Hear From the President

Lessons of Leadership

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

I am pleased to have Kalengule Kaoma (KK), GCI Superintendent for Africa, write the letter for this edition of Update. We have more GCI members in Africa than any other continent and the work of preparing, recognizing, and launching new leaders is important for the present work and future growth that we anticipate. KK has done intentional work alongside his four regional directors, who have also been integral in helping to establish national directors who have direct impact on our wide array of pastors. This multiplication and empowerment of leaders is the groundwork that’s needed to have the capacity to receive those whom the Lord calls. Our prayers go up for Jesus to bless this group of newly appointed leaders.

In GCI across Africa, we are faced with several opportunities to transition our leaders. These opportunities are available on congregational and regional levels. As a result, we have experienced several transitions in the last twelve months.

Dictionaries indicate that transition refers to a process of change. In this article, I limit transition to change of leaders in congregational and or regional offices.

The reason for transitioning leaders has mostly been age-related. Most of our leaders who have transitioned out of their offices are at least 70 years of age. Energy levels, mobility, health, length of service, availability, and travel demands also contributed to decisions leading to transitions.

Benefits of timely transitions

Our leaders who have served the Lord for a long time have accumulated vast experiences, knowledge, and maturity. These traits must be passed on to younger leaders. Transitions are like a relay race. The oncoming runner passes the baton to the next runner who takes off at greater speed. But the runner who brought the baton runs on for some distance. In effect, the two runners run together for a while. This effectively provides support to the runner who has picked up the baton.

In our leadership transitions, experienced leaders have the opportunity to come beside the new leaders. Experienced leaders give support, counsel, guidance, and answers to what may seem like new, perplexing, and challenging situations that arise while the new leaders are adjusting to their roles. In executing the process of transition, we have drawn from biblical narratives because we desired smooth transitions.

Examples from the Bible

Elijah prayed a double portion of the Spirit over Elisha. John the Baptist, who had paved the path for Jesus, made the profound statement, “I must decrease so that he may increase.” Jesus himself shows how to prepare others for leadership. He prayed all night before selecting the 12 disciples. He invited them to come and be with him traveling across Judea, ministering to people. The disciples observed Jesus for months. They joined him in ministering to the crowds that gathered to hear Jesus. Jesus spent time quizzing their understanding about who he was and giving them deeper insight beyond the parables Jesus told to the crowds. He proclaimed that they would be fishers for people, and he prepared them for this calling. In GCI, we endeavor to do likewise.

Transitions in Africa

Gardner Kunje (left) w incoming RD Marshall Dube

Biblical examples of leadership transitions encouraged us to courageously effect transitions in Africa. Here are the highlights:

Two national directors passed the baton recently. In Nigeria, Essien George passed the baton of national director to Meshack Igbineweka. GCI Ghana welcomed Theophilus Nii Okai as the new national leader.

We have also commissioned two new regional directors. In December 2024, Central Africa Regional Director Gardner Kunje of Lilongwe, Malawi transitioned leadership to Marshall Dube of Harare, Zimbabwe. In January 2025, another encouraging transition took place in Accra, Ghana. West Africa Regional Director Theo Nii Okai received office authority from outgoing RD Emmanuel Okai. [See image at the top of story.] Together with members of the Christian Council of Ghana, national directors from GCI Nigeria and Togo attended the service with a number of members from around Ghana.

Kalengule Kaomo, Takalani Musekwa, Gardner Kunje, Chimba, Marshall Dube

Lessons from leadership transitions

- Long term. Bearing in mind that at one point of the leadership path or another, leaders will be required to step aside. For this reason, leaders need to prepare someone to step up and take the role of a current leader. As soon as a leader takes up a leadership role, one must start preparing other people as possible replacements.
- Create a team of leaders. Jethro’s advice to Moses to create teams of captains of tens, fifties, hundreds, and thousands coupled with Jesus’s plan of working with a team of three, twelve, 120, 500, and more form a basis upon which to emulate team leadership concepts. While a congregation may not have lots of members to draw lots of people, it is prudent to have teams of leaders who can be prepared for future leadership roles.
- Proactive/intentional knowledge of leaders in the team. Creating a leadership team is one thing. Knowing the leaders on the team is another. Knowing team members calls for close relationships. Without close personal relationships, it is difficult to know members of the team. This too makes it difficult to be certain about who is suitable to be the next leaders. This does not take away the role of the Holy Spirit in directing leaders about next leaders. God works through our relationships.

Transitions are inevitable and important. The Holy Spirit works through mortal human beings with limited life spans. Naturally, human leaders’ bodies will wane in their strength and health. This requires replacement. Sometimes, other factors will call for leadership transitions. Hence, denominational, regional, congregational, and ministry leaders should always be ready to effectively transition officers at various levels of church leaders. In Africa, leadership transition is an ongoing activity.

Under the leadership of Jesus,
Kalengule Kaoma, Superintendent of Africa
Lusaka, Zambia

Kingdom Participation

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

The apostle Paul writes to the beloved believers in Thessalonica, reminding them to live vigilantly, with clear thinking, as they anticipate the pending coming of the Lord. Not only are believers, then and now, to be awake and sober, but we are to be armed and guarded.

In I Thessalonians 5:8, we see the preeminent graces of faith, hope, and love that mark the kingdom-minded people of God and keep them centered in the person and purpose of Jesus. Hope being rooted in Jesus is the assurance of his work in the world today and his pending coming. Faith is the motive within, the abiding relationship with Jesus that colors our thoughts, desires, and actions. Love has transformed you and me and is exhibited in outward ways as we worship the triune God and serve our neighbors. Paul has this thread of teaching in all his letters to the early church because he knows this is how they (and we) stay wrapped in Jesus and are empowered to act as kingdom citizens now.

Paul spells out more details as to how we more intentionally live kingdom life now and represent him well until his return.

But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets,but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 NRSVUE

Paul begins this passage by appealing to us that we respect and tangibly honor the pastors and church officers who labor among us because their work is meant for our good. I would echo this about our church leaders around the world. I see that they are Christ-centered, dedicated people who sacrificially serve the church. I say a big Thank You to them!

I invite you to go back and re-read the quoted scriptures. This time, look for words like all, always, without ceasing, and entirely. You could circle or highlight these words.

What did you learn from this exercise? For me, I see how Paul is inspiring us to be “all in.” When you read the record of Paul’s personal life you see a transformed persecutor of the church who became an amazing champion for the church, who lost all earthly reputation and status to stake everything in knowing Jesus (even in suffering and to the power of the resurrection).

Being sold out to Jesus and reflecting Jesus to the world around us is the most counterculture practice that we could possibly engage in. The imperatives in Paul’s robust teaching are to encourage and build up. Actively doing this inside the church seems quite natural, but Paul says we are to be this way with all people. This is how the kingdom witness of the Church will happen in your neighborhood and in mine.

Allow me to give you another assignment. Methodically go through the list of actions in this passage, asking yourself, “How am I doing in this area?”

- - Esteeming the church leaders in my life.
  - Being at peace with others.
  - Graciously confronting idlers.
  - Encouraging the downcast.
  - Helping the weak (James says to especially care for widows and orphans).
  - Being patient with others.
  - Actively seeking to do good to all people.
  - Expressing joy.
  - Having a vibrant prayer life.
  - Leaning into the guidance of the Spirit.
  - Discerning between good and evil and then choosing the good.
  - Taking to heart the teaching of my pastor and church.
  - Minding the condition of my body, mind, and soul with intention.

Wow! That’s quite a list for consideration. Perhaps this would be a wonderful guide during this season of Easter Preparation?

I have one exceptionally important disclaimer that cannot be missed. These are not virtuous qualities or behaviors that can be accomplished by the human spirit. It is the One who calls you, loves you, and empowers you who will be faithful to accomplish these things in you — it is Jesus, the King of the kingdom.

Intentionally living kingdom values,
Greg

God’s Promised Rest in Christ

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

In our Kingdom Culture series, I previously wrote about being a kingdom citizen and drew attention to the people of Hebrews 11. Today I am backing up in the book of Hebrews to chapter 4 to show why the heroes of the faith chapter were so relentless in their pursuit.

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

‘As in my anger I swore,
“They shall not enter my rest”’,

though his works were finished at the foundation of the world. For in one place it speaks about the seventh day as follows: ‘And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.’ And again in this place it says, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ Since therefore it remains open for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he sets a certain day—‘today’—saying through David much later, in the words already quoted,

‘Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.’

⁸For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak later about another day. ⁹So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; ¹⁰for those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labours as God did from his. ¹¹Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs. Hebrews 4:1-11 NRSVA

Entering God’s rest is the ultimate pursuit. If this rest was achievable by observation of a weekly Sabbath day, then the rest from creation through to Joshua would have been enough. And if simply setting aside a day to cease from labor was adequate to enter God’s rest, then human works would have been enough, too.

Why does the author say “… his works were finished at the foundation of the world”? The picture from Genesis shows God creating the earth and all that it is in it and then resting on the seventh day. The creation story is awe-inspiring, and it points us to a God who spoke and the material world came into being. Amazing!

Revelation 13:8 adds an astounding piece to the creation story that helps us have a clearer understanding of the concept of God’s rest:

All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. (NIV)

The Father sending Jesus was the plan from the beginning. In fact, the entire Old Testament history was the stage being set for the main character to appear. The mysterious rest the writer points to is the abiding, healing, empowering relationship with Jesus. Jesus is the only one who gives true rest to the weary and heavy laden.

Hebrews 4 may appear to be pitting obedience against faith. The reality is that we can only enter the rest by the faith of Jesus and faith in Jesus. It is through faith alone that we are saved, and it is by faith that we believe and obey. The surrendered life of reliance on Jesus is how the saints of old remained faithful and obedient to the many hardships that came their way.

So, today as you hear his voice speaking out to you, open your heart and enter the rest of Jesus.

Resting in Jesus,
Greg

Kingdom Citizenship

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

Susan and I enjoy visiting the various U.S. Presidential Libraries. Last March we were able to visit Harry Truman’s and Dwight Eisenhower’s on the same day. We learned that Truman and Eisenhower understood that the President of the United States should be the model American citizen. The U.S. President should personally set an example of what is right and good in our country. This notion struck me as simple, yet profound.

If we are citizens of the kingdom of God what are valid indicators of our citizenship? The most comprehensive list that speaks about kingdom citizenship is found in Hebrew 11. Let’s consider these examples from the Bible “Hall of Fame” and the attributes that distinguish them. (Please take the time to read the entire chapter and reflect on the details that cannot be contained in this short article.)

Faith

As good Bible students, we know that faith is the hallmark characteristic.

- Faith as trusting in God beyond our circumstances and challenges.
- Faith as demonstrated by believing in a God who can do immeasurably more than can be conceived or imagined.
- Faith as assurance and conviction.
- Faith as the rock-solid certainty that he who has begun a good work will complete it.

Living as pilgrims and strangers in this world

Setting our eyes on Jesus and his kingdom, “a better country,” is how we walk the same path as those who have gone before. This is in keeping with the words of Jesus when he told the original disciples to be in the world, but not of the world.

All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:13-16 NRSVA

Obedience despite sacrifice and suffering

No matter what we give up in this life or what suffering comes our way, knowing that we are in union with Jesus and included in his eternal kingdom is more than enough.

- Whether leaving the comfort of our physical homes and dwelling in tents.
- Whether waiting on God and trusting for the conception of a child.
- Whether thrown into a cage with lions or a consuming fire and not knowing if we come out alive.

Identity with Christ and the community of the great cloud of witnesses

Because of what we read in Hebrews 11, we move higher in our spiritual comprehension to the connecting thoughts of chapter 12.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of^] the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

No person in the Faith Chapter endured more or suffered more than Jesus himself, a perspective that brings clarity and evokes worship. Just as the people of faith looked to Jesus for rescuing from sin and the weights of this life, we join them in the race we are now running. It is a beautiful image to think about the amazing company of pioneer believers who have gone before us, and the leader of the parade is Jesus.

The bottom line is that Jesus is the Author and Finisher of this race. He has run the race in our stead and put up with everything along the way. All the people of faith who have run the race could only do it one way — by their union with Jesus, following in his steps, their eyes fixed on him.

As kingdom citizens in the 21^st century, we don’t know what we may be called upon to do, nor do we know what suffering or persecution may come our way. But we do know that Jesus is with us every step, and there is a city prepared by God for our eternal home.

Resting in the Author’s finished work,
Greg

The King

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

I recently shared that our GCI theme for 2025 is Kingdom Culture. I hope this captures your imagination and stirs your spirit.

Growing into a Kingdom Culture begins with Kingdom Living. Kingdom Living originates in the King himself, King Jesus. We are familiar with the slogan “Jesus is the center of the center.” Our annual worship calendar supports this with celebrations anchored in the Person and works of Jesus (vicarious works on behalf of all humanity). But who is this King and what do we know about Him?

In the letter to the Christ-followers in Colossae, Paul writes some of the most magnificent truths about the King.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:15-20 NRSVA

The glory of the triune God is perfectly on display in the Person of Jesus. In Him, all things are held together. It is in Him that we live and move and have our being.

Kingdom Living and Kingdom Culture

We invite you to join us for this U.S. Home Church sermon by Greg Williams. Clothed in Christ

P.S. Our hearts and prayers go out to our members, friends, and all victims who are suffering from the devastation caused by the wildfires in southern California. The multiple fires have been fueled by the strong Santa Anna winds, and we continue to beseech Jesus to calm the winds and for the fires to be put out. We have been able to work with our local pastors to be able to get emergency funds to our members who have lost their homes and possessions. And yet there will be long-term effects, and rebuilding houses and lives will take years. Let’s not languish in our prayer support or allow this catastrophic event to become old news while people continue to suffer. More information about the GCI Disaster Relief Fund is available here.

We also pray for the people of Southeast Australia who are facing extreme fire risk due to dry conditions and a heatwave.
When one suffers, we all suffer.
Greg Williams

Gratitude and Prayerful Hope

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

As we approach the end of 2024, there’s much to give thanks for in our shared journey. In the U.S., we came together for face-to-face regional gatherings (the first live gathering of this nature since before the Covid pandemic). It was a time to hug necks and rejoin the deep relationships that we have enjoyed for many years. This year was also a time to face difficult realities about the state of our congregations, and we made needed changes related to what congregations can be chartered, and served accordingly, as we go forward into 2025.

Another significant change that is under way in the United States is moving from the regional structure to a U.S. National Ministry Team, whose purpose is to serve our pastors and congregations in meaningful ways that can put legs to the vision for Healthy Church. We are prayerfully hopeful.

I am encouraged by the remarkable ways the Spirit is at work in and through GCI, moving us forward in unity and purpose. The resiliency and supportive attitude of GCI pastors and members amazes me. Thank you!

The triune God is faithful in our midst. Jesus Christ, the head of the church has much in store for us. I caught a glimpse of this at the Dream Huddle event held at our Ministry Training Center in Surrey Hills, O.K. Church planters, pastors of church mergers, and leaders of church relaunches gathered to share what we have been learning. We discussed how we can be supportive of each other as the Lord reshapes and rebuilds GCI in the U.S. Once again, I am prayerfully hopeful.

I am very encouraged by my visits and interactions with our international leaders as well. This past year, I collaborated with our Australasian Superintendent Daphne Sidney who is leading more than thirty participants in the Christian Discipleship Program. Their journey of learning and growing together has great promise. I joined New Zealand Regional Director Dennis Richards and Pastors Frank and Emily Boyd from Fiji as they hosted their Avenue Champions for a two-day workshop. It was inspiring to see their focus and intentionality as they join Jesus in His ministry to their island nation. I rounded out my year joining Kalengule Kaoma, Superintendent of Africa, and his team of regional directors in Ghana. The church in Ghana celebrated its 50-year anniversary, but with the level of energy and enthusiasm expressed it’s like they are just getting started.

Christ the King

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

This Sunday we celebrate Christ the King Sunday. It is a feast day that ends the liturgical year and introduces the new cycle taking us into the Advent season. I believe that it is a wonderful tradition to celebrate Christ’s messianic kingship and sovereign rule over all creation. It tells the end of the story even as we prepare ourselves for a new liturgical year, ushering in the incarnate baby Jesus born to His mother, Mary, in Bethlehem.

Jesus was intentional and clear with His disciples about having a “kingdom mindset.” Preaching the good news of the coming eternal kingdom of God was central to the teaching of Jesus from the beginning of His public ministry throughout.

In His final evening with the disciples, He made some key comments. When He instituted the Lord’s Table service, He presented the elements of the bread and wine, symbolizing His broken body and spilled blood. He declared that He would not eat these again with them until they were regathered in the kingdom of heaven.

As He was preparing the disciples to manage with His absence, He gave them strong words of encouragement.

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going. John 14:1-4 NIV

Even after Jesus was resurrected, and just before He ascended back to the Father, the disciples had their minds fixed on when Jesus, the King, would restore the kingdom to Israel. Unfortunately, it seems they were thinking of the benefits of a physical kingdom with a keen desire to be delivered from Roman rule. They missed the fuller meaning.

At the Last Supper, Jesus intimated that the point of the kingdom was to be with Him. The kingdom is about relationships. The apostle Paul amplified this understanding in Romans 14:17: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (NIV).

Paul’s short verse profoundly describes the abundant life humanity can and will have in Christ. It is the “kingdom life” we are meant for with our King.

Let’s break down the righteousness, peace, and joy that comes from God, the Holy Spirit.

- Righteousness means everything that is virtuous and good — everything, streaming from the virtuous, perfect nature of Father, Son, and Spirit. All good gifts flow from God!

What if we engage our thoughts with “throne room” realities where we are seated together with Christ? Whoa! Can we really do that? As kingdom citizens now, let’s make a spiritual practice of having our minds go there.

- Peace is more than the absence of strife; it is harmonious interaction with our neighbors. You may recall the famous quote uttered during the 1992 Los Angeles riots by the victim of police brutality, Rodney King, “Can we all get along?” The answer to Mr. King’s question is a resounding “yes,” we can all get along, and we will in the realized kingdom of God.

The fullness of the kingdom will be the fulfillment of the Great Commands to love God with our entire being, and to truly and selflessly love our neighbor.

This peace is about goodwill in all relationships.

- - No more misunderstandings.
  - No more hurtful words.
  - No more stepping on the other to get ahead.
  - No judgment or contempt.
  - No malice.

There will be just, whole, peaceful relationships among all of God’s children.

- Joy is our internal thinking and feeling about self, and the absence of negative, destructive self-talk. Many of us are our own worst critic. How many of us dominate ourselves with internal thoughts like:
  - “I’m not good enough or smart enough.”
  - “I can’t ever get it right” (when we demand perfection from ourselves).
  - “I’m such an idiot” (when we identify with labels that others have thrust upon us).
  - “Nothing goes right for me” (when perhaps our plane flight was delayed because of bad weather).

You get the point. On the other hand, I think about the uplifting, reassuring lyrics from the Christian band Casting Crowns, and their song, “The Voice of Truth.” Here are a few lines:

The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. “Boy, you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
The voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth!

It will take the fullness of the kingdom to completely eradicate and eliminate our self-doubt and negative self-talk, but oh there is joy to come!

Nestled in Romans 14, this tiny, little verse truly describes the eutopia that our inner beings and all creation long and groan for. The righteousness, peace, and joy that God has designed and will accomplish is what Christ the King Sunday is all about.

Keep in mind that Jesus is not only preparing heaven for us, but He is also preparing us for heaven. So, in 2025 our GCI annual theme is going to be “Kingdom Life.” I expect 2025 to be a fruitful year for GCI.

In the power and glory of King Jesus,
Greg

Inclusion and Union

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

It is important that we have theological clarity as to what we mean when we use the popular phrase, “All are included in the life and love of Jesus.” It is exciting and life-changing to grasp and participate in what God has accomplished for all humanity in and through His incarnate Son, Jesus. In our hearts, we want this for all people.

Dr. Gary Deddo addresses what we do and don’t mean by “included” in Christ and the meaning of “union with Christ.”

I note the difference between the personal union of the two natures in Christ (the hypostatic union) and our spiritual union by the Holy Spirit that incorporates us into the Body of Christ (what normally union with Christ has meant). It is by the ministry of the Holy Spirit that frees our response of repentance and faith so that we have a relationship of communion (koinonia) and personally receive the benefits Jesus Christ has for us. The two are not the same even though they are necessarily related. Our union by the Holy Spirit depends absolutely upon the whole Christ, the hypostatic union that makes Him one in being with God and one in nature with us.

In his 2017 article, “Clarifying Our Theological Vision,” Dr. Deddo writes:

This theological declaration is based on the biblical revelation that Christ died for all, and that God has loved and reconciled the world to Himself (Rom. 5:18; 2 Cor. 5:14; John 3:16; 2 Cor. 5:19, Heb. 2:9). Jesus is “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29), and He is the “ransom” for all (1 Tim 2:4, 6; 4:10; Matt. 20:28). Because this reconciliation is accomplished, and thus a present reality, God’s desire, which is fulfilled by the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit, is for all people everywhere to come to repentance and faith so they may personally experience (receive and live into) this reconciliation and so not perish (2 Pet. 3:9; Ezek. 18:23, 32). Thus, when we declare that all are included, we are affirming several important truths:

- - - - Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of all humanity.
      - He died to redeem all.
      - He has atoned for the sin of all.
      - Through what He did, God reconciled all people to Himself.
      - Jesus is the mediator between God and all humanity.
      - He has made all his own by virtue of his redeeming work.
      - He is for all and against none.
      - He is judge of all, so that none might experience condemnation.
      - His saving work is done on behalf of all, and that work includes His holy and righteous responses to the Father, in the Spirit — responses characterized by repentance, faith, hope, love, praise, prayer, worship, and obedience.
      - Jesus, in Himself, is everyone’s justification and sanctification.
      - He is everyone’s substitute and representative.
      - He is everyone’s hope.
      - He is everyone’s life, including life eternal.
      - He is everyone’s prophet, priest, and king.

(I encourage you to read the complete article by Dr. Deddo. There is a great introduction by our friend, Dr. Joseph Tkach, as well.)

When we say, Jesus has done it all, we really mean that. However, to experience union with Christ through the Spirit, we are talking about an interactive relationship that involves response, communication, giving, and receiving. Ultimately, a relationship with Jesus means participation. This is why the apostle John says, “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.” (John 1:12 NRSVA) Becoming a new creation in Christ has depth and breadth of understanding, as well as active relationship that displays a level of truly receiving and participating with Christ. It signifies the image-bearer of the Creator now coming into union with Jesus through the power of the Spirit.

It is important that our understanding about inclusion follows what we see in biblical revelation, otherwise we can fall into a “lazy theology” that is governed by our personal feelings, desires, or social and cultural influences. It is equally important that we maintain a prayerful, hopeful posture that Paul expresses so well in the closing verses of Ephesians.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21 NRSVA)

This prayer of Paul is so beautiful in that it displays the inclusion of humanity in the Father, from whom all earthly families take their name. Then it takes it further to Jesus’ dwelling in the hearts of His children with a permanent faith and an experiential comprehension of His unfailing love. So, we pray to the triune God vigorously requesting that He draws all His children into a relationship of union with Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior of all!

Included and in union with Christ,
Greg Williams

P.S. On October 29, 2024, torrential rain brought over a year’s worth of precipitation and historic floods to several areas in southeastern Spain. Pedro Rufian, our ministry leader in Spain, has confirmed that none of our members or their families have been directly affected by the flooding. Please pray for Spain and all those suffering.

Category: Hear From the President

Lessons of Leadership

Kingdom Participation

God’s Promised Rest in Christ

Kingdom Citizenship

The King

Kingdom Living and Kingdom Culture

Gratitude and Prayerful Hope

Anticipation

Christ the King

Inclusion and Union

GCI Update

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