Kingdom Joy

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

Nestled in chapter 14 of Romans is an amazing verse that gives us a deeper understanding of the kingdom of God.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17

Paul’s short verse profoundly describes the abundant life humanity has in Christ. It is the “kingdom life,” and its initial blessings we enjoy now with a fullness to come for the entire human family.

Righteousness and peace in the Spirit are huge topics on their own. Today we will develop the spiritual fruit of joy. I am picking out joy because I recently saw the impact this message had with participants in a Kingdom Culture workshop I facilitated in Gold Coast, Australia.

Joy is much more than happiness. Happiness is rooted in “happenings.” What is next? What will stimulate me? Joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It provides contentment whether you are abased or you abound. Situations don’t make or break the joy that resides in a Christ follower.

Joy is entangled with our internal thinking and feelings about self. Do we believe and walk in the reality of what God says about us or does the negative, destructive self-talk hinder our joy?

How many of us are our own worst critic? How many of us dominate ourselves? We have internal thoughts like:

- “I’m not good enough or smart enough” (when we compare ourselves to others, or perhaps we made a B and not an A on a test).
- “I can’t ever get it right” (when we demand perfection from ourselves).
- “I’m such an idiot” (when we identify with labels that others have thrust upon us).
- “Nothing goes right for me” (when perhaps our plane flight was delayed because of bad weather, something totally out of our control).

You get the point.

Devotional—The Wrong Promise

By the Spirit, we can hear Scripture in the light of Jesus, even the stories we’d rather skip. Here’s an example.

[Jephthah’s daughter] said to him, “My father, if you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, now that the Lord has given you vengeance against your enemies, the Ammonites.” Judges 11:36 NRSVUE

Jephthah emerged from a bad family situation to become a military leader. When the Ammonites attacked, he was recruited to fight back, and he vowed to the LORD: if given victory, Jephthah would dedicate to the Lord whatever came out of his house to meet him.

I am sure Jephthah was expecting livestock — a goat or a sheep. Instead, his only daughter, the joy of his life — ran out to greet him. Though he was lost in grief, he felt bound to keep his vow. “Dedicating to the LORD,” in Jephthah’s world, meant death and fire, so he sacrificed her.

Every time I read this story, I feel grief as if it were my own child. I also feel anger — anger that any father could believe God required Jephthah to keep this promise.

Some Bible stories are there to describe what we shouldn’t do. Indeed, some stories show us, to paraphrase Rowan Williams, how things can go so terribly wrong when we terribly misunderstand what God wants.

We understand God rightly by dwelling on the image he has given us in Jesus. We become like what we imagine, and some of our ideas about God come right out of our wrong imagination.

Prayer
May we receive the love of our heavenly Father as Jesus carries us into his presence. May we come to trust the Father as Jesus does. May the Spirit transform our regret and our grief into divine joy.

Matt Royal, Church Plant Team Member
Durham, NC, US

This devotional was adapted with permission from Matt’s blog. Read the full post here.

Kingdom Living—Nurturing New Leaders

GCI India Welcomes New Generation of Leaders

In a spirit of unity and renewal, GCI India joyfully welcomed a new generation of leaders into their boards, marking a significant moment of growth and transition within the church community.

The board of GCI India extended a heartfelt welcome to Miss Selina Sravanthi, Mrs. Shashi, and Mr. Ajay Allam. They were elected to serve on the board, bringing with them vibrant energy and deep commitment to the church’s mission. Their appointment reflects the church’s dedication to nurturing young leadership.

Mr. Om Prakash was elected as the Chairperson of Administrative Leadership, a role that carries great responsibility and trust. His leadership is expected to guide the church’s operations with wisdom and integrity.

The entire church community came together to warmly welcome the new leaders, offering prayers, encouragement, and support. As the boards embrace this new season, the churches reaffirm their commitment to fostering leadership that reflects Christ’s love and humility.

GCI India welcomes New Preachers

GCI India has officially expanded its speaking team, welcoming Selina Sravanthi, a longtime member and Sunday School coordinator, and Satyanarayana, the church’s translator. Both have been actively involved in ministry and are now stepping into preaching roles to support the church’s mission of delivering spiritually enriching sermons.

The church anticipates a wide variety of messages that will deepen spiritual understanding and encourage growth in faith. Members warmly express enthusiasm for the fresh perspectives they bring to the pulpit. The church looks forward to this new chapter with hope and gratitude, trusting in God’s continued work through his servants.

By the GCI India Newsletter editors,

Shanti Nirale

Praveen Kumar Chintha

Kingdom Citizens’ Toolbox—Empower Leaders

Citizens of God’s kingdom feel that inclusive, cooperative, team-based leadership reflects our triune God. Pastors lead from a posture of multiplication, inviting others into Jesus’ mission through the Church.

Neighhourhood Camps and VBS

Vanasthalipuram, Telangana, India

Vacation Bible School (VBS) is a cherished ministry of the church, designed to reach neighbourhood children and lead them to know and respond to Jesus Christ as guided by the Holy Spirit. In April, GCI India organized a three-day VBS program. Children, volunteers, and teachers came together in a spirit of learning, worship, and fellowship. The theme for VBS 2025 was Forgiveness, centered around the verse: “Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.”

VBS was held on GC Vanasthalipuram’s premises and jointly hosted by them and GC Hyderabad. Each day we welcomed an average of 25 enthusiastic children, supported by eight committed volunteers and six dedicated teachers. The program began each morning with a sumptuous breakfast, followed by a lively time of worship and praise, and a short devotion tailored for the children. The heart of each day was the activity-based classes, which focused on the theme of forgiveness and were designed to be both engaging and spiritually enriching.

The children witnessed the transformative love of God — a love that heals hearts and strengthens the bonds of community. Our prayer is that these lessons will remain with them, guiding their walk in the love and forgiveness of Christ.

Enjoy the following photos of other Neighbourhood Camps.

Market Harborough, Leicestershire, UK

Glendora, California, US

Big Sandy, Texas, US

Surrey Hills, Oklahoma, US

Meet Eleanor Toussaint

“I love God. I have a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus. I love serving him.”

Get to know Eleanor Toussaint, Hope Avenue champion in Queens, New York, U.S. One of her many roles is Sunday school teacher, where she passionately teaches young people about God’s love.

Read her GCI profile here.

GCI Testify

Discover the transformative power of Christ’s love in our new series, GCI Testify. Join us as members from our global fellowship share testimonies of their experiences with Jesus through GCI congregations and ministries. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness firsthand the impact of the Spirit in and through GCI.

Watch the entire series here.

From Equipper—Parable of Leaven

Join us! We invite you to read this article from Equipper.

Subscribe to Equipper today!

By Joshila Philip, India National Ministry Team
Secunderabad, Telangana, India

Recently, when we visited our daughter in the U.S., she introduced us to sourdough bread. (Yes! You read that right; I didn’t know about it before.) She said it was a healthier option than the typical white bread. Later, I learned from “Google university” about the sourdough method. Sourdough is a traditional method of making bread that uses a live fermented culture of flour and water as the leavening agent. It’s known as the sourdough “starter.” I also learned that there are some bakeries across the world making sourdough with starters that have been passed down over centuries, going back generations!

Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.” Matthew 13:33 NKJV

The parable of leaven is one of the shortest parables told by Jesus. It’s followed by another short one, the parable of mustard seed. In both the parables, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to small things, a mustard seed and a leavening agent. A very small portion of leavening agent can leaven a large quantity of flour. While the mustard seed’s growth is visible in the plant, leaven’s action is more hidden, helping the dough increase invisibly. Leaven begins as a small portion, but the entire dough is transformed into the very nature of leaven.

Likewise, the kingdom of heaven and the characteristics of the kingdom culture — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — permeate our surroundings. Kingdom culture spreads to our family, workplace, congregation, and neighbourhood. The kingdom of heaven grows till all humanity has seen it, felt it, or experienced it. The kingdom of heaven and its culture is like yeast — at times seemingly invisible, yet it permeates the whole world. Evil, in all its ugliness, cannot stop it.

Meditating on this parable has encouraged me personally, because the persecution that is happening around us in my country is very worrisome. I have often wondered what the future will be for my children. How are they going to stand up for Christ or live their lives as Christians? Will Christianity withstand the fury and hatred that is often projected onto us as Christians in India? The answer is the parable of leaven. The kingdom of heaven will prevail — because Jesus said it will. Like leaven, it will increase, it will spread, and it will take over, permeate, and influence. And the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

The kingdom is immense, but it’s unfinished. It came to us 2000 years ago in the person of Jesus. With a leaven of 12 faithful disciples living the Great Commission, it spread from an upper room tucked in a little corner of Jerusalem to the whole world. It will continue to spread until Jesus Christ returns in glory. Until that day, let us labour in reaching the unreached, touching the lives that are hurting, and demonstrating the kingdom culture. The parable of leaven illustrates the transformative power of the kingdom of heaven, which starts small but has the potential for significant growth. The parable of leaven signifies the power of small things, small numbers, and small acts. It is a powerful reminder that the kingdom of heaven may start small, but it will achieve its completion.

Dear fellow workers in Christ, like the leaven of the sourdough starter, the kingdom has been passed on to us over generations. The purpose of leaven is to transform from within and transmit its nature; likewise, the purpose of every follower of Christ is to be transformed from within and transmit the kingdom culture to others. Until the Lord returns, let this be our earnest prayer: Dear Lord, the kingdom of heaven has conquered my heart, and it’s taking over everything inside me. Let your work be finished in me and in the world. Let your kingdom come. Amen.

2026 Denominational Celebration

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

Kingdom Living is participatory, relational, and missional.

Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” As citizens of the kingdom and co-laborers with Christ, we are sent into the world to reflect his light. Kingdom Living requires awareness of our calling and our context, seeing our neighborhoods, vocations, and even our sufferings as places where Jesus reigns and sends us.

Kingdom Living is not passive. It is a bold proclamation and a tangible demonstration. We not only speak of the reign of God, but we also show it. Our words align with our works. As image bearers, our relationships become a visible witness to the reality of the kingdom being ushered in.

During this gathering, we’ll explore what it means to live as kingdom people, active participants in God’s mission, deeply rooted in community, and shaped by the presence and authority of Jesus.

Registration information coming soon!

Home Office Part-time Job

GCI is hiring!

The Grace Communion International (GCI) is seeking a qualified applicant for a part-time position in the Home Office in Charlotte, NC, U.S.

The Member and Donor Service Representative/Data Entry Clerk position is currently available, and applications are being accepted. See the job description here.

If you would like further details on the 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 this position at the Home Office.