Why Reunion?
We are part of a family of churches with four congregations on O‘ahu. For more than 50 years the Church of God of Prophecy has had a ministry presence in Hawai‘i. During that time much good has been accomplished, and from these ministries have come many fine pastors, evangelists, teachers and dedicated lay leaders who have moved from Hawai‘i to impact many parts of the world. While we are rejoicing in that successful track record, we face the hard reality that we have been less successful building and sustaining large, healthy congregations here in Hawai‘i. We have spent a lot of time in prayer and strategy meetings identifying some of the problems and reasons, and seeking God's direction for the future.
The Pastors and State Leaders of the Hawaii COGOP believe we have found that direction for the immediate future.
God speaks to us in many ways; through His direct voice, through the Word of God, through prophecy, and, sometimes, through timing and circumstances. In September of 2006 a Pastor in Atlanta, a man we have never met, and who has only driven past Windward Worship Center on trips to Hawai‘i, sent an email to Pastor Gary Langley. It read, in part:
"In prayer this week - Just out of the blue - your name and your church came before me and it was like I was driving up that hill and looking at your church and God said - Tell Gary - I have a larger building for them and I will open it up to them quickly - get prepared to move and get prepared to grow! I am very cautious about giving people ìwordsî that I do not know - especially preachers! :-) I have seen this 'visionî'and heard these words several times this week so - I really do know that God has set before you an open door and it will be an absolute Miracle and you will expand and multiply. Get ready!"
We accepted that as a true prophetic word.
Flash-forward to this year, to this month. Our congregation at Windward Worship Center continues to show steady, but slow growth, but seems to have plateaued, limited by our facilities and parking. In Waipahu, the Milltown Fellowship has been struggling to rebound with their small, but faithful group. Our Spanish-language group in Waimanalo has seen some moving in and out, and is a loving fellowship, but - again -- is reduced to a small, faithful core group.
Out on the West side, our Ma‘ili church had an encouraging year with measurable growth, but the place in which they have been meeting is slated for demolition the first week of January 2008 to make way for a Habitat for Humanity project.
We believe that is God speaking to us through circumstances.
For almost a decade leaders in the Hawaii COGOP have now and then asked "what if...?" What if we had done this differently? What if we could find a way to work together more closely for the common good? What if we could utilize the strengths and talents of all of our churches and minimize the weaknesses?
That time has arrived.
In order to strengthen our smaller groups, provide a meeting place for those losing their home, and see the prophecy of moving and growing fulfilled before our eyes, we will be combining all of the groups together in joint Sunday Morning services starting January 6, 2008! We are not merging. We are not eliminating any churches, congregations of pastors -- we are simply choosing to work more closely together, worship together, and strengthen one another.
God's direction. God's timing. God's provision.