ST LOUIS HOLINESS CONVENTION 2011

Dear Friends of Christian Holiness,

If you believe that A REVIVAL OF SCRIPTURAL HOLINESS IS OUR MOST URGENT NEED, then you will not want to miss the 2011 ST. LOUIS HOLINESS CONVENTION, Thursday, February 17 and Friday, February 18.

More than economic growth, more than social reform, and more than political change, God's people need to recover the romance of loving God, the optimism of victorious faith, and the power of Spirit-driven living.

It is our conviction that as the message of holiness, the dominant theology of 19th century America, was supplanted by the neo-Calvinists of the early 20th century, the Charismatics of the late 20th century, and the Church Growth Movement of the past few decades, the Church lost her sanctifying influence in the life of her people and in the culture at large.

Today we are witnessing what the Apostle warned we would face, men having "a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof!" (2 Timothy 3:5).

Tragically this "form" is not only powerless to transform sinners and empower saints, it is also unappealing to the masses. Fewer and fewer Americans are attending church. Statistics show that at one time over 40% of Americans attended Church on any given weekend. Today fewer than 19% attend.

We are witnessing the demoralization of our nation. Our national character is anemic, our moral convictions are few, and our concern for Biblical truth is notable for it's absence.

We are still a "spiritual" people, but we are not Biblically Christian people.

I am convinced that at the root of our social, economic, and political malaise is our loss of Christian conscience. This profound loss can be blamed on the professing Church that prefers playing above praying, feasting more than fasting, and worldliness over holiness.

YET GOD HAS ALWAYS HAD HIS PEOPLE! AND IF HIS PEOPLE WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES, WILL PRAY, WILL SEEK GOD'S FACE, AND WILL TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS (see 2 Chronicles 7:14; I would say this is a call to the kind of holiness we seek), THEN GOD WILL HEAR, GOD WILL FORGIVE, AND GOD WILL HEAL!

God has raised up the JOHN WESLEY FOUNDATION of ST. LOUIS for "such a time as this."

The John Wesley Foundation of St. Louis is dedicated to advancing Scriptural Holiness by:
1. Hosting an annual convention, and other events as the Lord opens doors.
2. Promoting fervent prayer for a great awakening.
3. Fostering robust intellectual inquiry and sound holiness exegesis.
4. Publishing a sound apologetic for Scriptural holiness in books, articles, and journals.
5. Networking people, churches, and organizations with a passion for holiness of heart and life.
6. Stimulating creative and aggressive outreaches dedicated to "evangelizing the lost and Christianizing Christianity" (P. F. Bresee).
7. Demonstrating the grace of holy love in our churches, our homes, and our lives.

THE 2011 ST LOUIS HOLINESS CONVENTION IS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17 AND FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18. Sponsored by the John Wesley Foundation of St. Louis and hosted by FAITH COMMUNITY CHURCH, 2969 N. Lindbergh Blvd, St. Ann, MO 63074.

Our line up of speakers and special guests for this year's convention is powerful:

JAMES PLANK (God's Missionary Church, Beavertown, PA) is the assistant to the General Secretary of the Inter Church Holiness Convention (IHC). Brother Plank will be preaching on both Thursday and Friday evenings at 7:00 p.m.

BOB AND ROWENA CLOUSE (Church of God Holiness, Missouri) pastor the Church of God (Holiness) in Mexico, MO. They are wonderful singers with a passion for the cause of Scriptural holiness.

EVANGELIST BEN CRAWFORD (Bible Methodist, Alabama Connection) is a young man with a passion for evangelism and the cause of Scriptural holiness. He is currently hosting a presentation of historic Biblical texts in this 400th Anniversary Year of the King James Version of the Bible.

ANDREW DURST (Crusaders USA) is associate Pastor at Faith Crusaders, Urbana, IL. He is the field director of GREAT COMMISSION CAMP. This year Pastor Durst will be leading teams in Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri.

DR. STEVE GIBSON (Pilgrim Holiness Church, Midwest Conference) Pastors Victory Chapel in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is the author of several books including "The Essential Wesley, I Believe," "The Sincerity of God," and "Practical Christianity." He is the director of Keystone Urban Institute.

DR. MARSH JONES, (Crusaders Church USA), is the Bishop of Crusaders and Senior Pastor of Faith Crusaders Church in Urbana, IL. He has written "The Pulpit, The Periodical, and The Pen: The Life of Joseph Benson."

EVANGELIST P L LIDDELL (Church of the Nazarene, Michigan) has been a holiness evangelist for more than 50 years. He has written a number of great Gospel songs including, "When I Said Yes To Jesus."

WALLACE THORNTON, (Church of the Nazarene, Missouri) Pastors in Moberly, Missouri. He serves as an adjunct professor and scholar to a number of Bible Colleges. He is the author of "Radical Righteousness."

THE DUANE ELMORE FAMILY (Bible Holiness Church, Foley, Missouri) minister in the Spirit as they sing and lead singing. You will be wonderfully blessed by their great sound and their sensitivity to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

JOHN POFF (Church of God (Holiness), Carthage, Missouri) was saved in his 40's and called into the work of the Lord. John and his wife Sherry have pastored in Missouri and Colorado. Brother Poff is a man of prayer.

MISSIONARY NORMAN CASH and CECELIA SPOTTED BEAR of WOUNDED KNEE (Rose Bud and Pine Ridge Indian Reservations, South Dakota), are wonderful missionaries to the Indian Communities of South Dakota. They are leaders in the Spring Creek Indian Holiness Campmeeting.

WAYNE KNIPMEYER (Bible Holiness Church, Bowling Green, Missouri) has pastored in Illinois and Missouri. Brother Knipmeyer is a leader of the TROY BIBLE HOLINESS CAMPMEETING in Troy, Missouri.

DR. RODGER YOUNG (St. Louis, Missouri) will be presenting his amazing research confirming the accuracy of Biblical chronology. Dr. Young is an accomplished scholar having graduated from Reed College and Oxford University (Oxford, England) with graduate degrees. Dr. Young was led to Christ by Christians who picked him up as he was hitchhiking on the Auto-bon in Germany.

MARK AVERY (Church of God (Holiness), Overland Park, Kansas) is the editor of THE HERALD AND HOLINESS BANNER PRESS. He is a favorite at the St. Louis Holiness Convention.

I don't know where in the United States of America you could find such a gathering of great men of God, February 17th and 18th, 2011.

DELICIOUS HOME COOKED MEALS will be provided on a free-will offering basis.

HOTEL ROOMS can be purchased on Priceline at a reasonable rate. Select the St. Louis Airport and Westport areas as they are closest to the Convention site.

IF YOU NEED TRANSPORTATION to and from LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT we can arrange a ride. We are only 5 minutes from the airport.

PRAY AND ASK THE LORD IF HE WOULD LEAD YOU TO COME! We are praying He is willing that you come. It will do your heart good. And you will be an encouragement to others.

IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION please feel free to call my cell phone (314) 607-1424 or e-mail PastorRick@FCCToday.org.

Onward!

PASTOR RICK JONESFAITH COMMUNITY CHURCH of ST. LOUIS - CRUSADERS CHURCH USA2969 N. Lindbergh Blvd, St. Ann, MO 63047Tel. (314) 298-5840; Cell. (314) 607-1424E-mail: PastorRick@FCCToday.orgWeb Page: www.FCCToday.org Blog: www.PastorRickJones.blogspot.com


ST LOUIS STATEMENT

It is our conviction that the decline of morality in our culture and within the professing Christian community is rooted in the failure of the Church to embrace and articulate and demonstrate the message of Scriptural holiness.

The contemporary Church has lost its sanctifying influence in society, as it has:
… lost her conviction that the Scriptures are inspired and inerrant.
… accepted what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called, “cheap grace,” a grace that justifies sin without justifying the sinner.”
… refused to believe in the possibility of God’s grace to actually save sinners from all sin and to cleanse the heart of inherited depravity—our natural tendency to rebel against God.

The Scriptures teach, and we affirm:

1. Sanctification is the work of God that purifies the believer from acquired and inherited depravity. “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. I Thessalonians 5:23,24

2. At the time of conversion the penitent believer is justified, which is the imputation of righteousness in place of the believer’s guilt; and initially sanctified, which is the impartation of God’s righteousness worked in the believer’s heart and life. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? …And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. I Corinthians 6:9-11

Sanctification is initialized at the time of justification, for at that time God delivers the penitent believer from the power of sin, enabling righteous living and spiritual growth that brings the believer to the point of entire sanctification. “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13.

Entire sanctification is the instantaneous cleansing of the believer’s heart of inherited depravity, so that the heart of the believer is fully renewed in the image of God, purified of inherited depravity, and perfected in love, accelerating growth in Christlikeness. “Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment.” I John 4:17.
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The John Wesley Foundation – 2969 N. Lindbergh Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63074 – Tel. (314) 607-1424