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.
As we find ourselves in the season where we rehearse the earthly life and ministry of Jesus, it turns my mind toward the way Jesus equipped and developed the disciples. He used a dynamic combination of teaching and modeling to pour into their lives, and all the while wrapped into a relationship of interaction and friendship.
Jesus did not allow ministry to be a spectator sport. He used everyday opportunities to train his disciples to see and serve (“see” because people have value and worth). The feeding of the 5,000 is a marvelous narrative of how Jesus equipped his followers.
In John chapter 5, Jesus spent a lengthy session of teaching about his authority and how he is doing the work of the Father. These works testify to who he is, the Messiah. Then we read in chapter 6:
Sometime after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near.
When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. John 6:1-15 NIV
Notice all the times Jesus involves his disciples in serving and interacting with the people during this event. It began months earlier with his original invitation to come and be with him, and in a sense, be his traveling entourage. Inviting others to participate is the first step.
Second, he asks questions of the disciples. I’m guessing he had the challenge of feeding the people already figured out, but he intentionally asks the disciples for their perceptions. Philip recognized they did have sufficient funds in their ministry budget, but then Peter saw the young boy with the fish sandwich “Happy Meal” and thought this could be a partial solution. [A “Happy Meal” is a child’s meal from the fast-food restaurant, McDonald’s.]
Jesus knew that he could work with the fish and loaves. But now he pointed the disciples back to the people: organize them, have them sit in an orderly fashion. Once Jesus had given thanks for the food, the disciples began distributing the food to the people. Have you ever considered that the “all-you-can-eat” supply of bread and fish continued to be multiplied in the hands of the disciples? This went on for a great while, because serving 5,000 people with only 12 waiters is a long lunch hour. Then when the remains of the food were gathered, there were 12 “doggie bags” for 12 disciples—how thoughtful of Jesus. [In the US, a doggie bag is what a restaurant guest uses to take home leftover food.] This was the third step: let the followers be hands-on and learn by doing.
During this miracle, the disciples were learning about the heart and power of Jesus. This story demonstrates how Jesus continued to reveal who he really is. Aren’t we on this continuum as well?
Jesus modeled intentional, practical actions in his relationships with people. He could’ve had the crowd line up and receive the blessing of food from his hands only. Instead, he gave the disciples a hands-on experience in learning to care for others, and get this, how to participate with Jesus. It’s a tangible intuition we need as we operate under his authority and presence as we serve others. This is a much-needed step that demands our attention. And I believe it to be the most important aspect of getting out of the way and providing the clear view to Jesus, the true Prophet and King. You noticed in our story that the crowd did not confuse the disciples for the Lord.
So, what are places and ways we can give our proteges the opportunity to join us, and ultimately join with Jesus as we seek to serve the purposes of the kingdom of heaven? This can be a great conversation among our ministry leaders and ministry teams. It can be as simple as recognizing a need, then seeing a child with simple provisions that can turn into a solution for a crowd of needy people.
The bottom line is that we want to disciple others like Jesus, all the while realizing that we cannot do this without his presence and power. Lord, help us follow in your tracks so that others follow as well, amen!
A few months back, Communications Director Michelle Fleming shared an assessment tool that Replicate Ministries uses in helping to debunk several myths about ministry. Replicate Ministries encourages all the churches and leaders they serve to come on board to what they call, “All Play, Everyday Disciple-Making Movement.” I really like this catchy phrase. It points to the biblical posture of a priesthood of all believers. It also reminds me of a slogan we sometimes use in GCI, “making disciples who make disciples.”
In the spirit of an “all-play” mentality, I am writing a short series on the 4 Es of pastoral ministry – engage, equip, empower, encourage. (Keep in mind that our Avenue champions need to think and operate out of the 4 Es too.) My first entry is on engagement.
To engage, in the purest sense, is to recognize and recruit. Everywhere we look, we see people who need Jesus. When I say need, the needs can run the gamut from forgiveness, to healing, to meaning and purpose in life. Maybe the person you see is simply looking for acceptance or true friendship.
Several years back, Christian researcher and author George Barna informed the church that the greatest need in Christianity was for Christian believers to be engaged in relationships with non-believers. This engagement runs deeper than just hanging out and being friendly. It means befriending another, taking the time to listen and hear the good and the bad, and everything in between. It means sharing life experiences and making lasting memories. It means being there in tough situations and in times of celebration. It means talking to God about your friend as well as talking to your friend about God. It is life-on-life; it is place-sharing. Read More
To engage is to induce to participate. The apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinth church says that he became all things to all people that he may win some to Jesus. He wanted Jews and Greeks alike to come to Jesus and share in the blessings of the gospel. He especially had a soft spot for his native people. In Romans 10:1, he wrote, “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” Engagement includes our directed interest and investment in others.
Engagement doesn’t end when a person hears the gospel and attends church. In many ways, this is still part of the beginning of engagement. Think in terms of the healthy church Avenues.
For the Hope Avenue, engagement begins in the parking lot and into the lobby as people are warmly greeted and appropriately attended to. Think of a progression from the hospitable welcome to the sanctuary gathering where the message is centered in the person of Jesus. When I say message, it is inclusive of the songs being sung, the scriptures being read, the prayers being raised, and the sermon being preached. The entire experience is to honor and celebrate Jesus.
The Faith Avenue provides spaces where the new believer (in community with veteran believers) can grow in their understanding of Jesus, and be equipped with the tools of spiritual disciplines, enabling them to grow in their personal, daily worship. In my years of being a lead pastor, I falsely assumed that regular Sunday attenders were being discipled because they got to hear my fabulous sermons. I was naïve to believe that, especially when I frequently noticed people nodding off while listening to me. Ultimately, sermons are to inspire, to help people see that the gospel is real and exciting, and always point to Jesus, but discipleship needs a deeper dive.
To engage is to occupy, involve, and include. It means to be a living, active part of the body of the church.
Many years ago, I read an inspirational book by Ray Stedman called Body Life. Here is a quote from him that sums up this aspect of engagement.
The church is a living organism. In the physical body, the hand moves when the brain says to. So too the members of Jesus’ spiritual body takes [sic] direction from Him as our Head. Jesus gives each member gifts and talents, making himself alive within his church. He equips his people to love one another, and to serve in unity his kingdom. This is Body Life.
Within “body life,” there must be a pastoral perspective. (This includes the lead pastor as well as members of the Faith Avenue who are serving to help new believers establish their walk with Jesus and find their “best fit” in the life of the church). It is important to truly see the person and help them identify who they are in Christ. This begins with the secure knowledge that they are a beloved child of God, included in the life and love of Jesus. In relationship, we help them identify their personality strengths, their life experiences, their passions, and how the Spirit is gifting them to fit into the body. We trust the Spirit to place members in the body as he sees fit. This is much easier when the members of the body are able to engage in the process and confirm the calling.
Engagement is a relational process that begins with befriending, leads to growing in understanding, to deepening the level of sharing and caring, to mutually being impacted by the presence of Jesus, and to an understanding of what it means to be adopted into a personal and intimate relationship with our Father. Engagement is integral in all stages of making disciples. Engagement is who Jesus is and what Jesus does. As the Scripture reminds us, we love him because he first loved us!
My prayer is that GCI will be an even more engaging Church. May our Faith, Hope and Love Avenues expand as engagement is happening throughout.
As I travel around the world visiting our various GCI regions I hear and learn many new things. I become informed about cultural nuances, and I am asked to clarify various aspects of what we believe in GCI, and how our theology informs our practices.
In my recent trip to France, I engaged in a lively discussion with our leaders. They shared that many of the GCI members are former Catholics, and their view of Lent is based in traditional Catholicism. Based on their past experiences, they view Lent as a works-based practice that is intended for a Christian to establish their personal worthiness. It feels like a backward step into legalism, and a move away from the vicarious atonement of Jesus that alone makes us worthy.
The French leaders went on to express that the phraseology that we have used, “Easter Preparation” is acceptable, and our members can embrace it. For former Catholics, it aligns with our grace-based Christ-centered focus.
In the greater Christian community, Lent is celebrated by Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox, Lutherans, Methodists and Presbyterians. The practices in observing Lent and the importance placed on it vary. The conundrum for GCI is that in primarily Protestant-based regions, using Lent as terminology to describe what we call Easter Preparation is acceptable and interchangeable, and therefore it has appeared in some of our GCI publications. Please understand that this is not intended to create confusion, nor is meant to be offensive to any of our former Catholic members (be they in France or any other country with strong Catholic influence).
It is extremely important to know that the GCI worship calendar is informed by GCI theology. The pure intention is to rehearse and celebrate the salvific events of Jesus Christ. In no way are our celebrations designed to throw us back on ourselves and place our eternal salvation on human works. Our goals are to point to Jesus, be focused on Jesus and to worship him only. This alone is why we promote and support the GCI worship calendar.
For our members who have had challenging experiences and carry painful memories associated with Lent, please use the terminology “Easter Preparation.” We have openly asked our leaders across the international churches to contextualize the tools that we provide from the Home Office. We have often experienced that clear communication is difficult, especially when translating from one language to another.
In France and several other countries, I have been asked why I only carry the title of President and why the title of “Pastor” is not included? Most understand why Pastor General was dropped because General is a military title. The sentiment that members convey is that they see me as the Pastor of the denomination, and I embrace this role.
This letter is written out of my pastoral heart to extend the care and love for our members who may have experienced misunderstanding and hurt. Written out of my pastoral mindset, I desire that all of us in GCI relentlessly pursue Jesus and see that he is central in every season, year in and year out.
Everything begins and ends with Jesus. This is the focus of a healthy church. This is the focus of GCI. May God continue to bless us as we keep Jesus the center of the center.
Greg Williams
P.S. Are you interested in a fuller explanation of the primary worship days and seasons? Check out this list.
Happy 2023! We are beginning an exciting new year with new hopes and new possibilities. In 2022, we promoted the theme of “Compelled by Love.” As we look ahead to what 2023 holds, we ask, how does this mission play out? I hope you will watch this first video update of the new year. In this update, I describe our focus and theme for 2023.
I also have some exciting news from the Home Office. Allow me to introduce our new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Rose Hamrick. To learn more, visit her bio here.
Mat Morgan, who has served as GCI and GCS CFO since November 2005, will be retiring next month. Stay tuned to read more about Mat’s faithful and competent service to our fellowship in a future Update issue.
