Category: Stay Connected

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.

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.

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.

Here is an update concerning Grace Communion Seminary from GCS President Dr. Gary Deddo.

As the fall semester comes to a close, I want to share three important announcements about GCS.

First, a landmark: We anticipate the graduation of about 40 students at our 2017 Denominational Conference in Orlando! That’s quite an achievement for GCS and these students. If you can join us on August 4 for the graduation ceremony, we would be delighted to have you. It will be quite a celebration.

Second, GCS tuition will increase on January 1, 2017 from $150 to $200 a unit. So a typical three-unit course will cost $600. As you may know, tuition at nearly all, if not all, educational institutions does not cover all expenses. Our tuition covered just over one-third of what it cost us to provide our degree programs in 2015. Our tuition increase will help close that gap. Tuition will now cover about 45% of our expenses. Scholarships from a variety of sources and grants from GCI are what enabled us to meet our annual budget, and that will continue. Also you should know that a GCS master’s degree is still one of the best deals around, one of the lowest available from DEAC-accredited institutions and far less expensive than ATS theological seminaries. We are attempting to find more outside scholarship funding and will continue to offer our scholarship program for interns and pastors at the same rates. We are especially keen to provide increased help to international GCI leaders and pastors as we are able.

Third, after serving us faithfully for nearly two years, Susan Williams will be leaving her post as GCS Registrar in January to work for GCI in accounting. Susan has been wonderful to work with, and I know we’ll all miss her. But not to worry—a capable replacement has been lined up. Janet Morrison has been appointed to take up where Susan left off. Janet, who has long-time GCI involvement, including leading one of our Generations Ministries’ missions organizations, is the wife of GCS Dean, Michael Morrison. Janet will be the one you’ll hear from in corresponding with GCS starting in January. I know you’ll join me in welcoming her.

GCI’s Bogota, Colombia, congregation recently held its annual seminar with 70 members attending. The theme of the seminar was “Rooted in his love.” Its purpose was to gather the congregation’s leaders for a time of sharing vision, values, and strategies, along with a discussion of GCI doctrine and Trinitarian theology. To encourage all to be involved, there were small group discussions with “hands on” exercises designed to help members engage more actively in the work of the congregation, utilizing their gifts to build up the church and, God willing, to start some new GCI congregations in the area. Here are pictures from the seminar:

Forty six people gathered in Denmark recently for a conference that focused on the topic of peace (“shalom” in Hebrew) in accordance with the priestly blessing voiced in Numbers 6:24-26.

The sermons at the conference expounded different aspects of God’s gift of shalom, leading into small group discussions where personal stories were shared concerning how God has granted his peace in difficult situations.

A highlight of the conference was the blessing of a one year-old girl.

On November 19, GCI member Arthur (Trey) Carlisle will be one of the My Hero honorees at the 12th International Film Festival & Multimedia Awards Ceremony held in Santa Monica, California. Trey is the son of GCI members Dr. Arthur (Jr.) and Hariett Carlisle, and the grandson of GCI members Arthur (Sr.) and Eula Mae Carlisle (Arthur, Sr. is an elder).

At the ceremony, Trey will be receiving the Emerging Artist Award. In announcing the award, the My Heroes Project noted this:

In the 8th grade, Trey Carlisle made a vow to fight injustice by telling important stories. Over the past four years, he has produced award-winning documentaries that speak out against violence and discrimination. He is a passionate voice for positive change in the world.

About a year ago, Trey was featured in local news reports for his work in the community, including helping disadvantaged kids. Here is a video that highlights some of what Trey has been doing:

On YouTube at https://youtu.be/KQNiOS6HBro.

This update on ministry activity in Liberia is from GCI Mission Developer Kalengule Kaoma.

I returned recently from Monrovia, Liberia, where I officiated at the funeral of GCI Liberia National Director, Robert T. Browne II (pictured at right).

The funeral service was held in GCI Liberia’s main church hall in Gardnersville, Monrovia. The hundreds of mourners included friends, relatives, pastors from neighboring churches, Christians from various churches, and community and political leaders. Robert touched many lives. He will be missed.

On Sunday October 30, I met with church leaders and their families (pictured below) from our four GCI congregations in Monrovia. The meeting looked at the future of GCI in Liberia. These leaders are eager and willing to continue working with GCI. After prayer and examining a few scriptures about leadership transitions, we sought God’s guidance by asking the leaders whether Pastor Robert had left anyone in position to continue in his leadership role. Robert’s widow, Deddeh O. Browne, had been designated to succeed her husband and the leaders were happy with this transitional assignment for “Mother” Browne, as they call her.

Bishop Davies, one of the leaders who worked with Bishop Browne, attended part of the meeting and commended the GCI Liberia leadership team for accepting Mrs. Browne (pictured at right) as the successor to GCI Liberia national leadership.

I plan to return to Liberia in the first quarter of 2017 to affirm Mrs. Browne’s leadership, and to continue working with the leadership team there. The pastors there are young and inexperienced, though they have lots of zeal and energy and are willing to work. Please pray for them all.

Here is a hand-written thankyou note to me from the Liberian leaders:

 

GCI Mission Developer Rod Matthews provided this update on our ministry in the nation of Nepal.

Not long ago the Nepalese government had been targeting Christian pastors who run orphanages—accusing them of teaching Christianity to the children to convert them from Hinduism. Several pastors were arrested and the children in their orphanages removed. Our ministry partner there, Deben Sam, had requested our prayers about this persecution. Last month we were relieved to hear that the government of Nepal had changed and a new alliance between Maoists and the Nepali Congress Party had come to power. The new Prime Minister, Pushpa Karmal Dahal of the Maoist Party, has taken no further action to arrest pastors as before. However, we understand that there is a developing political and social environment against Christianity and all religious conversion. While the three main political parties espouse support for a secular state with religious freedom, each has notable leaders whose personal agenda is for the reinstatement of a Hindu kingdom.

Deben Sam continues to ask for our support through prayers for his ministry through the Himalayan Gospel Church and his work in supporting orphaned children and those whose remaining parent cannot support their children. Each summer, the Himalayan Gospel Church takes a Mobile Bible School (MBS) to the rural villages of this mountainous country (see pictures above). This event, lasting several days, is hosted by a local congregation or Christian group and is a highlight for those who can attend.

This year, with Deben having been unable to travel due to his illness, the MBS was conducted by his brother-in-law, Raju, and the Kathmandu congregation’s Pastor Joseph. So far, seven locations have been served by the MBS and Deben mentioned that if circumstances permit, they will try to fit in another four or five before winter. From these MBS locations, about 12 students will be chosen to attend the Himalayan Bible School in Kathmandu starting in February each year and lasting three months. During that time, intensive classes are held for six days each week, before the students return to their home areas to apply what they have learned in the service of the local church, and in evangelistic efforts in their local areas.

We learned from Owen Willis (pastor of GCI’s congregation in Nova Scotia, Canada) that Dan Christmas, a long-time GCI member who lives in Cape Breton, was recently appointed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to serve as a Senator in the upper chamber of the Canadian Parliament.

As noted in an article in the Canadian Press, Dan is credited with playing a key role in the economic transformation of a First Nation (aboriginal) community in the Cape Breton area, serving as the community’s senior adviser since 1997.

In 2005, Dan was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Dalhousie University for his work with the Mi’kmaw people of Nova Scotia. Three years later he was the recipient of the National Excellence in Aboriginal Leadership Award from the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Canada. He is also the former director of advisory services for the Union of Nova Scotia Indians, a role he served in for 10 years.