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Union & ministry with Christ, part 5

Here is part 5 of an 8-part essay by Dr. Gary Deddo titled “The Christian life and our participation in Christ’s continuing ministry.”  To read other parts, click on a number: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8. For all 8 parts combined in one article, click here. Recap of part 4 In part 4 we saw how … Continue reading “Union & ministry with Christ, part 5”

Union & ministry with Christ, part 2

Here is part 2 of an 8-part essay by Dr. Gary Deddo titled “The Christian life and our participation in Christ’s continuing ministry.”  To read other parts, click on a number: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. For all 8 parts combined in one article, click here. Recap of part 1 In part 1 of this 7-part essay … Continue reading “Union & ministry with Christ, part 2”

Spiritual carbo-loading

Dear Brothers and Sisters, I’m sure you’ve heard of carbo-loading. The term typically refers to a strategy used by athletes to minimize fatigue when competing in events (like marathons) that require great endurance. The strategy involves eating large amounts of carbohydrates prior to the event. Through digestion, the carbs consumed are converted into glycogen (a form … Continue reading “Spiritual carbo-loading”

Back to school outreach

Several of GCI’s U.S. congregations recently held special outreach worship services and other events to bless children and their families as the children returned to school. Here are a couple of examples. Trinity, Alabama New Life in Christ Fellowship, GCI’s congregation in Trinity, Alabama, held a “Blessing of the Children Service.” Here is a picture … Continue reading “Back to school outreach”

Rest, rejuvenation & relationship

Dear Brothers and Sisters, I was privileged to participate in a pastors’ retreat held recently in Hickory, North Carolina. Hosted by Regional Pastor Paul David (PD) Kurts, it provided time away for rest, rejuvenation and relationship building. This retreat was one of several being conducted throughout the U.S. in 2015 for lead pastors and their spouses … Continue reading “Rest, rejuvenation & relationship”

Shepherds of God’s flock

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Last week I reported on two GCI conferences I attended recently in South Africa. The first was for our International Mission Developers who met in Johannesburg with some of our national leaders and representatives from our home office. The second (called the Pan-African Conference) was for our pastoral leaders from throughout Africa … Continue reading “Shepherds of God’s flock”

Jesus: tempted on our behalf

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Scripture tells us that Jesus, our High Priest, was “tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). This powerful truth is represented in the historic Christian teaching that Jesus, in his humanity, is the “vicarious man.” Vicarious is a Latin word that means … Continue reading “Jesus: tempted on our behalf”

New Pastors’ Orientation

The GCI home office recently hosted several new pastors and their spouses for New Pastors’ Orientation. The conference, which was facilitated by Church Administration and Development (CAD), had a two-fold purpose: to share ministry tools and information and to provide an environment that would nurture mutual love, support and respect. An immediate bond of love developed among … Continue reading “New Pastors’ Orientation”