Category: Hear From the President

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

It is our pleasure to make available the updated Pastoral Liturgy Guide (previously called the Ceremonies Book). We presented it to the elders at the Denominational Celebration last month. And now, the Guide is available for everyone to download here.

As a means of introduction, it is important that we have a clear understanding of baptism as seen through the lens of Jesus. Below is an excerpt:

GCI’s liturgical practice includes two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion. Both are vital to the worship life of the Church as embodiments of grace, enacted testimonies to the love of God in Jesus Christ. Both are visible signs of an invisible grace — holy ordinances instituted by Christ wherein by visible signs Christ and the benefits of the new covenant are represented, sealed, and applied to believers. Moreover, these sacraments enact the gospel by means of which the Spirit of God confirms to us the forgiving, renewing, and promising love of God in Jesus Christ, enlivening us in faith, hope, and love. (p. 5)

Sacraments are outward signs or ceremonies of inward grace. Baptism and Holy Communion were established by Jesus and mandated by him for all who would be his followers. GCI along with most Protestant groups accept Baptism and Holy Communion as the two sacraments instituted by Jesus.

The updated Pastoral Liturgy Guide goes on to say:

The sacrament of baptism proclaims we are saved by Christ alone and not through our own repentance and faith. Our baptisms are effective only because they bear witness to and by faith share in Christ’s baptism for us. His baptism as one of us was for the forgiveness of our sins and the provision of the promised Holy Spirit to indwell us. In our baptisms we affirm that the Holy Spirit Jesus received at his baptism was for us to be received by faith in him. In every act of baptism each member is invited to recall and reaffirm their own baptism into Christ’s baptism for us. (p. 5)

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

What does ministry look like from an Incarnational Trinitarian foundation?

We begin with the “Who?” question. Whose ministry is it? It is the ministry of Jesus, the second member of the Godhead who emptied himself and became incarnate for the salvation of mankind. Through his earthly ministry, Jesus revealed Father God, and he prepared the way for the Holy Spirit to come. (Much more can be said about the incarnation of Jesus and the makeup of the triune Godhead, but for the sake of staying on point with the topic of ministry ethos, we move forward.)

The scriptures inform us that Jesus is Creator, Savior, Redeemer, Head of the Church, Lord of Lords and King of the eternal kingdom.

We then are his created children, new creations in him, believers who are growing in his grace and knowledge, members of his body, junior ministry partners participating in his ministry, worshippers. Our lives, identities, and purposes are found in him. Therefore, we abide in him, rest in him, submit our hearts, minds, and souls to him. We rely on the one who first came to us.

Christian ministry at its core is the vicarious salvific work of Jesus to fallen humanity. It is only by union with him and empowerment from the Holy Spirit that we can join and participate. Ministry is not something we do “for” Jesus, rather true ministry is only something we can do “with and through” Jesus.

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

Discerning God’s will can often feel like an elusive pursuit in our spiritual lives. While walking through life’s storms and difficult decisions, we are continually reminded of our need to surrender our hearts to God’s divine purposes. My personal journey is marked by defining moments where God used my circumstances to draw me closer to him, fostering both spiritual growth and a clearer understanding of his will.

Even in seasons that appear fully surrendered to him, the Lord’s Spirit continues to inspire our souls, compelling us onward and prompting us to pray “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.” Jesus not only instructed his followers to pray “Thy will be done” when teaching the Lord’s Prayer, but he also modeled this total surrender when he prayed the exact same words before his arrest and crucifixion.

To experience Kingdom Living, we must allow the Holy Spirit to shape our daily choices to reflect God’s will. This calls for a profound, intentional surrender — giving up our lives to mirror the unconditional, self-emptying Christ modeled for us. The apostle Paul beautifully captures this through the early Christ hymn in his letter to the Philippians when he said:

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:5-7 NASB

Although Jesus never ceased to be God, he willingly laid aside his divine rights, veiling his glory to choose to live in full submission to the Father’s will as one of us. This self-emptying found its deepest expression in the ultimate surrender: a shameful and sacrificial death upon a Roman cross. More than just a theological fact, this is an invitation to respond to his grace.

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

Psalm 133 reminds us, “How good and pleasant for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity.” On July 23 – 26, the brothers and sisters of Grace Communion International will dwell together, worship together, and grow more deeply into a unified church family at the Denominational Celebration 2026 (DC26).

The event will begin with breakout sessions brought by a wide variety of GCI presenters on topics of discipleship, living between the times, and being sent by Jesus. All of these speak to what we mean by the overarching theme of Kingdom Living.

Our dedicated worship team, coordinated by Pastor Tamar Gray, has been preparing months ahead of time to bless us with stirring, Christ-centered worship. They will kick off the first worship service on Thursday afternoon, and we will hear a sermon message from our Vice President, Heber Ticas.

Friday will be filled with panel discussions. The topics of “Calling and Competencies,” along with “Equipping the Saints,” will feature stories from leaders across our global church family. Grace Communion Seminary will recognize and honor their most recent graduates in a graduation ceremony. It is always a highlight to see these men and women who have dedicated themselves to graduate level studies.

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

In his book Calling Christian Leaders, John Stott speaks to a unique characteristic of the Church.

Fundamental to New Testament Christianity is the ambiguity of the church. We are living in between times, between the first and second comings of Christ, between what he did when he came and what he will do when he comes again, between kingdom come and kingdom coming, between the “now already” of kingdom inaugurated and the “not yet” of kingdom consummated.

Consider that your church community (insert you congregation’s name) is the Church of God. Like Israel of the Old Testament, you are God’s holy people. We, the “Big-C” Church, have been set apart (sanctified) and belong to God. The irony is that much unholiness remains in the people of God. (We see this documented in the New Testament letters sent to the various churches.) Behaviors such as gossiping, quarrelling, immorality, complacency, jealousy, pride, etc. exist among God’s people.

This forgiven, redeemed, and holy organization called the Church is a mixed-up community. Unfortunately, too often it is the shortcomings that the world sees and not the perfect God, Jesus Christ, the head of the Church.

Kingdom Living is about growing in relationship with Christ. At the end of his second letter, the apostle Peter says we are to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior (2 Peter 3:18). This growth is about cultivating an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus. More than accumulating head knowledge about Jesus, we are experiencing Jesus and becoming more like him.

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

Sun Valley Middle School holds a treasure trove of memories for me. Growing up just two blocks away, I spent my weekends and some evenings cycling around the campus and leaping over the fence to play football or baseball with friends. Yet, the moment that truly sticks with me was walking home and seeing a flyer posted on a light post with the bold headline: “Jobs for Kids.” I ripped that flyer from that post and took it home with me. I eagerly waited until 11:45 p.m. for my mother to come home from her second job, immediately requesting for her to call the following day and sign me up for work.

That same week on Friday evening, I started my first day of work. I was just thirteen years old when Terry Opp and Pat Dominguez employed me as part of their sales crew. Junior Careers was a company that employed kids to go door-to-door selling fine chocolates and candies.

It did not take long for me to be promoted as crew leader and consistently rank as one of the top salespersons. Throughout my early teens, I spent over three years working weekends and summers, during which Terry and Pat took me under their wing. They acted as loving mentors during a tumultuous time in my life, and I truly consider them as some of the angels that God provided for me during my upbringing.

Looking back, I see how God was shaping my entrepreneurial abilities during that difficult season, preparing me with skills that I would later use in life and ministry. Those days shaped my ability to engage people whom I had never met. In my early days of pastoral ministry as I sought to participate missionally with Jesus by engaging neighborhoods and people that I never met, it became natural to me.

As I connected the dots of my life, I saw the beautiful, consistent thread of God’s presence. He had weaved himself into my story in ways that were now tangible and visible. I am sure that all of us could probably share personal stories that reflect God’s presence weaved into our own story.

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

Courses in college are given numerical order. Introductory courses are typically labeled 101. These courses are a platform that sets the student for higher classes and deeper learning (class 201). In any course of study, getting the basics right is paramount for further education. This is true in the Christian life as well.

Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’ 1 Peter 1:13–16 NRSVA

“Therefore” means because of what came before. What came before this section of 1 Peter? God the Father has given us a living hope through his resurrected only begotten Son, Jesus. Jesus, who is our living hope, is the foundation upon which the entire structure is built and supported. We start with Jesus and rely on his sustaining strength. It is the basic tenet that holds up the individual Christian and the collective church Body.

Peter then instructs us on how to be prepared:

1. 1. A mind ready for action, in the same way an athlete is dressed appropriately and thoughts are focused on the game at hand
   2. A sober mind that is set on the things of God and not the allurements of the world
   3. A confident hope that will reach all the way to the end of the age (a sure hope only sourced and sustained by Jesus)

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

The Bible reveals God’s mission to reclaim humanity, undoing the cycle of sin and death triggered by the fall, and restoring the profound joy of an intimate relationship with our triune God. The overarching story throughout Scripture is one of redemption. In the Old Testament, we often find pointers that indicate God’s redemptive purposes on behalf of humanity.

In the book of Ruth, we find one of these pointers through Boaz, who serves as the “kinsman-redeemer” (or go’el) for Naomi and Ruth. As their kinsman-redeemer, Boaz was uniquely positioned to act as a protector and restorer for Naomi and Ruth, providing redemption, securing the family’s land, and marrying Ruth, thus ensuring both their safety and the continuation of the family lineage. What a redemptive moment for both Naomi and Ruth!

While the Book of Ruth illustrates God’s redemptive work on a personal scale, the Exodus serves as a communal demonstration of his redemptive purposes through his servant Moses. Despite these differing scopes, both narratives powerfully demonstrate the depth of divine redemption.

While every pointer in the Old Testament narrative serves a divine purpose, it all comes to completion in the ultimate redemptive work of God in and through the incarnate Son. Both Moses and Boaz were just pointing to the ultimate redemptive reality in Christ. Through the finished work of Christ, God has not only redeemed us, but through our spiritual union with Christ, he has made available divine fellowship. This is our greatest redemptive moment!

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

This first quarter of 2026 has been like a game of musical chairs. In January and February, we were hit by a sleet storm and then a week later with a foot of snow. Do we work from home or slide on the ice through our neighborhoods to make our way to the office? It was the first real winter we have experienced in our eight years at the Charlotte Home Office.

The musical chairs theme continues as it relates to staff. In January, our Vice President Heber Ticas and his wife, Xochilt, moved into their new home not far from the office. This is a major change coming across the country from Southern California. Please keep them lifted in prayer during this transition. We are thrilled to have the Ticas family on site.

We recently celebrated Legal Assistant Evelyn Dailey who has stepped down from full-time employment to a part-time role. We thank Evelyn for her many years of service to GCI, and we are glad to have her still available with a reduced workload.

Georgia McKinnon is transitioning from her role as GCS Registrar to be mentored by Pam Morgan as the Operations Coordinator in Church Administration and Development. Georgia’s skillsets, relational connections, and work experience make her a great fit to become the new Operations Coordinator. This is the proverbial dilemma of filling one hole and creating another one. Thankfully, Pam will continue working through October of this year.