GCI Update

Clean and Unclean

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Joe and Tammy TkachIn the early days of our church’s transition from legalism to grace, I think one of the most dramatic changes was the way we regarded the “food laws” listed in Leviticus chapter 11. It was not the most important change spiritually, but this particular “upgrade” in our understanding did impact most of us in practical, down-to-earth ways.

I remember now, with some amusement, how some regarded this change as a kind of litmus test to see if we had really “accepted the new covenant.” Thankfully, we have matured, though some people continue to think that it is somehow “unrighteous” to eat what Leviticus 11 labels as “unclean.” Perhaps this letter will provide a more accurate perspective.

CartoonI recall talking with some teenagers years ago about their extra-curricular activities following one of our youth activities. They were all under age and got hold of some beer, which they drank to a moderate level of excess. Then they ordered pizza. Some of the pizzas came with pepperoni. As I discussed with them the illegality and dangers of underage drinking, they were quick to point out that they did not eat the pepperoni. In their minds, it appeared that drunkenness was minor compared to the “sin” of eating pork.

Because we are ministers, not nutritionists or dieticians, it is not our responsibility to tell people what they should or should not eat. What a person decides to put in their stomach might be a matter of wisdom and common sense, but according to the New Testament, it is not a matter of righteousness. But some old habits die hard. If someone decides to follow Old Testament dietary rules, be a vegetarian or even a vegan, they are free to do so. The problem comes when they decide that in doing so they are being more righteous than those who do not follow their preferences.

It is sometimes argued that “clean” food is better for you. Maybe it is in some cases, but it is important not to read health advice into the Bible’s food laws. Some of the great Jewish sages made that mistake. For example, Maimonides thought that unclean animals were disease carriers. Apparently, he did not know about deer ticks, salmonella bacteria in poultry, or E. coli in beef and lamb. Some saw significance in the fact that unclean animals are scavengers and clean animals are not. Whoever came up with that one apparently did not know how close the “clean” fish, sole, is to being a bottom-feeder. Nor, apparently, had they observed that chickens eat disgusting things. I won’t go into detail!

God gave Israel the list of clean and unclean animals as yet another way to keep them separate from the other nations (Gentiles). Some of those nations ate almost anything. An archaeological excavation at the ancient city of Gath discovered that Philistines enjoyed eating dogs. That doesn’t surprise me, given some of the things I am invited to “enjoy” on my travels around the world. I personally feel that some foods should be off-limits to anyone! I still can’t bring myself to eat certain seafood. But that’s my personal dietary preference, not a matter of righteousness.

The real issue in Israel’s food laws was social order. God wanted his people to have a distinct culture, so they would stand out from other nations. The detailed rules of the old covenant effectively accomplished that separation—addressing every aspect of life, including diet. The food laws of Leviticus 11, which were part of the old covenant’s purity laws regulating Israel’s worship and social interactions, limited God’s people to the consumption of “clean” meats. Eating clean meats symbolized communion with God while eating unclean meats symbolized distrust and separation from God.

Thus, in new covenant times, when Peter was struggling with the question of taking the gospel to the Gentiles, God gave Peter a vision of both clean and unclean animals and then commanded him to “kill and eat” (Acts 10:13). Peter protested: ““Surely not, Lord!…I have never eaten anything impure or unclean” (Acts 10:14). In reply, God declared: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean” (Acts 10:15).

Through this vision, God was teaching Peter that Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension had ended distinctions between clean and unclean people, symbolized by the end of distinctions between clean and unclean animals. The previously “unclean” Gentiles, like the previously “unclean” animals, were now declared clean in God’s sight. In Jesus, Israel and the Gentiles were brought together as the one people of God, filled with the Spirit.

Our calling is to participate with Jesus in what he is doing to take the gospel into all the world—unto all people. As we do, we are free to have fellowship (including table fellowship) with everyone. Paul corrected those who passed judgment on others concerning food preferences: “I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean” (Romans 14:14 ESV). Paul also declared that “Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats” (Romans 14: 20 ESV).

Paul’s point was that we should not insist that others eat what we regard as acceptable. Eating or not eating does not define a right relationship with God. In the multi-cultural setting of the city of Rome, Paul urged that dietary differences between Jews and Gentile Christians be accommodated, declaring that “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17 ESV).

The new covenant gives us new direction related to a new kind of fellowship that is centered around Jesus Christ. Let’s help our people follow that direction.

Your brother in Christ,
Joseph Tkach

Tom Pickett

Picketts

Tom Pickett, pictured at right with his wife Adrienne, pastors New Hope Christian Fellowship, the GCI congregation meeting in Fort Worth, Texas. When Tom was just six years old, he was sent to live with his uncle, aunt and cousins in Phoenix, Arizona. “My Dad had graduated from an optometric college in Chicago. During the time he was setting up practice and moving, my parents thought it would be best for me to live temporarily with my family in Phoenix. After they got settled in Gunnison, Colorado, my parents came and got me.” Growing up in Colorado, Tom says, “instilled in me midwestern ethics and a conservative mindset that I still have today.”

In the early 60s, Tom’s dad started listening to The World Tomorrow radio program in the evenings. “He decided to share what he had found with his family. After I first listened in 1963, my dad and mom drove to California to check out Ambassador College. He came back with an application for me to apply for the fall semester. I was 19 at the time.”

Tom got much more than an education at Ambassador. “I met my wife-to-be, Adrienne Russell there. It was 1964 when we first dated on the Pasadena campus. It didn’t take long to realize that she was the one for me. We were married after graduation in 1967. She is the mother of our two sons, David and Andrew, and the love of my life.”

Tom worked at the Pasadena headquarters for a number of years, serving in many capacities. “Before being commissioned as a pastor, my experience in the church was one of service. I was a deacon for 14 years and then a local elder for five. So when I became a pastor, my joy was to serve the members.”

Tom and Adrienne moved to Texas where Tom now pastors the Fort Worth congregation, which meets in Euless. Tom says that Adrienne is a big part of his ministry. “She is my confidant, counselor and prayer partner. She also leads praise and worship at church and gives encouragement and counsel to the members. We are ‘connected at the hip’ in ministry and everything else in our life together. She truly is God’s gift to me!”

Tom’s sons are a big part of his favorite memories of ministry. “My most memorable moment came in three parts when I had the blessing of baptizing my sons David and Andrew and the privilege of officiating at their weddings to their beautiful brides, Joni and Jonelle.”

When asked what he enjoys most about being part of GCI, Tom said, “I appreciate that we are continually growing in the grace and knowledge of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Just when I think I understand who Jesus is, he reveals himself more fully. We as a denomination have responded positively to that revelation each time.”

Tom is also involved in the Office of Reconciliation and Mediation (ORM). “I became involved in 1998 when we hosted a reconciliation conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Since then I have been an ORM chapter leader. I also got involved in a related radio ministry with my son, David and Curtis May. It’s titled A Time to Reconcile. It’s a weekly program on KCLE, 1460 am in the Fort Worth and Dallas area. It also is uploaded to YouTube at www.youtube.com/atimetoreconcile.”

When asked about his passion, Tom said, “the reconciliation or eternal relation that Jesus has given to all humanity, and the reality that he has made all believers the ministers of it.”

Outreach in Colombia

GCI’s church in Barranquilla, Colombia conducted an evangelistic outreach at Christmas time. Pastor Sonia Orozco reported that 120 people attended, including 50 children. Here are pictures.

Standing Together meetings in Utah

Greg Johnson (at left) with Joseph Tkach
Greg Johnson (at left) with Joseph Tkach

Joseph Tkach and Mike Feazell were in Utah recently for public and private meetings organized by Standing Together, a network of evangelicals working to build relationships with Mormon scholars and leaders to facilitate healthy discussions concerning theological differences and similarities. Standing Together’s vision is to advance biblical unity and spiritual transformation within the state of Utah by serving as a catalyst for uniting the Utah Christian community through relational efforts of prayer, worship and strategic evangelism. Those attending the Utah meetings included representatives of evangelical seminaries, denominations and congregations.

Several years ago, Joseph Tkach became friends with Greg Johnson, the director of Standing Together. Dr. Tkach recommended that Greg be made a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE).

Greg arranged for Ravi Zacharias to be the main speaker at the recent Utah meetings, which were held at Brigham Young University in Provo and at the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. As a representative of the NAE and a longtime associate of Standing Together, Dr. Tkach was asked to give the opening prayer at the Salt Lake City meeting where about 3,000 people gathered. Dr. Zacharias discussed the centrality of the Word of God as the guide for personal conduct, true freedom and building a nation under God.

ravi-zacharias
Dr. Zacharias is standing at center. Dr. Tkach is seated in the lower left.

Meeting in Paris

The National Ecclesiastical Council of GCI in France met recently in Paris. James and Shirley Henderson attended. James is GCI’s national director in the United Kingdom and missions developer for Europe. Here is a picture of the congregation that meets in Paris (click on the picture to enlarge):

Second worship service started

Ish and SteveGCI’s congregation in Orlando, Florida, pastored by Steve Schantz (at left in the picture at right), recently started a second worship service oriented toward young adults. A key factor is the involvement of Ish Beloso (at right in the picture) who grew up in GCI and attended Ambassador University.

Ish stopped attending GCI for a time, but recently returned and has become a worship leader in the Orlando congregation. He tells his story in the video below.

Watch on YouTube at http://youtu.be/J-mPC1YKOlg

New church started

manny ornejasA new GCI church was launched recently in Masterton, New Zealand. Of the 25 people who attended the first service (pictured below), most came from the nearby community, including friends and colleagues of Manny Ornejas (pictured at right) who helped plant the church. Manny had pastored in the Philippines prior to moving to New Zealand to work as a beekeeper. He found a sizeable Filipino population in Masterton and discovered that many of them do not have a church home. The new church is reaching out to this group of unchurched people.

gci masterton

At the inaugural service, Manny gave an opening devotional. That was followed by a sermon from Dennis Richards. The service was followed by afternoon tea, providing time for fellowship during which new friendships were formed.

Converge 2014

You are invited to Converge 2014 with the theme, Let’s Build Something Together!. We request that this information be passed along to young adults and older teens in your congregation(s). Members of all ages are encouraged to attend!

Converge is the annual gathering of Generations Ministries leaders, staff and friends (including pastors)—all who share a passion for loving kids, developing leaders and sending a generation of young disciples of Jesus to live and share the gospel in their families, churches and communities. This year, Converge will be held in two locations (click on the links for details and registration):

• Converge West will be held in Encino, California on February 28-March 2. Register at gci.org/go/converge14w.
• Converge East will be held in Marengo, Ohio on March 21-23. Register at gci.org/go/converge14e.

Here is a video in which GenMin leaders discuss Converge 2014.

Watch on YouTube at http://youtu.be/NaaHTMVWniU.

Converge flyer