Dr. Melissa Pratt, pastor of the Teays Valley Church of God, Scott Depot, was the featured speaker for the opening session of the General Assembly of the Church of God at its 125th North American Convention in Anderson, Ind., in June.
Dr. Melissa Pratt, pastor of the Teays Valley Church of God, Scott Depot, was the featured speaker for the opening session of the General Assembly of the Church of God at its 125th North American Convention in Anderson, Ind., in June. |
July 15, 2011
Dr. Melissa Pratt, pastor of the Teays Valley Church of God, Scott Depot, was the featured speaker for the opening session of the General Assembly of the Church of God at its 125th North American Convention in Anderson, Ind., June 24-29. Thousands of people from throughout North America and other countries attended this annual meeting.
The General Assembly establishes policies for the cooperative work of the church, elects and ratifies members to subordinate boards and units, and adopts the unified World Ministries Budget of the Church of God. It is composed of ministers, pastors, congressional lay representatives and state, provincial and national leaders.
Scores of motels and hotels in the area, plus the large and beautiful dormitories of the magnificent campus of Anderson University, were available for convention attendees. There were also camping facilities for those who traveled in their own housing vehicles.
Food services on the university campus provided delicious meals for thousands of guests and more than 70 restaurants were available within blocks or just a few miles.
There were hundreds of conferences, programs, services of worship and other special meetings from early morning until 10 at night. Music was superb and convention speakers of national reputation thrilled their audiences.
All who attended enjoyed numerous events. Such conferences and programs dealt with prayer, preaching, theological training, youth and children ministries, women's ministries, senior citizens, financial concerns, home and foreign missions, sports, music -- you name it and this convention provided it for all ages and interests.
For her address, Dr. Pratt chose an Old Testament passage as the background for her 21st century message. She selected these words: "Now the priests who carried the ark (the ark of the covenant) remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua" (Joshua 4:10 NIV).
Her opening statement was, "If God is in the middle of something, we need to stay in the middle with Him until He is finished with whatever He is doing. Those who had the presence of God stayed with the program, stayed with the progress and stayed with God's plan until it was completed."
Talking about what God is doing, she said, "Stay with it until God says it is safe to move on. Don't leave until God is finished."
It was the kind of sermon I wish every pastor and layman in the nation could hear. It would be a plus for any convention of Christians, business leaders, bankers, farmers or educators.
Dr. Pratt concluded with these words, spoken by God to Joshua, the leader who followed Moses, "Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9 NKJV).
You may register now for the 2012 North American Convention, June 22-27, by writing to Church of God Ministries, P. O. Box 2420, Anderson, IN 46018-2420. The "Global Gathering," with hundreds from other countries, is scheduled for Anderson, Ind., June 21-26, 2013. I plan to be there with thousands of others.
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