{"id":484,"date":"2015-06-26T15:54:48","date_gmt":"2015-06-26T15:54:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/?p=484"},"modified":"2015-06-26T15:54:48","modified_gmt":"2015-06-26T15:54:48","slug":"appalachian-2015-conference-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/2015\/06\/26\/appalachian-2015-conference-recap\/","title":{"rendered":"Appalachian 2015 Conference Recap"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Bishop J. Talmadge Gardner <\/strong><\/p>\n

It was my privilege to serve as the presiding officer for the 105th<\/sup> CONFERENCE SESSION of the APPALACHIAN CONFERENCE <\/strong>on June 20, 2015.\u00a0 The Conference was hosted at the Appalachian Conference Campgrounds in Dublin, Virginia.<\/p>\n

The Saturday Conference Session was preceded by its annual Camp Meeting. Friday evening\u2019s Camp Meeting service was also designated as the Global Outreach emphasis evening.\u00a0 Rev. Hans Hess, pastor of Fountain of Life PHC in Elizabeth City, North Carolina was the featured speaker.\u00a0 Hans preached the best or one of the best sermons on missions that I have heard to-date!<\/p>\n

Hans graciously provided me with a summary of his sermon on missions for this report.\u00a0 It follows:<\/p>\n

\u201cIsrael\u2019s original call was to be a missionary nation.\u00a0 This is seen in Abram\u2019s call in Genesis 12:1-3<\/strong>.\u00a0 In contrast to Genesis 11, where man was trying to make a name for himself, God was going to make Abram\u2019s name great.\u00a0 In fact, God would make him a blessing to all nations.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

This missionary call on Israel is seen in Israel\u2019s commission to be a kingdom of priests Exodus 19:4-6<\/strong>.\u00a0 Israel was to function in a mediatorial role for all nations.\u00a0 They were to represent God to all nations.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Israel failed in fulfilling its calling as a missionary people.\u00a0 The Messiah fulfilled the role perfectly.\u00a0 He was the perfect, obedient Servant of Yahweh.\u00a0 Thus in the prophetic literature of the Hebrew Scriptures, the focus turns to the Messiah as God\u2019s representative, or missionary, to the world- Psalm 2<\/strong> (to the Messiah the nations are given as an inheritance).<\/em><\/p>\n

Psalm 67<\/em><\/strong> was probably read during the feast of Pentecost, which focused on the harvest.\u00a0 This psalm deals with God and the nations.\u00a0 God\u2019s desire for the nations is worship.\u00a0 Reciprocity occurs between being blessed by God and touching the nations.\u00a0 It is ironic that God chose the Feast of Pentecost in Acts 2<\/strong> as the opportune time to send the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 The Holy Spirit comes so that the church may be empowered for mission.<\/em><\/p>\n

The church, as the people of the Messiah, are now called as God\u2019s missionaries to the world.\u00a0 We have been given the nations as our inheritance.\u00a0 We have been given the Great Commission by Jesus.\u00a0 We have been given the power of the Holy Spirit for missionary purposes.<\/em><\/p>\n

This missionary \u201cDNA\u201d affects everything we do as a church.\u00a0 The local church is indelibly connected to the world outreach of the church.\u00a0 The missions DNA displays itself in our outreaches to our local communities as well.\u00a0 A church that is not on mission is dysfunctional.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

*Credit to Dr. Walt Kaiser and his article \u201cIsrael\u2019s Missionary Call \u201cin Perspectives on the World Christian Movement<\/em>, 3rd<\/sup> Edition, eds. Ralph Winter and Steven Hawthorne (William Carey Library; Pasadena, CA 1999) 10ff.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Appalachian Conference continues to show excellent growth.\u00a0 Bishop Mathena\u2019s State of the Conference Report portrays that.\u00a0 Excerpts from Bishop Mathena\u2019s report follow.\u00a0 I thank him for allowing me to share this with you:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAs I review this year, there are three words that come to my mind in conjunction with what is taking place in our conference.\u00a0 The first word is Expansion<\/strong>.\u00a0 The real life blood of our conference is the work of the ministry in the local church.\u00a0 This past year we had seven churches to complete new building programs.\u00a0 We are instructed in Isaiah 54:2 to enlarge the place of our tent.<\/em><\/p>\n

The second word I would use to describe this year would be Development!<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 In conference work you must be continually thinking about what is the next important step for the future.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

I cannot<\/u> over emphasize what is a must for this conference \u2013 the development of the next generation of pastors and leaders.\u00a0 I\u2019ve said before that Maranatha College is possibly the greatest and yet most under-utilized tool we have for leadership development.\u00a0 The classes are excellent and taught in modules for convenience.\u00a0 This year has been the launch year for our satellite campuses with Maranatha.\u00a0 Each district, even every church, has the potential to link with Maranatha College for ongoing training.\u00a0\u00a0 We are making plans to design another curriculum that will be geared towards the development of local leadership, with an emphasis on Christian education.\u00a0 I encourage every pastor to consider the value this could have for your local congregation.\u00a0 Even though Maranatha is not accredited, it is still certified by the State of Virginia and classes have the potential for transfer.\u00a0\u00a0 I commend President Steve Willis and the Maranatha board for their ongoing commitment to higher education and the training and development of leaders in this conference.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

You probably noticed that this year we had the largest number of ministerial and ordination candidates in quite some time, and much of that is due to the greater presence of Maranatha College.<\/em><\/p>\n

Another great tool for ongoing development of leadership and churches is the 24 to Double program taught by Dr. Weston!\u00a0\u00a0 We have about 12 churches that have committed to this program that are seeing amazing results.\u00a0 Every church has been seeing positive outcomes numerically, but also has experienced a surge in energy and finance.<\/em><\/p>\n

Too, let me thank Pastor Tony Atkinson, who traveled with us to the districts for training this past year. \u00a0He laid out a strategic plan that he has been using to build the local church.\u00a0 It models the 24 to D program but it streamlines and helps each church to grasp this workable concept.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

So the last word I would like to use is Optimistic<\/strong>.\u00a0 Someone asked me recently if I see myself as an optimist.\u00a0 I see myself as a realist.\u00a0 I have reason to be optimistic \u2013 when I see a church we almost closed 6 years ago this past Easter weekend have a total of 2441 in service!\u00a0 Congratulations to Hillsville PH<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

I have reason to be optimistic when I see a church like Tazewell-Cross Point<\/strong> where I met with the congregation of four ladies and one little girl to try and decide the future of that church, looking as though it would close.\u00a0 But today, under the leadership of Pastor Bernard Cornwell, the church is full and teeming with life.<\/em><\/p>\n

I have reason to be optimistic \u2013 when I see a church like New Life Ministries<\/strong> that was devastated with a church split eight years ago \u2013 but today is running between 1100 and 1200 every Sunday morning and venturing on a new building program.<\/em><\/p>\n

I have a reason to be optimistic when I see a church like Crossroads Church<\/strong>, after a pastoral change, in just two years pay off a major mortgage \u2013 more than double in size \u2013 build a new church in Honduras \u2013 (paying for the whole project) \u2013 this year launching a dynamic new church plant in Claypool Hill Mall, where at the opening service they had 230 people!<\/em><\/p>\n

I have reason to be optimistic when I see a city like Christiansburg that had one PH church that for years ran between 125 to 150 people, but now has two dynamic ministries there, both located just off I-81, one on Exit 114, Victory Restoration Church<\/strong>, the other on Exit 118, Harbor of Hope Ministries<\/strong>, both positioned excellent for growth.\u00a0 This past Easter, Victory Restoration Church had 895 and Harbor of Hope had 823.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

I have reason to be optimistic when I see a church like Radford Worship Center<\/strong>, one of the original five started in 1910, go through the pains of revitalization, which was a challenging season, but after committing to the 24 to Double program, they are now experiencing some of the largest numbers in the church\u2019s history.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

I have reason to be optimistic when I see a church like Winchester Word of Life<\/strong>, a church of about 90 members, this past year break over $1 million in mission giving, under Pastor Ron Neff.<\/em><\/p>\n

I have a reason to be optimistic when this year, by sending out one letter to our pastors telling the major concern for the future of Emmanuel College, this conference in its generosity gave approximately $70,000 to strengthen their cause.\u00a0 We need our college!<\/em><\/p>\n

It is a new day, and when we walk out of these doors, we can square our shoulders and turn our faces to heaven, not with a sense of pride, but with purpose and destiny and meet each day with great optimism.\u00a0 We are a place of hope, a people of promise!\u00a0 <\/strong>As I\u2019ve said before, there\u2019s no shortage of opportunities before us, only a shortage of time and personnel to take advantage of them all!\u00a0\u00a0 The prospect for the future in church growth, church planting and world evangelization is limited only by our faith and ability to mobilize both human and financial resources to commit to the task.\u00a0 Jesus still exhorts us that the fields are white, ripe, and ready to be harvested. It\u2019s God\u2019s ordained opportunity for us \u2013 now!<\/em><\/p>\n

On second thought, I guess I am an optimist \u2013 an \u201ceternal optimist\u201d \u2013 when it comes to His church!\u00a0 Jesus said, \u2018I will build my church and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it!\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Great report and well received by those in attendance.<\/p>\n

Rev. Wanda Myers led the Conference in memorializing and honoring the life and ministry legacy of the following Conference ministers\u2019 in the Memoirs Report:<\/p>\n