May 6, 2015
Hundreds of missionaries, pastors, conference bishops and lay church leaders gathered in Hong Kong this week to participate in the 5th Global Assembly of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. This year’s event was hosted by the Wing Kwong Pentecostal Holiness Church, the largest IPHC congregation outside the United States.
On the first full day of activities, delegates participated in a wide range of events:
- Pastor Donavan Ng, the visionary leader of the IPHC’s Hong Kong conference, shared the story of
the Wing Kwong church’s miraculous growth and then gave a tour of the 6-story facility to pastors and conference bishops. When Pastor Ng became pastor of Wing Kwong, the church had 28 members; today, it has grown to 15 congregations in Hong Kong, with more than 13,300 members. Ng also introduced Rev. Joanne Wong, who has assumed the role of pastor-in-charge at the Wing Kwong church while Ng serves a field superintendent for the Hong Kong Conference.
- Many women delegates gathered at the Wing Kwong Church’s chapel in the morning for a special
Ministers’ Wives Fellowship service, hosted by Susan Beacham, wife of Presiding Bishop Doug Beacham. After a time of worship, IPHC minister Lee Grady, director of The Mordecai Project, shared a message called “Breaking the Spirit of Barrenness.” Speaking from the story of Elizabeth and the virgin Mary in Luke 1, Grady reminded the women that when the Holy Spirit comes in fullness, the promise of new life is released. In order to see growth in the IPHC in the next season, we must be willing to mentor and disciple the next generation.
- Almost 100 IPHC missionaries met in the afternoon for a time of fellowship and practical instruction provided by Dr. Harold Dalton, Max Barroso and Matt Bennett. Bishop Talmadge Gardner greeted the missionaries by video and retired missionary Sherrill Orvin provided an inspirational message about his time as a missionary in Hong Kong. The group also recognized the faithful service of Judy Williams, who is retiring from her role as accounting manager for World Missions Ministries.
- To celebrate all that God has done through the IPHC, delegates were treated to a special 12-
course Chinese dinner in the evening. The meal was hosted by Pastor Donavan Ng and members of the Wing Kwong Church. Before the dinner, Timothy Poon and Jennifer Kwok of the Wing Kwong Church shared a special theme song that was written to commemorate the IPHC’s current emphasis, “A Place of Hope, A People of Promise.”
The International Pentecostal Holiness Church is now working in 101 countries. Recent statistics show that the church has more than 1.6 million members in 11,336 churches worldwide.
Photos: IPHC Communication Services