An incomplete history
The Midland Ministerial Alliance (MMA) traces its beginning back to a city-wide revival that more than 30 years later continues to impact not only on Midland, but the world.
It was 1984. The oil bust was at its height and its negative economic, social, and spiritual impact on the community was devastating. Desiring to tend to the souls of our troubled community, the spiritual leaders of Midland invited the people of the region to gather at Midland College’s Chaparral Center in the first week of April to hear evangelist Aurthur Blessitt. Blessitt had earlier achieved renown when, on December 25, 1969, he began carrying a cross as he walked the world to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. His introduction to Midland came through Rev. Daniel Vestal, then pastor of the Midland First Baptist Church, where Blessitt had preached a series of meetings with great effect. While still carrying his cross and preaching to the world, Blessitt, in an email to the MMA dated 9/11/02, stated that Midland is the only city in the U.S. where he has conducted city-wide meetings.
The Midland event was called “Decision ’84.” Flyers and posters invited Midlanders to attend “with the sincere prayer that we might experience the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Spirit.” Thousands attended these nightly meetings, and hundreds—including the unlikely president-to-be, George W. Bush—made personal commitments to Jesus because of Blessitt’s ministry.
Cecil Robinson, a senior Midland minister, recalls that fifty-two people answered a call to commit their lives to full-time ministry at one of these meetings. These individuals also publicly pledged to fellowship together once a month. Out of this commitment, a covenant was written (followed by a Constitution and Bylaws, see attached) that more formally organized the group into the Midland Ministerial Alliance. While most of the original members of the Alliance are no longer in Midland, a few still minister to the Midland flock. In 2002 the original 1984 covenant was slightly rewritten and adopted to provide the doctrinal and relational foundation of the Alliance (see attached).
When first conceived, the purpose of the MMA was to provide “a loosely organized fellowship for the mutual prayer support and spiritual edification of Midland’s ministers.” Another organization called The Midland Association of Churches (MAC) already provided a platform for the churches of Midland to cooperate in areas of political and social concern, so the MMA was formed to primarily serve as a fellowship for the spiritual edification of the city’s ministers. Though the MAC ceased to exist a few years back, the MMA continues to address issues both spiritual and social. While all races are welcome and participate in the MMA, a separate Ministerial Alliance that meets on a weekend once a month is comprised primarily of African-American ministers (The Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance). These two Alliances often work together whenever schedules allow and interests overlap.
The MMA remained loosely organized during the almost 20 intervening years between its founding and its more focused work that began, not coincidentally, with the election of Midland’s own George W. Bush to the presidency in 2001. In retrospect, it appears that several related prayer initiatives begun as far back as the mid-90s were used by God to bring about this sharpening of focus. Toward what end? The answer to that question will require the passage of more time, but perhaps it was so that the MMA would be prepared to respond to the unique opportunity of having its own favorite son and daughter, George and Laura Bush, move from Midland to the State House, and then on to the White House.
The Midland Ministerial Alliance (MMA) traces its beginning back to a city-wide revival that more than 30 years later continues to impact not only on Midland, but the world.
It was 1984. The oil bust was at its height and its negative economic, social, and spiritual impact on the community was devastating. Desiring to tend to the souls of our troubled community, the spiritual leaders of Midland invited the people of the region to gather at Midland College’s Chaparral Center in the first week of April to hear evangelist Aurthur Blessitt. Blessitt had earlier achieved renown when, on December 25, 1969, he began carrying a cross as he walked the world to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. His introduction to Midland came through Rev. Daniel Vestal, then pastor of the Midland First Baptist Church, where Blessitt had preached a series of meetings with great effect. While still carrying his cross and preaching to the world, Blessitt, in an email to the MMA dated 9/11/02, stated that Midland is the only city in the U.S. where he has conducted city-wide meetings.
The Midland event was called “Decision ’84.” Flyers and posters invited Midlanders to attend “with the sincere prayer that we might experience the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Spirit.” Thousands attended these nightly meetings, and hundreds—including the unlikely president-to-be, George W. Bush—made personal commitments to Jesus because of Blessitt’s ministry.
Cecil Robinson, a senior Midland minister, recalls that fifty-two people answered a call to commit their lives to full-time ministry at one of these meetings. These individuals also publicly pledged to fellowship together once a month. Out of this commitment, a covenant was written (followed by a Constitution and Bylaws, see attached) that more formally organized the group into the Midland Ministerial Alliance. While most of the original members of the Alliance are no longer in Midland, a few still minister to the Midland flock. In 2002 the original 1984 covenant was slightly rewritten and adopted to provide the doctrinal and relational foundation of the Alliance (see attached).
When first conceived, the purpose of the MMA was to provide “a loosely organized fellowship for the mutual prayer support and spiritual edification of Midland’s ministers.” Another organization called The Midland Association of Churches (MAC) already provided a platform for the churches of Midland to cooperate in areas of political and social concern, so the MMA was formed to primarily serve as a fellowship for the spiritual edification of the city’s ministers. Though the MAC ceased to exist a few years back, the MMA continues to address issues both spiritual and social. While all races are welcome and participate in the MMA, a separate Ministerial Alliance that meets on a weekend once a month is comprised primarily of African-American ministers (The Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance). These two Alliances often work together whenever schedules allow and interests overlap.
The MMA remained loosely organized during the almost 20 intervening years between its founding and its more focused work that began, not coincidentally, with the election of Midland’s own George W. Bush to the presidency in 2001. In retrospect, it appears that several related prayer initiatives begun as far back as the mid-90s were used by God to bring about this sharpening of focus. Toward what end? The answer to that question will require the passage of more time, but perhaps it was so that the MMA would be prepared to respond to the unique opportunity of having its own favorite son and daughter, George and Laura Bush, move from Midland to the State House, and then on to the White House.