By Bishop J. Talmadge Gardner
I was honored to serve Bishop David & Jane Moore and the members of the Mississippi Conference as their presiding officer on Saturday, April 7, 2018. This was their seventy-fourth conference gathering.
The quadrennial conference was hosted at Glad Tidings PHC in Meridian, Mississippi. Glad Tidings is pastored by Rev. Leslie and Vivian Aucoin. Glad Tidings hosted a meal following the Conference. Good country cooking is hard to beat!
Bishop Moore’s State of the Conference Report was prophetic, visionary and delivered with a powerful anointing. He concluded his report by mapping out a well thought out vision of the future state of the Mississippi Conference. I have included several excerpts from his report below:
“Last year in our Inspirational Conference, I mentioned “open doors” that abound, those divine invitations by the Lord to make our life count for the sake of others. Sometimes it’s simply showing you care by a demonstration of Christ’s love through helping others. It has never been, nor will it ever be about us. Do you understand it has always been about the “harvest?” We should always be praying for an open door to share the gospel message wherever we go and in everything we do.
In the year 2013, the LORD said to me, “Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in our days that you would not believe, even if you were told” (Habakkuk 1:5).
If you only considered the size of our conference in the natural, this would be a daunting task. Regardless of our size, our people have a heart for souls and a passion for God. With spiritual eyes we are able to see clearly the things God wants us to accomplish. Have you ever wanted to see more clearly with your spiritual eyes? To do this would mean:
- Engaging in the hope to which you have been called in Christ (Ephesians 1:18)
- Perceiving the spiritual realm (2 Kings 6:17)
- Discovering revelation in the Word of God (Psalm 119:18)
- Recognizing the presence of Jesus (Luke 24:31)
- Seeing opportunities for evangelism (John 4:35)
- Keeping the focus of your life on Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:2)
Even with prayerful consideration given to the above, we still have to ask the question, is this really what we want for our life? Let’s stay focused with our spiritual eyes on the things God has called us to accomplish. Remember! It’s about the “Harvest.”
The Vision
At the 2017 General Conference the Mississippi Conference participated in a prayer time where leaders from all over the world collected soil from various counties, parishes, or provinces where they live, labor, and worship. Our goal was to collect the soil and put it into a container and pray for God to give us the land represented by those soil samples. This act of faith was symbolic in retaking the land the enemy had stolen. That land by faith is now being reclaimed for the Lord’s use. Spiritual warfare is needed but we can do it one person, one family, one town/city and one county at a time.
Arise 2033
- “Setting the Course”
- Establishing the “Why”?
- John 3:16- “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV).
- Luke 19:10 – “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (NIV).
- Understanding Our Assignment
- Matthew 28:18-29 – “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (NIV).
- Acts 1:8 – “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” (NIV).
- Understanding Our Responsibility
- 1 million people live in the United States
- 96 million people live in Mississippi
- Contend for the heart of our nation and the souls of its population
- Engaging our Responsibility
- Cooperate with “Arise 2033”
- Establish Measurable Goals
- 2018-2021
- 2022-2025
- 2026-2029
- 2029-2033
- Determine Strategies
- We are presently in 8 of 82 counties in MS
- 19 Congregations (MS Conf.)
- Representing 9 counties MS/Al
- Clarke – 4
- Choctaw County, Butler AL – 2
- Copiah – 3
- Hinds – 2
- Jackson – 2
- Lauderdale – 3
- Neshoba – 1
- Rankin – 1
- Yazoo – 1
- Establish Measurable Goals
- Cooperate with “Arise 2033”
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. Act 9: 31 (NIV)
- Prayer
- Know we are praying for you!
- Our 4 prayer points
- Laborers
- Supernatural Resources
- Open Doors
- Lasting Fruit
- Conference Leaders and Churches
- Kingdom Advancement and Increase“
The Conference elected the following persons to serve as members of their Conference Executive Council:
- Conference Superintendent, Bishop David W. Moore (by acclamation)
- Assistant Conference Superintendent, Rev. Darrell Blankenship (by acclamation)
- Conference Secretary/Treasurer, Rev. Shawn Earles (by acclamation)
- Conference Executive Council Member-at-Large, Mr. Gene Evans (by acclamation)
- Conference Executive Council Member-at-Large, Rev. Wayne Redden (by acclamation)
Clergy Credentials were issued as follows:
Ordination (2)
- Madeline Lafferty Nix [So honored to participate in Madeline’s Ordination]
- Leavy Shoffner
Minister’s License (1)
- Chance Walley
Memoirs Report
The Memoirs Report was presented by Rev. Wayne Redden. His report memorialized the life and legacies of not only clergy members and their spouses that had gone on to be with the Lord over the course of the past quadrennium but also church members. I had never heard of this being done before. Thought that it was very appropriate and deserving. Two of the Council members’ spouses were memorialized: Sharon Blankenship and Rhonda Evans. This made the moment very real:
Bethany
- Helen Beckham
Celebration Fellowship
- Evelyn Granthan
- Marsha Case
Church of the Vine
- Mary Ann Dunn
Faith Chapel
- Charles Rutledge
- Larry Roberson
Glad Tidings
- Edwin Price
- Hank Holmes
- Kathleen Koonce
Grace Bible Church
- R. Malden
Lakeview Worship Center
- Leon Robertson
- Margaret Broadhead
Pleasant Ridge
- Kenneth Rowell
- Marlene McInnis
- Maxine Smith
- Ruth Fleming
River of Life
- Barbara Steppee
- Delores Holifield
- Evelyn Hamilton
- Mattie Carney
Shady Grove
- Dot Lafferty
- Gary Conner
- Jane Thead
- Joyce Irwin
- Lamar Gipson
- Lucile Sanderson
- Maureen Fagan
- Mavis Neal
- Tommy Conner
Springs of Praise
- Annie Lunsford
- Michael Watson
- Rachel McManus
- Rhonda Evans
- Sadie Smith
- Sharon Blankenship
- Teresa Holliday
Truth Faith
- Bretta Powell
- Homer John Maxie
- James Powell
- Mary Gean Sumrall
Victory Grove
- D. Franks
- Voncille Slay
Victory Worship Center
- James Gods
- John Springle
- Patt Loucks
Water Valley
- George David Campbell
- James Lavelle Reeves
- Richard Larry Robinson
- Stephen Paul Queen
- Thomas Clyde Roberson
It was an honor as the presiding officer to recognize the following conference attendees and guests:
- Rev. Glenn Lafferty, former Conference Superintendent & GBA Member
- Rev. Johnny Upton, Vice-President, IPHC Extension Loan Fund
- Rev. Brian & Heather Farley, EVUSA/Acts2Day Church Planters to New York
- Seth & Rev. Madeline Lafferty Nix, Coordinators of Mobilization and Operations for The Awakening
- Rev. Josh Lafferty, General Discipleship Ministries/Youth Ministries Student Ministries Advisory Team [SMAT] Member.
Bishop David and Jane Moore have served the Lord and the IPHC faithfully in many different capacities. As I travel in my current capacity to LAMCAR many of the national leaders still lament the fact that they left their field of service. Their vision and investment in leaders and people is still paying dividends for the kingdom and World Missions Ministries today.
I honor David and Jane and pray that the vision that the Lord has given them for Mississippi will come to fruition during this quadrennium.
I was honored to serve this part of our IPHC faith family.
