IA_Sept/Oct

connection Independent Assemblies

uniting ministries worldwide

life link

prayer saving lives

experience change

September/October 2009 | Volume 1 Issue 3

calendar 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 SW Region Minister’s Meeting Tuesday, September 29, 2009 Lord’s Living Water Lighthouse 807 Duncan Highway Lordsburg, NM Rev. Dick Davis (505) 956-3031 or (505) 542-3501

October

Forward Conference October 4-7, 2009 Abundant Harvest Church Athens, TX Rev. Marc Jones For details call (903) 675-1223 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

November

Interstate Fellowship Meeting Monday, November 2, 2009 Cyril Full Gospel Church Cyril, OK Rev. Donnie Miller (580) 464-2224 North Central Texas Planning Meeting Monday, November 16, 2009 Contact Rev. Dr. Daniel Sue (903) 498-4704

www.independentassemblies.org 2 • connection

connection September/October 2009

Latest News: The Biennial Business Meeting of the Independent Assemblies was held at 9:00 AM on Tuesday, July 14th at the Bricktown Hotel in Oklahoma City, OK. The constituency present voted to retain Dr.Ted Estes and Rev. Mickey Keith to the Executive Board. Pastor Keith was also retained as President of the Board. Both the Board Positions and the Office of President will continue for a four year term.

The Executive Board would like to thank the ordained members who attended for their confidence and support. This meeting had the best attendance in the recent history of our fellowship, and signaled strong unity, involvement and hope for the future.

Contents 2

Calendar

New Members:

4

Lifetime of Ministry

5

Member Focus

6

Prayer

8

Life Link: Saving Lives

Jimmie Morris Robert Thomas Gene J. R. Williams William Wertman Noemi Edge Chris Edge Jimmy Phillips Mike Bihlman

10

Meet the Board

11

Board Members

Independent Assemblies PO Box 1546 Ada, OK 74821 (580) 310-0222 Produced by Layers Media, Inc. www.layersmedia.com

Linda Bihlman A.J. Griffin Yvonne Taylor Ernest Scott Jerrico Martin Amber Martin Jason Toombs

Most of these were present at the national conference in July and the presbytery laid hands on them. Please join in prayer for God’s blessings upon their ministry.

World Harvest Missions Offerings can be sent to Office of the Secretary, PO Box 1120 Lexington, OK 73051

connection • 3

lifetime by: Mindy Wood

of ministry

L

eland Mooney is ninety years old but you wouldn’t know it to look at him. When you hear him speak, he shares with great clarity the timeless treasures of Godly wisdom that only age and experience can teach. Mooney was a pastor for 33 years, former Vice President of Independent Assemblies for ten years and just celebrated his 70th wedding anniversary.

Although he is retired from pastoral ministry, he still preaches the Gospel wherever he is welcomed.

Mooney was born again in 1942 and not long after began preaching and working toward ministry. He was ordained an independent minister in 1950 when Oral Roberts ministry and the revival known as the Latter Rain began to sweep the county. He and Louise were active in an Assembly of God Church who embraced that teaching and were dropped by their denomination. When Mooney began preaching he decided that he would remain independent as well. It did not embitter him against denominational churches. “I never went into organizations [denominations] but I did work with them. I don’t ask people what church they go to,” said Mooney. “I want to know if you’re saved. That’s the important thing.”

His experiences in those early days deeply impacted his church ministry in St. Louis and Oklahoma City. “I worked with William Freeman, Jack Cole, and William Branham.

I’ve been in meetings with Oral Roberts and attended Kathryn Kuhlman meetings.” He worked as an usher in Freeman’s meetings. “I saw many people in wheelchairs get up and walk down the ramp with no one helping them.

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I saw that with my own eyes. When I took on pastoral ministry, I put that into practice. I had the same things going on in my church.”

When a group of pastors asked Mooney how they could help bring awakening to America, he said, “We’ve got to have demonstrations in the church, for one thing. Let them see the blind eyes opened, let them see the lame walk and then they’re going to believe it if they see it. We’ve got to have this back and we’ve lost it. It’s going to take prayer and fasting, not because that moves God but it will put us in a condition where the Holy Ghost can work through us. We’ve got to make the change.

Fasting and prayer will help produce a move of God when talk will become action.”

When people ask about the success of his marriage, he often jokes “she wouldn’t leave.”

As it turns out there is some truth to that when he adds his advice about marriage. “As long as divorce is an option, you’ll never settle your problems. We’ve had our ups and downs and we’ve had differences but we settled it. We realized our need of each other. If you rule out divorce, you’ll settle your problems. If divorce is a way out, chances are you’ll take that.”

Leland and Louise Mooney’s three children are ordained ministers and their grandchildren have continued a godly heritage as well.

Looking back over the years Mooney is thankful for God’s faithfulness. “We’ve had a lot of wonderful, exciting times in our lifetime.

My children are in the ministry, my family is blessed, our needs are met. I’d say that’s true prosperity.”

Leland and Louise Mooney reside in Grove, Oklahoma where they attend Grove Christian Center Church.

MemberFocus

by: Mindy Wood

Mark Maynard knows what it is to follow in a father’s footsteps. When he steps into the pulpit and sees generations of members who truly love God and each other, his heart is filled with gratitude to his father who laid a solid foundation for a hopeful future.

Mark’s father Harold celebrated fifty years at Calvary Life Church in Granite City, Illinois where he continues to be on staff. Mark began full time ministry alongside his father in 1984 and became senior pastor in 1990. “We are a multigenerational church because of the foundation he has laid.

It’s almost like a family. When you look over the congregation, you see people literally of every age.

From 80 year olds to babies, we’re thankful for the family aspect of our congregation.”

Making room for everyone, Calvary Life Church offers opportunities for anyone to be involved in ministry and for everyone’s needs to be met. In addition to children, teen, and senior programs, their ministry to young adults is growing strong.

Mark attributes that success to members who step up to the plate. “When people come up and say, ‘you know this is really something that the Lord has laid on my heart,’ that’s the best kind of ministry because it’s not forced. When people do that out of their heart you don’t have to plan it and pump it.”

Mark said that is due to the foundation his father laid. “Our desire has been to love God and love people. The benchmark of our church is to have a place of love, unity, a place of God’s Presence and to be life giving people. I’m reaping the benefits of a foundation my father provided and it’s wonderful. I’m doing my best to continue that.”

In addition to being involved in his community,

Mark and Jill Maynard Mark is also close to area pastors. As a Regional Representative for IA he is also a member of Ministerial Alliance and knows how vital it is to connect. “The reality is we’re in this together,” said Mark. Local denominational and independent pastors gather once a month for breakfast and yearly meet for a pastor’s revival in which each pastor will minister through the week. “It creates accountability and it gets rid of competition. It gives you the spirit of Christ and I really think that’s what causes a ministry to have longevity in the community.”

Mark and wife Jill have two daughters, Abigail 15 and Paige 20. Their goal is to impact their community and foster a loving, life giving congregation where everyone can play a part.

World Harvest Sunday september 13, 2009 connection • 5

by: Mindy Wood

In recent days,

I have been considering the subject of prayer.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes it clear that His followers would be people of prayer. The prayer life of the believer in Christ is not to be rote prayers of repetitious words spoken to a distant God. Rather, Jesus says that in contrast to the prayers of the Pharisee’s, our prayers flow from a close relationship with the heavenly Father who meets us in the secret place and who knows and cares about our needs.

Later in the same passage in Matthew, Jesus admonishes us to ask and keep asking, to seek and keep seeking, to knock and keep knocking because God is good and He is the giver of good gifts. In Luke 18, Jesus encourages the disciples to continue in prayer

6 • connection

and to persevere. Then, of course, we have the model pattern of prayer that Jesus taught, the Lord’s Prayer.

Many more things could be said about prayer. We could talk about prayer and fasting, all night prayer and praying in the Spirit. We could list the kinds of prayer: petition, supplication, intercession, declaration, etc. However, in the end there is one self-evident conclusion that encompasses and supports all aspects of prayer – the most important thing about prayer is to DO IT! The lethal deception that renders prayer impotent is when we act as if knowing about prayer, teaching about prayer, talking about prayer or thinking about prayer is equivalent to actually praying.

In Joshua 1:8 the scriptures says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and

prayer { to know the promises of prayer is not enough }

by: Dr. Ted Estes

night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (NKJ) You see, we do not study and meditate in the Word of God simply to know what it says. We study and meditate in God’s Word so we can DO IT. It is in the doing of the Word that we prosper and have good success.

The DOER of the Word was the one whose house withstood the storm. It is the one who hears the Word and is a doer of the Word who is blessed. In fact, the forgetful hearer has deceived himself.

The lethal deception that knowledge alone is sufficient will cripple our prayer lives. To know about prayer is not enough.

We must pray. To know about the power of prayer is not enough. We must pray. To know the authority of Jesus name is not

enough. We must pray and exercise the authority of His name. To know the promises of prayer is not enough. We must pray.

I want to encourage you to pray. Spend time and make your request known to the Father. Reap the benefits of answered prayer. See the power of God released on your behalf. Experience the change and transformation that prayer can bring.

Dr. Ted Estes Pastor Lifechanger Church Claremore, OK

connection • 7

lifelink saving lives by: Mindy Wood

O

ne moment can change your life forever. For some people it’s the dawn of parenthood when their first child is born or the day someone embarks on a new journey as they reach for their diploma but for Connie Alessi, her life changing moment was waiting for her in West Africa.

In early 2002 Connie travelled to Abi jan, Ivory Coast to minister at a bible college.

While touring the city, a woman approached Connie and held up a beautiful 18 month old baby girl. “Of course I picked her up to admire her and when I did the woman took off,” said Connie. Bewildered, she held the child while the missionaries found the mother. She was dying of AIDS and having no friends or relatives, tried to 8 • connection

leave the baby with Connie. Since Connie was obviously an American, it was a mother’s only hope for her child’s future.

The incident haunted Connie on the plane ride back. Seeing children begging in the streets, wasting away in hunger and hopelessness, she knew there more. Without orphanages and abandoned by dying parents due to illness, war, and poverty Connie knew these children were dying.

She desperately prayed for God’s guidance.

Though they had always supported missions and orphanages and talked about starting one, Connie knew she had to do something. “I didn’t have a clue what to do but I kept praying and God kept putting people in my path,” said Connie.

After making necessary connections she started Life Link, a 501c3 non-profit organization that has so far established orphanages, a vocational school, and a hospital since February 2003.

Working with pastors and missionaries in local churches, she found reliable staff and got to work. Their biggest needs are always food and supplies. Recently corn and rice prices quadrupled. “If there is a rumor of war or a coup, prices go up.”

Starvation and poverty are not the only causes of death for these children. In West Africa, if a mother dies in childbirth or a baby is born a twin or deformed, villagers believe babies are cursed and are murdered or thrown in the trash. Connie said often a village neighbor

will run into a home and rescue a baby from a father who is smothering an infant and take it to the orphanage. When Connie and David Alessi tell people they’re rescuing children, they are not exaggerating. “The people who give to my ministry are saving lives. I’m not just feeding kids. The majority of them would be dead if I did not have a home there.”

In addition to food and clothing, they provide children and teenagers with vocational skills.

Boys are taught carpentry, farming and animal husbandry while girls are taught sewing, soap and jewelry making or weaving. “It absolutely transforms their lives, especially the girls. They aren’t taught a trade and are otherwise sold to older men as wives or into prostitution to support themselves.”

The children range in age from birth to 18 years and they now have more than 250 children, in addition to feeding 200 children in villages.

While their efforts are a success, their greatest delights are the reports of radical conversions to Christ, especially among the teenagers.

In just six short years, Life Link has accomplished far more than they could have dreamed. Connie Alessi realizes she never envisioned this as a real possibility. “I never dreamed it would happen. I was just a pastor’s wife, mother, grandmother and did some accounting for people in town. When the doors opened, I was overwhelmed. This is it; this is my life’s work. This is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life.”

Connie and David Alessi are former pastors and attend Lifechanger Church in Claremore, Oklahoma where they live and continue their work in West Africa. For more information, visit Life Link online at www.lifelinkrc.org or you can reach them at (918) 379- 0055.

David and Connie Alessi

Lifechanger Church Claremore, OK

connection • 9

Meet the Board:

Jerry Edmon For almost four decades Jerry Edmon has committed himself to address the pressures and problems faced in everyday life, and gives insight and direction on how to attack and leap the hurdles that slow us down. He helps us utilize our gifts and reshape our beliefs, to stand up like the champions that we were intended to be. He strongly believes that it is our decisions, not our surroundings that shape our destiny. His passion is to see and unlock treasure in people thereby empowering them to reach their highest potential in the context of love and purpose.

Spiritually He is called to help facilitate and provide an experience in the presence of the Lord and in that exchange there is new found freedom and hope.

Socially He creates a flow that brings people together in relationship with vision and opportunity.

He produces optimism that causes people to continue to reach for their dreams.

Personally Jerry and Angie Edmon have three daughters, Allison, Ashley and Ariel. The highest priority of his time and leadership is focused within his own home and to his own family. The motto of the Edmon family is “Wisdom and Understanding Conquers All”. His ambition is to walk and live with the grace and refinement of a gentleman.

He gives pastoral oversight to the Family Worship Center in Elgin, Texas, as well as other relational churches. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Independent Assemblies Fellowship of churches as well as the Deliverance Temple International Fellowship of ministers. He is also on the Advisory board for Clarion World Mission Organization. He is recognized as an ambassador and strategist in relation to Life and the Kingdom of God.

For more information

www.fwcelgin.com

10 • connection

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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October 12, 13, 14

Conference

Missions

Fall

Independent Assemblies P.O. Box 1546 Ada, OK 74821 PPDM

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