“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance but laying hold of His willingness.” — Martin Luther
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Dear church (and especially those who attended our Regional Gatherings),
Superintendent Mike Rasmussen and his team did a great job in designing the content of our regional gatherings. And they did an even better job in delivering their messages. The team’s level of transparency was moving, and their commitment to serving the congregations going forward is commendable.
I remind you of a request I made to the church back in the early spring to set aside a day for prayer and fasting if you were physically able. I must say that we felt the covering of those prayers, and the Spirit has been faithful to provide unity and peace. Thank you for your faithfulness and enthusiastic participation.
Now on to Mike’s letter,
Greg Williams
A big thank you to everyone who attended and helped coordinate our three U.S. Regional Gatherings this summer! It was so good to get together to worship, share meals, have sharing and training time, as well as much-needed fellowship. One of the major changes this time around was to host these events in our own GCI church buildings instead of hotel ballrooms. This was the brilliant idea of Pam Morgan – thank you, Pam!
In June, Pastor Julie Frantz and her congregation hosted our first Gathering in Cincinnati, Ohio. Our Eastern, Southeast, North Central Regions and guests gathered for this event. My congregation and I hosted our second Gathering in July in our church and Ministry Training Center (MTC) in Surrey Hills, Oklahoma. This was for our Central Region and guests. Pastor Manuel Ochoa and his congregation hosted our final Gathering in August in Hawthorne, California for our Western Region and guests.
We followed the same schedule for all three Gatherings. Friday was the kickoff, with Dr. Jeff Broadnax teaching the Third Option Similarity Training, by Miles McPherson. It was an exciting time of learning how we are more similar than different and how to honor one another as God’s beloved children. The lessons provoked healthy and important discussions. Repeatedly, I heard comments like “I was a bit nervous – but I am so glad I came!” and “We need more of this type of training!”
Saturday, we gave updates on where we are going as a denomination in 2025. We addressed the following questions.
In Mt. Wilhelm, a children’s camp was held in July over two days involving activities such as volleyball and a talent show. The theme for the children’s camp was “Let the little children come to me.” (Mark 10:14).
The youth wanted to have a LifeClub for teaching public speaking. This will help the young people in their job interviews as well as preparing emerging leaders in the church. Next year, another two-day youth camp, including a LifeClub, is eagerly anticipated.
This past month we had a great experience with the 3-day neighborhood camp that our local congregation hosted. We had 39 children ages 4-11 participate in the day camp. It was a fun time for all the children with all types of games and fun activities. But most importantly, it afforded us the opportunity to build relationships with some families from our neighborhood. In the weeks after the day camp, we have had two families continue to attend our Sunday services with the expectation that they will continue to attend.
Summer day camps are a great way to demonstrate the gospel in our neighborhoods in a way that creates bridges into the community and provides opportunities to live out the mission of God in ways that often lead to making disciples.
Heber Ticas, Superintendent of Latin America
Sun Valley, CA, US
As a GCI pastoral resident, I was challenged with the idea of narrowing down the places where we ate, studied, had coffee, etc. The consistency would enable us to develop meaningful relationships in those places. As someone who has always lived by the motto “variety is the spice of life,” this didn’t resonate with me—at least not at the time.
After finishing my residency, I became a pastor in another state. I was eager to try all the different coffee shops, restaurants, and hang-out spots. And yet, I couldn’t shake the challenge of adopting a more missional mindset and sticking to just a few places. And so, despite my preference for having a multitude of establishments to frequent, I chose to give it a go.
It didn’t take long to notice the influence that I was having on people’s lives. Not only did I develop relationships with people working in these establishments, but also with those who were frequent customers. Many times, the topic of discussion turned to “why Jesus?” and “why did I become a pastor?” And the other person always initiated these discussions.
So [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. Acts 17:17
Ordinary Time is a fitting time to consider: How may I, like Paul, be intentional with where I spend my time?
Prayer:
Loving Father, may you give us hearts and minds to embrace a missional mindset that longs to go deep with the few you have called us to. We look forward to developing these relationships with anticipation of how you will bless their lives as well as our own. Amen.
David Borum, Associate Pastor
Kenockee, MI, US
P.S. Don’t miss the update of our U.S. Regional Gatherings that took place this summer. Read it here.
Join us! We invite you to read this article from Equipper. It’s an important reminder during Ordinary Time of our priorities.
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The healthy church path we are on is lit by the light of the world, who is a lamp to our feet and path.
By Kalengule Kaoma, Superintendent, Africa
The August 2024 golden Jubilee celebrations in Grace Communion International (GCI) in Accra, Ghana, have lately occupied my mind. Fifty years of living and sharing the gospel in Ghana have helped us take note of traits of a healthy church. In addition, GCI – Africa has celebrated at least 200 collective years of participation in the gospel and reflecting aspects of Healthy Church. This article is a reflection on some elements of a healthy church I experience in GCI Africa. There is much variety and beauty throughout GCI Africa. I liken it to the amazing array of color seen when light goes through an optical prism.
Let me highlight some healthy church elements GCI Africa has been emphasizing.
Missions
The apostle John quoted Jesus referring to himself as the light of the world. In his Gospel, Matthew indicated that Jesus envisioned his plans to build a church. Both of these records of Jesus’ conversation with his disciples point to the mission he would do in the world through his body, the church. Like light going through a prism, Jesus’ disciples went in many different directions and reached many different groups in a variety of ways.
Jesus’ mission is an expression and act of love — love to redeem, save, and serve the lost. He invites people to himself. Those who respond are placed in the church, his body, so that they can go out and participate with him by reaching out to others.
In GCI Africa, we refer to missions as the Love Avenue. It is a place where Jesus meets people at their points of need. This is where the Holy Spirit washes, heals, and restores all kinds of people to a loving relationship with the Father. Mission fields are found in families, neighborhoods, workplaces, villages, wherever people are and wherever Jesus goes. In this ministry, Jesus promises to mend broken hearts. He turns situations, attitudes, and lives around. The hearts and minds of people are filled with joy even in the midst of trials and the hardships of life.
People who respond to the invitation of Jesus are added to the body (church) of Jesus Christ. These become coworkers with Jesus. They are charged to represent Jesus as ambassadors of the kingdom of God.
Read MoreDiscover the transformative power of Christ’s love in our new series GCI Testify. Join us as members from our global fellowship share testimonies of their experiences with Jesus through GCI congregations and ministries. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness firsthand the impact of the Spirit in and through GCI.
Watch the entire series here.
GCI has many resources on the Faith Avenue and connect groups. Check them all out here.
Below are just a few we hope you find helpful.
Connect Group Facilitator’s Guide
From the On Being series, the Being the Church curriculum
Discipleship Pathways, select the “Believe” tab
Read on for examples of what it can look like in the local church.
We believe the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are in a divine relationship and this relationship is foundational to our understanding of God’s nature and how God interacts with the world. I believe that we can experience this aspect of God’s kingdom here on earth when we are in relationships, and it is easier to relate in smaller gatherings. I believe connect groups are a key to staying healthy as a church.
Our face-to-face community connect groups are currently following a curriculum, called Rooted Network. One group meets weekly on Tuesdays in a member’s home; the other group meets bi-monthly after Sunday services. We found that food adds excitement and fun, whether assigned or potluck.
The members of the group have a copy of the study guide to follow with personal daily devotionals. When the group meets, someone is assigned to facilitate. The strongest impact has been going through a guided personal daily devotional. We meditate on them and journal in our quiet time, and then share in a safe group, celebrating together our experiences and encounters with God with a common theme. The regular devotionals and group sharing enhances so much the awareness of God’s reality in us. We are able to feel God and to affirm each other of our experiences. This enhances our worship, our personal disposition, how we relate to others, and how we interact in our communities and workplace.
Jared Santibanez, Faith Avenue Champion
Richardson, TX, US
In June and July, Pastor Dishon Mills and I facilitated the Bearing Fruit small group with members of Grace Communion Steele Creek. We convened over Zoom, and five members who live near one another gathered and dialed in from one member’s home.
Pastor Dishon taught the group how spiritual formation involves bearing inward fruit through the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), how we bear fruit in community through the gifts of the Spirit (Romans 12), and outward fruit through the activity of the Spirit (Acts 2:42-27). The outcome of inward, outward, and community fruit development is equipping for ministry and mission, a new humanity, and jubilee.
We discovered our spiritual gifts by taking a gift assessment and reading about our gifts in Discover Your Gifts and Learn How to Use Them by Alvin J. Vander Griend. We also learned spiritual practices like Contemplative/Imaginative Prayer, the Examen of Consciousness, and creating a Rule of Life
Psalm 1:3 says that we who love God’s teachings are “ . . . like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither — whatever they do prospers.” This team-based, pastor-led expression of healthy church equipped members as the Lord’s orchard. We spread the aroma of his kingdom, and the fruit we bear in and through him allows our neighbors to taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).
Afrika Afeni Mills, Faith Avenue Champion
Steele Creek, NC, US
Pasadena, CA, US
We have two virtual connect groups that meet over Zoom every week, and this started during COVID. One participant said her trust in the Lord has grown as we continue studying who Jesus is. Others have said we wish we could have this connect group every day because this is life truth that we need to be reminded of every day because we tend to forget. We observe participants changing the way they think and diligently studying God’s word.
If this is the fruit of Zoom meetings, I trust that face to face will have an even greater impact because we can extend fellowship, pray, and bond in person. Our congregation is praying that God may send us new contacts and start building relationship and from there, have another in-person connect group.
There are many opportunities, so we need to be ready where God will lead us and be intentional in sharing Jesus who the world needs to know. My husband, Saddie, and I are on-site managers for a housing complex with almost 40 residents. We are hoping and praying to have a connect group here in the fall. Please join us in this prayer.
Angie Tabin, Pastor
Pasadena, CA, US
