Category: Be Inspired

Dennis Richards and I were thrilled to be able to join our Fiji family for their Pentecost service. Members had boarded a minibus at Lautoka in the West at around 6:00 AM for the three-hour trip to Suva, and another minibus came from Rakiraki, more than two hours away. There were 83 in attendance in the hall, plus another 17 participating on Zoom, for a total of exactly 100 people.

After several delightful items of special music, including a children’s action song, Dennis gave an inspiring sermon based on the 1 Corinthians 12 passage about spiritual gifts. Then I led a communion service. After the service, the hall was quickly transformed into a dining room and the members enjoyed lively fellowship over a bounteous potluck lunch, the tables laden with a huge variety of local dishes.

All too soon, it was time for the minibuses to take the members from the other side of the island home again, everyone buzzing with memories of a wonderful Spirit-filled celebration of this very special day. It was quite evident that the same Holy Spirit who came at Pentecost 2,000 years ago is still filling and guiding the body of Christ in the islands of Fiji.

Rex Morgan, Pastor
Auckland, New Zealand

Surrey Hills is celebrating another incredible move of the Holy Spirit throughout our church and neighborhood. Camp Surrey 2023 was a huge success serving 87 campers from grades K-7^th. Most of these campers have become familiar faces, which is something that we relish in being a neighborhood church. These are the same faces we see throughout the year at our different neighborhood events, at the school, the neighborhood park, or gas station. Many of these children and parents are more than neighbors, as they have become our friends, and some have become members. It’s mind-blowing what happens when we let Jesus build his church, and we simply participate in the great commandment of loving God and loving our neighbors.

This was our 4^th year of doing “Camp Surrey” in person. Every year, we have grown, we have learned, and we have adapted. This year, God did something incredible as we were able to accept 87 campers because of the generosity of 65 incredible staff volunteers! This camp felt very different from previous years, and we had found our “sweet spot.” This camp ended with many tears from campers begging for it to last longer. It was unanimously obvious, that this year was a favorite.

Campers enjoyed kayaking, a climbing wall, an incredible escape room, swimming, and many indoor and outdoor activities. Our theme was “Mission: I’m-possible,” and everything from décor, to activities, and Pastor Joe & Miss Nikki’s messages at the Spirit Rallies were themed and filled with interaction and fun. Every single camper was impacted in a big way and left knowing that they are loved.

On the last day of the camp celebration, we announced next year’s theme and opened a pre-registration link. As of today, we have over 51 families already pre-registered for next year! Wow! We will continue to follow up with these campers and their families throughout the year both online and in-person. Our next follow-up event is our back-to-school water balloon battle and neighborhood block party! We are so excited!

Thank you to everyone for your prayers as we continue our planning for Camp Surrey 2024: “Survivor.”

Ceeja Malmkar, Love Avenue Champion & MTC Coordinator
Surrey Hills, OK, US

The GC Ladson Summer Fun Camp was a blessing for both the kids and volunteers. Twenty-one children from the neighborhood and the church enjoyed three days of fun games and activities, including a field trip, making friendship bracelets, a cup stacking contest, and a full day of water games and a bounce house.

The theme for this year’s camp was “Making and Supporting Lasting Friendships.” During our devotional time, the kids learned about how Jesus is our best friend and how we are blessed by his friendship, and that they too can be a friend to others. During our daily praise and worship time, the children sang three songs about Jesus’ love for them and that he is their very best friend. Games and activities reinforced the theme of friendship building and the value of having good friends.

Day one opened with an ice-breaker and a game that allowed campers to learn each other’s names and some things about each person. Some of the older campers were interested in playing basketball and by the end of day Pastor Tommie Grant made that happen. On day two, the highlight was a field trip to a local arcade and bowling alley. Day three was our water fun day and parent program. Parents were fed a lasagna dinner prepared by some of the campers and Chef Bushell. Camp counselors were able to connect with the parents as they ate and enjoyed a song sung by the campers.

Everyone serving at the camp felt God’s presence and guidance during the three days. Moreover, we felt a deeper love for the children and their parents. Many parents came to our Sunday service and said they wanted to come back. We believe we made an impact on the children and their parents as we heard many of them saying how they wanted to keep in touch. And all neighborhood campers preregistered for next year’s camp!

We plan to keep in touch with these families to let them know about GC Ladson’s future events. One church member is arranging to mentor a camper from the neighborhood. Another member and her child are arranging a sleepover with a neighborhood camper. We’re also keeping in touch with the children and parents by sending text messages with notes and pictures. We feel privileged to be able to work with Jesus and share his love with this neighborhood.

Mary Robinson, Love Avenue Champion
Ladson, SC, US

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.

For [Christ Jesus] is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace … Ephesians 2:14-15

God’s love is boundless and crosses the lines that his children have created amongst themselves. Never would I have imagined myself at an In-N-Out restaurant with a 30-year-old PhD student, an upper-class blonde, blue-eyed teenager, and a 40-year-old father of two. What do these three and a 21-year-old first-generation student have in common?

It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke. I’ve lived in the same community my whole life, and this felt odd. PhDs are only for people who don’t need to worry about working right away to support their families. The blue-eyed kids sat at the reserved lunch tables in high school and had parents who would call the cops on my friends and me if we rode our bicycles past their homes. Older people only engaged in “adult talk,” and young people should stay out of it.

These were the “lines” I learned growing up—and I was taught to fear the consequences if I stepped over these boundaries. However, through the shared love of Jesus, these psychological heuristics (or mental shortcuts) are being reversed. By opening my heart, the Lord has strengthened my relationship with him through fellowship. This miracle goes beyond just me. Deep friendships, rooted in the love for Christ, erase cultural, generational, and socioeconomic divides. God allows us to learn from one another in our individual corners of the world—such as a college or university.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for having a love so strong it breaks down walls between communities and walls we put up around our hearts. Remind us that before any other identity, we are your children. Please open our minds and soften our hearts to accept this love and to spread it to our neighbors the way Jesus intended us to. All of this we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Candrha Lopez
Pasadena, CA, US

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.

Hazel Tabin
Pasadena, CA, US

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.

David Howe, Pastor
Fort Wayne, IN, US

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 Gachanja, Regional Director of East Africa
Nairobi, Kenya

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.

Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Psalm 123:1 NKJV

Target fixation is something that I began as I started riding motorcycles. As one of my instructors candidly described it: “You will drive your bike towards whatever you’re looking at even if you’re trying to avoid it.” If I focus and worry about an incoming pothole, then I will surely run over that pothole.

Such is life. We worry about our adversities, our life’s road hazards, because it’s a threat. It’s difficult, painful, and it causes fear. As much as we want to steer clear and find a better way to conquer them, our fear—in effect—makes us focus on them instead.

Unto you I lift my eyes. We declare our intention to lift our eyes to the Lord and not on our circumstances. If we had to fixate on a target, it would be him.

O You who dwell in the heavens. By remembering the nature of God, we grow in trust and confidence. Earth may provide no mercy or help, but heaven has plenty. We are able to focus on God because we trust in him.

As we navigate the streets of our lives, may we remember that worrying about our adversities doesn’t help us overcome them. The “potholes” of life won’t magically disappear, but focusing on the Lord draws us toward a path that brings us closer to him and helps us better overcome life’s road hazards.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that we can trust you and direct our attention to you. You rid us of our worries, you set our hearts free from fear. We humbly ask for help to lift our eyes unto you always so that we are directed towards a path that draws us near to you. Amen.

Justin Dedrick “Dids” Raduban, Hope Avenue Team
Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Philippines

At GCI, we believe that healthy churches are made up of healthy leaders and healthy relationships. This month’s GCI Buzz explains the basics of Mentoring & Coaching and defines their differences. #gcibuzz

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