This update is from Lee Berger, director of Crossing Borders, a GenMin mission organization.
We recently completed our 22nd mission trip into Mexico. Twenty-six missionaries spent two very busy, productive and inspiring days across the border, distributing 1200 shoebox gifts to needy children in extremely economically poor neighborhoods.
Our missionaries are a varied lot. We had four pre-teens, three teens, and adults ranging up to 72 years old. Men and women of different races and backgrounds, we came from eight states. But we all had one purpose: To share the good news of God’s love for everyone demonstrated in his Son, Jesus.
On the first day, part of our group helped out with a special youth church service. We shared in some lively and fun worship with the kids and their families, helped feed the kids, participated in a prayer session, and hand-delivered shoebox gifts to the children and special tote bags filled with baby items to mothers of infants.
The other part of our group spent several hours visiting a children’s home we have “adopted”—we visit them on all our trips. With just a slight break in the cold and drizzly weather, there were lively games of soccer (Mexican football) and American football. Some of our ladies painted the girls’ fingernails, everyone played inside games, and mostly we just listened, hugged and showed the kids some extra love (and fed them Little Caesar’s pizza—what a treat for them!).
In the afternoon, our whole group came back together to share in a neighborhood outreach service with a pastor we have worked with for over 10 years. His church was packed as we shared a Christmas message of hope, fed some snacks to the group, and distributed about 150 shoebox gifts. We were able to leave more gift boxes for the pastor to take to three small churches about eight hours farther into the interior of Mexico. As a bonus on day one, we spent some time visiting with a family for which we had built a new house a few years ago. It is great to see their three kids growing up; they call us their “American aunts and uncles”—what an honor.
On our second day, we served at two churches and at a state-run children’s home. We are just getting to know the two pastors and their wives. They are amazingly faithful and loving servant-leaders to their flocks. We were able to distribute over 600 shoeboxes filled with love and practical and fun items for the children. We also gave out dozens of new, hand-made blankets and quilts. I wish you could have seen all the smiles and felt the gratitude from these people who live in very dire circumstances.
At the children’s home, we took the kids to a nearby park for some outside fun. Back inside, three of our youngest missionaries serenaded us with their violins and flute. Then they let the orphan kids try their hand at playing the instruments—a very sweet time. After more visiting and pizza for dinner, we watched them open their shoebox gifts, and we left them a second box to open on Christmas Day.
These mission trips inspire an amazing sense of unity. A strong bond is formed among all the missionary participants, even after just a couple of days together. We refer to it as the “CB family” where there is great unity between our missionaries and those we serve. Interestingly, we don’t know the denominational affiliation of most of our ministry partners, and they have never asked about ours. We are all one in Christ, focusing on the big picture and the core beliefs of love and service in his name.
Thank you to the hundreds who support Crossing Borders through your prayers, finances, packing shoebox gifts, helping sponsor people to attend the trips, making blankets and more. Even if you never attend a CB mission trip in person, we consider all of you part of our extended CB family! Our next trip is scheduled for June 17-24, 2017. For information, click here or call Lee Berger at 903-746-4463.
Jimmy Kurts, son of Regional Pastor Paul David Kurts and his wife Emma Lee, is a gifted worship leader, singer-songwriter and guitarist. He recently recorded a music video of the song Unify. Jimmy wrote the lyrics with the music being from John Mayer’s song Dreaming With a Broken Heart. To watch the video on YouTube, click here.
As part of its national church administration system, GCI in the Philippines has an Advisory Council. Here are biographies of the current Council members. We thank them for their service, and invite you to pray for them in their important work on behalf of GCI in the Philippines and beyond.
Eugenio Guzon
Eugene, Lourdes and grandchild
Eugene and his wife Lourdes have a daughter who is married to a GCI pastor. Ministry for the Guzons is definitely a family affair!
Eugene became a WCG member in 1977, and was ordained an elder in 1990. Shortly thereafter, he entered full-time ministry, first as an associate pastor and then as head of the GCI-Philippines Financial Services Department. Since 2002 he has served as National Ministry Director for GCI-Philippines. He also oversees GCI’s mission initiatives in Northeast Asia and the United Arab Emirates.
Eugene received a Bachelor’s Degree in Agribusiness from the University of the Philippines in 1978. He attended the Asian Theological Seminary in 1995–96, then transferred to the Ateneo Graduate School of Business where he received a Master’s degree in Business Administration. His final paper was on Strategic Initiatives for GCI Philippines. Eugene is currently completing a doctorate with a focus on spiritual authority.
Reynaldo Taniajura
Rey and June
Rey and June were married in 1974. They have one son, Darryl, who now resides with his wife Marcia, and daughter Chloe, in Texas. Though Rey retired from GCI employment in 2015, he continues to serve as GCI’s mission director and area superintendent for Southern Luzon. He currently is an adjunct faculty member at the International Graduate School of Leadership (IGSL) where he teaches community transformation and development. He also serves as the academic dean of Asian School of Development and Cross-Cultural Studies (ASDECS). In 2013, he was designated Field Director and representative in the Philippines of William Carey International University in Pasadena, CA, where he also is an adjunct faculty member and a major advisor in the PhD program.
From 2009 to 2011, Rey served as National Director of the Philippine Missions Association (the mission commission of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches). He is former 3rd vice-chairman of Asia Missions Association and a member of the mission commission of the Asian Evangelical Association (AEA). He founded the National Prisons Ministries Philippines, Inc. (NPMP) and served as its president for seven years. Currently, Rey is a member of the board of Prison Fellowship International–Pilipinas, and director of its academy.
Rey earned M.A. and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Philippine Studies at the University of the Philippines. He has also completed the academic requirements for an M.A. in Economics from the Lyceum of the Philippines University. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity Theological Seminary in Indiana, where he obtained an M.A. in Biblical Studies and a Master of Sacred Literature degree. He has had additional leadership training at Haggai Institute in Maui, Hawaii (1999); Canaan Farmers School in Seoul, Korea (2010); Institute of Correctional Management in Kerala, India (2003); and in restorative justice in Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada (2003).
Maxzix Fabricante
Max
Max was born in 1946. With his wife Lolita (now deceased) Max has three children and six grandchildren.
Max became a member of the Radio Church of God 1967, and in 1974 was ordained an elder. In 1988 he was hired into full-time ministry, and began serving bivocationally in 1998. He has served churches in Pampanga, Bulacan, Olongapo and other areas in the Philippines. He has also served as a Festival Director and an SEP Camp Director. In 2001 he became a member of the Advisory Council.
Rex Dela Pena
Rex and Sheila
Rex married Sheila in 1998. They had attended the same congregation in their teen years and worked together at SEP camps. Rex was born in Manila, the youngest of four children. His mother became a WCG member in 1972 when Rex was six. He fondly remembers his childhood with family attending church together. Rex attended SEP as a camper and later served as a camp counselor before heading to Ambassador College where he graduated in 1994 and was hired into full-time ministry.
Rex served as a ministerial trainee in Manila and then as National Coordinator for Worship and Youth Ministries. Alongside that, he directed the flagship SEP-Philippines camp for 15 years. He was also Area Superintendent for Metro Manila for several years and now serves as coordinator of Church Development for GCI-Philippines. Rex is based in Baguio City, where Sheila works as a Branch Sales Manager for a real estate company.
Jose V. Manzano
Jose and Virginia
Jose was born in 1947. He and his wife Virginia have four children (one deceased) and six grandchildren. Jose holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries, two Master’s degrees (one in fish culture and the other in education) and a Doctor of Philosophy degree. He is a licensed fisheries technologist, and before retirement was an associate professor at Bicol University.
Within GCI, Jose has served as the Assistant Area Superintendent for the Bicol Region and now serves on the National Advisory Council for GCI Philippines. Jose has also actively participated in the planting of five GCI churches in the Philippines.
Roy Valenzuela
Roy and Vilma
Roy, who is married to Vilma Tolosa Valenzuela, was born in 1971. He was awarded an M.A. in Public Management in 2016 and an M.A. in Transformational Leadership in 2011. He also holds Bachelor’s degrees in law and mechanical engineering. He holds licenses to practice law and to serve as a civil servant.
Since 2016 Roy has served as Deputy Director of the Directorate for Inmate Welfare and Development, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. Before that he was Chief of the Legal Service Office, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology – National Headquarters. Roy currently serves as chairman of Prison Fellowship International Pilipinas; chairman of National Prison Ministries Philippines; and corporate secretary of El Proveedores Foundation.
Audie Santibanez
Audie and Rachel
Audie married Rachel Santiabanez in 1999. They have two sons. Audie and Rachel share a love for GCI and its pastoral ministry.
After finishing a Civil Engineering degree in 1988, Audie attended Ambassador University in Texas where he completed a degree in Management Information Systems in 1994. He then became a ministerial trainee and then a pastor, serving congregations in the Visayas, Mindanao and Luzon.
Audie currently serves bivocationally as an Area Superintendent for Metro Manila and the neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga and Olongapo. He says that working in both agribusiness and ministry gives him the blessing of enjoying the best of both worlds.
Ezra Raduban
Ezra and Jina
Ezra was born in 1964 in the heart of Manila. A year later, his parents joined the first congregation of Radio Church of God in the Philippines. His father eventually became a WCG pastor.
After graduating with a degree in Accountancy in 1985, Ezra attended Ambassador University in Pasadena where he earned a degree in theology. Upon returning to the Philippines in 1989, he married Jina Soledad a receptionist in WCG’s Philippine Regional Office. They have three sons, all serving in worship ministry as members of a worship band called the Amplifiers.
Since ending his work with the Philippine Regional Office in 1995, Ezra has been involved in the area of Human Resources. He currently works as Manager of HR Operations for Western Digital Corporation. Ezra and Jina along with their son Everett are members of the Pastoral Team of GCI’s congregation in Santa Rosa where they are establishing “Neighbor Love Communities” to share the good news of Christ and his love with different target groups in the community. Ezra was ordained an elder in 2006 and appointed to the Philippine National Board in 2002. He continues as a member of the Advisory Council.
Mario Natividad
Mario and Belinda
Mario, who is married to Belinda, received a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Mapua Institute of Technology in 1975, and a Master of Science degree in Industrial Economics in 1978 from the University of Asia and the Pacific. After university, he worked as an Executive Assistant to the President for Corporate Planning, then as a Market Services Manager, and then as a General Chartering Manager.
Mario believes in serving God by giving back to the community through social outreach. For more than 30 years in WCG/GCI, he has participated in medical and dental missions and other relief operations under Develop Asia Foundation, Inc. He has also helped sponsor emerging youth leaders for training at SEP and has helped coordinate GCI annual worship festivals. Mario also helped found the Ambassador School for Children, which contributes to early childhood education and provides scholarships to poor but deserving children. Mario now serves as Senior Pastor of a newly planted GCI congregation in the Manila area and Belinda is Eugene Guzon’s executive secretary in GCI’s Manila office.
During a recent meeting of the GCI-Canada board of directors, Frank Gough announced he no longer will be serving as board chairman—a position he has held for many years. GCI-Canada National Director Gary Moore commented:
Gary and Wendy Moore
Frank has been doing a wonderful job for us. He’ll remain as a member of the board, but has transferred chairman duties to board member Gerry Sinkler. I’ve known Gerry for many years, and know he will do a great job in this new role.
We all appreciate Gerry’s willingness to take on this added responsibility, even as we express our appreciation to Frank for his competent and faithful service in that role. Frank is an elder in the St. John’s NL congregation, and Gerry is a deacon in the Edmonton AB congregation.
This report, from GCI-Kenya National Director Anthony Gachanja, tells how the kindness of our members in the Naivasha church (near Nairobi, Kenya) led to a request for a church plant.
In August this year, we lost a member of our Naivasha congregation who had been sick for a long time. Church members visited her frequently in the hospital, and when she died, the congregation contributed finances and personnel to assist in the funeral, which was conducted by our pastor Michael Thuku. To our members, doing these things was simply our duty to a beloved sister in Christ; little did we know that it would have a great impact on her family and neighbors.
GCI-Naivasha congregation
In late November, a delegation was sent by our sister’s family to visit our congregation and worship with us. The distance between their home and our church building is approximately 75 miles. The spokeslady for the visitors gave a very moving testimony in our church service concerning our service to the family. Some were moved to tears.
The visiting delegation
We shared a meal together, and they asked us if we would be in a position to start a fellowship in their home area. They expressed a desire to have that love in their village. This, to them is the best gift they can give to their departed sister. In response, we promised to visit them at the earliest opportune time to discuss the way forward. All glory and honor be to our Triune God for this is his doing.
GCI’s Jacksonville, Florida, congregation pastored by Marty and Yvonne Davey, recently held a youth-oriented community outreach event featuring live Hip-Hop Christian music. The event was coordinated by the congregation’s teens and young adults. Here are highlights in a video narrated by Marty:
This report is from Educational Strategy Task Force member Charles Fleming, who also serves as mission developer in GCI’s Caribbean region.
In late 2015, GCI President Joseph Tkach set up the Education Strategy Task Force (ESTF), chaired by Dr. Gary Deddo, to assess the scope and accessibility, within GCI, of resources for educating and training our members, ministry leaders and pastors (for an additional report on the ESTF, click here).
Two formal educational resources
The Task Force recently concluded its evaluation, reporting that it is impressed by the focus and quality of instruction available through Ambassador College of Christian Ministry (ACCM) and Grace Communion Seminary (GCS), especially by the way they address the needs of different groups within the church. ACCM offers undergraduate-level courses leading to a diploma and GCS offers graduate-level courses leading to a master’s degree. The Task Force recommended that national and regional leaders advertise these resources within their respective areas so members are more aware of their availability. Anyone interested in taking ACCM or GCS courses can get information at www.gci.org/education.
Announcing a new, informal resource: 40 Days of Discipleship
In addition to these formal education courses, the Task Force identified a need for less formal and self-guided educational resources. We’re happy to announce that one is now available online at no (or little) cost. Developed by Michael Morrison (Dean of Faculty at GCS and Task Force member), this helpful resource is titled 40 Days of Discipleship. It draws on the voluminous collection of online articles and video/audio recordings on our GCI.org website—compiling them into three series covering in increasing depth a comprehensive range of the doctrinal and theological understandings that have nourished GCI’s renewal as a denomination. To access the first series in 40 Days of Discipleship, click here; for the second series, click here; and for the third series, click here. We encourage our members, ministry leaders and pastors to go online to see if these self-guided courses would be helpful for their personal study, small group discussions, and in preparing sermons and Bible studies.
In each series, ten major topics are covered, with approximately 2,500 words assigned for each day’s reading (to complete the readings in 40 days). The first series gives an overview of major teachings. The second visits the same topics again for greater depth, and the third covers the same ten topics again. Together, these three series add up to a comprehensive overview of each topic. Each series is now available for online reading, as a PDF download, and (for a small cost) as a paperback or spiral-bound workbook.
Further developments coming
The ESTF hopes all GCI members will become aware of these educational resources, and find for themselves those that are most appropriate to their needs. We trust the result will be the strengthening and encouragement of all of GCI.
While the ESTF has completed its initial assignment and has made a number of recommendations to Dr. Tkach, members of the Task Force have committed to meet periodically to offer their help with the implementation of any of its recommendations that may be approved. We ask that church members continue in prayer for us as we seek to continually improve the range, quality and accessibility of educational resources to be used by our members, ministry leaders and pastors, along with others who are interested in our Incarnational Trinitarian theology. GCI is committed to doing its part to provide excellent educational resources for the equipping of the saints for the work of Jesus’ ministry to the world.
GCI’s affiliate ministry, Odyssey in Christ, recently hosted an Experiencing the Trinity retreat in Titusville, Florida. Participants came from the U.S., Nassau and St. Lucia. Led by Larry Hinkle, Charles and Carmen Fleming, Gracie Johnson and Carolyn Lane, the retreat was designed to help participants gain a deeper understanding of God in his Trinitarian person and a deeper personal relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Retreat participants
Here are comments from participants:
It gave us a wonderful step away from the distractions and noises of our stressful lives to consider our perspective about our faith journey. We were able to prize the value of silence, solitude, and privacy, and reflect how our understanding and response to our Triune God can be radically improved when we quietly and patiently listen to his voice as he works in us, and with us each day. Like most of us, I have formed distorted views and perspectives over my years of faith and ministry that, in the context of my spiritual temperament, certainly affect my thinking. But the retreat refocused my understanding of my personal relationship with God. I sincerely appreciate how the Father’s unconditional and unfailing love, Jesus’ total obedience and sacrifice, and the Holy Spirit’s constant comfort and leading illustrate the profound love God has for each of us during our earthly walk. —Dwight Dean
I believed that the retreat would just be helping me to decipher Scripture. Boy was I surprised! It is a very personal experience between God and myself that helped create a safe place to let go of stuff and create more space for God. It was the most thought-provoking, spiritual fulfilling, and emotionally stabilizing experience of my life. —Stephanie Hall
It was a special blessing to attend this beautiful, moving retreat, learning how to move from just knowing about our Great Triune God, to really knowing him. For over 40 years I have been reading and studying God’s Word. Today, it’s my passion! So much of what I experienced with my brothers and sisters during the retreat has brought me to knowing my Lord in deeper and new ways. It became obvious that he was gently moving me out of my comfort zone, inviting me not only to see him more clearly, but to follow him more nearly. I am grateful to the leaders for making it such a great spiritual journey for me. —Bobbie Tonucci
GCI-Tasmania pastor Phil Hopwood and his wife Deb, along with GCI-Australia member Jan Jackowiak, recently visited GCI congregations in the African nation of Namibia. Here is Phil’s report.
We arrived on a Tuesday in Windhoek, capital of Namibia, where we spent a day and a half preparing our vehicle and getting supplies ready for our trip, including purchasing youth and adult Bibles from the Bible Society of Namibia. On Wednesday we drove to Sesriem where we visited the world-famous Sossusvlei sand dunes (pictured below).
On Thursday we visited the coastal towns of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund before staying overnight under the spectacular rock formations at Spitzkoppe. We then spent four days in Etosha National Park, experiencing its incredible diversity and density of animals, including giraffes, wildebeest, rhinoceros, lions, elephants, ostriches and many otherbird varieties.
The following Wednesday we drove through the countryside to the Zambezi Region. Namibia is mostly desert and arid land, with poor soil in most areas. There has been a two-year-long drought in most of the country. The population density in Namibia is the lowest in Africa, with small rural villages and occasional towns spread sparsely over the country. There is more population in the north than the south, and we started to see many more villages at this stage, including many schools. Namibia has one of the highest rates of literacy in Africa, with compulsory primary school education.
We spent Thursday exploring the Divundu-Okavango area before another long drive to Katima Mulilo on Friday where we met up with Pastor Lascan Sikosi (pictured above). We then visited his church building, which had been constructed with help from GCI-Canada. Together with Lascan we drove to Singalamwe where our members enthusiastically welcomed us with singing and dancing. As shown in the picture below, Bibles were presented to the members who could read English or are in the process of learning the language.
We then visited a neighboring village where the basic beginnings of a new church building were inspected (see picture above). GCI-Tasmania congregations have raised funds for roof and structural materials to enable the building’s completion. The congregation there is growing and their existing church building is too small. The new building will have a metal roof and a more central location making it easier for members to access.
We then returned to Katima Mulilo where we camped overlooking the Zambezi River. We joined the Katima congregation for worship that evening, again receiving a warm welcome. I was invited to give a message, and spoke on 1 John 4:16, and the assurance that God loves us as his children, and how he wants us to be confident in and trust in his faithful, unconditional and never-ending love. There are a number of historical and current religious influences in the area that push a message of works including Sabbath-observance and other religious rules that must be kept to be acceptable to God. As at Singalamwe, the singing was joy-filled and inspiring with beautiful African harmonies, movement and dance. Jan and Lascan presented more Bibles and distributed some of the clothing that the Adelaide, South Australia church had funded.
We had hoped to meet South African Mission Developer Tim McGuire in nearby Botswana early the following week, but his vehicle broke down when returning from church meetings in Lusaka, Zambia and he was unable to join us. Thankfully, we caught up with him a week later in Johannesburg.
The following Friday we joined members in the region meeting in Katima for a two-day training conference. Topics included GCI history, Trinitarian theology, Christian leadership and pastoring, God’s faithfulness, the role and value of marriage, stewardship, and preaching. The training was interspersed with worship and meals consisted mostly of maize powder mixed with water, cooked in a large pot over an outdoor fire (see picture above). On Sunday, most of the members joined in the baptism of ten adults and teens in a ceremony held on the banks of the Zambezi River (see picture below). The distant sound of hippos, along with the joyful singing of members on shore provided accompaniment.
Upon arriving back at the church building, a massive thunderstorm let loose—the first real rain in almost two years. The church building weathered the storm but many local houses (constructed mostly of mud) did not fare as well. After about an hour, we were able to conclude the weekend event with singing and fond farewells (see pictures of the Katima Mulilo congregation with Phil below).
Monday was our last full day in Namibia, and we spent much of it with Pastor Lascan discussing the weekend training, and ways we could be of help in the future. We found and purchased a new drum for the congregation and contributed funds towards other church needs. Lascan’s old phone needed replacing, and he didn’t have a computer, so we gave him a spare phone we had as well as a small notebook PC. He is currently trying to obtain better internet service.
Pastor Lascan
Lascan is not employed by the church, and the local members have very little money to contribute. He receives a small stipend from the South African office. He often does contract work for the local government, and is hoping to pick up more work soon. He has worked enthusiastically and faithfully in Katima Mulilo where he lives to build the local congregation that was in disarray when the former pastor moved back to Germany. He has worked tirelessly and patiently to build relationships with people in surrounding communities.
Lascan enacts Bible stories for children in the local schools, and teaches them about Jesus and the gospel, as well as conducting evangelistic meetings in local villages. There are now five GCI congregations in the area, including a small one attended by San (Bushmen) people. He has capable and supportive help from leaders he has raised up in those churches. He has a small motorcycle provided by GCI South Africa, and also uses local transport to get around the region.
Lascan has received some training from the church in the past and is interested in taking GCI’s ACCM classes online. He is in regular contact with Tim Maguire who visits regularly. Lascan’s vision and prayerful hope is to move to the capital, Windhoek, and raise up a congregation there, and from there conduct mission work in other areas of Namibia. He and the members pray constantly for the work of the gospel in their nation, as well as for their GCI brothers and sisters around the world. They made it clear to us how much they value being part of GCI, and appreciate the friendship and support they receive from Tim Maguire and the church in South Africa and elsewhere.
