Upcoming conferences in Canada

Here are announcements about two upcoming conferences being conducted by GCI in Canada.

Engage 2015 (engaging God, engaging people) is a new conference for older teens and young adults (university/college age), held in beautiful Penticton, B.C. October 10-12. Greg Williams (director of GCI-USA Church Administration and Development) will facilitate the sessions. For information and registration see www.gcicanada.ca/features/engage2015.php.

THRIVE is the theme of the annual GCI-Canada Thanksgiving Conference held in Penticton on October 10-17. For information and registration see www.gcicanada.ca/features/penticton2015.php. Note that early registration discounts expire on August 15.

UK Ladies’ Conference

This update is from Nancy Silcox

GCI in the United Kingdom held its annual Ladies’ Conference in May at the High Leigh Christian Conference Center, just north of London. The theme of the conference was Acceptance in Christ. Over 40 women attended.

Each conference session began with worship with solos, a quartet and praise dance. We heard from a variety of speakers. The opening address by Jackie Mill reminded us that we are one family, sisters in Christ. Guest speaker Marie Angelique Picard, GCI national coordinator for France, brought us two powerful messages. The first was about how God has his own timeline and how we can change the way we look at things! The second was about God being “The Anchor of Your Soul”—we do not need to give excuses for our failings, just trust in the mercy and grace in Jesus Christ.

Margaret Rose, in a talk entitled “To Hell And Back,” courageously shared her journey through depression, which occurred after she had a reaction to medical treatment. Jackie Mill then looked at the subject of “Being A Helpmeet,” with a video clip showing how changing your words can change your world. Other speakers included Jeni Ozumba, who contrasted human acceptance with God’s acceptance; Ashley Thompson, who gave a talk entitled “The Gender Agenda” that made us think carefully about society’s view of the female gender; Linda Halford slouched up to the front in a hoodie and an iPod and presented “Teenage Matters” about the dramatic development of the teenage brain. Irene Wilson then discussed some of the difficulties of growing old gracefully, explaining that “The Golden Age Is Before Us Not Behind Us.”

On Saturday evening we gathered for Music and Entertainment led by Beth and Eva from Scandinavia. The songs were punctuated by a quiz, skits and jokes, enhanced by cheese, champagne and chocolates. The conference ended with worship led by Jackie Mill, and communion led by Jean Dougall. Jean reminded us that as we take the bread and wine, we accept Christ’s sacrifice and participate in his life.

New GCI gospel tract

We’ve often been asked for a small booklet (tract) that presents the gospel and includes an invitation to receive Christ. Toward that end, we’ve written the article below (based, in part, on the work of Dr. Martin Davis of AsiAfrica Ministries). To download this article formatted for printing as a booklet, click here (.docx version) or here (.doc version). To download it formatted for printing as a tri-fold brochure, click here (.docx version) or here (.doc version). These documents are designed to be customized by replacing text in brackets, logos, etc. with local church (or local ministry) information. You can also print the version below by going to www.gci.org/gospel-tract, scrolling to the bottom of the page, then clicking on the print icon. For assistance with printing, email ted.johnston@gci.org.

Here’s Good News for Everyone!

[Jesus said] “God’s Spirit is on me;
he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor,
sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, ‘This is God’s year to act!’”
(Luke 4:18-19, The Message)

God the Father sent his one and only Son Jesus to show us how much he loves us. Jesus not only proclaimed that good news (the gospel), he is the good news for all people, and you are included!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
(John 3:16)

Only Jesus can teach us about God’s love because, as God’s eternal Son, he alone knows the Father in person and for all time (Matthew 11:27). By his words and actions, recorded for us in the Bible, Jesus teaches that God is our loving Father and we are his beloved children.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are!
(1 John 3:1)

Before he created the earth, our heavenly Father decided to create us to be his beloved children—to “adopt” us into his family, where we would live in perfect relationship with God and with each other.

How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is!
He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ,
and takes us to the high places of blessing in him.
Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind…
to be made whole and holy by his love.
Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ…
He wanted us to enter into the celebration
of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
(Ephesians 1:3-6, The Message)

Although God’s plan all along has been to include and adopt us, we humans (beginning with the first created humans) rebelled against that plan, and all creation has suffered the effects of that sin ever since. Maintaining his intention to adopt us as his children, God the Father graciously sent his Son to live among us as one of us. Of one mind and heart with the Father, Jesus freely and gladly came to be joined with us forever.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son,
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John 1:14)

And being found in appearance as a man,
[Jesus] humbled himself by becoming obedient to death
—even death on a cross!
(Philippians 2:8)

As our representative, on our behalf, Jesus lived a life of perfect love, faith and obedience so that all of us may be reconciled to God and rescued from sin, death and the power of evil. Jesus came to undo evil and its devastating effects, and ultimately make everything right.

Though we were created for deep and lasting relationship with God, none of us naturally trusts God and his love. To one degree or another, we all have chosen to disregard God and his good design for our lives.

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…
(Romans 3:23)

Rather than trusting God and receiving life from him, we have sought life, love, meaning and security on our own terms. The result is the world we now experience. Though there still are signs of God’s good creation all around us, more often than not things seem hopeless, lost, beyond repair.

Despite the fact that we all have failed and sinned, God demonstrated his great love for us by sending his beloved Son Jesus to die on the cross at the hands of evil men. Jesus willingly and even joyfully gave his life in exchange for our broken and distorted lives.

God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(Romans 5:8)

Only Jesus’ life could overcome the death that has overtaken all humanity. Only Jesus, the eternal Son of God, could restore our broken relationship with God. But the price that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit paid to rescue us from ourselves, from sin and from death itself, was well worth it.

On our behalf, Jesus conquered death and overcame evil, rising from the dead to never die again. In him we have been restored to a right relationship with God. In him we will live forever.

But God did not give up on his original intention for his creation. He decided to intervene to rescue it—at his own expense and despite resistance from those he loves. God took personal responsibility for every wrong we have done and for the wrongs done against us, doing everything necessary to renew all of creation.

After his astonishing resurrection, Jesus returned to his Father, promising that he would return to earth one day, bringing with him a new heaven and earth where all will be made right. In the meantime, he is preparing a place for us so that, restored to the heart of God, we may live forever in the house of our loving and gracious heavenly Father.

[Jesus said] “In my Father’s house are many rooms.
If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again
and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
(John 14:2-3, ESV)

Jesus demonstrates that God is not an aloof and angry judge seeking to condemn us. Rather, God the Father freely and gladly gave his Son to be our Savior and Lord (John 3:16-17). After Jesus’ earthly work was done, he with the Father sent the Holy Spirit to put God’s love in our hearts, to transform us and guide us in the way that leads to abundant life.

Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s
love has been poured into our hearts through
the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
(Romans 5:5, ESV)

What should you do?

There is nothing you need to do to earn or deserve God’s gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), but like any gift, it is given to be received. How do you receive God’s gift? Note what Jesus said:

“The kingdom of God has come near.
Repent and believe the good news!”
(Mark 1:15)

To repent means to change your mind—to stop relying on false hope, security and identity, and to rely on God, putting your hope in Jesus and his kingdom (reign) of peace, joy and harmony. To repent means to stop living in the darkness of sin and begin living in the light of God’s love and forgiveness. To believe is to entrust to Jesus all you are and own to follow his way of love, growing in your relationship with him.

[Jesus said] “Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength
and with all your mind, and, love your neighbor as yourself.”
(Luke 10:27)

You may begin following Jesus and his way of love with a simple prayer like this:

Thank you, heavenly Father, for loving me. Thank you for making me your child. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to be my Savior and to take away all my guilt and shame. Thank you for the love and forgiveness you have shown to me in Jesus.

Thank you dear God for sending the Holy Spirit to live in my heart. Come Holy Spirit—guide me into all truth. Teach me to love God and others and strengthen me to follow the way of Jesus.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

In relating this way with God in prayer, you are now on a life-long journey with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit—a journey that will transform your life one step at a time.

By the Holy Spirit, Jesus will lead you to join with others in following and worshiping God in accordance with his written word, the Bible. You are not alone.

That’s the good news—for you and everyone!

Graduation celebration

24-7 Community Church, the GCI congregation in Newark, New Jersey, has emphasized youth ministry for many years. As a result, they have many children and teens who are active in the congregation as evidenced by a recent celebration for seven teens who recently graduated from high school. The update below is from Eleanor Elcock and Cherri Long.

Embedded in the heart of Newark, New Jersey, our congregation recently celebrated the success of seven African-American high school graduates (five are pictured below). Under the tutelage of 24/7 Pastor Franklin K. Howard, these young adults have attended 24/7 since they were children. Naya Martinez, Joletta Robertson, Nashaya Lyons-Watson, Portia Thompson, Juwan Elcock, Derrick Knight, and Jesse May are all college bound.

We honored the graduates and their families with a banquet attended by about 50 people. It began with a meal of some of the graduates’ favorite foods, then Pastor Frank addressed the graduates and the group played a game consisting of five pieces of candy, each representing a question about the graduates’ futures. Wow, we were blessed by the answers! One question had to do with what humanitarian effort they would like to champion. We were excited when they spoke about supplying countries with books, helping wounded soldiers, teaching in countries where education is needed, and a benefit concert to bring help to war-torn Dafur.

Following that, the first-year college students in our congregation gave helpful advice to assist our high school graduates in acclimating to college. As these young adults spoke, it was evident that they are Christ-centered and prepared to make a difference in this world.

The celebration ended with Pastor Frank presenting each graduate with a Bible and gift card (see picture at right). The seniors then thanked the congregation for caring for them.

Our high school graduates have developed into loving and compassionate Christian young men and women. Praise God, they did it!

Hunsberger’s 50th anniversary

GCI elder David Hunsberger and his wife Shirley (pictured below) recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception at Living Grace Christian Fellowship, GCI’s congregation in Denver (north), Colorado. The Hunsbergers were married on July 14, 1965. Congratulations David and Shirley!

GCS reaccredited

We’re pleased to report that Grace Communion Seminary (GCS) was recently notified that the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), in a meeting on June 26, voted to renew GCS’s accreditation through June 2020. The letter notifying GCS of this good news said this:

In receiving renewal of accreditation, GCS has demonstrated its commitment to educational standards and ethical business practices that assure quality, accountability, and improvement in higher education. The scope of GCS’s accreditation extends to the programs listed below.

Master of Pastoral Studies (MPS)

Master of Theological Studies (MTS)

Master’s-Level Continuing Education Courses (MCLE)

In passing on the good news, Dr. Gary Deddo, the new president of GCS, wrote this:

Congratulations to all who contributed to the monumental effort that has brought GCS to this point. Most especially thanks should be extended to Dr. Russell Duke who so ably and with great perseverance led the charge.

GenMin camp reports

SEP So Cal

This report is from SEP So Cal camp directors Anne and Mark Stapleton.

This summer SEP So Cal had 158 campers and 87 staff. We celebrated our 14th year as a GenMin camp, our fifth year meeting at Pine Valley Bible Conference Center (near San Diego), and the 50th anniversary of the founding of the SEP camp in Orr, Minnesota.

In keeping with the EPIC Story theme of GenMin’s 2015 camp curriculum, we used the idea of “story” to tell the story of SEP, using a timeline that stretched around the room (see below). As part of an opening celebration we pointed beyond the camp story and made sure that every camper and staff member knew they were part of the EPIC Story of God. To symbolize that inclusion, we had each person get up during a worship segment and place a colored dot on the timeline near the year they were born.

As in years past, this summer SEP So Cal was wonderfully diverse. We had participants age 18 months to early 70s; and participants who are African-American, Asian, Filipino, Hispanic, Middle Eastern and Caucasian. Sixteen states were represented at camp.

This year we added a horse program and rappelling for junior campers. For the senior campers we continued our equipping tracks where each chose a track to further their skills, education and ministry. The goal of these tracks is equipping youth to return to their home church, community and other places of influence so they can contribute to the growth of others, participate in church life, and simply help make the world a better place.

Pathways Camp, Ohio

This report is from Pathways camp director Aaron Frim.

In keeping with the EPIC Story theme, Pathways camp was once again an amazing experience. We had 49 senior campers, 27 junior campers and 8 mini-campers served by 54 staff members. About 20% of the staff members were first-timers. Pastor Jeff Broadnax served as camp chaplain, giving most of the chapel messages. There was much positive feedback from campers regarding the EPIC Story curriculum. That curriculum was adapted for use with the junior campers with Gary Weldon serving as story-teller.

Camp activities included archery, swimming, team-building, laser tag, woodworking, and dodge-ball. This summer we added bubble-ball (see picture at left). Once again we had life-equipping tracks for senior campers in photography, video, self-defense, worship, and missions. The missions track, led by Pastor Terry McDonald, was enhanced by the presence of two staffers and one camper from Colombia who came to Pathways to learn about running a camp in their own country.

In keeping with the missions theme, senior campers teamed up with 37 disadvantaged children from the local county who came to Pathways for an afternoon. Pastor Carrie Smith spearheaded this outreach, which has been going on at Pathways for several years. Carrie also led our inaugural CREW—a program in which we equip senior campers to become future staff members.

One day during camp we encountered a medical emergency and a torrential rainstorm. The combination reminded us that we are blessed to have on staff a registered nurse and three EMT/firefighters. One of our campers became ill and had to be transported to the hospital. Though he had to spend the night there, he was fine. That same night a storm flooded all roads in and out of camp and part of the camp grounds. We were left considering the reason behind these events. What was God’s plan, how did it fit into his EPIC Story? Perhaps it was the conversations that occurred between people later. Perhaps it was to prepare us to better face similar situations in the future. It definitely helped Pathways financially. The managers at the facility we use for camp decided to deduct one day’s rent, savings Pathways several thousands of dollars. In any event, we were reminded of God’s love and protection.

Stay focused on grace

Dear Brothers and Sisters, I watched a video recently that parodies a TV infomercial—in this case hawking a fictitious Christian worship CD entitled It’s All About Me. The songs on the CD include Lord I Lift My Name on High, I Exalt Me, and There is None Like Me. Funny? Yes, but illustrative of the sad truth that we humans tend to worship self rather than God. As I noted last week in my “Quaffing Grace” letter, this tendency short-circuits our spiritual formation, leading to reliance on self rather than on Jesus, “The author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2 KJV).

Sometimes preachers inadvertently help people embrace a wrong approach through messages on Christian living topics like overcoming sin, helping the poor, or sharing the gospel. These topics can be helpful, but not when they focus people on self rather than on Jesus—who he is, and what he has done and is doing on our behalf. It’s vital that we help people rely fully on Jesus for their identity, their life’s vocation and their ultimate destiny. With eyes fixed on Jesus, they will see what they do to serve God and humanity not as “pull-yourself-up-by-your bootstraps” self-effort, but as real participation, by grace, in what Jesus is doing in his union with the Father and the Spirit, and with all humanity.

João Zeferino da Costa - O óbolo da viúva, 1876.jpg — *The Widows Mite* by João Zeferino da Costa, 1876
(Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Let me illustrate by sharing discussions I had with two dedicated Christians. The first was with a man concerning his struggle with giving. For a long time he strove to give more in offerings to the church than he had budgeted, based on the wrong concept that giving, to be generous, must cause some pain. But no matter how much he gave (and how much pain he experienced in doing so), he still felt guilty knowing he could give more. Thankfully, his approach to giving changed one day while writing a check for the week’s offering. He found himself focusing on what his generosity would do for others rather than on its effects on himself. As this shift in his thinking occurred, feelings of guilt turned to ones of joy. For the first time, he understood a scripture often quoted in offertories: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). He came to realize that God didn’t love him less when he wasn’t a cheerful giver, but God loved seeing him experience joy when he was.

The second discussion involved two conversations with a woman concerning her prayer life. In the first she shared that she set the clock when she prayed to be sure she prayed at least 30 minutes. She would cover everything she thought important, but would be dismayed when she looked at the clock and saw not even 10 minutes had passed. So she would pray more, but each time she looked at the clock, feelings of guilt and inadequacy would rise. My comment to her, said in jest, was that it seemed to me that she was “praying to the clock!” In our second conversation she told me that my comment had revolutionized her approach to prayer (for that, God gets the credit, not me). Apparently my off-the-cuff comment got her thinking and she began to just talk with God when she prayed, not worrying about how long she prayed. In a rather short time, she started feeling more deeply connected with God than ever before.

Christian living (including spiritual formation, discipleship and mission) is not about “shoulds” and “oughts” focused on our performance. Instead it’s about participation, by grace, in what Jesus is doing in, through and around us. A focus on self-effort tends to result in a self-righteousness that often compares with others or even condemns them, falsely concluding that we have done something to deserve God’s love. But the truth of the gospel is that God loves all people as much as an infinite God possibly can. That means he loves others as much as he loves us. God’s grace does away with any “us vs. them” approach that exalts self as righteous and condemns others as unworthy.

“But,” some might object, “what about people who commit great sins? Surely God doesn’t love them as much as he loves faithful believers!” To answer this objection we need only look at the heroes of faith profiled in Hebrews 11:1-40. These were not perfect people—many of them experienced times of colossal failure. The Bible tells more stories about people God rescued from failure than about people who lived righteous lives. Sometimes we misread the Bible as if the redeemed did the work instead of the Redeemer! When we fail to understand that our lives are disciplined by grace, not self-effort, we erroneously conclude that our standing with God is about our performance. Eugene Peterson addresses this mistake in his helpful book on discipleship, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction:

The central reality for Christians is the personal, unalterable, persevering commitment that God makes to us. Perseverance is not the result of our determination; it is the result of God’s faithfulness. We survive in the way of faith not because we have extraordinary stamina but because God is righteous. Christian discipleship is a process of paying more and more attention to God’s righteousness and less and less attention to our own; finding the meaning of our lives not by probing our moods and motives and morals but by believing in God’s will and purposes; making a map of the faithfulness of God, not charting the rise and fall of our enthusiasm.

God, who is ever-faithful to us, never condemns us when we are unfaithful to him. Yes, our sins grieve him because they hurt us and others, but our sins don’t determine whether or how much God loves us.

Our triune God is perfect, complete love—there is no lesser or greater measure of his love for any person. Because God loves us, he gives us his Word and Spirit to enable us to recognize our sin, to confess it (agree with God about it) and then repent—turn away from sin back to God and his grace. Ultimately, all sin is a rejection of grace. Anyone who dies to their (false, old) self, confessing and repenting of sin, rather than justifying themselves, does so because they have received the gracious, transforming work of God. In his grace, God accepts us where we are but never leaves us there.

When we focus on Jesus and not self, we see ourselves and others the way Jesus sees us—as God’s children, and that includes the many who do not yet know their heavenly Father. As we walk with Jesus, he invites and equips us to participate in what he is doing to reach out in love to those who don’t know him. As we participate, we see with greater clarity what God is doing to turn his beloved children toward him in repentance, helping them put their lives entirely into his care.

As we share with Jesus in this ministry of reconciliation, we learn more clearly what Paul meant when he said that the law condemns but God’s grace gives life (see Acts 13:39 and Romans 5:17-20). That is why it’s vital that all our ministry, including our teaching about Christian living, is done with Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, under the umbrella of the grace of God.

Staying focused on grace, Joseph Tkach

GCI-Canada update

Here are reports of two recent events in GCI-Canada.

Elder ordained in Calgary

GCI-Canada National Director Gary Moore reports that during his recent visit to the Calgary congregation, he and his wife Wendy were privileged to participate in the ordination of Emily Lukacik as an elder. Emily and her husband Andrew (pictured at right) are long-time members and servants of the Calgary church.

Camp Connections fundraiser

Mark Yandt reports a successful fifth annual bike ride to raise money for GCI’s Camp Connections. A team of 15 riders (pictured below) raised a total of $13,400. Mark commented:

Not only did we raise more than in previous years, but almost 80% of our fundraising came from supporters with no previous affiliation with Camp Connections or with GCI. Our biggest fundraiser again this year was Karl Moore (in the red jersey below) who raised over $5300 and promoted the trip for months beforehand on Facebook and Twitter. He even posted updates during the ride and raised over half of his support during or after the ride was completed!

Death of Diane Kubik’s father

We were saddened to learn of the recent death of Maurice Mallery, former WCG employee and father of Diane (Mallery) Kubik, wife of GCI elder Oleh Kubik. Here is a report from Oleh.

Dan Maurice Mallery (pictured at right) grew up on the family farm in Windsor, New York where he became a successful potato farmer. Members of the WCG church in Manhattan (New York City) would come up on weekends to enjoy his farm. But due to some bad advice, Maurice lost the farm when he changed to organic farming without properly preparing the soil. He also lost his daughter Terry to appendicitis. Devastated, the family moved away to join the WCG construction crew in building festival sites in the Poconos (Pennsylvania); then Wisconsin Dells.

When that work ended, the family moved to Arizona, living first in a small trailer in the desert where Maurice worked laying water and sewer lines. Eventually they bought a small home, fixed it up, then sold it. They repeated that process several times, eventually buying a large RV and travelling the country. Though Maurice suffered many losses, he fought his way back.

Following a split in the church, he and his wife Carol traveled visiting various congregations of the group they joined. Eventually they settled in Florida. When Carol died, Maurice moved to New Jersey to be near family.

I fondly remember many great discussions with Maurice. Knowledgeable on multiple topics, he was always open minded and willing to learn. “It’s what you learn after you know everything that counts,” he would say. My life has been greatly enriched by this man.

Cards may be sent to:

Oleh and Diane Kubik
1150 Talan Dr
Endicott, NY 13760-7033

Year: 2015