Category: Stay Connected

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.

This report is from Dustin Lampe, lead pastor at Christ Fellowship Church, GCI’s congregation on the West side of Cincinnati, OH. Dustin tells about his congregation’s program to reach out to the families in the community surrounding their church building, using the popular youth sport of tee-ball.

The tee-ball league that is coming together at Christ Fellowship Church is quite exciting. We’re calling it West Side T Ball. We’ve set up a schedule of four practices and four games, for kids ages 4-7.

Entering into our third practice, we had 67 players being served by our team of four gifted leaders who all are members in our congregation. They administer the league, a concession stand manned with volunteers, over $2000 in community business sponsorships (including help from a hospital and funeral home). We have three announcers and five photographers ready to rotate on Sundays. And we have a good head coach and two assistant coaches for each of the six teams that were given nice uniforms.

Our league has particular perks that make it stand out. It meets inside our church building where my wife Rachel is putting together slides with the kid’s pictures on them. These slides appear on the big screen, along with a short clip of their favorite song. These personal slides are shown and the name announced when each kid is up to bat. By doing things like this, the kids are built up in our league from beginning to end. At the end of the season, we’ll have an awards banquet at which each kid will be honored with a small trophy with a label for something unique that they brought to the team.

I have the privilege of speaking to all these kids, their parents, guardians, brothers and sisters each week (that’s me addressing the group in the picture above). I speak to them about sportsmanship, about being a team, and I also elaborate on an element of the Lord’s Prayer.

I suppose a question many will have is this: How many of these kids attend our congregation? We’ll see over the long haul. I do expect to see many of them plug into the day camp we hold each year. Church members have gathered camp invitations and started to work on sign-ups without me even asking! Two of our newest members are younger men who are our best tee-ball coaches. I can see they are finding it exciting to be part of this ministry!

Here is a final thought: sports as a means of ministry and connection to the community has been on my mind since I began pastoring at Christ Fellowship Church a few years ago. This tee-ball program has opened a door for us. My hope is that my volunteers will be able to do most of the work for the league next year. Right now, I’m walking three of them through all that I’m doing each week. Running the league is separate from promotions, advertising, fundraising and sponsorships. I already have three people who are taking ownership of that end. We are offering the league to the kids for free with the help of community business sponsorships ranging from Bronze ($100), to Platinum ($750). Most go for Silver ($200). The local hospital did a gold sponsorship ($500). The larger the donation, the larger the sign they get with their logo displayed at the games.

This update is from Heber Ticas, National Coordinator for GCI-USA Church Multiplication Ministries and ecclesiastical supervisor for GCI churches in Mexico and Spanish-speaking churches in the United States.

Outside The Walls (OTW) went to Mexico City in March. Church Multiplication Ministries (CMM) provided the OTW training and assisted GCI’s Mexico City church in conducting the OTW event. As with previous OTW events, pastors from sister churches participated with the host congregation, Promesa Cumplida (Fulfilled Promise), which is pastored by Nathanael Cruz.

The OTW training participants shared a year-long series of online conferences conducted by CMM National Coordinator, Heber Ticas. They then gathered in Mexico City for refresher training, and the OTW event, which focused on engaging the community surrounding the host congregation’s place of meeting. Joining in the event were Pastor Jose L. Seba from Tlaxcala, Mexico; Pastor Hector Barrero from Bogota, Colombia; and GCI-USA CAD director Greg Williams from Glendora, California.

The OTW event was a Family Fun Day held on Saturday. Before it began, members of the host congregation along with visiting pastors went into the community around the church to invite participation in the event. Attended by 148 people, the event was filled with fun activities for all ages. The congregation also offered free haircuts along with free medical, chiropractic, and dental check-ups. The reason for providing these services was to show God’s love with no strings attached. The Lord was clearly at work, transforming lives.

Those attending the OTW event from the community were invited to return the next day (Sunday) for a church service dedicated to blessing the family. Pastor Cruz preached an inspiring sermon concerning family, and the families in attendance joined in a circle and were prayed for. There were 73 people at this service, including 10 visitors who had participated in the Saturday Family Fun Day event.

Jesus is clearly on the move in that community, and Promesa Cumplida has joined in and started to “surf the wave” being generated by the Spirit. Let’s join together in praying for this congregation, and for all of our OTW congregations, asking the Lord to continue leading them forward in what they are doing to participate with him in his ongoing mission to their communities.

Click the links below to read about recent GCI ministry activity in the Philippines.

• Missions seminar
• Village wedding and rehab work training

GCI’s congregation in Barranquilla, Colombia, recently met at a hotel in Santa Marta for its Annual Seminar. The group, which included 47 adults and 7 children, was led by Pastor Sonia Orozco, with GCI Mission Developer Hector Barrero serving as featured speaker. The theme of the four-day seminar was “Transforming Lives” with presentations addressing the congregation’s mission, vision, values, ministries, motivations and objectives. Here are pictures:

 

We are celebrating good news from West Africa—34 members from GCI congregations in Kpodzi, Ghana, and nearby Lomé, Togo, were baptized at a recent combined church service. Below is a picture of the group gathered for the service. We rejoice with these GCI brothers and sisters!