Church of God (Holiness)

Last Monday, the 2010 General Convention of the Churches of God (Holiness) was convened. After the election and financial reports of the various boards and committees was completed in the morning session (see our updated “Boards and Committees” page), delegates spent the afternoon in Strategic Planning.

Delegates first heard a report from Mark McCalmon concerning the investment account set up for COGH ministers to use as a retirement fund. Delegates were instructed how to keep their portfolio in balance, etc.

Next, representatives from Christian Healthcare Ministries presented their health cost sharing ministry to delegates. CHM informed delegates that the recent health care reform bill passed by Congress that requires everyone to carry health insurance provides an exception for those who are part of a health cost sharing ministry. The representatives went on to demonstrate the large savings one could make using their ministry rather than a regular health insurance plan. CHM also promised to make a donation to Kansas City College and Bible School for any new subscriber gained as a result of their promotional efforts at the Convention.

Chad Pollard next spoke, presenting a six part church planting strategy that Home Missions / the Strategic Planning committee plans to use in its effort to start new churches. Chad spoke of the need for church planting, noting that if the Church of God (Holiness) continues to lose churches at its current yearly rate that the U.S. movement will be gone in 2075.

Jack Smith noted that most of the “regions” developed several years ago are not functioning today. One exception is the northwest Arkansas region. Lonnie Witt, chairman of that region, talked of how their region functioned and noted a number of topics this region had studied as part of their meetings as well as activities in which they had engaged.

Thank you for your prayers for COGH delegates during this year’s General Convention. May God bless the Churches of God (Holiness) throughout this next year as we serve Him faithfully!

by Aletha Hinthorn

C. Peter Wagner tells that when he was young he attended “horse pulls.” One of the strongest horses could pull 7,000 pounds and another an amazing 9,000 pounds. But when the two horses were hitched together, they could pull 33,000 pounds.

A similar phenomenon occurs in prayer. God multiples the results when we unite! When two or more people prevail together, their prayer power not only is added together, but it’s multiplied.

“Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you” (Lev. 26:8).

Deuteronomy 32:30 speaks of one man chasing a thousand and two putting 10,000 to flight.

We can be praying with others, though, and still only pull our individual loads of 7,000 or 9,000 pounds each if we are not praying for the same thing at the same time. When we all desire the same thing, with one leading in prayer and the others either silently or aloud saying a heartfelt, “Yes, Lord,” our prayers become synergistic.

Many light bulbs shining together make a bright light. But if they are concentrated into one light beam, they give a laser beam effect capable of penetrating the hardest substance. Think of your agreeing in prayer as focusing your light into a laser beam which God can use to penetrate those “inaccessible” situations.

Thank You, Jesus, for giving us a powerful reason to be in unity with others.

By Aletha Hinthorn
Used with permission

Isa.53:6

My wife got me a GPS (Global Positioning System) for Christmas! I had been hinting for a long time that I wanted one. She gave no indication that she was impressed with my great need. When we found them deeply discounted and we were about to leave for a 1600 mile trip to visit our son’s family in California for Christmas, however, I was able to “sell” her on the wonderful benefits of the technological toy.

This morning I took my wife to work. I didn’t need to use the GPS because I knew the route well. There is still some new to wear off of the little wonder so I hooked it up and turned it on. It was still programmed from the previous day to navigate to my home. As we left our drive and headed toward her workplace the lady’s voice on the GPS began to try to get me to go to the destination that was programmed in the GPS – my home! We had just gone one block when the GPS lady told me to turn right. She wanted to take me around the block and back to my house. This continued throughout the whole trip to my wife’s workplace. I was amused at the insistent effort of the electronic lady as she tried persistently to get me to go back home.

Later as I drove on toward my workplace I mused over the situation. This seemed to be so much like the voice of God that speaks to us when we stray away from His will. He talks to us step by step along the way trying to persuade us to make a U turn and come back to Him. No matter how far we stray, He is there by our side. His voice is clear. The message is consistent. The confidence is sure . . . we can get back home if we will just turn from our own way and return to Him.