connection Independent Assemblies
uniting ministries worldwide
re-Evaluate your Worship
in everyday life
July/August 2009 | Volume 1 Issue 2
July
calendar
National Conference July 13, 14, 15, 2009 Bricktown Hotel 2001 E. Reno Oklahoma City, OK 73117 (405) 235-1647
August
Interstate Fellowship Meeting Monday, August 10, 2009 Faith Community Church Whitefield, OK Rev. Bill Fitzer (918) 967-2554 North Central Texas Fellowship Meeting Monday, August 17, 2009 New Life Ministries 101 S. Main Street Red Oak, TX Rev. Mark Lowery (972) 617-1135
September
World Harvest Sunday Sunday, September 13, 2009
Interstate Fellowship Meeting Monday, September 14, 2009 Capitol Hill Full Gospel 2928 Woodlawn Drive Moore, OK Rev. Jim Robertson (405) 793-7727
October
Fall Missions Conference October 12, 13, 14, 2009 The Tabernacle 721 N. 1st Blackwell, OK Dr. Robert O. Johnson (580) 363-2734 North Central Texas Fellowship Meeting Monday, October 26, 2009 Grace Fellowship 211 US Highway 175 E Eustace, TX Rev. John Smith (903) 425-6873
www.independentassemblies.org 2 • connection
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In Loving Memory
July/August 2009
Contents 2
Calendar
4
Good Witness
5
Unity
6
OATH
8
Member Focus
9
Thirst
10
Meet the Board
10
Conference Schedule
11
Board Members Independent Assemblies PO Box 1546 Ada, OK 74821 (580) 310-0222 Produced by Layers Media, Inc. www.layersmedia.com
Dear Friends, Thank you for the cards, calls, flowers and prayers you sent at the passing of my dear mother, Loretta Keith. Your expressions of love are extremely meaningful to me. Mom went to be with the Lord on Sunday, April 26th at 3:00 P.M. She was surrounded by her children, and many other family members. She is now surrounded by a Heavenly host of angels, N.T. saints, and O.T. patriarchs, as well as her family members who have died in Christ. Her parents, her sister and her loving husband, John Keith are among the great crowd of witnesses who have traveled this road before her. As we said goodbye that afternoon, they said hello and welcomed her into eternal rest and peace. Mom drew her last breath here Sunday afternoon, and the next breath she drew was in the presence of Jesus. For as you know, the Bible teaches us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. So, today, we do not weep as those who have no hope...but we rejoice in her home going...No more pain, tears or death! She is home at last! Her life was characterized by over five decades of Christian service. Her dedication to the cause of Christ and to the local church are hallmarks well known to those who loved her. We would do well to pattern our lives after such a self-less model of grace and dignity. As Pastor Robert Johnson said at the graveside, mom was `destined to fulfill her role as `helpmate’ to my dad.’ She served alongside Pastor John Keith, the founder and president of Independent Assemblies for over 30 years. Today, we honor her as the original First Lady of the Independent Assemblies. Loving thanks is extended to the Independent Assemblies Fellowship members nation-wide for their continued prayers and support during her illness. Her relationships with many friends in the ministry helped to mold her character and spirit. May our memories be bright and may we live our lives in such a way as to bring honor to the life of this precious woman of God. Blessings to you all, Pastor Mickey Keith
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Good Witness by: Sandra McIntosh
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For the longest time, I thought being a “good witness” had everything to do with how much I worked in the church or how much money I gave to a specific “Christian cause.” One cold winter night, God showed me how simple being Jesus to another can be. He showed me firsthand what it was to be a “good witness.” I had just left a weekly Bible study at the Ellis County Jail, when I happened upon a young girl who, moments earlier, had been released from the facility. She was sitting on a bench in nothing more than a pair of shorts, a sleeveless t-shirt and a pair of flip-flops – the same clothes she had been wearing when she was arrested the previous summer. I sat down beside her to shield her from the 30-degree temperatures. I looked as she shared drawings of her daughter which she had artfully and creatively drawn while incarcerated. She told me the art was her way of remembering. I quickly felt a wave of guilt wash over me as she continued to shiver from the cold. The warmth I felt within the comfort
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of my favorite black coat quickly turned to something totally opposite. A voice inside my head said, “What would Jesus do in this situation? Would Jesus let this little girl, who was someone’s daughter and someone’s mother, suffer further from the cold?” Immediately, I knew what I had to do. I relinquished my coat, wrapping it around her shoulders, only to be thanked by tears that fell from her eyes. No words needed to be spoken. This one act of simple kindness was enough for both of us that night. Over the years, so many people have shown me what a “good witness” looks like. They have sheltered me from storms, loved me through some difficult times and just leant an ear when I needed to talk. That night, I was warm beyond measure on the inside because I had been Jesus to someone I barely knew. Sometimes being a “good witness” has everything to do with acting and not so much to do with speaking. Jesus definitely taught me a valuable lesson that night – when you give, you also receive.
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God of restoration. In these last days, a sensitivity to spiritual things is being restored to the body of Christ. It will intensify. There are indeed key men of God with an ear to the ground listening to what the Spirit is saying to the present-day church. With this sensitivity comes a Spirit-inspired compulsion for the end-time church to lay aside petty differences and become unified in combating the forces of darkness while representing and advancing the Kingdom of God. The Scriptures tell us that we shall see evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and leading astray others and being deceived and led astray themselves (2 Timothy 3:13 Amplified). It is obvious that this is taking place from the highest office in the land down to state and local influences. Abortion continues while same sex marriages are being condoned one state after another. A dependence upon God and a reverence for His will have become non-existent. We are no longer one nation under God. Our coins are not truthful. For some time the nations have not, and now America no longer trusts in God. No need to elaborate on the negatives. Ostriches with their heads buried in a lake of wet cement are fully aware of this regrettable evolution. One of the last things to be restored to the body of Christ will be the first thing she lost-and that is “unity”. In order for God’s people to resist the forces of darkness, and these satanic end-time strategies, we must be unified. As a youth, the first churches I served were in
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the state of Illinois. In the spring one can see the plowed fields in which kernels are carefully planted. Driving along the state highways, the fences separating one farm from another are also evident. As summer advances and harvest time approaches, the corn grows. It grows so tall that the fences can no longer be seen. It seems as though the earth is just one large corn field. In like manner, Christians must grow above the denominational fences that have separated them. An ecumenical coming together of the body of Christ must eventually take place if we are ever to overcome and conquer these present-day abominations. Where sin abounds unified righteousness shall much more abound. In all this darkness...let there be light. It can happen. There is more unity evident in the Independent Assemblies than in most Christian organizations, including major denominations, because we tolerate each others differences. Unity is not uniformity. In things that are essential there is unity. In things that are non-essential there is liberty. In all things, however, we express charity. The manifold, multifaceted, corporate, world-wide church of the living God should develop the same grace and mercy that we have learned. Denominations and congregations could maintain their own unique ideologies while working together. The world and its forces of darkness would then see a combined, mighty, army of the living God bringing the battle to the very gates of hell. The gates of hell could not prevail against
continued on pg. 8
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by: Mindy Wood
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he face of prostitution is no longer the homely looking, drug addicted women we see on television shows or Julia Roberts from the movie, Pretty Woman. The new faces of prostitution are broken and shamed children. According to Mark Elam of Oklahomans Against Trafficking Humans, it’s happening right here in our backyards. “Oklahoma is in the top ten states for child sex trafficking. America has become the number one destination for sex trafficking with estimates indicating that we now have 60-70% of the total market of men who want children for sex. We have more child pornography, child prostitution, and pedophiles than anywhere else. The average age of a prostitute around the world is 14, and in America, the entry age into prostitution has dropped to 12 years old.” Last summer Mark Elam started Oklahomans Against Trafficking Humans (O.A.T.H.) after hearing about the industry through a missionary in India. Children were being adopted out of
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the Christian orphanage and then sold into forced labor or sex trafficking. Elam soon discovered that the problems were not just overseas, not just illegal aliens. “There is so much going on, I tell people, ‘every week you’re seeing a traffic victim, every month you’re probably talking to a victim and don’t even know it.’” After futile efforts to connect with someone in Oklahoma fighting human trafficking, Elam stepped out in faith and began O.A.T.H. Working with OSBI, FBI, police, the faith community and more than 40 organizations, they are a statewide coalition and recognized by the federal government. Their job is to raise awareness and network between the agencies and law enforcement to produce the most effective results possible. Going into churches, youth groups, schools and businesses Elam and his team educate the community about what to look for and how to act. One of the most important efforts Pastor Elam has developed is their Internet Safety seminars for parents with children on the internet. “We believe that more and more of these traffickers have gone to the internet to keep from being caught. Many of the predators have stopped killing them because they realize it’s more profitable to keep them alive and market them. We want to help parents be aware of how to safeguard their children.” Once awareness is raised in a community people know what to look for and the reports start pouring in. “You can do nothing until people know what it is,” said Elam who also said the work doesn’t end there. In looking at other coalition cities, Pastor Elam discovered that 60 to 90 day short term programs to help victimized teenagers and children, without churches offering their support, were not very effective. According to statistics 84% of children and minors are sexually abused before entering the sex traffic
market. Elam says that victims are psychologically conditioned to depend on and defend their captors similar to the way an abused housewife protects her husband. Although deep seated wounds and psychological damage are not easily repaired, faith based programs combined with professional counseling lasting three to five years produce a success rate at 70 to 80%. “What the church has to offer in Christ is healing the hurts so completely that you’re set free from them.” Pastor Elam is working on a rescue and recovery mission called the Underground Church Movement. “It’s similar to the underground railroad in the civil war where churches and individuals would get slaves away from their captors. This will bring victims into a community of support, acceptance, love and freedom.” Participating churches go through an awareness process where they learn what it means to love the unlovable and how to better understand and help them. “This is the reality of two kingdoms at war,” said Elam. “Satan’s kingdom uses men to damage others and God’s kingdom moves upon our hearts to love and help others.” Mark Elam is the Associate Pastor of Lifechanger Church in Claremore, Oklahoma. He holds monthly meetings in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. For more information about O.A.T.H. visit their BlogSpot at www.oathcoalition.org or contact Pastor Mark Elam at 918-8551764.
Mark Elam
Associate Pastor Lifechanger Church
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continued from pg. 5
such a unified force. 1. Where there is unity the Spirit will flow. (Psalm 133) 2. Where there is unity the Church will grow. (Ephesians 2:19b-23 3. When there is unity the world will know. (John 17:21-23) Unity is pure poetry. The Spirit will flow, the church will grow, and the world will know. The God of restoration is calling. Listen! To him that overcomes sectarian pride and religious prejudices, even as New Testament believers also overcame; to him that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying unto the churches,. “Unify!” This is God’s heart-cry. The church is saying, “Come Lord Jesus!” When the Spirit and the Bride say, “come,” our Lord and Savior will come. Indeed the bride cries, “Come,” but the Spirit will not join His voice to hers until she has made herself ready.
He is coming back to present to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (Eph. 5:27). Listen. The Spirit is saying, “Get ready!”. Unity is the righteousness of the saints. Together we shall overcome this present darkness. Let these Ezekiel bones come together to form an exceeding great army (Ezekiel 37). Let us move gloriously forward together toward victory and eternity. Selah.
John Eldred Smith Pastor The Sanctuary Lexington, OK
MemberFocus by: Mindy Wood
Mike and Sheneca Ward Mike & Sheneca Ward are equipping the saints to be ‘powerhouses’ of God’s Spirit through Powerhouse Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. Mike Ward puts strong emphasis on the person of the Holy Spirit and walking by faith. “My primary focus is ministry to the believers, to equip the saints, reveal who they are in Christ and teach them to put into practice the Word of God. James said, ‘be not only hearers of the Word but doers also.’
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That’s really my heart as a pastor.” In addition to their services, they also reach out to the lost and poor in their community by supplying food, hitting the streets and they have partnered with another pastor to help kids with school supplies this August. “It opens the door to minister to people. The Word says, ‘Let your light so shine,’ and [outreaches] let people know that you’re there to stay.” Ward said that equipping a church to be doers of God’s Word awakens something in them. “A lot of people come to church with a do nothing attitude. When they can put their hands to something, they feel needed and many times they see God manifest Himself through them. They find themselves apart of something.” Mike and Sheneca Ward both envision themselves travelling more in the near future. Often preaching revivals, they hope to see that increase as their flock grows and matures. “My thrust isn’t just to preach to the lost but to see the saints filled with the Holy Ghost, stirred up so that they can get up and go win the lost.” Mike Ward graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center in 1994. He and Sheneca have three children: Arriel 13, Aaron 11, and Moses 10. They reside in Edmond, Oklahoma.
by: Pastor Thomas Buckley
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s a child growing up I was very prone to fanciful imaginings and detailed fits of fantasized adventure. I loved playing outdoors with my five brothers and sisters, and always worked up a tremendous thirst in the summer time, as we protected the world from all sorts of imaginary foes. In fact, the only thing more powerful to us children than a rampaging one-eyed, armor-clad Warlord was THIRST. In these times of great need that we would lay down our swords (sticks) and call a momentary truce with our `enemies’. We would slip into the kitchen, opening that incredible light-filled treasure chest of chilled food and cool air. We would then seize a Tupperware-pitcher of fruit-drink for instant refreshment and full-body satisfaction. ‘Thirst’ is a powerful and lifechanging force. While everyone else had retreated into the cool, dark recesses of their homes to wait out the irrepressible heat from the noon-day sun; a lone woman crept carefully down an alley as she made her way from the outskirts of town inward…to the well. Her shawl hid her damp hair and face; and her shoulder pointed down as if carrying a burdened, yet unseen load. She looked only at the ground as she scurried closer to the center of town. She only looked up when she was finally at the well wall. That’s when she saw him, involuntarily jumped and suppressed an exclamation. They stared at each other for a couple of moments. She looked at him
with fear and guarded curiosity. He looked at her, almost through her, with something like a smile on his sun swept face. “Give me a drink”, his melodic voice quietly echoed through the empty square. Think about that for just a moment. The Master, legs and feet covered with the dust and dirt of long travel, sat there in front of this marked woman…thirsty. I personally don’t believe in coincidence and I believe it is important to note in this story in Luke 4 that the conversation turned almost immediately to Worship. It would be easy for us to jot down a list of things we are ‘thirsty’ for: position, financial stability, church growth, ‘signs, wonders & miracles’. So, I offer this question to you: What is the Master thirsty for? Thirst is a motivating power that propels us towards something. If our thirst propels us into praising and worshipping our amazing Master, wouldn’t The Master’s thirst for our worship propel Him towards us? The Master always quenches our thirst, but do we quench His? Re-evaluate your Worship. Let it quench the thirst of God and all those around you. Marinate on that…
Thomas Buckley Pastor Judah Worship Center Yukon, OK
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Annual10th Ministers Conference Independent Assemblies
Monday, July 13th
3:00 P.M. Check-in Begins 5:00 - 6:30 P.M. “Get Acquainted” Reception - in Breakfast Area 7:00 P.M. Evening Service - Guest speakerMike Hays After Service Refreshments and Fellowship - Provided by Calvary Temple Church, Edmond OK
Tuesday, July 14th
6:30 - 8:30 A.M. Breakfast 9:00 - 10:00 A.M. Biennial Business Meeting - All ordained members 10:15 - 10:45 A.M. Break 10:45 - 12:00 P.M. Workshops 12:00 - 1:30 P.M. Lunch Break 1:45 - 2:00 P.M. Praise & Worship 2:00 - 3:00 P.M. Robert O. Johnson, IA Director of World Missions 3:00 - 4:00 P.M. Break 4:15 - 6:00 P.M. Leadership Banquet (optional) Mike Hays - Dinner Break (area restaurants) 7:30 P.M. Evening Service - Mickey Keith, President of IA. After Service Refreshments and Fellowship Provided by Capitol Hill Full Gospel Church - Moore, OK
Wednesday, July 15th
(Please check out of hotel before noon) 6:30 - 8:30 A.M. Breakfast 9:00 - 9:15 A.M. Praise & Worship 9:30 A.M. - Noon Presbytery
Meet the Board:
Ted Estes Pastor Ted and Virginia Estes have been married over 30 years and have been pastors of Lifechanger church in Claremore, Oklahoma since 1984. Pastor Estes is fifty-eight and has two sons, David, age thirty-four, and James, age thirty. David is the Missions Director at Lifechanger Church. He and his wife, Sherri have one daughter and two sons. James is a ministerial student at Pittsburg Theological Seminary. Pastor Estes brings a broad spectrum of education and training to his ministry. He holds a B.S. in Biblical Studies and philosophy from Evangel University and a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has completed six and a half units of Clinical Pastoral Education and is a recognized hospital chaplain. He also holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Oral Roberts University. Dr. Estes has also been an adjunct member of the faculty of Oral Roberts University School of Theology and World Missions for twentyfive years. He has ministered and taught both nationally and internationally, including at the world’s largest Baptist Church in Ivory Coast, West Africa. Most recently he has participated in leadership conferences in Russia, West Africa, Honduras, Costa Rica, Philippines, Albania, Zimbabwe, Slovakia and Mexico. He also currently serves as Vice President of Independent Assemblies, a worldwide fellowship of ministers and churches.
Bricktown Hotel • OKC
July 13-15
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Dr. Ted Estes Pastor Lifechanger Church Claremore, OK
Executive Board Mickey Keith
President PO Box 1546 Ada, OK 74821 (580) 310-0222 mickey.keith@gmail.com www.life623.com
Dr. Ted Estes
Vice President PO Box 2248 Claremore, OK 74018 pastorted@lifechangerchurch.com www.lifechangerchurch.com
Ken Anderson
Secretary/Treasurer PO Box 1120 Lexington, OK 73051 (405) 527-6030 Fax: (405) 527-1074 kda@valornet.com
Robert Johnson
Director of World Missions PO Box 978 Blackwell, OK 74631 (580) 363-2734 roj@clarionmissions.org www.clarionmissions.org
Jerry Edmon
Board Member PO Box 862 Elgin, TX 78621 (512) 281-5316 Jedmon1234@aol.com www.fwcelgin.com
Regional Representatives Southeast Oklahoma District Rev. Billy Hunter Antlers, OK (580) 298-2740 Southwest Oklahoma District Rev. Donnie Miller Cyril, OK (580) 464-2224 (580) 512-3657 Northeast Oklahoma District Rev. Mac Blackwell Locust Grove, OK (918) 479-6057 North Central Texas District Rev. Dr. Daniel Sue Kemp, TX (903) 498-4704 Southeast Texas District Rev. Herb Hawthorne Baytown, TX (281) 723-2278 South Central Texas District Rev. Jerry Edmon Elgin, TX (512) 281-5316 Midwest Regional District Rev. Mark Maynard Granite City, IL (618) 931-4106 Arkansas District Rev. Charles Kendrick Alexander, AR (501) 303-0831
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World Harvest Sunday september13th
Independent Assemblies P.O. Box 1546 Ada, OK 74821 PPDM
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