Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9rZUQJIruY
Author: Elizabeth Mullins
Praise for Our Pastors
Devotional – Not I But Christ
The apostle Paul was a remarkable man of God and his posture of complete reliance on Jesus speaks to us today.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 KJV)
This is a case where the King James Version really got it right. The life found in Christ is also sustained by the faith of Jesus in the believer. It is not a self-sustaining life, rather a Jesus-dependent life. His faith, his hope, his love imparted to us, are moving us closer to being more like him.
Compared to our lives, Paul’s life seems spectacular. Yet Paul eagerly wants us to know that Jesus is just as real to us as he was to him.
It was Jesus who found Saul and transformed him into Paul, who became the prolific apostle. Let me suggest it is always Jesus who finds us. It his goodness and kindness that leads us to repentance, not human-engineered goodness (Romans 2:4).
It is important to note that Paul never forgot where he came from and what his former life was like.
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:15)
Paul saw himself as the chief of all sinners. In this personal letter to Timothy, he is assuring Timothy that the focused purpose of Jesus is to save sinners (all of us). And, if Paul himself could be saved, everybody else is salvageable too. This brings us back to the “Not I, but Christ theme.”
As I continue to read through Paul’s writings, I am continually reminded just how Christ-centric Paul is. Consider how many times Paul uses the phrase, “in Christ.”
Being in Christ may seem like something beyond our physical comprehension. The Bible speaks to this concept in several descriptive ways. Jesus tells Nicodemus you must be born again (John 3:3, 5). Paul speaks to becoming a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Then in his letter to the Ephesians he talks about being redeemed and adopted as sons and daughters.
When Christ saves us, by the Spirit, he places us within his own sphere and joins us to him. We belong to him. As the praise song says, “I am yours, and you are mine.” There is a closeness and a union that is not fragile nor dependent on our daily emotions or good works. We are united with him because of him. We are “in Christ.” Hallelujah!
During this month when we show our appreciation to our pastors, it is fitting to conclude with Paul’s words, “Follow me, as I follow Jesus.” And it is his good pleasure to be doing his good work in us. This gives assurance beyond assurance.
Prayer:
Lord, be with the pastors around the world. Give them peace, resting on the truth that Christ is alive in us. Bless them with wisdom and discernment as they follow you, Jesus. In your strong name, you are our assurance. Amen!
By Greg Williams, President
President’s Video – Pastor Appreciation
Volunteers Needed!
GCI BUZZ—Integration
Welcome to GCI Buzz! What is GCI Buzz? It’s a tool we use to recap GCI buzzwords and terminology — definitions at a glance.
This month’s GCI Buzz defines integration and describes ways to create a welcoming space for guests. #gcibuzz
Click on the image below to check out the full PDF.
Death of Tracey Rogers
Tracey was a retired pastor, who served in Jacksonville, Florida. On August 26, 2022, at the age of 86, he died in Colorado. The following was written by Pastor Marty Davey, who served with Tracey.
Our dear brother and faithful GCI minister, Tracey Rogers, recently passed. Tracey and his wife, Judi, moved from Jacksonville about 4 years ago to live near their daughter and family in Colorado. He and Judi have been living of late in a very nice, assisted living facility together.
Tracey’s family held a memorial service for him in Colorado. They plan to bring his ashes to Florida in the future, to scatter them where he loved his life and precious wife, whom he met on the beach in Jacksonville.
Tracey passed, having completed his pilgrimage and sojourn in this mortal life. As was so eloquently said in Acts 7, we join with Tracey in saying with him, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Well done, Tracey – you have been a good and faithful servant!
Cards may be sent to:
Judi Rogers
c/o Morningstar Assisted Living & Memory Care
575 Tantra Drive
Boulder, CO 80395
Connect Group—Miramar, FL, US
The U.S. Southeastern region hosted a webinar series early in 2021, facilitated by Ted Johnston, featuring our We Believe curriculum. Ted emphasized how instructive and impactful this tool can be for discipleship and spiritual formation in the Faith Avenue. Several congregations in our region began engaging the We Believe content with their connect (small) groups.
GCI Miramar (Florida) and Pastor Charles Taylor reaped another “graduating” class that completed the We Believe series! The held a special meal to celebrate. I’m grateful for their willingness and diligence to engage trinitarian theology and its implications for life and mission in and with our triune God.
Would you like to learn more about We Believe? Check out the We Believe workbook which explores our core beliefs with individual study and communal discussions: We Believe Workbook
Congratulations to the GCI Miramar We Believe graduates. Praise God!
By Anthony Mullins
Regional Director, Southeast U.S.
Devotional—Listening for Encouragement
Editor’s Note: Our overarching theme for devotions during the five months of the liturgical calendar called Ordinary Time is Jesus is sending his church. Using Michael Frost’s B.E.L.L.S. acronym as a framework, the topics will relate to missional living.
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- As “sent” people, we are invited to…
- bless others generously, in word and deed (July),
- eat with others hospitably (August),
- listen to the Spirit while engaging with others (September),
- learn Jesus’ teachings as a disciple (October),
- and, sent people share the good news with others (November)
Silent battles are being fought every day. Many people daily are tripping over every obstacle of doubt and frustration. We have seen how many people faced seemingly insurmountable challenges during the past two years. And we have been encouraged to be kind to one another because we are not aware of the silent battles that the next person is facing. 
How are you? Are you almost at the end of your rope? Are you feeling lost and barely hanging on to the hope that is being eaten up by wave upon wave of discouragement?
Can we listen to the Holy Spirit for encouragement? And can we share encouragement as we listen to our friends and neighbors express their frustrations and troubles? Read Paul’s encouragement.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (NIV)
Paul urges us “therefore, we do not lose heart…” stemming from a faith conviction, not merely a positive courageous attitude. Notice the contrasts in the words of the apostle. We’re wasting away outwardly, yet inwardly being renewed. Though our troubles seem to go on forever, are but momentary. While the weight of our troubles may seem heavy, he declares them as light – and they are achieving for us an eternal glory that outweighs all. The wasting away of our outer self corresponds to our mortal frame going through the hardships mentioned in verses 7 -12 of the previous chapter. God who has shaped us assures that we do not simply walk alongside him, but in him we live, move, and have our being. We are being renewed within the reality of his love.Our joy in this life is not contingent upon our circumstances. He can make our heart to sing even in time of difficulty. He can give us joy that is deeper than our suffering. We can trust our God. We can learn to enjoy this journey through the freedom of faith-filled expectation.Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank you for carrying us through our difficulties. We surrender everything in your hands. We may not see everything nor understand all these painful challenges, but we trust your heart. Use these difficult experiences to renew us from the inside out. Empower us to listen for your voice. And equip us to be good listeners to others, sharing your voice of hope as they need it. Amen.
By Rex Dela Pena
Pastor and The Philippines Leadership Development Coordinator
Back-to-School Carnival—Glendora, CA, US
We attribute the success of our kids’ back-to-school carnival to the Holy Spirit and the prayers of many who partnered with us in the weeks leading up to the event. Every Sunday for three months, members and friends of GCI Glendora were encouraged to pray for enough volunteers and for God’s will for the carnival.
A week before the event, our Love Avenue champion took the initiative of emailing and mailing out a specific prayer list of what to pray for before, during, and after the carnival. We prayed not just for ourselves and the volunteers, but also for the Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts of the neighbors who would come. Some members performed a “prayer walk” in the surrounding neighborhoods, while going door-to-door to pass out fliers announcing the carnival.
We are compelled by the love of God to serve our neighborhood – that’s our central reason behind neighborhood engagement. Specifically, we held this initial event because we desired to:
• get to know our neighborhood and have some fun with them,
• allow the neighborhood to get to know us and know that we exist,
• bring about a change of mindset from inward to outward,
• provide training for volunteers to be more effective at future activities, and
• create an opportunity to celebrate obedience to God’s call to reach out and serve, regardless of the outcome.
Our goals for the carnival were:
• to give people a good time,
• to start getting to know kids in our neighborhood,
• to help the kids have a good time. Every player wins a prize.
We would have been content if only two kids had attended – but we were amazed and grateful that approximately 200 people showed up! All our neighborhood engagement and carnival preparation has been an act of faith in our God who provides so much more than we expect or imagine.
Through this new Love Avenue experience, we are learning the slow and consistent process of getting to know our neighborhood and how we can best serve with the gifts we already have. It’s as if God is saying to us, “Trust Me. Watch and see what I will do through your obedience to me.”
By Jillian Morrison
Associate Pastor, Glendora, California
