Kingdom Living and Kingdom Culture

Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmeiVRgkK-w

Listen to audio: https://cloud.gci.org/dl/MiscVid/Presidents-Update-January-2025.mp3

GCI President Greg Williams reflects on Paul’s letter to the Colossians, reminding us to embrace faith, hope, and love as Christ equips us for His ministry. As we step into 2025, we are called to grow in God’s will, bear fruit, and live as citizens of His kingdom, shining His light in all we do.

Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmeiVRgkK-w

Program Transcript

GCI President Update | January 2025
Kingdom Living & Kingdom Culture

Colossians is a wonderfully inspiring letter written from Paul an apostle of Christ, not self-appointed, rather appointed by the will of the triune God written to the saints — faithful, Christ-following sisters and brothers in Colosse (and for Christ-followers from the early church to us in the 21^st century).

Highlights from the first chapter of the letter give us some great insights as we begin 2025.

In verses 3-5, first and foremost, we identify with Christ (one of the most Christ-centered letters of the NT). We identify with Christ and His most pronounced virtues — Faith, Hope, and Love. This is His nature, and He gifts us with these virtues to transform us and to equip us so that we participate with Him in His ministry. We have been on this track for awhile and we will continue forward.

Allow me to read Paul’s prayer for the believers in Colosse:

Colossians 1:⁹For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. ¹¹May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully ¹²giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. ¹³He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Allow me to summarize:

To have “knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding … bearing fruit in every good work.” I am not one to use words like all and every; it seems too certain and dogmatic. Yet Paul uses these words intentionally. He urges us to seek God’s understanding and wisdom in all matters. Then he doesn’t want us to only bear fruit in a few areas, he desires that we grow in every aspect — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control — every good fruit.
Ever increasing in our knowing of the triune God revealed in Jesus, not holding back because the one God in three Persons is a mystery, rather jumping in to see what is revealed to us about this amazing God in: 1) The words of Scripture, 2) What we learn from trusted teachers, and 3) Then what we know from our relational walk with Father, Son, and Spirit.
God the Father has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved son. Eugene Peterson’s Message Bible says, “God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.”

We, along with the saints in Colosse, have been transported from the dark corners of a fallen world into the glorious light of the kingdom of God. Hallelujah!

Kingdom Culture will be the GCI theme for 2025.

We will explore how we live and walk into the reality of being saints as God sees us rather than the self-talk of being sinners held captive by the darkness around us.

As we collectively grow in the grace and knowing of Jesus, we will think and act as citizens of the eternal kingdom, representing Jesus and pointing to Him.

Even though we live in the tension of the “already but not yet” — signifying that the kingdom is here now, but not in its fullness — we want to embrace the “nowness” of the kingdom. We want to demonstrate the goodness of Jesus as we bear fruit in every good work. We want to proclaim the goodness of Jesus as we point others toward Him in all opportunities.

Then Paul concludes this chapter by stating that his everyday efforts are to preach Christ and help bring all (that word again) believers into maturity in Christ. These are the same goals and work-related priorities for GCI today as we enter a New Year.

I am Greg Williams speaking to you about the life of the church and wishing you a “Happy New Year” in the Lord!

We invite you to join us for this U.S. Home Church sermon by Greg Williams. Clothed in Christ

P.S. Our hearts and prayers go out to our members, friends, and all victims who are suffering from the devastation caused by the wildfires in southern California. The multiple fires have been fueled by the strong Santa Anna winds, and we continue to beseech Jesus to calm the winds and for the fires to be put out. We have been able to work with our local pastors to be able to get emergency funds to our members who have lost their homes and possessions. And yet there will be long-term effects, and rebuilding houses and lives will take years. Let’s not languish in our prayer support or allow this catastrophic event to become old news while people continue to suffer. More information about the GCI Disaster Relief Fund is available here.

We also pray for the people of Southeast Australia who are facing extreme fire risk due to dry conditions and a heatwave.
When one suffers, we all suffer.
Greg Williams

Devotional—Creator of Stars

There are moments in life that pull us out of the ordinary and fill us with awe. One such moment happened when my son Abel invited me to Joshua Tree National Park in California to witness the Milky Way.

Joshua Tree is one of the best places to see the Milky Way during a new moon. My wife joined us, along with my son David and his wife, Holli. We packed folding chairs, a telescope, and binoculars, and set out for a night in the wilderness.

As we gazed upward, the sight that met our eyes left us speechless. The Milky Way stretched across the sky, a shimmering river of stars that declared the infinite creativity of God. Sitting there, surrounded by my family and the vastness of the cosmos, I couldn’t help but reflect on the words of King David.

What is man that you are mindful of him? Psalm 8:4

The sheer magnitude of creation was staggering. Here we were, on a small planet in a vast universe, yet God, the Creator of all, is mindful of us.

On the quiet drive back, I felt an overwhelming sense of God’s presence. It was as though the night sky itself was a canvas painted with His love for humanity — a love that sustains not only us but the entire universe.

As you go about your day, pause to take in the wonder of creation. Whether it’s the sunrise, the stars at night, or the gentle breeze, remember that the Creator of all this beauty loves and cares for you personally. You are not forgotten.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the beauty of Your creation and for reminding us of Your majesty. Help us to see Your hand in the ordinary and extraordinary moments of our lives. May we always be in awe of Your love, knowing that You hold both the universe and our hearts in Your hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

By Bermie Dizon, Elder
Glendora, CA, US

Note: This was adapted with permission, from God, in Every Step, a 52-week devotional that invites readers to recognize God’s presence in the everyday moments of life.

Kingdom Living—Gathering to Celebrate Christ

As we continue to move forward in our commitment to Healthy Church, we’re focusing on aspects of Kingdom Culture, our theme for 2025. This theme invites us to identify deeply as citizens of God’s kingdom and encourages us to actively participate.

As citizens of the kingdom, what’s important to us? It matters that we acknowledge whose kingdom we belong to — orienting our lives around Christ. One of the ways we do this is to rehearse the story of the gospel through the worship calendar.

Enjoy the following pictures of GCI members gathering during the Advent and Christmas seasons to worship together and to encourage one another with the good news of Jesus’ birth and incarnation.

Cape Town, Republic of South Africa

Myanmar

Bangladesh

Bicol, Luzon, Philippines

Kingdom Living—Share Your Experiences

Would you help us highlight our 2025 theme, Kingdom Culture?

Through Update, we want to stay connected as a global family and learn from one another. Would you be willing to help us? Send us your pictures and stories of how your congregation is collectively living as citizens of the kingdom! Email elizabeth.mullins@gci.org

Epiphany Season Practices

Click here or the image below to learn more about practices for Epiphany.

Prayer Guide—January 2025

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” — Martin Luther

Join us in a month of focused prayer for our neighbors, our church, and our mission. See the January prayer guide here or click the image below.

Would you like to receive this Prayer Guide straight to your email inbox before the first of the month? Sign up here.

Prayer Request Update

Dear Friends,

My recent CAT results are in, and the picture is far from rosy. The scan shows a clear advance of my illness, particularly in the liver and the lungs. My oncologist said he would tell his other patients, “It’s over.” He said in my case, he would not say so since until now, I’ve beaten all survival odds. I responded that it was not my own efforts that have been keeping me alive, but God.

Without delay, I began a new cycle of chemo treatment yesterday. The treatment has been adjusted to a “more aggressive” level. It is my 37th cycle.

I wish I could share better news with you, but we must recognize the situation as it is. Your prayers are an anchor of hope. Thanks for not giving up on me.

Together we are stronger!
Santiago Lange, Elder
Stuttgart, Germany

santiago.lange@gci.org

Save the Date

The Denominational Celebration
will be held
in Dallas, Texas, U.S.
on July 23-26, 2026.

Please mark your calendars. More information will be made available in mid-2025.

We’re Hiring

GCI is hiring!

Two full-time positions are now open at the Grace Communion International (GCI) Home Office in Charlotte, NC, U.S.

The Media Coordinator position is currently available, and applications are being accepted. See the job description here.

The Assistant Operations Coordinator position is currently available, and applications are being accepted. See the job description here.

If you would like further details on either position or would like a GCI job application, please contact Human Resources at humanresources@gci.org or 980-495-3960.

Please share this announcement with qualified candidates who may be gifted for either position at the Home Office.