GCI Update

Miracles of healing

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Joseph and Tammy Tkach
Joseph and Tammy Tkach

In our culture, the word miracle is often used rather loosely. For example, if a quarterback completes a 60 yard-long Hail Mary pass into a crowded part of the end zone to win a game, the TV commentator will likely praise it as a miracle. Here’s another example: ailing Dodger outfielder Kirk Gibson won a game in 1988 by hitting what was said to be a miraculous walk-off home run. Being highly unlikely, his hit was certainly entertaining, but it was not a miracle.

A miracle is a supernatural event that goes beyond the productive capacity of nature, though as C.S. Lewis notes in his book Miracles, “miracles do not…break the laws of nature.” When God performs a miracle, he intervenes in natural processes to do something only he can do.

Healing of the Blind Man by Bloch
(public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Unfortunately, Christians sometimes embrace false ideas about miracles. Some say, for example, that there would be more miracles if more people had faith. But history shows otherwise—though the Israelites witnessed numerous miracles from God, they lacked faith. As another example, some say all healings are miracles. But many healings do not fit the formal definition of a miracle—many are the result of natural processes. When we cut a finger and it heals gradually, a natural process God designed for the human body has occurred. This natural healing is a sign (a demonstration) of God’s goodness as our Creator. However, if the cut heals instantaneously, we understand that God has performed a miracle—he has intervened directly and thus supernaturally. In the first instance we have an indirect sign and in the other a direct sign—both pointing us to the goodness of God.

Unfortunately, some who claim the name of Christ abuse and even fake miracles to build a following. You see this sometimes in what are called “healing services.” But such abuses of miracles are not found in the New Testament. Instead we find worship that is about faith, hope and love for God, looking directly to him for salvation that comes by way of the proclamation of the gospel. However, abuses of miracles should not diminish our appreciation for genuine miracles. Let me tell you about one I witnessed. I joined others in praying for a woman whose virulent cancer had already eaten away some of her ribs. She was receiving medical care, and now was being anointed, asking God for a miracle of healing. The result was that she became cancer free and her ribs grew back! Her doctor told her, “This is miraculous. Whatever you are doing, keep doing it.” She explained to him that it was not her doing, but God’s blessing. Some may claim that her medical treatments put the cancer at bay and the ribs grew back on their own, which they can do. But that would have taken a long time, and hers quickly returned to normal. Because her doctor said that her return to health was “not explainable,” we conclude God intervened and performed a true miracle.

Believing in miracles is not necessarily anti-science, and looking for natural explanations does not necessarily indicate a lack of faith in God. When scientists propose a hypothesis, they run tests seeking to falsify it. If their attempts at falsification fail, the hypothesis is strengthened. Thus we understand that looking for natural explanations for what might seem to be miraculous is not necessarily a refusal to believe in miracles.

We’ve all prayed for the sick to be healed. Some were delivered immediately and thus miraculously while others recovered slowly and thus naturally. In the case of those healed miraculously, it does not seem to have depended on who prayed or on how many prayed. The apostle Paul was not healed of his “thorn in the flesh” despite praying three times. My point is this: when we pray for a miracle of healing, in faith we leave the means and the ultimate outcome to God. We trust him to do what is best, knowing that in his goodness and wisdom he takes into consideration factors we cannot be aware of.

Praying for a sick person to be healed is one of the ways we show love and compassion for those in need, joining Jesus in his faithful intercession as our Mediator and High Priest. Misunderstanding the instruction in James 5:14, some may be hesitant to pray for a sick person, thinking that only church elders are authorized to do so, or that somehow an elder’s prayer is more effective than the prayers of friends and family members. It seems that James’ intent in telling church members to call on the elders to be anointed when they are sick was to make it clear that elders, as servants of the people (and not lords over them), must make themselves available to those in need. Biblical scholars see in James’ instruction a reference to Jesus sending out his disciples in pairs (Mark 6:7), who then “drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them” (Mark 6:13). [1]

When we pray for healing, we must not think that our task is somehow to persuade (or otherwise condition) God to act according to his grace. God’s goodness is always freely given! Why then pray? Because through prayer we participate in what God is doing in the lives of others, and in our own lives as well, as God prepares us for what he will do according to his compassion and wisdom.

Let me add a note of caution: When a person comes to you asking for prayer concerning a health issue, and they say they want to keep the request private, their request for privacy should always be honored. People should never be made to think that their “chances” of being healed are somehow increased proportionate to the number of people who are praying for them. Such an idea reflects non-biblical, magical thinking.

In all our thinking about healing, we must remember that it is God who heals. Sometimes he heals through a miracle and other times he heals using the natural means he has placed within his creation. Either way, all the glory goes to him. In Philippians 2:27, the apostle Paul thanks God for having mercy on his friend and co-worker Epaphroditus who was deathly ill until God healed him. Paul does not mention a healing service or a particular power possessed by a particular person (himself included). Instead, Paul simply praises God for healing his friend. That’s a good example for us to follow.

Based on the miracles I’ve witnessed, and ones I’ve heard about from others, I’m confident God still heals today. When we are ill, we have freedom in Christ to ask anyone to pray for us and to ask the elders of our church to anoint us with oil and pray for our healing. It is then our responsibility and privilege to pray for others, asking God, if it is his will, to heal those among us who are sick and hurting. In all instances, we trust God for his answer and timing.

Thankful for God’s healing,
Joseph Tkach


[1] Though GCI does practice anointing the sick with oil for healing, it does not consider this practice to be a matter of obedience to a command (as is the case with the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper). For additional information about this practice and GCI’s understanding of the related instructions given in James 5:14, click herehere and here.

Leaving a legacy

We celebrate the life and legacy of Lores “Janie” Roegiers who died peacefully on June 23 just a few days before she would have turned 87. Janie will be remembered for many things, but the Generations Ministries family will always remember her for the legacy she left through a very generous donation made 15 years ago to the GenMin camp scholarship fund. To date, her donation has funded 1599 scholarships to 17 GenMin camps in 14 states. The average age of the campers helped was 12.5 years. What an amazing legacy!

Janie (at center) being honored by several of the kids she helped attend camp in 2004.
Janie’s pastor, Mark Stapleton, and his wife Anne are at right.

Along with her generous donation 15 years ago, Janie sent this letter that speaks so profoundly of her vision and generous heart:

Dear GCI,

Janie Roegiers

I, Lores (Janie) Lee Roegiers, have donated $100,000.00 to Grace Communion International (GCI) for the express purpose of supporting youth via Generations Ministry camp tuition scholarships and funding new camp start-ups. I have been profoundly blessed to have inherited a sum of money from my mother who died in 1996. I also inherited a farm located in Kansas at the same time and I receive income from the harvest of the crops. This, too, is a great blessing from God. As I have been blessed, I want to, in turn, bless others.

I see that the youth of today are the church of tomorrow. What better place to invest—in youth, the future of the church. I have had the privilege over the last six years of donating some of the monetary proceeds from my farm to the summer camp fund of my local church—Cornerstone Community Church (GCI, San Diego). I see the difference camp has made in the youth at Cornerstone. I know that summer camp can have a tremendous spiritual impact on a young person. Summer camp is a place for growth, maturity and a deepening relationship with God and others. What a blessing for kids to have such a place to attend. I want to extend the blessing of summer camp to youth in the United States. As God has blessed me, I want to pass His blessing on to others. That is why I am donating this money to GCI.

I do not want to dictate the way or the details in which the donation will be dispensed but I do want to state that it must be used for summer camp scholarships for those attending a camp in the United States and, if needed, to help fund a camp start-up in the United States. Additionally, I would like for those benefiting from the donation to know that they are receiving assistance as a result of God’s blessing. As I have been blessed, I want to bless others and have the recipient of that blessing, in turn bless someone else. I know that I can’t ask for a guarantee that the scholarship recipients help another person go to camp. But I do hope that those who are benefited from the scholarships will endeavor, when they are grown and able, to provide help for another child to go to camp. I will provide a form letter to accompany each scholarship so that the recipient can know the importance of passing on God’s blessing.

Thank you for all that you do in supporting the youth of our denomination and other youth that attend our summer camps. I appreciate the assistance you are providing in allowing me to share God’s blessing with others.

Sincerely, Janie Roegiers

Spiritual formation retreat

Retreat participants

GCI’s newly formed Filipino congregation in Masterton, New Zealand, recently hosted a retreat conducted by Larry Hinkle and Gracie Johnson of Odyssey in Christ (OIC). Called A Deeper Walk, the retreat introduced various spiritual formation practices that enhance a deeper personal relationship with God. The practices explored included solitude and silence, discerning God in creation, sacred reading of Scripture, spiritual journaling, creative expression in play, keeping Sabbath, meditation and various types of prayer.

The retreat included opportunities to try out these spiritual formation practices. For instance, participants were guided in spending time in silence listening to God’s voice. Another exercise was to take a walk outside to concentrate on insights from the creation and report back to the group. After a session on the way creative play can contribute to spiritual formation, the members split into teams for 30 minutes to prepare a skit to be performed in front of the whole group. The results showed amazing spontaneous creativity and talent, making for a laughter-filled evening.

July Equipper

Looking forward to our “family reunion” in Orlando in August, the July issue of “Equipper” (articles and sermons linked below) celebrates the blessings we have in GCI as an international family on mission together with the Triune God.

From Greg: Celebrating our family
Greg Williams tells about his recent trips to the Philippines and Mexico where he visited members of our GCI family on mission with God.

Toward team-based leadership
Continuing our series on the characteristics of effective leaders and leadership teams, this article from Rick Shallenberger looks at leadership processes and styles that support team-based leadership.

Clarifying Our Theological Vision, part 4
Building on what he has covered in this series so far, Gary Deddo begins looking at the nature of the Christian life.

Kid’s Korner: Building relationships
GenMin National Coordinator Jeffrey Broadnax shares insights about starting conversations that lead to the building of relationships with kids.

RCL sermons for August
Here are four sermons synced with the Revised Common Lectionary, covering the 9th through 12th Sundays after Pentecost (in “ordinary time” between Pentecost and Advent).
Sermon for August 6
Sermon for August 13
Sermon for August 20
Sermon for August 27

In case you missed the June Equipper, here are RCL sermons for July:
Sermon for July 2
Sermon for July 9
Sermon for July 16
Sermon for July 23
Sermon for July 30

Death of UK pastor and board member

We were saddened to learn of the recent death of Dr. Graham Mitchell of GCI’s Northampton, UK congregation. Graham was a retired GCI pastor and former member of the GCI-UK board. He had been in care for over two years following a spinal injury, and his wife, Maggie, thanks everyone for their prayers during that time. Please remember Maggie and their two children, Anna and James, in prayer, that God may comfort and support them.

Cards may be sent to:

Maggie Mitchell
11 Kettering Road
Broughton
Kettering
Northants
NN14 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM

Death of Barbara Rogers’ mother

Wanda Rand

We were saddened to learn of the recent death of Wanda Rand, mother of Barbara (Rand) Rogers, wife of Dan Rogers who formerly served as the Director of Church Administration and Development and Superintendent of U.S. Ministers. Wanda was born in 1929 and baptized in the Radio Church of God in 1963. She is survived by her sons Richard and Roger Rand, her daughter Barbara Rogers and her sister Janice Gallagher.

Cards may be sent to:

Barbara Rogers
2657 Windmill Pkwy Ste 154
Henderson, NV 89074-3384

Pastor retires

Congratulations to Larry and Connie Wooldridge on the occasion of Larry’s retirement after 45 years as a full-time employed GCI lead pastor. The Cromwell, CT, congregation recently hosted a special gathering to thank the couple and help them celebrate.

Larry and Connie (foreground) surrounded by members of their congregations.
Joining in the celebration (L to R): Regional Pastor Randy Bloom, Larry and Connie,
Ellen and (Elder) Mike Anderson, and GCI President, Joseph Tkach.
Larry addresses the gathering.

After graduating in 1972 from the Texas campus of Ambassador College, Larry was hired as a ministerial assistant serving in Jacksonville, FL. Over the last 45 years, he served as lead pastor in numerous locations in the U.S., along with serving for a time as a district pastoral leader. Larry had the unique experience of serving the Meriden, CT, congregation twice—once from 1979 to 1988 and again from 1999 to his retirement.

Cards may be sent to:

Larry and Connie Wooldridge
18 Abbey Lane
Meriden, CT 06450

Ordinations and installation

We are pleased to announce five ordinations and a pastoral installation. Congratulations to all!

  • Winston Gyimah was recently ordained an elder to serve GCI’s congregation in Camberwell, England. The ordination ceremony is shown in the picture below.
(L to R): U.K. National Director James Henderson, Winston, Pastor Barry Robinson and Winston’s wife Julie
  • Andrew Gahadzikwa (pictured at right), who serves one of GCI’s congregations in Zimbabwe, Africa, was ordained an elder in June. The ceremony was attended by 120 people.
  • James McIvor was ordained an elder in Glasgow, Scotland on July 9.
  • Fraser Henderson was installed on Pentecost as pastor of GCI’s congregation in Smith Falls, Ontario, Canada. In the picture below left, Fraser is flanked by his wife Julie with their daughter Hazel, and by Bill Rabey, the congregation’s outgoing pastor who will be pastoring GCI congregations in Ottawa and Montreal (English speaking). Sharon Bell and Kevin McCready, who also serve the Smith Falls congregation, were ordained elders in the same Pentecost service. In the center picture below, Sharon stands with her husband Don (at far left) and Pastor Bill Rabey. In the picture below right, Kevin (at far left) stands with his wife Audri along with Sharon and Pastor Bill.