Mission21

Link: http://www.metroministries.org

The Big Apple. The City that Never Sleeps. Every typical nickname for New York City popped into my head as soon as I arrived for the annual EVUSA/Metro Ministries tour in October.

I went to work, sightsee, and shop. I ended up seeing things that I never knew existed in America and hearing stories that broke my heart. After seeing everything from graffiti memorials for the murdered to utter disdain for parental responsibility, my shock eventually turned into numbness.

People from all over the world give up their own plans to live in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods of Brooklyn, NY (good luck finding a taxi that will drive you to the entrance of Metro Christian Center). Most of them are young adults. They spend their days ministering through Sidewalk Sunday School and doing home visits. Each week, they visit every one of the 23,000 children who attend Sidewalk Sunday School. Why? Because every child matters. Because that visit can mean the difference between life and death for that child.

After Sidewalk, they rewarded the children with candy. When one of the children saw his father approach, he ran to him squealing, “Daddy! Look what I got!” His father harshly replied, “Give it here, you ain’t gettin’ no candy. It’s mine!” I couldn’t believe it.

Our bus driver, Irene, was from Belarus. We asked her how she was able to continue living there when she saw so much poverty, abuse and violence on a daily basis.

"The deciding factor for most people in staying or going is when they go to their first kid’s funeral,” she said.“I decided that for every funeral I went to, perhaps 10 other kids would be spared that fate if I stuck around”.

This month, we all focus on gratitude. The EVUSA staff and the families in Brooklyn are grateful for Bill Wilson, the interns, and volunteers at Metro Ministries. And you should be too. To find out more, please visit the Metro Ministries website.

- by Jessica Parker, EVUSA

There he stood, waiting even though his body was weak and sore. Bill is a Viet Nam Combat Veteran fighting Agent Orange. Sores, much like pimples, pop up all over the body and then the flesh is eaten out, much like a brown recluse spider bite. He had just been released from the VA hospital because he tried to take his own life. He wasn’t depressed or angry: he was in pain. Real, physical, agonizing pain.

The Mission: M25 team was in Jackson, MS during a stop on Run For The Wall in 2006. Billy Woods, Mission:M25 Pointman for Southern California, had given us all a medallion to give to someone. Bill had been chosen to receive the medal but wanted me to put it on him. I did and we both shed tears together as we hugged each other.

Two weeks later Bill re-dedicated his life to the Lord. But the pain continued and health seemed to be something far away. Bill chose to send me his medal from Viet Nam that showed he was a Corporal when he was released. I wear it on my vest in honor of this hero that few people know. We have been blessed to be in touch by phone a few times.

We had talked that we would see each other again in 2008 as Run For The Wall came through Jackson, MS. We made the plans but when I called the day before, Bill was very weak and had been running a fever. To my amazement his wife, Diane, had driven him the one hour and forty minutes, one way, to “hook up with me”. It was a special time for us both. During our short visit Bill again blessed me when he gave me his Good Conduct Medal. It was an emotional moment as he told me he wanted to “ride with me” wherever I went. It is an extreme honor to wear these two medals on my vest.

A few days later I received an email saying Bill was on a ventilator and was very weak. It did not look like his life here on earth was going to last much longer. On Wednesday, May 28 at 2:00 p.m. Bill’s son Mike emailed us. He said they did not think Bill would come off the ventilator. Our hearts were broken, but we all prayed for the Lord’s will to be done.

At 5:00 p.m. the family was called back to the room in ICU. They found Bill sitting up without the ventilator and greeting them! He said he had been with Jesus and that Jesus was not through with his life here on earth. This is truly a miracle without explanation; the doctors, nurses, and even Bill’s family can’t explain his sudden recovery. His story reminds us that we serve a wonderful God who is looking for us to simply trust and obey!

- By Rev. Gary Burd, Mission: M25 Director

Please pray we will have food in our home when I get there.

Pray my Dad and Mom can get through this divorce.

Pray for my Mom, she is working so hard trying to provide. What about your Dad? Oh...he is in jail.

This type of prayer request energizes the Free Camp staff. This is what has kept us going for the past 18 years.

Free Camp is an extreme measure of evangelism that takes on the extreme problem in our nation. The camp is hosted by Christian Heritage Church in Amarillo, Texas. Free Camp seeks to break racial, social and economic barriers by offering a summer camp experience to children ages 8-12. There is no cost for any child to attend.

The children are with us for four days and three nights so we can keep them out of the ugliness of their home environments and build a relationship with them. We don’t “perform” for them; we build a relationship with them. It is a time of serving the least of these for the Kingdom of God. It is our prayer that the seed of love and Word of God will survive the hardships they face when they return home.

Literally hundreds of children came to Free Camp to get a break from the hellholes they call home. One little girl was homesick because she had never been away from home this long. She called her family, who told her stay at camp because there was no room for her at home. She lives with ten other people in a small two-bedroom house.

Volunteers scurried to find clothing, bedding and toiletries for children who came with little or no provisions. One girl arrived with the clothes on her back and one towel. A volunteer went home and got clothing and bedding for her. Another leader gave nearly all of his bedding to boys who came with no pillows, blankets or sheets.

373 people were present from all social, economical and racial classes. It was a power packed, busy, fun, and spiritually empowered experience! God truly moved through all of the workers. We had volunteers from:
• Amarillo, TX
• Oklahoma City, OK
• Dumas, TX
• Greenwood, SC
• Franklin Springs, GA
• Albuquerque, NM
• Petersburg, VA.

Children “walked on water” after hearing the story of Jesus and Peter walking on water; experienced worship led by teenagers with a full powered smoke and light show; swam at a high end swimming pool; saw two Christian motorcycle stunt riders shows; and spent quality time around the altar seeking God. Our campers were built up through ACE Awards, lessons that told them they were special; and they were exposed to a Global vision by praying over and signing soccer balls to be used in evangelism throughout the world.

We would like to thank CEM and Rev. Talmadge Gardner for making it possible for the National Royal Ranger leader, David Moore and his three sons and the National Youth Pastor, Rev. Charles Boyd, to be present for their contribution to the camp.

Pastor Scott Brown, South Greenwood IPHC, SC brought a team of ten to assist in the camp and Pastor Kevin McBride, Crossroads Ministries, Petersburg, VA sent two of his children’s pastors, Amber and Stephanie, to assist and help prepare them for the upcoming Free Camp in Petersburg, VA. Rev. Marcus Brown, Sr. Pastor and church planter in Albuquerque, NM brought a team of six and ministered in two services.

Free Camp, in its 18th year, is becoming an option for young people who want to do a missions trip and not leave the country. We believe that in the future we will see them across the country where young people raised in church will be able to do an evangelistic camp to reach out to children that cannot afford to attend camp.

- by Rev. Gary Burd, Mission M25 Director

An Overview of The Fourth IPHC World Conference
by Shirley G. Spencer

The Fourth World Conference of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, which convened May 13-15, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, seemed more like an extended family reunion than an international church function. The atmosphere crackled with excitement as brothers and sisters from every continent reunited and new family members were introduced and welcomed.

At the opening banquet on Tuesday evening, Presiding Bishop James D. Leggett greeted the over 400 registered guests as well as members of the World Pentecostal Holiness Fellowship (WPHF). Then he introduced a video titled, “A Family Album.” The narrative of the presentation was interspersed with “snapshots” of individuals from various countries who gave their names then stated emphatically: “I am Pentecostal Holiness.”

Dr. A. D. Beacham, Jr. was the first speakers in the Wednesday morning plenary session. Beacham, who serves as executive director of World Missions, continued the family theme by highlighting four values that bind the church together. These include theology, relationships, a sense of being part of a larger community, and a common inheritance.

Beacham also discussed the Vision 2020 goals and strategies set by the representatives from the continents, setting the stage for reports from the Overseas Ministries Coordinators (OMC). The OMCs, in turn, introduced key leaders from their fields to report on the ministry from their unique perspectives.

These representatives provided conferees with a greater understanding of the church's global mandate and mission. Their stories - some stirring and others humorous - helped participants appreciate the diversity of the IPHC family as well as some of the struggles many leaders have faced as they persevered in taking the gospel message to the lost.

Some delegates were amazed by reports of the numbers of missionaries being deployed from places heretofore considered as receiving nations. Many countries that have received missionaries in the past are now sending missionaries into neighboring nations and around the world. These include Mexico, the Philippines, India, China, Russia, and others.

Each of the daytime sessions, as well as the evening celebration services opened with worship led by a local band and praise team from Calvary Christian Church (CCC) in Vancouver. Dr. Gordon McDonald, CCC's senior pastor, also serves as general superintendent of the IPHC of Canada and as a member of the World Pentecostal Holiness Fellowship (WPHF).

Both the Wednesday and Thursday evening services included short sermons by two speakers. The Wednesday evening service featured Donavan Ng, consulting pastor of the 6,000-member Wing Kwong PH Church in Hong Kong and a member of the WPHF, and Ron Carpenter, Jr., senior pastor of Redemption World Outreach Center, a mega church of 12,000 members in Greenville, South Carolina. Both Ng and Carpenter are men of vision who have proven apostolic leadership in their respective areas.

In the Thursday morning session, Dr. Ronald Carpenter, Sr., vice-chairman of the IPHC and executive director of Evangelism USA, underscored the significance of the international family being brought together under the banner of the IPHC. “We may be tribal in some ways, but in other senses we are united in a great organization that is making a difference in the world.

Carpenter referenced the denomination's transition from being an entity that plants churches to becoming a church planting movement. He described this change as necessary just to keep up with the population increase in North America. “America is not a Christian nation,” he declared. “It is increasingly becoming an anti-Christian nation. America is a mission field.”

A team of intercessors, led by Terry Fowler, director, and his assistant Kathy Shelley, kept the iWIN Prayer Room available throughout the conference. Approximately 40 intercessors visited the Prayer Room and prayed for the speakers and events of the conference. Conference iWIN directors from South Carolina, New Horizons, Africa, LAMCAR, Europe/Middle East and Asia and many missionaries spent time in prayer. As a capstone to the daytime sessions, Fowler taught briefly on 2 Chronicles 20 and the Fourth Day Experience and led conferees in a prayer for the nations.

Thursday evening's celebration service featured messages by Demetrius Miles, pastor of the Tucson (Arizona) Church International, and Presiding Bishop James Leggett. Miles spoke prophetically that the IPHC family is on the verse of experiencing something greater than it has even imagined.

Bishop Leggett affirmed Mile's word with a message based on Joshua 1:1-3, 7, 8. “God has a prosperous future for the IPHC,” he proclaimed. Leggett pointed the desperate situation in which Joshua and the people of God found themselves. “It was a time of transition and testing,” he said. “Moses, their great deliverer, was dead, and the Jordan River was overflowing its banks. The nation could have said, 'We can't do this,' but God said, 'You can.' When God says 'Cross the river,' hell can't stop you from doing what God says to do.”

The Presiding Bishop concluded his message with four divine commands from the text: (1) Be anchored in God's Word (v. 8); (2) Be decisive (v. 2); (3) Be strong and courageous (vv. 6, 9); and (4) Stay the course (v. 7).

The conference adjourned appropriately with members of the IPHC family gathered at the Table of the Lord to observe Holy Communion. The General Executive Board of the IPHC of Canada served the elements as Presiding Bishop James Leggett and Bishop Gordon McDonald led the congregation in celebrating the Lord's Supper.

The IPHC is a diverse family with faces and cultures to match their various ethnicities. Throughout the days in Vancouver, delegates heard members of their denominational family who speak Russian, Swahili, Hungarian, Spanish, Romanian, Portuguese, Telugu, Chinese, Filipino, Cambodian, English, as well as many other languages and dialects. Some presented their reports with the help of translators and others spoke English with regional accents and drawls. The Fourth World Conference was a testimony to the fact that people from every nation and tribe are welcome at our Father's table.

For the sake of space, this article does not include summaries of every session. To view all of the sessions and services of the Fourth World Conference of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, visit the IPHC website (www.iphc.org).

Observations on the 4th IPHC World Conference
May 13-17, 2008, Vancouver, BC, Canada
By James D. Leggett, Presiding Bishop, IPHC Ministries

A comment by a pastor spoke volumes about the Fourth World Conference of the Pentecostal Holiness Church. Looking at the large gathering of IPHC family in beautiful Vancouver, Canada, he said, “I wonder if the founding fathers ever imagined the church reaching every continent and reaching these numbers around the world.” Maybe some in their vision of a bright future did see the church impacting more than 110 nations. Maybe they saw a foretaste of the great gathering described in Revelation 7.
The Fourth World Pentecostal Holiness Conference was the largest and, described by some, the best of our family gatherings. The conference began with a banquet on Tuesday night with over 400 people and concluded with a communion service on Thursday night. The hours between were filled with many inspiring accounts and messages revealing the work of God through the Pentecostal Holiness Church around the world.

There was a sense of awe and deep thanksgiving as we listened to the stories of what God is doing on the various continents. From a very small beginning over a century ago, the Lord has wonderfully blessed the denomination to spread around the world. Some of the national churches have celebrated their centennial, while others will soon celebrate their centennial. There were churches that have joined the fellowship in recent years. The world conference gave abundant testimony of the continuing power of Pentecost in the world.

We listened to pastors of some of our largest congregations in the world: Donavan Ng of Hong Kong, Hernando Brochero of Venezuela, Ron Carpenter, Jr., USA, Eduardo Duran, Chile, and Valeriy Reshentinsky of Ukraine. It was exciting to hear these leaders and to see them sharing with each other.
The Pentecostal Holiness Church has always opened doors to women in ministry, for we know the promises of Joel: “Your sons and your daughters will prophesy … Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days” (Joel 2:28, 29).

Beatriz Lopez, superintendent of Cuba, inspired the conference as she did five years ago in Costa Rica. Her anointed message stirred the conference. Joanne Wong, lead pastor in the large Wing Kwong Church and Lazlone Mezes of the church in Hungary blessed all of us with their messages.

One of the most encouraging events was the reports of the missionaries who have been sent by national churches to open churches in other nations. In other words, the “receiving” nations have become “sending” nations. The churches in the Philippines have sent missionaries to Cambodia and other nations. The Hong Kong Church has planted churches in Canada and Kenya, and they have plans for more. Mexico has a missionary in Belgium. Argentina has started churches in the surrounding countries. Some of the Latin American countries have sent leaders to the Middle East. One of our pastors told me, “We are just beginning to see explosive growth. Instead of adding, we are going to see multiplication.”

World Missions had scheduled its missionary retreat in conjunction with the world conference for the first time. It added to the conference and gave pastors and national leaders the opportunity to fellowship and interact with the entire missionary staff. Many of the pastors expressed the deep gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of the world wide ministers of the denomination.

It also included time for the continents to set goals and strategize for the future. Many set ambitious goals for 2020. These goals and strategies will be reviewed at the next WPHF conference.

We praise God for the incredible progress of the Pentecostal Holiness Church around the world. Yet, we believe there is still much land to be possessed. We believe that the best days are ahead of us. We believe that God has greater miracles in store for the IPHC. Yes, we have seen the wonderful works of God in the nations of the world, but we believe there is a greater glory to come. Dr. Doug Beacham, our World Missions director, spoke of this when he quoted Isaiah 54:2: “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back, lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.”

God has promised us a vast inheritance. Joshua describes it as “every place you shall set your foot.” Let us dream as big as God has promised and rise up to take all the land He destined for the Pentecostal Holiness Church.