Re:
Rev. Carter opened devotion with hymn #211, ‘Leaning on the Everlasting
Arm’ and read from the Gospel of Mathew chapter 8:1-8. Devotion was closed with
hymn #164, ‘I Have Decided to Follow Jesus’ and prayer.
Rev. Dr. Linda Beal called the conference to order by welcoming the body
to this week’s conference and business session.
Dr. Sid Kelly provided the morning inspiration and read scripture from
Paul’s epistle to the Romans 6:1-11.
Kelly says Jesus is our personal savior—the one who
saved us from sin and provides forgiveness of our sins. However, if a person has committed no sin
then what wrong has been committed? This is the problem for Kelly. What wrong has a man done if he has committed
no sin?
The system or institutions that perpetuate
oppression, he has not participated in—a second marriage and is happily
together with the second wife. He can’t
see anything he has done in the failure of the first marriage.
Kelly acknowledges there seems to be a lack of
clarity when it comes to determining what is and is not sin. However, a successful person is someone who
has a tolerance for failure—the problem is most of us are not blessed with a
high tolerance for failure, which often results in depression.
Sin, failure and accident all belong to a negative
past that zaps ones strength and holds you captive keeping you from
experiencing a new beginning—a clean sheet.
Kelly concludes Paul may have been talking about
such a new beginning—fresh start—with a new spirit in chapter 6. Kelly would
like to see ministers make the connection between sin and forgiveness—for it is
there that Paul’s new creation may lie!
The minutes of the January 24th conference were read and
accepted with the following correction: Rev. Sander’s church is in Lexington
instead of High Point.
Rev. James
Fulwood is the order of the day and Phillip Martin next Tuesday’s order of the
day for Seminarian Day.
Chris Bauman
reported the follow-up meeting with Mayor Allen Joines is scheduled Wednesday,
2/1/06 at 2pm at City Hall. The Clergy
Caucus and Metro Council met and adopted this year’s economic, education,
health care and living wage campaigns and organizing strategy.
Rev. Sanders
reported 10 churches have committed to participate in the MLK Golf fundraising
event scheduled to take place March 19, 2006 at Reynolds Park Golf Club. Conference members are invited to support
this fellowship event by bringing a team and/or with your presence.
Community
Presentation(s)
Rev. Joseph
Jones, Pastor Zion Memorial Baptist Church served as the Order of the day. Rev. Jones lifted scripture from Job 1:6-15
and chose as a subject, “The Existence of Satan.”
Rev. Jones stated some of us don’t
acknowledge the existence of Satan—a pitchfork carrying, red suit wearing devil
character. However, the bible speaks
plainly about the existence of Satan.
Paul and Jesus both speak about the work of Satan. Some say Satan did not start out as a bad
guy—he was once the most attractive angel in heaven. However, it is because of Satan that Hell was
created. Hell is sometimes discredited
but Hell is alive and well because Satan is alive and doing well.
Jones
says Satan is always recruiting new soldiers—even today, if for no other reason
than to stop the progress of God’s good work.
Satan had an agenda from the beginning—in the Garden of Eden, in the
Roman courts and now in the church. Paul
clearly speaks of Satan’s evil to the Ephesians.
Jones
says everyone moves up his or her Eden experience to the point of
temptation. Satan is seeking those who
are trying to do well—preachers, pastors and ministers alike—Satan wants to use
you for evil instead of good.
Jones
says Satan has a large field of work—he gets in the church and nothing is too
sacred for Satan. “God allows Satan to
mess with us in order to raise us up,” says Jones because even Satan is under
God’s control as we saw with Pilot. He
thought he had the power to take life but Jesus told Pilot only God can give
and take life.
Jones
concludes “my prayer is Lord help me to hold out!” In order to overcome Satan we must look to
the cross through faith—in Jesus you can make it!
The
body rose to give Rev. Jones arousing vote of thanks for his encouraging and
insightful message.
Attendance – 14 persons
Offering - $70
Membership –
$40.00 (Rev. Murray and Roudy).
Adjournment (Prayer and Benediction)
Having no further business the conference adjourned with prayer and
benediction.