single pages. - International Pentecostal Holiness Church

How One Church 

Became Two 

Up Close With 

Brenda Clowers 

Give Young 

Leaders a Chance 

March 2012 

The IPHC is 

called to 

nations... 

Are You 

Ready 

For The 

Journey?

Editor in Chief 

Dr. Ronald W. Carpenter Sr. 

March 2012 Vol. 9, No. 3 

Publisher 

Greg Hearn 

CEO, Lifesprings Resources 

Executive Editor 

J. Lee Grady 

Managing Editor 

Mégan Alba 

Associate Editors 

Jamie Powell, Sara Ray 

Editorial Committee 

Jana DeLano, Nina Brewsaugh, 

Annetta Lee, Kimberly Wilkerson, 

Kathryn Shelley, Jennifer Simmons, 

Sherrie Taylor, Shandra Youell 

Graphic Designer 

Beth J. Wansley 

WEB DESIGNERS 

Timothy W. Beasley, 

Kalanda Kambeya 

General Superintendent 

Dr. Ronald W. Carpenter Sr. 

Executive Committee of 

the Council of Bishops 

World Missions Ministries 

A.D. Beacham Jr., Vice Chairman 

Discipleship Ministries 

J. Talmadge Gardner, 

Corporate Treasurer 

Evangelism USA 

D. Chris Thompson, 

Corporate Secretary 

IPHC Experience (ISSN 1547-4984) Vol. 9 

No. 3, is published monthly except in July and 

December by Lifesprings Resources of the 

International Pentecostal Holiness Church, 

2425 West Main St., Franklin Springs, GA 

30639. Printed in the U.S.A. MMXII. Address 

editorial comments to IPHC Experience, P.O. 

Box 9, Franklin Springs, GA 30639. Or email 

sray@lifesprings.net. 

COVER PHOTO: © ThinkStock.com 

LSR 2012037 

12 Cover Story 

The IPHC has a mandate to share the gospel around the world. It requires bold, 

innovative evangelism—but we’re up to the task. By Dr. Doug Beacham 

5 Expressions 

The people of the IPHC are our 

greatest resource. It’s time 

to recognize and celebrate 

the gifts God has given us. 

By Bishop Ronald W. Carpenter Sr. 

6 My Experience 

After battling infertility and 

a failed adoption, Kendall 

Honeycutt and her husband, 

Brad, thought they’d never have 

a family. But God blessed them 

with a unique double portion. 

8 Events 

Accelerant youth conference 

lights fire in teens / Bridging Our 

Ministries celebrates six years 

of partnership in ministry / Royal 

Ranger Commanders become 

first co-recipients of the Ranger 

of the Year Award / Oklahoma 

church rebuilds two years 

after a tornado destroyed their 

sanctuary / Emmanuel College 

becomes full member of CCCU 

Plus: News Briefs 

17 Global Edge 

IPHC missionary Brenda Clowers coordinates 

the TEAMS ministry to connect churches and 

individuals with opportunities for short-term 

missions trips around the world. 

19 Encourage 

Louisiana Pastor Mike Haman shares how 

pastors can provide encouragement and 

leadership opportunities for youth. 

20 Emerging Voices 

Pastor Derrick Gardner and the West 

Columbia PH Church made a bold move, and 

their willingness to think outside the box 

resulted in two healthy churches. 

22 E-Resources 

IPHC pastor Ron Carpenter Jr. candidly 

shares his struggles in his new book The 

Necessity of an Enemy. It is a fascinating 

read for anyone who wants to know how to 

overcome unforeseen challenges. 

23 E-Mail 

Letters and commentary from our readers. 

iphc.org/experience | March 2012 3

Good luck to all our conference Fine 

Arts participants in Talent Quest and 

Bible Quest! See you in Orlando!

Celebrating Our 

Resources 

People are the greatest resource the 

church has. Let’s recognize their value 

and contribution. 

By Ronald W. Carpenter, Sr. 

A 

s I write this month’s column, we have just concluded our annual 

General Ministries Cabinet meeting. This year’s session featured training 

with denominational consultant Dr. Sam Chand. While every aspect of 

the training was phenomenal, one statement in particular stood out to 

me: 

The speed of the train is determined by the speed of the tracks. 

If the IPHC is the train, then people are the tracks. For 100 years, 

the train of Pentecostalism has run on tracks laid by hardworking, self-sacrificing individuals. 

From the nursery worker to the Sunday school teacher to pastors, missionaries, conference 

bishops, and our executive leadership, each person has made a significant contribution to the 

success and growth of this denomination. The IPHC would neither exist nor thrive without 

you! 

Every church has several basic resources: people, time, facilities and 

money. All are important, but without a doubt, people are always our 

greatest resource and will compensate for a lack of other resources with their 

gifts, creativity, and efforts. 

In order to keep the IPHC running at top speed and on the right tracks, 

we must continue to recognize and invest in our people. Here are four ways 

leaders can ensure a good return on their investment: 

1. Find the right person for the job. 

In Acts 6, the apostles encountered the first of many organizational 

challenges. The Greek widows and orphans were not receiving the same care 

as their Jewish counterparts. Rather than attempt to address and solve the 

problem themselves, they said, “Brothers, choose seven men from among 

you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this 

responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word” 

(Acts 6:3, 4 NIV). 

The apostles knew they were not the right men for this job, so they found lay leaders who 

possessed the necessary skills for the task. As a result, “the word of God spread. The number 

of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to 

the faith” (v. 7). 

The next time your church has a need or opening, look around. Ask yourself, What skills 

are needed to fill this task? Who among us is the right person for this job? 

2. Set clear expectations and goals. 

“He who shoots at nothing will hit it every time!” The apostles were clear in their 

expectations for the new lay leaders. We should do the same. If you want your new youth 

pastor to grow the youth group to 50 within a year, let him or her know. If the education 

director needs to revitalize the Sunday school program, set up a brainstorming session. As 

leaders, we must clearly communicate what we expect as we empower others to join us in 

serving God’s kingdom. 

3. Provide mentoring opportunities. 

Throughout the Bible, we see experienced 

leaders mentoring a new generation. Jesus 

himself modeled this as he poured into the 12 

apostles during his earthly ministry. In return, 

the apostles began to mentor and disciple others, 

which led to growth and multiplication of the 

early church. 

Every Moses must have a Joshua, every 

Elijah must have an Elisha, and every Paul 

must have a Timothy. The only way the IPHC 

will continue to thrive is through senior leaders 

making themselves available for strategic 

mentorships that raise up emerging leaders from 

the next generation. 

4. Give up control. 

This is perhaps the most vital step, and yet it 

is often the most difficult. Once the apostles gave 

lay leaders a task, they stepped out of the picture. 

They did not ask lay leaders how they planned to 

do it. They did not “observe” or “oversee” the job. 

They simply said, “Do it!” and then trusted their 

people. 

As leaders, we cannot control everything 

that goes on in our ministry. We must empower 

our people, then trust them to use their gifts 

and talents to make it happen. A 

permission-giving atmosphere 

allows people to grow, learn, 

and approach tasks in their own 

unique way while still being 

accountable for the goals set 

before them. And remember, the 

privilege and freedom to succeed 

also includes the privilege and 

freedom to fail. If that should 

happen, consider it a wonderful 

opportunity for teaching and 

mentorship to insure that such 

failure will not recur in the future. 

As I looked around the room during our day 

of training, I thought of the gifts and skills God 

has brought to the church in the form of people. 

We had more than 500 cumulative years of 

leadership and ministry experience sitting in the 

room that day. What an incredible testimony to 

the leadership of the IPHC! 

The IPHC has a strong set of tracks, built 

by leaders of every shape, size, color, educational 

background, and gifting. Let’s continue to build 

a better, stronger, and faster train for the next 

generation by investing in and celebrating our 

greatest resource: the four million individuals in 

103 countries who make up the International 

Pentecostal Holiness Church. You are valuable, 

and you are making a difference in His kingdom! 


Barren 

No More 

When we’d given up 

on having a family, God 

showered us with a 

double portion. 

BY Kendall Honeycutt 

My husband, Brad, and I always knew we wanted children. I 

knew Brad would be a wonderful daddy, and I could hardly wait to give him 

such a precious gift. But after six months of trying to conceive, the doctor 

confirmed I had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common cause of 

female infertility. We were assured that we could still become pregnant; it would 

just take longer for us than for most couples. 

Little did we know what the next six years would hold: fertility medication, 

outpatient procedures, empty ultrasounds, ovarian drilling and blood tests. Then 

6 March 2012 | iphc.org/experience

there were all the negative pregnancy tests, 

the birth announcements from family and 

friends, a failed adoption, and innumerable 

tears. We were hanging on to every ounce 

of hope we could muster, but at times it 

seemed we would never have children to 

call our own. 

The thought of not being a mother 

devastated me, and my emotions took 

over at the most unexpected times. Simply 

walking past the baby section of a store 

could cause an onset of unstoppable tears. 

But Brad was always there. I can’t count 

the number of times he would hold me, 

listen to me, and reassure me of his love 

for me––no matter where this journey 

took us. We held on to hope and believed 

that God was holding us. 

“In less than a year, God 

had given us a double 

portion …Our home 

was once empty, but now 

it is filled with laughter, 

love and life.” 

Those six years weren’t easy, but I 

would gladly relive every moment to get to 

where I am today. In January 2010, we had 

another chance at adoption. We walked 

into the meeting with our guard up, trying 

not to let ourselves become too hopeful or 

attached in any way. We were warned that 

she didn’t take well to new people and that 

she probably wouldn’t let us hold her. 

Then two tiny arms wrapped around 

me. I stared into her big, brown eyes, 

and in that instant, I knew she was our 

daughter. She sat in our laps the entire 

meeting and gave us hugs, and she even 

cried when we left. We had only known 

her a few hours, but we felt like we were 

leaving a piece of our hearts behind when 

we said goodbye. Every protective wall I’d 

built over the past six years came crashing 

down, and my heart was forever changed 

that night. 

From then on, the adoption process 

went rather quickly. Paperwork was filed, 

home studies were updated, and weekly 

visitations commenced. Our family and 

friends helped us raise the funds for the 

adoption, and people began showering us 

with toys and clothes. 

On May 7, 2010––Mother’s Day 

weekend––our daughter, Kadynce Grace, 

came to live with us forever. Our home 

was filled with precious smiles, contagious 

giggles and all things girly. We were so 

overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness. 

Then, less than a month after Kadynce 

joined our family, we received a surprise 

miracle. I was eight weeks pregnant! A 

few months later, the ultrasound showed 

a healthy baby boy on the way; our attic 

was full of “boy stuff ” from our failed 

adoption years earlier. Once again, we were 

overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness. 

On November 4, 2010, we finalized 

Kadynce’s adoption. On January 20, 2011, 

Paxton Bradley entered the world. In less 

than a year, God had given us a double 

portion after six years of barrenness. 

Needless to say, the past two years have 

been full of good things––little clothes 

and shoes, toys all over the place, bottles, 

and endless diaper changes. It takes us 

longer to go anywhere, and our plans are 

often interrupted. We even find ourselves 

singing along to popular children’s shows, 

like “Yo Gabba Gabba.” But even on the 

most stressful days––or moments––we are 

reminded of God’s faithfulness. 

Becoming parents has completely 

changed our view of how God sees us. 

We see just how much love He has for 

his children, how His grace is more than 

enough, and how He only wants the best 

for us––even when it seems we are going 

through the worst of times. Our home 

was once empty, but now it is filled with 

laughter, love, and life. We are barren no 

more. 

Kendall and her husband, Brad, live 

in Cornelius, N.C., with their two 

children, Kadynce and Paxton, and their 

Chihuahua, Chimi. They attend Grace 

Covenant Church. 

Have you had the Experience? Send your testimony to Sara Ray at 

sray@lifesprings.net. 

How to 

Experience God 

Here are five simple steps you can 

take to begin a relationship with God: 

1. Recognize your need. The Bible 

tells us that “all have sinned and fall 

short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23, 

NASB). All of us are sinners, and we 

must admit our need for a Savior. 

2. Repent of your sins. Because 

God is completely holy, our sins create 

a wall that separates us from Him. 

By confessing your sins you will find 

forgiveness. “Repent” means to make 

a 180-degree turnaround. The Bible 

promises: “If we confess our sins, He 

is faithful and righteous to forgive us 

our sins and to cleanse us from all 

unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). 

3. Believe in Jesus. God worked a 

miracle when He sent His only Son 

to die for us. We don’t have to pay for 

our sins … Jesus paid it all! We can’t 

work for our salvation. It is a gift from 

God, and all He requires is that we 

believe. Put your faith in Him. The Bible 

says: “For God so loved the world, 

that He gave His only begotten Son, 

that whoever believes in Him shall not 

perish, but have eternal life” (John 

3:16). 

4. Receive His salvation. God has 

given us this free gift, but we must 

accept it. Thank Him for sending Jesus 

to die on the cross for you. Thank 

Him for His amazing love, mercy and 

forgiveness. Then ask Him to live in 

your heart. His promise to us is sure: 

“But as many as received Him, to them 

He gave the right to become children of 

God...” (John 1:12). 

5. Confess your faith. The Bible 

assures us: “If you confess with your 

mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in 

your heart that God raised Him from 

the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 

10:9). You have been born again and are 

now part of God’s family. Tell someone 

else what Jesus has done in your life! 

This amazing experience can be yours. 

Embrace God’s love and receive the 

salvation that only Jesus Christ gives. 


Tavner Smith, youth pastor at 

Redemption World Outreach Center 

in Greenville, S.C., motivates teens at 

Accelerant. 

Passionate worship: Teens get excited for Jesus during a praise session in Gatlinburg. 

Accelerant Celebrates 15 

Years of Youth Ministry 

Annual youth retreat sparks a flame of passion in IPHC teens. 

BY Mégan Alba 

Photo by Nazarite Media. 

told Experience. “I received a text from a 

parent who could already tell a difference 

in her son. That’s why Accelerant exists. 

We want to be a catalyst that ignites and 

sustains a fire.” 

Even vendors noted the change in 

teens’ attitudes and actions. “You guys are 

doing an awesome thing,” said one vendor. 

“I do a lot of different denominational 

youth conferences, and there’s such a 

stark difference between this one and 

others.” 

Guests included speakers Tavner 

Smith (Redemption World Outreach 

Center) and Mike Haman (Healing Place 

Accelerant, the IPHC’s premier 

winter youth retreat, has been igniting 

a fire in students for 15 years. This year 

was no different. With almost spring-like 

weather outside, the atmosphere inside 

the Gatlinburg Convention Center was 

Grammy-nominated band Leeland 

leads the crowd in worship. 

Photo by Nazarite Media. 

that of young 

people who were 

on fire for Christ. 

More than 2200 

teens and youth 

leaders attended 

the 15th annual 

Accelerant, 

January 26-29 in 

Gatlinburg, Tenn. 

This year’s 

event was deeply 

passionate. The 

spiritual fervor 

was palpable 

as teens spent 

much of their time around the altar in 

prayer for themselves, their peers, and 

their schools and communities. 

Bishop Greg Amos says the transition 

was intentional —not to “quench the 

Spirit,” but to create an event that would 

lead to lasting change in teens’ lives. 

“Accelerant 2012 has been an event 

of great significance and depth. The 

messages and worship created a ripe 

atmosphere for transformation,” Amos 

Teens enjoy skiing and snowboarding despite the warm temps outside. 

Church), rap artist J. Prophet, and 

worship band Chasen. Teens also enjoyed 

a worship concert with The Afters and 

Grammy-nominated Leeland. 

The event also raised more than 

$5,000 for the annual Global Quest 

offering, which provides support for Metro 

Ministries, Free Camp, and Hope4Sudan. 

Students and youth leaders can share 

their Accelerant testimonies by emailing 

GAmos91380@aol.com. 

Photo by Katy Truluck 


BOM VI Connects 

Men’s and Boys’ 

Ministries 

The sixth annual Bridging Our 

Ministries Conference unites 

men from more than 15 

conferences. 

Brothers in arms: Attendees pray with 

one another during an altar service. 

Ranger 

Co-Commanders 

Receive 2012 Award 

Commanders Jody LeCroy and 

Steele Alewine receive the Bill 

Linn Award for “Excellence in 

Shaping the Lives of Boys” 

The 2012 Commander Bill Linn award 

for “Excellence in Shaping the Lives of 

Boys” went to Commander Jody LeCroy 

and Commander Steele Alewine. This year 

Connected by service: Jody LeCroy and Steele Alewine 

stand with Bishop Talmadge Gardner, executive director 

of Discipleship Ministries, and National Royal Ranger 

Commander David Moore. 

National Men’s Ministries Director Bill 

Terry speaks in a training session. 

The sixth annual Bridging Our Ministries 

(BOM) conference took place January 

20-22 in Ridgecrest, N.C. More than 130 

individuals from 15 IPHC conferences 

attended. The weekend was filled with 

meetings, training, worship, preaching, and 

great fellowship. 

“The ministry and manifestation of the 

Holy Spirit permeated the Thursday night 

and Saturday morning services,” said Bill 

Terry, director of IPHC Men’s Ministries. The 

keynote speaker was Rev. Stanley Reynolds 

from Word of Life Church in Marysville, 

Calif. 

In addition to training sessions, 

attendees prescreened the movie “Hero,” 

scheduled to be released in theaters on 

Father’s Day. 

“It’s exciting to see the impact faithbased 

movies are having in today’s society,” 

said Terry. 

marks the first time that the award has 

been presented to two men. 

LeCroy and Alewine have served Belton 

PHC in Belton, S.C., for 27 years. But their 

involvement in mentoring young men did not 

start with Royal Rangers. Both men have 

worked in church and community youth 

sports programs for more than 42 years 

as coaches, managers and officials for 

baseball and basketball. 

In addition to their volunteer work, 

LeCroy and Alewine are inseparable, always 

attending Royal Rangers events together. 

Only eternity will truly be able to tell the 

impact that these two men have had on 

countless young men’s lives. 

IPHC Royal Rangers is proud to 

honor these men and say thank 

you for a job well done. 

In 1998, the National Office 

of the IPHC Royal Rangers 

established the Commander 

Bill Linn Award in honor and 

recognition of Linn’s significant 

contributions to the shaping of 

the lives of boys in the Royal 

Rangers ministry. This award is 

presented to deserving leaders 

in recognition of their excellence 

in Royal Rangers. 

» Dorothy 

Dalton 

Hopkins 

Dies 

Dorothy 

Dalton 

Hopkins, 94, of 

Moultrie, Ga., 

and Greenville, 

Dorothy Hopkins 

S.C., died 

Friday, 

December 16, 2011, at UniHealth 

Magnolia Manor South. She was the 

mother of Dr. David Hopkins, former 

president of Emmanuel College. 

Hopkins served in ministry alongside 

her husband, Rev. William Paul 

Hopkins, for more than 50 years. 

Funeral services took place December 

22 at Bridges Funeral Chapel in 

Athens, Ga., with her sons, the Rev. Dr. 

Gerald Hopkins and the Rev. Dr. David 

Hopkins, officiating. 

» EC Alumna Joins Atlanta 

Dream Center Staff 

Emmanuel 

College alumna 

Becki Moore has 

been named director 

of Princess Night, 

a ministry of The 

Dream Center 

in downtown 

Atlanta. The 

Princess Night Becki Moore 

program reaches 

out to the streets of the red light 

districts to share love, hope, and a 

chance of freedom to women who are 

involved in prostitution. 

» Youth Ministry Partners 

With EverySchool.com 

IPHC Youth Ministries has partnered 

with Everyschool.com to minister to 

the 69,000 schools and 24.2 million 

students in the United States. The 

program helps students start a Bible 

study in their schools, and it helps 

identify schools that do not have a 

Bible study on campus. To learn more, 

go to everyschool.com. 


Celebrating the victory: Pastor Dewayne Klepper leads the congregation in joyful praise during 

the rededication service. 

Oklahoma Church Rebuilds After Storm 

Friendship PHC celebrates the opening of their new sanctuary. 

Nearly two years after a tornado destroyed 

their building, members of Friendship PHC are 

celebrating. On February 12, the church hosted 

a rededication service for their new sanctuary. 

“Today is a celebration, and I just want 

to jump and shout. I really do,” said Pastor 

Dewayne Klepper. 

The church was one of many buildings 

hit by a series of tornadoes in May 2010. The 

tornado took off the front of the sanctuary and 

part of the roof. Klepper said insurance and 

construction companies originally said they’d 

be back in their sanctuary in 8-10 months, but 

the process took nearly two years. The cost of 

the remodel totaled nearly two million dollars. 

Klepper said the church met in the 

fellowship hall while waiting on the new 

sanctuary to be finished. 

“This has been a long journey for our 

church,” said Earl Capps, the church’s Sunday 

school director. 

A helping hand: Church members join 

hands as Bishop Frank Tunstall and Pastor 

Dewayne Klepper rededicate the sanctuary. 

Special guests included Heartland 

Conference Bishop Dr. Frank Tunstall, Rev. 

Stacy Hilliard, director of IPHC African- 

American and Multiplication Ministries, various 

conference leaders, and the church’s architect. 

Bishop Tunstall presided over the 

rededication. He shared the congregation’s 

enthusiasm for their new building. 

“Storms tear things up, but they also create 

new opportunities,” Tunstall said. “You not only 

built it back; you built it back better.” 

DRUSA’s Food Safety Training is the 

first of its kind in the IPHC. 

DRUSA to Offer 

Food Safety 

Training 

The 2012 DRUSA training 

will feature the ServSafe 

program. 

Each year, Disaster Relief USA 

(DRUSA) provides training in an area 

related to disaster relief. This year’s 

training, taking place March 16-17, 

will cover food preparation and safety. 

This is especially important for those 

who plan to serve meals in the wake of 

a disaster. 

The ServSafe Food Handler 

Program is a complete solution that 

delivers consistent food safety training 

to any individual that is involved in the 

preparation and serving of food. 

All trainees must pass a written 

exam at the end of the training 

session and will receive a certificate of 

completion from ServSafe. 

To learn more or to register for the 

training, visit the DRUSA website at 

www.iphc.org/disaster. 

Emmanuel College Becomes Full 

Member of CCCU 

The IPHC school joins an elite group in the Council of Christian 

Colleges and Universities. 

After years as an affiliate member, Emmanuel College joins more than 100 other 

colleges and universities as a full member of the Council of Christian Colleges and 

Universities (CCCU). 

The news came to President Michael Stewart in December 2011 when Dr. Paul 

Corts, CCCU president, called to congratulate Emmanuel on being accepted. 

“This is a goal that we have desired for a long time as we move forward, and it is an 

affirmation of both our spiritual and academic mission,” Stewart says. “God’s grace is 

on Emmanuel, and I am humbled by His constant provision.” 

Some of the benefits of full membership include development conferences, research 

opportunities, job announcements, tuition exchange, off-campus study experiences for 

students, and peer networking with other member campuses. 

CCCU is a higher education association of 184 intentionally Christ-centered 

institutions around the world. Founded in 1976 with 38 members, the council has 

grown to 115 member campuses in North America and 69 affiliate campuses from 25 

countries. 


IPHC Missionaries Pass Away 

World Missions Ministries remembers Larry 

Rogers and Debbie Brewster. 

World Missions Ministries is 

remembering the service of two 

missionaries who recently passed 

away. 

Larry Rogers went to be with the 

Lord January 18, 2012. Larry and his 

wife, Margaret, served the people of 

Morocco for 20 years. The funeral 

took place January 21, 2012, at 

Family Worship Center in Pulaski, Va. 

Debbie Renee Brewster, 54, 

went to be with the Lord Saturday, 

February 4, in Oklahoma City. Debbie 

served in His ministry alongside 

her husband, Rick, for 34 years in 

such faraway places as Singapore 

Debbie Brewster was 

known and loved for her 

spirit of hospitality. 

Larry Rogers and his wife, Margaret, served missions in 

Morocco for 20 years. 

and Australia. It was her greatest joy to serve others with her gift 

of hospitality. Donations to honor Debbie’s memory may be made 

to Dr. Jon Trent, The University of Miami, Sylvester Comprehensive 

Cancer Center, 1475 NW 12th Ave. Suite 3510, Miami, FL 33136. 

Please put a memo of GIST Research-Trent and Debbie’s name. 

Synan 

Represents 

IPHC at Historic 

Gathering of 

Denominational 

Leaders 

Landmark meeting of 18 

denominational leaders breaks 

down barriers. 

On January 13, 2012, a historic meeting 

of leaders took place at the central offices 

of the Foursquare Church. Among those 

leaders was Dr. Vinson Synan, noted 

IPHC historian and Dean Emeritus of 

Regent University. 

“This is an historic day. The divisions of 

a hundred years ago were laid aside today 

in a wonderful spirit of unity,” said Synan. 

During the meeting, 18 top leaders 

of denominations that are committed to 

a common emphasis on holiness in the 

21st century met as part of the Wesleyan 

Holiness Consortium (WHC). These 

leaders represent 13 denominations 

whose roots are common in the Wesleyan 

Holiness movement. 

Significant outcomes of the meeting 

included a commitment to expand the 

WHC efforts in regional networks, as well 

as publications through the newly formed 

Aldersgate Press. 

M25 Announces 

Plans for 2012 

Israel Trip 

The tour will include a motorcycle 

ride from Tel Aviv to the Wailing 

Wall. 

Mission: M25 will host its second tour of 

Israel Oct. 22–Nov. 1. The trip will combine 

sightseeing with outreach and humanitarian 

service. The tour is open to bikers and nonbikers 

alike. 

The group’s first trip in November 2011 

attracted international attention, especially 

when more than 100 U.S. and Israeli 

Three 

motorcycle 

riders enjoy 

the scenery 

as they travel 

through 

Israel during 

the 2011 tour. 

motorcycle riders entered Old Jerusalem to 

pray together at the Wailing Wall. 

The 2012 tour has three purposes: to 

show support for the Nation of Israel; to 

show support for the Israel Defense Force; 

to provide humanitarian service to the 

Messianic Jewish community in Israel. 

The 10-day tour will include sightseeing 

at many of Israel’s most fascinating biblical 

and archaeological sites. Motorcycle riders 

will enjoy a multiday ride from Tel Aviv to the 

Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. 

The event is organized and co-sponsored 

by Coral Travel & Tours, a full-service tour 

operator specializing in private tours to 

Israel for Christian groups. 

For more information, contact Gary Burd 

at gburd@arn.net. 


COVER STORY 


Pack 

By Doug Beacham 

Bags! Your 

The IPHC has a global 

mandate. Are you 

ready for the journey? 

In over 100 nations on every inhabited continent, the 

IPHC family stretches around the globe. Sending and 

going “to the ends of the earth” has been part of our 

spiritual DNA from our movement’s infancy. 

One hundred years ago, IPHC missionaries went to 

Hong Kong and Africa. In those years, a handful of IPHC 


people left the United States to live 

and die among those with whom 

they shared the gospel. Often called 

“missionaries of the one-way 

ticket,” they had no smartphones, no 

Internet, no Skype and no FaceTime. 

They traveled weeks by sea to distant 

shores. We can scarcely imagine the 

language and cultural challenges they 

faced. But in obedience to Jesus’ 

command in John 15, they brought 

forth fruit that remains today. As 

testimony, the Hong Kong PHC 

celebrated 100 years of ministry in 

2007. Next year, the continent of 

Africa will celebrate 100 years of 

IPHC presence. 

Today, over 230 IPHC 

missionaries serve as church planters, 

teachers, medical personnel, People to 

People missionaries, apostolic leaders, 

and numerous other roles which suit 

their specific gifts and abilities, all of 

which reveal the love of Jesus Christ. 

These missionaries come from North 

and South America, Europe, Asia and 

Africa, and they are effective with 

the communication tools of the 21st 

century. We have become a global 

missional movement reaching the 

ethne, or people groups, for the cause 

of Jesus Christ. 

The Challenge and 

Our Response 

The Joshua Project reports that there 

are over 16,700 people groups in the world. 

But of that number, more than 6900 have 

not yet been reached for Christ (www. 

joshuaproject.net). These people groups are 

dispersed all over the globe, and they are 

often mixed within larger cultures. They, 

along with the billions of others who have 

not responded to Christ, make up most of the 

world’s over seven billion people. In the face 

of such a momentous challenge, the IPHC is 

committed to responding in the power of the 

Spirit to advance the Kingdom of God. 

But this cannot be done haphazardly or 

without prayerful strategic planning. Building 

upon strategies IPHC World Missions 

Ministries (WMM) has established over the 

past one hundred years, we are focused on six 

global goals with 2020 as our target year for 

evaluation, celebration, and refocus. 

1. 

Plant 10,000 new IPHC 

congregations outside 

the United States. 

“Une usine d’églises” is a French phrase 

used in Brussels that means “a Factory of 

Churches.” When I first heard it, I thought 

that this is one of the 

things Jesus desires 

of His followers: 

become a factory, 

planting local 

congregations of 

disciples as evidences 

of His coming kingdom. 

Over the past decades, 

WMM-related ministries 

have been instrumental in motivating and 

training church planters. For example, 

in the 1980s and 1990s, the Centre for 

International Christian Ministries (CICM) 

in London produced a transformational 

group of missionaries and national leaders 

that led to explosive growth in every region 

of the world. The fruit of efforts like CICM 

and those that preceded it are visible on 

every inhabited continent––with over 4400 

congregations in Africa, over 4800 in Asia, 

over 300 in Europe and the Middle East, and 

over 900 in Latin America and the Caribbean, 

totaling over 10,400 congregations outside 

North America. 

But there is more to do to fulfill the 

mandate the Holy Spirit has given the 

IPHC global family. To accomplish this goal, 

WMM––along with EVUSA and its USA 

church planting goals––is using Dynamic 

Church Planting International (DCPI) as our 

primary training platform. 


DCPI enables the IPHC to focus 

on key areas of church planting through 

training and mentorship. These training 

programs are designed to transcend 

cultural and demographic barriers in 

order to empower leaders to successfully 

plant churches around the world. WMM 

continental and regional directors will be 

meeting with key international leaders 

from DCPI in July as we continue this 

global effort. 

Our global church planting effort has 

hundreds of successful stories, but the 

following illustrate the impact of planting 

in difficult areas. 

In 2010, WMM began to focus more 

directly in Turkey. Several years ago, we 

established a successful Coffee House 

and congregation in the capital city. Now 

there is a house church in the city of 

Antioch, where believers were first called 

“Christians” (Acts 11:26). In January, we 

purchased a building in the modern city 

of Laodicea. The Spirit-filled men and 

women meeting there are not lukewarm! 

Dr. Vijay Balla and his family left 

their native India in 2002 and established 

the IPHC in Bangladesh. Through their 

tireless efforts and the cooperation of 

several U.S. conferences, there are now 

thirty congregations, plus a theological 

institute and a primary school. Over 

1.5 million people in a space the size of 

Wisconsin! What a challenge––what an 

opportunity! 

2. 

Plant English-speaking 

congregations in 

world-class cities. 

English remains the financial, 

diplomatic, and educational language 

of the globe. We can reach the business, 

educational, and political leaders of 

countless nations with dynamic, Spiritfilled 

IPHC churches. A successful version 

of this is in Cebu City, Philippines, 

with Church Of Our King (COOK) 

IPHC. Planted in the 1990s by IPHC 

missionaries, COOK is a prototype we 

seek to duplicate. 

Missionaries and local missions directors worship together at the annual WMM School of 

Missions. 

Our goal is to use COOK as an IPHC 

presence in global cities. In February, 

Belgium-based missionaries Mauricio 

Salazar, Bill Schwartz, and I met with a 

key leader in the International Church 

movement in Europe. That meeting 

confirmed that WMM is on the right 

track in this effort. 

The impact of cities cannot be 

overestimated. The World Bank estimates 

that 200,000 people a day are moving 

to cities. For the first time in history, the 

21st century is the “Urban Century,” 

where more than 75 percent of the earth’s 

population will live in cities. Forty years 

from now, more than two billion people 

will live in city slums. The need and 

opportunity to evangelize will require 

creative and deeply committed Christians 

willing to shape the future of massive cities. 

3. 

Reach 150 nations 

by 2017. 

This calls for the Holy Spirit to release 

an “apostolic anointing” upon men and 

women to go to new areas to evangelize 

and plant congregations. Many of these 

people will not be North Americans. 

Rather, they are indigenous missionaries 

who are able and willing to go to another 

nation or culture to share the Good News. 

A great example of this is Sammy 

Lamanillao, a Philippine PHC pastor who 

went to Cambodia 12 years ago, learned 

a new language, and led young people to 

Christ. Cambodia continues to overcome 

the devastating 1975-79 “Killing Fields,” 

where communists slaughtered at least 

1.7 million people (nearly 25 percent of 

the population). Stripped of most of the 

educational, business, and religious leaders 

of the nation, millions of young people 

grew up in social chaos as a leaderless and 

fatherless generation. Today, the IPHC 

is growing in Cambodia because of 

visionaries like Sammy and his wife, who 

took first-generation Christians into their 

hearts and lives and discipled them to now 

be pastors and leaders in the Cambodian 

IPHC. 

4. 

Reach two of the main 

“windows” of the 

world. 

The first “window” is our continued 

concentration on the “10/40 Window” 

that stretches across North Africa to 

Asia and includes most of the unreached 

people groups of the world. First coined 

in 1990 by Luis Bush, the term delineates 

the most unreached areas of the world. 

In the 1990s, WMM actively began 

to focus on this part of the world. From 

then until now, much of the IPHC 

personnel and financial resources continue 

to focus on the 10/40 Window. This is 

aided by IPHC national conferences in 

West and East Africa and by strong IPHC 

congregations like the Wing Kwong 

PHC in Hong Kong, which often sends 

Chinese mission teams to people groups 

in this window. 

As urbanization continues, many of 

the largest cities in the world will be in 

the 10/40 Window. The Holy Spirit is 

raising up IPHC men and women willing 

to serve in these super-giants of 10-20 

million and the metacities of 20 million 

plus––which will be massive, and often 

dysfunctional, places. 


Lifelong learning: Hyderabad Bible College trains pastors and 

leaders in India. 

The second “window” is to Muslims. 

For security reasons, WMM is careful how 

we describe those who live and serve in 

this window. For the past decade, many 

in the Western world have struggled with 

how to interact, or even 

feel, about Muslim people. 

For Spirit-filled believers, 

this is the time to move 

past fear and stereotypical 

thinking. The Holy Spirit is 

challenging us to genuine 

friendships that express 

Christ’s love for the over 

one billion Muslims living 

today, many of whom live 

in the 10/40 Window or in 

European cities. 

Over the next year, 

WMM will have in place a 

major training focus related 

to discipleship training and 

culturally aware evangelism to this 

significant community. Part of this 

training will be an intensive three-month 

discipleship program designed specifically 

for young adults seeking to grow 

spiritually with Christ. The other part will 

be specific training and mentoring for 

effective ministry among Muslims. 

5. 

Enhance and Develop 

IPHC Bible schools 

outside the USA. 

This is one of the most important 

ministries WMM can provide our growing 

churches. It is often said that, globally 

speaking, Christianity is a mile wide and 

an inch deep. Local congregations seldom 

mature in the Word beyond the knowledge 

and experience of their pastors. Often 

pastors have been born again, but they 

know little of the Bible other than a key 

verse like John 3:16. 

Obviously, that is a great 

verse for evangelism. 

But transformational 

discipleship that moves 

a person from being 

controlled by his culture 

to functioning as a 

citizen of the kingdom 

of God requires a 

greater knowledge of 

the Word. That’s why 

pastors need training in 

the Bible, theological 

basics, leadership, and 

practical ministry. 

Please pray with us 

that the Holy Spirit 

will send us people 

with fully accredited master’s degrees in 

Bible and theology. They need to speak a 

foreign language, or be willing to learn a 

new language: in 

particular Chinese, 

Arabic, and French. 

We also need 

financial partners 

for many of these 

schools. Their 

ability to train 

and equip pastors 

from Bangladesh 

to Brussels is 

essential in 

establishing 

biblically solid 

pastors and 

congregations. 

6. 

To recruit, train, 

and release more 

missionaries serving 

the global IPHC family. 

Our missionary force has over 230 

missionaries. Our prayerful goal is for 

300 by 2013. We recruit through local 

churches, our college-focused “See Every 

Nation Discipled” (SEND) program, 

and raising the awareness of the global 

need and opportunity. We train through 

programs such as Passport to Missions, 

Students Abroad for a Radical Impact 

(SAFARI), and the annual School of 

Missions. We release through prayerful 

assignments and the impact of Faith 

Commitments to support missionaries. 

In 2006, the Holy Spirit gave me four 

passages of Scripture that have been the 

WMM guideposts as we have moved 

forward: Luke 10:1, 2; Psalm 2:8; 2 

Chronicles 20:12; and Isaiah 54:2, 3. 

Bishop J.H. King was the first IPHC 

leader to take an around-the-world 

mission trip in 1910-11. That trip affected 

him profoundly. The Isaiah passage has 

taken on special meaning in light of what 

King wrote in 1937: 

The Pentecostal Holiness Church 

was born out of Pentecost. That is its soil. 

The soil is deep and fertile. The sun shines 

upon it and the showers are given. The 

Holy Ghost is the inhabitant of our tent. 

The tent––the church––has been erected 

in its own land. The masts have been stuck 

into the ground, the stakes have been 

driven down. … There is a demand that 

we lengthen, and that means that we must 

strengthen. If the base is stronger the ropes 

may be longer. 

How shall we respond to the demand? 

We must pray for a revival that shall be 

greater than the one that gave us birth. 

… We must grow or die, and to this end 

we must pray for an outpouring that will 

be greater than we have ever received or 

known. 

(Jesus) says, ‘Go,’ and we must GO, till he 

comes. Pray more, receive more, give more. 

Over one hundred years ago the Holy 

Spirit called the IPHC into existence. 

Our mission is the Great Commission 

to send and go. Our heart is the Great 

Commandment to love everyone with the 

love of Christ. We have a Vision for 2020, 

and we invite you to be part of it! 

Doug Beacham is the director of World 

Missions Ministries for the IPHC. He spends 

much of his time visiting IPHC missionaries, 

but he finds time to relax with his wife, Susan, 

in their home in Oklahoma City. 

Future focused: This building in Laodicea 

will soon become a church, coffee house, 

and training center. 


Short-Term Missions 

TEAMwork: Brenda & Dan Clowers lead a missions team in evangelistic outreach. 

Teaming Up to 

Share the Gospel 

Brenda Clowers connects churches and 

overseas needs through the TEAMS 

Program. 

BY Mégan alba 

T 

here are two things you have to have in order to go on a 

short-term missions trip: flexibility and a good sense of 

humor,” says missionary Brenda Clowers. 

After 25 years on the mission field, Clowers has 

seen it all. She was once accused of attempting to 

“Christianize” a Muslim community by handing 

out worm pills inscribed with a 

cross and the words “Jesus lives.” On another trip, 

a community accused her of trying to kill their 

children by giving them vitamins. 

But her greatest adventure involves connecting 

thousands of people from multiple countries and 

cultural backgrounds. As the coordinator for the 

IPHC’s short-term missions program, TEAMS, 

Brenda has personally led more than 169 missions 

teams on trips in 47 countries. 

TEAMS, which stands for Team Evangelism and 

Mission Service, connects churches and individuals 

with overseas opportunities for ministry. Brenda says 

the ministry launched out of people’s desire to give 

not just their money, but also their time. 

“They want to go with their money,” she says. “They want to see what 

their money is doing.” 

Ironically, no one wanted to take over the fledgling program when 

it launched in the early 1990s. However, Brenda and her husband, 

“It’s not about the 

Americans coming down 

and doing a feel-good thing. 

TEAMS is about plugging 

into the vision of the 

national. It’s about making 

the national church vision 

become a reality.” 

Dan, enjoyed working with churches and 

coordinating short-term trips. In 1999, they 

were named special assignment missionaries, 

and Dan took over TEAMS. A few years 

later, Dan was selected to oversee the Latin 

American and Caribbean regions, and 

TEAMS came under Brenda’s supervision. 

The average team consists of about 15 

members, although Brenda has seen groups 

ranging in size from 5 to 99. Since the 

program started, approximately 7500 IPHC 

members have been involved with TEAMS. 

Each team has four components: the 

nationals who live in the country receiving 

a missions group; the team itself; those 

who send the team; and the missionary 

who coordinates with Brenda and the team. 

While Brenda does not accompany every 

group, she says her goal is to help people 

catch the vision for service and ministry all 

over the world. The most successful trips, she 

says, are the ones that focus on that vision. 

“It’s not about the Americans coming 

down and doing a feel-good thing,” she says. 

“If it’s just about the Americans, we’ve lost 

focus. To me, TEAMS is about plugging into 

the vision of the national. It’s about making 

the national church vision become a reality.” 

The program isn’t just a U.S. outreach. 

Other countries have caught the vision 

and are joining U.S.–based teams, creating 

a multicultural ministry experience. 

For example, a medical missions trip to 

Cambodia typically involves a team from 

the U.S., doctors from the Philippines, and 

volunteers from other parts of Asia. 

Brenda says that one of the biggest 

benefits of a short-term trip is helping 

people who feel a call to missions. When 

an individual indicates a desire to serve 

in missions, their first 

assignment is to join 

a TEAMS trip. And 

while it doesn’t always 

result in a new fulltime 

missionary, Brenda 

says it’s almost always a 

positive experience for 

anyone who goes on a 

short-term trip. “Almost 

every missionary who 

is in the field went on a 

trip first,” she says. She 

encourages anyone who 

is even thinking of going into missions to go 

on a TEAMS trip first. 

Another benefit is the positive support 

and rapport TEAMS trips generate for 

missionaries. Brenda says trips often result in 


Service in action: Brenda meets with a patient at a TEAMS 

medical clinic. 

increased support for a missionary or work in 

an area. “When they go, they come back with 

a very positive experience and report. They 

say, ‘The People to People support really does 

get to the child! That project I gave to––they 

really are doing the work. That missionary I 

support––they’re really doing a good job.’” 

While most trips focus on children’s 

ministry, drama, construction, or medical 

missions, the ministry can accommodate 

nearly any type of trip. And trips are 

designed to accommodate anyone with any 

level of experience. Depending on the trip, 

a volunteer might carry cinder 

blocks, count vitamins in a 

makeshift pharmacy, teach a 

children’s lesson, or even make 

lunch for the group. 

“Everybody can do 

something,” she says. “If you’re 

willing to do anything, there is 

always something for you to do.” 

Brenda says one of the 

greatest examples is an individual 

who went on a construction trip 

but had never even picked up 

a shovel. Dan showed the man 

how to mix cement, and for 

three days he mixed the cement 

for the building. He was so touched by the 

experience that he eventually took over the 

church’s mission outreach, and he led multiple 

teams on building trips. “It’s so cool to watch 

people’s lives changed, just finding out they 

can do something like that,” she says. 

To learn more about TEAMS or sign 

up for a 2012 trip, go to iphc.org/ 

TEAMS. To support Dan & Brenda’s 

work, give to account #52041S. 

Mission profile 

Name: Brenda Clowers 

Years in missions: 25 

Ministry base: Oklahoma & Peru 

Countries visited: 47 

Brenda 

Clowers 

Favorite country: “Whichever one I’m in 

at the moment. I love them all!” 

Scariest moment on a TEAMS trip: 

“I was arrested and interrogated by 

Muslims in Banda Aceh. We had to 

negotiate a payment price in order to be 

released.” 

Unusual miracle: “I assisted a severely 

dehydrated child in Malawi. All I did was 

rehydrate the child, but locals honored 

me for raising her from the dead.” 

Coming full circle: “My husband, Dan, 

and I originally were drawn to missions 

through a short-term missions trip in 

the late 1980s.” 

IPHC 

Graduate 

School 

Scholarship 

Church Institutions is now 

receiving applications for 

the $5000 Graduate School 

Scholarship. To be eligible, 

you must be an IPHC member 

with a transcript proving your 

enrollment in a graduate 

level program. 

Application deadline is 

June 1, 2012 

For more information or to request an 

application, call 405-787-7110 x3325, 

email syouell@iphc.org or go to our 

website 18 at www.iphc.org/discipleship. 

January 2012 | iphc.org/experience

Give the Next 

Generation a Chance 

Louisiana pastor Mike Haman says the best way to 

encourage youth is to give them opportunities to lead. 

An Interview with Mike Haman 

As lead pastor of the Healing Place Church near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Mike 

Haman oversees seven satellite campuses, directs an ambitious missions program and 

speaks in chapels for the NFL. But he is especially committed to family—not only 

his own (he and his wife, Rachel, have three children) but the emerging generation of 

American youth. 

Because of his relevant, engaging teaching style, Haman was asked to speak at this 

year’s Accelerant youth conference. We asked Haman to share his views about youth 

ministry with the IPHC. 

You just spoke to a group of IPHC teenagers at the Accelerant conference. Thank you! 

We were wondering if you had any impressions about the event that you’d like to share. 

HAMAN: I was really impressed with the hunger of the students and the preparation 

the leaders made. In every session the environment was electric––charged with 

such expectation that God would show up. It was obvious the leaders had planned, 

prepared and prayed. Worship was engaging, teaching was challenging and lives 

were transformed right before our eyes! I was grateful to be part of such a significant 

experience that would shape a generation for God. 

You are a respected voice in youth ministry. What do you feel are the biggest challenges 

facing American teens today? 

HAMAN: Students are growing up in an Information Age. Technology accelerates 

things so quickly. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have changed the way we relate to 

others. Yet in spite of all this advancement, kids still struggle to discover who they are 

and what their purpose in life is. 

In the middle of all the cultural noise, there is a silent hopelessness that is trying 

to swallow our kids. They long for someone to notice, value and empower them. I see 

the church being a voice that speaks hope and shines light into that deep longing. We 

must remind them why they were created—for His glory. 

What’s the biggest mistake the church is making today in our efforts to reach and 

disciple youth? 

HAMAN: I see churches doing a much better job of speaking the language of the 

next generation. The message of the gospel is timeless, but the way it’s packaged and 

communicated has to change, especially when directed at teens. Empowering young 

people and releasing them to do ministry involves taking risks, embracing their 

creativity, making mistakes and spending resources. 

Young people create major energy and serious momentum to move the church 

forward. That’s why we should put them front and center! We should hire them and 

highlight them in service. We should celebrate them. We should let them lead worship, 

give testimonies, receive the offering and even preach … with proper coaching! 

The church should be a place where they feel right at home. They should not have 

to “grow into” church before they enjoy it. 

Mike Haman and his wife, Rachel, pastor Healing 

Place Church. 

What advice do you have for churches that want to 

take their youth ministries to the next level? 

HAMAN: I would encourage them to get out and 

see what others are doing. Go to conferences, make 

phone calls, and set up times to visit other youth 

ministries that are doing things at another level. There 

are so many creative people engineering high-impact 

student ministries. Learn from their example and 

from their mistakes. This will stretch your vision and 

inspire you to dream even bigger. 

At the end of the day, you must be willing to “pay 

the price” spiritually for what you want to see in your 

city. Ecclesiastes 5:3 says: “A dream comes to pass 

with much business and painful effort” (Amplified). 

There are a lot of great ideas, but there is no substitute 

for prayer and personal sacrifice. 

Statistics show larger numbers of youth today are 

unchurched, and larger percentages of kids raised in 

church are leaving. Are you hopeful that these trends 

can be reversed? How? 

HAMAN: I’m filled with massive hope! Many 

churches have already identified this trend and are 

intentionally strengthening their student development 

pathway during critical transitions (elementary to 

junior high, junior high to high school, and high 

school to college). 

At Healing Place Church, we have a dynamic 

internship program that keeps kids engaged and 

connected to serving in the local church. Instead 

of drifting or getting in trouble, our students are 

committed to serving God and discovering His 

call on their lives. They go on mission trips, attend 

summer camps and serve at our dream center and 

community outreaches. That becomes the norm. 

The culture of the church says, “We love you. We 

need you. You belong here. You can reach your fullest 

potential in God’s house.” The local church then 

becomes the place not only where their lives have 

been changed, but also where their greatest dreams 

can be fulfilled. 

Mike Haman lives in Prairieville, Louisiana. You can 

contact Mike at mike.haman@healingplacechurch. 

org or visit the Healing Place Church website at 

healingplacechurch.org/highland/explore/central-staff/. 


Connected 

Churches 

Passionate 

About Growing 

the Kingdom 

South Carolina pastor Derrick 

Gardner has witnessed firsthand 

the fruit of church multiplication. 

by Trevor Lanier 

In July 1989, Derrick V. Gardner 

took the helm at West Columbia 

Pentecostal Holiness Church in 

Lexington, South Carolina filled with 

passion and big dreams. 

His spiritual fervor and aspirations 

were not in vain. The congregation 

gradually grew from 140 to over 400. 

Between 1994 and 2000, Gardner led 

WCPHC in planting one church and 

revitalizing two others. In the midst of 

this positive growth, they faced a new 

problem: the number of people soon 

exceeded the physical capacity of the 

building. 

In December 2001, after much 

discussion and prayer, the team decided 

that WCPHC would pursue church 

multiplication. Gardner and about 

200 members of the original church 

planted Life Springs Worship Center 

in a neighboring community. 

Expanding the vision: Life Springs Worship Center has reached more than 

40,000 people since they launched in 2002. 

After a decade of ministry, church officials at Life Springs Worship 

Center estimate that more than 40,000 people have been reached during 

community events, and there have been 3,050 salvations. The church now 

averages more than 500 people each Sunday morning, and they remain 

passionate about growing the Kingdom. 

“It has been wonderful to see how a congregation of a few hundred 

has been able to give and do so much for the Kingdom,” Gardner told 

Experience. “It has meant that many of our personal and church needs 

have had to be sacrificed, but the reward has been well worth it.” 

Experience talked to Gardner about his ministry background, church 

multiplication, and the success of both churches. 

Your parents, Dr. and Mrs. James A. Gardner, were IPHC missionaries 

to South Africa. Tell us about your time on the mission field and how it 

shaped you. 

GARDNER: I was born on the mission field and spent the first 16 years 

of my life there. I will always remember the two contrasting styles of 

worship. We may [have been] in a service with a group of conservative/ 

traditional English and Dutch people who were very formal and sang 

hymns with a pipe organ playing along, or [we’d] be in a service with 

the native Africans clapping their hands and having no piano or organ, 

but making a joyful noise. And I remember experiencing God in both 

worship services. From this I learned very early in life that worship is 

not a style but an attitude of the heart. We also had to really live by faith 

and trust God for healing and supernatural provision on many occasions, 

which established a great faith foundation in me. 

You graduated from Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, Ga., and 

served 8 years in the United States Air Force. How did these experiences 

prepare you for life as a pastor? 

GARDNER: At Emmanuel College, I learned how different cultures 

could be even in a Christian setting. It was also at Emmanuel where I 

received my baptism in the Holy Spirit and felt a passion to reach the 

lost. The Air Force equipped me to minister to our culture today, as it is 

a microcosm of our nation. I had to work for and with both genders and 

all different races and cultures; this really taught me how to be a witness 

[with my] ‘lifestyle’ and not necessarily by ‘preaching’ to everyone. I 

learned that if you walked the talk, it would open a lot of doors for you to 

share your faith. 



During your time at West Columbia 

Pentecostal Holiness Church, the church 

experienced tremendous growth. To what 

do you attribute the success of the ministry? 

GARDNER: A lot of prayer and taking 

time to gain the trust of the people. … 

Only after being the pastor for about 5 

years did we begin to make significant 

change, which included planting our first 

church, Midlands Christian Fellowship, 

with Pastor Terry Lowder as its pastor. 

We sent a core group and finances with 

them for the plant. During this journey I 

learned about a new dimension of prayer 

and adopted a motto on prayer that I still 

apply today: Prayer is not preparation 

for the battle; it is the battle. It also 

became apparent that the more people 

and resources we sent out, the more God 

would replace and send back in. 

What brought about the decision 

that WCPHC would multiply into two 

congregations in two different locations? 

GARDNER: The journey actually began 

in 1998 when we realized we were 

outgrowing our present location and were 

landlocked. From the outset, the plans 

were to relocate the whole congregation. 

The congregation overwhelmingly 

approved the transition, but God 

began to check the leadership about a 

complete transition. We began to pray 

and felt that the Lord was telling us 

to do a church multiplication instead of 

complete transition. In prayer one day, 

I asked the Lord why, and He took me 

to the story of Abraham and Isaac and 

God’s request for Isaac to be sacrificed. 

The Spirit clearly told me that because 

the congregation had been willing to 

Leading by example: Derrick and 

Martha Gardner have pastored Life 

Springs Worship Center for 10 years. 

put their ‘Isaac’ on the altar (the church 

property and facilities), we could now 

keep it. We were very careful to never use 

the words split or divide in the process 

because we were multiplying one church 

into two. 

For many pastors and church members, 

a church multiplication can seem rather 

terrifying. What was the experience like 

for you? 

GARDNER: Our multiplication had its 

challenges … but the leadership of both 

congregations handled any issues that 

arose very well. It also helped that our 

youth pastor, Brad Davis, who had been 

on the church staff for 5 years, decided 

to stay and become the lead pastor at 

WCPHC. 

How have you seen God working 

in the ministry as a result of the church 

multiplication? 

GARDNER: One of the main benefits 

was to introduce our denomination to the 

term church multiplication, and not split or 

division. We also showed how a mother 

church plant could take place with the 

senior pastor leaving instead of sending 

out an associate staff member. It also 

has allowed us to have a strong IPHC 

presence in two different communities. 

WCPHC would actually now be 

considered more an inner-city church. 

So, instead of another church leaving the 

inner city, we kept an inner-city presence 

but also reached out to the suburbs. 

Many people in the IPHC are 

passionate about church planting. What 

advice can you offer? 

GARDNER: This may sound real simple, 

but when it comes to church planting 

and revitalizing, I think sometimes we 

overanalyze things. We tend to wait for 

the perfect situation and timing when I 

believe there is no such thing in church 

planting. … Church planting is first and 

foremost a step of faith; then you can work 

on the details after you respond in faith. 

You can learn more about Life 

Springs Worship Center at their 

website, www.lswc.com. 

iphc.org/experience | March 2012 21 

“Church Planting 

Essentials” 

Course Description: Helping you 

succeed in establishing dynamic, 

healthy, and reproducing 

churches. 

March 8-10 CPE (English) 

Miami, FL 

Blass Ramirez 

(561) 572-5616 


Christian Heritage Church 

Memphis, Tennessee 

Bishop Manuel Pate 

(901) 850-9553 


El Shaddai 

Austin, TX 

Jeanette Rivera 

(405) 787-7110 x.3310 

March 28-31 CPE (Spanish) 

El Shaddai 

Austin, TX 

Jeanette Rivera 

(405) 787-7110 x.3310 

IPHC Ministries 


P.O. Box 12609 

Oklahoma City, OK 73157 

evusainfo@iphc.org 

405.787.7110 ext. 3322 

1.877.625.6478 

405.789.1001 (fax) 

iphc.org/evangelism

ook 

Face Your 

Enemies 

With Faith 

The Necessity of an Enemy 

By Ron Carpenter Jr. 

LifeSprings Item No. 2100082 

$19.99 

When Ron Carpenter Jr. was a student at Emmanuel College, 

he prayed that God would use him in such an exceptional way 

that he would stand out from the crowd. It was an honest prayer, 

but at the time the aspiring preacher had no idea God would 

have to send warfare his way to prepare him. “You will never be 

an exceptional person,” Carpenter says today, “if you only fight 

ordinary battles.” 

That is the theme of Carpenter’s new book, The Necessity of 

an Enemy, which was released in January. The son of Bishop 

Ron Carpenter Sr., and senior pastor of the 16,000-member 

Redemption World Outreach Center in Greenville, South 

Carolina, Carpenter shares from his own life struggles to 

demonstrate that God allows our enemies to test us so we can 

become spiritually stronger. 

“Until Jesus comes back, we are all living between enemy 

lines,” writes Carpenter. “I cannot tell you how many enemies 

of significant magnitude will come against you in your lifetime, 

but I’m confident that if you are a child of God, they will come. 

Someday you will see a Goliath marching toward you across the 

field, and you are going to have to fight or that giant will eat your 

lunch.” 

Carpenter shares with brutal honesty about the biggest 

Goliath he’s faced in his 20-plus years in ministry. The giant 

first showed up in 2002 when a seemingly honest businessman 

offered to help Carpenter and his church start an investment 

program to help struggling single mothers purchase homes. 

Carpenter investigated the plan thoroughly and even got 

approval of it from the attorney general of South Carolina. 

But in 2007, when money started disappearing, it was 

revealed that the businessman had been involved in fraud. 

Carpenter and his church were left with a financial disaster. 

“All hell broke loose,” Carpenter writes. He was accused 

of mishandling the crisis. FBI agents interrogated him. Then 

the media got involved, and suddenly Carpenter was being 

portrayed as the bad guy. People began leaving the church. 

The worst part of the attack was felt by Carpenter’s family. “I 

was a prisoner in my own house,” he writes, noting that he had 

to have 24-hour police protection and was forced to put a fence 

around his home. “My wife, Hope, was depressed, and my kids 

had to change schools to escape ridicule from former friends. 

Our life had taken a major turn that we’d never anticipated.” 

Yet in the midst of this crisis, God began to deal with 

Carpenter, showing him that He uses even the attacks of the 

enemy to shape our character and prepare us for greater 

responsibilities. The book chronicles Carpenter’s journey to 

hell and back during this unimaginable nightmare. 

Carpenter is exceptionally vulnerable in his writing, 

especially when he admits that he reached a point where he 

had no mentors and didn’t know who to call for advice. His 

success, he says, had driven him into an unhealthy isolation. 

He lists other “enemies” that plague all of us at times, 

including immaturity, hidden fears, pride and out-of-control 

feelings. 

But in the end, the financial crisis was resolved and God 

healed Carpenter’s family. In addition, he learned valuable 

lessons that made him a better leader. 

The pastor writes: “I know that without the battles that came 

with the single mom’s housing project, I would not be so in love 

with life, my wife, and my family as I am today. I realized one 

day that I had reached a place personally where something big 

had to happen to get my attention. And it did.” 

The Necessity of an Enemy is part confessional, part memoir 

and part instruction, and the blend makes a fascinating read. 

–J. Lee Grady 

To order your copy from LifeSprings Resources, call 

(800) 541-1376 or visit the website at www.lifesprings.net. 


“I feel we can say 

we are approaching 

the gospel’s true 

meaning when we 

see more black 

pastors leading 

churches that are 

multiracial.” 

–Pastor Richard L. Scott Sr. 

West Palm Beach, Fla. 

Readers comment on Brandon Goff’s 

testimony, “God Wouldn’t Let Me Run 

From Him”: 

I’m so proud to call this man my pastor, my 

boss, and my friend! He and his wife are two 

of the most inspiring people I know. 

Emily Felker 

A wonderful story of God’s plan for you. May 

God give strength to all who suffer from 

chemical dependency. May they allow God to 

heal them and lead them home. 

Anonymous 

Wonderful article … wonderful testimony. 

May God give you many opportunities to give 

back! 

Carol Bonnette 

I cried when I read this article. You are a 

miracle! 

Machelle Frazier 

We asked IPHC members if their church 

hosted a Super Bowl ® party. 

Yes, we did. It was boring. The Saints were 

not playing. We claimed a room for the girls 

and put on a chick flick. Way better than two 

boring Yankee teams. 

Therese Atwell 

A Holy Ghost party, and we rocked the house. 

Go Jesus! 

Trina Davis 

We had an F5 night —faith, family, friends, 

food and fun. No Super Bowl ® till we got 

home! 

Lindsey Mitchum 

We tried, but most weren’t interested in 

the teams this year! 

Brandy Goudeaux 

We encouraged everyone to wear their 

favorite team jerseys or colors during our 

Sunday morning service at City of Refuge 

in Bristol, Va. It was a lot of fun! 

Dwayne Addison 

IPHC Facebook fans share how their 

church celebrated Valentine’s Day: 

We had a “Victorious Valentine” banquet 

on Saturday night and it was packed, with 

over 200 in attendance! Visitors from all 

denominations were present. 

DA Leonard 

Happy Home celebrated with warm 

hearts, food and fellowship on a very cold 

night. Love was in the house! 

Denise Bunch 

We hosted an outreach with the Boys & 

Girls Club on Valentine’s afternoon right 

after school. 

Paul Clark 

Holly Hill PHC Men’s Ministries sponsored 

a Valentine’s dinner on Saturday night … 

great food, atmosphere and program. 

Girls’ Ministries and Royal Rangers will 

have a valentine exchange and party 

Wednesday night. Lots of LOVE at Holly 

Hill! 

Linda Thomas 

Baked potato bar and then the movie 

“Courageous” at Life Center Church in 

Morristown, Tenn. It was great! 

Kathy Worrell 


ISSN: 1547-4984 

LifeSprings Resources 

2425 West Main Street 

P.O. Box 9 

Franklin Springs, Georgia 30639

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