GCI Ministry Coaching recently conducted a Coach Clinic for GCI pastors and ministry leaders. The clinic, which was held in Titusville, FL, was hosted by Charles Fleming. Anthony Mullins, GCI’s Coordinator of Ministry Coaching served as trainer. Most of the 12 participants (some are pictured below) came from the Caribbean (including the nations of Grenada, Martinique, Bahamas, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago). Others came from the U.S. (Florida, California and North Carolina).
According to Anthony Mullins, Coach Clinic participants spent two days
learning the empowering rhythms of intentional coaching conversations, mastering the dynamics of the C.O.A.C.H Model of coaching, and seeking to understand how coaching relationships can be implemented in pastoral leadership, discipleship and in developing emerging leaders.
Here are comments from participants:
The Clinic was a liberating experience. This has opened up a new way of connecting and seeing my own needs. (Elisha St. Louis)
It was a great learning experience. (Robert McKinney)
It was an exciting and delightful coaching session. I am praying for powerful renewal in our churches. (Kernani Cheny)
The Coach Clinic was timely—God’s timing. (Clifton Charles)
Anthony also noted that
upon returning home, several of the pastors have implemented a coaching posture in their leadership meetings, are using coaching in their personal relationships, and are charting a course for how coaching can enhance and facilitate discipleship within their congregations. Some of them are planning to host coach training in their areas next year. In the U.S., Daniel Leon and Elizabeth Mullins are taking the necessary steps to complete being certified as GCI Ministry Coaches.
GCI Canada is excited to announce this year’s Thanksgiving Conference. It has two segments: Joining Jesus (for all age groups, October 6-12) and Engage (for teens and young adults, October 6-7). The guest speaker at Joining Jesus will be U.S. Regional Pastor Michael Rasmussen.
For additional information and to register, click here. Reduced rates for early registration expire on August 1.
GCI congregations in the UK and Ireland gathered on June 17 for a denominational conference in Northampton, England. Guest speaker Gary Deddo (pictured at left) gave two presentations: “Worship and Witness: Life as if Jesus is Lord of the Church,” and “Worldview and Vocation: Life as if Jesus is Lord of All.” During the conference, GCI European Director James Henderson commissioned Gavin Henderson, Pete Mill and Barry Robinson as the 2019 National Ministry Team for the UK and Ireland.
(L to R) Barry Robinson, Pete Mill, Gavin Henderson
Though our congregations are small, the hearts of GCI’s pastors and facilitators are big—wide open to the lead of the Holy Spirit who forms and sends the church. However, because their congregations are small, some GCI pastors suffer under the unjustified perception that there is something wrong with them. Karl Vaters seeks to correct that misperception in a Christianity Today article, where he notes that
there are millions of small church pastors doing great, kingdom-building work with little or no budget, little or no facilities and little or no salary. Yet every day they bear as much, if not more pastoral burden as their full-time big church counterparts. All without recognition for the extraordinary sacrifices they make (not that they’re expecting any). They teach the Word, pray for the sick, comfort the hurting, visit the forgotten and more. Often while putting in 40 or more hours at another job to pay the bills. (Click here to read the full article.)
We in GCI are very grateful for our pastors (they are superheroes in our book!). We encourage you to join us in the Home Office in praying for them. May God bless each of them, and through them bless our congregations as we seek to fulfill our vision of Healthy Church.
Hands for Christ Community Church, GCI’s congregation for the deaf in Staten Island, NY, was blessed with a wonderful baptismal day recently. Six members were baptized into Christ in Pastor Mary Bacheller’s swimming pool. Here are pictures and a video (Pastor Mary is in the dark blue shirt):
We recently requested prayer for Owen Willis, GCI Pastor in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (click here for the original request). Here is an update from Owen:
I am deeply grateful for all the cards and kind concern from all over the world regarding my eye injury. I am making good progress in a slow recuperative process. The eye will not see again (without an unprecedented miracle!) and the main decision up ahead may be whether to keep the eye or not. I have low-grade, bearable pain, need to sleep every five or six hours, and am extremely light-sensitive (necessitating wearing two pairs of sunglasses outdoors). I have struggled for many years with my eyes, and the vision in my “good” eye, which has had two corneal transplants, is quite compromised. I hope to return to church before the end of the year. My wife Tina has been an angel. Without her, I cannot imagine what the last month would have been like.
Cards may be sent to:
Owen and Tina Willis 5845 St. Margarets Bay Rd. Head of St. Margarets Bay, NS B3Z 2E3
Here is information about GCI’s standard approach to worship found on the GCI Resources website.
The worship of God is central to the church. Through its worship services, GCI seeks to glorify God and edify those who attend by proclaiming the gospel through Scripture reading, preaching and singing; the administration of the sacraments (baptism and the Lord’s Supper); praise and intercession in prayer; and the giving of offerings.
Gospel-focused worship pattern
Along with many others in the body of Christ, worship in GCI follows the Christ-centered and gospel-shaped pattern of the Western Christian calendar as detailed in the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL). This pattern of worship is organized around a weekly celebration of the gospel (see the recommended order of services below) that is typically held on Sunday, the day the risen Lord Jesus was first encountered. As shown in the diagram and list below, the worship pattern then includes several annual celebrations that highlight key aspects of our Lord’s life and ministry along with other key aspects of the gospel.
The season of Christmas (Christmas through January 5)
Epiphany Sunday
Transfiguration Sunday
Ash Wednesday
Lent (Ash Wednesday through Palm Sunday)
Holy Week services:
Palm Sunday (celebrated as Passion Sunday when there are no Maundy Thursday and/or Good Friday services)
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil)
Easter Sunday
Easter season (Easter through Pentecost)
Ascension Sunday
Pentecost Sunday
Trinity Sunday
All Saints’ Sunday (Sunday after All Saints’ Day)
Christ the King Sunday
Liturgies for church services & ceremonies
To assist congregations in following its standard worship pattern and content, GCI publishes RCL-synced sermons in GCI Equipper (click here to access) and the liturgies linked below for worship services and church ceremonies.
GCI congregations may adapt the denomination’s standard liturgies to accommodate local customs and needs (though the basic formats and content should be followed). Congregations may also adapt GCI’s standard pattern of worship, though all should provide services that celebrate Jesus’ birth during the Christmas season and his resurrection during the Easter season. It is then recommended that the other key events in Christ’s life (see the list above) be celebrated in a weekly worship service at the designated time of year.
GCI congregations may hold their primary weekly worship service on any day of the week, though Sunday is the norm. Also, congregations may determine how often to offer the Lord’s Supper, though it should be offered no less than quarterly, and at least once during Holy Week. Offering the Lord’s Supper every week is recommended.
In making decisions concerning adaptations to GCI’s standard worship pattern and liturgies, congregational leaders should seek divine guidance, understanding that worship is the divinely created response to the glory of the triune God revealed in Jesus Christ. Here is a suggested order of services (click the image to enlarge):
This “From the President” letter is by GCI Vice President Greg Williams.
Dear Pastors and Ministry Leaders:
Greg and Susan Williams
Is there a particular way that worship services in the church should be conducted? That’s not a new question—the apostle Paul addressed it in his first letter to the church in Corinth. Their services had become contentious and chaotic, and Paul wanted to help them solve the problem. He did so by noting that, while their desire to exercise their spiritual gifts in worship was commendable, they must do so in ways that build up the church rather than causing division and confusion (1 Cor. 14:26, 33). Paul exhorted them to conduct their worship in “a fitting and orderly way” (1 Cor. 14:40). Believing that Paul’s exhortation is relevant for us today, I encourage all our pastors to gather with their leaders (including those who plan and direct worship) to evaluate their worship services.
History of worship liturgy
Let me share some relevant history. As various worship traditions developed, some churches and whole denominations adopted a “liturgical” approach to structuring their worship services, while others adopted an approach called “non-liturgical.” By definition, liturgical churches follow a set liturgy (order of worship). Some utilize a “high liturgy” that is fully-scripted while others have a “low liturgy” that, being less-scripted, allows more flexibility. Non-liturgical churches, while still having an order of services, are even more flexible. Historically, many Protestant churches became non-liturgical—not because they were against order in their worship, but because they did not like what they felt was the excessive ritual of the liturgy practiced in their day.
Whether liturgical (high or low) or non-liturgical, all churches (whether acknowledging it or not) have a liturgy—some sort of “order” to their worship. That’s good because a lack of order can lead to the chaos Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians 14. Interestingly, there is a movement today among some non-liturgical churches to return to certain elements of the ancient, more formal liturgy of the church (click here and here for more information). They find that this shift makes their worship more appealing and inspiring to both regular attenders and visitors.
GCI’s history and a challenge for us today
Historically, worship in GCI (reaching back to WCG and beyond) followed a highly structured, standardized order. With our reformation came greater flexibility in how our congregations ordered their worship services. However, it is my observation that in adopting a less structured approach, some of our services have become somewhat chaotic and thus not as edifying as they need to be. Given that situation, I ask all our pastors and fellowship group facilitators to gather with their leaders to examine how they are conducting their worship services. Here are some questions to ask:
Do our services focus on who God is as revealed in Jesus?
Do they reflect the communal nature of our triune God who exists in harmony and unity?
Are our services uplifting and hope-filled, or are they uninspiring?
Do all aspects of our worship build up the church, or is there confusion and chaos?
Do all who are open to hearing the gospel (including non-Christians) feel welcome in our services?
Conducting this evaluation and making needed changes will take careful and intentional effort. That’s appropriate since the root words of liturgy mean “the work of the people.” Wanting to assist you in that work, we have published in this issue an article that addresses worship in GCI congregations. It includes a standard order of services (liturgy) that, though not required, is strongly recommended. Over the next six months in GCI Equipper, we’ll publish additional articles that will provide further guidance to help you discern the Spirit’s direction concerning your worship services. As you go through this time of discernment and restructuring, I encourage pastors to discuss their insights and plans with their Regional Pastor (U.S.) or Regional Director (elsewhere).
Points to ponder about congregational life
Though our worship services are vital, they are only one part of a congregation’s life. With this broader perspective in mind, as pastors gather with their leadership teams to evaluate their liturgy, I challenge them to also evaluate some other key issues. To help them do so, I’ve listed below some points to ponder. It’s my observation that we’ve tended to overlook some (many?) of these issues. Perhaps that’s because we’ve been (necessarily) focused on doctrinal and theological renewal over the past several years. I believe it’s now time to attend to these other issues as we enter a new season of living out of the loving, inclusive relationship we have through Jesus in the power of the Spirit.
If your congregation is functioning more like a small group (with high levels of interaction and sharing of the leadership/facilitation role), it’s likely that you should consider yourself a “fellowship group” rather than a “church” that provides a well-planned and executed worship service. Healthy churches need to have a combination of both well-executed worship services as well as small group gatherings where disciples are enriched, and depth of community is built. Please be satisfied with what you can currently offer, and trust the Lord for the future growth you desire.
If you are holding your primary worship service on Saturday, that puts you out of step with most of GCI and the rest of the Christian world. Doing so sends a misleading signal about who GCI is. While circumstances may have prevented some GCI congregations from moving to Sunday services, making that change should now be a priority. In my far and wide GCI travels, I have rarely experienced a strong, vibrant and growing GCI church that is meeting on Saturday.
If you are meeting at an awkward time of day that makes it hard for people to gather, then you need to make a course correction.
If you are gathering in a hall that is difficult to locate and is out of the flow of normal activity, then consider how to improve your location, and find a target community to be immersed in.
If you are renting space in a church building that is owned by another congregation/denomination, consider the problems you face with identity. Is it clear that you are a congregation of a separate denomination?
If you have a rotating speaking schedule with multiple preachers, it’s likely that you are in “maintenance mode,” lacking cohesive leadership and vision for your church. The lead pastor should preach a minimum of three times per month, and it is even better if they preach five out of six weeks.
If your lead pastor also fills the role of “chief deacon,” then members need to step up. Perhaps the pastor needs to let some things go.
If you have people conducting the musical aspects of your worship (instrumental and/or vocal) who are not musically gifted, something needs to change. Get people involved in worship, but in accordance with their giftedness.
If your weekly worship service is structured in accordance with GCI’s past tradition, and hasn’t been examined in a long time, now is the time for a “come to Jesus” meeting! Take a good, hard look and have the difficult conversations. You will be glad you did!
Once again, I encourage pastors to discuss their findings concerning these points with their immediate supervisor. Let us work together as a team to bring improvements to the worship and other aspects of congregational life in our churches and fellowship groups. Thank you for your cooperation.
Your brother in Christ, Greg Williams, GCI Vice President
Grace Christian Church, GCI’s congregation in Waltham, MA (Boston area), recently conducted a community-wide event called the Kaleidoscope Festival. According to GCI Pastor Dishon Mills, the congregation established and coordinated the event—determining its theme and theological foundation, designing its logo and other graphics, recruiting other event partners, securing donations for raffles, recruiting vendors, obtaining necessary city permits, recruiting and managing volunteers, setting up the space, and providing advertising. Dishon gave this report:
God has gifted our church to be multigenerational and multiethnic, and we wanted to share that with our community. We also heard from our community that many people were feeling our society was getting more and more divided. In particular, Waltham recently had a few ugly incidents as it adapts to its changing demographics. The Holy Spirit used all these things to guide us to create an event that would celebrate diversity and seek to heal man-made divisions. In addition to the joy that comes from participating in the work that Jesus is doing, our members got to build relationships with dozens of our neighbors. Since the event emphasized open conversation, we got to talk about the gospel in a relaxed, welcoming environment. We incentivized visiting the various community engagement tables, so most guests got to talk with someone who was different from them. Since God made us for relationship, this is part of what living and sharing the gospel means to us.
Police officer (at left) with Dishon Mills
One of our volunteers, who is currently homeless and having a lot of family problems, was beaming throughout the event because it made her feel seen and useful. Another volunteer, one of our members, had a 45-minute conversation with a man about Jesus. The conversation started with him saying he didn’t believe in God and ended with him saying he wanted to visit our church. I had a wonderful conversation with a man who had negative experiences with religion. Interacting with us and being at the event made him want to hear more about our church. I will be having lunch with him soon. We had similar conversations throughout the festival. A captain in the Waltham police force told me that the city needs more events like this and he would be happy to be involved in the future.
Our church received a lot more visibility in the community as a result of this festival. As we continue to reach out, we believe we will become known as “the church that creates community.” Though sharing the gospel is our primary goal, we feel that events like this will attract people to our congregation due to the relationships that are being formed.
We are pleased to announce that Carrie Osborne, daughter of GCI Pastor Tom Smith and his wife Pam, after serving as a GCI Intern, Pastoral Resident and member of a pastoral team, was installed recently by Regional Pastor Rick Shallenberger as the Lead Pastor of Voice of Hope, GCI’s congregation in Chillicothe, OH. Here is a picture from Carrie’s installation celebration:
GCI Canada is excited to announce this year’s Thanksgiving Conference. It has two segments: Joining Jesus (for all age groups, October 6-12) and Engage (for teens and young adults, October 6-7). The guest speaker at Joining Jesus will be U.S. Regional Pastor Michael Rasmussen.
GCI congregations in the UK and Ireland gathered on June 17 for a denominational conference in Northampton, England. Guest speaker Gary Deddo (pictured at left) gave two presentations: “Worship and Witness: Life as if Jesus is Lord of the Church,” and “Worldview and Vocation: Life as if Jesus is Lord of All.” During the conference, GCI European Director James Henderson commissioned Gavin Henderson, Pete Mill and Barry Robinson as the 2019 National Ministry Team for the UK and Ireland.
Grace Christian Church, GCI’s congregation in Waltham, MA (Boston area), recently conducted a community-wide event called the Kaleidoscope Festival. According to GCI Pastor Dishon Mills, the congregation established and coordinated the event—determining its theme and theological foundation, designing its logo and other graphics, recruiting other event partners, securing donations for raffles, recruiting vendors, obtaining necessary city permits, recruiting and managing volunteers, setting up the space, and providing advertising. Dishon gave this report:
