Elizabeth Mullins – Page 61

Superintendents’ Retreat

Superintendents from the 6 regions around the globe gathered February 13 – 16 for meetings via a cabin retreat on Lake Norman near Charlotte, NC. Unfortunately, only 3 (Gavin Henderson – Europe, Michael Rasmussen – North America & Caribbean, and Heber Ticas – Latin America) of the 6 were able to be there in person but thanks to technology the remaining 3 (Eugene Guzon – Asia, Kalengule Kaoma – Africa, and Daphne Sidney – Australasia) were able to connect via Zoom for all our meetings. Mat Morgan (CFO) joined via Zoom. Michelle Fleming (Communication Director) and Cara Garrity (Development Coordinator) were able to be in person at the lake house to give presentations on Media and Development.

The last time that all 6 had been together was in November of 2019, just a few short months before the infamous Covid-19 hit the world. As much as everyone wanted to be together in person, this was the next best thing. We began our meetings at 7:30 a.m. each morning to accommodate the vast array of time zones represented (some as much as 15 hours difference), so when those of us at the cabin were gathering early in the morning, it was late afternoon and late evening for those connecting via Zoom.

Our cabin at the lake had one entire wall of windows. During one of the meetings several of us (me in particular) were distracted by a bald eagle that flew into a tree eating his large fish. We had to explain to those on Zoom what was happening and why some of us had gotten up to watch more closely. At the end of our time together, we enjoyed taking communion looking out over Lake Norman.

L-R: Susan & Greg Williams, Heber Ticas, Mike Rasmussen, Gavin Henderson, Cara Garrity, Michelle Fleming. Not pictured: Pam Morgan

Even though we were miles apart, we were still able to have great interaction during our meetings and even had some catch-up time before and after. For those meeting in person, we had lots of time to build deeper relationships and encourage one another on our different journeys both in the workplace and personal lives.

When we set the dates, we did not figure in the Super Bowl game. A couple people were diehard fans, and some were just ok with sitting around and chatting. We even had a chart on who would win (Gavin did quite well considering he got his answers from the internet).

During our down time, we had the opportunity to play some rousing games of dominos, Phase 10, and Code Names. All the games brought lots of laughter.

We look forward to June 28 – July 2, 2023, when we will all hopefully be together for the Denomination Celebration. As this group of leaders continues to spend more time together, it is obvious that the Holy Spirit is moving through each of them as they lead in their respective areas the vision of healthy church.

By Pam Morgan
Operations Coordinator

Devotional—The Lost Son

Luke 15:11-32 NIV

²⁰So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
²¹“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
²²“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

The scriptures are filled with wonderful stories, poems, historical accounts, and prophesies, but there is one story that really speaks to my heart. It’s the story of the “Lost Son” or the “Prodigal Son” found in Luke 15:11-32. This is not just a story or a simple parable, but it reveals the deep things of God. Remember Jesus is the one sharing this story. This is critical, because Jesus came and put on flesh for a few reasons, but one of the crucial ones was to reveal the Father to humanity. Jesus tells his disciples that no one has seen the Father – except the Son (John 1:18). Jesus is telling this story specifically to reveal the Father’s heart, character, and unconditional love for his children – ALL his children.

In this story a man has two sons. The younger son decides he doesn’t want to wait for his inheritance upon his father’s death. Instead, he demands his inheritance now. He then goes off to spend his inheritance on wild living in a foreign country. Things do not go well for this son – and that’s putting it mildly. In time, the son gets sick of his wayward life and decides to go home. In his brokenness, he is willing to forfeit his sonship and serve as a lowly servant to his father. Well, to make a great story short, he arrives home only to find his father waiting and hungering for his return. This selfish and sinful son is lovingly accepted back into the family and restored to full sonship. The amazing part of this story is that Jesus is telling all of us that our sins do not separate us from the Father—except in our minds and hearts (Colossians 1:21). Jesus has made a way for all of mankind by living a perfect life in our place, then willingly to trading his life for ours. We can accept this unbelievable offer from Jesus, but we cannot add to it. He is the Alpha and the Omega and everything in between. Salvation is found in no other name under heaven.

Lord, let us trust completely in you and your love. Help us to stop trying to be lord of our lives and trust in your will and timing. We love you and thank you for your amazing and unconditional love. Help us to see others around us with this same kind of love and help us to not look at anyone from a worldly point of view because of what you have done for all of us!

By Mike Rasmussen
Superintendent of North America & Canada

Meet Sondra Peters

“Being involved with children energizes me. When a child shows interest in learning about God, that is the ultimate boost that gives me a charge for a long time!” Check out this month’s GCI Profile to get to know Sondra Peters, member of Grace Fellowship, the GCI congregation in Clarksville, Tennessee. To read her full profile, click the image below. #WeAreGCI

GCI’s 3-Year Plan Toward Healthy Church

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

The story of Nehemiah and his team rebuilding the wall around the city of Jerusalem has often inspired me. While being cupbearer to the king of Persia, Nehemiah was concerned that Jerusalem had been destroyed and the people were scattered. He lamented over this situation, weeping, praying, and confessing that Israel had forsaken God. As he prayed, a plan began to form for rebuilding the wall.

Nehemiah asked God to act on his behalf for favor from the king and provisions for the project. Invariably, in an enterprise of this scope, there are factors over which one has no control, so God must arrange them. (“Unless the Lord builds the house, the workers toil in vain.” Psalm 127:1) The king not only granted permission for Nehemiah to return to Israel, but he also made provision for Nehemiah to procure all the necessary building materials.

Nehemiah went to Jerusalem, and just as he had heard, he found the wall in ruins. He became more aware of the list of original inhabitants—Ammonites, Amorites, Amalekites, Hittites, Jebusites, and Perizzites. Any of these “ites” that remained in the land could be an enemy and a continual threat to Israel and its temple if a wall was not built and secured. It took courage and resolve for Nehemiah and his delegation to undertake this project.

Certainly, Nehemiah was a visionary leader, a pioneer, to see the possibility of a restored wall and a restored Jerusalem. But how would he rally the people to accomplish the fulfillment of the vision? Nehemiah was insightful to see how people are inclined to participate more fully if their efforts are in their own backyard. He rallied the families of Israel to first build the sections of the wall that were adjacent to their property and neighborhood. This coming together worked well to accomplish the great task before them.

How does the story of Israel and Nehemiah speak into the life of GCI in the 21^st century? First, we have recognized that our church has not been in the state of health that we desire. As your President, I have lamented this for some time, and I know that many of our leaders and members have shared my concerns. I am the first one to confess to our Triune God that we have not been as intentional and active in making disciples as a healthy church should, nor have we been as intentional and active in equipping the saints for ministry as we should. We need to collectively cry out to God in confession and seek his guidance in transforming us into a church that is a healthier expression of Jesus.

The good news is that all 6 GCI Global Regions, under the leadership of their Superintendent, have been making measured progress towards developing elements of Healthy Church. However, each region is unique with different needs. It’s particularly easy to stall when you are limited by a lack of resources, ideas, or strategies that can work, along with the feeling of being stuck. It’s a bit like confrontation with Ammonites and Amorites. But what if we unite and excite? These “ites” can bring us together; after all, we are better together.

In the annual planning meeting with the Superintendents that took place February 13 -16, there was unanimous agreement on a 3-year plan toward the vision of Healthy Church. This 3-year plan is designed to bring movement through a collaborative team process, aligning our efforts in a way we have never done before.

The Process / High Challenge

Each Superintendent, with a Development Coordinator and other key staff leaders, must prayerfully and strategically identify the healthier churches with capable pastors that can most benefit from the long term, high support of training and coaching.
These pastors/congregations—which we’re calling “Vision” pastors/churches—will be invited into a 3-year process of training with a coach to provide support. In return, these Vision pastors/churches will commit to meeting a benchmark of Healthy Church expectations that display their commitment to GCI. It may take the collective effort of the group over the course of 2022 to fulfill this one assignment of committing to the process (and that’s okay).
The Vision Pastors are then invited to attend workshops that take a deep dive into the Hope, Faith, and Love ministry Avenues (workshop templates have been beta tested in the US and can be contextualized for international sites). In each case, the pastor will bring the Avenue Champion along for training. Each workshop has follow-up materials that are sent home to continue training at the congregational level.
Coaching will be provided for pastors and Avenue Champions. It is ideal for the Avenue Champions to be connected with a cohort group and a skillful coach for the continuation of learning and sharing post-conference. (A few regions will need to establish coaches, and help is available to train coaches).
Determine a master plan and schedule for rolling out workshops. It seems logical that the Hope Avenue training will be done first (What will a new person come to and how will that experience go?), followed by the Faith Avenue for establishing the care for new and existing people, and finally the Love Avenue for how we become intentional in reaching new people.

Moving from concepts to application takes time. We are hopeful that doing this over the next three years will give us space for deeper learning and better application. We also want to assure our church around the world that we are committed to the ministry strategies we have established and that there is a strong commitment to follow through.

Resources / High Support

The US has been moving along these lines and learning the process as we go. Because our pilot program has been tested, we have the benefit of sharing what works well and what can be done better. Items that are available:

- Workshop outlines with training material set in the context of an interactive learning style
  - - If needed, workshop facilitators could be made available to participate alongside other Development Coordinators to jumpstart the process—through Zoom and possibly on-site in rare occasions.
- Ministry tools on the GCI website
- Video webinars for training
- Cohort support from fellow Superintendents
- The faith goal of having an international Development Coordinators cohort, similar to how we operate with the Communities of Practice (CoP) of our Superintendents (Read this story for a refresher on CoPs.)

The unity among the Superintendents is inspiring. And even with time zone challenges, all Superintendents want to meet by Zoom every 2 months to work toward the progression of the 3-year plan. The excitement of what we can accomplish together over the next three years is promising.

May I remind us to walk in the shoes of Nehemiah. Be visionary to see a better future. Be in prayer seeking God for the variables that are beyond us. Be courageous knowing that there are enemies to our plan, but also knowing that if God is for us then who can be against us. Be committed to staying the course of building out the wall of ministry in your backyard!

Better Together!
Greg Williams

Death of John Anderson

John Anderson, 70, of Maquoketa, Iowa passed away Wednesday, February 16, 2022, after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife, Amy Wilms Anderson, of nearly 24 years. Born Aug. 9, 1951, in Iowa City, IA to Gardner and Lucille (Morrison) Anderson, John graduated from Grinnell High School in 1969 and earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Iowa State University. John faithfully served as a bi-vocational pastor of the GCI congregation in Davenport, IA until it’s closing in 2014.

For many years, John lived his love for flying. He worked at several small airports in Iowa where he piloted corporate planes and gave flying lessons. Later he worked at a hotel in Cedar Rapids where he met his wife, Amy. They married April 25, 1998, in Maquoketa.

John retired in 2017 after receiving a diagnosis of Stage 4 colon cancer. In retirement, he pursued a love for baseball. He and Amy never missed a St. Louis Cardinal game. John loved his pets and would take his pals Brystol and Molly on long walks in the grasslands at the Maquoketa Caves. He loved being outdoors and taking in the wonder of nature.

John was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Mary; brothers Robert and Raymond; and sister-in-law, Paula (Weaver) Anderson. He is survived by his brothers, Charles Anderson of Cedar Rapids, IA, and Richard (Sherri) Anderson of Springfield, MO; sisters, Betty (Robin) Broders of Grinnell, IA, and Carol Brandt of Lynnville, IA; in-laws, Roger and Audrey Wilms of Maquoketa; brother-in-law, Jeff (Amy) Wilms of Maquoketa; sister-in-law, Cheryl Wilms (Ron Versteegh) of Cedar Rapids, IA; 14 nieces and nephews; and 4 great-nieces and -nephews.

A celebration of John’s life was held Wednesday, February 23, at the Methodist Church in Maquoketa. Cards may be sent to:

Amy Wilms Anderson
511 N. Walnut Street
Maquoketa, IA 52060-2518

Black History & Multi-Cultural Celebrations – Miramar, FL

For the past ten or more years, our congregation GCI Miramar Florida has celebrated our diversity during the month of February. It was a unanimous belief and understanding that we are one in Christ yet diverse culturally. Therefore, instead of focusing on the Black experience alone during Black History Month, we celebrate all heritages, all cultures represented within our congregation. Respectfully, we acknowledged Black presence within our history in the Civil Rights movements, business, ministry, inventions, and our community at large.

Associate Pastor Luis Aponte and church Administrator Mayte Aponte representing Puerto Rico, 2020

At one point, we had 11 countries represented. With that knowledge, we agreed to organize a multi-cultural celebration Sunday. On this day, after regular services, each country had a table or section of the hall where they would showcase their food, flag, and attire. Our pastors opened the celebrative time with an inspiring word, thanking Creator God for unity in diversity, energetically introducing each country’s table, some brief instructions for the flow of the afternoon and then the celebration would commence.

With an electric energy in the room, the music would waft in the background reflecting the different cultures of the world. At any given moment there were tasteful musical selections of Reggae, Salsa, Junkanoo, Soca, Kompa, Merengue, Blues, Jazz, Contemporary Gospel, Country, Rhythm & Blues and Rap. At our first celebration, the countries represented were USA, Bahamas, Jamaica, Haiti, Barbados, Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, Trinidad & Tobago, and Canada. It was such a delight to see all our members working together to a common goal.

Mattie Parbhoo from Trinidad & Tobago, 2020

As the years passed by, one could feel the anticipation of our multi-cultural celebration as soon as the close of each year. Our youth vigorously participated as they helped their parents and loved ones set up the room. Everyone had a role, whether it was cooking, decorating, serving, or just enjoying the experience.

We fly into 2020 and it was deemed the best celebration ever because more people served, our attendance grew and there was even more excitement in the room. We witnessed people almost dancing from one table to the next to feast on the delicacies. Then the rise of the pandemic automatically shut the doors of the facility where we were holding our weekly worship services as it was a city owned building.

In 2022, we are, by God’s timely grace, meeting in the hall of another church in the Body of Christ. Although we were unable to celebrate with food this year, we still celebrated with our attire and music. “Simple is best” has become a safe procedure as we tread through this time. So, this year’s celebration began with an African welcome, drumming, and a most worshipful service. Members and participants in the Hope Avenue displayed African attire for the last 2 weeks of February. We all reflected on the goodness of God and thanked Him once more for our diversity, yet we are ONE in Christ.

Keysha pictured far right with children & husband, Pastor Charles Taylor, 2022

By Keysha Taylor
Hope Avenue Champion

GCI Prayer Guide – March 2022

“Prayer turns theology into experience.” ― Timothy Keller

Join us in corporate prayer this month as we thank God for the good work God includes us in. Click the image below to download and print the March Prayer Guide, celebrating how God is working in and among our fellowships around the world.

Pastor Orientation

On February 12 and 13, our US Pastor Orientation was held at the Home Office, welcoming 9 pastors entering new roles and new seasons of ministry. More than 20 participated in the 2-day event, including spouses, Regional Directors, the US Superintendent Mike Rasmussen, US Development Coordinator Cara Garrity, Operations Coordinator Pam Morgan, and GCI President Greg Williams.

Walter Kim, the first Asian American President of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), made a presentation to the group. Hearing from a guest outside of our denomination was an encouraging reminder of our connection to the wider Body of Christ.

Jon Arnold and his wife, Carey, of GCI St. Michael, MN had the following feedback:

(Carey) Interacting personally with so many of GCI’s leaders was inspiring. I could see their genuine love for Christ and desire to love and care for people in the way we all interacted. Even the sessions aimed at the more exacting details of pastoral ministry such as Ministry Action Plans, church polity, and job descriptions made it clear that the leaders intend to support and equip the called (rather than the other way around).

(Jon) I lead the GCI congregation that I was born into and have attended my whole life. When I was a child, we were a congregation of over 300 members with ample resources but a very legalistic doctrine. Now we feel like a megachurch if we have 30 members attend in person and we have very limited resources but we know we live and breathe, our very being exists (always has and always will) within the loving relationship of the Trinity revealed to us by Jesus. Often it can feel like we’re a lonely outpost out in the middle of a desolate prairie, alone and cut off from other GCI congregations. What meant the most to me was being able to meet in person names that I had only seen attached to an email, people I had only seen in videos or had not seen in 20 years. To know that there are really living, breathing people who hold true and believe what we believe and to know that even though we might be a lone outpost we’re not alone.

Associate pastor, Marlene Reed, whose husband is the lead pastor of the GCI Woodbury, PA church, told us her takeaway.

Reading John 16:8-11 and being reminded about the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives as a Comforter, my mind instantly flashed to our pastor orientation. My takeaway from that orientation is that the Home Office and those in GCI’s leadership roles are there for my support. Imagine the relief as I had anticipated more of a finger-wagging, more “you’re not doing this right.” No! The Home Office and those in leadership are a comfort to me! They give me direction, encouragement, education, and support when I need it. They, just like Holy Spirit, are for me and for our congregation’s success.

L-R: Jeff Broadnax, Marlene Reed, Dishon Mills, Brad Reed, David Borum

It was so good to see that there is not just support, there are layers of support. And these individuals are intensely knowledgeable, have worked with a great vision to provide materials and templates for our use. And they did it while connecting us all together and making us new pastors feel like we’re a valuable part of the team rather than just a bottom rung servant. My husband, Brad, and I were able to come back from the orientation and convey to our congregants that they are part of a larger whole. We’re not an isolated standalone, small town church. No. We have an entire network out there. We are connected to something bigger than ourselves.

US Superintendent, Mike Rasmussen shared his thoughts, “The Pastor Orientation provided an intentional time to come together for training and support. I feel so honored and blessed to work with such a great team of people who have servant hearts and are ministry minded! This includes all those who work in our Home Office in Charlotte and the Regional Directors who serve in the trenches across the nation. We are all very excited that these pastors and spouses are a part of GCI’s ministry family!”

GCI President, Greg Williams, reflected on the occasion, “I am greatly encouraged by the men and women who have been called into pastoral leadership with GCI. It was extremely helpful to have candid conversations about the challenges and opportunities they will face, and how their focused leadership will make a difference for their congregation, their neighborhood, and the Kingdom of God. Join me in praying for their new roles and the Lord’s guidance and blessing in the coming weeks, months, and years ahead.”

Devotional—Lost and Found

Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.” (Luke 15:8-10 The Message)

In Luke 15, Jesus was aware of the Pharisees and scribes’ hatred because of the company he kept. He was known to hang out with tax collectors and sinners. In the eyes of these religious leaders, this group of people represented the “others,” the outsiders. With this as the backdrop, Jesus shares three parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.

The sheep parable displays a shepherd actively seeking what is lost while the prodigal son comes to his senses and returns home. But in the parable of the lost coin, we get the unique view of our dependence on someone else to be saved. Both the sheep and the son can cry out or wander home. A coin can do nothing but wait to be found. Jesus came for us.

God loves us so much He sent his Son down to earth to live in the flesh (incarnate), experience baptism, die on the cross, be resurrected in three days, and then ascend to heaven to become our primary intercessor. In all that Jesus experienced, His love guided his actions.

How do we respond to such a love as this? Our response is to worship and join the celebration already going on in heaven.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord. You pursue us when we have no idea we are lost. Thank you for every gift you so freely give in your Son Jesus. Help us learn to walk in the truth of who we are in You and respond in true worship. Lord, we depend entirely on you and the salvation you freely offer. Lord, please complete the work in us that you have started. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

By Tamar Grey
Pastor, GC Cleveland

Full of Grace and Truth

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

Back in December we celebrated the Incarnation – God becoming man in the person of Jesus. An incredible verse that captures my imagination is John 1:14.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 NRSV)

What a mysterious, fascinating concept that causes us to stop, ponder and worship.

When we dig into scripture and see the first recorded interaction of Jesus the human, we see him at age 12 interacting with the Jewish priests at the temple in Jerusalem. He’s exchanging ideas, sharing in questions and answers, connecting and relating. I’m certain that he blessed them with some truths that were new to their ears, and very likely blew their minds.

Truth most often comes in statement form – “I tell you the truth, you must be born again.” Then thinking more about John’s account of Jesus, we hear the declaration statements about who he is – “I am the resurrection and life,” “I am the Good Shepherd,” “I am the Bread of Life” and the rest of the seven of these “I am” statements that reveal the deity of Jesus.

Truth statements challenge the thinking and stir the spirit. Oftentimes they hang out there for us to think about in wonder and amazement. Jesus also taught that truth has the power to divide and be a point of contention. It can be wielded as a weapon when it is used untampered by grace.

Thinking about our personal lives and our Christian witness, are we more comfortable with stating truth than engaging in dialogue?

Not long ago, Susan and I were riding on public transportation through a sprawling urban center. A middle-aged man with his five- to six-year-old daughter got on the train. The little girl’s behavior and speech seemed to indicate symptoms of autism. The dad was quite calm and patient with her. There happened to be a lady sitting close by on the same bench seat. As we pulled into the next stop, the lady moved to get off and immediately spoke out to the father with bold, emphatic words. She said “Don’t be fearful, perfect love casts out fear. You are a child of God. You are loved and blessed. Be blessed.”

I certainly agreed with her words of truth, but her delivery seemed awkward and came across as bombastic parting words at a train stop. Why not engage the little girl and her dad during the ride?

Then there are the obnoxious words or phrases that Christians use in declaring their understanding of truth. “The Bible says it and that settles it.” Did this ever win a non-believer over to a meaningful conversation? Or point them closer to Jesus?

I recognize that I am comfortable with being direct and stating the truth. And while there is a time to be concise and direct, the more I grow in self-awareness, I see how being “full of grace” is more engaging and better at connecting with others.

What does it mean to be full of grace? Grace is about tangible, transforming love that brings about acceptance and belonging. In my experience, grace most often appears in the form of heartfelt open-ended questions and interactive conversations. Grace flows from the grace-giver, Jesus, and it starts with connecting us to himself, but it doesn’t bottleneck there. This received grace becomes extended grace, and it is about connecting, sharing, building trust, bonding, and authentic relationships. Grace is about give and take in an atmosphere of love and respect.

Jesus was the master at asking discerning, alluring questions. Who do you say that I am? What do you want me to do for you? Will you give me a drink? Do you want to get well? Etcetera.

What if we followed his example more closely and became more effective at engaging others? What if we seasoned our truth with healthy doses of grace?

In 2022 we are following the theme of “Compelled by Love.” (Compelled by Grace fits quite comfortably into this mix). We see the Holy Spirit moving us to engage and love our neighbors with greater awareness and intentionality, and this can only happen as we join Jesus by being full of grace and truth.

May our witness of the Gospel be a testimony to truth and may the grace we share build eternal relationships with new disciples. Amen!

Still growing in grace and truth,

Greg Williams

P.S.

We mourn along with our worldwide family the atrocities of war. Join us in holding the people of Ukraine and all those affected by the conflict in prayer. We ask our God of justice to bring peace and comfort. For prayer points and actions we can take to support our Ukrainian brothers and sisters, please visit the NAE website at: Pray for Ukraine | National Association of Evangelicals (nae.org)

Author: Elizabeth Mullins