In spite of prevailing political tension in
many parts of the world and heightened security
in the United States, representatives from
several ministry regions — including North,
South and Central Americas and the Caribbean,
Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Austral/Asia
— gathered in San Jose, Costa Rica, February
13-16 for the Third World Conference of the
International Pentecostal Holiness Church
(IPHC).
Nearly 40 members of the executive staff and
support personnel from the IPHC Resource
Development Center, located at 7300 N. W. 39th
Expressway in Bethany, Oklahoma, attended the
event.
According to 2002 statistics, the International
Pentecostal Holiness Church has a total
worldwide membership of 3,743,391 in 18,096
congregations. This figure includes Pentecostal
groups around the world who have chosen to
affiliate with the church.
James D. Leggett, General Superintendent, says
the last decade proved to be the church’s most
progressive era in over a century of worldwide
ministry. "We experienced record-breaking growth
in three areas — membership, new churches, and
the number of countries with a Pentecostal
Holiness ministry," he says.
Flowing out of the theme, "Unlimited
Opportunities," the conference featured reports
by missionaries and national delegates from the
various continents where the IPHC has a
presence. The denomination currently has
ministries in 100 countries with 186
missionaries on the field. Total membership in
the United States and Canada is 212,922 in
nearly 2,000 churches.
Two previous IPHC World Conferences convened in
Jerusalem, Israel, in 1990 and 1995. James
Leggett says these conferences also proved to be
defining moments for the church in terms of
unity of purpose and shared vision. "A document
known as ‘The Jerusalem Proclamation’ was a
result of the 1990 conference," he says. "This
declaration has served as the church’s primary
Statement of Purpose for the past 13 years."
In 1974, the International Pentecostal Holiness
Church moved its "nerve center," or
International Headquarters, from a small town in
Northeast Georgia to Bethany, Oklahoma. The
decision to move to central Oklahoma was
precipitated by the need to be more centrally
located. Later, the name of the IPHC facility
was changed to Resource Development Center to
reflect its purpose and mission in relationship
to its member churches