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What does a healthy Faith Avenue look like?

By Linda Rex, Elder

As GCI moves toward Healthy Church, one of the areas we seek to grow in is that of faith. We want to grow up in Christ and draw closer to God. We want to draw closer to one another and connect with our neighbors and other community members.

Markers of a healthy Faith Avenue

In a church with a healthy Faith Avenue, people get to know Jesus better. They grow to be more like Him and mature in their faith. They are given opportunities to connect with others of all ages, both within and without the walls of the church. There are spaces to encounter Jesus, to learn more about Him, and to grow up in Him. People are encouraged to build positive and supportive relationships. We find discipleship occurs throughout the congregation, not with just a limited number of people.

Signs of unhealth

In an unhealthy church, people are disconnected from life in the body of Christ. They attend church on occasion, but they do not fully participate in the life of the congregation. Connect groups act like exclusive clubs. Rather than feeling included, safe, and enabled to make entry into the discipleship pathway of the church, people feel separated or isolated. People may attend connect groups in order to be with friends or to enjoy the activity, but not to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. When challenges arise or new concepts are heard, those who attend may simply leave, refuse to listen, or may even cause conflict. They are not open to the work of the Spirit. A facilitator may act more like a teacher or preacher or may seek to draw people to follow a particular teaching or person. A mentor may be someone who is controlling, enabling, or does not seek the best of others.

Re-center our ministry in Christ

The apostle Paul dealt with issues of faith in his letter to the church in Colossae. He says that the Ephesians were “knit together in love” by God (Colossians 2:2 ESV), which is a metaphor for growing into a mature unity in Christ. Although they belonged to Christ, and therefore belonged to one another, certain people in the congregation sought to disrupt the unity of the church and to lead the members astray.

Paul reminded the members in Colossae that true knowledge is only found in Jesus Christ, who is “the mystery” of God. God’s plan and salvation are wrapped up in a person, Jesus Christ, the one who is fully God and fully man (Colossians 2:3 ESV). God’s love expressed in Christ’s life, sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension, and in the gift of His Spirit, is what binds us together with God and one another.

Celebrate our unity in the faith

Because of who Jesus is as Lord of all, the apostle Paul says we are to “walk in Him.” We live our everyday lives in the truth of who we are in Christ — the beloved children of God. This is a life of faith, of trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ. It is life in face-to-face relationship with our heavenly Father in the Spirit. We are “firmly rooted” in Christ — this is the truth of who we are in Him, and we live in that reality day by day.

Because of who we are in Christ, we are “built up in Him”, which means we grow up in Christ. As a church body and as individuals, we begin to look more and more like Christ and not like the evil one or this world. Paul also says that we are to “be established in our faith.” Faith can mean both our subjective trust in Christ, and the objective spiritual basis of our faith: Jesus and His finished work. Finally, our life is to overflow with gratitude. We continually express our thanks and praise to God (Colossians 2:7 ESV).

Since we died with Christ and rose with Christ, we seek what is above where Christ is, not things below. We look forward in hope for when Christ “who is our life” is revealed and we will be revealed with him in glory (Colossians 3:4 ESV).

Christ, our life

Christ is our life, and the life of the body of Christ. We manifest the fruits of the Spirit to the world in which we live, sharing the gospel. We create connection, not division. We point people to Christ, thereby to the triune God, not to ourselves or others. As the body of Christ, we include others and encourage them to experience their belonging in Christ. We disciple and mentor others as we ourselves are discipled and mentored. Joined together in Christ, we grow up in Christ and manifest the love of God in Christ to the world in which we live.

• How do connect groups provide opportunities for people within the church to build relationships with those outside the walls of the church? Why is this important?
• What are some activities or practices of a connect group which will facilitate the process of spiritual development? What might hinder it?
• When the life of the church is not centered on Christ, what impact does this have on the sense of unity among believers? How does this off-centered approach affect the process of spiritual growth in those who attend?

The Denominational Celebration will be held
in Dallas, Texas, U.S.
on July 23-26, 2026.

Please mark your calendars. More information will be made available in mid-2025.

Discover 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.

Join us! We invite you to read this article from Equipper. It’s an important reminder during Ordinary Time of our priorities.

Subscribe to Equipper today!

A healthy church shares in Jesus’ mission of love looking for ways to express God’s love in tangible ways.

By Linda Rex, Elder

As we move towards Healthy Church — our never-ending goal in Grace Communion International — we share in Jesus’ mission of love. Our Love Avenue champions work with their teams to provide opportunities for members to express God’s love in tangible ways.

Markers of a healthy Love Avenue

A healthy church understands deeply how each member shares in Jesus’ mission to show God’s love to the world. The Love Avenue team and the church members are, personally and as a group, involved in their neighborhood through community groups, events, social media, and service. They build relationships with their church neighbors. Members realize that Jesus is already present and active by his Spirit in each person. The church members and the Love Avenue team work together to provide community events in which neighbors feel safe and able to connect with one another. The church also provides ways in which neighbors are connected back to the church, so that they can share in the life of the church as God leads them. A healthy church actively loves the members of their community, just as God in Christ loves every human being.

Signs of unhealth

A church that is isolated and disconnected from their neighborhood is not healthy, nor is it loving. In such a church, no one takes the lead to assess the neighborhood, or to create a plan for missional activities or events. The church expects the pastor or a small group of people to build the necessary relationships in the community. Members may simply choose to “pray and pay” rather than to personally be involved or serve. Church members may be unwilling to help with local activities or join in local groups. Possibly the church is unaware of the nature of the neighborhood in which they do ministry. And the church that does reach out to the community may not know how they are equipped to serve, because members are unaware of their own spiritual gifts or callings. Or perhaps members have not chosen to offer their gifts, resources, or talents to share in Jesus’ mission in the world.

Discover 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.

We started the Home Church US to help members from local congregations that were closing transition to a place where they could continue to be connected to GCI. We do this through weekly sermon messages given by pastors and home office leaders.

There are members who do not live near a GCI congregation. The Home Church US is a way to meet their needs as they search for a congregation in the neighborhood where they can participate in person.

The video format allows members to view the weekly sermon as a group or individually, and at various times based on their schedules. The message is sent via email each Friday to those who have signed up to receive it. Sign up here!

The message follows the Revised Common Lectionary, as well as the GCI Worship Calendar. Each presenter starts by welcoming everyone and reminding them that communion will be taken at the end of the message.

Most people who receive the weekly sermon message also receive the bi-monthly newsletter, Update, and the monthly prayer guide. Both are great ways to stay connected to what is happening in the denomination around the world and a way to be in prayer for our members everywhere.

Showing their appreciation for this service, some members send cards of encouragement to the Home Office. Many tell us they are praying for us individually and as a denomination. Below are a few comments from those who have benefited from the Home Church US.

• • • Every week that we play a GCI recorded sermon we are reminded that we really are very much a part of GCI and very blessed to have GCI resources available to us.
    • It is really good to have communion as part of the sermon.
    • It is a great re-fresher on the daily life and the connection we have with the body of Christ.
    • I enjoy the sermons; some are more impactful than others. But overall, they’re good.
    • It is nice to have some connection with GCI

On September 2, Lucy Enerio was given the role of Home Church US Coordinator. If you attended the Regional Gatherings this summer, you may have met Lucy. She led the worship sessions and assisted me with coordinating the gatherings. Lucy will be a blessing to the Home Church US.

Our prayer is that the Home Church US provides a relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit for those who do not have a local congregation (GCI or other denomination) to connect with.

Pam Morgan, Operations Coordinator
Charlotte, NC, US

“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance but laying hold of His willingness.” — Martin Luther

This September, we invite you to join us in prayer and intercession, celebrating God’s ongoing work in, through, and among us. View the full guide or download it today: September Prayer Guide

Would you like to receive this Prayer Guide straight to your email inbox before the first of the month? Sign up here.

Join us! We invite you to read this article from Equipper. It’s an important reminder during Ordinary Time of our priorities.

Subscribe to Equipper today!

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.

Study with us at GCS!

Registration for the 2024 Fall Semester begins soon!
Academic Advising and Registration: August 26 – September 5

Lectures begin September 9 and final papers will be due December 15.

Below are the 7 courses that GCS is tentatively offering this semester.