Leaders, pastors, and lay workers from eight different faith communions within the Holiness tradition met on September 23 at the Madison Park Church of God, Anderson, Indiana, for a day of discussion and networking, focusing on “Holiness in the 21st Century.”  The event was described as a day to engage the minds and hearts of leaders in our common call to holiness in fulfilling our mission.

With 235 representatives in attendance from the Brethren in Christ, the Salvation Army, the Wesleyan Church, the Evangelical Church, the Free Methodist Church, the Church of the Nazarene, the Christian and Missionary Alliance, and the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), the day was packed with times of worship, reflection, and thought-provoking presentations and discussions.

Dr. Kevin Mannoia, chair of the Wesleyan Holiness Consortium, provided his thoughts for a “New Vocabulary for Holiness,” ten word-sets that describe the effects of holiness in the life of one who seeks Christlikeness. A panel of young leaders (age thirty-five and younger) provided a contemporary and fresh conversation to engage the thinking of the attendees regarding new ideas and methods of spreading the holiness message. A second, heritage panel made up of experienced leaders and scholars, including Dr. Barry Callen, discussed the historical importance of the holiness message. And JoAnn Lyon, a general superintendent of the Wesleyan Church, discussed the implication of holiness in today’s world.

Indiana Ministries, along with the other denominations represented, sponsored the event in partnership with the Wesleyan Holiness Consortium. The purpose of the Holiness Consortium is to heighten awareness of the Holiness message, to raise passion for the transforming message of God for our people, to guide the vision for pastoral ministry in the coming decades, and to develop relationships with pastors from other denominations. 

For more information about the Wesleyan Holiness Consortium, visit www.holinessandunity.org.