I bring you greetings from our six GCI global superintendents. We met for planning meetings after the Denominational Celebration. The group was basking in the afterglow of “Remembering Our First Love in Jesus.” Jesus’ love was experienced in tangible ways – in the lingering of praise worship, the cacophony of fellowship with brothers and sisters, the celebration of GCS graduates, the inspiration of messages assuring us of Christ’s unfailing love, and the crescendo of communion uniting us to our Lord. The level of encouragement and assurance of participation with Jesus was off the charts. We have received many words of appreciation and stories of transformation.
One of the most unique experiences was enduring three fire alarms. Two alarms on Friday afternoon and one early Saturday morning (1:44 am). The early morning drill could’ve easily caused attitudes to flare and turned into a deeply negative experience for our attendees. However, during the fire drill, we saw members helping others, especially the elderly and those with mobility limitations. Then once outside, several service-minded members brought chairs outside and water to drink on the humid night. We were a sight in our various versions of sleeping attire, and yet the spirit was light and good-natured. The love of Jesus was experienced.
One man staying at the hotel for a family reunion was in tears on Saturday morning as he stood in the breakfast line and recounted his early morning experience. He was having chest pains and the paramedics were going to transport him to the hospital. Thankfully the chest pains stopped, and he was able to stay at the hotel. His experience watching our GCI brothers and sisters in action, helping so many, made an impact on him. He said that he saw heaven in action that early morning; the church was being the church. Sunday afternoon, we saw him again, this time he was wearing his pastor collar. Yes, unbeknownst to us he was a pastor and had just preached a sermon to his members in the hotel about what he had witnessed early Saturday morning. Thank you to so many for being GCI.
We were inspired to see that all six global regions had representation at the celebration. This event reset our cyclical pattern for hosting a Denominational Celebration every three years. This means, God willing, that we will have our next celebration in summer 2026. We encourage all who desire to attend to begin saving now and update your passport, if needed.
In our planning meetings, we reflected on how our triune God has blessed us, and each superintendent shared meaningful highlights. Each of us turned our attention to many of the challenging items that guest speaker Jon Ritner had shared at the celebration. We met in small groups to address the question, “What are the hard things that we are facing?”
In our group debrief, we assembled a list of many items. Below we share areas that demand our attention.
Effects related to post-covid – regathering of our churches, innovation to engage with human fragility and shifting culture (anxiety issues, busyness that crowds out church commitment, a major shift from absolute truth, etc.)
Championing the “Why?” of GCI. What makes our congregations and denomination places to participate?
Clear analysis and assessment as to how we best serve our pastors and congregations. Specifically helping pastors to comprehend and execute the role of “pastor-led.”
Right-sizing and restructuring organizationally, and how we best approach these moves.
Movement toward ministry practices that reflect our understanding of the triune God revealed in Jesus.
Becoming better at making and keeping disciples (emphasis on how to engage the youth).
Maintaining connectivity from the denominational, to the national, to the regional, and to the congregational levels.
Part of our group’s conclusion is that if we don’t attend to the health of our denomination at all levels, then we may not have a reason to host a Denominational Celebration in 2026. That is a sobering thought.
The good news that assures us is that we have Jesus as the head of the church. GCI has the love of Jesus – the love that transformed us and identifies us as his true disciples. It is his love that compels us to relationally engage with others towards the fulfillment of the Great Commission to make new disciples. If we follow Jesus and lean to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are built for the hard things.
We are in this together! Greg & the Superintendents
Kalengule Kaoma – Africa Danny Zachariah – Asia* Daphne Sidney – Australasia Gavin Henderson – Europe Heber Ticas – Latin America Michael Rasmussen – North America & Caribbean
*In our next issue, the former Superintendent of Asia, Eugene Guzon, will write about retiring and passing the baton.
Faith, Hope, and Love in Action has been the theme of GCI for 2023. Our superintendents and their teams of leaders have been teaching, coaching, and supervising to help our “Team Based—Pastor Led” congregations become intentionally focused and active in the ministry Avenues of Jesus.
What will it look like as these efforts take root? Allow me to paint word pictures of Healthy Church.
Love Avenue
Let’s assume that the Love Avenue champion has been identified and is in place, and that a capable team of missionally-minded people is empowered to organize and mobilize the congregation into relational activities outside the walls of the church and into the surrounding neighborhood. Are you with me?
We can also assume that under the pastor’s guidance, exegetical work has been done. First, the neighborhood’s demographics and rhythm of activities and events have been clearly researched and identified. In a parallel project, an exegesis of the people who make up the congregation is also being done. What are their backgrounds and life experiences? What strategic relationships and connections do they have? What spiritual gifting is present? What passions are expressed by the collective group?
The exegetical work of both neighborhood and congregation leads to some initial planning. What events will the church sponsor? And a very important second question, what will be the come-back event? Are there places and spaces where the congregation can join in with community events or community agencies?
Along with the pastor and other Avenue champions, the Love Avenue champion will consider the congregation’s annual calendar of events and annual budget. The calendar needs consideration for the flow alongside the activities and events of the other Avenues to create a harmony of church life. The budget needs attention to make sure we count the cost of the efforts we will sponsor. And a budget should reflect the missional vision and priorities of the congregation.
We have a long history of doing weekly worship services. However, it is like other routine activities; after so much repetition, our worship services can become stale and lose a sense of purpose and excitement.
Hope Avenue champions and their teams provide a fresh start to recapture what we do to ensure an inspirational weekly worship service. The preparation for a Sunday service does not happen the night before or the morning of. The Hope Avenue teams are seeing that an inspirational service requires intentional planning. Planning meetings may need to be held weekly for a while as you reestablish fresh ideas and approaches.
The Hope Avenue team is an important cog in the wheel too. They see a broader picture than simply having good sets of worship music. The team works toward providing clear signage, welcoming greeters, church information services, quality coffee and snacks, clean restrooms, well-functioning sound systems, children’s classes, and well-prepared, Christ-centered preaching following the seasons of the worship calendar. The Hope Avenue is crafted as a safe, friendly environment where the love of Christ is expressed and experienced. Now that’s the church we all want to attend!
The responsibility of the Faith Avenue champion and team is broad. Helping members from all ages and stages of life to grow in their walk with Jesus and within the community of the church is a high calling.
Offering strategically designed connect groups in a well-crafted seasonal rotation is key to meeting the needs of the multi-generational church members. There will be classes offered for “New Believers” at least once a year (veteran members can brush up too). There will be connect groups that support the Love Avenue by providing places of soft entry into the church community. Connect groups can include multiple topics and styles. They might include targeted Bible studies, book clubs, marriage enrichment classes and discussions, racial awareness classes, etc.
The Faith Avenue team will have organizational oversight of neighborhood youth camps, church campouts, church picnics, and the sharing of communion with members who are unable to attend the Hope Avenue gathering. Once again, under the leadership eye of the pastor and coordinated along with the other Avenue champions, the Faith Avenue efforts will need to fit the calendar and the budget as well.
A well-run Faith Avenue demonstrates the church being the church between Sundays. It’s a church we are called to be a part of as we actively participate with Jesus in his mission and ministry!
Hopefully you will click on the links for each of the Avenue resources to take advantage of the helpful ideas and recommendations. Another wonderful opportunity for higher academic support is through Grace Communion Seminary. GCS is offering diplomas in the focused areas of faith, hope, and love. The diploma is a 21-credit hour program comprised of seven courses that will help the learner to think more theologically and become even more grounded in the ministry expressions of Jesus.
We celebrate GCS in this issue of Update. We congratulate them on the recent graduation ceremony that took place in North Carolina and support their continued commitment to educate ministry leaders and pastors all across the global regions of GCI. Read more about the commencement ceremony here.
On the road to healthy churches, Greg Williams
P.S. We held our Denominational Celebration early this month. Look for my recap in our next issue, August 9.
The GCI National Advisory Council for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (U.S.) has been doing good work for our denomination. For this month’s presidential letter, I have invited the Council’s co-facilitator Jeff Broadnax to give us a timely update. (Dishon Mills is the other facilitator.) Much of the Council’s work is done behind the scenes, so it is appropriate to provide an overview of their focus and list the action steps that have been taken. I thank Jeff, Dishon, and the Council for helping us tackle the societal challenges that easily divide. They do this with the posture of beginning with Jesus, seeing Jesus in the process and knowing that all things wrap up in him. Jesus is truly the one agenda.
Greg
Pentecost represents God’s intentional declaration of racial, ethnic, gender, and generational diversity and inclusion within his kingdom mission. The church celebrated Pentecost last month so it is timely to give an update from the GCI National Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the U.S.
We continue seeking the Lord’s discernment for ways GCI can reflect the unity and diversity of the Triune God in a fractured nation. In the U.S., the racial, religious, socio-political divisions have metastasized both in our citizens and within the Body of Christ to the point that even the terms diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) create inner conflict for many. Some in GCI have wondered if the denomination has become political or taken our eyes off Christ to embrace a secular agenda by using DEI language.
The answer to all those concerns is a resounding NO! The Council has only one agenda, his name is Jesus! But Scripture does charge believers to be awake and have the eyes of their hearts spiritually enlightened (Eph. 1:17-19).
God’s desire in Jesus’ reconciling work is to end the hostility of “us vs them” thinking, and be committed to making this message known through the church (Eph. 2:15b-16, 3:10).
To that end, here are highlights of what the Council has been up to since 2020.
Oct. 2020 – Nov. 2021: The Council met monthly to pray, study, assess, and discuss areas to celebrate God’s work in GCI regarding racial, gender, cultural, and generational diversity and healing. We also discerned and recommended areas for improvement.
Nov. 2021: The Council recommended GCI hire a Christ-centered consultant to provide specific training to our U.S. leadership to facilitate racial healing, spiritual oneness, diversity, and inclusion within our culture, media, and messaging at the national, regional, and congregational levels. We prayerfully assessed five potential consultants and recommended Pastor Miles McPherson’s biblically based program called The Third Option Similarity Training.
April 2022: President Greg Williams announced the selection of the Third Option Training saying, “This DEI initiative is not a passing fad. Rather, we intend it to be a permanent cultural shift within GCI, and the training will continue to be passed along to our U.S. pastors and churches over the next couple of years.”
Sept.2022: Thirty members from the GCI Home Office, GCI Board, the regional directors, and the Council experienced the training with Miles McPherson at the Home Office in Charlotte.
Oct. 2022: Pastors Annette Nettles, Al Talison, Tracy Winborne, and Charles Young officially rotated off the Council after faithfully serving an initial two-year commitment. We’re grateful for their service.
Dec.2022: An agreement was reached between GCI and Miles McPherson to train 10 leaders to facilitate the Third Option Similarity Training. Eight leaders would be trained from the U.S. and one from the Caribbean.
Jan. 2023: Karina De La Rosa, Kairis Colter-Chiari, Bermie Dizon, Philip Doele, and Jose Lopez were added as members of the Council.
May 2023: The following seven Council members became trainers of The Third Option: Bermie Dizon, Tamar Gray, Terry McDonald, Dishon Mills, John Newsom, Gabriel Ojih, and Ron Washington. Additional trainers are Susan McKie (U.S.) and Michael Mitchell (Caribbean). Stay tuned for future rollout of the training in 2024.
Susan Mckie, Lake Tahoe, NV
Michael Mitchell, Kingston, Jamaica
What’s Next?
The National Advisory Council for DEI will continue seeking the Spirit’s direction to equip and encourage local leaders and pastors to engage and empower their congregations, as Greg Williams stated, “to participate with Christ more purposefully and actively in his ministry of reconciliation.”
Just as on Pentecost, we pray GCI members will boldly declare the wonders of God with diversity, equity, and inclusion, knowing the Body of Christ only has one agenda—his name is Jesus!
Jeff Broadnax, Regional Director Northeast
Editor’s Note: Typically, Update is published twice a month, but we’re taking a break after the Denominational Celebration. We’ll be back in your inbox July 26.
Ordinary Time is the period following Pentecost and takes us up to Christ the King Sunday on the worship calendar. It is the season to be attentive to the call of discipleship and disciple making. Ordinary Time connects nicely with our 2023 theme, Faith, Hope, and Love in Action.
During this time, we focus more on what we are called to do and what we are called to be, as we participate with Christ. So, what will Faith, Hope, and Love in Action look like at our local congregational level in 2023?
Ordinary Time is a period of nearly six months. In the US, it occurs during the summer and early autumn and includes the months when most children are on their school break. Allow me to point out an opportunity for us to reach out to youth and families. Ordinary Time is prime time for neighborhood youth camps. Unfortunately, the Covid pandemic kept us sidelined from these opportunities, but now we can rejoin this wonderful expression of how we share Christ’s love.
In my background with Youth for Christ and GCI’s Generations Ministries, I spent multiple summers at youth camps around the country and around the world. I experienced the beauty of how adults can share their time, skills, and faith in interaction with young people. Past research indicates that if a young person comes to a relationship with Jesus by age 13, it is likely they will remain a faithful follower for life. I came to believe this as truth.
The beauty and simplicity of a neighborhood camp is something a healthy church will want to be a part of. Let me list a few ideas.
Inviting and engaging with the youth in your congregation’s surrounding neighborhood allows you a focused time of two to three days to build meaningful relationships. Since they are your neighbors, you can share life together beyond the activity. This is the Love Avenue in action.
A well-designed camp will include an invitation to a Sunday service that highlights the meaningful camp experience with pictures and video content. It will be a unique opportunity to invite parents to participate and experience the life of the congregation. It’s a chance for the Hope Avenue team to actively engage with families. Serving a special lunch is a good idea.
Planning a back-to-school engagement is another way the Love Avenue and Hope Avenue can join efforts.
A church that is thinking ahead would consider building from the momentum of camp by organizing something akin to an AWANAs club and inviting the campers. This could be a weekly or bi-monthly club to offer the neighborhood young people a safe space for fun and biblical discipleship. This is the Faith Avenue in action.
Ordinary Time is when we reveal the light of Jesus, exhibit the life of Jesus, and share the love of Jesus. And what better audience to consider than the children in our church neighborhood? If you are searching for ideas, please utilize the online tools of the GCI website. Questions and inquiries can be sent to Generations Ministries Coordinator, Dishon Mills, and you can always solicit input from your regional director. Don’t allow a lack of ideas or support to hold you back.
Camp ministry has been in the DNA of GCI for decades; moving that emphasis from regional camps to neighborhood camps has been a tactical move. It is time that we use our talents and experience to organize and get moving—living and sharing the gospel with the children and parents in our local church neighborhoods. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Ordinary Time can become extraordinary time. Let the children come to Jesus!
Have you ever experienced the power of the wind? My most vivid memory was living in Fayetteville, NC, when the outer bands of Hurricane Fran blew 80 mph gusts through the wooded acre of my backyard. The combination of the high-pitched whistling sounds and the cracking of limbs as they broke and fell was unnerving, to say the least.
Wind is a common theme in the Bible. It has been compared to the breath of God in Genesis, to the length of life in Psalms, and to the Holy Spirit. We see Jesus referring to the wind in his conversation with Nicodemus, a teacher of Israel and a Pharisee. He was talking to Nicodemus about being born again when he said:
The wind blows where it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. John 3:8
Jesus is reminding Nicodemus that just as you cannot see the wind or know it is there, except by what it does — rustling the trees, blowing the dust around, wreaking havoc in your backyard — you cannot see any outward signs in those who are born again. But you can tell who is born from above by the fruit produced in their life. Just as the invisible power of the wind accomplishes things that can be seen, the invisible power of the Holy Spirit works in converted Christians producing fruit like love, joy, patience, and kindness.
Jesus’ words about the Holy Spirit are mysterious, powerful, and transforming. Later in his Gospel account, John provides more insight to the work of the Holy Spirit.
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you. John 16:7-15
We don’t know what we don’t know. Jesus knew this all so well. Therefore, before going away, he made sure the disciples heard the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit will bring conviction about what really matters. And what really matters is Jesus. It isn’t sin that gets center stage; it is Jesus who has conquered sin. What really matters isn’t righteousness we somehow accomplish or earn on our own; it is the vicarious righteousness we receive because of Jesus. What really matters isn’t the fear of judgment, since condemnation has been placed squarely on Satan, and there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Hallelujah! The Spirit is faithful every day to remind us of these truths about Jesus and the impact that truth has on us.
Belief in Jesus allows us to find grace, not guilt, for our past. The Father is not deterred by the lack of understanding of a new or growing believer. He meets us where we are, and by the power of the Spirit, grows us up in his grace. Notice Jesus’ promise to us:
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16:13)
This guidance of the Spirit of truth extends into “the things that are to come.” The “things that are to come” are not the world events on your newsfeed, rather it is the kingdom into which Jesus is bringing us. The Spirit has sealed or marked us as citizens of the kingdom and is guiding us to that reality. Our identity as kingdom citizens who belong to Jesus is secure by the presence of the guiding Spirit.
We understand the kingdom in relational terms—Jesus brings us into the divine life that the Father, Son, and Spirit share. The work of the Spirit is confirming this now. The Spirit is constantly bringing us into a relational knowing of the Father. The heart of this truth is that God is a God of love. This is what Jesus was revealing about the Father through his life, death, and resurrection. The Father is not an angry, vindictive God but rather the God of compassionate love. This is what the Spirit continues to declare to us as we move toward the future reality of the kingdom.
So, if the Spirit is doing this amazing, mysterious transformation in us, what about our neighbor? Do we watch and listen closely enough to see how the Spirit is blowing and rustling the thoughts and mindsets in others around us? Do we trust that the Spirit is able to bring about the convictions of who Jesus is in their lives? Do we pray that the overwhelming love of God would capture them, like it has us? I am talking about a more focused participation with God, the Holy Spirit. I say this out of a personal confession that all too often, instead of trusting the Spirit, I very clumsily try to do the Spirit’s work for him.
I believe for GCI to continue to grow in church health and to be a beacon that points to Jesus, we need to think about the Holy Spirit as a mighty, rushing wind that is capable and willing to transform the lives of the people around us. As we are now just a few days away from Pentecost, let’s have a heightened awareness and anticipation of the amazing work of the Holy Spirit. This isn’t about us rolling up our sleeves and trying harder. Rather, it is about patient, faithful reliance on the Spirit and witnessing the amazing, mysterious ways he operates as he glorifies Jesus and draws humanity into this union.
Can you recall a time when you were inspired by hearing the truth of the gospel? I mean really moved to the point of conviction. Several years ago, at an intern gathering, we were honored by a guest speaker named Zac. Zac has spent his entire life facing barriers and obstacles. Zac has cerebral palsy.
The day Zac addressed the interns, he delivered a stirring message. He began by reading the apostle Paul’s greeting to the church at Rome:
To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7 NRSV)
Zac pointed out that this encouraging letter was not to a select few, but for “all.” The meaning of beloved is quite simple and yet profound – a person that God dearly loves. Zac went on to explain that if the Father, Son, and Spirit have a passionate love for you, then be loved. Receive and accept that love. Walk in that love every moment of every day. Bask in that love and delight in the joy and confidence that God’s love imparts. The gospel was made plain that day.
Zac was more than a messenger of this good news; as they say in the business world, he is also a client. The overwhelming, life-changing love of the triune God transformed Zac. This same love can transform you and me as well.
Zac’s walk may be affected by a motor disability, but his walk with the Lord is with an ease of grace, a smile of joy, and a confidence that cannot be shaken. He is a wise and gifted proclaimer of the gospel. Spending time with a saint like Zac reinvigorates our belief in Jesus. We are assured anew that Jesus’ grace is real, and his peace is available to us.
I am keeping this letter short and simple because I want you, the reader, to linger for a few minutes. Focus on the truth that you are a person whom God dearly loves. What does this mean for the rest of your day? The rest of your life?
If you are like me, you get saturated with media that is filled with stories promoting prideful self-centeredness, willful hate, destructive violence, and all forms of godlessness. Australasia Superintendent, Daphne Sidney introduced me to the term “learned helplessness.” It is a wearing down over time that leads to hopelessness and despair. You and I are prone to it also.
One of the most beautiful parts of the Sermon on the Mount is a section we call the Beatitudes. It paints a picture of hope and restoration. But it’s also a passage that can be wrongly interpreted. It is vital to know how to read this with Christ’s intended meaning. We need “ears to hear.”
Allow me to begin with a couple of wrong postures.
Us and Them
“Us” means we see ourselves as the disciples gathered on the hillside, eager learners at the feet of Jesus. “Them” are the ones who revile and persecute us; the ones who aren’t pure, who break the peace, the unmerciful. We have embraced a worldview of good guys and bad guys and inserted ourselves into the good guy category. (Imagine a loud buzzer sound to indicate, “wrong answer!”)
The real answer here is “us and him.” We may be sitting on the hillside, but which one of “us” is humble, merciful, pure, and seeking the good for all? That one would be Jesus, and him alone. “Us,” all of humanity, have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
It is only Jesus who has fulfilled the beatitudes, and get this, you and I are “blessed” because he has.
The beatitudes can be interpreted as when we implement specified godly characteristics in our lives, a blessing is guaranteed to follow. This sounds transactional. It also sounds like our human works can gain us favor and blessing from God. (Another loud buzzer.)
You are blessed because of the vicarious nature of Jesus and the present empowerment of the Holy Spirit. It’s not our righteousness, but his (Philippians 3:9).
You cannot simply determine “to do” these actions. In Romans 7, the apostle Paul admitted to this feeble exercise of knowing good and attempting to do good and then falling flat on his face. Who can deliver? Only Jesus.
The correct answer here is that we are blessed because of Jesus.
Dr. Gary Deddo has been helpful in explaining the indicatives and the imperatives laced into the New Testament. The indicative in the Sermon on the Mount is the personal saving grace of Jesus on behalf of humanity. It is because of Jesus that the believer can take on these Christ-like characteristics of humility, purity, and peace-making. These are the imperatives that come alive in the believer who is actively following Jesus.
The result of this relationship is deliverance from “learned helplessness.” In fact, it is “imparted hope.” Hope for a better human condition. Hope for a gathering of all people into a peaceful, love-filled kingdom. The result of this relationship is being in God’s favor with contentment and joy that rises above the negative stories in the media.
In Jesus, you and I are hope-filled and blessed to be a blessing to the world around us.
Blessed in Jesus, Greg Williams
P.S. Register for our Denominational Celebration while there’s still time. Registration ends April 30. Reserve your place, in person or online, today!
Video submissions for our Healthy Church Challenge for GCI youth will be accepted through May 1. Enter today!
So that they may become part of our GCI leadership DNA, in 2023 we will continue to focus on the 4 Es of leadership development and ministry actions – Engage, Equip, Empower and Encourage. This letter will be focused on Empowering and Encouraging.
To empower simply means to give power or authority. I’m reminded of Matthew 28:18 where Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.” Just as Jesus is fully enabled to act, he wraps us into his mission. We, too, are permitted to go and make disciples, baptizing and teaching all things about Jesus. There is confidence in going when we know we are backed by Jesus, and when we realize that as we go, he is always present with us. That’s empowerment with real power.
In the February 22 Update, I wrote about the practical ways Jesus included the original disciples in the feeding of the 5,000. This was a wonderful example of how he equipped and prepared them for what was to come in the commissioning of Matthew 28, when he sent them out into the world to make more disciples and to establish the community of the church. Both accounts display doing ministry with Jesus – one was directed by the earthly Jesus, the second from the heavenly Jesus by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
We then see that empowerment comes after an appropriate training period. Empowerment includes an endorsement, a sending, and a backing. (For further study, explore the times when Paul sent his son in the faith, Timothy, as his representative.)
True-life stories help to better paint the picture. See the story below of an important lesson learned by Rick Shallenberger as he took advice from his mentor on adapting his approach with an intern.
Our annual Mother’s Day celebration was a colossal failure – at least initially. To give our intern meaningful, practical experience, I asked him to organize the event. I encouraged him to seek counsel from others, gave him names as resources, and told him I was always available. He readily accepted. But then fear set in – fear of failure. He let it get the best of him and he didn’t seek counsel, he didn’t come to me, and when Mother’s Day came, nothing was prepared. I was angry – not just at the lack of effort, but because we had promoted the event and it shed a bad light on the congregation. I knew our Monday debrief was going to be unpleasant to say the least. Then my friend and mentor, John Halford, reminded me of the importance of allowing failure to be a learning experience.
John and I spent a lot of time discussing how to train an intern; how to help him be the best pastor he could be. John had seen many interns and trainees grow frustrated because they weren’t given responsibility or respect. To shield them against failure, they were not given meaningful ministry to organize and lead. We determined from the beginning to give our intern practical experience – even if it led to failure. John reminded me that we had both experienced failures in ministry, and we learned from them. We determined to not let our intern fall into a pit of despair when things went wrong, but to learn from the experience.
When my intern came to the Monday debrief, it was clear he expected a tongue-lashing. I didn’t bring up the topic. Finally, he asked, “Aren’t you going to talk about my failure?” I responded, “What did you learn from it?” He shared several lessons, and I said, “So, do you think you’ll make this same mistake again?” He shook his head, “It’s only a failure when you don’t learn from your mistakes. I am confident you learned a valuable lesson,” I said, then prayed for him.
I praise God for the conversations I had with John about empowering and encouraging others. Those talks helped me be a better pastor and leader, and I know it had the same benefits for my intern. Failure is a part of learning. Healthy leaders understand this and expect it. Never let the fear of failure prevent you from empowering and encouraging others to participate in meaningful and practical ministry.
Encourage means to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope. It is intended to stimulate and spur on. In Bible teaching, the general idea is to build one another up. It is a positive relationship, and yet it involves both truth and love. Encouragement is most often thought of as affirmation – “You’re doing a great job, keep it up!” We all hope to hear those words from the people we work for as well as the people we serve. The other side of this coin is that sometimes we need to be encouraged to either see things we don’t yet see or to have adjustments and corrections pointed out so that improvements can be made.
GCI’s Communication and Media Director, Michelle Fleming, is one of those rare people who wants both sides of the coin when it comes to encouragement.
Michelle’s Story
In 2018, my role in GCI changed from Communications & Training Coordinator to Media Director. My new role required a steep learning curve of publications’ best practices, design principles, unfamiliar software programs, marketing basics, and management of both projects and people. It was not just a new role, but a whole new department with new and essential job functions.
I had a few months of overlap with the previous Media Director and dedicated a lot of time researching and learning about these different lines of work. This provided a solid foundation when I officially stepped into the role. However, I think my greatest lessons and support came through the encouragement of my team. Their praise and acknowledgement of the investment of time and energy I was making in establishing our team and leading our department meant the world to me, but their willingness to share their knowledge and expertise with me was even more encouraging and meaningful.
Although I was new to the world of Media, I was blessed with a team who had education and years of experience in their respective fields. As I developed our content, they would show appreciation for the concept I presented, but also graciously shared about rules like “unity and diversity” in design, industry-standard ways of communicating about our work, and branding best practices. I appreciated their patience in supporting me through my learning curve and taking the time to impart their hard-earned knowledge.
This experience reminded me that as we continue to live in a fast-paced and quickly changing world, healthy leaders learn not only from those who have gone before them but also from those who come alongside them regardless of age, years of experience, or all kinds of factors we may consider for credibility. The beauty of team-based ministry is that it gives us diverse perspectives to open up our way of seeing the world and diverse voices to speak into our shared work. I learned that sometimes it may even be the people who report to us that teach us the most. Our encouragement of one other, both in seeing what we have to offer and the potential that might be drawn out through changes and corrections, spurs us on for the good work God has set before us.
Conclusion
The magic of an environment where empowerment and encouragement exist and become the standard mode of operation is a space where others come to know that we are for them. This reflects who Jesus is – a God who is for us, with us, and patiently abides as we grow and mature.
The package of the 4 Es, Engage, Equip, Empower and Encourage, moves GCI toward a culture of liberation. This ultimate freedom allows us to be who we are in Christ and to exercise the gifts bestowed on us by the Spirit as we live out our lives in this community called the church.
I pray that all GCI pastors and ministry leaders will vigilantly attend to the 4 Es as they see and serve others. Helping others grow in their participation with Jesus is the ongoing pastoral work of the church.
Be encouraged! Greg Williams
P.S. Are you looking for a fun way to empower your members aged 8-17? Encourage their involvement in the Healthy Church Challenge! Videos selected in the first round will be shown at the Denominational Celebration. Final winners will receive a prize. Here’s more information.
Let’s begin this Update letter with a scriptural passage.
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13 NLT)
The various church offices are a gift that Jesus himself, through the work of the Spirit, gave to the church. Note what the Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible says about church leadership:
As the apostles, prophets, and evangelists were special and extraordinary ministers, so “pastors and teachers” are the ordinary stated ministers of a particular flock, including, probably, the bishops, presbyters, and deacons. Evangelists were itinerant preachers like our missionaries, as Philip the deacon (Acts 21:8); as contrasted with stationary “pastors and teachers” (2 Timothy 4:5). [Typically] The evangelist founded the Church; the teacher built it up in the faith already received. The “pastor” had the outward rule and guidance of the Church. The bishop had regional oversight with a group of churches.
This is a general explanation of church polity, an overview of the offices and operations of the church. (GCI uses the title regional director rather than bishop.) Our specific purpose for this article is found in verse 12. The primary responsibility of all church leadership is “to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.” This equipping is careful preparation for the followers of Christ to recognize and understand how they fit and how they participate with Jesus through the community of the church.
In my February 8 letter, I described the element of “engagement” as an introductory stage, where new or younger believers are being introduced to ministry practices. It is a season of exposure to the broader ministries of the church and a time for exploration. A good example of what I am describing is the nuanced differences between our Ministry Internship Program and our Pastoral Residency Program. An intern is provided with a chartered course that allows them to spend measured amounts of time learning about and participating in the Faith, Hope, and Love Avenues as they are expressed in the life of the congregation where they are interning. A Pastoral Resident is more specifically focused on learning the role and the necessary skills for becoming a pastor. It is more specific and more defined.
For the health and building up of the church, it is important that each congregation has a pathway for all the saints to find their “best fit” in their role of service in the life of the church.
Accurately assessing spiritual gifts fits into this process. There are Bible studies and inventories that we can use to help the new and younger believers discover how the Spirit is gifting them to serve. (See this Church Hack for more information.) The desired outcome is what Paul says to the church in Romans 12: If a person’s gift is service, let him serve; if a person’s gift is leadership, let her lead; etc., etc. (my paraphrase). Also keep in mind that the personality of the individual, along with life experience and internal passion, will play a part in finding their “best fit.”
Good and thorough equipping has three major components: information, imitation, and innovation.
The information that the saints are to be learning is stated in verse 13: “the knowledge of God’s son.” GCI is deeply serious about learning about the Triune God who is revealed in Jesus. We are so committed that we support two institutions, Ambassador College of Christian Ministry and Grace Communion Seminary. We are working diligently to provide our fellowship with educated pastors and ministry leaders who then can pass along what they have learned about Jesus to others. Formal methods of learning must be delivered at the local church level as well because not all GCI members will become students in our institutions of higher learning.
Learning is both taught and caught. This is where imitation comes in. Most are familiar with Paul’s expression of “Follow me as I follow Christ.” There must be veteran believers reaching out to new and younger believers. The veterans must be intentional about including others in their ministry functions as well as deeply befriending and expressing a loving, inclusive posture in the fashion of Jesus (you might re-read the February 22 Update letter about Jesus, the True Disciple Maker).
Conclusion
Why all this work and intentionality around equipping? Again, verse 13 tells us the most important answer, so that we will be “measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.” Christlikeness is the end goal for all believers. A couple of consequential byproducts are unity and stability in the church—unity in understanding and doctrine, and stability in maturing believers who can speak truth in love to one another.
Isn’t this a picture of the vision we have been talking about for four years – Healthy Church? This is the “innovation” goal on the training triangle, or as I like to think of it, “transformation.” We are on the right course!
Committed to Equipping Others, Greg Williams
P.S. It so happens that this edition of Update falls on International Women’s Day. It is my joy to celebrate the amazing contributions that women have made and are making in the ministry of GCI around the world. We have a special feature article about Debby Bailey, who was our first woman to be ordained an elder. We now have dozens and dozens of female elders who are sharing their leadership gifts with our 665 congregations in the 69 countries where GCI has a presence. We deeply appreciate the presence and contributions of the women in our fellowship. Together we are serving Jesus, his church, and the mission of the gospel.
