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What is your vision for the office of general
superintendent?
BEACHAM: I believe the office of general
superintendent has a threefold purpose. The
first is to communicate the general vision of the
IPHC. In the 1980s, Target 2000 became the
visionary focus of this church that led us up to
the millennium. After that came Mission 21,
and we are now focusing on Vision 2020. The
fleshing out of that campaign for the next seven
years is very important for this church. I believe
God is going to speak to the leadership and
define what he wants the IPHC global family
to do in His name.
The second is to be a cheerleader for our
ministries. The general superintendent is in the
best position in this church to see, understand,
and promote what is happening in the IPHC
global community, so we can celebrate God’s
work and continue to focus on Vision 2020.
The third component focuses on ministry
development. I believe God wants us to help
develop those in ministry, from the newest
licensed and ordained ministers to those who
have served for a long time or are even retired.
It’s imperative that there be a renewed focus on
knowledge of the word of God, and knowledge
of theology, so we can engage our culture and
know how to faithfully articulate the faith
from a Pentecostal, holiness, evangelical, and
historical Christian framework.
Along with that comes discipleship. It’s
imperative that we in ministry model and affirm
the importance of personal discipleship so that
the church can continue to develop a model
for corporate discipleship. We must understand
how to properly relate to one another and to
the body of Christ beyond the parameters of
our tribe of IPHC.
I think God is calling us to flesh out these
issues, and I see the General Superintendent’s
Office being an integral part of that in the years
to come.
The new Executive Committee of the Council of Bishops.
(L to R) Chris Thompson, Doug Beacham, Talmadge Gardner
and Thomas McGhee.
18 August 2012 | iphc.org/experience
What do you think the IPHC will learn
from this unexpected transition?
BEACHAM: The last three or four months
of transition have
been a great learning
period for us, and the
primary teacher has
been Bishop Carpenter.
The way he handled this
confrontation with his
own mortality, and the
courageous decision that
he made, showed a man
who recognizes that the
character of his walk with
Jesus is more important
than an office. We won’t
soon forget that example.
I think this transition
has helped us refocus on
Jesus. At the end of the
day, it’s not about me. The
lesson we have learned,
and continue to learn, is
that this church is about Jesus, not about us
as individuals.
As a leader, you have been deeply
involved in the preservation of our roots
and in educating the church regarding our
rich history. How can the IPHC continue
to expand into 21st-century ministry while
preserving our heritage?
BEACHAM: We live in an interesting
time; culturally, there is a lack of historical
knowledge. Things are changing quickly,
and people have little time to process the
impacts of today’s events. That is why we
must be intentional about remembering
our heritage. I believe history—particularly
church history—roots us in God’s saving
gracious action. The life of the Spirit is a
life rooted to the present and
the future.
It’s important to know
and understand our past so
that as we move into the
future, we’re not dabbling in
new age beliefs or distortions
of liberal versus conservative
theology. We need to move
forward in a way that
includes wholeness and the
revelation of God.
What are the greatest
challenges the IPHC faces in
a postmodern society?
BEACHAM: The term postmodern
captures the component of lostness found
in modern Western culture. We have lost,
as a Western cultural framework, a clear
definition of
humanity, and
of right and
wrong. As a
result, a pervasive
relativism
dominates much
of our culture.
I think the
challenges we
face are no
different than
the challenges
that the church
of Jesus Christ
faces around
this globe. An
amoral society
can be tolerant of
everything and
everyone except
those who are sure of themselves. There
is an inherent intolerance for Christians,
in particular. Western democracies don’t
outwardly imprison or martyr Christians,
but we are mistreated, marginalized by law,
ridiculed, etc.
Another challenge we face is the claim
that we are followers of Jesus. We must
become men and women who are defined
by our faith as followers of Christ. In
this age of moral relativism, we must be
willing to live genuine lives as disciples
of Jesus Christ, so that people will see
the difference between those who claim
to be believers and those who really are
Christians.
It’s imperative that there
be a renewed focus on
knowledge of the word
of God, and knowledge
of theology, so we can
engage our culture and
know how to faithfully
articulate the faith from
a Pentecostal, holiness,
evangelical, and historical
Christian framework.
What do you envision for the future of
this church?
BEACHAM: I think the future of the
IPHC globally is wonderful. There
are four key factors to our growth and
multiplication. One is our continued focus
on church planting. And this is something
we must do—reach the multiplied cultural
groups that have become part of the
American landscape.
The second factor is a better
recognition of the global life of the IPHC
Family. Approximately 84 percent of the
IPHC lives outside the U.S. Africa will
be our first continent to cross a million
members, and IPHC Asia is nearly twice
the size of the mother church in the U.S.