Kingdom Citizenship

“Faith is the rock-solid certainty that he who has begun a good work will complete it.”

“As kingdom citizens in the 21st century, we don’t know what we may be called upon to do, nor what suffering or persecution may come our way — but we do know that Jesus is with us every step.”

“It is a beautiful image to think about the amazing company of pioneer believers who have gone before us, and the leader of the parade is Jesus.”

Greg invited us to see ourselves as part of a greater story. We’re pilgrims of faith, surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.

Kingdom Participation

“Being sold out to Jesus and reflecting Jesus to the world around us is the most counterculture practice that we could possibly engage in.”

“Actively doing good inside the church seems quite natural, but Paul says we are to be this way with all people — this is how the kingdom witness of the Church will happen in your neighborhood and in mine.”

“These are not virtuous qualities that can be accomplished by the human spirit. It is Jesus — the One who calls you, loves you, and empowers you — who will be faithful to accomplish these things in you.”

Here we’re reminded that participation in God’s kingdom isn’t about striving. It’s about surrender. We join the faithful work that Jesus himself is already doing in and through his people.

Resurrection Sunday

“Our engagement with Jesus happens in stages of understanding, growth, and reliance — just as it did for Mary, Peter, and John.”

“Through his death and resurrection there was going to be a glorious new beginning.”

“Our fears and doubts get swallowed up in Jesus. Our tears of anxiety become tears of joy. Jesus truly is the pioneer of our salvation — he is Risen Indeed!”

Resurrection Sunday reminded us that the kingdom begins with resurrection. Even in fear and uncertainty, the risen Christ turns sorrow into joy and death into life.

It Is Not So with You

“Greatness will be found in a life of service — becoming as humble as a slave who washes the feet of others and laying down one’s life for others.”

“Service and sacrifice are markers of Kingdom Culture, not aggressive ambition and cutthroat competition.”

“We too must drink the cup as we join Jesus in his economy of service and sacrifice.”

Finally, Greg pointed out that true greatness in the kingdom is measured by humility. It’s not measured by hierarchy. Serving rather than striving, giving rather than gaining is kingdom living.

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As we close this year, may these words from our shared journey remind us of who we are and whose we are. We are citizens of a kingdom that cannot be shaken, following a King who serves, saves, and sustains. Faith, hope, and love, virtues gifted by Christ himself, define Kingdom Culture. As we step into the coming year, may we continue to live as kingdom citizens. May we bear good fruit in every season, joining Jesus in his ongoing work of renewal. Let’s proclaim with confidence: the King is among us, and his kingdom is here.

The intentional training of church leaders helps us to foster a practice and culture of healthy leadership. Healthy leaders create healthy churches create healthy leaders, and the cycle continues. (See the icon above.) Healthy leaders and healthy church rhythms lead to the multiplication of leaders and ministries.

One thing we are learning in this journey of building MTCs is the power of learning in community. God has created us for relationship. What better context to be discipled into ministry participation than alongside others and within the life of a local congregation? This belief has led to our emphasis on relational learning styles at MTCs. This includes cohort style learning, mentoring, communities of practice, peer-to-peer learning, team-based training, and more.

In the U.S., we are learning from the model that has been adopted at the MTC at GC Sun Valley, in California. Leaders already serving in local ministry engage as participants in an MTC training program where they receive education, mentoring, and guided hands-on ministry experience. While the participants work through training together, some may begin to discern a call into pastoral ministry. When such calling and competence is displayed and affirmed, referral to the Pastoral Resident program may be made. This program provides high challenge and high support as a step in preparation for pastoral ministry.

Please join us as we continue to celebrate what God is already doing through the MTCs. We praise God for the launch of multiple MTC sites across multiple GCI regions. We celebrate the focused training of established and emerging leaders. We anticipate the fruits of ongoing preparations for additional MTC sites.

Please join me in prayer as we continue to steward the priesthood of all believers through the building out of MTCs. MTCs are making a difference for the kingdom.

By Cara Garrity, Development Coordinator
Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S.

I got to spend my second day meeting and strategizing with the ACCM staff. Unfortunately, Director John McLean was unable to come into the office. He and Heather joined us for the opening meeting on Zoom. This was my opportunity to show appreciation to John for his 25+ years of leadership over ACCM. I presented a handsome plaque that acknowledged his lifetime of service and commitment. This was a perfect opportunity to honor those who labor among us. It was a blessing to honor John and Heather.

Daphne arranged another dinner to include her husband Bill, New Zealand National Director Dennis Richards and his wife, Sue, and retired Director of Asia, Rod Matthews. This was an opportunity to reminisce with seasoned leaders who have gone before and to collectively acknowledge God’s faithfulness to us. It was especially good to catch up with Rod since his beloved wife, Ruth, died in 2023. Rod spoke of Ruth fondly and the way she eagerly anticipated the wedding supper of the Lamb. I am thankful for the lives of the saints who have gone before and the hope of eternity that Jesus promises. (Read Ruth’s posthumous devotional in this issue.)

All these events culminated in a two-day weekend workshop, Kingdom Culture. This was a time of interactive sharing around the words of Jesus with an emphasis on his kingdom parables. The crowd consisted of several groups of people — Daphne and her staff, the board of directors, pastors who serve as mentors, and the second-year participants in the Christian Discipleship Pathway group. I am grateful for this high level of participation. All too often, we have individualized learning, and then we attempt to report back. It’s not as good as having all groups together. So, it was good that each of these groups were hearing and experiencing the same things.

I have facilitated dozens of workshop weekends, but I must say that the level of learning and sharing was amazing. I saw people become enlightened about the reality of Jesus and how they are called to participate with him. I saw many people encouraged about who they are in Jesus and become empowered to want to take back this experience to share in their home congregations. It was an extra blessing to see new and younger faces in the group, and how comfortable they were to join in. I am grateful for the tangible presence of Jesus and the guiding power of the Holy Spirit.

As I write, this gray-haired president may have his sleep patterns off, but he is deeply appreciative of how God is present and faithful to this little slice of the Body of Christ called GCI. I am also very thankful for our pastors! October is pastor appreciation month, and we hope our pastors feel honored for their service and dedication.

Thankful,
Greg

P.S. Thank you, Daphne, for your care of God’s people in Australasia. Read more about the workshop here.

His kingdom continues to expand as he continues to draw people to himself. The church becomes the means through which this expansion takes place. The church does not build the kingdom, but she bears witness to the coming kingdom. Her participation in bearing witness to the coming kingdom takes place through the planting of gospel-centered churches who multiply disciples, leaders, ministries, and new churches. Church multiplication is rooted in the Great Commission where Jesus calls us to make disciples of all nations. He emphasizes the sending nature of the church and commissions her to go and join him in this continual enterprise of kingdom expansion.

In GCI, we desire to be part of this heavenly enterprise of expanding the kingdom through the multiplication of new expressions of the church. Our unified vision is to become the healthiest global expression of the church that we could possibly be. Church Multiplication Ministries (CMM) exist with this ultimate purpose in mind. Alongside the U.S. National Ministry Team, CMM provides vision, strategic leadership, consulting, and equipping. We yearn to continuously witness existing congregations be renewed in such a way that missional living, disciple making with Jesus, and leadership development become the deep-rooted culture of the church. We are continually providing consulting and training to congregations who are currently being replanted or relaunched. We are coming alongside those congregations that are developing teams to eventually plant/launch a new expression of the church and assisting those who are currently starting new ones.

This year CMM has been actively supporting Pastor Julie Franz, providing consulting and strategic direction as she navigates the merger of two congregations in Cincinnati, Ohio. With the merger, the congregation has greater potential for missional movement. We have also been providing support to Pastor Anthony Mullins who is in the process of planting a congregation in Durham, North Carolina. Last October, CMM sponsored a “Dream Huddle” at our MTC in Surrey Hills, Oklahoma. The “Dream Huddle” was a gathering of some missionally-minded pastors and leaders who came alongside a group of leaders from the Surrey Hills congregation for equipping on best practices for missional living and the process of starting new expressions of the church.

Kingdom expansion through church multiplication encompasses missional living, discipleship, leadership development, and intentionally seeking the lead of the Spirit to provide strategic direction in joining Jesus’ mission in our world. It is a prodding of the Spirit to move beyond addition and into multiplication at every level, including multiplying churches. In GCI, we aspire to become a church multiplication movement, and CMM is at the center of this vision.

We pray that our Lord continues to grant us the joy of participating with him in drawing people of all tribes, nations, and languages through multiplying churches that multiply and point others to the coming kingdom. We will sing the “new song” along with those who God will draw to himself through the church multiplication efforts of GCI.

Joyfully participating with Jesus,
Heber Ticas, Vice President

On the other hand, I think about the uplifting lyrics from many Christian songs. Casting Crowns’ song, “The Voice of Truth,” is a great example. Here are a few lines:

The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. “Boy, you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
The voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth!

What positive, truthful lyrics build you up? Sing those words out loud, and let them soak in. Be captivated by the joy the Lord finds in you!

It is what Jesus says that counts. He doesn’t call us servants. He calls us friends. He shares with us what the Father shares with him. He shares his life, his righteousness, his peace, and his joy. Ultimately, Jesus shares his glory with us in the eternal kingdom of God.

The joy of the Lord is my strength,
Greg

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”

This opening statement deserves a pregnant pause. Proclaiming our heavenly Father’s name to be sacred and revered is a decisive choice to worship and bow down to him. Who is it with which we are talking? The eternal Father who lovingly sent his only, unique Son for our salvation, AND so that we have meaningful, vibrant relationship with the triune God. Therefore, to the all-knowing, perfect, eternal God of the universe – Hallowed be your name. (A good practice is to consider ways that you have experienced God and his goodness, then simply offer a prayer telling your Father what you admire and appreciate about him).

“Thy kingdom come.”

May the kingdom power and presence come into me, to my family, my church, my neighborhood, my country and to the entire world. We pray for the kingdom now as we live out our lives as kingdom citizens and representatives, and we yearn and groan for the fullness of the kingdom in Christ’s promised return.

“Thy will be done.”

It is embarrassing to consider how much of my prayer time is dedicated to express my thoughts, voice my desires, and seek my will. (Prayer easily becomes me-centric.) God patiently listens and allows me to go on explaining, negotiating, and pleading until I get to the end of myself. Prayer often feels like reasoning with God, and as you surrender to him in the worship experience of prayer you come to understand how he has been faithful to you, you then feel a sense of surrendering your best interest into his capable care. God is for you and coming to the realization that his will is perfect, whereas human will is limited and shortsighted. This is the relationship the Father desires with all his children.

In these three opening petitions of the Lord’s prayer, you notice the flow from who God is, to what God is doing in bringing his kingdom into place, and how he is intricately guiding the lives of you and me, the kingdom citizens. I find it incredibly inspiring to know that our heavenly Father, our big brother, Jesus, and the ever-present Spirit are attending and guiding this universal movement toward the culmination of Christ’s return and the establishment of the eternal kingdom of God. Praying the Lord’s Prayer is a kingdom Prayer, and it keeps you and me vigilant to who God is and what he is up to.

Come Lord Jesus,
Greg Williams

James became the first disciple martyred in the early years of the Church. John did not die a martyr’s death, however, in his exile to the isle of Patmos, one legend says that he was thrown into a pot of boiling oil and survived. I wonder if this acknowledgement of agreeing to drink the cup frequently ran through their minds.

The over-the-top request of the brothers incited the other ten disciples. How could they make such a request? Who did they think they were? We can only imagine what was going on in the thoughts of the disciple, Simon, especially since Jesus had declared to him that he would now be called Peter (“little rock”) on whom Jesus would build his church. Surely, John and James were witnesses to that event.

So, after this spat of ambition and competition, Jesus gave direct instruction that his followers will not act in the worldly ways that are prevalent around them. Greatness will be found in a life of service, becoming as humble as a slave who washes the feet of others, and laying down one’s life for others — the ultimate sacrifice. Praise God that Jesus (100% God and 100% man) willingly laid down his life for all humanity. He drank the cup of all cups that guarantees our salvation and the covenant of better promises.

Service and sacrifice are markers of Kingdom Culture, not aggressive ambition and cutthroat competition. Jesus declared, “It will not be so among you.” He showed the way for any who follow in his steps — it is from a posture of humility and an outward devotion to serve others. We too must drink the cup as we join Jesus in his economy of service and sacrifice.

In humility and devotion,
Greg

In our meetings, Superintendent Heber Ticas, U.S. Director Jeff Broadnax, and I shared how this not only applies to us as pastors, but also to us collectively as congregations. It even applies to our Avenue teams, which we are all building to help proclaim and live out Jesus’ gospel message and plan for his Church. GCI Communications Director, Michelle Hartman, and GCI Development Coordinator, Cara Garrity, introduced new practical tools to help pastors with this process and new way of thinking. At our first event, we welcomed our GCI Consultant, Keith Shields, who shared principles for recruiting new leaders and pastors.

These events provided a space and time for sharing, bonding, and praying for one another — which was powerful. After each talk, pastors engaged in table discussions with their fellow pastors. They shared and prayed together and discussed how God may be moving them to engage with the material and scriptures being presented. This was the first time these groups have been together in person to process side-by-side with pastors who are in similar phases of this journey. Each group shared lunches and dinners together in the Home Office dining room to help facilitate ongoing discussions and continued bonding.

I’ll leave you with this positive feedback we received from one pastor. (Read more comments from participants and see photos of the events here.) “This did not feel like another program, it felt more like a road mapping session to see how we might intelligently navigate where the Father, Son, and Spirit are taking us.”

Love and appreciation to you all!
Mike Rasmussen, Superintendent North America and Caribbean