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Bishop B.E. Underwood’s 1997 Report

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Celebrate the Past, Seize the Future

Bishop B.E. Underwood
General Superintendent

 

The International Pentecostal Holiness Church has much to celebrate. And, we have much to seize.

Since this is my final “State of the Church” report, I want it to embrace the eight years I have served as General Superintendent. The statistical date covers 1989-1996.

Growth of the Church
In 1942, the year I was licensed to preach, the membership of the Pentecostal Holiness Church in the United States numbered 23,063. By 1965, when I was elected assistant general superintendent, we had increased membership to 61,492. At the close of 1988, our membership stood at 116,789. During the last eight years, we have experienced a net gain of 47,343, bringing our total U.S. membership at the close of 1996 to 164,132.

This is by far the church’s largest increase in any previous eight year period. We have averaged adding 5,918 new members per year during this time. The annual growth rate (AGR) has been approximately 4 percent, with a total increase of 40.5 percent.

As International Denomination
The above statistics do not include our churches and affiliates outside of the United States. The membership worldwide also has increased significantly. World Missions Ministries reports a membership of 418,748 in our churches outside of the U.S.A. Our total membership worldwide (including affiliates) now included 2,736,574 adherents.

The international nature of the IPHC has been highlighted during these eight years by two World Conferences, both of which were held in Jerusalem, Israel. The first World Conference convened in 1990, and the second one was in 1995. These events brought a new dimension to the identity or our denomination. We are now planning the third World Conference in the year 2000.

It was out of the First World Conference that the Jerusalem Proclamation was born. This historic statement has provided vision and focus for our churches around the world. We are now confident that the IPHC must be called “a people of destiny.” We have taken our place as a part of Christ’s Great Commission Church.

Target 2000
The vision of Target 2000 has been the heart of the ministry of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church since 1983. This bold thrust began to take shape under the leadership of Bishop Leon O. Stewart. He appointed the first Target 2000 Committee and asked me to serve as its chairman. Bishop Stewart gave strong support to the committee as the vision developed.

Target 2000 has given direction to the denomination for more than 12 years, ad we stand now on the brink of a new century. The year 2000 is but a milestone on the journey of this denomination. In fact, the next General Conference (if Jesus tarries His coming), will be in the 21st century. Now, as we stand on the brink of this new century, Target 2000 must give way to Mission 21.

Several steps have brought us to this defining moment.

A Paradigm Shift
Significant changes took place during the past eight years as the denomination adopted a paradigm shift regarding its structure. Several steps were included in this historic transition:

First, the General Executive Board (GEB) and the General Board of Administration (GBA) approved this paradigm shift during meetings held in October of 1994. The purpose for the change was to move the denomination away from a hierarchical model to a networking structure and to focus on the primacy of the local church and its pastor as the focal point of ministry.

Then the name of our executive offices changed from “International Headquarters” to “Resource Development Center.” All our flow charts were altered to reflect the networking model with the local church as the focus of the system.

Other name changes helped facilitate the shift. Advocate Press became LifeSprings Resources. The International Pentecostal Holiness Advocate, our denominational magazine became IssacharFile. Many of our conferences also changed the names of their offices to Resource Development Centers.

A major step in this paradigm shift was a series of workshops called “Refocusing Target 2000.” These workshops encouraged local churches to use as many of these ministries as they need to fulfill their God-given wisdom. During these sessions, conference and local church leaders received a “Ministries Menu” listing all the ministries being provided by the RDC. We stressed the fact that the churches do not exist to support the RDC. Rather, the RDC exists to provide resources for the local churches and its leaders.

As part of this paradigm shift, the Target 2000 Committee and the GEB crafted Mission, Vision, and Objectives Statements. These documents provide a compass for the ministries of the denomination.

Emphasis on Equipping
The paradigm shift is reflected in the strong emphasis on training. Every department of the RDC is involved in equipping. Annual seminars on missions, evangelism, stewardship, Christian Education, Men’s Ministries, Women’s Ministries, and many other facets of church planting and church growth are being offered each year. There are now approximately 275 training opportunities being offered annually on a national, regional, conference or local church level by the RDC.

Focus on the Role of Pastors
The primary task of denominational leaders is to equip and encourage pastors and church planters in their work. Throughout these eight years, we have given priority to providing opportunities for pastors to learn and grow.

The Bishop’s Pastors Council has been a platform for the General Superintendent to interact with pastors of churches averaging 300 or more in Sunday morning attendance. For the past eight years, the General Superintendent has met with this group in February. These sessions have included times of teaching and fellowship.

In 1993 and 1994, we provided a series of pastors’ schools across the church. In 1993, we invited pastors of churches averaging above 150 to join in the Bishop’s Pastors Council. Later that year we held two Bishop’s Pastors Schools for pastors of churches averaging between 75 and 149. In 1994, we ministered to pastors of churches averaging less than 75. Four schools for pastors of smaller churches were held in Montgomery, Alabama; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Roanoke, Virginia; and San Jose, California.

Our first National Pastors Conference was conducted March 20 – 23, 1995, at the Heritage Grand Hotel near Charlotte, North Carolina. More than 400 pastors attended this conference.

Many pastors have reported that these events have changed their lives and given new direction to their ministries. They have expressed our commitment to pastors. During this time, I also wrote a series of articles that have been compiled into a book, entitled The Biblical Role of the Pastor. This book highlights the leadership role of the pastor according to the Scriptures.

Church Planting
An important ingredient in our growth has been a renewed emphasis on church planting. During the past eight years, we have planted a record 560 new churches. Evangelism USA gave a top priority to this phase of its ministry. The future growth of the denomination will rest to a large extent on a dynamic program of urban church planting.

Memphis Miracle
One of the most significant events for me and for the International Pentecostal Holiness Church was our participation in the “Memphis Miracle” October 17 – 19, 1994. As chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America, I had the opportunity to provide leadership for this historic event. The reconciliation of the African/American and Euro/American branches of the Pentecostal Movement has received national and international attention in the press.

Solemn Assembly
The First Solemn Assembly of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church was called by the General Superintendent for August 23 – 24, 1996, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The GEB led this assembly in confessing the sins which had hindered our growth and maturity, and then affirming our repentance and renewal. For many people, this was the most important experience of their lives. We left Fayetteville firmly convinced that God had done something awesome in our midst.

Seize the Future Summit
On November 16, 1996, we held our first satellite broadcast, which was transmitted to 38 Points of Presence across the United States. This equipping event was called “Seize the Future Summit.” Nearly 2,500 leaders form across the nation participated in this meeting, which targeted the 1997 denominational theme, “Releasing Laity into Ministry.”

Prayer and Intercession
Undergirding all of these ministries and events has been our strong cadre of intercessors, under the leadership of the World Intercession Network (WIN). Every major event has been bathed in prayer by faithful prayer warriors. One of the goals of WIM was to form a global prayer chain that would provide around the clock intercession every day of the year for our ministry. This chain is now operating without ceasing.

The NET
A vital part of the development of the RDC has been the use of New Evangelism Technologies (NET). The NET has helped us to move into the Communications Age. Our RDC is completely computerized with a Wide Area Network (WAN) that includes Southwestern College of Christian Ministries, LifeSprings Resources, and Emmanuel College.

We held our first GEB meeting by computer in 1996. Besides saving significantly in travel expenses, we accomplished in an hour and a half what otherwise would have taken a full day. Our goal is to use the advances in communication technology to the fullest degree possible in carrying out the Great Commission.

 

Projects Under Construction

Several major projects are still in process. These include:

  1. Distance Learning Ministerial Training – A task force has been working during the past quadrennium to develop a plan for producing a ministerial training course that can be made available via computer technology to anyone seeking to prepare for license and/or ordination.
  2. Multimedia Center – the RDC, LifeSprings Resources, and Emmanuel College have agreed to a joint project of developing a multimedia center in Franklin Springs, Georgia. This center will be a vital part of Emmanuel’s new Communications Department and of LifeSprings Resources production of multimedia material for equipping the saints and training pastors, evangelists and church planters. This will be a vital link in the developing of our distance learning course for ministers.
  3. Centennial History – Next year, 1998, marks the centennial of the founding of the Pentecostal Holiness Church. The GEB has approved the production of a Centennial History. As yet we have not selected the writer for this history, but this will be done soon. It is important that we “celebrate our past” while staying focused on “seizing the future.” Research for this project will involve our Archives and Research Center, which is becoming a viable resource center for students and historians who seek to study our story.
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