GCI Update

Adopt a youth camp

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Joe and Tammy TkachWe continue to receive heart-rending reports of the devastation caused by the tornadoes that hit the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area earlier this week. Our prayers are with all who grieve the loss of life, and all who were injured and lost property. We thank God that no GCI members were injured or experienced property damage (see the prayer update in this issue). However, we were saddened to learn that the campground we use for our Crosswalk Camp was badly damaged. As a result, we have cancelled the camp session scheduled for the Memorial Day weekend.

campI am reminded of how grateful I am for our young people and for the GCI camps that serve them. We sponsor dozens of such camps in the US and abroad, where hundreds of volunteer staffers serve thousands of children and teen campers.

Thinking about these camps reminds me of when I was a camper at S.E.P. in Orr, Minnesota in 1965. “Survival course” might have been a better designation than “camp.” We have learned a thing or two since then. Even so, my appetite for roughing it is not what it used to be.

Perhaps you’ve noticed that as we grow old, some are tempted to sit on the sidelines and let the world go by. Sadly, as neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s take hold, some withdraw completely. A friend sent me the following moving account of his mother’s retreat from the world:

My family lived in a big two-story house when I was growing up. My mom was the one who made it a home…cleaning, washing, cooking, decorating, dusting, working in the yard mowing and tending flower beds, etc. She was a whirlwind of activity, sometimes seeming to be everywhere at once. She was so strong, vibrant and full of life.

But, as she got older…my dad died, we kids moved out and started our own homes and she was left to tend the house alone. For many years it looked the same. Grandkids came along and they too had the same wonderful experience I had as a child. But, in time they too grew up and moved on…and things began to slip.

In my visits home I noticed that she was retreating more and more. Dust, which before was never allowed to settle got thicker and thicker. Arthritis was her constant unwelcome companion. She told me once that it forced her to start sleeping with two men. She’d go to bed with Arthur Ritis…and get up with Ben Gay (she always had a sense of humor).

She nailed the windows shut (because she thought she heard someone trying to get in one night) and closed heavy drapes over them. She no longer went upstairs for she could not climb the steps. Eventually she retreated to just a small part of the house. When we came home for visits, she would force herself to go into other rooms. She would notice things and talk about them as if she hadn’t seen them in a long time. The truth was…she hadn’t.

Finally, she was reduced to her kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Then the bathroom and bedroom. Then the bedroom… then only the bed… until she had to go to a nursing home. Now, she is 97… bedridden… unable to care for herself in any way. It was sad to see my mother going down to that. She was full of life and loved it.

Stories like this remind us of the unpleasant fact that our physical bodies do wear out. The same thing can happen to a congregation as its members and pastor age. The focus can turn inward, and we can become preoccupied with ourselves and our own needs. Have you ever asked yourself, “Could we as a congregation get spiritual Alzheimer’s?” Well, we don’t have to. Research has shown that some of the neurodegenerative effects of aging can be diminished if we stay active and involved.

sepluzon2013markSo here’s a suggestion. Although many of our congregations are made up of older people, when we look at the big picture, GCI is by no means an old people’s church. We have thousands of children and teens who are looking forward to attending one of our camps in the months ahead. So my suggestion to our older congregations is this: Why not get involved? Though many of our camp staffers are older adults, your direct physical involvement may not be possible. But why not adopt one of our camps spiritually?

Below is a list of the camps we will be holding in 2013 in the US and links to some of the camps outside the US. Why not pick one of these and contact the camp director (see the camp’s website for information), or email our US camp ministry director, Anthony Mullins (anthony.mullins@gci.org) and ask him to suggest a camp. Then you can contact the camp director and let him or her know that your congregation will be praying, as a group and individually, for the success of the camp. Ask for any special needs or concerns. In this way, even our oldest members can participate in our camp ministry, which is making a huge impact in the lives of our young people.

GC Next logosIn the US, our Generations Ministries’ camps and mission trips partner with Church Multiplication Ministries and our Pastoral Internship Program under the banner of GCnext. This mission initiative is focused on our vision to multiply all kinds of churches for all kinds of people in all kinds of places. I encourage you to learn more about GCnext at http://mindev.gci.org/GCnext.htm.

Though we are not a large denomination, we certainly have a compelling story. Some of us have had the privilege of taking part in that story for many decades. Let’s not allow our world to close in on us and our perspective to shrink. Though our arteries may harden, our hearts don’t have to. We have been through some fascinating experiences together and the present continues to be interesting and even surprising. Indeed, God’s mercies are new every morning! So let’s be renewed in hope and focus our attention on helping the next generation lay the foundation for what lies ahead.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Here is a list of our the youth camps that will be held this year in the US. Links are provided to each camp’s website. Below that are links to some of the GCI camps held outside the US.

Camps Locations Dates
Base Camp Central Tennessee July 12-13
Base Camp NW Oregon July 25-29
CrossWalk Oklahoma November 8-10
Heartland SEP N Illinois July 28-Aug 3
Heart O’ Texas Dallas, TX July 19-21
Higher Ground North Carolina July 14-20
New Heights Connecticut August 11-17
Northern Light Minnesota July 14-20
Pathways Ohio July 14-19
SEP Florida N Florida June 11-14
SEP Montana Montana July 15-19
SEP Rockies Colorado July 27-Aug 4
SEP So Cal So. California June 30-July 6
Souled Out SW Tennessee to be determined
The Mountaintop Georgia May 25-27
The Rock North Carolina June 23-29
YES Camp Louisiana July 9-16
 

For a map showing the US camps, see http://genmin.gci.org/Pictures/camp%20map.jpg (the dates on the map are for 2012; the 2013 dates are shown in the list above). Here are links to some of the GCI-sponsored camps held outside the United States:

Bill Miller

Bill Miller 1
Kathy and Bill Miller

Bill was born in Harvey, Illinois, a southern suburb of Chicago. “As a youngster, I lived for sports. Baseball was my favorite, but I also played basketball, football and soccer. I rode my bicycle everywhere looking for a possible pick-up game at a sandlot. I became a die-hard Cub fan early in life, following the lead of my father. To go to Wrigley Field with a sack-full of White Castles and a bottle of Pepsi was the ultimate thrill. I remain a loyal Chicago fan of all their professional teams, despite the perpetual pain of being a Cub fan.”

Bill grew up going to church. “I went twice on Sunday and sometimes to prayer meeting on Wednesday. Most of that church consisted of family and friends of family. I was baptized when I was fifteen. When I began questioning my beliefs at age 18, I met considerable opposition, tough my family accepted me and my ‘weird’ beliefs.”

It was around this time as Bill studied that he began to question his ambition to pursue the medical profession. “I was a little lost as to what to do next. I was encouraged to attend Ambassador College because most there shared my newfound beliefs. When I told my parents that I was shifting majors from pre-med to theology and going to a college in Texas, they were eventually kind and supportive.”

Bill says he had no ambition to become a pastor, “but as the years went by, it appeared to others that God might want to use me. I placed the matter in God’s hands, wanting his will to be done. Upon graduation in 1970, I was hired as a ministerial assistant to Burk McNair and Harold Lester in the Nashville/Bowling Green/Cookeville, Tennessee area.”

Bill Miller 2
With grandson Ethan

That summer, Bill took on another role as well. “On August 9, 1970, Kathleen Crocker (a 1970 Ambassador College graduate) and I were married in Seattle. We drove from there to our first assignment in Nashville. We decided to have children quickly because we thought the end of the world was coming soon! Our first daughter, Shari, was born via midwife in a farmhouse in November 1971. In August 1974, Elizabeth was born in a little hospital in Zeeland, Michigan. Shari married Jeff Fowler in 2005 and now lives in Neenah, Wisconsin. Elizabeth married Jamin Mills in 2007 and now lives in Lake Stevens, Washington. We have one grandchild, Ethan, and are expecting another in June.”

When asked what he enjoys most about being a pastor, Bill said, “Unquestionably, the best part of my job is working with God’s children. I have always felt blessed to be able to fellowship and interact with such great people. We served four years in Tennessee, ten years in Michigan, nine years in Wisconsin, and twenty years in Washington. We have made life-long friends in each area and love to go visit them whenever possible.”

Kathy is a big part of Bill’s ministry. “Kathy has been my support system through all forty-three years of our ministry. She has been willing to do whatever job needed to be done from cheerleading coach to Bible study leader. I have told her many times that people want us to come back and visit, mainly so they can see her. She argues, but I know it is true. She has been the nurturing part of our ministry and has always been willing to patiently listen to people’s problems. Along with that, she has set a wonderful example in childrearing and in being a loving wife to a sometimes difficult husband. She truly was given to me and others by God.”

When asked about his most memorable moments, Bill said, “My mind is so full of such wonderful memories from the last 43 years that no one moment stands out more than another. There certainly were difficult times that I can remember if I try, but I prefer not to go there unless totally necessary. Kathy and I consider our years of pastoring as one big joy.”

Bill hopes to retire next month. “My wife retired in September 2012, from teaching special education in middle school. I am planning to retire at the end of June this year. If no one is found to fill the position, I will continue to be here for the members, but my vacations may be a little longer.”

“The one thing I enjoy most about being part of GCI,” said Bill, “is that we are blessed to have such dedicated, capable and loving leaders in our organization. I guess one would need to have been in the shoes of those who have been around for a long time to realize what a joy it is to serve with these individuals.”

Bill’s passion and when he feels closest to God both involve his grandson. “My passion is babysitting and playing with Ethan. He is such a joy and blessing—it is hard to describe the love that I feel when watching and interacting with him. After holding out for 16 months I now am changing diapers! I feel closest to God when I rock Ethan to sleep with his head resting on my shoulder. I thank God repeatedly for this little blessing that he has given us. One time I was patting him on the back as I was rocking him to sleep. I thought he was asleep, but I then I felt his little hand patting me on the shoulder. I told God that I hope that he can feel me patting him on the shoulder occasionally.”

SEP Philippines

GCI in the Philippines recently held one of its youth camps (called SEP) in Luzon at the Alta Rios Resort in Alfonso, Cavite. There were 151 campers representing about 20 GCI congregations in Luzon.

sepluzon2013campers
click on the picture to enlarge

The camp theme, Make Your Mark, encouraged participants to discover their unique God-given potential and make a difference in the world. When campers were asked if they would like to be part of SEP again next year, they shouted “yes!” and were excited to pray for it, to prepare early and to invite friends to join in.

In addition to camps held already in Luzon and Mindanao, others are scheduled for this summer in other parts of the Philippines. According to national director Eugene Guzon, the SEP program is one of GCI Philippine’s highest priorities in that it helps young people grow in their relationship with God and with the church. He commented further: “As our youth realize their identity in Christ and the ways that they can participate in his work, I know that their generation will make a wonderful mark in the church and in the world. To our young people—we love you and we praise God for you!”

Muslim outreach

Dr. John and Naomi Biswas and Roger Lippross, representing GCI and the Bengali Evangelistic Association (BEA), recently attended a meeting of the Southern California Coalition on Ministry to Muslims in North America. The event was held at the Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, California where executive pastor Scott White welcomed the group of about 70 people with reflections on Christian leadership. He was followed with presentations from churches and pastors who are reaching out to Muslims in the Los Angeles area.

Event organizer Vance Nordman of the Jesus Film Project, gave a presentation about a new computer app that enables a person to easily email a link to anyone worldwide so they can watch the Jesus film in their own language. According to the Jesus film website, every eight seconds a person becomes a Christian due in part to the film.

BEASpecial guest speaker Zeebandee Abedini (shown in the center of the picture at left with John and Naomi Biswas) told of her brother Saeed Abedini, an ex-Muslim who was sentenced to an eight-year-long prison term in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison. Saeed, who is a Christian pastor, has been the subject of various press reports telling of how he has been beaten and tortured due to his Christian faith. Zeebandee also told of how she and her parents were led to Christ by the Jesus film. She asked for our prayers for her brother and for the underground church in Iran.

Other presentations at the event focused on the worldview of Muslims and how to reach Muslims with the gospel message. During the event, GCI/BEA representatives received many positive comments concerning what BEA and GCI are doing to reach out to Muslims in the US and in Bangladesh.

Worship styles

The following is excerpted from the NAE Newsletter.

worship warsEmerging from the Jesus Movement of the 1960s, contemporary worship music found its way into Pentecostal congregations and then moved into other evangelical traditions. This transition to contemporary worship music often prompted pushback from those who preferred more traditional styles resulting in what became known as “worship wars.” The worship wars are not debated as much anymore. In a March 2011 edition of Christianity Today that focused on worship music, Mark Galli suggested that the worship wars are over and have been replaced by a “tense truce.”

NAE members who answered the “NAE Asks You” question provided insight into where worship styles stand in evangelical churches today. Thirty-six percent said that their church has both contemporary and traditional styles. This includes churches that have separate worship services (e.g. one traditional service and another contemporary service) and churches that blend traditional and contemporary styles into the same service. Churches only offering contemporary services account for 33 percent, and churches offering only traditional services account for 19 percent. Thirteen percent said that their churches offer an alternate worship music style, either in addition to other styles or as the only style of music offered by the church.

For further reading:

“Ending the Worship War Without a Truce,” Ed Stetzer, The LifeWay Research Blog (October 15, 2009), http://www.edstetzer.com/2009/10/ending-the-worship-war-without.html

The Trajectory of Worship: What’s Really Happening When we Praise God in Song, Christianity Today (March 2011), http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/march/

Top 25 Songs, Christian Copyright Licensing International (February 2013), http://www.ccli.com/Support/LicenseCoverage/Top25Lists.aspx

“Worship Wars – Proposing a Few Ground Rules,” Jason Helopoulos, The Gospel Coalition Blog (March 8, 2012), http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2012/03/08/worship-wars-proposing-a-few-ground-rules/

Oklahoma tornadoes

This update about the recent tornadoes near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is from Mike Rasmussen who pastors the GCI church in that area and serves as a district pastor and associate regional pastor.

Thanks to the many who have been praying about the devastation that occurred here in Oklahoma and have sent us notes of concern and encouragement. As you know, we had several major tornadoes over the last couple of of days. About 24 people were killed, including nine children. Hundreds were injured and many lost everything. The scope of the devastation is hard to grasp.

We thank God that all of our members have been accounted for and all of them are safe. Even though several live near where the tornadoes struck, none suffered any injury or property damage.

The camp facility that we have used for 12 years for our Crosswalk Camp was hit by one of the tornadoes and suffered major damage to six dorms, the dining hall and pavilion. Fortunately, no camp was in session when the tornado hit, so there were no injuries. Because of the damage to the facility, we have had to cancel the camp session we were going to hold there this coming Memorial Day weekend. I thank God that we were not holding camp when the tornado hit!

Thank you again for your prayers and support! Please continue to pray for all those who are suffering and for the safety of those assisting in the recovery.

Pastor’s home burns

Prayer is requested for Pastor Gary Dry and his wife Diane. Gary is the pastor of GCI’s congregation in Warrenton, Missouri.

Earlier this week, Gary and Diane’s home burned to the ground after it was struck by lightning during a storm. The family members in the home at the time escaped safely, but the Dry’s dogs and all their possessions were lost. The Red Cross is assisting the Drys, but they are emotionally exhausted.

Gary asks that no one call him at this time, but prayer is definitely needed.

Global Outreach Day

The video below tells of Global Outreach Day—an evangelism initiative that will occur on May 25.

http://youtu.be/XVC89b8fb2c

Williams’ grandson

babyRetired GCI regional pastor Ken Williams and his wife Nancy are delighted to announce that their son Mike and his wife Jessica are the proud parents of a baby boy, Arlo Ansel Williams.

Arlo (pictured at right) was born on May 17. He arrived after two days of labor. He was 8 lb. 3 oz. and 21” long.

Ken and Nancy, who live in Rochester, New York, will be travelling to Los Angeles in June to meet their new grandson.