Category: Stay Connected

This announcement is from Gary Moore, national leader of GCI-Canada.

A couple of years ago, Joseph Tkach began encouraging GCI’s mission developers and national leaders to think about the future leadership of the church. He advised us that by our early 60s we should begin to put in place a leadership transition plan. He made it clear that he wasn’t implying anyone needed to retire at 65, but rather that there should be in place a plan for transition before attaining that age.

As I thought about my transition plan, I was reminded that the role of national leader (sometimes referred to as national director) calls for a certain mix of gifts. Though no one person has all the needed gifts (I serve as testimony to that!), certain key gifts and skills are needed. Beyond the foundational characteristics of faith in God, understanding of his word, moral integrity and loyalty, good pastoral skills, an ability to work as an administrator and make a budget work, and ability to communicate both verbally and in writing are all important, even essential. And so in putting together my transition plan I considered all these factors plus knowing that the individual who would eventually replace me would need to be some years younger than I in order to provide for at least a number of years of stable service in the role.

As I carefully went through all our staff and our fine group of elders in Canada, the one who seemed to most fit the requirements of the job was Bill Hall. Bill served in office and administrative roles for 17 years at the national office (1981-1998) and from then to the present (1998-2015) for over 17 years as a church pastor. So he has good experience in both the office and administrative environment as well as many years serving the membership in three Canadian congregations. Further, Bill has served as managing editor of GCI-Canada’s Northern Light and Northern Light Digest. He has excellent communication skills, both verbally and in written form.

I discussed the idea with Joseph Tkach and he was very supportive. The board of GCI-Canada also needed to be involved, as they are the legal employer. They expressed their full support. Bill Hall is willing to take on the challenge, which I greatly appreciate. The responsibility brings with it great days, and challenging ones, but I firmly believe that with God’s guidance and strength, and the support of us all, Bill will serve the church and ministry well.

The first phase of this transition is for Bill to assume the position of office/business manager for the church in Canada. He is scheduled to move to British Columbia on July 1 and begin to take on these duties. Once Bill adapts to this new role and is comfortable, perhaps toward the end of 2017, I’ll begin to introduce him to other aspects of the national ministry leader responsibilities. At this point, my plan is to retire at the end of August, 2018, following our Canadian national conference that summer.

This update is from Hector Barrero, pastor of GCI’s congregation in Bogota, Colombia.

Twelve of our members recently completed our ministerial studies program. We presented them with diplomas at a church service (eleven are pictured below).

These students spent about two years in the program, completing eight classes covering theology and various aspects of ministry. Class titles included Biblical Panorama (introducing the books of the Bible), Pastoral Theology, The Life of Christ (the Gospel of Matthew), Acts of the Apostles (the work of the Holy Spirit), and Experiencing God (utilizing the book of the same name by Henry Blackaby).

Congratulations to the graduates!

This update is from Doug Johannsen, pastor of GCI congregations in St. Paul and Champlin, Minnesota.

GCI’s four Twin Cities, Minnesota, area congregations (Edina, Bloomington, Champlin and St. Paul) gathered recently for a combined worship service, a meal and good conversation.

The sermon was given by Christy Merry from the St. Paul congregation. Christy has been involved in several church plants in various denominations and was asked to give a message reflecting on what the younger generation needs from the older generation. Though most of us would consider Christy in the younger generation (she’s in her late 30s), she says she feels more like the generation “in between.” She drew lessons from the stories of Moses and Jethro, and Ruth and Naomi, illustrating how they listened carefully to one another to arrive at mutually-satisfying courses of action. All of us (young, old and in-between) need that kind of heart—one that is open to listening deeply to others.

GCI members from Mississippi, Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, Texas and Wisconsin gathered recently in Titusville, Florida, for Experiencing the Trinity—a retreat facilitated by Odyssey in Christ ministry. The 72-hour retreat was held at the St. Stephen Christian Retreat and Conference Center. Five GCI members attended in person and two joined in online.

Retreat participants were led through teaching sessions and spiritual exercises that created an environment for experiencing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in close, personal ways. From an extended time of silence, to meditative prayer and praise, to creative expressions in community and transforming prayer, the participants came away, as Carolyn Lane said, “with valuable tools for deepening our daily walk with the Father, Son and Spirit. We truly experienced being in the presence of God in a very intimate, tangible way, which left us thirsting for more.” In the words of Tom Fallon, “we were visited and dwelt in by the very real presence of the Holy Spirit.” John Novick commented that the retreat “was a magnificent 72-hour journey with God that can change one’s life forever.”

Here is a video in which GCI President Joseph Tkach provides highlights of GCI, working together, “on mission with God” in 2015.

On YouTube at http://youtu.be/2M1KGaMkZl4.

Here from Vicki Hart and Tammy Johnson is a report on a women’s conference recently held at Christ Community Church—one of GCI’s congregations in the Cincinnati, Ohio, metro area.

The Unlocking the Treasure Within women’s conference was God-breathed from start to finish. On Friday evening Keysha Taylor led us through praise and worship as we “rolled out the red carpet” for our God. Jan Taylor then had us look in the mirror, and challenged us to see there the image of Jesus. Erin Campbell then charged us to take out our spiritual shovels to get prepared to start “diggin’ up” our treasure. Her story of going from atheist and addict to devoted Christ-follower was captivating.

Saturday was interspersed with powerful preaching by Erin Campbell, a testimony and presentation by Tammy Johnson on using flags in worship, along with a message on using the keys that unlock our treasure, as well as dance and song. Matt Campbell gave a moving message called “I’m Sorry” in which he made an apology on behalf of men for some of the wrongs done to women. His presentation evoked a powerful response. The day ended with evening performances from the women in attendance. There were songs, poems, a testimony, and dance, as well as delicious homemade desserts. The highlight for Saturday night was a drawing for a quilt by Augustine Shannon from Florida made especially for the conference. The conference ended Sunday morning as we joined the host congregation in worship. Erin Campbell preached another powerful message and Jan Taylor gave the Communion message. Vicki Hart, the conference coordinator, gave closing remarks.

GCI’s Tipp City, Ohio, congregation (Crossroads Christian Fellowship) has been actively connecting with the surrounding community for many years, utilizing multiple outreach strategies and programs in doing so. Below is an account written by Jen Cruea, one of the congregation’s newer members, who now leads Free Market—one of the congregation’s outreach ministries.

If someone had come to me a couple of a years ago, and said “you will be a beloved child of God and help your community any way you can,” I probably would have laughed and thought they were crazy. But that’s exactly what happened and here is my story.

In the early spring of 2012, I noticed I was always tired and cold. I had constant headaches and was very irritable. I thought that it was taking my body longer to bounce back after having my third child. I went to the doctor and they found vitamin deficiencies and told me to rest and take care of myself. They referred me to a specialist that told me my antibody level was extremely high and they were concerned. In 2013 I found out I had a lump on my thyroid. They said they wanted to do a biopsy. I was very scared because I was only 26. I have always believed in God but had never developed a relationship with him because I didn’t know how. I was not raised in church and had only been to a handful of them as a child. I started to pray hard and often. I told God that if it was cancer, I wasn’t ready to die. I had so much more to live for and so many things to do, including raising my three children with their father, my husband. I also told God that if it was my time to go it was just that, my time. The day I got the biopsy results back, I felt an unusual calm. And when I received the good news I was cancer-free, I wanted to continue my relationship with God but I still didn’t know how. Little did I know I wouldn’t have to wait much longer.

In the fall of 2013 the turning point came in my life. My husband was starting a new job, which I wasn’t very comfortable with him taking. I honestly didn’t know why—I don’t like change, so I thought that was it. On the last day at his previous job, I came down with what I thought was a stomach bug. I was very sick and weak. It passed in a few days, and we resumed our normal life, but the sickness kept coming back. I was always nauseated and shaky. I couldn’t eat and the peak finally came in December just before Christmas (I had lost 60 pounds since October). I woke up one morning in a full blown panic-attack. I went to the ER where I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I left there with five medications and went to a doctor the next day for a follow up. I left his office with two more medications. I was absolutely terrified that I would have to live this way the rest of my life. I started seeing a Christian therapist who encouraged me to start my relationship with God. Then my husband was laid off from his new job and one of his coworkers told him to go to a church named Crossroads Christian Fellowship to get some food for our family. I went to what Crossroads calls their Free Market to get the food, but I got much more. Not only did they have clothing, toys, housewares and food, but they also provided direction for me into the Christian lifestyle.

A few weeks later we attended a Sunday service at Crossroads for the first time. I was nervous but also excited! So were my husband and children. We started to attend Bible study and worship services regularly. I never knew a church could love someone they just met! But that’s how God works. This past January, our pastor, Jim Valekis, asked me to serve as the coordinator of the Free Market. Then this summer he asked my husband to serve as the director of ONE Market. We are loving what we do to help the community, and most importantly to bring people to Christ, just as we were.

Crossroads has given me the open door I needed to start my journey as a Christian in a safe, non-judgmental, loving environment. I’ve grown so much as a person and child of God since coming here only a short while ago. The church has given me many experiences I never thought possible or even imagined. Just as the word “ONE” in One Market stands for Our Neighbors Empowered, that’s exactly what the congregation has done in empowering me to be a better person in every aspect of my life. I have never felt so confident before or so loved. Crossroads has so much to offer everyone! It is a wonderful place to be!

Last week, Greg Williams, director of GCI-USA Church Administration and Development, sent a letter to all US pastors concerning a meeting he held recently with a group of our female pastors. For the benefit of all Weekly Update readers, we’ve reproduced that letter below. Feel free to respond in the “add a comment” box below.

Recently I had the privilege of gathering with six of our female pastors for a time of rich conversation and a delicious meal (ending with a decadent seven-layer chocolate dessert!). It was such a wonderful occasion that I felt prompted to write this summary letter to each of you.

The purpose of our gathering was to give these pioneering female pastors opportunity to share ministry joys and challenges, recount their journeys in GCI pastoral ministry, and share their hearts with me as superintendent of GCI-USA ministers. Though at different stages and seasons in life and ministry, they have much in common and displayed deep appreciation for each other, providing a wonderful atmosphere of openness and trust in our meeting.

Prior to meeting, I had sent the participants a list of questions to guide our discussion. The answers they shared showed a great deal of wisdom about life and ministry. Below are some of their key insights. I think all our pastors and ministry leaders (both women and men) will find these points instructive and encouraging. I also hope they inspire other women to follow them into GCI pastoral ministry.

• See how God has been preparing you since youth with the various experiences you have gone through and the faithfulness the Lord has displayed in your life.
• Balance training and experience.
• Get all the training you can both inside and outside the church.
• Serve out of your passion and experience (these factors seem to remain with you throughout life).
• Know how to identify the voice of the Holy Spirit and sense God’s calling on your life. There will be a nagging sense of insecurity unless you have this settled.
• Hearing the Spirit’s voice for your personal life, and for the life of your church, are not separate voices—most often they are married together.
• Your role as a pastor is to be a “sign post” pointing people to Jesus.
• Allow the Holy Spirit to be the agent of change – as a pastor, you don’t have the ability to transform other people.
• Build relationships with other female pastors for encouragement and mentoring.
• Be open to sharing your personal struggles with your congregation so you can journey forward with prayerful support.
• Have safe relationships outside the congregation you pastor, where you can share and process your burdens.
• Grow an extra layer of skin—you have to expect that some men and women will not accept you as a pastor because you are a woman.
• Be secure in your identity. Knowing that you are, first and foremost, “in Christ” allows you to properly view your gender, personality, marital status, etc.
• Establish healthy boundaries for your family. Your spouse may be a ministry partner, or passively supportive, or simply uninvolved.
• Be comfortable organizing and operating with a ministry team. Help your team operate out of their giftings and passion.
• Your relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit is your highest priority!

When I asked the group what advice they would give our pastors and churches, a common, resounding plea was that congregations make space for women in leadership at all levels. They also noted they want to see women and men serving side-by-side within our churches, facilitating the best expressions of God-designed femininity and masculinity.

I want to thank each of the six female pastors who met with me. As pioneers, they have blazed a trail for other women to follow. Because of them, and other women like them, GCI doesn’t merely accept women as pastors, we actively invite and welcome into this important role, those women who the Lord prepares and calls to serve his church in pastoral leadership.

I’m proud of these brave women, and am humbled and blessed to have spent a day listening to their important voices.

This update is from Pedro Rufian, a GCI pastor in Spain.

Fifty-five people recently attended a GCI conference in Majorca, Spain, with the theme, “A celebration of God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ.” Members attended from Barbados, Germany, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Spain, the U.S. and the U.K.

God blessed us with a variety of Christ-centered messages including “The dancing God,” “Christ, our Sabbath” (from Santiago Lange, pictured at left), “Debt and forgiveness, law and grace,” “How am I not going to love you?,” “God is love, what does that mean for you?,” and “Living as victorious in Christ.” The group enjoyed a talent show and family dance. Some hotel clients and staff attended some of the services and the talent show. God blessed us with his loving presence as we celebrated in harmony what he did, is doing, and will do for us all through Jesus Christ our Savior, Lord and Friend.

This update is from Hector Barrero, lead pastor of GCI’s congregation in Bogota, Colombia.

About 100 people gathered recently for our annual marriage seminar, which is a primary way we reach out to the unchurched community around us. The theme of the seminar was Renewed in His Love. Guest speakers (pictured at right) were Raymond Olson, pastor of our congregation in Juneau, Wisconsin, and Alvaro Palacio, pastor of one of our congregations in Toronto, Canada. Raymond’s daughter, Roberta Olson, who has been involved in missionary work in Mexico and Central America, also presented. We appreciate the willingness of these guests to help out!

The seminar was held at the Marianela Retreat Center, two hours drive from Bogota. As shown in the pictures below, during the seminar, eight couples renewed their marriage vows (they had been married for from 25 to 41 years), and one young man was baptized. Congratulations to them all!