—God uses children. Yes, we know that God used children throughout Bible history. We know some of them—Samuel, David, Josiah, Joash, the slave girl, the children in the temple, and more. But does God use children today? Consider the testimony of Austin Gutwein, who was nine years old when he decided to respond to God’s call:
“From that year forward, thousands of people have joined me in a basketball shoot-a-thon called Hoops of Hope. By doing something as simple as shooting free throws, Hoops of Hope participants have raised more than $2 million. The children left behind by AIDS now have access to food, clothing, shelter, a new school, and finally a medical clinic, which we were told will save an entire generation. A second clinic is now under construction. “I believe anyone, no matter what their age or skill, can make a difference.”
“In the spring of 2004, I watched a video that showed children who had lost their parents to AIDS. After watching the video, I realized these kids weren’t any different from me except they were suffering. I felt God calling me to do something to help them. “I decided to shoot free throws, and on World AIDS Day, 2004, I shot 2,057 free throws to represent the 2,057 kids who would be orphaned during my day at school. People sponsored me, and we were able to raise almost $3,000. That year, the money was used by World Vision to provide hope to eight orphan children.
Yes, God uses children today. And He uses children to do BIG things. David fought a giant and brought deliverance from Philistine oppression to the people of Israel. Josiah established righteous rule in Israel after 57 years of idolatry. A Hebrew slave girl witnessed to the commander of the armies of Syria, and from the day of his healing, he offered sacrifices to no other god but the Lord. Wess Stafford, director of Compassion International, tells the story of Compassion International staff members visiting a ministry sponsored by the organization at a local church in Ecuador. When they arrived, the pastor shared
6
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
that the ministry would not be in session the next day. Two young brothers who participated in the ministry had been hit by a truck while crossing a very busy city street. The sixyear-old had been killed and his brother seriously injured. The young boy’s funeral would be the following day. In an effort to protect children from the sorrow of death, Ecuadorian children do not often attend funerals. However, when the Compassion International staff arrived at the funeral the next day, they were surprised to find 60 children in attendance. They began talking with the children, asking why they had been allowed to attend this funeral. One child explained, “He’s the one who told me about Jesus.” Another child said, “He is the one who prayed with me to receive Jesus Christ as my Savior.” At the little boy’s funeral, the Compassion International staff learned that during the child’s short lifetime, he had led 50 people to Christ. If God uses children and through God’s work in their lives they do BIG things, what actions can we take to work with God as He works through children? Embrace the value of children. Jesus’ words and actions express God’s value of children. He called them to Him, He received their praises, He healed them, and He spoke of their importance in the Kingdom of heaven. He warned His followers, “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones . . .” (Matthew 18:10 NIV). In spite of His words and actions, His disciples kept the children from Him when the mothers brought them to be blessed. Like the disciples, the church today still fails to fully grasp the value of children in the heavenly kingdom. Vision statements, strategies, budget allocations, ministry, and leadership development usually focus on adults rather than children. Yet “Satan has never underestimated the value of children. To him, each child is a fresh battleground where God’s will can be thwarted.”* Cultivate discernment of God’s work. Jochabed saw that her baby was a beautiful child, a child of purpose. Because of this, she defied the commandment of Pharaoh and saved her son from death. Perhaps the spirit of God within her understood that her son was birthed to deliver his people from slavery. Simeon, a man full of the Holy Spirit, discerned that the baby Jesus, whom he held in his arms, would grow to be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:32 NIV). What is God doing in the world today to redeem individuals, families, generations, nations, and cultures to Himself? Right now, all over the world, children are being conceived who are destined to work with God to bring about redemption. And we have an amazing opportunity to discern God’s call on the life of each child, to proclaim it, and to work with God in preparing and releasing that child into ministry. Equip children to do works of ministry. It isn’t enough to teach our children Bibles stories and Bible verses. It is our responsibility to prepare them to do works of service that God purposed for them to do. When we read Ephesians 4:12–16, our minds envision men and women being
equipped for works of service, becoming mature, being joined together, each one doing his work. But that passage was written about all of God’s people. Saved children are God’s people. Can we envision children being equipped for works of service? Can we envision children being built up? Can we envision children being joined together with other members of the body to accomplish ministry? Can we envision children doing the works God purposed for them to do? Let’s rethink ministry to children. The ministry gifts (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher) were given to prepare children as well as adults for works of service. Let’s use these gifts to equip our children with Holy Spirit baptism, intimacy with the Father, the ability to hear and discern the voice of the Lord, a passion for the lost, an ability to share their faith, the development of leadership and ministry gifts, and more. Let’s work with God to equip them for every good work (Ephesians 2:10). Engage children in ministry. We often involve children in acts of service—visiting nursing homes, ushering in the congregation, assisting in the nursery. While those acts of service teach invaluable lessons and involve our children in the life of the congregation, we want our children to experience much more. We want to offer them opportunities to be intimately involved in what God is doing in the world today—missions, intercession, worship, witnessing, leadership, and more. We want to move beyond involving them in one-time events or weekly programs. We want our children to develop a lifestyle of ministry to God and to others. YES, God uses children in ministry. And He invites each of us to work with Him to bring value to children, to discern God’s work in their lives, to equip them to do the works of ministry, and to engage them in a lifestyle of serving God and others. ______________ *Jenkins, Lorna, Shouting in the Temple (Singapore: Touch, 1999), p. 50.
Kathryn Creasy Children’s Ministries Director Cleveland, Tennessee
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
7
MOVING KIDS FROM ME TO MINISTRY
Melissa Minter, Chatsworth, Georgia
I didn’t want to do it. I wasn’t sure it would work. I was wrong. Last fall, our church leadership decided to set aside one Sunday morning to put our “Faith in Action.” Each ministry was to find a way to put our faith in action instead of just worshiping within the four walls of our church. The youth group was having a free car wash. Others were visiting the nursing home. What could the children do? We finally settled on the idea of having the kids go door to door in the neighborhood passing out candy and sharing information about our church. I dreaded that Sunday for weeks. I do not enjoy talking to strangers. With grumbling in my heart, I left for church that morning. As the children entered the room, I began to feel their excitement. They couldn’t wait to go door to door! While walking around the neighborhood, they were all begging to go to every house. I learned my lesson that day. Childhood is the time to move kids into ministry. I don’t want to miss this window of opportunity. While childhood is an important time to teach children to minister, we face some unique obstacles. Children enter the world as selfish individuals. “I” and “Me” are some of their favorite words. Our first responsibility in helping children move toward a ministry mindset is to help them fall in love with I learned my Jesus. When they become followers of Christ, He calls them to think of others first. lesson that Second, we must wage war on a culture that day. Childhood wants to steal our children. Children are told to think about their own happiness above all else. As is the part of making themselves feel good, children are encouraged to help their community. While the time to culture might encourage participation in service projects, service projects do not equal ministry. move kids Anyone can temporarily give up time or money to into ministry. help others. Ministry involves loving and helping others while doing everything possible to bring them closer to Jesus. We do not want our children just doing good deeds. We want them serving and sharing the message that Jesus changes lives. As we strive to move children toward a ministry focus, it is important to remember four ideas:
• Model ministry. We cannot expect children to
know how to minister to others unless we first model this in our own lives. If we complain about the effort involved in a church activity, we can expect no less than complaints from
8
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
our children. However, if children see us ministering to others with joy, then they begin to see that ministry is a privilege.
• Organize opportunities for children to minister. Ministry does not always happen naturally for children. Give them responsibilities in church. Take them to the local nursing home to visit. Plan fundraising activities to help them send gifts to missionaries. The opportunities are endless. Seek God’s guidance, and get started!
• Equip children to minister. If we help children
find ways to minster, but do not teach them the skills they need, then ministry becomes something to fear. They need to know how to speak politely, share their faith, and pray aloud for others. Always provide training to children when involving them in specific ministry tasks that require unique skills, such as working in the nursery, helping to clean the home of an elderly person, or singing in the praise team.
• Value the contributions of children. If we want
children to have a ministry mindset, then we must value their efforts. Children are members of the body of Christ, and each part of the body is called to ministry. When we look at them as the church of tomorrow or as someone cute to put on stage, we do not value them as ministers of today.
When we help children move their focus off of themselves and onto others, we are helping them to serve their God. There is no greater privilege than to serve with children in ministry as we all bring joy to our heavenly Father. Jump through this window of opportunity, and see what God can do through children!
Melissa is the Children’s Pastor at Central Community Church in Chatsworth, Georgia. She holds a B.S. degree in Elementary Math and Science from Lee University and a M.Ed. degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Lincoln Memorial University. Melissa and her husband, Scott, serve on the International Children’s Ministry Task Force. She also edits the preschool lessons for One Accord Curriculum. Melissa is the proud homeschooling mom of Laura, age 7, and Leah, age 6.
WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
SHOUTING IN THE TEMPLE KIDS WHO WORSHIP
Amy Langley, Hawaii
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free; My God, my Savior has ransomed me, And like a flood His mercy reigns, Unending love, Amazing grace.1 Our children’s church was singing these Chris Tomlin lyrics when a ten-year-old girl began crying and raising her hands toward heaven. As other children began to follow suit, I thought to myself, “We’ve come a long way from singing the action song, Father Abraham.” “Our postmodern world indoctrinates children into believing everything is about them. Worship is one of the few things where the focus is completely off them.”2 Worship is focusing only on God. As parents and educators, we need to understand and experience true worship before we can teach this truth to our children. True worship is more than singing about God; true worship starts in our hearts. The word for worship in Hebrew means “to bow down.” Worship is our heart attitude of bowing down to God. God created worship for Himself, and He created us to worship only Him. “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness” (Psalm 29:2 NIV). Not only can we guide children into living God-focused lives, we can also teach our children that when we give our lives to God, everything we do becomes worship and can bring honor to God. Are we modeling worship in our everyday lives? “So what does it look like to worship God all the time? It’s doing everything to draw attention to His greatness and goodness. It’s doing the things God commanded us to do and avoiding the things He has forbidden . . . it’s loving our spouse and children, driving our car, going to school, and working at our jobs in ways that bring glory to the Savior whose praise will never cease.”3 Every moment is an opportunity to worship God. “Can we teach our children to worship God at the same time they are learning to walk, talk, and tie their shoes? After all, worship is the only thing they will do forever!”4 I had the privilege of homeschooling our two children, Josh and Tori. Worship and learning about
God was part of our daily routine. Three-year-old Tori had an opportunity to audition for her first commercial. Upon arriving at the casting call, 100 little girls trying out for the same part were practicing “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” When it was Tori’s turn, the director asked her to sing a song. She sang “Jesus, Name Above All Names” and got the part. Is it possible for our children to know so much about God that they could talk and sing about Him? Absolutely! But it is our responsibility to teach them to fall in love with Jesus at an early age and learn to seek Him first in life situations. The more our children know God through His Word, the more genuine their worship will be. “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:23 NIV). In her book, Teaching Kids Authentic Worship, Kathleen Chapman makes this promise: “If children spend five minutes a day worshiping and adoring Almighty God, it will become part of who they are and who they grow to be. They will fall in love. It will begin the lifelong process that will forever glue them to God.”5 I can happily report that our children, now adults, remain passionate about worship. My prayer is that you will begin to seek God for a new anointing and passion to teach every child in your The more our care how to truly worship God. After all, worship is the only thing they will children know do forever! _______________ Tomlin, Chris, “Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone” (EMI Christian Music Group, 2006). 2 Chapman, Kathleen, Teaching Kids Authentic Worship (Baker Books, 2003). 3 Kauflin, Bob, Worship Matters (Crossway Books, 2008). 4 Jakes, Sue, “Children in Worship” (goteach.gcp.org). 5 Chapman, Kathleen, Teaching Kids Authentic Worship (Baker Books, 2003). 1
God through His Word, the more genuine their worship will be.
Amy Langley has been involved with Children’s Ministry for 33 years. She lives in Hawaii with her husband, Gary, Overseer of Hawaii. They have two children, Josh and Tori, and are soon to be first-time grandparents. Amy has taught Creative Worship Dance workshops for camps, retreats, and the Assembly for Children. She currently serves as Children’s Creative Arts Director for Reunion Church in Honolulu.
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
9
Empowering Children to Minister One of the most important roles of adults, parents, and children’s ministers within the local church is to help the younger generation to recognize their value and their God-given gifts. Sometimes, we as adults lose sight of this wonderful role. We get desensitized by barriers that are put up to discourage us from stepping into that role. Listed here are a few barriers that we may allow ourselves to believe, but, in reality, they are just lies. It is time for us to break through these barriers, embrace our children, and encourage them to allow the Lord to use them for His kingdom!
10
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
They need to grow up first. Do you remember the phrase, “Children are to be seen and not heard”? This can be a view that is embraced in the church. It’s easy to assume that children are too young to minister effectively for the Lord, but that is not true. Children should be seen and heard, especially in the church setting. Remember the words that Paul shared with young Timothy: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12 NIV). God has made all people, including children, in His image. He created them with gifts, talents, ideas, visions, ingenuity, and industry to impact the world. As adults, we have the ability to see these qualities in children before they realize that they have them. It is our duty to speak it out so they have confidence to move in the way that God has made them. If we believe they are too young to be used, then we will fail to help them recognize and develop their gifts. Fear paralyzes most people, and so it is critical that we help children overcome fear by fanning the flame of the gift that God has put in them. Paul also said to young Timothy, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:6, 7 NIV). This is a beautiful representation of an adult empowering the younger generation. Paul knew what God had for Timothy, but Timothy needed guidance through that. He wasn’t able to see it yet. So Paul stood beside him
and mentored him. This leads us to the next barrier that we as adults may face.
They do not want me around. Influencing the next generation happens through relationships, up-close and personal. Though the current culture projects images of children and young adults independent enough to make their own decisions, the reality is that they still need guidance. It is a lie to believe that the next generation does not want older people around them. That’s not the way God designed discipleship to happen. We see this so clearly through Jesus and His relationship with the disciples. He welcomed the questions that they asked and spent time with them, developing their spiritual hearts and minds. My experiences as I have worked with children and youth is that they desire to be mentored by those who are older and more mature. Rather than believing the lie, “They don’t want me around,” adults need to step up and become spiritual mothers and fathers to the young just as Paul was to Timothy.
I would never do it that way! When we do not understand something, our temptation is to control it. When we empower children, there is potential that their ideas may differ from the way we would do things. The question is, Can we release them to do it? Can we allow them to do it their own way while still being involved by guiding and protecting
them? In fact, it takes discernment and personal security to allow something to be done that is out of our comfort zone while still providing guidance. It’s tricky! They will make mistakes just like adults make mistakes. Peter constantly made mistakes in his journey, but the Lord never gave up on him. He never stopped guiding Peter. When children make mistakes as they minister, reassure them with the truth that they are loved and that the Lord is at work.
What if they get hurt? As parents, we want to protect our children. It is hard to see them experience pain, but we cannot prevent all pain. When children step out in ministry, they will at some point get hurt along the way. They will be criticized. They will be rejected. They will feel the attack of the evil one. They will be misunderstood. They will get discouraged. But in that place, you need to challenge them to depend on their loving, heavenly Father. With that guidance, they will experience His comfort, strength, power, and presence. Release them into God’s hands (2 Corinthians 4:7–18). It isn’t easy to overcome these barriers so that children are empowered to minister. But it is necessary! It pleases the heavenly Father when His children embrace their God-given gifts. Why should we prevent children from experiencing the joy of sharing the truth of God’s love through their unique gifts? Let’s spur it on! Let’s strengthen them because ultimately this will strengthen the body of Christ.
Phillip Carnuccio West Chester, Pennsylvania After graduating from Philadelphia Biblical University in 1990, Phil served as Youth Pastor at Calvary Fellowship Church in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, for 11 years, then as Pastor of “The Bridge” for four years. In 2006, following God’s call, he planted a church in West Chester, Pennsylvania, called Providence. Phil and his wife, Jill, have three children and currently reside in West Chester.
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
11
For more than 20 years, we have provided spiritual instruction and practical ministry training as we travel with children on short-term mission trips all over the world. We have seen them preach the Gospel to adults and children alike. They prophesy, see visions, and lay hands on the sick just as Jesus commanded. Children have a passion, compassion, desire, and need to minister in the same way an adult would. They need a spiritual outlet. There is nothing like seeing the sparkle in the eyes of a
12
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
child as they touch the life of a person who is desperately in need of the Gospel. Although children have not been esteemed in the past, Scripture tells us that Joel prophesied, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy . . .” (Joel 2:28). Now look at what Jesus had to say in Mark 16:15: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” In verse 17, He states, “. . . these signs shall follow them that believe. . . .”
Neither Joel nor Jesus said how old the believer had to be. Unfortunately, it is the church that has set the limit. A child has the same capacity to serve God as an adult, but has been taught to sit on the sidelines observing rather than participating. Then, upon becoming an adult, they are expected to “Get up and get involved.” Children have been given the same Holy Spirit as an adult, not just a “junior-size” Holy Spirit. The only limits that children have are the limits that adults put on them.
WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
At the age of 12, Jesus didn’t think He was too young to be about His Father’s business (Luke 2:40–49). Samuel ministered as a child (1 Samuel 2:11, 18). Children attended Jesus’ meetings (John 6:9–14), and parents even brought their children to His meetings to have Him touch and bless them (Luke 18:15, 16). People are often shocked and amazed to hear that children can minister effectively around the world. On our mission trips, each child is anointed by God to do the work of the ministry. People are repentant of their sins and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior as God’s power works through the children. Healings and miracles are commonplace as the children minister. After a ten-year-old boy laid hands on an elderly lady in a wheelchair, she stood up and walked. On a mission trip in Mexico, a young boy prayed for a woman with a withered hand, and it became whole once again. On one occasion, a deaf woman’s ear was healed. A 14-yearold demon-possessed girl experienced complete freedom as the children serving on the mission team prayed. God is using children today. The wind of His Spirit is blowing through children’s ministries around the world. He’s drawing them into intimate worship and filling them with boldness, a vision for the world, and compassion for the lost. Many times, they can express God’s love in a way that people find easier to receive. They are young missionaries, invading the kingdom of darkness with God’s boldness and compassion. With every impending revival, God has always empowered children with His Spirit. We are in the time of the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit just before the church is caught away to be with the Lord. Jesus delights in seeing His little ones moving out for Him to gather the greatest harvest of all time. He said, “Suffer [let] little children . . . to come unto me . . .” (Matthew 19:14). They reach out to Jesus Himself when they reach out to His hurting world. He will help them, as small as they are, to do things as big as He is. John and Shirley Tasch North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
a Heart for Missions in Kids How can we raise children who have God’s heart for the world and His Great Commission?
Focused Prayers
Guide children in praying for the following:
• • • •
Persecuted Christians. Excellent resources to provide prayer targets include Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) and Kids of Courage, the youthoriented arm of VOM, as well as the website persecution.org. Missionaries. Make information cards on missionaries including name, family information, country where they are serving, and a photo, if possible. Rotate through these cards during prayer time. World events. Keep kids informed of current news and realities around the world. Help them to see beyond their own cultural perspective to understand the perspectives of people around the world. Kids just like them. Connect kids with missions by encouraging them to pray for kids like them in countries far from their own. They can pray for kids who are their same age, same grade in school, play the same sport, like the same subject, and experience the same problems (poverty, divorce, bullying, etc.).
Generous Living
Encourage children to give to others:
• Teach children to be a good steward of their money and give resources to those in need and to God’s work around the world. Provide opportunities for them to give to mission projects, and •
make sure that the money they give is money they have earned— not given to them by Mom or Dad. Some organizations that have giving projects children can participate in are Helping Hands for Kids, Samaritan’s Purse, Compassion International, World Vision, and the Heifer Project.
Life Experience
Help children get a glimpse of the worlds beyond their world:
• •
Provide opportunities for them to serve in environments that are unlike their own such as a homeless shelter, food pantry, or inner city day care. Let them experience other cultures. Introduce them to the food, language, customs, and religion.
John and Shirley Tasch have more than 40 years of experience in ministry to children and the entire family. They have a wealth of experience in training church leaders, ministry consulting, mentoring teenage interns, and facilitating and leading short-term missions. Their ministry has taken more than 4,000 children, youth, and adults on short-term mission trips. To schedule or get more information about Tasch Ministries International go to www.taschministries.com or call (336) 838-1042. WWM M AY 2 0 1 1 13
A
nine-year-old girl felt led to pray for “Invisible Children” (these are the children in Uganda who run away so they might avoid being forced to become soldiers) during an intense time of intercession. A real spiritual battle was in progress. As she led, several kids began to speak and command soldiers to “Stop in your tracks, right now, turn around, and leave the children alone!” Two days later, something shook in Uganda. A government and rebel cease fire was announced. The soldiers stopped fighting! An 11-year-old girl whose friend had a heart attack while playing soccer and was on life support shared this serious prayer need with kids in her church’s kids’ prayer group. If the girl’s heart did not begin beating, the doctors were going to disconnect life support in order to harvest her organs. The children prayed. The next day, the doctors began to disconnect the machines to harvest the organs as the mother watched the monitors flat-line. Then the heart gave a blip. The doctor shocked the heart. The heart started beating on its own. The young girl has made a complete recovery!
What Is Intercession?
Intercession comes out of a genuine concern or care for others. It comes when we seek, plead, entreat, and ask urgently for someone else. Moses stood in for the Israelites, Abraham for Lot and his family, Daniel for his people, and the New Testament churches for Peter and Paul. They turned their eyes from self to God and others. In Ezekiel 22:30, God was looking for someone who cared enough to “build up the wall” and “stand before me in the gap.” God wanted someone to get in the way of His anger and wrath. He wasn’t going to pour it out on the innocent person who chose to stand in the gap. He was hoping someone would care enough to cry out, do something. Intercession is when we take on others’ needs as though they were our own and bring them before God that His will is done.
Children as Intercessors
affect their lives. As a result, many children look for ways to control or gain power. They often turn to gangs, drugs, sexual behavior, violence, and other forms of “acting out.” Yet God has provided a way for children and adults to have power over their circumstances. The Bible tells us that “. . . the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Corinthians 10:4). One of the weapons God has given us is prayer. As we teach children to pray, we provide them with a sense of hope that as they pray they are accessing God’s power to change their life circumstances. Also, when we teach children to intercede, we move them from a “me” focus to a focus on God and His will for others—nations, people groups, and individuals. As children move into a Kingdom focus, then God’s will is also accomplished in their lives (Matthew 6:33). Finally, when we engage children in intercession, we involve them in God’s work in the world today. We help them become world-changers. As they stand in the gap praying God’s will to be done, events and circumstances are changed. One Indian pastor began involving kids in prayer by having them draw a map of the things in their village that needed to change. Some of the things
Standing in the
Intercession isn’t reserved for elite super-Christians. It’s God’s desire that we all take part in intercession (Romans 8:26). Children can be intercessors, and it is easy to involve them in intercession when they realize that it is “standing in the gap” for someone who needs their prayers.
Why Involve Children in Intercession? Children today experience many circumstances that are difficult, even unspeakable—family dysfunction, abuse, neglect, addiction, bullying, poverty, disease, and more. In many of these situations, children feel powerless, unable to stop or change those circumstances that drastically
14
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
included poor drinking water, lack of jobs, mistreatment of children, disease, and more. As the children began to pray, things changed in their village, and the map was redrawn showing these changes.
How Do We Involve Children in Intercession? KidsPrayer.com offers seven essentials for teaching kids to pray. The first essential is teaching them to worship God. When children learn to focus on God and His character, their faith in His ability to respond when they pray grows. Another essential is Kingdom-praying. Too often, children’s prayers are focused on the things they need personally. But intercession is not about us; it is about God’s will being accomplished in the lives of others. It is big-picture praying. Other essentials that are important to effective intercession include learning how to listen to God’s voice, praying in faith for healing, praying the Scriptures, putting on the armor of God, and being baptized in the Holy Spirit. We involve children in intercession by providing opportunities for children to intercede, opportunities for them to stand in the gap. Take the children on prayer walks in the community, around the school, through the church, or in the parking lot of a hospital. Connect them with missionary children with whom they can become prayer pals. Keep them informed of current news events in our nation and in countries around the world, and lead them in interceding for those who are impacted by these events. The Scripture says “that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name there am I with them” (Matthew 18:19, 20 NIV). God meets with children who intercede for others. God uses them to advance His
Gap!
Engaging Kids in Intercession Kingdom here on earth as they pray. Let’s equip then release them to “stand in the gap.” Kathryn Creasy and Ryan Green
Ryan Green has served as the children’s pastor at Summerville Family Worship Center in Summerville, South Carolina, for the last five years.
What can we do to get kids in our local church involved in intercession?* Take a poll among kids, and just ask them a few simple questions such as the following:
• • • •
Would you like to hear God’s voice? Would you like to learn how to pray? Do you want to be a world-shaper? Do you want to learn how to pray for people to be healed?
If their responses to the poll do not show an interest, pray for a hunger for prayer to be born in them; then take the poll again later. If the children express interest, set aside a time each week to begin the adventure of intercession.
The following are some excellent resources you can use.
Websites: KidsInMinistry.com PrayKids.com KidsPrayer.com
Curriculum, Lesson Materials: • • •
7 Essentials of Kids’ Prayer. E-mail pray@upci.org to order. Kids’ Prayer Activities and Lessons. E-mail nanderson@landmarktabernacle.org or russellanderson77@hotmail.com to order. Kids’ Gap by Jenny Almquist. Published by PrayerShop Publishing, Terre Haute, Indiana.
Prayer Tools: • • • • •
Globe Nation flags T.H.U.M.B. prayer cards. Available at navpress.com. Prayer spinner. E-mail esthernet1@aol.com to order. Scripture Praying for Kids. Download at new.wnop./prayerGuides/.
*Adapted from an interview with children’s prayer leader, Angie Clark, at ninetyandnine.com.
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
15
Institute of Children’s Ministry September 22–25, 2011 Ridgecrest Lifeway Conference Center Near Asheville, North Carolina
If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. Romans 12:8, NLT
16
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
Take the Lead!
will give you opportunities to embrace and strengthen the gift of leadership God has given you. Activities, teaching sessions, and relationships will help you grow in your understanding of how to:
• • • • •
Lead from a place of spiritual and emotional health. Lead up, influencing those who serve above you and those who serve alongside you. Lead children’s ministry strategically, creatively, and relationally. Lead families in creating faith environments in their homes. Lead children so that they are fully engaged in relationship and ministry.
ICM Leadership Paths LEAD WITHIN LEAD UP LEAD OUT LEADING IN THE CLASSROOM LEADING KIDS INTO RELATIONSHIP AND MINISTRY LEAD CREATIVELY “Leadership is the challenge to be something more than average.” —Jim Rohn
Take the Lead! Attend the 2011 Institute of Children’s Ministry.
Registration begins at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 22. The evening meal will be served at 6:30 with the evening session following. The Institute concludes at 12:00 noon on Sunday, September 25, with lunch immediately following.
REGISTER NOW! Name _____________________________________________________________________________ Registration fee includes buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily; 3 nights double accommodations in rooms with two Address ___________________________________________________________________________ queen-sized beds; AND conference materials. City ____________________________________ State __________ Zip _______________________ Postmarked prior to August 12, 2011 Phone _______________________________ E-mail _______________________________________ $280 (Alumni of ICM may deduct $25 from the registration fee if Church Name and Address _________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________
received prior to August 14, 2011.)
Registration postmarked prior to August 26, 2011 $25 additional fee Registration postmarked prior to September 9, 2011 Spanish Translation needed: Yes ______ No _______ $50 additional fee Method of Payment q Check q Credit Card q Visa q Mastercard Registration postmarked after September 9, 2011 Cardholder’s Name _______________________________________________________ $75 additional fee Card Account #_________________________Expiration Date_____________________ Registration fees will be fully refunded if cancellation is made before September 2. After September 2, a $140 Signature ___________________________________________________ cancellation fee will be deducted. Person(s) you desire to room with _________
(These applications must be received no later than August 1, 2011.)
“Chosen”—the Huddleston, Virginia, Children’s Ministry—sponsored a summer ministry team in which nine children between the ages of 9–14 participated. At the beginning of the new year, the ministry team began meeting to pray and develop their ministry plans. Each team member committed to putting the ministry team first even if it meant giving up sports and other activities that might interfere. Everyone spent time in prayer together seeking the heart and direction of God. As a group, the team came up with ministry plans and began practicing. Team members spent countless hours preparing to minister. They memorized scriptures. They practiced leading children through a prayer of salvation. They learned to get along with one another in preparation for living together during each camp and crusade. Team members not only prepared for ministry, but they learned life skills such as cleaning bathrooms, sweeping floors, and exercising basic manners. The team ministered in two children’s camps as well as two children’s crusades. Each team member was encouraged and empowered by the opportunity to serve God and reach out to other children. It was so awesome seeing children minister to other children. It did not matter if the team members forgot lines or missed dance steps because the children they were ministering to were captivated by the team. They were inspired to minister for God as they saw children their own age doing so. During the 15 services we conducted this summer, 42 children were saved and 15 received the Holy Spirit baptism. The following are comments from some of the team members: “I have really enjoyed being on the ministry team the past two years. Last year, when the ministry team went to Iron Gate, I prayed with a little girl to be saved. Ever since then, she has stayed in touch with me by texting and calling. It feels good to know that I have made an impact on her life. I’ve really enjoyed working with and getting to know kids. I’ve loved watching how God moves through the kids.” —Heather Nance, 14 years old “Each time the team met, we would have a prayer time. During one of the prayer times, our leader, Stephanie, brought us outside to look up at the stars and see all that God had created. I got an amazing blessing out of this. I was praying, and God told me to reach out my hand, and I literally felt God shake my hand! Also, Jesus came up behind me and patted me on the back. This has been an amazing experience.” —Christian Quesenberry, 13 years old “I love being able to be on the ministry team because I have an opportunity most people don’t have to minister. I just feel more of a burden than I used to for children’s ministry. It’s so much more important than we think. I’ve had the chance to change eternity. I don’t say that in a bragging way, I’m just so blessed. I’ve got to see so many kids in bad situations and tell them about Jesus in a way that they can understand and accept.”—Emily Cheek, 13 years old
18
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
“I think the ministry team has brought me closer to God—very close. The services we created didn’t just speak to the kids, they spoke to me. When I’m saying my part, I start to understand what it means. I’m changing so much. I never wanted to go to church or pray, but now I always want to go to church, and I don’t even think about praying, I just start out of nowhere. I have made better choices, and I have opened my heart for God to change my life.”—Mikala Travis, 11 years old
“I gave up softball to be on the ministry team this summer. At first, I didn’t like to study my lines, but it became easier for me. When we went to camp, it was amazing to see the kids jumping up and down and dancing with us. I smile and laugh so many times, but it is a passion.”—Jordan Worrell, 11 years old
“Being on the ministry team has made me realize that ministering cannot just be a routine. It’s something that needs to come out of your heart. I have had a chance to minister to all ages. I am amazed at what God has done in so many peoples’ lives. I thank Him that I was able to reach out and be a part of something great.”—Abigail Cheek, 11 years old
“Being on the ministry team is great. I learned about salvation. It helped me learn how to talk to others. I still get nervous and scared when I am in front of people, but I am doing better.” —Isabella Cheek, nine years old
Chosen team member Heather Nance leads a children’s prayer group.
Team Members: Back row: Stephanie Cheek and Joy Hensley, Leaders Middle row: Jordan Worrell, Christian Quesenberry, Mikala Travis, Emily Cheek Front row: Isabella Cheek, Kimberly Nichols, Heather Nance, Abigail Cheek Not pictured: Kylie Heflin
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
19
A Divine Encounter on an Airplane It was Jesus who called the followers to be His witnesses. They were to go everywhere, telling what they had seen and heard. An observation was made concerning the result of those witnesses: “They who have turned the world upside down and come here.” What a testimony! Their witness was so empowered by the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:8), and their joy in telling what they had seen and heard brought about the results. They were not versed in doctrine and had no theological excellence but were fully persuaded in what they had seen and heard. The command was, “Go and tell . . .”—tell it everywhere and to everyone much of which is recorded, making the New Testament almost like reading someone’s diary. Witnessing is not a word difficult to define, it is simply telling what
20
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
has been seen and heard, and revealing the effect on a personal life. It is not to be done by ministers and evangelists only, but by anyone who has witnessed the transforming power of Christ; everyone from children to the oldest has a story to tell. Tell it wherever and whenever the opportunity presents itself. The following is an unexpected opportunity that happened to Vera Wells as she and her husband were flying to visit one of their children. Don and Vera have been ministers most of their lives, ministering in various locations and always busy about the Master’s work, be it small or great. Vera, a small-built woman with a heart full of love for anyone she meets and always thrilled about the wonderful way the Lord works, will readily exclaim, “Isn’t God good!” On the plane, Don and Vera were seated beside a young, professional woman on her way to San Diego. Vera, in her exuberance over her wonderful Savior, began to tell her about this Jesus who had been with her since her teen years. Because the woman had never heard about Jesus, it was time to explain. . . . —Elva Howard
I thank God for the privilege and the opportunity to witness to people about the Lord. On our trip to Kentucky to visit our children for Christmas, flying from New Orleans to Atlanta, a young lady from San Diego, California, sat next to me. Her name was Christine, and she was on her way home to San Diego. We began visiting, and the conversation went to her family; then, the opening came to talk about the Lord. She said she didn’t know how to pray and did not know Jesus. I spoke about the Bible, and she asked, “What book is that?” During the course of the conversation, I taught her how to pray, led her in the sinner’s prayer, and told her I would call her when I got back home. We separated at Atlanta. After I arrived home, we sent a Bible to Christine and marked scriptures to help her in her new walk with the Lord. I called her several times and prayed with her. Not long after, I spoke with her mother on the phone, and she said she wanted to know about the Lord. So I led Christine’s mother to the Lord on the phone. Christine also told me that her dad was an agnostic, but in a couple weeks, her mother said they had each WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
purchased a Bible and began going to church. In a short time, he had also given his heart to the Lord, and they had been baptized. This family is now attending church regularly, and they are so happy. They have said they would not have been saved if not for this experience on the airplane. They now call me “Grandma.” The mother, Juanita, calls me every Friday to check on us. Let me encourage you to witness to everyone you can and tell them about the Lord. Three souls have been saved and baptized, are going to church, and are living for God just because someone witnessed to them about how good God is. Acts 1:8 tells us, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The key word in the Book of Acts of the Apostles is witness (32 times). Ninetyfive percent of Christians have never won a soul to the Lord. Seven of the 12 disciples were won by personal witnessing. Pray and read your Bible: “Lead me to some soul today, teach me Lord just what to say.” Friends of mine are lost in sin and cannot find their way. We are living in a hurting world, and people need the Lord. Let us reach them for Christ. God bless you as you witness for Him. —Vera Wells Ball, Louisiana
Send us your stories: If you have shared Jesus with someone during a divine encounter, we’d like to hear from you. Other readers will be encouraged by your ministry. You can mail to us at P.O. Box 2910 • Cleveland, TN 37320-2910 or e-mail to editorial@cogop.org.
HERITAGE MINISTRIES
Announcing Heritage Ministries Celebration Weekend Saturday, June 11, 2011 Heritage Day at Fields of the Wood Our annual celebration of the June 13 Arise and Shine of the Church of God
Sunday, June 12, 2011 Local Church Heritage Day We are asking that each church promote, celebrate, speak, and preach about our rich heritage of the Church of God of Prophecy.
Special Heritage Celebration Internet Simulcast
Sunday Evening, June 12, 2011
We will be broadcasting live from the Keith Street COGOP in Cleveland, Tennessee. There will be videos from the archives, appreciation of the present, and words from the General Overseer and General Presbyters. Bishop Adrian Varlack, Church Historian, will bring the evening message. This is a great weekend to participate in the heritage of our Movement and promote Heritage Ministries memberships so your church can be 100 percent this year! For more information, visit the Heritage Ministries section of the Church website at wwww.cogop.org.
A. J. Tomlinson, founding General Overseer
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
21
“They got it right.” Dr. David Roebuck, Professor and Historian for Lee University, shared these words at the First Assembly Commemoration Service on Thursday, January 27, 2011, regarding the 21 delegates of the First Assembly who provided a foundation that has given us the stability to build upon. The First Assembly Service is an annual event that takes place on the 26th or 27th of January. This year, the crowd was small, but the Spirit of the Lord filled the room. Fields of the Wood Caretaker, Bishop Wayne Allen, and Sister Jenna Allen, Gift Shop Manager, led us in two old hymns. Bishop Richard Morrow, Fields of the Wood COGOP pastor, read the First Assembly Minutes. Dr. David Roebuck shared a thoughtprovoking word about the first Assembly delegates: “They got it right.” And I shared a word titled, “We all have a place at the table.” Stepping through the door of the First Assembly House is almost like stepping back in time, like going home or to Grandmother’s house. Sister Jenna Allen testified of a number of people who have visited the First Assembly House and said there is a good spirit here,
22
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
a very welcoming spirit. The first Assembly service is for that very reason—a time set aside to look back and remember a time that was primitive to our standards today. It was a time when the days were hard and money was scarce and when most people lived off the land. So how could 21 people in 1906 give us such a foundation that would stand the test of time? Pointed out by Dr. Roebuck, “They got it right.” As noted in the beginning of the Minutes, “Our articles of faith are inspired by the holy apostles.” The article on Evangelism stated, “. . . after consideration of the ripened fields and open doors.” Regarding the use of tobacco, “deal tenderly and lovingly.” And concerning the topic of family worship, every child is to be taught as early as possible. Yes, they got it right.
Wade Patterson Heritage Ministries Director
WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
Worldwide Women’s Prayer Chain A prayer chain is a connected, flexible series of links used especially for holding things together or for transmitting spiritual power. After prayer and following God’s direction, the Women’s Ministries Department for the Church of God of Prophecy is starting a prayer chain. This will be a worldwide prayer chain designed to initiate continuous prayer for requests or directives that are given globally. You may submit your prayer request to us, and you may also submit your testimonies of answered prayer. The intent is to bring women together in unity to call on the Lord for His help and direction. Your women’s group can complete the form from our website to let us know who you are and when you will be meeting for prayer, so we can stay in touch and encourage each other. Join this prayer force, and help us spread the word for others to join. Let’s reach the world for the Lord! Expect Him to hear us and grant miracles in the lives of those for whom we are praying. As we pray, we will not only see divine intervention, we will be drawn into a more intimate relationship with God. One word of caution would be that believers often wrestle with God, feeling stuck trying to get Him to take care of our needs rather than simply enjoying time with Him and experiencing His presence. Holding onto the hem of His garment and esteeming Jesus above all else release God’s purposes to fall into place in our lives. If we grasp the reality that the Father and Son created room for the world to exist, we have to believe that prayer or communing with Him is a privilege more than an obligation. God did not need the world to realize Himself since the Persons (Father, Son, Spirit) are already fulfilled in one another. At the same time, the Trinity does not hoard its love. Its love is ecstatic and open to the world. Humanity is chosen in the context of the Father’s love for the Son. In his book, Flame of Love, Clark H. Pinnock shares the following:
made it possible and kindled the desire within us. . . . It is God who invites us to join the Trinitarian conversation already occurring. The triune God invites us to share in intimacy with God and summons us to enter the communion of self-giving love. . . . Prayer is joining an already occurring conversation. The Spirit calls us to participate in the relationship of intimacy between Father and Son and to be caught up in the dance already begun. In prayer on the earth, we join the dance and begin to experience the movement and interplay of the Trinitarian Persons. All of our Christian endeavors, including prayer, should be born out of intimacy with Him. Paul said to the Corinthians, “But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). When our motivation for prayer is not communion, we tend to get into the habit of just presenting our needs list and running on about our day. When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, He did not begin with “Our Provider, who art in heaven, generous be Thy name.” Nor did He encourage us to start with “Our Master, who art in heaven, assignment-giver be Thy name.” No relationship built upon using the other person is very lasting and meaningful. One built upon communion and the pleasure of friendship most always results in serving one another. Birthed out of our intimate relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will be a beautiful service of interceding for one another around the world. Cathy Payne Women’s Ministries International Director
Our desire for God did not originate with us. We did not initiate the possibility of this relationship. The Trinity WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
23
2011 North America June 10–12 California
Bishop Jose Garcia, Overseer; Bishop David Bryan, Representative; Visalia Convention Center, 303 E. Acequia Avenue, Visalia, California
Texas
Bishop Jerry Schall, Overseer Bishop Sam Clements, Representative; Waco Convention Center, 113 South University Park Dr., Waco, Texas
June 15–18
Northwest Territory
(Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming) Bishop Rick Lee, Overseer; Bishop Randall Howard, Representative; Bethesda Worship Center COGOP, 1100 Bighorn Avenue, Sheridan, Wyoming
June 23–26
IOU Region (Idaho, Oregon, Utah)
Bishop Wallace Pratt, Overseer; Bishop Sam Clements, Representative; Holiday Inn Airport, 8349 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland, Oregon
June 24, 25 Nevada
Bishop José Rivera, Overseer; Cathy Payne, Representative; Iglesia de Dios de la Profecia Mi Proveedor, 3150 E. Charleston, Las Vegas, Nevada
July 1–3
Alaska
Bishop Don Knoblich, Overseer; Cathy Payne, Representative; Mountain View COGOP, 403 N. Hoyt Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska
Midwest Region (Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska) Bishop Jesse Yañez, Overseer; Bishop Sam Clements, Representative; Merryman Center, 225 West 22nd Street, Kearney, Nebraska
Northeast Spanish
Bishop Rahadames Matos, Overseer; Bishop David Bryan, Representative; Stamford Marriott Hotel, 243 Tresser Blvd., Stamford, Connecticut
July 13–16
Ohio/West Virginia
Bishop Fred Lawson, Overseer; Bishop Wade Patterson, Representative; Victory Temple Church, 2443 Valle Greene Drive, Fairborn, Ohio
July 14–16
Heartland Territory (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma) Bishop Wayne Pense, Overseer; Bishop Trevor & Aileen Reid, Representatives; Welk Resort, 1984 State Highway 165, Branson, Missouri
Southeast Spanish
South Carolina
July 7–10
July 14–17
Bishop Robert Davis, Overseer; Bishop Trevor and Aileen Reid, Representatives; The Lakeland Center, 701 West Lime Street, Lakeland, Florida
Bishop L. V. Jones, Overseer; Bishop Hector Ortiz, Representative; Embassy Suites, 2960 John Hawkins Pkwy. (Hwy 150), Birmingham, Alabama
Bishop Josue Serpas, Overseer; Bishop Sam Clements, Representative; 100 Pinnacle Way, Suite #110, Norcross, Georgia
Florida
24
July 8–10
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
Bishop Tim Coalter, Overseer; Bishop Paul Holt, Representative; Spartanburg Expo Center, Spartanburg, South Carolina
Alabama
WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
Convention Schedule
Conventions will be taking place all over North America this summer. They are a good chance for you to hear from the heart of your state or regional leadership and connect with other members in your area. Find one near you! For more information, visit www.cogop.org or contact the office of North America Presbyter Sam Clements at (423) 559-5256.
Northeast English
Bishop Cervin McKinnon, Overseer; Bishop Sam Clements, Representative; Mass Mutual Center, 1277 Main Street, Springfield, Massachusetts
July 15–17 Georgia
Bishop Billy Adams, Overseer; Bishop Mark Menke, Representative; Macon CentrePlex, 200 Coliseum Drive, Macon, Georgia
Great Lakes Region
Bishop Timothy Harper, Overseer; Bishop David Bryan, Representative; Grand Wayne Convention Center, 120 W. Jefferson, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 22–24
Eastern Canada
Bishop Woodroe Thompson, Overseer; Bishop Sam Clements, Representative; Palais des congres de Montreal, 1001 Place Jean–Paul Riopelle, Montreal, Quebec
July 29–30 New Mexico
Bishop José Rivera, Overseer; Jan Couch, Representative; Church of God of Prophecy, 300 Northwest 56th Street, Albuquerque, New Mexico
August 3–6
Kentucky
North Carolina
Louisiana/Mississippi
August 4–7
Bishop J. Scott Gillum, Overseer; Kathy Creasy, Representative; Crown Plaza of Louisville, 830 Phillips Lane, Louisville, Kentucky Bishop Harold Parker, Overseer; Bishop H. E. Cardin, Representative; Vicksburg Convention Center, 1600 Mulberry Street, Vicksburg, Mississippi
Mid-Atlantic Region
Bishop Leroy Greenaway, Overseer; Bishop Randall Howard, Representative; Sheraton Dover Hotel, 1570 N. DuPont Hwy., Dover, Delaware
Tennessee
Bishop E. C. McKinley, Overseer; Shaun Mckinley, Representative; Embassy Suites Hotel & Convention Center, 1200 Conference Center Blvd., Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Bishop Jeffery Davis, Overseer; Bishop Sam Clements, Representative; Providence Place, High Point, North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Bishop C. Jay Croyle, Overseer; Cathy Payne, Representative; Four Points by Sheraton, 800 East Park Drive, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
August 11–13 Arizona
Bishop José Rivera, Overseer; Bishop Trevor & Aileen Reid, Representative; Simpson Conference Center, 5502 N. 23rd Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona
July 21–24
August 11–14
Bishop Walter Doroshuk, Overseer; Dr. Hector Ortiz, Representative; Canadian Mennonite University, 500 Shaftesburg Blvd., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Bishop Wayne Murphy, Overseer; Bishop Sam Clements, Representative; Roanoke Civic Center Performing Arts Theater, 710 Williamson Road NE, Roanoke, Virginia
Western Canada
Virginia
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
25
Mission Trip to Haiti
I am writing to give you a report of my last mission trip to Haiti from January 8–22. During this trip, I was accompanied by four teams—one group each from Eastern Canada, Montana/Wyoming, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, with a total of 20 adults. These 20 individuals were very diverse, consisting of four pastors, one overseer, one youth pastor, two ladies, one architect, and a variety of other backgrounds. I am thankful to be able to report that, after four months, the wall around the orphanage has been completed, which includes the sea wall portion. When I first went to the orphanage a few months ago, it was overrun with goats and community people walking through the property at will. There was no sense of security at all. Now that the wall has been completed, the environment is much improved, and there is a sense of peace in the whole place. Also, the new generator has been hooked up, water is being pumped from the well, and the school is operational. We have approximately 46 children back on the property and another 150 attending the school on the property. GAIN had also Pastor Dan Chatham and I standing in front of the completed orphanage wall. purchased a relatively new Ford pickup truck that I was able to use while there. Our first church building project during this trip was a church building in DuFort. This building was for a thriving congregation, which was worshipping under a tarp. We welded steel angle iron together, made T-posts, and set them in concrete. We braced them and made steel trusses and placed them on the walls. We then ran the lathe and attached the metal roof by special screws that we had transported from the States. The building Another picture of the completed wall was approximately 34 feet wide and 60 feet long. When I left, I ordered and had delivered the materials to begin building the block walls that will fill the spaces between the posts. The second project was in Grand Gove. This church was on a narrow piece of land between two buildings, and it was approximately 21 feet wide and 75 feet long. This construction was not as conducive for steel construction, so I purchased treated (insect- and rotresistant) lumber and built frame walls and South Carolina Gamecocks digging some much needed postholes wooden trusses, and then we attached metal roofing. The ladies of this church
26
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
worked with sledge hammers, picks, shovels, and wheelbarrows to the point that we were simply amazed. In short, both churches turned out to be beautiful structures of which both congregations were very proud. The people who went with me seemed thrilled with the whole experience and have already begun talking about going again next year. In fact, some are talking about going again in just a month or two. I should also report that on the last Friday of January, we visited the only pastor that we still have living in a tent. The brethren from Canada wanted to buy a piece of land to build him a house. They authorized the purchase of a lot that we were shown. If you would like to join us on an upcoming team, contact the Global Outreach department at 423-559-5203. Tim McCaleb Westmoreland, Tennessee
Making progress each day!
The first truss going up on the first project.
Our second project began here.
WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
27
NEWSHere&There Rapture South America Jam Draws
LOCAL/STATE/INTERNATIONAL
Our instructors were the following:
Children’s Retreat in Santiago, Chile During January 25–27, 2011, we conducted our second Children’s Retreat with the theme, “My Faithful Friend,” in the city of Santiago, Chile. We had an attendance of 46 kids ranging between the ages of 5–14 years old. During the night services, the Holy Spirit filled the lives of some of these kids. This was their first Holy Ghost experience, and many received the Lord in their hearts for the first time. —Patricia López Franca, Camps and Retreats National Director
SOPAS in Venezuela
We are very grateful to our Lord Jesus Christ for allowing us to conduct the first level of the School of Practical and Advanced Studies in our country from December 9–15, 2010.
• Bishop Elías Rodríguez, Pastoral Leadership Development 1
• Bishop Rahadamés Matos, Theology as a Movement
• Bishop Adrian L. Varlack, Sr.,
Ecclesial Identity: History, Polity, and Practice of the Church of God of Prophecy
We are thankful to God for His grace, presence, and power to have men who are willing to teach the Word of God to His people, thus providing them with the necessary tools to stay equipped. “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen” (Acts 1:1, 2). “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (v. 8). We had a group of 188 students and 55 occasional students registered for this course. Also, ten new converts from our own Church of God of Prophecy in La Libertad-Estado Aragua were baptized. Our pastor is Sister Iris Caro. All the glory belongs to our God! —Mavel de Jiménez, National Reporter
Thousands! The headline above is exactly what the front page of The Summerville News, local newspaper, printed after one of Georgia’s local COGOP’s put on an outreach event in their community. More than 2,000 people were estimated to have attended the event entitled “Rapture Jam,” which was put on in entirety by the Trion COGOP where Bishop Phil Minter pastors. My family was honored to be the special guest speakers there while we watched God begin to tear down denominational barriers and break through sinners’ walls. It was amazing to see J93.3 do a live broadcast the day of the event, Day Seven lead a full concert, vendors galore, people everywhere, and a fireworks display as big as one would see on the Fourth of July! When asked about the event, Pastor Minter is quoted by the newspaper as saying, “We thought the fireworks would be a celebration of Christ and what He has done for us.” The whole purpose of the event was to win the “unwanted” harvest in their community, and that is exactly what they did! —Adam Jones State Youth Director
Seniors Gather for Special Camp Retreat November 18–20, 2010, was a special time as our Senior Ministry Campers emerged on Camp Echeconnee. As they began to arrive,
28
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
Ly
SEND NEWS ITEMS TO EDITORIAL@COGOP.ORG
excitement filled the air; some were so excited to be there and enjoy a few days with “ole” acquaintances and to meet new friends.
The weekend theme was “Live, Laugh, and Love,” and truly we shared testimonies of life experiences, laughed, and loved the time of fellowship together, which included bingo, bowling (on the computer), checkers, and “Minute-to-Win-It” directed by Adam Jones, State Youth Director. Bishop Fred S. Fisher and Sister Betty Fisher were our guest speakers. They did an outstanding job teaching and preaching. We certainly enjoyed their ministry and left encouraged to continually “bounce back”—to “live life to the fullest” and to “love one another” as Christ has loved us. We had 66 to attend including the staff, bus drivers, and three teenagers. —Diane Flowers, State Clerk/ Treasurer
VIRGINIA Ladies Night Out Provides Fun and Ministry The Women’s Ministry of the Max Meadows Church in Virginia sponsored their 2nd Annual Ladies Night Out. It was held on October 8, featuring a Western theme as the church was adorned with fall decor. Kay Osban was our featured guest. She sang “Cool Water” and had us laughing throughout the evening with her wonderful sense of humor. Our ladies presented the skit “Satan, Bite the Dust.” There were numerous door prizes given away. We thank the Lord for the 93 ladies who attended representing several different churches. We would like to thank Sandy Surratt, our Women’s Ministry Director, and all of our ladies who worked so hard to help coordinate this enjoyable evening. We are already planning our 3rd Annual Ladies Night Out for 2011. Thank you, Sister Kay, as laughter is a good medicine!—Dianne Jonas, Reporter
GEORGIA Women Celebrate Being “In His Presence” The Women of Favor, Powder Springs (Georgia) Christian Fellowship of the COGOP, held its ladies day in September, with the theme “In His Presence!” Prayer for our nation began the day’s events. Praise and worship led by Neva Wright and Suzie Lolley was spiritually uplifting. We were then blessed by a selection of songs by Shirley Jenkins—what an awesome time of praise! A dance team then rendered a selection using praise flags, following an awesome drama, telling us to get “In His Presence” no matter how busy you are in your daily lives. We stayed joyous in the Lord with special messages from Charlotte Adams, the Women’s Ministry Director for Georgia, Norma Llewellyn, and Flavia Kesser. Immediately following, we had a tea reception. Fifty-two ladies plus five men were in attendance, and we enjoyed our day full with being “In His Presence.”—Clair Sterling, Women’s Ministries Director
TEXAS New Church Organized in El Paso,Texas
On February 18, 2011, a new church was organized in El Paso, Texas. State Overseer Jerry Schall extended the Church covenant to 34 new members and transferred four members, giving a total of 38 members. Pastor Tomas Melendez and his wife have done an outstanding job in leading and teaching the congregation about the Church of God of Prophecy. District Overseer Ernesto Rodarte has also been of great assistance with this new church. —Judy Schall, Reporter
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
29
NEWSHere&There UKRAINE Reaching Children at Christmas
At the church in Kiev, a special program for children during Christmas opened the doors for salvation. A sermon by Pastor Vitaly proclaimed the Good News that Jesus, the Son of God, was born to fulfill God’s plan of salvation from eternal death to all who believe in Him. At the end of the sermon, there was an altar call in which ten people gave their lives to the Lord. Vitaly invited all the children in the church to come up front for a prayer of blessing. Approximately 200 children were prayed for and blessed. They were overjoyed when they each received a package of sweets. The Christmas service will always be the most special one. It always brings warmth and love.
LOCAL/STATE/INTERNATIONAL
In His Presence MINISTERS Daryl L. Shaffer Linwood, North Carolina; February 28, 2011; licensed minister for 54 years. Gary W. Clements Westmoreland, Tennessee; March 2, 2011; licensed minister for 10 years. Mary Hazel Montgomery Cleveland, Tennessee; March 5, 2011; Mary was the (widowed) wife of Bishop James F. Montgomery. Owen W. France Owensboro, Kentucky; March 6, 2011; licensed minister for 64 years.
MEMBERS Voncile Turner Douglasville, Georgia; February 14, 2011. Voncile was the wife of Reverend Eldredge Turner. Christmas Service
The celebration for children was organized in the village of Gogoliv, Kiev, area. Approximately 120 children from ages 5–15 have watched the Christmas play, which was organized by the Emmanuel Church members. And approximately 30 adults have now also heard about Jesus’ birth and God’s plan of salvation for each person. Also, each child has received a package of sweets. In addition, each person has been invited to attend Bible Study, which takes place every Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in the local Community Hall.
New Churches Vineland, New Jersey Organized on November 7, 2010; Pastor Cleophas L. Capron Salem, Oregon Organized on December 12, 2010; Pastor Mario Sanchez North Bergen, New Jersey Organized on January 23, 2011; Pastor Florentino A. Brito Cleveland, Tennessee Organized on January 30, 2011; Pastor Omar Velásquez El Paso, Texas Organized on February 18, 2011; Pastor Tomás Melendez
Children From Gogoliv
30
WWM M AY 2 0 1 1
WWW.WHITEWINGMESSENGER.ORG
MESSAGES
DeWayne Hamby, Managing Editor
Information Overload Having recently completed a move here in the Editorial Office, we’ve been sorting through items that have been boxed up in storage closets. Fearful of winding up on a special “church”-themed episode of “Hoarders,” we were mindful of space and an item’s usefulness before tossing it out. One box we came upon contained SyQuest discs, a computer disc that was used when I first came to work in the offices in 1994. A disc, readable by a special device, would offer more memory than the typical 2.5” 2 MB diskettes. Comparable in size to a VHS videocassette, the SyQuests would hold 44 MB, 88 MB, or even 200 MB. Today for the same price and the same product size, you can purchase an external hard drive that would offer you 1 TB, roughly equal to 5,000 of those 200 MB SyQuest discs. Ten 1 TB hard drives are said to be able to contain the entire printed collection of the Library of Congress.
That geeky observation is only an example of the advances in information that are rapidly growing. Plug your computer into an Ethernet port or wireless hub, and find an answer to pretty much every question you’ve ever thought about asking. If the greatest amount of information could solve all the world’s problems, we’d be in much better shape.The truth is powerful, but our challenge is that misinformation and lies are just as quickly spread. Today, anyone with a wild idea can bypass information gatekeepers and contribute to a deafening convergence of noise. A parent can walk into a crowded daycare and determine whether or not their baby is a part of the crying chorus or not. Their ears have tuned in to the frequency of their child’s cry and can hear it through the distraction of the others. In the same way, we as believers, through the Spirit, can be tuned in to the Father’s voice: “My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27 NKJV). For unbelievers (or “pre-Christians” as some of my faith-filled friends call them), we are called to proclaim that truth. In the midst of an endless flow of idle talk and dangerous ideologies, our role is of crucial importance. It is what will set the listener free (8:32).
As with junk mail in your mailbox and inbox, human interaction is a filter that helps you sort through the clutter. You receive an auto-formatted, computergenerated envelope, and it goes straight to the trash. A handwritten letter warrants at least an open envelope and a glance. By now, you’ve noticed a new column in this issue about personal evangelism: “Witnesses: Stories of Sharing Jesus.” I believe this ongoing column will inspire us all to share the message of Christ in the midst of competing voices. As Paul said, we do not have to be the most eloquent or well-versed speakers to proclaim truth: “I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:3–5 NKJV). If we aren’t the most charismatic speakers, we have to fully rely on the Spirit of God work through our weaknesses. That’s not an excuse for lack of preparation or lazy presentation, but an assurance in times when you will face intimidation. The Holy Spirit has and will continue to fuel the efforts of many imperfect and unlikely vessels who obey His call to share the message amidst a sea of divergent views. Be His voice to someone who needs to hear.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY! YES! I want to subscribe to the White Wing Messenger: Enclosed is my payment for . . .
o One-year subscription (Choose Language) o Church Bundles (English) Minimum of 5 @ $10 each o English (12 issues)–$18 (Examples: 5/$50; 15/$150; 20/$200) o Spanish (6 issues)–$10 Increments of 5, ONLY! o French (6 issues)–$4 o Two-year subscription (Choose Language) o English–$36 o French–$8 o Spanish–$20
NAME _________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS _______________________________________________________________ CITY _____________________________________________ STATE ________________ COUNTRY _______________________________ ZIP CODE _________________________ PHONE ________________________ E-MAIL _________________________________
o VISA
o MASTERCARD
o DISCOVER
o AMERICAN EXPRESS
CARD # ____________________________________________________ EXP. DATE ________________________________
SIGNATURE _________________________________________________________________________________________
Subscribe: online—wwm.cogop.org; phone—(423) 559-5114; or mail to . . . White Wing Messenger • P.O. Box 2970 • Cleveland, TN 37320-2970