The higher education institutions of the IPHC have served multiple generations of students. Begun in 1898, Holmes Bible College is the same age as the IPHC. Emmanuel College will be one hundred years old in 2019. Southwestern Christian University began in 1946. Advantage College began in 1976. In each instance, there are hundreds and thousands of changed lives who prayerfully and financially give so that thousands more can be educated in Christ-filled environments.<\/p>\n
Over the past decade, each of these institutions has faced serious challenges. Yet, God continues to provide solutions and hope for each. For both Holmes and Emmanuel, the solutions have been dramatic as God has provided the finances and personnel needed for significant breakthroughs.
\nAt Emmanuel, President Ron White set aside Saturday, October 20, as a day of thanksgiving to God for the numerous miracles of the past five years. For all of us present that day, it was a deeply moving experience to hear the testimonies of how God has demonstrated His faithfulness through countless people.<\/p>\n
I mention this because we are in the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. My heart is filled with deep gratitude for our schools and for all who continue to stand with them. They need our support, now more than ever. I hope you will join me with end of the year contributions to each of them.
\nEmmanuel, originally founded as Franklin Springs Institute, celebrates its Centennial next year. One hundred years ago as he prepared for the opening on January 1, 1919, founder G.F. Taylor called the fledgling community together to pray on Tuesday night, December 31, 1918, from 8 until after midnight. No doubt they prayed for the opening of the school the next morning. But surely, they gave thanks for the conclusion of The Great War, World War I, which had closed with an armistice on November 11, 1918.<\/p>\n
Those of us who gathered on October 20, 2018, in Franklin Springs, were standing on the shoulders of these prayer warriors. We did this because we believe the Holy Spirit continues to call successive waves of young men and women into the service of Jesus Christ, regardless their fields of study.<\/p>\n
The Christmas season is a special time for us to think about the future within the context of how God works through the generations. My wife, Susan, and I are blessed with two young granddaughters who live near us. Their childlike wonder in this season warms their grandparent\u2019s hearts.<\/p>\n
In this season I\u2019ve been reflecting on St. Luke 1 and 2 and St. Matthew 1 and 2. It\u2019s a story of generations. For Zacharias and Elizabeth, it\u2019s a story of a miracle birth in old age (Luke 1:7). While their exact ages are uncertain, the phrase in Luke 1:7 refers to people who are over sixty years of age. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was probably a young woman in her middle teens when she became pregnant. The man to whom she is espoused, Joseph, is old enough to understand the consequences of Mary\u2019s pregnancy and wise enough to face it discreetly.<\/p>\n
In my thinking, there are multiple miracles in these birth narratives. The older Zacharias and Elizabeth remind us of an even older Abraham and Sarah. Mary conceived as the Holy Spirit \u201covershadows\u201d her. The Holy Spirit, not the angel Gabriel, entered the womb of the Virgin and created divine life, just as the Holy Spirit hovered over creation in Genesis 1:2.<\/p>\n
The response of Joseph is another miracle that captures my attention (see Matthew 1:18-24). Upon discovering that his betrothed is pregnant, he responds with mercy that overshadows his own sorrow. How can Mary explain this? How can Joseph believe it? How can Joseph save his reputation? Why should Mary not be publicly humiliated? What keeps a wounded person from expressing public outrage upon another?<\/p>\n
The answer to those questions is found in two aspects of Joseph\u2019s life. First, Joseph is called a \u201cjust man\u201d (Matthew 1:19). He is righteous in his own self. That righteousness is demonstrated in his concern for Mary\u2019s reputation. Joseph\u2019s first thoughts are not of himself; they are of her. His love covered a multitude of what he perceived to be \u201csins.\u201d The righteousness of his character is not a form of self-justification. Rather, it denotes a heart and mind shaped by divine grace and the divine Word.<\/p>\n
Secondly, Joseph was able to hear the angel of the Lord speak in a dream and reveal to him the power of the fulfilling Word (1:20-23). Like the dreamer Joseph of Genesis 37-50, this Joseph was open to hear God\u2019s voice through dreams. In the dream, the angel reminded Joseph of his personal connection to his ancestor, Israel\u2019s King David (1:20). He understood the Davidic promises and he was able to receive the divine Word in his present situation (2 Samuel 7:12-16). The Word, first reflected in the Davidic promise and secondly reflected in the Isaiah 7:14 quote, became the pathway of obedience for Joseph to walk as a new future unfolded.<\/p>\n
In this holiday season, Susan and I pray that the miracles described in the birth narratives of our Lord will be fresh in your own life. Some of you are like Zacharias and Elizabeth, wondering if there is more the Lord has in your life. The answer is yes. You probably don\u2019t want it to be a new baby, unless it\u2019s a grandchild, but you still want purpose and fruitfulness in your lives.<\/p>\n
You may be a young person like Mary, wanting to obey God in all areas of your life. Let the Holy Spirit overshadow you with divine love, peace, timing,\u00a0and preparation. Some of us may be like Joseph. We need to trust when life doesn\u2019t make sense. We need to remember God\u2019s promises. And we need to remember God\u2019s future!<\/p>\n
Merry Christmas to all the IPHC family!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
By Doug Beacham<\/strong><\/p>\n This article was published in\u00a0the November\/December 2018 issue of Encourage<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":3060,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1],"tags":[510,45,134,46,290,205],"class_list":{"0":"post-3040","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bishops-blog","8":"category-general","9":"tag-510","10":"tag-bishop","11":"tag-bishops-blog","12":"tag-doug-beacham","13":"tag-iphc-general-superintendent","14":"tag-november","15":"entry"},"title_es":"Uno de mis h\u00e9roes de la generaci\u00f3n pasada","content_es":"Despu\u00e9s de graduarme de la universidad, asist\u00ed a la escuela de posgrado en Union Theological Seminary (UTS) en Richmond, Virginia (ahora llamada Union Presbyterian Seminary). Aunque fui aceptado en otros seminarios, el fuerte departamento de Biblia de la Uni\u00f3n y la ayuda financiera, junto con una excelente iglesia local de IPHC, me llevaron all\u00ed. \u00a1El dinero presbiteriano debe haber sido predestinado para educar a un Arminiano Wesleyano Pentecostal! En los servicios de la capilla, escuch\u00e9 y aprend\u00ed nuevos himnos, como \"Para todos los santos\". Siempre tengo ese himno en mente cuando asisto a un funeral. He tenido la bendici\u00f3n de conocer personalmente a muchos de los \"santos\" a quienes el Esp\u00edritu Santo sol\u00eda afectar a la IPHC desde la d\u00e9cada de 1950. Si comenzara a nombrarlos, ser\u00eda como leer 1 Cr\u00f3nicas 1\u20139. Eran hombres y mujeres poderosos en la familia IPHC. En julio de este a\u00f1o, supe que uno de esos santos, Lawrence A. Pfaff, se uni\u00f3 a su difunta esposa con el Se\u00f1or. Nacido en Pensilvania el d\u00eda de San Valent\u00edn de 1929, Pfaff asisti\u00f3 a Holmes Bible College (donde conoci\u00f3 a su esposa, Lola Rankin), de la Universidad de Furman, y luego obtuvo una maestr\u00eda de William and Mary. La primera vez que escuch\u00e9 el nombre de Pfaff fue a principios de la d\u00e9cada de 1970 cuando hab\u00eda pastoreado en la Conferencia del Este de Virginia y hab\u00eda respondido al llamado de la misi\u00f3n. Comenzaron a servir en White River, Sud\u00e1frica, junto con sus tres hijas (Etheyln, Barbie y Cheryl). M\u00e1s tarde, esa d\u00e9cada, los Pfaff trajeron a su hija m\u00e1s peque\u00f1a, Cheryl, al Emmanuel College donde conoc\u00ed a esta incre\u00edble familia. Cuando visitaron Emmanuel, siempre me impresion\u00f3 la actitud amable y amigable de Pfaff. Recuerdo a Cheryl comentando que su padre estaba a menudo en Nigeria, pero su madre estaba en los Estados Unidos ayudando con la recaudaci\u00f3n de fondos y con la familia. A veces regresaba a los Estados Unidos para estar con su familia y recaudar fondos. No me di cuenta cuando visitar\u00edan que estaba en presencia de tan humildes y fieles siervos de Cristo en la IPHC en \u00c1frica Occidental. No fue hasta que me convert\u00ed en Director de Misiones Mundiales que comenc\u00e9 a comprender el impacto significativo de Pfaff en \u00c1frica Occidental. Sab\u00eda que la IPHC ten\u00eda una escuela b\u00edblica en Lagos, pero sab\u00eda poco de su historia. Mientras que el misionero de la IPHC Johnny Brooks comenz\u00f3 el trabajo de la IPHC en \u00c1frica Occidental en 1955, y una peque\u00f1a escuela en 1957, la escuela cerr\u00f3 en la d\u00e9cada de 1970. Sin embargo, Lawrence Pfaff lleg\u00f3 a Nigeria y comenz\u00f3 un nuevo sue\u00f1o que contin\u00faa hasta hoy. Inicialmente, viajando a trav\u00e9s de Nigeria, viaj\u00f3 hacia el oeste en Benin para alentar la presencia de la IPHC en esa naci\u00f3n. Pero fue en Lagos donde Pfaff encontr\u00f3 la oportunidad de establecer un fuerte Colegio B\u00edblico IPHC. El misionero de la IPHC, Willard Wagner, me dijo: \"Rev. Pfaff y su esposa recaudaron casi solos todos los fondos para la compra de la tierra y la construcci\u00f3n de la instalaci\u00f3n, donde el Colegio B\u00edblico actual est\u00e1 establecido permanentemente \". Esa propiedad est\u00e1 a poca distancia del Golfo de Guinea y cuando est\u00e1 tranquilo , uno puede sentarse en el techo de la escuela y escuchar el oc\u00e9ano. Fue un gran proyecto. \u00a1Pfaff vivi\u00f3 entre los nigerianos a quienes serv\u00eda, una vez que viv\u00eda con diecinueve nigerianos en la misma casa! M\u00e1s tarde durmi\u00f3 en las habitaciones sin terminar del colegio. En un momento dado, una familia nigeriana de la IPHC le abri\u00f3 su hogar y le brind\u00f3 mejor refugio y comida. Contrat\u00f3 contratistas italianos para construir las instalaciones pendientes. Fue responsable de contratar al Dr. Luke Nnadi como director del Colegio B\u00edblico de \u00c1frica Occidental, una posici\u00f3n que el Dr. Nnadi ocupa hoy, as\u00ed como del l\u00edder nacional de IPHC en Nigeria. Hoy en d\u00eda, esta propiedad est\u00e1 valuada en m\u00e1s de $ 1 mill\u00f3n de d\u00f3lares estadounidenses. Lawrence Pfaff vio una oportunidad que otros no vieron, y su fe y trabajo contin\u00faan. La WABC ha capacitado a casi 3,000 hombres y mujeres que sirven a Cristo y a la IPHC en todo el mundo. En noviembre de 2007, Willard Wagner invit\u00f3 al hermano Pfaff a regresar a Lagos para la dedicaci\u00f3n del nuevo centro de conferencias nombrado en memoria de su amada esposa Lola Pfaff. Esta facilidad necesaria fue posible gracias a los fondos recaudados a trav\u00e9s de las Misiones Mundiales, la familia Pfaff y Willard e Yvonne Wagner. Viajando con Lawrence hab\u00eda dos nietos, David Peyton (hijo de Ethelyn) y Karl Stefan (hijo de Barbie). Tuve el honor de unirme a la familia de Wagner y Pfaff para este evento especial. Lawrence Pfaff ten\u00eda entonces 78 a\u00f1os pero estaba lleno de energ\u00eda y entusiasmo. Mantuve algunas notas sobre ese viaje y escrib\u00ed sobre su predicaci\u00f3n: \u201c\u00c9l (Pfaff) habl\u00f3 del Salmo 92:12 en la palmera e hizo un gran trabajo. \u00a1Es un muy buen maestro y repetidamente nos hizo citar el pasaje! Sus solicitudes tambi\u00e9n fueron geniales \u201d. La graduaci\u00f3n de West Africa Bible College fue el s\u00e1bado 17 de noviembre. Hab\u00eda m\u00e1s de dos mil personas presentes y Lawrence, sus nietos, los Wagner y yo est\u00e1bamos en la plataforma. En un momento de la m\u00fasica de alabanza, cientos de nigerianos entraron a los pasillos y al frente para bailar. Podr\u00eda decir que a Lawrence le estaba encantando. Se inclin\u00f3 hacia m\u00ed y me dijo: \"Puedes hacer eso, ve afuera\". Yo respond\u00ed: \"Ir\u00e9 si te vas\". Se levant\u00f3 y juntos nos unimos a los bailarines y pasamos los siguientes quince minutos con el Nigerianos en alabanza al Se\u00f1or. Cuando regresamos a nuestros asientos, su nieto David estaba sentado a mi lado. Me dirig\u00ed a \u00e9l y le dije: \u201c\u00a1Tu abuelo es el hombre m\u00e1s feliz de la tierra!\u201d. Vi con mis propios ojos por qu\u00e9 a Lawrence se le llamaba el \u201cmisionero que nunca se cansaba m\u00e1s\u201d. Nuestro \u00e9nfasis en el valor fundamental de este a\u00f1o es \u201cValoramos con oraci\u00f3n a todas las generaciones\u201d. \". Lawrence y Lola Pfaff son parte de una generaci\u00f3n que se une a esas\" grandes nubes de testigos \"que leemos en Hebreos 12: 1. Pero su testimonio nos sigue inspirando. Por Doug Beacham<\/strong> Este art\u00edculo se public\u00f3 en el n\u00famero de octubre de 2018 de Encourage<\/a> .<\/em>","author_name":"","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/11\/PHOTO-Beacham-1-e1541776444242.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb62Bx-N2","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3040"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3040\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}