Pray for leaders

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As ancient Israel approached her darkest hour, Isaiah warned that there would be a crisis in leadership—or rather, a crisis because no one was willing to lead. He wrote:

One brother will grab another and say, “You look like you’ve got a head on your shoulders. Do something! Get us out of this mess.” And he’ll say, “Me? Not me! I don’t have a clue. Don’t put me in charge of anything” (Isaiah 3:6-7 MSG).

When I see the mess our world is in, I marvel that anyone would want to lead. I am presently in Australia, attending a GCI ministerial conference. Though Australia was recently voted “the happiest nation” in the developed world, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard faces difficult situations and constant challenges to her leadership. In the US, President Barack Obama faces difficulties with the economy, terrorism, winding down two foreign wars, etc. It seems that his every decision is disputed and each mistake exploited by the opposition.

Leaders in less developed nations face many difficulties too—not the least being the struggle their citizens have in merely surviving each day.

Perhaps we need to remind ourselves that behind the trappings of power that come with leadership, there is a frail human being facing often insurmountable problems. Not all leaders are egomaniacs who in clinging to power risk ruining their nations. Some seek a better life for their people, yet their sincere efforts are thwarted by the petty ambitions of those who want to share their power but not their dreams. I think many leaders of nations today can identify with Shakespeare’s observation that “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”

Today we see disenchanted and frustrated people using religion, including Christianity, to further their political agendas. The gospel becomes just another weapon in their arsenal of protest. Sometimes literally. It was reported in the news recently that a 57-year-old woman in South Carolina was arrested and charged with inflicting serious injury when she allegedly used her fists and a Bible to assault another woman.

Clearly, using the gospel as an excuse to promote violence is the antithesis of what Jesus taught. So what is the responsibility of a Christian in regard to those who wield power over us? The apostle Paul, writing to the early Christians in Rome gives us the answer:

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God…. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor (Romans 13:1, 7 NKJV).

Paul wrote this during the reign of the corrupt and probably deranged Emperor Nero. During his reign, Christians suffered relentless and cruel persecution. I’ve always thought it interesting that Paul did not say to pray for revenge or to get even, or to work to overthrow the evil regime. Rather, he instructed the Roman Christians to respect their rulers and submit to them as far as was possible. To obey God is our highest priority. However, we must not make the mistake of assuming our own political preferences represent the will of God.

Paul not only teaches us to submit to our leaders but also to pray for them:

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 2:1-4 NKJV).

I do not just pray for our leaders to get things right. I pray that they respond to the lead of the Holy Spirit in their thinking. It can be challenging to pray this way because of the temptation to take matters into our own hands. But our calling is to show the world the way of peace, which the Bible says we do not know of ourselves (Romans 3:17). No human regime can bring ultimate peace. It can only come from the Prince of Peace and the way of life of his peaceable kingdom.

Your brother in Christ’s service,

Joseph Tkach

PS: I recently received a moving report from The Mountaintop—one of our Generations Ministries’ camps—held recently in Georgia. To read the report, go to www.genmin.gci.org/pictures/baptism.pdf. The ministry we are providing to our young people through our camps and short-term mission events impacts lives both now and forever. Thanks to all who are involved!

Tornado relief work

This update on GCI’s relief work following the recent tornadoes in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area is from Mike Rasmussen, pastor of GCI’s church in the area. Tornadoes hit the area in two waves (click here for a report on the first). The second occurred last Friday-Saturday with multiple tornadoes and severe flooding that took at least 18 lives.

The devastation caused by the recent storms here is unbelievable. With assistance from GCI’s Disaster Relief Fund, our members here have been helping in the relief effort. We served hot meals to dozens of first responders, many of whom had not had a hot meal in several days. We also helped serve meals to tornado victims and we provided victims with large plastic bins to store valuables recovered from the rubble of their homes. We also gave gift cards to purchase necessities not provided by the relief agencies. Every person helped expressed deep thanks.

At one point, having run out of storage bins, I was headed out of the disaster area. I came across an elderly woman digging in the ruins. I gave her a couple of gift cards and asked, “What is the one thing you need right now that is not being offered by the other relief organizations?” She thought for about two seconds and quietly said, “If only I had a few bins to load my stuff into.” I smiled and thought about how good God is and how he has such a wonderful sense of humor. We told her to hold on and we would buy her some bins and bring them back to her. She started to cry and said “Are you kidding?” I assured her that we weren’t and went to buy the bins.

Despite such encouraging encounters, I found myself getting quite depressed as the week wore on. There is so much devastation and so many people left with nothing. Yet in the midst of it all, God’s love has been shining brightly—through the first responders, through the relief organizations and through all the people who have rallied to help.

We were starting catch our breath following the Moore tornado when we were hit again. A huge super cell that packed something like 17 tornados headed for the neighborhood where both our church building and our home are located. I arrived home to find that my wife Juli had built a fortress in our hallway with mattresses, blankets and pillows.

As the tornado started to pick up speed it suddenly changed direction and started to head down toward Moore. Juli and I were calling and texting our members who live in the storm’s path to be sure they were watching the news. With these came massive amounts of hail and a deluge of rain. Area streets flooded and cars and people were stranded. We thank God that none of our members were injured or suffered any major damage.

My thanks to all who have been praying for us and to those who have texted, emailed and phoned. Your support is much appreciated! Many GCI congregations have contacted me offering financial assistance and/or work parties. I am deeply moved and encouraged by this support. To keep things legal and fully accountable, it is best for you to send your donations to the GCI Disaster Relief Fund and then our headquarters staff will send us the money needed to help the tornado victims.

In the midst of all this, we are reminded that God’s love and faithfulness toward us never end. We know that he holds us in his loving embrace and carries us when we feel we can no longer go on. Here in Oklahoma we prayed at church last weekend for all those in Missouri and farther east as these storms continue to wreak havoc in the eastern United States.

Alaska church planting

Alaska CMM 2 — Randy Bloom (at left) and Rod Koop (at right) meet with GCI Alaska church leaders.

Randy Bloom, who directs GCI’s Church Multiplication Ministries (CMM), recently visited Alaska for meetings with leaders of GCI’s Kenai and Anchorage congregations (see the group picture below). The focus of the meetings was how these churches can establish a church planting network to support the planting of new GCI churches in the region.

Rod Koop from the Foursquare Church joined the discussions. Rod who formerly served as Foursquare’s US director of church planting, now is Foursquare’s mission director in Alaska. He has offered to assist GCI in recruiting, preparing and deploying GCI church planters in Alaska.

Interested in church planting in Alaska or elsewhere in the US? Email Randy.Bloom@gci.org or go to http://cmm.gci.org/.

Starting new small groups

One of the most effective ways for churches to multiply disciples of Jesus and disciplemaking leaders is to start new small groups—particularly ones that reach out to people not currently attending a church.

For assistance in this important area, here are two helpful resources:

– The Importance of Launching New Groups—an article by Thom Rainer at http://thomrainer.com/2013/05/15/the-importance-of-launching-new-groups

– FaithTalk Equipper—GCI’s evangelistic small group resource website at http://faithtalkgroups.blogspot.com/

Life Clubs

Several GCI Life Clubs are now operating in various locations around the world. These clubs are similar to the Spokesman Clubs held by most GCI churches in times past. While most Spokesman Clubs were for men only, Life Clubs are designed to accommodate men, women and teens.

If you would like to start a Life Club in your congregation, you can email Geoff Sole at geoff@geoffsole.co.uk. Geoff can provide you with club manuals and other materials to help you start. Following is a report from Geoff on some of the current clubs.

GCI’s churches in Bangalore, Chennai and Trichy, India have recently started Life Clubs. Pictured at left is the first meeting of the Chennai club. Francis Ambrose who directed the meeting said, “It was a hit among the young members.”

A recent meeting of the Watford, England Life Club included a speech by George Campbell who said he was born in 1928, the same year as Mickey Mouse! George remembers the Second World War well and talked about the faith and trust of King George VI and the National Days of Prayer.

The GCI church that meets in the south part of Cape Town, South Africa held its first Life Club in February. The club was requested by the congregation’s youth. Pictured below are some of the club members.

Jason Richards

Over the last couple of years, we’ve had several prayer requests for 12 year old Jason Richards who not long ago received a heart transplant. Jason is the grandson of GCI pastor Martin Manuel, the nephew of GCI pastor Rocky Ray and the son of Colin and Janet Richards. For the last update on Jason, click here. And here is a new update, with a request for prayer:

Jason continues to be in the hospital (ICU), receiving oxygen to support his breathing. On an encouraging note, he has gained eight pounds since admission. A recent test showed that his left lung was damaged by Legionnaires Disease and his right lung is impeded by an inoperative problem with his diaphragm.

On Thursday, June 6 his doctors will attempt to move his diaphragm down through surgery to relieve pressure on his right lung. Please pray that his lungs can resume working without oxygen, enabling him to leave the ICU and after further recovery return home.

Joe Kotora

Long-time GCI elder Joe Kotora is hospitalized and needs our prayers.

Joe worked at church headquarters many years ago and more recently served GCI churches in Pennsylvania. He was hospitalized recently with intestinal bleeding related to treatment of his heart condition. He was in critical condition and had to be given seven units of blood before he was stabilized. He is quite weak and frail and having trouble with his heart, making it hard to walk and breathe.

His family reports that though he is getting tired of it all he is trying to keep in good spirits. Thanks for your prayers for Joe and for his family in this difficult time.

Cards may be sent to

Joe Kotora

7323 Appling Ridge Dr

Cordova, TN 38018

Blakeney earns master’s

Congratulations to pastor Howard Blakeney who recently graduated with a master’s degree in Theology in Ministry from Cathedral College Seminary in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Howard pastors GCI’s church in Marion and is a district pastor. He now is pursuing a doctorate in theology from Cathedral.

Blakeney graduation — The Blakeneys: left to right; front row: Trevon and Kaylonee; back row: Dale, Wanonia, Pastor Howard and Kashonta.

NAE Update

Here are excerpts from the May 2013 Update of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE).

Building Partnerships to Eradicate Modern-day Slavery

In April, the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships released its extensive report on human trafficking. The document urges the President and his administration to elevate human trafficking on his agenda and offered ten recommendations for the President to consider. (read more)

Become a Prayer Partner for Immigration Reform

Join other NAE members in praying for our leaders as they discuss and vote on immigration reform proposals. The “Pray4Reform Prayer Challenge” will provide timely prayer requests over the next 13 weeks. For this week, pray by name for the 18 members of the Senate Judiciary Committee who are now considering bipartisan immigration reform proposals. (sign up)

The Hill’s Congress Blog: Bipartisan Bill Would Ease Prison Overcrowding

Thirty years ago, the National Association of Evangelicals adopted a policy statement condemning America’s overcrowded and non-rehabilitative prisons… Looking back three decades later, it is remarkable how true our statement remains, and how little policymakers have done to improve the situation in our prisons. (read more)

NAE Supports Tax Credit for Education

The NAE joined an amici brief in support of New Hampshire’s tax credit program for businesses that wish to help students attending private schools. The program is being challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State. (read more)

Event Spotlight: Bread for the World’s National Gathering

Join other anti-poverty advocates in Washington, D.C., June 8-11. Bread for the World’s National Gathering will include workshops on poverty-focused development assistance, advocacy in the 21st century, moving Congress, and building community coalitions, as well as opportunities to worship, network and meet with congressional leaders. (read more)