A free webinar (web-based seminar) on preaching is being offered on March 15 from 1:00-4:00pm (U.S. EST). For information and registration, go to http://preachbettersermons.com/.
Author: GCI Media
Tammy Tkach visits Tucson
Tammy Tkach visited Grace of God Fellowship in Tucson, AZ, on January 29. She gave a sermon entitled “Our Relationship with Jesus, Part 2.” She showed how eternal life, which is knowing God through his Son, Jesus, is a close, affectionate relationship. And that relationship needs to be our main focus, the centerpiece of our lives. The occasion of her visit was very festive, with a visiting praise band, and a special meal.
Real love
A Leadership cartoon by Lee D. Johnson.|Copyright © 2010 Christianity Today International. |Used by permission.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Unlike the man in the cartoon above, we don’t view love as an esoteric theological concept. For us, love is real and living, for as the Bible tells us, God is love (1 John 4:16).
How sad then that some preachers and teachers declare that God does not love everyone. They say that God created some people for the purpose of damning them for eternity. I find it astonishing that anyone could actually believe, let alone teach such a distorted and ugly picture of God. Such a view cannot be true for multiple reasons:
- It portrays God as working within a mechanistic system that in effect robs God of any freedom to love.
- It renders Scripture incoherent since all humanity is called to repent, yet some cannot since God (supposedly) has already assigned some to damnation.
- It presents God as capricious, arbitrarily choosing some and rejecting others of his own creation who bear his own image.
- It divides God’s will between two opposite ends, since God purposes and wills to bring about both life and death for his good creation.
- It makes God’s character incoherent and untrustworthy since God is equally predisposed to bless and damn his good creation.
- But worst of all it creates a split in God’s very being so that the Son is the merciful Savior and Reconciler of the world while the Father is only concerned for a righteousness that is entirely satisfied with rewarding the good and punishing the evil. The Son does not, then, show us the Father, but is actually at odds with his mind, character, purpose and will.
Whichever way you look at it, to believe God predestined some people for condemnation is inconsistent with a God who says love is the very essence of his being.
Since God is a relational being living in perfect oneness as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, he did not have to create us – or anything. He was not lonely or lacking anything. He created all that exists because he wanted to share his love, his light and life. Note what the apostle John says:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:1-5).
So it is tragic when God is presented as a harsh, cosmic sheriff; or when Jesus is portrayed as the good cop, playing us against his bad cop Father. This dualistic viewpoint has Jesus running interference for us behind the back of His Father. It ignores the fact that God the Father sent Jesus to reveal God to us. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts us that Jesus is the true Son of the Father and that God’s triune nature is one of pure, perfect, and to our limited minds, incomprehensible love.
Love is the nature of God’s being – that is, love is not something God has; it is what he is.
It is one of my passions for people to know of this life that we have in Christ. It is a joy to point out that the gospel is a message of good news from beginning to end.
Scripture describes the gospel in numerous ways. Here is how the word is most often used:
- good news of Jesus Christ — 15 times
- good news of God – 9 times
- good news of the kingdom – 7 times
- my gospel, our gospel – 6 times
- the gospel of peace – 2 times
- good news of God’s grace – 1 time
- good news of the glory of Christ – 1 time
- gospel of your salvation – 1 time
From infinity, God has reached down, touched the earth, and redeemed it with the blood of his only Son. Whether one believes in him or not, the life that we all have exists only in him. The more we acknowledge and live in that knowledge, the quality of our life is enhanced. It makes no difference whether we are wealthy or poor, healthy or ill. Any joy we experience is the echo of his life, love and light in our lives.
Our ultimate delight, through the Holy Spirit, is to come to know the divine love of Christ. The love that God has given his sons and daughters in Christ is not a philosophical contemplation, a scientific theory, or a theological treatise, but a living and binding love to be shared with one another and with our Lord.
Blessings from my family to yours,
Joseph Tkach
P.S. Last week we reported on GCI pastor Rick Shallenberger’s recent visit to Africa (see https://update.gci.org/2012/02/gci-zambia-report/). This week we continue that report with an update about his visit to Malawi (see https://update.gci.org/?p=8487). I’m grateful to Rick and others who assist me in keeping in contact with our churches in Africa. In some cases (as with Rick), these trips are financed by their home congregations. Thanks to all for their generosity in helping us spread the love of God around the globe.
Roy Page retires, Craig Minke installed
After over 47 years of faithful service as a GCI minister and church pastor, Roy Page retired at the end of January. Roy and his wife Sheila have faithfully served several congregations in Canada, most recently those in Vancouver and Prince George.
At the end of his final service as pastor in Vancouver, Roy called forward Craig and Debbie Minke to install Craig as the new pastor. Joining in the ceremony were GCI Canada director Gary Moore and Vancouver elders Bruce Edmonds and Mike Baker. Craig and Debbie are long-time dedicated and enthusiastic servants of the church in Vancouver.
Birth of Charly Maduka
Santiago Lange, GCI national director in Germany, and his wife Elke are pleased to announce the birth of their third grandchild, Charly Maduka Jr.
Charly was born on February 1 at the city hospital in Worms, Germany. The baby and his parents Charles and Sarah Maduka are all doing fine.
Naomi Biswas
Please pray for Naomi Biswas, wife of John Biswas, the leader of the Bengali Evangelical Association. Naomi is quite ill with a problem with her lungs and breathing. She has been off work and is going for further testing later this week. Please pray that she will regain full strength and be able to resume her nursing job and be healthy in time for her scheduled trip with John to Bangladesh for the GCI conference in March.
Cards may be sent to:
Naomi Biswas 10690 Elm St Loma Linda, CA 92354-2411
GCI Zambia report
GCI pastor and district pastoral leader Rick Shallenberger recently traveled to Africa on behalf of GCI president Joseph Tkach. Following is Rick’s report on his time in Zambia.
On December 30, 1991, the president of Zambia, Frederick Chiluba, declared his country a Christian nation. Since that day, crime has dropped, people have become more concerned for others, and churches have grown. Our GCI congregations are no exception. Though our members have very little, they are actively sharing God’s love and life with those around them. As a result, our existing churches are growing and new ones are being planted.
I traveled in Zambia with Kalengule Kaoma, GCI’s mission developer for central Africa. He lives in Lusaka, Zambia with his wife, Nsama and their four children. Kalengule spends a lot of time traveling to many countries in central Africa, teaching and conducting training seminars for pastors and ministry leaders. Following is information about some of the key pastoral leaders we visited in Zambia.
Inyambo and Mutinta Nyumbu
Dr. Inyambo Nyumbu is national ministry director for GCI in Zambia. His wife is Dr. Mutinta Nyumbu. With Inyambo’s assistance, the GCI pastors and other ministers in Zambia are focused on building and otherwise supporting their churches. Given their poverty, they are constantly on the alert for ways to generate church income so that they can plant more churches. Businesses are started and profits are invested for the sole purpose of building the church.
Peter and Judith Chipempele
Peter and Judith built a home with bricks that Christ Fellowship Church purchased three years ago. Now they are collecting bricks to build a church to replace the tent they meet in. They have two children and care for two family “orphans” in their tiny home. Recently, they received a generous donation and are wisely investing about half of it to generate an income stream. They also plan to purchase bricks by the truckload and then sell some of them for a modest profit. It is important that African churches develop income streams because donations are very low due to deep poverty.
Peter asked if we could send him some theology textbooks and Bible reference books. He has a love of learning, but no means to pay for formal education. Kalengule said any books we send would be passed around among the pastors for all to use. We are now making arrangements to send books to them.
Kennedy and Zelipa Musopelo
Kennedy and Zelipa just started a GCI church in Lilanda and face many difficulties. Kennedy told me that it was quite an honor to be visited in his home by the African mission developer and a US representative. Our visit significantly raised Kennedy’s credibility in the eyes of his family and community. The Lilanda congregation is very poor and they are behind on their rent of $20 a month. We donated enough to catch them up and pay for the next few months as they pursue options for generating an income stream. Their church meets in a school building with15 classrooms. Each classroom is used by a different denomination – all holding church at the same time. Sometimes they try to outdo each other in their worship and preaching. When the 15 churches end their services, 15 more groups come in for the next service.
Kennedy and Zelipa are looking for a way to raise funds so they can buy some land and build a church that can grow. They are outgrowing the school classroom and need to find a place to establish a church home for current and new members. They also need to find a new home to rent or build so they can get out of the family home. Kennedy loves to learn and is beginning a new diploma program in theology.
Chris and Bibiana Kalaba
Chris and Bibiana and their five children live in Chawama. They are tenants in a small home attached to two other homes. Chris is seeking higher education and Bibiana is seeking her first education. She hopes to one day study law so she can help support the church with her future income.
The Chawama congregation is growing fast. The Sunday before our visit, they had 150 adults and many children in attendance. The children have class outside the main hall during the worship service. Due to our visit, they expect attendance to rise even more. Having their own building has been a real blessing, but they are quickly outgrowing it. They have plans to build a larger building with a wall around it for protection. Once a month they have “Bring a Brick” services. Members bring a brick to church, or they will go as a group and each purchase a brick to carry back to the church. These bricks are stored in one of the rooms of the church. When they have enough bricks, they will begin construction.
Again, many noticed our arrival and departure. You are constantly reminded of the value and significance of visiting the pastor in his church and in his home. It is quite an honor for them in the eyes of the community (and it is an even bigger honor for us!).
Jack and Kabwe Banda
We visited the Banda’s congregation in Chongwe, where I gave the sermon. The church meets in a school, which is owned by a church member. They serve a very poor community and are actively reaching out and growing. They have a large children’s ministry. They use a blended form of worship, mixing traditional hymns with African worship music. The service was energetic and inspiring.
Pastor Jack loves to learn and has a desire to attend Grace Communion Seminary to further his education and work toward a Master’s Degree. We aren’t sure how that will work because of limited Internet access, but we will look into ways to help Jack and others benefit from Grace Communion Seminary.
Grace Communion International is rapidly growing in Zambia. There are many challenges, but the pastors and wives are dedicated to meeting them. Their dedication to their pastoral calling and to the Great Commission is inspiring and humbling. Please join in prayer for our brothers and sisters there.
Carlton Green
The following prayer request is from Rand Holm, a GCI pastor in Southern California.
Following a minor heart attack last Saturday night, GCI assistant pastor Carlton Green was treated at Valley Presbyterian hospital in Van Nuys, CA. Doctors performed an angiogram and found two blocked arteries. One was able to be completely cleared and a single stint was placed in it. The other one was calcified and could not be cleared. The good news about the artery that was not able to be cleared is that it had slowly closed off long ago and new arteries and veins were recruited and have grown sufficiently, and so that it is fine.
That open heart surgery was not called for is, in itself, a miracle from God. If the cardiologist had tried to clear the calcified artery first, he may have scheduled Carlton for bypass surgery. But that was not needed and he is now doing well, without pain, and with a new super highway in his heart! For a few days he was ministering encouragement and the love of God to ambulance drivers, nurses, doctors, janitors, visitors and pastors at the hospital.
Now he is resting at home, and tells me that, “he’s as happy as a baby boy.” He deeply appreciates all the prayers, and feels greatly blessed by the love shown him by his church family. He also expressed how nice it is to be home with Judith, and again he noted how wonderful it is to have superb medical facilities in this country.
“We praise you Lord God above for all your precious gifts. Thank you for preserving the life of one we love so much. Please continue to heal and bless the work the doctors have done for Carlton and bring him back to all of us soon and comfort and strengthen Judy and the whole Green family. In Jesus name, Amen and Amen.”Cards may be sent to:
Dr. Carlton & Judith Green 4443 Ventura Canyon Ave Apt 202 Sherman Oaks, CA 91423-3712Online donation system improved
The GCI IT Department announces improvements to the GCI online donation system.
Individuals (members and others) who wish to make a donation or view their personal donation records, may now do so by going to a new donor services panel online at www.gci.org/go/donate (if a person does not already have a login name and password, they may obtain one easily using the login signup process).
The new donor services panel (see the header above) provides these features:
- A means to donate by credit or debit card to a GCI congregation in the U.S., or to a GCI denominational cause.
- A donor-controlled recurring donation manager—set it and let it automatically make monthly donations for you.
- View your personal history of donations to GCI churches and denominational causes.
All donation information on this site is transmitted using a secure connection to protect personal information.
US pastoral internship program
This report is from Greg Williams who coordinates the GCI US Pastoral Internship Program on behalf of Church Administration and Development.
In Matthew 9, Jesus exhorts his followers with these words: “The fields are ripe and ready for harvest. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will send laborers into the field.” This exhortation forms the basis for our GCI Pastoral Internship Program. Its goal is to join in what God is doing to prepare the next generation of our church pastors and planters.
The internship program is officially in its toddler stage. We are about to complete our second year with six interns currently in the program. Some of these internships are voluntary, and some include part-time employment with GCI. For more information, including a list of current interns, see Joseph Tkach’s February letter at www.gci.org/letter/1202.
In April we will conduct our first annual Intern Gathering, meeting at Flat Rock, NC. At that meeting of interns and mentors we will discuss program goals, share best practices and hear from participants as we seek to improve the program. We will also receive training from leaders of the internship program at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and we’ll hear from a young church planter and his team from Grace Blue Ridge Church. Please pray for this important gathering. If anyone would like to help scholarship one of the mentors or interns to attend, please contact Greg.Williams@gci.org. The cost for attendance is $500/person.
For additional information about the Internship Program, see mindev.gci.org/internships.htm.
