2012 – Page 18 – GCI Update

How was God at work?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In John 5:17, Jesus said, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” Joining Jesus in his ministry has been our focus in conferences for the last few years. As I attend the conferences and visit our local congregations, I see us involved in outreach more and more (see examples in several of this week’s features – click on the links at left). This outreach is great to see and gives me comfort as I try to make sense of the senseless violence so prevalent in the daily news.

A case in point is what happened a few days ago in the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. The horrific murders that occurred there hit close to home for me. My sister and her husband used to live in the Denver area. My wife grew up there and that is where we had our wedding ceremony. A tragic event like that causes us to ask, How was God at work in a place where sin and death was taking such a terrible toll?

Another situation also hitting close to home for me is what is happening in Chicago. I grew up there, and many of my cousins and dear friends live there. I was shocked to learn that Chicago has become the murder capital of America. Over the last year, the homicide rate has risen by 38%. In just the last six months, there have been 272 homicides (during the same period, New York City with three times the population of Chicago had 189 homicides and Los Angeles had 147).

It’s natural to feel a sense of hollowness when confronted by such terrible tragedies. It’s also natural to cry out for “someone to do something!” The U.S. is a free country and most of us who live here treasure the freedoms we have. I expect some politicians will use this opportunity to lobby for stricter gun controls. However, guns are not the root of the problem. Nor are drugs or other “things” that pollute our society. As Jesus explained, “It’s what comes out of a person that pollutes: obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, depravity, deceptive dealings, carousing, mean looks, slander, arrogance, foolishness—all these are vomit from the heart. There is the source of your pollution” (Mark 7:21-23 MSG).

No matter how free or regimented a society may be, there is a slavery that holds many of its people in its grip. Human sin can twist and bend anything out of shape, be it a nation, a city or a person. There are times when we can all identify with Paul, when he lamented, “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24-25 NLT).

No matter how grim things seem, God’s character and his purpose to redeem us do not change. God remains what he is: a giving, loving and gracious God. Since life-giving love is the essence of his being, his character drives his will and purpose to redeem a fallen humanity from its bondage. Sin and death are not going to be the final word in this cosmic story. Because of who our triune God is and because of what he is doing, evil has no future!

We don’t always see how God is at work as clearly as we would like, but that doesn’t mean that it is not happening. Let’s never forget that the Holy Spirit is at work everywhere. When I see people’s lives change as they embrace God’s love, I am reminded that he truly is present and active.

When we believe, we are made alive in Christ, sharing in God’s own triune love and life. In Christ, we are who God created us to be – people living toward God and other people in God’s love. Though the consequences of sin occurring daily in our world may seem unbearable, God’s grace is greater than sin.

Our triune God demonstrated this most clearly and powerfully in Jesus’ resurrection from death and in his ascension into God’s presence. On that foundation, we can hope and pray for God’s kingdom to reach its fullness on earth as it is in heaven. God fulfills his promises – he will make all things new. His merciful righteousness, displayed and effective in our Lord Jesus Christ, will put everything right. In the end, every tear will be wiped away. He himself is our living hope—now and forever.

So, even as I mourn the senseless loss of lives in Colorado and elsewhere, I am comforted too. I pray for the recovery of the shooting victims who survived, for the comfort of those who grieve, and that through all of this, God will draw people closer to himself.

With love in Christ’s service,

Joseph Tkach

Pastoral Internship Program

In the video below, Greg Williams, coordinator of GCI’s U.S. Pastoral Internship Program joins several interns and mentoring pastors in discussing the benefits of the program. For additional information, go to http://mindev.gci.org/internships.htm.

http://youtu.be/tG1ZnCK5p7Y

Visit from Texas Governor

Governor Rick Perry with Parsons — Left to right: Jane Parsons, Governor Rick Perry, Pastor Sonny Parsons

The office of Texas Governor Rick Perry recently telephoned Sonny Parsons, the senior pastor of GCI’s church in Big Sandy, Texas. They asked if the Governor might attend the congregation’s community-wide waffle breakfast being held in celebration of the Fourth of July. They mentioned that the Governor wanted to share in an Independence Day celebration in a rural Texas community, and picked Big Sandy and our church as the place to do so.

Sonny reports that the Governor seemed to greatly enjoy his visit.

LaVerne Wyatt-Paige

Here is an update on the previous prayer request for LaVerne Wyatt-Paige.

LaVerne has been moved out of the hospital to a rehabilitation unit while she begins radiation on the cancer that remains in her brain. So far she has been happy (making all her usual jokes) and dealing with the treatments well. Once the radiation has controlled the brain cancer, she will begin chemotherapy–probably a few weeks from now. A mastectomy will be performed after the breast tumor has shrunk.

Mitch Vasseur given 25-year honors

Mitch25 — Mitch Vasseur and Joseph Tkach

The GCI home office staff in Glendora, California gathered recently for lunch to honor Mitch Vasseur. Mitch was given a watch and plaque to commemorate his 25 years of employment with the denomination.

Mitch began employment at GCI headquarters in June 1987. He first worked in telecommunications, then in special services for the Auditorium. In November 1990, Mitch became assistant manager in the telecommunications department; then in October 2002, he became its manager.

More recently, Mitch has been serving as the manager of facilities for GCI’s Glendora property. Many people also know that Mitch is a skilled drummer – he plays in various groups, including the praise team of the GCI congregation where he is a member.

Please join us in congratulating Mitch for his wonderful service to our fellowship!

U.S. camps map

Here is a map that shows camps in the U.S. sponsored by GCI Generations Ministries (click on the map for a larger view). For information about these camps, go to http://genmin.gci.org/campministries.htm.

Help for new pastors

GCI Church Administration and Development, USA provides help to prospective new full-time pastors and church planters using the Pastoral Assessment Process. The process (which includes a pre-assessment survey, an assessment interview and a follow-up report), helps these men and women confirm their calling to pastoral ministry and identify their strengths and strategies for growth. Here are comments from a new senior pastor and a pastoral team leader concerning their recent experience with the assessment process.

Stuart Mahan – senior pastor in Toledo, Ohio

A few years ago I began to feel God’s call to ministry, but I did not recognize at first that it was God calling me. I knew I enjoyed working with people, and I cared what was happening to them, but I did not see it as a calling. Then one day my pastor mentioned to me the possibility of taking his place after retirement, and my mind shut down. Who me – a church pastor? Are you serious? And then the inevitable question: Am I “worthy” of such a position?

After much prayer and counsel, and with the support of many members in the congregation, I decided to submit an application to Church Administration and Development (CAD) to become our congregation’s next senior pastor. CAD then notified me that my application was accepted and as part of the evaluation process, I would be given a pastoral assessment, which would help me confirm my calling and give me needed feedback.

CAD sent me a pre-assessment survey, which asked about my experience and thoughts and vision concerning my local church. Truthfully, I was rather intimidated at first. But as I filled out the survey, replying from the heart, I began to look at myself and those around me with new eyes. However, once again, feelings of not being worthy crept in. Who was I to apply for this position? I was just an ordinary guy who had worked construction for 23 years. I had no official college education to prepare me for being a pastor. Should I continue this endeavor?

The answer kept coming back as “yes” – and soon the time came for me to meet with a team of GCI pastors and ministry developers for my assessment interview. My wife Pauline went with me. She has been a constant support during these life-changing events. The interview started with a prayer and soon questions were directed toward me to answer. It was clear that the team was there to help me clarify my calling, not to decide for me. They helped me look into my heart: Was it one that cared and loved as Christ loves? Did it beat in unison with God’s purposes? Could it learn to change and grow? Could it have vision? It was at this point that I realized that God was there with us. I answered all the questions as best I could, and if I did not know the answer, I said so. All the while, the assessment team was encouraging.

Hours later, the interview was over. I was drained and so was my wife. We did what any normal human being would do at this point – we went out for a big, fat juicy hamburger! As we ate, we reflected on the past several hours and realized that the assessment team was there only to help me. My experience was that the process is a valuable tool to confirm one’s call to be a pastor or church planter.

The result for me was that after 23 years of laying brick and block in the construction trade, I am now the senior pastor of our congregation in Toledo, Ohio! Pretty amazing stuff! “Life changing” only begins to describe the last year of my life. Am I worthy? No. None of us are. Only Christ is worthy. But he knows my strengths as well as my faults and weaknesses, yet I know he has called me to this ministry.

The assessment process was a wonderful experience. I know now both who I am and what I am capable of doing. I feel affirmed in my calling and confident that everything is possible through Christ.

If you are feeling called by God to be a pastor of an existing GCI congregation or the planter of a new one, I urge you to respond. Contact your senior pastor or the Church Administration and Development office in Glendora. Ask about the pastoral application and assessment process. And above all, listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling you.

Lance McKinnon – pastoral team leader in Atlanta, Georgia

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the pastoral assessment. So it wasn’t until I was on the other side of it that I realized just how beneficial it was.

First off, it was more intense than I anticipated – but in a good way. The questions made me dig deeper into where I really am and what I need to focus on.

It was a helpful exercise, but quite draining – kind of like counseling on steroids. Many of the questions were really helpful to me and my wife Georgia. They helped us work through several issues, clarifying things inherent in ministry and in our approach to it. I also found it clarifying to see where some of the questions were coming from. There were many “aha” moments. It was an immensely helpful process to go through on a number of levels.

GCI pastor George Hart, who led my assessment interview, did a great job helping us get to the bottom of our answers. George was skillful in keeping the interview on track. The other members of the interview team were also excellent. I felt at ease with their approach and felt their support and patience throughout. The team provided a safe environment for us to honestly and openly process our answers to the assessment questions.

So my assessment of the pastoral assessment process so far is a “perfect ten.” I look forward to receiving the assessment report with its various commendations. I know that too will be immensely helpful.

Africa mission trip

This prayer request is from GCI Canada director Gary Moore.

Please pray for Leigh Smithson (from Canada) and Tim Maguire (from Africa) as they first travel to Malawi where they will join Kalengule Kaoma (from Africa) for a conference. Then Leigh and Tim will travel to Mozambique to visit some of the 87 GCI congregations there and check out two water wells that they dug during Easter weekend, assessing the benefit to the communities involved.

Please pray for safety as these men travel – the roads are not good and services that we take for granted are lacking.

Camp reports

Northern Light Camp (U.S.)

This update is from Todd Fox, former director of Northern Light Camp, the GCI Generations Ministries camp held at the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro, Minnesota.

We recently completed our 2012 camp with 27 campers and 26 staff members. We felt it was the smoothest running camp yet, due in large part to our highly experienced staff members.

Our camp theme was Rooted, with Nathan Keating (who wrote the song Rooted) leading chapel worship.

A joyous camp highlight was the baptism of two campers (with two others planning to be baptized back home). Another highlight was a ceremony in which camp director Todd Fox passed the baton of Northern Light Camp director to Troy Meisner.

Camp activities included back-country camping, trail hiking, high ropes, rock climbing, canoeing and archery. Various classes gave the youth opportunity to develop skills in art, finance, writing, leadership, videography, photography, wood working, worship leading and other areas. The week closed with an exhibit of these skills and musical entertainment from Ross Jutsum.

Silvermeadows Camp (Canada)

This update is from Gary Moore, GCI national director for Canada, concerning the GCI summer camp held in western Canada.

Counting campers, pre-teen campers and staff, we had about 80 involved in a most profitable and Christ-centered week of camp. My wife Wendy and I were most impressed with the dedication of the staff who sacrificed their time and comfort to serve in such a meaningful way.

On the last day of camp, we witnessed a wonderful event – the baptism of Natasha and Bryce Minke in Lake Nakamun.

Audrey Nickel

This prayer request is from Deborah Paz concerning her mother Audrey Nickel.

Please pray for my mother. Following fainting spells, she was hospitalized in Glendale, California. There they found two blocked arteries in her heart. Following angioplasty and stenting procedures, she is doing much better, but continues to feel faint. She is grateful for the many prayers and expressions of concern.

Cards can be sent to:

Audrey Nickel
c/o Deborah Paz
1076 Marcheta St
Altadena, CA 91001

Year: 2012