Faith, Hope, and Love in Action has been the theme of GCI for 2023. Our superintendents and their teams of leaders have been teaching, coaching, and supervising to help our “Team Based—Pastor Led” congregations become intentionally focused and active in the ministry Avenues of Jesus.
What will it look like as these efforts take root? Allow me to paint word pictures of Healthy Church.
Love Avenue
Let’s assume that the Love Avenue champion has been identified and is in place, and that a capable team of missionally-minded people is empowered to organize and mobilize the congregation into relational activities outside the walls of the church and into the surrounding neighborhood. Are you with me?
We can also assume that under the pastor’s guidance, exegetical work has been done. First, the neighborhood’s demographics and rhythm of activities and events have been clearly researched and identified. In a parallel project, an exegesis of the people who make up the congregation is also being done. What are their backgrounds and life experiences? What strategic relationships and connections do they have? What spiritual gifting is present? What passions are expressed by the collective group?
The exegetical work of both neighborhood and congregation leads to some initial planning. What events will the church sponsor? And a very important second question, what will be the come-back event? Are there places and spaces where the congregation can join in with community events or community agencies?
Along with the pastor and other Avenue champions, the Love Avenue champion will consider the congregation’s annual calendar of events and annual budget. The calendar needs consideration for the flow alongside the activities and events of the other Avenues to create a harmony of church life. The budget needs attention to make sure we count the cost of the efforts we will sponsor. And a budget should reflect the missional vision and priorities of the congregation.
We have a long history of doing weekly worship services. However, it is like other routine activities; after so much repetition, our worship services can become stale and lose a sense of purpose and excitement.
Hope Avenue champions and their teams provide a fresh start to recapture what we do to ensure an inspirational weekly worship service. The preparation for a Sunday service does not happen the night before or the morning of. The Hope Avenue teams are seeing that an inspirational service requires intentional planning. Planning meetings may need to be held weekly for a while as you reestablish fresh ideas and approaches.
The Hope Avenue team is an important cog in the wheel too. They see a broader picture than simply having good sets of worship music. The team works toward providing clear signage, welcoming greeters, church information services, quality coffee and snacks, clean restrooms, well-functioning sound systems, children’s classes, and well-prepared, Christ-centered preaching following the seasons of the worship calendar. The Hope Avenue is crafted as a safe, friendly environment where the love of Christ is expressed and experienced. Now that’s the church we all want to attend!
The responsibility of the Faith Avenue champion and team is broad. Helping members from all ages and stages of life to grow in their walk with Jesus and within the community of the church is a high calling.
Offering strategically designed connect groups in a well-crafted seasonal rotation is key to meeting the needs of the multi-generational church members. There will be classes offered for “New Believers” at least once a year (veteran members can brush up too). There will be connect groups that support the Love Avenue by providing places of soft entry into the church community. Connect groups can include multiple topics and styles. They might include targeted Bible studies, book clubs, marriage enrichment classes and discussions, racial awareness classes, etc.
The Faith Avenue team will have organizational oversight of neighborhood youth camps, church campouts, church picnics, and the sharing of communion with members who are unable to attend the Hope Avenue gathering. Once again, under the leadership eye of the pastor and coordinated along with the other Avenue champions, the Faith Avenue efforts will need to fit the calendar and the budget as well.
A well-run Faith Avenue demonstrates the church being the church between Sundays. It’s a church we are called to be a part of as we actively participate with Jesus in his mission and ministry!
Hopefully you will click on the links for each of the Avenue resources to take advantage of the helpful ideas and recommendations. Another wonderful opportunity for higher academic support is through Grace Communion Seminary. GCS is offering diplomas in the focused areas of faith, hope, and love. The diploma is a 21-credit hour program comprised of seven courses that will help the learner to think more theologically and become even more grounded in the ministry expressions of Jesus.
We celebrate GCS in this issue of Update. We congratulate them on the recent graduation ceremony that took place in North Carolina and support their continued commitment to educate ministry leaders and pastors all across the global regions of GCI. Read more about the commencement ceremony here.
On the road to healthy churches, Greg Williams
P.S. We held our Denominational Celebration early this month. Look for my recap in our next issue, August 9.
Join us in communion and corporate prayer this month as we thank God for the good work he includes us in.
“We want to go to God for answers, but sometimes what we get is God’s presence.” ― Nadia Bolz-Weber
Click the here or the image below to download and print the July Prayer Guide, as we celebrate how God is working in and among our fellowships. #WeAreGCI
We are excited to announce that GCI clothing and accessories are now available as part of our Denominational Celebration! Represent our fellowship and reflect your personal style. Shop now, by clicking on the image below.
We chose the vendor for our on-demand store based on their high-quality and ethically sourced items, as well as their ability to ship internationally. However, please note that the shipping costs are per item. You can get detailed shipping information here.
On 5 February 2023, the GCI congregation in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands celebrated its 10-year anniversary. We thanked and honoured God with exuberant songs, in a service led and provided by the women of the congregation. Seventy-five people attended, including several guests.
Pastor Makoti
Pastor Matendo Makoti explained that we should never be discouraged. God’s work is sometimes slow with setbacks and successes, but always know that your efforts are not in vain in the Lord! “But let us give thanks to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)
Together with me, Pastor Matendo Makoti stood at the cradle of the congregation. We are also very grateful for the wise counsel and support from Santiago Lange, the then mission developer from Germany.
At the end of 2011, I met Matendo, his family, and his brother-in-law, Kuba Kone. They had come to the Netherlands from the refugee camp in Kenya, under the resettlement programme. They were settled near Leeuwarden. Leeuwarden is a city/municipality in the province of Friesland.
In 2012, we began by meeting in Matendo or Kuba Kone’s house for Bible studies. We did that for about 18 months, with short sermons, music, and hospitality. As more and more new adults and children arrived, the need for a congregation arose. On 3 February 2013, the congregation was planted in the Frisian countryside!
Santiago Lange was involved in the leadership meetings and together we explained who GCI is and what we stand for. The statement of faith and other GCI articles were translated into Swahili by a brother in Kenya. After prayer and advice, it seemed right to appoint Brother Matendo Makoti with Mapendo, his wife, as pastor.
In the first few years, I went to Leeuwarden every month as national pastor. Planting a congregation is one thing, continuing to build a congregation through trial and error is something that takes a lot of time and prayer. Prior to 2017, there was a sharp drop in numbers due to different challenges. But God kept speaking to us not to give up, and we listened to this.
In October 2017, Matendo and his team found space in their current building in Leeuwarden. The congregation has become more stable and grown again. There is now peace, love, and joy. We are grateful to God for his presence, faithfulness, and leadership during these years. In all the ups and downs, we have experienced his presence.
We’ve had three baptisms, and 15 children were born in the recent period. We thank and praise God for the growth and challenges and look to the future with confidence in the Lord!
By Frans Danenberg, Pastor Almere, The Netherlands
We need all three Avenues to collaborate to be a healthy expression of the church. We’re healthiest when we are worshipping Christ together (Hope), building relationships in connect groups (Faith), and letting the love of Jesus flow out into our neighborhood (Love).
This month’s GCI Buzz defines the word “champion” and contextualizes the role within GCI culture. #gcibuzz
Editor’s Note: For our Ordinary Time Devotional series, you will be hearing entirely from young authors. They will be sharing their perspectives on the theme, “God is in the streets.” Enjoy reading how the next generation of emerging GCI leaders experiences God outside the walls of the Sunday church gathering.
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT
As someone who does not have a driver’s license yet, I am forced to walk or take public transportation. This includes times of waiting—for the bus, for the next stop, and for fellow travelers to get on or off. I am a person who does not like waiting and gets annoyed by the time wasted. In my hurry and frustration, I fail to appreciate what’s in front of me.
I wonder if we have the same approach to God’s timing. We have been so used to fast-paced living that we forget our God is not in a hurry. Our Savior entered the world as a baby. He could have saved us in a second, but he waited twelve years to even start his ministry (Luke 2:49). We also see in creation how God makes beautiful things in his time through seasons, towering trees that were once a seed, and mountains formed by the slow movement of tectonic plates.
May we remember that our God is working in every moment, even those that feel futile. May we surrender to our God who holds everything together when we don’t see what’s ahead of us. Lastly, may we be present to a God who is already present with us.
Prayer: Father, Jesus, and Spirit, we thank you that you are with us. Every breath we take is a gift from you and a reminder of your involvement in our lives. Lead us to be still and know that you are at work. Guide us to rest in you so that we may enjoy your presence as you do with us. Amen.
The GCI National Advisory Council for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (U.S.) has been doing good work for our denomination. For this month’s presidential letter, I have invited the Council’s co-facilitator Jeff Broadnax to give us a timely update. (Dishon Mills is the other facilitator.) Much of the Council’s work is done behind the scenes, so it is appropriate to provide an overview of their focus and list the action steps that have been taken. I thank Jeff, Dishon, and the Council for helping us tackle the societal challenges that easily divide. They do this with the posture of beginning with Jesus, seeing Jesus in the process and knowing that all things wrap up in him. Jesus is truly the one agenda.
Greg
Pentecost represents God’s intentional declaration of racial, ethnic, gender, and generational diversity and inclusion within his kingdom mission. The church celebrated Pentecost last month so it is timely to give an update from the GCI National Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the U.S.
We continue seeking the Lord’s discernment for ways GCI can reflect the unity and diversity of the Triune God in a fractured nation. In the U.S., the racial, religious, socio-political divisions have metastasized both in our citizens and within the Body of Christ to the point that even the terms diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) create inner conflict for many. Some in GCI have wondered if the denomination has become political or taken our eyes off Christ to embrace a secular agenda by using DEI language.
The answer to all those concerns is a resounding NO! The Council has only one agenda, his name is Jesus! But Scripture does charge believers to be awake and have the eyes of their hearts spiritually enlightened (Eph. 1:17-19).
God’s desire in Jesus’ reconciling work is to end the hostility of “us vs them” thinking, and be committed to making this message known through the church (Eph. 2:15b-16, 3:10).
To that end, here are highlights of what the Council has been up to since 2020.
Oct. 2020 – Nov. 2021: The Council met monthly to pray, study, assess, and discuss areas to celebrate God’s work in GCI regarding racial, gender, cultural, and generational diversity and healing. We also discerned and recommended areas for improvement.
Nov. 2021: The Council recommended GCI hire a Christ-centered consultant to provide specific training to our U.S. leadership to facilitate racial healing, spiritual oneness, diversity, and inclusion within our culture, media, and messaging at the national, regional, and congregational levels. We prayerfully assessed five potential consultants and recommended Pastor Miles McPherson’s biblically based program called The Third Option Similarity Training.
April 2022: President Greg Williams announced the selection of the Third Option Training saying, “This DEI initiative is not a passing fad. Rather, we intend it to be a permanent cultural shift within GCI, and the training will continue to be passed along to our U.S. pastors and churches over the next couple of years.”
Sept.2022: Thirty members from the GCI Home Office, GCI Board, the regional directors, and the Council experienced the training with Miles McPherson at the Home Office in Charlotte.
Oct. 2022: Pastors Annette Nettles, Al Talison, Tracy Winborne, and Charles Young officially rotated off the Council after faithfully serving an initial two-year commitment. We’re grateful for their service.
Dec.2022: An agreement was reached between GCI and Miles McPherson to train 10 leaders to facilitate the Third Option Similarity Training. Eight leaders would be trained from the U.S. and one from the Caribbean.
Jan. 2023: Karina De La Rosa, Kairis Colter-Chiari, Bermie Dizon, Philip Doele, and Jose Lopez were added as members of the Council.
May 2023: The following seven Council members became trainers of The Third Option: Bermie Dizon, Tamar Gray, Terry McDonald, Dishon Mills, John Newsom, Gabriel Ojih, and Ron Washington. Additional trainers are Susan McKie (U.S.) and Michael Mitchell (Caribbean). Stay tuned for future rollout of the training in 2024.
Susan Mckie, Lake Tahoe, NVMichael Mitchell, Kingston, Jamaica
What’s Next?
The National Advisory Council for DEI will continue seeking the Spirit’s direction to equip and encourage local leaders and pastors to engage and empower their congregations, as Greg Williams stated, “to participate with Christ more purposefully and actively in his ministry of reconciliation.”
Just as on Pentecost, we pray GCI members will boldly declare the wonders of God with diversity, equity, and inclusion, knowing the Body of Christ only has one agenda—his name is Jesus!
Jeff Broadnax, Regional Director Northeast
Editor’s Note: Typically, Update is published twice a month, but we’re taking a break after the Denominational Celebration. We’ll be back in your inbox July 26.
This spring we partnered with a business owner in our community for an engagement event. We hosted Mark’s Ark at our church building and invited the neighborhood.
Mark is an animal handler who shares wild animals to entertain and educate people. During his safe and humorous presentation, the audience is permitted to pet or hold the animals. Mark brought with him a potbelly pig, an American alligator, two Tangerine Ringneck doves, a white goose, a hedgehog, two ball python snakes, two leopard geckos, and a chinchilla.
We had the opportunity to engage with 21 people who joined us from the neighborhood. More than half the participants were children. They loved holding and petting the animals.
The GCI East Africa conference, held April 4 – 9, was a wonderful gathering. We were honored to host GCI President, Dr. Greg Williams, and Heber Ticas. Heber is the Superintendent of Latin America and Spanish-speaking areas.
This year the conference was hosted by my region in Kenya. The East Africa region did splendid work planning and hosting. I’m very grateful for the hard work and commitment shown by our local leaders. GCI Africa Superintendent, Kalengule Kaoma, led the African team of regional directors: Emmanuel Okai (West), Gardner Kunje (Central), Takalani Musekwa (Southern), and Anthony Gachanja (East). Delegates attended from Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Ghana, South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Southern Sudan, and Kenya.
The theme of the conference was “Hope Avenue: Inclusive Participation.” All presentations and activities revolved around this theme. Conference delegates were challenged to be intentional in practicing what they learned from the meetings. Maundy Thursday service was one example. Participants enjoyed the gathering and fellowship of the Lord’s Supper. Exceptional inclusiveness was also demonstrated at our Resurrection Sunday service through song, dance, communion, and a shared meal.
Greg and Heber were showered with love from Africa. It was exciting to see members taking pictures with the president. It was a demonstration of their love for the denomination and its president. Greg did not turn anyone away who wanted to have a picture or a short discussion with him.
After the conference, Greg led the African cohort on a safari drive in Maasai Mara, the leading national park in Kenya. It was a good way to unwind.
The delegates shared wonderful comments regarding GCI leadership. This comment sums up the feedback about GCI leadership: “We don’t just teach concepts, we live them.” When we speak of our vision of Healthy Church, health is demonstrated in leaders first. It was not a struggle for the delegates to observe health in the leaders. Feeling invigorated, we are now back to the business of practicing Healthy Church.
Anthony, pictured with Greg Williams and his wife, Jane
Anthony Gachanja, Regional Director of East Africa Nairobi, Kenya
