Welcoming visitors

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Gary Deddo, who recently joined us as a full-time employee, has been a speaker at more than a dozen of our regional conferences. Gary told me recently that when he and his wife Cathy go to one of these conferences they feel like they are attending a class reunion.

I have often had others tell me this. Perhaps we are used to it and thus take it for granted. So it is always good to hear it from someone who is new to our fellowship. It is a strong characteristic of our denomination—we like each other and enjoy being together. We take our work together seriously, but that does not mean we should not have fun.

God created us to be relational beings and relating to others has always been and still is at the heart of Grace Communion International. I notice this as I travel, both around the United States and internationally. After all, our vision statement is “all kinds of churches for all kinds of people in all kinds of places.” I pray that all our congregations reflect that vision.

Many studies have sought to pinpoint what leads visitors to return to a church. A key factor is the friendliness of the people. This is reflected in the experience of a man who visited eighteen churches on successive Sundays, seeking to learn what these churches were really like. Here is his report:

“I sat near the front. After the service, I walked slowly to the rear, then returned to the front and went back to the foyer using another aisle. I smiled and was neatly dressed. I asked one person to direct me to a specific place: a fellowship hall, pastor’s study, etc. I remained for coffee, if served. I used a scale to rate the reception I received. I awarded points on the following basis:

10 for a smile from a worshiper

10 for a greeting from someone sitting nearby

100 for an exchange of names

200 for an invitation to have coffee

200 for an invitation to return

1000 for an introduction to another worshiper

2000 for an invitation to meet the pastor

On this scale, eleven of the eighteen churches earned fewer than 100 points. Five actually received less than 20.”

Though all of these churches likely had uplifting music and biblically-sound, inspiring preaching, most lacked ways to show visitors that people cared that they were there. As a result, it is unlikely that visitors will return. In contrast, churches that openly reflect the relational aspect of God’s nature give visitors great encouragement to return. You could sum it up by saying that people are looking for a place to belong not just a group with shared beliefs.

Several years ago, I read a story told by a Baptist pastor whose name I cannot recall. But it was the story of a surgeon who specializes in reattaching fingers. When he entered the operating room, he knew he faced many hours of squinting into a microscope, sorting out and stitching together the snarl of nerves, tendons and blood vessels—many finer than a human hair. A single mistake and the patient could permanently lose movement or sensation.

On one occasion, the surgeon received an emergency call at three in the morning. He was not looking forward to undertaking an intricate procedure at that early hour. To help him focus, he decided to dedicate that surgery to his father who had recently died. For the next several hours, he imagined his father standing beside him, encouraging him with a hand on his shoulder.

This technique worked so well that he began dedicating all his surgeries to other people he knew. Then one day he realized that as a Christian, he should offer his life to God in the same way. All the little routine things of his day—answering phone calls, dealing with staff, seeing patients, scheduling surgeries—remained the same, but somehow they were different. The task of living a life for God now began to overshadow his days and he soon began to treat others with more respect and care.

We may not be surgeons, but God calls us to co-minister with Jesus who is the ultimate surgeon—repairing broken lives. Wouldn’t it be marvelous if we could dedicate each day to the Lord, imagining him standing beside us with a hand on our shoulders, watching us, guiding us, counseling us and walking with us? And the truth is that it is not just a product of one’s imagination. God is omnipresent and by his Spirit is personally with us. He has called us to co-minister with him in both simple and profound ways, from offering a smile to performing neurosurgery.

When we live with this perspective, we discover that even the ordinary and routine things in our lives will become saturated with a sense of his holy presence with us. I realize some of us are naturally more outgoing than others. But never underestimate the importance of showing yourself friendly. When new people visit our congregations they are probably more nervous about you than you are about them. They don’t know what to expect and when they find that they are welcome and accepted, it is a powerful incentive to return.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Doug Johannsen

Doug Betty 2011 — Doug and Betty Johannsen

Doug Johannsen, pastor of GCI’s churches in St. Paul and Champlin, Minnesota, sometimes wonders about his bloodline. “My wife Betty and I love to take cruises and have a strong suspicion that we must be of royal blood as the service we receive on a cruise ship feels so natural.” His life story leads one to know he is joking.

“I was born and raised on a farm/ranch in western South Dakota, in the days when farms were just completing the transition from horses to tractors. I remember getting our first telephone, electricity and trading the pot-bellied coal stove and the wood kitchen range for ones using propane.”

No stranger to hard work, Doug and his family never did have running water. “Plumbing meant digging a new hole and moving the outhouse over it. We raised cattle, hogs, chickens, ducks, and of course had the customary cats and a dog or two. The main crop was wheat, and occasionally corn, cane or sorghum. Western South Dakota is fairly dry, so fields don’t produce as much per acre as in many other places.”

Doug attended a Methodist church when we was quite young, but stopped attending before age 12 when he began listening to The World Tomorrow on WNAX radio. “For some reason, I had a deep desire to understand the Bible. The question that hooked me was, ‘Which day is the Christian Sabbath?’ I didn’t realize until the mid 1990s that the question should’ve been, ‘Who or what is the Christian Sabbath?’ – or better yet, ‘Who is Jesus?’”

Doug went to South Dakota State University after high school and received a B.S. in chemistry. A few months later he was drafted into the US Army. “My training was in infantry and since the Viet Nam war was going on, that training specialized in jungle warfare. After training most of us were sent to Germany instead, where I spent the remainder of my tour of duty as a company clerk in a mechanized infantry company (think Radar in M*A*S*H without the glasses and teddy bear!).”

After returning to South Dakota, Doug was hired by the State of South Dakota as a health inspector. He moved to Rapid City and was responsible for the western third of the state. It was at this time that he renewed his interest in church. “It just felt like it was the right time to do something about my interest in the Worldwide Church of God so I began attending the WCG congregation that had been formed there about a year earlier. The Rapid City church was part of a circuit that included parts of Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and Nebraska.” Shortly thereafter, Betty came into the picture.

In the summer of 1973, a church family from Texas came to Rapid City to visit relatives and when they attended church they thought I reminded them a lot of a family they knew in Dallas. Of course, that family just happened to have a daughter that they thought I should write to. I wasn’t exactly a fan of blind dates or pen pal stuff, but I had always wanted to go to Texas and thought it might be easier to go if I knew someone from there. So Betty and I began to write to each other. Eventually we started talking on the phone, but we didn’t actually meet face to face until the fall of 1974 when I flew to Dallas to visit and attend the feast in Big Sandy.” Doug and Betty were married about three months later and will celebrate their 38th anniversary this December. They have two daughters, Lara and Dana, and no living grandchildren, but their daughter Dana is expecting in early 2013. “Our daughters and son-in-law (Eric) are a great source of joy for us.’

After marriage, Doug and Betty moved to Nebraska where Doug became an optician. He worked there for 10 years until they moved to Rapid City to manage an optical lab. “Because the Rapid City church circuit was so large, there was an exceptional need for volunteer help to assist the pastor. As time went on Betty and I were doing more and more volunteer work and I was ordained an elder in 1986. I continued my optical career in Rapid City until 1991 when I was hired full time into the ministry.”

Doug and Betty moved to Omaha, Nebraska and served as associate pastor in the Omaha, Lincoln, Nebraska and Sioux City, Iowa church circuit. In 1995 they transferred to Lawton and Ada, Oklahoma, then in 1999 to the Twin Cities where they live today. Doug now serves as a District Pastor for Minnesota, North Dakota, part of South Dakota and part of Wisconsin. He has also served as coordinator of the Wisconsin Dells celebration and on staff in the Northern Light and Snowblast Winter youth camps.

Doug commented on his hobbies and interests: “My hobbies include photography, an interest I picked up in the Army. After moving to Rapid City I purchased darkroom equipment and began developing and printing photos. The Worldwide News had just begun, so I wrote an article and included a couple of photos. I remember my surprise and joy when the article and photos were published. I wrote many more articles after that. My other hobbies are travel and wood turning.”

Life in GCI has never been dull: “Pastoring puts one into contact with a wide variety of interesting people and we experience with them some of their best and worst moments.” Doug relishes memories of baptisms, weddings, funerals, worship services, classes and long discussions. He loves the specialness of all the people. “I just can’t help but wonder what this will look like when the Lord puts it all together.”

In spite of their share of tragedies, Doug and Betty remain strong and encouraged by their relationship with God. “I used to think that having good things happen was the only sign of being close to God. But since 1995 we’ve experienced so much trauma in our lives (deaths of parents, siblings, suicide of a close family member, death of a grandchild, lightning fire destroying our house, and so on) that I’ve come to realize that Jesus doesn’t take away most of our trials in this life, but he accompanies us through them all. It is as if I hear him say in the midst of such trials, ‘Doug, I know this hurts, but I’m with you. Just trust me that this is important for you to go through and I’ll make it all right in the end.'”

Philippines 50th anniversary

This year, GCI in the Philippines is celebrating its 50th anniversary in festivals titled, 50 years of Amazing Journey with Our Awesome God. Festivals were held in October in Cagayan de Oro City and Cebu City. Both sites offered a festive grand reunion of GCI members who had not seen one another for many years.

Cagayan de Oro City site

Members attending this site came from Mindanao, the Visayas, Luzon and from overseas. Speakers were Len Joson, Gil Llaneza, Margie Bahinting and national director Eugene Guzon.

marge50th — Margie Bahinting receives plaque

A special plaque was awarded posthumously to GCI pastor Captain Jessup Bahinting in recognition of his love and service to the Philippine members. Margie Bahinting, Jessup’s wife, also was awareded a plaque in recognition of her love and service to the members in Mindanao.

Other highlights of the event included the ordination of Adriano Bravo as an elder (he serves as senior pastor in Pagadian City), the baptism of 14 members and the blessing of several children.

Cebu City site

Members attending here came from Panay Island, Negros Occidental and Oriental, Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Mindanao, Luzon and Cebu. Speakers were Eugene Guzon, Romy Pusta, Gil Llaneza, Terence Santibanez, Rey Taniajura and GCI Canada pastor Robert Millman.

Activities included presentations from GCI missionaries (at a Missions Fest); a family day; gatherings for teens, singles, couples and seniors; a ministerial dinner; and a tour of historical sites in Cebu. A highlight of the event was a presentation of certificates in Community Development Studies to 23 people.

Vanishing seekers

A recent Holy Soup blog from Thom Shultz of Group Publishing notes that though “much of the contemporary church has fashioned itself to be ‘seeker sensitive,'” an increasing number of unchurched people are not “seeking” the church at all, despite having spiritual interest. Thom then gives several suggestions for reaching such folks. Read his blog by clicking here.

GCI Church Administration and Development offers training videos and other resources at FaithTalk Equipper to help churches use small groups to connect with spiritually-interested, non-churched people.

Superstorm Sandy

This update concerning the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy is from John Newsom, pastor of GCI churches in Queens and Manhattan, New York City.

We in New York City and Long Island continue the long recovery from the storm. We are thankful that none of our GCI members were harmed bodily, however some suffered damage to their homes, especially those living near the ocean. Most all New Yorkers and Long Islanders experienced lengthy power outages, downed trees and gasoline shortages.

The coastlines of New York City and Long Island were severely damaged by the storm. Some of that damage is unimaginable, with entire neighborhoods and homes wiped out by storm surge or fire. The compassion of New Yorkers has been amazing. Many from both religious and secular groups have rallied in support of those affected. Several GCI members work at businesses that have not yet reopened; as a result, some are not being paid. We have established a relief fund to help our members repair storm damage and meet other emergency needs.

This weekend we celebrated the first full worship services in our congregations as most members have power and gasoline once again. However, some of our members living near the ocean remain in damaged homes without power. A few went out to help a family who literally had the ocean dump the beach and boardwalk into their home. Much sand and debris remain in their neighborhood. They were able to join us for worship, testifying to the storm’s power and the Lord’s glory and steadfast love.

In services this weekend, we focused on words paraphrased from Ernest Hemingway: “Life will break us all, but some of us will be strong in the broken places.” We gather and gain strength in times like these, because Jesus has assumed our humanity, and joined to his humanity we are healed and strengthened. We are resolved as congregations to embody the heart of Jesus as “the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Wherever possible, members will participate in direct action projects, especially as we head toward Thanksgiving with many still displaced by the storm.

The photographs above were taken near a GCI member’s home where the boardwalk was thrown by the storm surge into the neighborhood.

Marj Friddle

Please pray for Marj Friddle, wife of retired GCI pastor James (“Jimmie”) Friddle. Marj had been gaining about a pound a week around her abdomen and having trouble breathing. Tests found a mass near (possibly wrapped around) her liver. It may be that the cancer that she has battled in the past has returned. She has been hospitalized for further tests and to have fluid drained from her abdomen.

Marj, who for 50 years served with Jimmie in the pastorate, is admired for her compassion, hospitality and faith—a woman who never gives up!

Please keep Marj and Jimmie in your prayers. Cards may be sent to:

Mrs. Marjorie Friddle

7404 Stillwater Dr

Bayonet Point, FL 34667-2293

New director for Souled Out camp

Anthony Mullins, director of GCI Generations Ministries, recently announced the appointment of Ashley Todd to serve as the director of Souled Out—a GenMin-sponsored camp in Memphis, Tennessee. Congratulations, Ashley!

GenMin sponsors 16 camps for children and teens in the United States. For a list, click here.

50th wedding anniversary

Andre Disashi-Ludiha and Cecile Onema-Akanyi recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. The couple, affectionately referred to as “Papa” and “Maman,” were married in the Congo and now pastor GCI’s church in Kinshasa. Congratulations Papa and Maman!