Category: Stay Connected

This update is from Steve Solari, lead pastor at Hope Community Fellowship, GCI’s congregation in The Colony, Texas, (on the north side of the Dallas metro area).

When there is a fifth Sunday in a month, we cancel regular worship services and hold a service project in the community where our church building is located. We’ve helped the city’s Volunteer Assistance Project repair fences and clean yards for disabled veterans or shut-ins. We’ve helped a local non-profit prepare boxes of food for children who need meals while school is out. We also helped a senior resident move into assisted living. This July (when it was too hot for an outdoor project) we hosted a meal honoring the community’s first responders (police and firefighters). When I announced the event to the congregation, there was a spontaneous outburst of applause. Like many in The Colony, our members greatly appreciate what our local heroes do for us. We wanted to show our thanks.

Our members brought food for a meal to which all the police and firefighters in the community were invited. The firefighters came in shifts to ensure coverage for emergencies, and police officers dropped in as time permitted (even though it was his day off, the Chief of Police stopped in). Apparently the community noticed—an anonymous donor (who never came inside) gave a cash donation of over $100 to help fund the event. The response was fantastic, and we’re looking forward to doing this event regularly to show thanks to community servants who often are forgotten.

GCI’s Cincinnati, Ohio (East) church was featured recently in a Cincinnati Enquirer article. Titled, “Dialogue on Race Difficult but Worth It,” the article notes the congregation’s involvement in Neighbor 2 Neighbor, a racial reconciliation organization formed following civil unrest in Cincinnati in 2001.

Vicki Hart, wife of the congregation’s lead pastor, George Hart, noted that the congregation “got connected about three years ago with a Neighbor 2 Neighbor group that meets in Milford, the city where our church building is located. The group has been meeting at our church building for over a year, and several of our members joined the organization and attend the meetings on a regular basis.”

Vicki notes that Kevin Aldridge of the Enquirer contacted the organization recently after the national racial flare-ups and violence, asking if he could interview the Milford group for an article.

Four GCI members are mentioned in the article along with the congregation. According to Vicki, “the article has been received by the community very positively.” To read the article, click here.

In this report, Caleb Makhela, a pastor in GCI-South Africa, tells about his recent visit to GCI congregations in the African nation of Mozambique.

I had flu for three days because of inhaling dust in some of the churches we visited, but now the worst is over. We have mainly been in areas without telephone since Monday, and yesterday we were able to get to Maromeu, a place that has been eluding us all this time because of inclement weather. What excitement and what jubilation when we arrived! It didn’t matter to our members there that we arrived almost at 10 pm! This morning we had a very lively, almost two-hour long service at which many people expressed their joy in finally being visited by somebody from South Africa.

Our visits to the congregations were planned to arrive in the afternoon or evening. We then have a brief service of thanksgiving followed by dinner and go to bed while the locals continue singing (often until 2 or 3 am in the morning!). When we arise in the morning, we hold a service for the women. Mrs. Mariano speaks on the role of husbands and wives and I speak about the whole family, including children, dwelling mainly on Ephesians 5 and 6, and 1 Peter 3. I can tell these teachings speak to the congregations by their expressions of joy.

CAD Director Greg Williams recently conducted an “intensive” (short-term, on site) version of the Ambassador College of Christian Ministry (ACCM) class, Jesus and the Gospels. Here is his report.

It was my pleasure to be in Dallas, Texas, to lead 17 highly-engaged students in taking ACCM’s Jesus and the Gospels class. This two-day-long “intensive” was a journey of learning, sharing and centering our lives in Jesus. We explored Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension, and reflected on the method and message of his teachings in the four Gospels. We also gave attention to good principles of biblical exegesis in order to discover Jesus more deeply and personally as “The way, the truth and the life”—the One who came in human form to not only show us the Father, but to unite us with the Triune God. Here are pictures from the class, along with comments from a couple of students.

Comments from students

From Kirk Hayden (Wichita, Kansas):

The format of the class was very relational, giving us opportunity to learn together. The students bonded quickly. The readings before the class gave us a good foundation and then following the class we will be completing an assignment that we’ll submit to our instructor. This “intensive” format is a great way to learn. I recommend ACCM’s intensive classes to anyone who wants to experience shared learning.

From Joe Brannen (Dallas, Texas):

I liked the interactive format, which gave us a classroom setting without missing much time away from family and work. The class was very enriching, concentrated, and of great quality. It helped me dig deeper into my life and my understanding of God. I found myself craving to learn and understand more on an intellectual and practical level. The class helped me learn to be a more effective leader in ministry—learning from the other students broadened my thinking. Joining with others from all over the country, to join with Jesus in learning more about God, was very inspiring.

The following report is from Lee Berger who leads GenMin’s Crossing Borders mission organization.

Crossing Borders missions conducted its 21st trip to Mexico on June 11-19, 2016. Like all our trips, it was a unique blend of people and events. As missionaries to Mexico, we love seeing our dear, long-time Mexican ministry partners and meeting many new people. It’s all about relationship—with God and our fellow human beings. This trip focused on the theme Incarnation, noting that the incarnate Son of God has perfectly revealed God’s nature of pure love to us and our goal as missionaries is to participate with Jesus as he expresses God’s love to the Mexican people.

We had a busy week! We preached, sang and danced at “Church in the Park”—a church for the homeless and discarded street people (see picture, above right). We visited three children’s homes and a senior citizen home (a visit hosted by the Mexican mayor’s wife). We played, did crafts, sang, listened and were just “there” with the kids and elderly. We also conducted Vacation Bible School programs on four days, with in-home groups of 12 and church groups of up to 65 children (see picture below). We were served “real” Mexican food several days by our hosts, and we reciprocated by providing a lasagna meal for them.

We spent several hours at a city park with our “adopted family”—mom, dad and three kids that we built a house for a few years ago. We reconnect with them on each trip—it is a joy to watch the kids grow up. We had a Fiesta Day at a children’s home, with all kinds of booths and activities, including letting a tarantula spider we found crawl around on our arms.

The overnight camp facility Crossing Borders uses also provides a transitional rest-stop to full-time American missionaries coming and going out of Mexico. Several of these missionaries shared their inspiring stories with our group, and there were tears, joy and thankfulness to God for his wonders in each story. A local businessman who we have worked with on most of our trips told how one of his employees embezzled $1 million dollars from him, and he and his wife are asking God to lead them to forgiveness and restoration.

One of our ministry partners is building a new, large church building—one piece at a time as finances become available. Because of generous donations to Crossing Borders from individuals and churches in the U.S., we were able to provide funds to pour one-third of the concrete floor slab, and we built new benches for a children’s home. We were also able to purchase paint for the exterior of a pastor’s house and for the exterior of a church.

Our next Mexico trip is on December 9-12, 2016. We’d love to have you with us! Or you or your church can donate shoebox gifts for the children and infants. For information, go to www.cbmission.org or call me (Lee Berger) at 903-746-4463.

During the recent GCI-USA Regional Conference held last weekend in Dallas, Texas, GCI’s Dallas-area congregations hosted a 60th anniversary celebration of the planting of the first WCG congregation in the Dallas metro area.

The celebration was introduced by the lead pastor of the Dallas central congregation, Gabriel Ojih (at left, above, with his wife Christine). Music was provided by a band led by Doc Gibbs (at right, above, with his wife Vera), an elder in the Dallas north congregation. Doc’s band played during dinner and for a dance that followed (with western line-dancing, waltzes and everything in between). A highlight of the evening was to have one of the founding members of the original Dallas church present to help cut the anniversary cake.

GCI President, Joseph Tkach, who was present for the event, made this comment:

Not only was being there a treat—I had the pleasure of meeting two former members who have started donating and were delighted with the regional conference. I also met a pastor and his father-in-law who came from Mexico to attend the regional conference. Raymundo (Ray) Rendon pastors a newly planted church in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico—the destination location for our GCI Crossing Borders missionary trips. Although Ray is not a GCI member, he had been invited to the conference as a guest of Lee Berger (Crossing Borders director). Ray told me that he loved the conference, enjoyed meeting our members, and was excited about all the resources GCI offers both onsite and online. Ray also received an additional blessing—on Monday after the conference, while in the hotel dining room, a well-dressed lady approached him and commented on the t-shirt he was wearing because it was similar to the name of her company. After inquiring about Ray’s ministry, she proceeded to write to him a donation check to be used for his church work. I told Ray, “The blessings just keep on coming!”

Note: There is one more GCI-USA Regional Conference in the 2016 cycle. It will be held on August 5-7 in Orlando, Florida. For information and to register, click here (scroll down to “GCI events”).

This update is from mission developer Rod Matthews. He reports on developments in South Asia.

Nepal: prayer request

Deben Sam, our ministry partner in Nepal, wrote me recently with news of grave concern to Christian churches and missionaries working in Nepal. Here is his prayer request:

Some staff members of TEACH ministries and two Christian principals in two private schools have been recently put in jail in Charikot, being accused of evangelism among the students and the local people. Charikot is the district headquarters of Dolakha district, where we have one church among the Thami people and one missionary among the Jirel people group. Another sensitive news item is that our Vice-Prime Minister, Kamal Thapa, has also declared to take action against religious conversion without delay and appealed to the Government to take those people in custody who are visiting to convert [people away from] the religion in Nepal. Please pray for Nepal.

As I was about to send out this request, I received from Deben the following update:

I would like to update you regarding the recent news that the government in Nepal is trying to prohibit the teaching of the Bible to the children in orphanages. The government officials have visited yesterday to inquire in different orphanages in the Chitwan district. They have found Bibles and Christian activities in the orphanages operated by the pastors and missionaries and they have warned pastors and caregivers to stop teaching the Bible to the children any more. If any Christian activity is repeated again in the orphanages, then they will take action. We need strongly your prayer and support. Please continue to pray for Nepal.

In reply, I assured Deben of our love and concern, expressed in our prayers for the work of the gospel in Nepal, especially for those who are striving to provide a biblically-founded education and physical home for children who have lost their parents or who are unable to be cared for by their parent(s). We also include the work Deben and the Himalayan Gospel Church is contributing as part of Christ’s ministry in Kathmandu and in rural villages across Nepal.

India: conference

Senior Pastor for north India, Dan Zachariah, reports that May 28 and 29 were significant days for Grace Communion Church as the first regional conference was held in Andheri, Mumbai. About 30 members from north India gathered for two days of learning and fellowship (see picture below). Mumbai was where the Church had its inception in India in the 1970s. It grew to about 60 members fellowshipping every week. The conference was reminiscent of those days for many senior members.

The theme for the conference was The Vicarious Humanity of Jesus Christ. The first two conference presentations addressed how Jesus became the perfect Mediator between divinity and humanity in his flesh, the death of Christ and how the penal substitutionary concept falls short of the reality of the Trinitarian participation in Christ’s death on our behalf. The last session addressed Jesus’ bodily resurrection and ascension, noting that he became the Savior of the world, not just of a small elect.

Benny Mathews, our ministry leader in Mumbai and Bertram Azavedo, trustee of the church, helped organize the conference. Members from Hyderabad formed a choir and led in praise and worship. The senior Sunday School children from Hyderabad provided special numbers to enhance the worship. Long-time members, Mrs. Chand Singh from Ranchi and Om Prakash Kadyan from Delhi, were also able to attend. It was also a time of good fellowship for longtime SEP alumni from the church meeting after several years.

India: training of counselors

Grace Communion Church in Hyderabad partnered with Person to Person Institute for Christian Counselling to provide training for 14 counselors in Hyderabad and from other states. The training was held in the GCC Church premises from May 17 to 24. Pastor Dan, along with other facilitators, served as faculty. The subjects addressed included Christian ethics for counselors and Christian theories for counselling practice. The photo below shows one of the classes in session.

Several members of GCI in Canada recently participated in the 6th annual ride to raise money for Camp Connections, a GCI-Canada youth camp. Sixteen bicycle riders and two support-vehicle drivers raised $17,090 by traveling from Ottawa to Montreal. Leading the team for the 6th year in a row was Karl Moore who raised over $9,000. For months before the ride and then along the way, Karl promoted the trip on social media (see some of his pictures below). By doing so, Karl informed financial supporters and inspired other riders.

On June 7-8 in Bogotá, Colombia, about 50 GCI members, including several pastors from Latin America, gathered for an Odyssey in Christ (OIC) retreat called “Experiencing the Presence of God in Life and in Ministry” (see the pictures below). Participants were led by OIC director Larry Hinkle in various spiritual formation exercises. There was much joy expressed for this opportunity to know more deeply the Triune God and one another. As a result of the retreat, 12 Latin American leaders committed to meeting every two weeks for a course in Trinitarian theology led by Hector and Paulina Barrero. During the course, Larry Hinkle will provide teaching on spiritual formation.

As part of its outreach to the surrounding community, Christ Fellowship Church (a GCI congregation in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area) conducted on their property a three-day family festival followed by Westside Christian Camp—a week-long day camp serving 50 children. The congregation was assisted by young adults who came to Cincinnati from around the country. Led by Janet Morrison, these missionaries served under the banner of GC Trips, one of Generations Ministries’ multiple mission organizations.

On Sunday following camp, Christ Fellowship Church hosted a worship celebration for campers and their parents. About 150 people attended (including 50 guests) and four were baptized. In reviewing these events, Anthony Mullins (GenMin national coordinator and camp participant) made this comment:

This was GenMin’s first attempt at this type of GCI church-camp partnership and I thought it was a smashing success! Now Christ Fellowship Church will continue the good work of discipling and serving their new members.

In the videos below, camp staffers share impressions of what they experienced while serving at Westside Christian Camp.

• Dustin Lampe, lead pastor at Christ Fellowship Church, notes how he saw the Lord at work and the impact the day camp had on parents and children, along with hopeful expectation of baptisms and families joining the life of the congregation.

On YouTube at https://youtu.be/b4s2ilp1iDs.

• Halie Carley talks about how she saw the gospel working in the hearts of the young children during the camp week. Halie attends the GCI church in Helena, Montana where she has volunteered many summers at SEP Montana.

On YouTube at https://youtu.be/hFUnJ4NbKHc.

• Chris Meade explains why he chose to invest two weeks of his busy summer on a GenMin mission trip and how it’s been to partner with a local GCI church to serve kids from their community.

On YouTube at https://youtu.be/zaWN6_nsuaA.

• Hazel Tabin talks about why she’s committed to serving as a domestic missionary with GC Trips.

On YouTube at https://youtu.be/hL8zXH4wB4Q.

For a report on this mission outreach from mission director Janet Morrison, click here.