Category: Stay Connected

Here are links to reports concerning recent events in GCI-Philippines:

1. Deeper Walk Retreat for Emerging Leaders in Baguio
2. Olaguer-Pamor Wedding in Bicol
3. Preparations for Jesus Global Youth Day 2018

This report is from Kairis Chiaji, Spanish interpreter for the missionary team.

GCI’s congregation in Sacramento, CA, was preparing its youth to live on mission. Toward that end, Lead Pastor Mike Swagerty worked with youth leaders Judah Dwight Sanders and Lauren Rierson to implement a curriculum addressing GCI doctrine. The curriculum included field trips to non-GCI churches to experience their approach to worship. And then a big idea hit—what if the learning experience included a mission trip overseas? After looking at various options, the answer came—our sister congregation in Bogotá, Colombia, would be the perfect place to participate in God’s work on an international scale. GCI Bogotá Lead Pastor Hector Barrera and Pastor Mike not only are friends (originally connected by Ambassador College) they have participated in joint evangelism efforts. After some research, it seemed evident that God was leading us to take a mission trip to Bogotá, Colombia.

After much fundraising, updating passports, and reassuring parents, we were set to travel in April. Six adults (including three youth leaders) accompanied six youth group members on the 3,375 mile trip to Colombia to meet with Pastor Hector, his wife Paulina, and their ministry and mission team in Bogotá.

No doubt about it, Comunión de Gracia Internacional of Bogotá, sets the standard for hospitality! Our trip there was filled to the brim with opportunities for serving, sightseeing, praise and worship, and education. Each day, in every activity, Bogotá church staff and members tended to our needs. They fed us well, gave us gifts and shared their stories. Excellent cultural liaisons, they went above and beyond. We were safe and comfortable. We were family. We had a blast!

During Holy Week we witnessed three baptisms and two of us were invited to give sermons in Holy Week services. Some of us participated in an international praise and worship team at the Easter service. The Holy Spirit’s presence transcended the language barriers. We were truly many parts, one Body.

Our mission team sought out ways to serve and support the Bogotá congregation’s community outreach goals. As a result of all these activities, we returned home energized and with a renewed heart and spirit for evangelism. Though we lent our hands to help with their ongoing service projects, the blessings we experienced far outweighed anything we contributed. The Bogotá congregation’s youth ministry leadership team, which reflects the determined, patient and grace-filled leadership of Pastor Hector, had a great deal of experience and wisdom to pass on to us. Their commitment renewed our own. Their success gave us hope.

Though these two congregations are half a world apart, they have been closely connected for years. Their lead pastors, steadfast in kingdom-building work for decades, have now passed the torch of leadership to a new, up-and-coming generation. The bonding and friendships that took place during our visit were heartfelt and sincere. Like any siblings with Christ’s DNA, had there not been different languages to navigate, you would never have known we hadn’t met before. The great good news of our futures together is set for eternity!

Mission Developer Rod Matthews reports on developments in Southern Asia and the South Pacific.

Vanuatu: drought ended

We are delighted to report the end of the very long drought on the island of Malekula in Vanuatu (where the GCI congregation is located). The water tank is now full and crops are growing! Thank you for your prayers for our members at Rory. They are most appreciative of the help provided by GCI churches in New Zealand, the U.S. and Australia to help them purchase rice and other foodstuffs and ship it in from other islands during this prolonged, difficult time.

India: mission trip

GCI’s congregation in Hyderabad conducted a mission trip to Gudivada in February. Led by Senior Pastor Dan Zachariah and accompanied by Sanjeeva Rao and Praveen, it started with an overnight train trip of about eight hours. The mission team spent half the first day in Gudivada discussing Trinitarian theology with Pastor Joseph Usala who serves the pastoral needs of about 100 people. That evening a gospel meeting was conducted for about 30 people in nearby Nandiwada, a village where Pastor Joseph runs an educational center serving the needs of about 20 children who come in five times a week to be helped with their studies. Prayers were held for those struggling with various life issues. A seminar was later held for about 20 pastors (pictured below) on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Video highlights of the mission trip are available at https://youtu.be/QcUissCsJG8.

New Zealand: refresher weekend

In February, 40 GCI members (pictured below) attended a refresher weekend in Waikanae, NZ. The weekend began with a formal Maori welcome, followed by a magnificent banquet-like supper. In teaching sessions, Kerry Gubb expounded on Philippians 2:5-9, focusing on the way Jesus emptied himself of his rights of deity, and exploring how that might play out in our life of becoming Christ-like.

The refresher weekend included a meeting of the NZ Board and Pastoral Team. The Board marked the retirement of Maureen MacDonald, a Trustee since 2002, and member of the National Advisory Council before that. Rex Morgan commented that her wise input and diligent service are greatly appreciated, and the NZ churches owe her a debt of gratitude. One of the main reasons for Maureen’s retirement was to enable the younger generation to be more involved, and the Board was pleased to welcome Jocelyn Best as a new Trustee.

Myanmar: pastoral conference, pastor’s wedding

Southeast Asian Senior Pastor Wong Mein Kong, his wife Chew Yeng, along with Rod Matthews and his wife Ruth (all pictured below) recently travelled to the village of Matupi in western Myanmar. Matupi is the center of the area populated by the Matu Chin people. GCI has a congregation in Matupi and six others in villages in the surrounding region, totaling over 300 people who came into GCI as a collective decision of the elders led by Pastor Chan Thleng that was then confirmed by the members of the congregations involved.

Chan Thleng had requested that GCI conduct a conference in Matupi for the pastors of these congregations. No GCI personnel from outside Myanmar had been to Matupi before. The travelling group felt immensely privileged to visit the home area of these wonderful people and to meet with the pastors (pictured below). During the conference, brief messages were given by Rod and Mein Kong, followed by a lengthy question and answer session with the area pastors. The conference ended with a communion service followed by the commissioning of the area pastors and church planters as they serve under the guidance of our GCI fellowship.

The conference included the wedding of Chan Thleng to Lydia (pictured below). She is the daughter of the pastor of another church. The wedding had been scheduled for this weekend so that international guests could participate. Rod and Mein Kong officiated, with about 200 people attending.

Here are links to reports on Easter church services in the Philippines where multiple GCI congregations combined to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ:

• Easter services with southern Tagalog churches
• Easter services with metro Manila congregations

Converge, this year’s national gathering of GenMin camp and mission leaders, was held April 21-23 in Nashville, TN, at the beautiful Scarritt-Bennett Center. The Converge theme this year, “Reimagine Camp,” emphasized the great foundation of 51 years of camping ministry in GCI, while looking to future hopeful outcomes of stronger partnerships with GCI congregations, of rethinking how camps can create spaces for making disciples throughout the year and further develop new leaders.

Anthony Mullins, the outgoing GenMin National Coordinator, introduced a reimagined focus on Community Church Camps in each of the five U.S. regions (see picture below) and GC Launch, a new national emerging leaders’ camp for high school seniors. GC Launch will get started in December 2018 at the new GCI Home Office in Charlotte, NC.

After five years in GenMin leadership, Anthony had the privilege to commission and appoint the new GenMin National Coordinator, Jeff Broadnax (Anthony and Jeff will work side by side through the rest of this year). Former GenMin Directors Ted Johnston and Greg Williams, along with GCI President Joseph Tkach, shared stories about Jeff and prayed for him in his new responsibility (see picture below). Jeff shared the final sermon message at Converge, offering a vision of healthy church and ministry that involves intergenerational collaboration and togetherness.

This update is from Heber Ticas, ecclesiastical supervisor of GCI’s congregations in Mexico.

Over the Easter weekend (April 14–16), GCI Mexico held its annual conference for pastors and other congregational leaders in Guadalajara, Mexico. It was a great time of fellowship, worship, renewal and learning. Dr. Joseph Tkach was the keynote speaker and those in attendance were inspired as he shared the good things the Lord is doing in our fellowship around the world.

Throughout the weekend, various teaching sessions were offered. Lorenzo Arroyo gave a workshop on the different models of the doctrine of salvation, emphasizing GCI’s incarnational Trinitarian theology. Heber Ticas gave a series of workshops challenging pastors and others to lead their congregations through four avenues (phases) leading to becoming a fully missional church: 1) developing a missionary mentality, 2) missional development, 3) experiencing missional movement, and 4) being a church fully engaged in missional rhythms. Xochilt Ticas (Heber’s wife) gave a workshop for women on forgiveness, including the important role of forgiveness in the life of a congregation.

The highlight of the conference was Dr. Tkach’s Easter Sunday sermon on the resurrection, and the ordination of Jose Luis Seba who started a small group in Tlaxcala Mexico a few years back that has blossomed into a full church.

Overall, the conference was a great encouragement to GCI’s congregations in Mexico. Please pray for them, asking God to bless the work he is doing in and through them in the nation of Mexico.

We send heartfelt thanks to our brothers and sisters in Canada and the United States for the financial assistance that made this conference possible.

We are pleased to announce that Hands for Christ (GCI’s congregation for the deaf in Staten Island, NY) baptized seven people on April 15. Lead Pastor Mary Bachelor reports that “it was a glorious event—all seven were filled with joy and graciousness.” Five of the newly baptized are deaf and two are hearing. As Mary noted, “All were thankful to have the opportunity to proclaim their commitment, faith, love and relationship with Jesus Christ. It was an honor to baptize these people into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Here are pictures of the blessed event:

GCI’s congregation in Jacksonville, FL, pastored by Marty and Yvonne Davey, recently held its second annual Outside the Walls Neighborhood Fun Day. The first one, held last year, was part of the congregation’s participation in the Outside the Walls training and consulting provided by GCI’s Church Multiplications Ministries. The number of guests attending this year’s event was up about 15% from a similar event held last year.

As you’ll see in the video below, the event included food, a prayer booth, a variety of carnival-like games (including three bounce houses), pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, a dunking booth, an interactive science table, a three-point shooting contest, a choir concert, a professional Christian rapper, and a variety of carnival-type children’s games. The goal of the event was to reach out to the community to connect with non-churched people living in the neighborhoods surrounding the church—beginning a relationship that can continue in the weeks and months ahead.

On YouTube at https://youtu.be/-mKGrNtUqpE

Here are links to recent reports from GCI-Philippines:

• Ambassador School for Children graduation
• Deeper Walk retreat
• Area Superintendents meet
• Sunday School teachers trained
• Pastoral team member honored

Shirley Henderson, wife of James Henderson, GCI’s National Director in Great Britain, submitted this report of a recent church “getaway” made with 29 people to the Mediterranean island-nation of Cyprus.

One could hardly ask for a lovelier and more relaxing setting than on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in Paphos, Cyprus for a winter getaway! The weather was very kind—warm enough for sunbathing if desired, as well as for strolls along the seafront into the harbor area.

A worship service with the theme of “Be encouraged” was held every day, usually in the late afternoon before dinner. The connection was that Barnabas, who was called the Son of Encouragement, came from Cyprus, and he accompanied Paul, Luke and John Mark on Paul’s first missionary journey, where the Roman governor of Paphos became a Christian.

A visit to archaeological sites of Biblical relevance helped to bring it all to life more vividly. In addition, there were excursions to other sites of historic interest as well as a fabulous wine tasting meze meal at the highest vineyard in Cyprus which boasted spectacular views and a visit to the highest point on the island, the Olympus peaks, where we were amazed to encounter a considerable amount of snow.

A “meze” consists typically of anything from 15 to 30 sharing plates, featuring such specialties as the famous Cypriot halloumi cheese and delicious local olives. We also had the opportunity to experience another meze meal at a traditional tavern, with much fun and laughter.

One of the highlights was “praise under the stars” on the beach, and it was very special when we sang the line “I see the stars” from How Great Thou Art. I think everyone who came, went home refreshed and rejuvenated.