Fostering Faith, Connecting Communities
The Church of God International Black Ministries Department recently held the 17th biennial Black Ministries Conference, July 19-22 at Cathedral of Faith Church of God in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Bishop John and Lady Diamond welcomed the over 400 conference attendees to their church home and this gathering in support of pastoral and community ministry. The theme for the conference was “The Harvest.”
Highlights included workshops in support of the T.E.A.M approach for pastors and ministry leaders, as well as an information luncheon where key department leaders from Cleveland, Tennessee provided invaluable ministry tools; a youth outreach night; a health fair with wellness screenings in support of Women’s Ministry, daily worship and three nights of powerful praise.
Messengers at the conference were Pastor Diane Jacques St. Surin, Bishop Johnathan Zeigler, Evangelist Jacqueline Gates, Bishop Chris Moody, Bishop Dannie Williams, and Church of God General Overseer Dr. Timothy M. Hill.
With an objective to serve the Church of God through an organized T.E.A.M. effort that will engage the Finish Commitment, the Black Ministries Department, under the leadership of Bishop Doyle P. Scott, is focused on strengthening the impact of black churches across the United States and Canada in response to both the challenges and opportunities of today’s world. Black Ministries strives to TRAIN individuals from the Church of God Black constituency who are passionate about ministry, providing tools designed to maximize the impact of the local church in its community; EQUIP black leaders of all ethnicities and cultures at all levels of the church with the skills, competencies, and faith to sow into others; AMPLIFY efforts to develop impactful servant leaders who will assist in equipping Black leaders to become intentional influencers to advance the Kingdom of God by winning souls and making disciples, and MENTOR developing Black leaders in all ethnicities and cultures to create collaborative partnerships with federal, state, and community agencies to enhance the ministry of the local church.
“Our work as a department centers on demonstrating faith in action to people of all ages, offering spiritual nourishment and biblical teaching to the faith walker, as well as hope and encouragement to the faith seeker and the forlorn,” Bishop Scott stated. “As a resource to the local church and the local minister, as a convener connecting the local church with the local community, as a solutionist offering sustainable strategies that the local church can execute to exemplify faith in action relative to quality of life issues, Black Ministries is committed to personifying the call of the Great Commission.”
“Our working for good and ministry outreach work manifests in a variety of fashions,” Scott continued. He said youth ministry work in July saw the department partner with Pastor and Lady Hall of the Fellowship of Praise Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee for a “Back to School Fellowship and Book Bag Giveaway,” and with the Painters Boys and Girls Club in August for a Back to School Celebration. In July, three individuals, Sierra Dunn, Tierra Dunn, and Mikaesha Montgomery, were recipients of the Black Ministries 2017 Educational Scholarship.
In support of Global Ministry Partnerships, from August 1- 11, 2017, Bishop Scott, accompanied by Lady Scott, were members of a delegation to Ghana led by Pastor Bishop Danny Kyei-Poakw, Rev. Hazel, House of Deliverance Church of God, Dorchester Massachusetts, Pastor Bishop Michael Mitchell Hartford, Conn., and New York Church of God Administrative Bishop Steve Smith, his wife, Karen, and son Jonathan. While there, Bishop Scott ministered to communities from across Ghana, and adopted an orphanage school in dire need of support.
Scott invites to partner with Black Ministries, Send an email to [email protected] to collaborate with the Black Ministries Department in their ministry work or to receive their departmental newsletter. The first issue will be published on September 30, 2017.
