Dear GCI Family and Friends,
This issue I have asked Vice President Heber Ticas to be a guest writer. Heber is also the Church Multiplications Ministry (CMM) Coordinator. He explains how CMM is working to support new church plants and church relaunches to help GCI-USA move forward as we join Jesus as he expands his eternal kingdom. The dawning of new churches and revitalized existing churches are markers of healthy church and move us forward in our vision to be the healthiest expression of church we can possibly be.
From the inception of the church, God chose to expand his kingdom through her witness, calling people out of brokenness and into a wholesome relationship with the triune God. King Jesus’ earthly ministry began with the proclamation of the arrival of the kingdom:
Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15 ESV
Jesus’ kingdom proclamation was such that it called for hearts and minds to respond to the divine king, who has descended into our human experience as one of us, and is drawing humanity out of the depths of isolation and into a living relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the book of Revelation, the apostle John paints a glorious image of the fulfillment of this reality when he says.
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God.” Revelation 5:9-10 ESV
God’s redemptive mission from all of eternity was to reconcile humanity to himself. It is in and through king Jesus and by the power of the Spirit, that people from every tribe, language, and nation respond to the proclamation of the gospel. And as people come to know him, this beautiful mosaic of the kingdom of God begins to take shape.
Read More His kingdom continues to expand as he continues to draw people to himself. The church becomes the means through which this expansion takes place. The church does not build the kingdom, but she bears witness to the coming kingdom. Her participation in bearing witness to the coming kingdom takes place through the planting of gospel-centered churches who multiply disciples, leaders, ministries, and new churches. Church multiplication is rooted in the Great Commission where Jesus calls us to make disciples of all nations. He emphasizes the sending nature of the church and commissions her to go and join him in this continual enterprise of kingdom expansion.
In GCI, we desire to be part of this heavenly enterprise of expanding the kingdom through the multiplication of new expressions of the church. Our unified vision is to become the healthiest global expression of the church that we could possibly be. Church Multiplication Ministries (CMM) exist with this ultimate purpose in mind. Alongside the U.S. National Ministry Team, CMM provides vision, strategic leadership, consulting, and equipping. We yearn to continuously witness existing congregations be renewed in such a way that missional living, disciple making with Jesus, and leadership development become the deep-rooted culture of the church. We are continually providing consulting and training to congregations who are currently being replanted or relaunched. We are coming alongside those congregations that are developing teams to eventually plant/launch a new expression of the church and assisting those who are currently starting new ones.
This year CMM has been actively supporting Pastor Julie Franz, providing consulting and strategic direction as she navigates the merger of two congregations in Cincinnati, Ohio. With the merger, the congregation has greater potential for missional movement. We have also been providing support to Pastor Anthony Mullins who is in the process of planting a congregation in Durham, North Carolina. Last October, CMM sponsored a “Dream Huddle” at our MTC in Surrey Hills, Oklahoma. The “Dream Huddle” was a gathering of some missionally-minded pastors and leaders who came alongside a group of leaders from the Surrey Hills congregation for equipping on best practices for missional living and the process of starting new expressions of the church.
Kingdom expansion through church multiplication encompasses missional living, discipleship, leadership development, and intentionally seeking the lead of the Spirit to provide strategic direction in joining Jesus’ mission in our world. It is a prodding of the Spirit to move beyond addition and into multiplication at every level, including multiplying churches. In GCI, we aspire to become a church multiplication movement, and CMM is at the center of this vision.
We pray that our Lord continues to grant us the joy of participating with him in drawing people of all tribes, nations, and languages through multiplying churches that multiply and point others to the coming kingdom. We will sing the “new song” along with those who God will draw to himself through the church multiplication efforts of GCI.
Joyfully participating with Jesus,
Heber Ticas, Vice President
Dear GCI Family and Friends,