November-December Contents

This is our November-December cover.

Combined November-December issue

This issue of The WCG News is a combined November-December issue. We will use the additional time to redesign The WCG News into two publications—WCG Today and Christian Odyssey.

During that time we will also begin using Adobe InDesign software to design and lay out the publications. This is a switch from our current QuarkXPress software.

Ronald Kelly’s “Update From Finance & Planning” does not appear in this issue, as it is too early to comment on the results of the switch to the new congregation-based financial model. His column will return with the January issue.

In this issue

Conference

Ministers and members from the South Central and Central districts met for a regional conference in Dallas, Texas, Aug. 6 to 8, writes Arnold Clauson. Page 3.

Pastor General

It’s true—God does not require anyone to keep old covenant laws—but when he looks on the heart, what does he see? asks Pastor General Joseph Tkach. Page 4.

Financial model

After nearly four years of intensive preparation, we have passed a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of our church, writes controller Ron Kelly. All U.S. congregations are now operating under the new decentralized financial management system. Page 6.

Denomination

In “Meet Your District Superintendent,” we feature Ken Williams and Al Barr. Ken and Nancy Williams serve the Northwest district, and Al and Edna Barr serve the Southeast district. Barr’s philosophy for personal ministry is: “It’s not about us; it’s all about him.”
Pages 8 and 9.

Window on the World

There is a corner of the world where unimaginable atrocities take place, writes Randal Dick in his “Window on the World” column about the mission work of Robi and Noleen Sonderegger. Page 10.

Youth ministry

Ted Johnston shows that youth ministry should focus on spiritual formation rather than on mere behavior modification. This emphasis is crucial to multiplying young disciplemaking followers of Jesus. Page 14.

SEP

We conclude our coverage of the Spiritual Enrichment Program camps with articles about the camps in Colorado and Connecticut. Campers at both sites were led to either a first-time or ongoing commitment to Jesus Christ. Pages 16 and 18.

Lessons From the Bible

Satan is not all he’s cracked up to be, writes Mike Feazell in this month’s “Lessons From the Bible.”

He’s definitely more powerful than us humans, but he is no match for Jesus Christ.
Page 26.

Bible Study

In the last chapter of Romans, the apostle Paul greets a large number of people and gives a few closing exhortations.

These greetings reveal a lot about the early church, writes Michael Morrison in this month’s Bible Study. Page 27.

Ministers and members meet
for Dallas regional conference

By Arnold Clauson
Conference coordinator

DALLAS, Texas—Ministers and members from the South Central and Central districts met for a regional conference Aug. 6 to 8.

The conference ended with a worship service and communion attended by 437 people.

During that service, Pastor General Joseph Tkach presented an inspiring message on the significance of Mary’s song of rejoicing from Luke 1:46-52. Dr. Tkach said: “Mary was blessed above all by being selected to carry the Son of God into the world. A song based on her response to this honor is called the ‘Magnificat.’”

Dr. Tkach continued by asking: “What song is in our heart?”

After Dr. Tkach’s message, Carn Catherwood, district superintendent, led a communion service. Then Dan Rogers, superintendent of U.S. ministers, sent us forth as “workers to the harvest.”

Hands-on training

Ministers and members ex­pressed appreciation for the hands-on training, preparing us to go out into the harvest. Not only did attendees receive information in the main sessions, but they were able to practice it in breakout groups that gave everyone an opportunity to implement the ideas presented by Rogers.

The final part of Rogers’ presentation was a taste of a Concert of Prayer. The groups were led through a series of subjects for prayer and concluded by joining Rogers as he began softly singing “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High.”

New financial model

Breakout sessions on financial management helped prepare congregations in local processing of contributions. Treasurers and financial teams took part in sessions conducted by Ronald Kelly, Robert Meade and Charles Albrecht of the WCG, and Mark Vincent of the Christian Stewardship Association.

This was the first year of opening the conference to vendors for displaying and educating our attendees on useful tools for ministry. 

In addition to the Church Administration booth that sets up each year, we invited the Center for Church Based Training, Family Life Ministries, Design for Ministry, the Bengali Evangelistic Association, the Office of Reconciliation Ministries and Christian Book Distributors. 

Additionally, we had a large area devoted to youth ministry and Crosswalk camps for youths. The vendors provided more than 100 door prizes to attendees, ranging from books to CDs to free passes to conferences.

Show of thanks

Finally, we offered a public appreciation to our host hotel, the Omni Park West. Their staff has served us in 15 different conferences over the past five years, and each year they are more accommodating than the previous.

They were the host hotel during our 2001 conference Sept. 7 to 9, and for the follow-up reconciliation conference Sept. 9 to 11. Many of us were there as the tragedy of 9-11 unfolded. They graciously brought a television into our meeting room so we could be kept apprised of that momentous day.

Curtis May, director of Reconciliation Ministries, and various pastors were unable to leave Dallas because of flight cancellations, so the Omni hosted their stay until flights resumed.

Something worth thinking about...
From Joseph Tkach

Yes, I know that God doesn’t require people to keep old covenant laws,” the man said. “He looks on the heart.”

Yes, that’s true—God does not require anyone to keep old covenant laws—but when he looks on the heart, what does he see? Does he see a perfect attitude, a heart that has never sinned? Of course not. When the Bible says that God looks on the heart, it is not giving an easier standard for salvation—it is saying that salvation is a lot harder than the law ever made it out to be.

Jesus illustrated this in the Sermon on the Mount. “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder.’… But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment…. Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery” (Matthew 5:21-22, 28).

In other words, if you even think wrong thoughts, you have sinned—you are headed for judgment. If your heart is not totally clean, you’ve got heart trouble, because God looks on the heart.

Do you deserve eternal joy?

Suppose you are brought to the judge on judgment day, and he asks, Where should I send you—the place for saints, or the place for sinners?

What will you say—I have a saintly heart? I don’t think so. As Paul says, Everyone has sinned and fallen short. It doesn’t matter whether you look on the outside, or look in the thoughts, or look on the heart—everyone has sinned and has a problem.

We can never plead for salvation on the basis of what we did, or what we are, or what our heart is like.

We can never plead for salvation on the basis of what we did, or what we are, or what our heart is like. No one ever deserves to go to a perfect place, a place where there is no more crying or tears, because none of us is the sort of person who never does anything wrong. We have all let God down; we have all failed to treat others rightly—in the heart if not also in words and deeds. Our hearts fall short every day.

The good news is that Jesus cleanses our hearts—changes our hearts—gives us new hearts (metaphors for the same thing). Now, the sad truth is that even with our new hearts, we still have wrong thoughts, wrong attitudes. But our new heart is the heart of Jesus, and Jesus’ heart cannot be stained with sin. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Satan may accuse us of sin, but the charge doesn’t stick, because the penalty has been paid in advance, and our old self the sinner has died with Christ. Now we are a new creation in Christ. “The old has gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

The gospel, the good news we have in Jesus, is not health and wealth in this age. It is not a charmed life where nothing ever goes wrong. The time is not yet here when there will be “no more crying and no more tears” and “no more death.” These sorrows still happen to us, just as they happened to Jesus. In fact, in some cases, faithful Christians experience poverty, sickness and early death because of their faith in Jesus.

Of course, faith in Christ sometimes is accompanied by blessings—miraculous healings, financial blessings, better relationships. These blessings, although substantial, are not the good news that Jesus brought, because not every believer gets them.

Further, the good news is not that Jesus will return and set up a worldwide government that forces everyone to keep certain laws. The Jews already envisioned an age like that, and yet Jesus brought good news of a different sort.

Bad news, good news

We have no excuse--but we do have a Savior. When we come to judgment, our only valid response will be to trust in the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.

Jesus brought both good news and bad news. The good news is that God will set the world right. There will be an eternity of joy and fellowship with God. The bad news is that no amount of doing good will ever qualify us to be part of that world. We’ve got heart trouble.

The good news is that eternal life is a gift. It cannot be earned—it must be given to us, based on what Christ has done for us in his life, death, resurrection and ascension to heaven. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7). They don’t earn their salvation by showing mercy—they need mercy—and it will be given to them.

That is why sinners can enter the kingdom of God ahead of law-abiding religious leaders. Eternal joy is not based on self-made men and women who rely on themselves for moral strength. Rather, it is the ones who know their need for mercy who understand and embrace the mercy of God.

If law-abiding, clean-living people recognize their need for Christ, that’s great. But sometimes such people don’t admit their need, because they believe they are doing fairly well on their own. But fairly well is not good enough. When we come to the day of judgment, “I did fairly well” is not a good excuse.

We have no excuse—but we do have a Savior. When we come to judgment, our only valid response will be to trust in the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. Our answer, our hope of salvation, can never rest in ourselves, can never rest in our own hearts. It must always rest in Jesus Christ. Our lives are hidden in him (Colossians 3:3) so that when God looks at us, he sees the righteousness of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30).

It is good that wrongs will be righted, that evil will be eliminated, that an eternity of perfection will come. But that news will do me no good unless I listen to the gospel, the good news that tells me how I can be part of that wonderful world.

Jesus has good news for people with heart trouble. He brings us grace, and he gives us everything we need for salvation, so that we can live forever with him.

Financial management
in our congregations

By Ronald Kelly

PASADENA—After nearly four years of intensive preparation, we have passed a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of our church.

All U.S. congregations are now operating under the new decentralized financial management system. This system grants congregations the primary responsibility for receiving, processing and disbursing church income. The congregations are supported in this important and challenging work by denominational personnel and systems that are largely financed by apportionments of the donation income received by the congregations.

This approach provides local flexibility and responsibility with central support and accountability. It also provides a greater emphasis on local ministries while continuing to advance our shared, worldwide ministries.

Centralized support

Centralized support for the new system is provided by a number of denominational offices.

Computer Information Systems provides telephone and online support for the standard computer software programs, in­cluding the online iMIS system used to keep member records in a highly secure environment. Using iMIS, the names, addresses, donations and other member records are kept, and donation receipts are issued.

Using other software, expenditures of congregational income are recorded and financial reports issued. These reports are monitored both locally and centrally to ensure local and central accountability and compliance with denominational standards.

The Church Administration Department, in large part through the district superintendents, coaches pastors and other local leaders in the management of the new financial system. Occasional training seminars are provided. The iMIS web site also provides management references, tips and access to online help.

Congregational financial management

At the local level, financial management involves a team of members whose important roles are described in the WCG-USA Financial Management Manual (posted online at www. wcg.org/online—click on the “manuals” tab).

This team is led by the senior pastor, who provides oversight of all financial systems and personnel. The advisory council offers advice and counsel to the senior pastor concerning certain financial matters, particularly concerning the annual budget for the congregation.

Day-to-day financial operations are then carried out by the congregation’s finance committee, whose responsibilities include receiving, recording, banking, disbursing and monitoring congregational income.

The finance committee is appointed by the senior pastor (with input from the advisory council). All members are prescreened through a standard application process.

The committee usually includes three members: the treasurer (who usually heads the committee), the head usher and one general member. Some congregations also have a financial secretary, who shares part of the responsibilities of the treasurer. The responsibilities of each member of the committee are as follows:

The treasurer handles most of the day-to-day financial operations for the congregation including the following tasks:

*Monitoring the finances of the congregation’s ministries and programs.

*Maintaining the congregation’s accounting records.

*Preparing checks and financial reports.

*Issuing receipts to donors.

*Otherwise managing the financial administration of the congregation beyond the responsibilities of the head usher and senior pastor.

The head usher leads an offerings counting team that receives, counts and deposits all offerings given in the weekly worship service or received by the congregation through the mail. Each week the head usher gives the pastor and the treasurer a report that lists these donations and deposits. The treasurer (or the financial secretary) then records this information in the financial records.

It’s important to note how we divide responsibilities between the treasurer and the head usher. The team that receives, counts and deposits the offerings is completely separate from the individual who disburses and accounts for that income. This separation of duties is essential for safe and ethical financial practices. Many other similar safeguards are built into the financial system.

Processing and confidentiality

Some congregations choose not to process offerings locally, and send the weekly offering to our denominational offices in Southern California, where for a small fee those offerings are opened, counted, deposited, recorded and receipted. The donations received are then wire-transferred to the receiving congregation’s bank account. The congregation’s treasurer then disburses that income in accordance with the congregation’s expense budget.

Whether processed locally or centrally, donor records are kept strictly confidential. All such records are carefully protected and are accessed only by a few, pre-approved individuals within the congregation and denominational offices. Within the congregation, usually only the pastor, treasurer and account reviewers have access.

Within denominational offices, only a select few individuals have access for management purposes. The amounts given by individual donors are not shared with others outside this limited group.

Other local personnel

Following are other important roles in the management of the financial system:

An account reconciler reviews the congregation’s financial ac­counts in order to reconcile those accounts with the monthly bank statement. This review helps to identify any discrepancies and other problems at an early date.

Account reviewers conduct thorough annual reviews of the congregation’s financial records and systems. The reviewer is usually an accountant or other business person within the congregation.

Every third year, however, the account reviewer must be a qualified person from outside the congregation. The primary purpose for these account reviews is to confirm that all the practices and procedures of the finance committee conform to the standards and requirements set forth in the Financial Management Manual.

The role of members

Successful local financial operations are largely dependent, of course, on the regular and generous donations of the congregation’s members and other donors. Most members contribute to the weekly offering using offering envelopes provided to them by the congregation.

Many also contribute by having a credit card automatically debited monthly for a predetermined amount (if you’d like to know more about this method for donating to your congregation, please check with your pastor or treasurer). Others send their offerings to the congregation through the mail (if you wish to give in this way, be sure to use your congregation’s local address).

Some members wish to contribute to the denomination over and above offerings contributed to their local congregation. Such offerings are gratefully received and are receipted directly by the denomination.

Note also that 20 percent of every offering given to a WCG-USA congregation is automatically given by that congregation to the denomination to fund our shared and centralized ministries and support systems. This apportionment system is described in detail in the Financial Management Manual.

I want to extend my personal thanks to all those who have worked so hard over the past four years to prepare us for entering this new system. It has been a wonderful, cooperative effort of staff members in our Pasadena offices, several of our district superintendents, and pastors, treasurers and other members who participated in our pilot program.

My thanks as well to the financial teams now set up in our congregations. Their willingness to volunteer for these new, essential, duties is greatly needed and appreciated. Together we can make this new system a wonderful tool to advance our shared mission of making disciples who make disciples—all for the glory of God.

Meet Your District Superintendent
Al Barr: Southeast district

Allan & Edna Barr

ATLANTA, Georgia—Allan Barr, superintendent of the Southeast district, was born in 1944 in Dayton, Ohio. He attended the University of Cincinnati for several years. He met his wife, Edna, in Texas in 1965. They were married in 1968 in Cincinnati. 

In 1968, the Barrs moved to Pasadena to attend Ambassador College. Al graduated from Ambassador in 1970. He was hired by the church and sent to St. Louis, Missouri, where he served as an assistant pastor for six years. “During the six years in St. Louis, I served under four different pastors, ” Barr recounted.

Barr was transferred back to Pasadena for a year’s sabbatical (1976 to 1977). In 1977, he was sent to pastor the Chicago, Illinois, Southside church. “The Chicago Southside church was a wonderful first assignment for a young pastor. The Southside members were loving toward my family and me.”

 In 1985, Barr and his family were transferred to Miami, Florida. “The Miami church was an exciting church to pastor. I learned many vital lessons for ministry in Miami. One of my greatest challenges was helping our members recover from Hurricane Andrew.”

In 1993, he and his family were transferred to Atlanta (1993 to present). “I learned to preach and teach the new covenant in Atlanta. I praise God for the members in the Atlanta congregation. Their re­sponse to the new covenant messages was wonderful and amazing.”

In 1996, Barr was asked to serve as the district superintendent for the Southeast district. “I believe we are living in the most exciting time in the history of the Worldwide Church of God.

“We see Jesus transforming lives and congregations. We see Jesus transforming our youths. It’s a wonderful blessing to see what God is doing in our fellowship. I thank our God for the privilege to serve during this transformation.”

Barr’s philosophy for personal ministry is: “It’s not about us; it’s all about him. We were created to worship and serve him forever.”

Al and Edna had five children and two sons-in-law: Joanna and her husband, Kevin, Susanna (died in 1996), Jonathan, Leeanna and Pamela and her husband, James; and two grandchildren, Nathan and Kayla.

“God has blessed me with a wonderful wife, who loves the Lord, and five children who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Following are the Southeast district churches and pastors.

Anniston and Roanoke, Alabama: Don and Lana Johnson.

Athens and Stone Mountain, Georgia: Howard and Jacqueline Shadoan.

Atlanta, Georgia: Charles and Debbie Young.

Birmingham and Good Hope, Alabama: Bob and Ruth Miller.

Buford, Georgia: David and Tina Whited, and Terry and Susie Cohron.

Columbus, Georgia: Larry and Cynthia Oglesby.

Douglasville, Georgia: Don and Joanna Madlena.

Dublin, Georgia: Stanley and Eneida Kilgore.

Greenwood, Mississippi: John Ross.

Jackson, Meridian and Hattiesburg, Mississippi: John and Cathy Novick.

Kennesaw, Georgia, and Fort Payne, Alabama: Tom and Elizabeth Mahan.

Macon, Georgia: Frank and Sharon Stephens, and Willie and Jacquelyn Taylor.

Monroeville, Alabama: Johnnie and Jennifer Hall, and Phil and Saundra Nichols.

Montgomery Alabama: Arthur and Eula Carlisle; James and Ruth Lewis.

Opelika, Alabama: Annette Winston, pastoral team leader.

Tuscaloosa, Alabama: John and Wink Cooper; Larry and Vicki Pritchett.

Meet Your District Superintendent
Ken Williams: Northwest district

Ken & Nancy Williams

SACRAMENTO, California—Ken Williams, originally from Los Angeles, served in the U.S. Navy before going to Ambassador College. He graduated in 1970.

Williams’ first ministerial service was as a ministerial trainee in Duluth, Minnesota. There he met his wife, Nancy, and they were married in 1972. The same year,  Williams became the associate pastor of the Grand Rapids, Minnesota, congregation. In 1973 they were given their first pastorate in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Williams has also pastored congregations in Coldwater, Michigan; Montpelier, Vermont; and Concord, New Hampshire; as well as Roch­ester and Syracuse, New York.

Relying on members

Throughout his pastoral experience, Williams learned the importance of relying on the members of each congregation. From these experiences he learned that believers can do ministry when equipped, as well as the importance of collaborative decision-making and team-building. He and Nancy both feel more at home as part of our congregational teams than attempting to lead all ministries.

In 1996, Williams was asked to accept a regional pastor’s assignment. He and Nancy served in this capacity in the Northeast district for eight years. In 2003, they were asked to consider transferring to serve in the Northwest district. They accepted the assignment and made the move in July this year.

The Williams family

Ken and Nancy’s family includes three children, David, Heather (and her husband, John), and Michael, and one grandson, Tyler.

Seeking the Lord’s will

When asked to express his philosophy of ministry, Williams replied: “We are committed to in­troducing seekers to Jesus, helping believers get to know him better, and equipping workers to serve like him. We seek the Lord’s will in developing effective ministries.

“We seek his power to win, build, equip and multiply disciples of Jesus to the glory of the Father. Our primary purpose is to make disciples who make disciples by living and sharing the gospel of Jesus in the Worldwide Church of God congregations of the Northwest district.”

Churches and pastors

Following are the congregations and pastors in the Northwest district:

Anchorage, Alaska: Leonard and Sandy Holladay.

Bend, Oregon: Robin and Sandy Chester.

Boise, Idaho: Bill and Priscilla Linge.

Butte, Montana: Floyd and Patty Sayler (small group church leader).

Chico and Redding, California: Larry and Judy Van Landuyt.

Coos Bay, Oregon: Mark and Adela Villers (small group church leader).

Eugene and Salem, Oregon: Tim and Linda Sitterley.

Federal Way and Tacoma, Washington: Steve and Michelle Schemm.

Garrison, Montana: Dave and Brenda Rowell (small group church leader).

Helena, Montana: Tobe and Barbara Johnson.

Kalispell, Montana: Lloyd and Joanne Barrie.

Klamath Falls, Oregon: Lee Bailey (small group church leader).

Medford, Oregon: Robert and Joyce Potvin (small group church leader).

Missoula, Montana: Jim and Sandra Anattol.

Olympia and Port Orchard, Washington: Dee and Christine Bulante.

Ontario, Oregon: Wesley and Lavina Higgins.

Reno and Battle Mountain, Nevada: Hugh and Linda Wilson.

Sacramento, California: Mike and Sandy Swagerty.

San Francisco and San Leandro, California: Jim and Hazel Roberts.

San Francisco, California, Community Fellowship: Richard and Renee Roberts.

San Jose and Watsonville, California: Mel and Barbara Dahlgren. 

Santa Rosa, Fairfield and Modesto, California: Stephen and Karon Smith.

Seattle-Bellevue, Washington: Bill and Kathy Miller.

Soldotna and Kenai, Alaska: Tom and Michelle Landess.

Spokane, Washington, and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho: Glen and Connie Weber. 

Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, West: Dan Fricke.

Wasilla, Alaska: Al and Dee Tunseth.

For the record

The following were left out of the list in the August issue of those serving in Port Huron, Michigan: Dave and Ann Howe.

Window on the World

From Randal Dick
Superintendent of Missions

How Christians
shape mission

 PASADENA—There is a corner of the world where unimaginable atrocities exist.

In this month’s column, I share with you the following correspondence I received from Robi Sonderegger. I warn you, his experiences are difficult to absorb; however, his incredible example of how Christians shape mission reveals the scope of God’s mission in the world today.

Robi and Noleen Sonderegger with their son, Jhae.

I introduced Dr. Sonderegger and his wife, Noleen, to you in the March 1999 issue. They played a key administrative role in helping Faith Orphanage Foundation in Kitwe, Zambia. Dr. Sonderegger is a clinical psychologist and director of Family Challenge Charitable Trust. He uses his profession as a passport into difficult and challenging environments to bring hope and the love of Jesus Christ.

From Robi Sonderegger June 3, 3:28 a.m.

Last year Noleen and I set up a mental health charity called Family Challenge, in New Zealand, and now independent offices are running in Australia and Zambia. With the birth of our son, Jhae, we have since moved back to Australia and set up our own clinic on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland (closer to grandparents Fritz and Karen Sonderegger).

We do regular mental health promotion seminars (biblically based) on building emotional and behavioral resilience in children and their families in schools, churches and community centers.

The organization presents a purely professional image and has been embraced by the community. As professionals we are invited to forums that Christians would otherwise not be welcome, and yet we deliver a Christian message wrapped up in a scientific framework.

In 2004 we are focusing on the plight of escapee child soldiers and child sex-slaves in northern Uganda. The rebel group called the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has been killing, torturing, maiming, raping and abducting large numbers of children; abducting young boys for use as rebel soldiers and young girls as sex, trade and labor slaves.

(For more information on the situation in Uganda, see “Broken Lives of the Twilight Children” at news. telegraph.co.uk.)

Children abducted by the LRA are forced to fight against Ugandan military forces, raid villages for food, destroy property, rape and slaughter civilians, and abduct other children. This year alone, it is estimated the group has kidnapped more than 3,500 children for its use, with many young girls given to rebel commanders as “wives,” and reportedly sold, traded or given as gifts to arms dealers in Sudan.

In addition to being beaten and raped, children are often forced to witness their parents being killed. Moreover, as a means of trauma and emotional manipulation, ab­ducted children are required to participate in the killing of other children (or face being killed themselves). About 20 children continue to be abducted every day.

While many abducted children have died from disease, maltreatment and armed conflict, an estimated 7,000 children have managed to escape. We aim to offer professional support for these children, as well as trauma rehabilitation training for community initiatives.

July 24, 7:40 p.m.

Here’s an update on my most recent trip to Zambia and Uganda. I took with me a man in his late teens (an ex-client) for an eye-opening and life-changing experience.

First stop: rural Zambia

I was impressed by the pro­gress made by a few community members who participated in a leadership training program we started many years ago. They had truly broken the dependency syndrome and were tremendously successful at establishing churches, developing their own medical clinics, starting schools for hundreds of underprivileged children, organizing adult literacy classes, and a host of other projects.

The next phase of our work in Zambia is developing a home for orphans in Chingola (Zambian Copperbelt). We come across destitute, orphaned kids who really have no extended family left or who are rejected because in-laws are already caring for so many children. For them, it seems as though heading to prostitute them­selves and beg on the streets is their only option.

In the past we have come across single grandparents looking after 20 or more children—left be­hind when their own children died of AIDS. Like so many other peasant farming grandparents, they are unable to adequately care for the children or send them to school. Many more families are child-headed households, usually  girls between 12 and 15 years of age who are looking after their younger siblings (after their parents died of AIDS).

How do they earn enough money to feed their siblings? Selling their bodies to the truck drivers who pass through. It is these children who often miss out on the services provided by the larger non-government organizations (NGO).

While I was in Africa, God placed on my heart the idea to start small pure-orphan homes (10 to 12 children) headed by committed Chris­tian Zambian couples and families so the children can grow up in a family setting rather than on the streets or in an orphanage.

Such establishments would be in the form of proper houses with access for volunteers to come on short-term missions and share their skills, talents and gifts in a cultural exchange.

Next stop: Northern Uganda (the primary purpose for the trip).

I survived the war in northern Uganda (thank God), and truly had a tremendous time there equipping the saints with biblically based mental health training.

Sharon Tan e-mailed me with a timely scripture, Isaiah 61:1-3.

I have never seen such destitution in all my life.

I visited three refugee camps swarming with internally displaced families (two million people) be­cause of the war in the north. Living conditions could scarcely be called living. Twenty percent of all refugees throughout Africa are in this area.

The people are banned from farming because it might be seen as though they are helping the rebels.

The U.N. world food program had not shown up for three to four months to deliver food, and so the situation was quite desperate.

The people are completely de­pendent on world aid, which is less than sufficient. As such, hopelessness has gripped the region. People sit idle all day drinking and having sexual affairs, which creates a whole host of other social and health dilemmas.

The saddest part of all was working with the children themselves and listening to their experiences. I was in a state of shock (and still emotionally drained) at the de­gree to which children are being abused, and the extent to which manipulative techniques for physical, mental and sexual abuse are taken. Nothing could have prepared me for what these children told me.

I then journeyed on to Lira (central-northern Uganda) and met with officials to discuss the further training of health professionals from all NGO disciplines to eradicate witchcraft rehabilitation practices.

No rehabilitation is available for these children. There are a few centers where the children go for a week or two after being interrogated by the Ugandan Army, and here a whole variety of witchcraft cleansing ceremonies are performed, but no formal health care for the trauma they have experienced.

The mutilation of the children at these camps following beatings and cuttings in captivity was a sight not to behold—I couldn’t believe my eyes. Severed noses, lips, limbs, and other things. Two children after receiving 500 lashings quite literally had their buttocks fall off.

The only consolation is that God has allowed us to now bring help into the region. Slowly but surely, God is moving us to bring tangible post-traumatic intervention into the four districts.

While in the north, I felt God whispering that a long-term trauma rehabilitation and skills training center needs to be established in Padea. More than the massive funding required (as God always provides the way), the main dilemma is who is going to do the work? Perhaps I am weak in faith, because after having come back from the war zone, I am not the most keen person to say, “Here I am Lord, choose me.”

For the first time I struggle putting my life on the line because of my little boy Jhae. Being away from my family for one month was hard enough, taking them into a war zone is almost unthinkable, and being apart from them for so long with the real possibility of not returning is nothing short of torture to me. Still, this work desperately needs to be done.

On a positive note, the young man I took with me to Africa for a life-changing experience gave his life back to Jesus while we were near the border of Sudan, while many children were gathered praying for protection throughout the night from the rebels. Watching the children (as young as six years old) worship and beseech God in such a sincere and powerful way (such that I have never seen before in all of my African experiences throughout the years) was a humbling experience for us both.

If you are moved to get involved financially or if you have skills you would like to contribute, please ask.

For more information on the work being done by Family Challenge, please see www.familychallenge.com.au

Regional Snapshot
From Rod & Ruth Matthews,
Australia and New Zealand

Faithfulness and generosity

VARSITY LAKES, Queensland, Australia—Throughout 2004 the God we worship and serve has continued to powerfully demonstrate his faithfulness and generosity toward his people in our fellowship in the great south lands of Australia and New Zealand.

NEW OFFICE—New Australian office  under construction. [Photo by Rod Matthews]

Significant blessings have come our way in both countries. Consequently, the church is being better equipped to more effectively share the gospel and look after our brothers and sisters in Christ through the faithfulness and generosity of those who reflect these characteristics of God.

Australia

The highlight of the year is the miraculous sale of the national office building at Burleigh Heads even before it was officially put on the market. The church used this fine building for 28 years, but the size of the building has long ex­ceeded the church’s needs, and with ever-increasing maintenance costs, the Australian board decided to prepare for a sale.

John and Heather McLean

At almost the same time, the director of a multinational company that was relocating its Asian regional headquarters from Sydney to the Gold Coast and was familiar with the building asked if we were interested in selling.

The company directors were so enchanted with the property and design of the building that they were willing to make a satisfactory offer and accept responsibility for handling the needed renovations for both the structure and the grounds.

KAREN CHILDREN—Children of Karen refugee congregation. [Photo by Rod Matthews]

Several key directors of this company are active Christians involved in their own congregations. They reflected their Christian generosity by including in the contract provision to pay our legal costs, allow several months of rent-free occupation as we made relocation plans, to purchase furniture we did not need and to sponsor youth ministry activities in our fellowship for several years.

The church vacated the building in late September and in early November will move into new (much smaller) premises still under construction, which the church purchased, several kilometers away in the neighboring Gold Coast suburb of Varsity Lakes.

KAREN REFUGEES—Karen refugee congregation supported by Australian members. [Photo by Rod Matthews]

As John McLean, Australian national director, said: “Those of us involved in this process have felt greatly encouraged that this was God’s doing, not ours. And we give thanks that God has provided a buyer at what seems to be the right time in our journey.”

So we are the recipients of God’s marvelous generosity. As Paul said to the Corinthians, “This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you” (2 Corinthians 9:10, The Message Bible).

A burden has been removed and a foundation laid for the future.

This generosity that God has shown is reflected in the Australian members toward those in our region who are less fortunate. Many sister-church support relationships have been established in recent years.

The Perth congregation supports the Worldwide Educational Institute, our church-sponsored school, as well as pastoral services in Sri Lanka.

While joining with other smaller congregations and individuals around the country, the Sydney congregation substantially supports the regular assistance sustaining our Karen refugee congregation in Thailand.

In conjunction with the Bendigo, Victoria, congregation, Sydney also underwrites pastoral visits and infrastructure development for our highlands congregation in Papua New Guinea.

The Mooroolbark congregation in Melbourne, and Ipswich in Queensland, provide humanitarian and pastoral support for our Honiara and Ranongga congregations and remote members in the Solomon Islands.

The Morwell, Victoria, congregations has a sister-church relationship with a group in India, and the Dandenong, Victoria, congregation has a sister-church relationship with a group in Africa.

Adelaide and Newcastle provide regular contributions to assist the mission work in Bangladesh conducted through the Bengali Evangelical Association.

And individuals across the nation make donations toward other specific projects throughout the region.

We also have countless local area outreach and evangelistic activities throughout Australia to which individual members and congregations contribute time and resources.

New Zealand

For some years, the small New Zealand congregations have striven to maintain national cohesion in the face of the large distances be­tween congregations, and financial pressures that ultimately reduced the church-employed ministry to one full- and one part-time pastor.

Dennis and Sue Richards

But several years ago a wonderfully generous and dedicated member willed his substantial estate to the church. Upon his death, the estate was sold, and the New Zealand board of trustees carefully invested the income.

This year, as a result of additional investment income, it became possible to offer Dennis Richards full-time employment again. For four years, he and Sue had pastored three congregations in a part-time capacity, while studying and working. With the future in mind, the trustees asked that he dedicate half his time to a national role of pastoral services and development coordinator.

New Zealand members are del­ighted to have Dennis and Sue back in full-time service to the church to share the load with Rex Morgan, financial and admin­istrative services manager and pastor in Auckland and additional churches.

Rex Morgan

So, too, the New Zealand members are the recipients of God’s generosity coming through the agency of a son of his who reflected this godly quality.

But the members give as well as receive. Many of the local congregations contribute regularly to the pastoral needs in the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu. Morgan visits Vanuatu once or twice a year to strengthen the denominational connections, encourage members, provide pastoral support to the elder, and to carry physical re­sources provided by the New Zealand churches.

NEW ZEALAND BOARD—From left: Maureen  MacDonald, John Warman, Les Evans (chairman),  Rex Morgan, Rod Matthews, David Wong and  Dennis Richards. [Photo by Marilyn Wong]

Members are also involved in urban ethnic reconciliation, Habitat for Humanity and a host of other community and international projects.

What a pleasure it is to report how the people of God are re­sponsive to the admonition of Hebrews 13:16: “Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of ‘sacrifice’—that takes place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets” (The Message Bible).

Youth ministry

Modification,
formation, reformation

By Ted Johnston
Co-director
National youth ministry team

CANTON, Ohio—The following article is reproduced with permission from authors Steve Argue and Dave Livermore, who advocate focusing youth ministry on spiritual formation rather than on mere behavior modification.

This emphasis is crucial if our youth ministries are to be ministries that multiply young disciplemaking followers of Jesus.

Argue and Livermore are co-founders of Intersect, a community for emerging influencers intersecting for theological, personal and mission formation. Their web site (www.intersectcommunity.com) offers resources for youth ministry leaders and workers.

By Steve Argue and Dave Livermore

Take Psychology 101 and you learn from the basic textbook about Pavlov’s dogs.

His experiment was pretty simple. Ring the bell when food is delivered to the dogs and they will salivate. Do it enough, and you can ring the bell, skip the food and the dogs still salivate. It’s an environment of stimulus and response. It’s behavior modification.

Now take another environment—the youth group gathering. While we won’t, for a second, say that teens are dogs or youth groups are laboratories, could we be downright honest and ask if we’re acting too much like Pavlov?

When that worship song is played, why do the hands go up? Is it worship? When the group comes back from winter retreat fired up, was God moving? When a student comes forward at a youth rally, what really happened? When a kid comes back from a weeklong mission trip changed, is it truly formation?

While we never want to be skeptical of the work of the Spirit (as it is filled with wonderful mystery), have you ever wondered like us, whether true formation in a teen’s life is happening? It actually haunts us, maybe because it’s so important.

Let’s be honest. We’ve all seen our share of emotional highs (every camp), spiritual expressions (re­sponse to mu­sic, a speaker, rock star), changed lives (for a week).  

Hopefully, it bothers us. May something of the Spirit make us dissatisfied and unsettled with the environments and stimuli that simply telegraph our desired response for students.

Formation desires people to love the Bible and enjoy prayer.

It’s tempting to count numbers, tears, hands in the air and heroic mission trips. Sadly, it’s what we youth workers brag about all the time. (When’s the last time you heard a youth worker say that their youth group was doing anything less then rocking the free world?)

The risk for us as youth workers is to walk away from the safe patterns of a ministry of behavior modification and enter the realm that elevates formation. Formation is what God desires for each one of us. God’s work in us (which he has started and promises to complete, see Philippians 1:6) is leading to total transformation into Christ’s likeness with ever-increasing glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). This is what we are declared to be by God and what we are becoming.

It is a wonderfully growing, messy, challenging time that overhauls one’s inside spilling over into our lives. It’s hardly predictable. We can’t generate fruit in people. Fruit is borne as an expression of what one is created to be.

Waiting for transformation and fruit is not the stuff that will show up in prayer letters or that can be paraded in front of the church. It’s a simple, quiet growing that oc­curs in people, and remains relatively ob­scure in young people.

Modification makes sure that people read the Bible and pray (you’re praised if you do, and scolded if you don’t). Formation de­sires people to love the Bible and enjoy prayer.

Modification tells followers to evangelize. Formation longs for followers’ hearts to break for the world and serve it, demonstrating the true gospel. Modification says separate yourself from the world. Formation says, get dirty.

When formation truly begins to edge out modification, then reformation happens. Reformation starts with one’s heart and becomes the DNA and the heartbeat of the follower. Life becomes an act of worship. School and jobs express one’s calling. Relationships are about love, serving and community. One sees the church’s purpose is to love the world, not hide from it.

We are changed from the inside out. What is unseen will be seen as consistent, authentic, normal living that will change the temperature of a nation and of the world. This is more than wishful thinking. This is the penetrating, redemptive work of God. This is reformation.

So how do we move from modification to formation? We probably need to get away from worshiping numbers as indicators for success. Formation doesn’t happen simply by getting someone through the door. Our challenge is to help them leave with something when they head out.

This could be a topic of discussion for your parents’ meeting. Involve them in helping you think through what it looks like to jointly foster formation in a student’s life.

Or what if we were to gather a select group of parents, students and youth leaders and ask the question, “What, biblically, do we want a teenage follower of Jesus to look like?” We could then work backward from what is concluded in order to create pathways to help foster that kind of formation in our students.

Moving from modification to formation will also change our teaching approaches and environments.

For example, if we want students to love prayer, we must do more than just motivate them to have a quiet time. We need to provide creative opportunities and outlets for prayer, offer skills for expressing love for God through prayer and exposing them to role models for whom prayer is a dynamic and fresh part of their relationship with God.

Some of the other implications for moving from modification to formation include asking things like, “If we want students to feel connected to the church, what will be our indicators of connection and how will we foster connecting points?”

How are we training our volunteer staff to do more than just “hang with kids”? Do they know their role to encourage, pray and demonstrate authentic following? How well do we really know our students and how comfortable are we talking with them about matters of the heart? Our evaluation must look beyond schedules, brochures and attendance and focus on the inner person. It’s harder to measure but it  is essential if we are to evaluate be­haviors.

May we, as youth workers, be careful to not be like Pavlov. May we be dissatisfied with behavior modification and may we long for true formation that ultimately leads to total reformation.

Father, may your kingdom come, may your will be done … and may it start in our own hearts, lives and ministries.

SEP Colorado:
growing relationships
with Christ

By Cliff Snyder

Camp Colorado, southwest of Denver in the majestic Colorado Rockies and nestled in a lodgepole pine forest at an elevation of 7,500 feet, was again the site for an SEP camp.

RAPELLING—Gabe Granillo

This year God drew 51 campers and 25 staff to the July 18 to 25 camp to enjoy the fellowship, camaraderie and spirit building that embodied the camp.

We had campers and staff attending from Colorado, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Wyo­ming. Because of our large diversity of areas we decided to change our name next year from SEP Colorado to SEP Rockies.

Camp was such a wonderful experience of building relationships, campers to campers, campers to staff, staff to staff and especially campers and staff building and growing closer to Jesus Christ.

BAPTISM—Pastor Cliff Snyder  baptizes Mary Ward after  returning home from camp.

One staff member, Carol Fertig, had five grandchildren attending camp. Grandma Fertig was one of the kitchen staff headed up again this year by Donna Brunner from Wheatland, Wyoming. The campers were so appreciative of Brunner’s efforts at camp, that at the closing night banquet, she received a red rose from each camper.

The leadership team and staff gave countless hours of time in preparing for camp, because it is their ministry and their passion. Their service was fueled by passion—time, hard work and sacrifice, empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

When camp was over the staff was exhausted, and yet there was joy and peace in their hearts knowing they gave their all. 

TRUST AND TEAMWORK [Photos by Mary Snyder]

Camp isn’t only for campers—all who come are served by the living God who loves them, died for them and continues to live for and in them. Though it is not honor they seek, it is honor they will receive, for in John 12:26 Jesus says, “My Father will honor the one who serves me.” 

It is so heartwarming to talk to the campers weeks after camp and see their relationship and commitment to Jesus growing, with many seeking ways to serve in their own congregations. The true fruit of camp is not what happens at camp, but what is happening afterward. 

For information about next year’s camp, go to our web site at  www.seprockies.org

Angel Fernandez and Tony Lawson

BAT SPIN—Weston Fertig

Chapel worship

Savannah Hennigh, Jessica Bertella and Amber Johnson

On a hike

Tug-of-war

SEP Connecticut:
Jesus present and real

By Jeff Broadnax
Camp director

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT—“God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!” This is the reflection of Omar Bin Safir, outstanding teen camper, as he considered the week at Camp Mattatuck in central Connecticut.

From Aug. 15 to 21, we had a wonderfully blessed week of worship, personal achievements, new beginnings and renewal of friendships for our 100 plus campers and 70 staff.  

Activities included the climbing wall, volleyball, archery, swimming and arts and crafts. 

Chapels were led by John Halford, who actively engaged the teens and preteens in timely and relevant discussions regarding living life with and in Christ. But the most dramatic demonstration of God’s power and love came in a way that none of us could have expected. 

For most of the week we had gorgeous weather—not too hot, not too cold, but with just enough variety to allow our mainly inner city campers to enjoy a week outdoors. But on the last full afternoon of camp, as we prepared for the final banquet, clouds gathered, the sky grew dark, and then a massive storm hit the camp.

In the space of a few minutes, our peaceful location was transformed by torrential rain, hail, 70 plus mile an hour winds, tornado activity and almost continual thunder and lightning. The storm knocked out the power for several hours and downed at least two dozen trees. Several tents were shredded and blown away. Campers’ be­longings were strewn all over the landscape.

But not one of us—camper or staff member—received so much as a scratch.

Touring the campsites the next morning, I saw trees on top of tents, empty platforms where tents used to be, and tree-blocked roads. We thanked the Lord that none of our campers or staff was injured.

One tent that had housed two of our girls was now the resting place of a lightning stricken tree. Miraculously, the girls had just left for the bathhouse. God is good!

Needless to say, the storm altered our plans for the final banquet, but it didn’t ruin them. We moved into emergency mode, and Kim Jenner and crew put on an elegant banquet despite the fact it took place under emergency generator power. After the banquet, we danced the night away. 

Before the evening concluded, we gave honor to Pastor Steve Botha, who, after 37 years of directing camps, is retiring. He will truly be missed among us at SEP Connecticut. That evening he was serenaded by the children, honored by staff and campers and presented with small tokens of our love and affection for him. I sang “Someone Special” as a tribute to him and his impact on the camp.

That evening, with more severe weather threatening, we all bunked in the dining hall.

Dale and Sybil Martin and crew provided the best camp food on the planet. As an added bonus, three of our staff are professional dessert chefs (Oliver Bradford and Avery and Lydia Johnson). They offered baking classes to teens and preteens. 

We were also joined for a day by Ted Johnston, national youth ministry co-director and Northeast district superintendent. Johnston delivered one of the chapel messages, mingled with staff and campers and spoke to the staff about the future of SEP Connecticut.

Outstanding campers were Omar Bin Safir (teen male), Tasia Sealy-Browne (teen female), Jason Ekonomakos (pre­teen male) and Michelle DeRobertis (preteen female). Two young men, Matthew Jenner and Naji Tobias, were to be baptized, but the storms forced us to postpone the ceremony.

This year’s camp was spiritually enriching, physically and mentally empowering and will engrave in us lasting memories of God’s love for us even in the storms of life (Matthew 7:24; 8:23-27; 14:22-33).

There was nothing more clearly understood at the end of camp than the fact that our Lord loves us, protects us, empowers us and celebrates with us. Jesus was present and real every day at SEP Connecticut, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

New pastors training open
to limited number
of members

PASADENA—The Worldwide Church of God announced that the next new pastors training class will take place in Dallas, Texas, beginning Saturday morning, Feb. 19, 2005 and ending Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 22, about 3 p.m.

The training will coincide with Presidents Day weekend, so participants won’t need to take Monday off work. The training will continue in the pastor’s home area, and through on-line classes with Ambassador College of Christian Ministry (ACCM). This year’s session is open to a limited number of church members.

Pastoral candidates’ expenses will be covered. Interested members will have to pay for their own travel, housing and meals while at the class. The cost of housing and meals will be about $450 for an individual and $575 for a couple. This includes four breakfasts (continental), four lunches and four nights lodging. Handouts and other items will be supplied by the church. A certificate of training will be given to participating members.

According to Steve and Cristy Meade of Columbus, Ohio, who attended last year’s training as a member couple: “We came home excited and encouraged. We found the training to be helpful in the various ministries in which we serve in our local congregation.

“The training has also given us a boost in confidence and helped us to be more willing to step forward when service opportunities arise. An additional blessing was the friendships we were able to build with people we otherwise may never have met.”

Those who desire to attend need to complete an application form and have their pastor recommend them. To request an application, send an e-mail to nancy.akers@ wcg.org.

Since the first class was conducted in 1996, more than 350 pastoral candidates and their spouses have received training.

Lessons From the Bible

The Gospel of Mark, Lesson 22
Mark 4:1-15

A Lesson About Satan

 He taught them many things by parables…. The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seeds along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them (Mark 4:1-15).

 By Mike Feazell

Theparable of the sower is the first parable given in the book of Mark. In it, Jesus compares the ways people receive the gospel with the ways sown seeds grow. His first example is that of freshly sown seeds being devoured by birds before they have time to take root. Just as birds eat some of the seeds, so Satan comes to take away the word of truth that some people have received.

A few things to note. First, Satan doesn’t come to take the truth away from everyone who receives it. Second, we are not told why Satan comes to some and not others. Third, people are not actually seeds and Satan is not actually a bird; it’s only an analogy. The fact that Satan takes away the truth one time, doesn’t mean he can do it every time.

It is important to know that Satan is not all he’s cracked up to be. He’s definitely more powerful than us humans, but he is no match for Jesus Christ.

God vs. Satan

Have you ever seen a gospel tract depicting a battle between Satan and God for the souls of humans? Sometimes they are in comic book form, showing a demon sitting on one shoulder of a person and an angel on the other shoulder. All rests on the person’s decision, and the two spirits do all they can to sway the person to their side. It belongs in a comic book, because it is a parody of the truth. Satan is not on a par with God, as though he has the power to prevent God from his redemptive purpose for humanity.

In other words, there is no battle between God and Satan for your soul. That battle, such as it was, was won before the foundation of the world and was made plain to the world in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.  

When a person is the best at doing something, you might say, “She could do that in her sleep.” Well, Jesus not only could defeat Satan in his sleep, he defeated him in his death.

Satan is a lame duck ruler. His days as corrupt, bully “prince of this world” (John 12:31) are numbered. He doesn’t have the last word; Jesus does. And Jesus’  word for humans is “Yes.”

Satan is our enemy, to be sure. Peter tells us that he “prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We are no match for a lion, roaring or not, and we are no match for the devil. But Jesus is. Jesus has already de-fanged and de-clawed this “lion.” So Peter goes on to say, “Resist him [the devil], standing firm in the faith….” (verse 9).

Peter is talking about faith in the Son of God. When we stand with Jesus, trusting him, we stand also in his victory over the devil.

Not a quitter

“As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them” (Mark 4:15). But what happens next? Does Jesus throw up his hands, sigh heavily and shake his head in defeat? Does he say, “Well, you got me on that one, Satan.”

In the parable, Satan takes away the word that was planted in the person. We are not told in the parable what the sower does about that. But we are told in the Bible that God does not change in his covenant faithfulness to redeem lost humans. “I the Lord do not change,” he told Israel, “so you, O descendants of Jacob are not destroyed” (Malachi 3:6).

Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17).

Jesus is a sower who does not give up. The fact that Satan might take away the word from a person doesn’t mean that Jesus won’t sow in that place again.

Sometimes, in fact, he might sow in such a place through you.

Bible Study

Greetings, Friends:
a study of Romans 16

 By Michael Morrison

In the last chapter of Romans, Paul greets a large number of people and gives a few closing exhortations. These greetings reveal a lot about the early church.

Paul’s emissary

In verse 1, Paul writes, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchrea” (TNIV throughout). Although some older translations say that Phoebe is a “servant,” this is unlikely. Verse 2 indicates that she was an important person, and the phrase “of the church” suggests an official role.

We do not know what deacons did in the church in Cenchrea (near Corinth). A comparison of Paul’s letters shows that the “organizational chart” could vary quite a bit from one church to another. Phoebe apparently carried Paul’s letter to Rome.

Paul writes, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchrea.”

Paul asks the Roman church to serve her needs: “I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of God’s people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me” (v. 2).

The word benefactor is one of many suggested translations of the Greek word prostasis. In the Greek Old Testament, it was used for officials; in ordinary Greek it was used for patrons—wealthy people who assisted others. Phoebe had helped Paul, and although she probably would not need financial help, Paul asks the Romans to help her in other ways.

Notable women and men

Paul then greets a number of people in Rome—some of them Jewish, most of them Gentiles. He knows a surprising number of people who have moved to Rome. He probably begins with his closest friends:

“Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them” (vv. 3-4). Priscilla and Aquila were originally from Rome. Paul met them in Corinth and worked in their tentmaking business. They became part of Paul’s ministry team, went to Ephesus with him, and were instrumental in teaching Apollos.

Paul does not call average Christians “co-workers”—this term indicates a person who works “in Christ Jesus”—that is, full-time work in the gospel. Priscilla and Aquila had played an important role in evangelizing Gentiles; now they were leading a house church in Rome (v. 5).

Paul greets “my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia” and “Mary, who worked very hard for you” (vv. 5-6). We do not know what kind of work Mary did.

He greets another couple: “Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was” (v. 7). Junia is fairly common as a woman’s name, but in some translations she is given a man’s name: Junias, perhaps short for Junianus. But no one has ever found a Junias, so Junia is probably correct.

In what way were they “outstanding among the apostles”? Paul may have meant that the apostles thought highly of them, but it is more likely that Paul commends them for their own work—they were great apostles. Since the word apostle can also refer to an official messenger (see 2 Cor. 8:23), Andronicus and Junia may have served in that way.

“Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test [in a severe trial]. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus” (vv. 8-10).

Paul does not greet Aristobulus, but only those in his household (which would include slaves and servants). Aristobulus may have been the grandson of Herod and friend of Claudius Caesar; such a person would have a large household, many of them Jewish. This household formed the core of another house church.

“Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord” (vv. 11-12). The phrase “in the Lord” suggests that these women were involved in evangelistic work of some sort. Narcissus may refer to another wealthy friend of Claudius who had a large “household,” some of whom were believers.

“Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord. Greet Rufus [possibly the son of Simon of Cyrene (Mark 15:21)], chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.

“Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them. Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the believers with them” (vv. 12-15). Paul may be referring to two other house churches.

“Greet one another with a holy kiss,” Paul concludes. “All the churches of Christ send greetings” (v. 16). Greet one another as dear friends, he says—and Christians still kiss one another in some cultures. But in America, a kiss would not be appropriate. Paul’s instructions in this case are limited by culture—by his culture and ours. There is no requirement for us today to greet one another with a kiss.

Plea for peace

Paul then turns to one last, presumably important, exhortation: “I urge you … to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them” (v. 17). Paul had experience with divisive people who taught rules that the gospel did not have. The solution is simple: Don’t listen to them.

“Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole  church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.”

“For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites [money, fame or a sense of personal importance]. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people” (v. 18).

Since the Roman churches already have different practices (about meat and days, for example), they are vulnerable to divisive teachings. But they are already obeying enough rules: “Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (vv. 19-20). When we focus on the good, the adversary will be powerless (cf. Gen. 3:15).

“The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”

Paul’s companions send greetings

Paul closes with greetings from the people with him: “Timothy, my co-worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my fellow Jews” (v. 21; see Acts 13:1; 17:5; 20:4).

“I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord” (v. 22). Paul’s secretary sends his own greetings, noting that he is a believer.

“Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings” (v. 23; cf. 1 Cor. 1:14). “Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings.” The Roman Christians might be encouraged to know that a government official has accepted the gospel.

Paul closes with a benediction:

“Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to faith and obedience—to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen” (vv. 25-27). 

This benediction reviews some of Paul’s main points:

 The gospel is rooted in the Old Testament, but is now clearly revealed and being preached.

 The gospel involves Gentiles in faith and obedience.

 The gospel is about Jesus Christ.

 God can and will establish you (give you eternal life) through this gospel.

To that, we can join Paul in saying “amen.”

Questions for discussion

If I were writing to a church in another city, which men and women would I name?

Does a handshake convey the warmth of greeting that Paul wanted? (v. 16)

How can I know whether a new teaching is divisive, or merely different? (v. 17)

How well does the gospel give glory to God in my life? (vv. 25-27)

Turning hearts back to home:
Connecting & Bonding 2004

By Marge Friddle

LOS ANGELES—The seventh annual Connecting & Bonding conference took place Sept. 3 to 6 at the Renaissance Hotel in Los Angeles.

The purpose and goal of this conference is to equip and enable those attending to serve their congregations in a more effective way.

Jannice May, founder and president, welcomed the guests at the opening session Friday evening, Sept. 3.

Bettye Oakley and Helen Jackson

Naomi Beard was worship leader.  She has served as an adjunct professor at The King’s College & Seminary in Van Nuys, California, and has served on the pastoral staff of The Church on the Way in Van Nuys for more than 20 years, including 13 years as the director of women’s ministries. She has also served on the board of directors for the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, and is a minister-at-large in the United States and abroad.

Sharon Hart May presented the Friday evening session. Sharon has a doctorate in marriage and family therapy and was interviewed on Focus on the Family. She co-authored the book Safe Haven Marriage: Building a Relationship You Want to Come Home To with her father, Archibald Hart, professor emeritus of psychology at Fuller Seminary. She spoke on making our home a safe haven for those living there.

Saturday morning’s first speaker was Dr. Hart, who spoke on the personal life of a minister. Dr. Hart and his wife, Kathleen, present seminars in marriage enrichment, sex education and parenting.

Dr. Hart addressed dealing with and resolving resentment and anger by forgiveness. Forgiveness is not a choice we have. Rather, it is commanded by God. He said forgiveness is an act of the will, and it is necessary in our walk with Jesus.

Then Kathleen Hart spoke on using your time wisely. Kathleen told us it is important not to waste a minute of our life as we don’t know how much time each one of us has left. We are to give hope to other people and love other people with the love of Jesus.

Cheryl Walters and Sally Parker

After the morning speakers, a presentation was made to retired elders’ wives and widows of elders. The women were  presented with gifts as Naomi Beard sang “To God Be the Glory.”

Pat Guthrie from Long Beach, California, opened the afternoon session with a faith story of being healed of malignant melanoma. 

She introduced Naomi Beard, who spoke about joy and explained that happiness is situational, but joy goes beyond that. It is constant and abiding. Jesus wants to bear our loads. She assured us that Jesus will never shoo us away, and we can have true joy because we know him.

Following this was a session for the friendship team leaders to get acquainted with the women who will be in their group next year. Each woman who attends the conference is put in a group with five to seven other women. This group is led by a team leader, and throughout the year the members of each group stay in touch with each other. 

Nancy Stafford led Sunday morning’s sessions. Nancy is a speaker, author and actress. She is the author of Beauty by the Book  and The Wonder of His Love. Nancy has starred in numerous television movies and series, including five years as Andy Griffith’s law partner, Michele, on Matlock.

Nancy believes that everyone has beauty and value, and her topics focused on our value in Jesus and our true identity. 

Sunday afternoon, Jan Parrish presented helpful hints about entertaining. Her heart’s desire is to see others benefit from what God can do when they lean entirely on him for everything, but most specifically in the home.

The final speaker was Candace Chambers-Belida. She spoke on secret treasures within. Candace gave us the confidence and faith to believe that nothing is impossible with God. This includes forgiving someone you never could think of forgiving for the pain the person caused in your life. She is the author of two books, The Secret Codes of Conduct for Marriage and Dare to Stand.

During the conference the wo­men heard music sung by Gizelle Martin, Vera Gibbs, Marilyn Talison, Lorraine Pelley and Marge Friddle.

The conference closed with communion. Marge Friddle gave a tribute to Tamara Moore, who died this year from breast cancer. Tamara was the wife of Gary Moore, Canadian regional director. As the women came to the table, Marge sang, “Leave It There,” which says, “take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.”

Update:
News of people,
places and events

Halfway house—
doorway to the kingdom

SPOKANE, Washington—Dan Rogers, superintendent of U.S. ministers, has been encouraging members to be “halfway houses.” Traditionally, a halfway house is a place where people transition from one culture to another culture—for example, from jail back into society or from drug rehabilitation back into society.

We are looking to help non-believers transition from the world to be followers of Jesus.

About five years ago, Pastor Glen Weber began teaching about the importance of members praying for their neighbors. 

WORSHIP SERVICE—Glen Weber speaks at service in mobile home park.

John and Frances Raschko of Spirit of Grace Fellowship (the WCG congregation in Spokane) began to pray for the people in their mobile home park. They prayed for the adults and parents in the park because with their young granddaughter visiting, they became the focus of many children coming to their home. The more they prayed the more the children appeared. 

John and Frances were in their early 70s at the time and asked Weber what to do. He suggested they host a Vacation Bible School (VBS) in their home. They were told about Child Evangelism Fellowship, which will come to one’s home to run a VBS. That VBS averaged 16 children each day for the five-day session.

The Raschkos then decided to host a Bible club in their home each Thursday afternoon—with the continued help of CEF. For the past four years, the process has continued—VBS in the summer and Bible club throughout the year.

BAPTISM—John and Frances Raschko help baptize their neighbors, Ilanka Krauss and Robert Rodgers.

Each year the Bible club would conclude with a potluck at which some from the congregation would attend with the children and their parents.

Weber occasionally led the Christmas or Easter class—and attended the potlucks. Over time the parents have begun to develop a relationship with the church.

This year, one of the mothers began to attend church and asked for baptism. This spurred another mother to also ask for baptism. Another woman asked for baptism who had been mentored by the Raschkos but did not live in the park.

Weber suggested the baptisms be done at a service in the front yard of the Raschkos’ home. On Friday evening, July 2, they conducted a worship service, and Weber gave a message on the meaning of baptism. After the service they baptized the three women with all to see.

Since that time, one of the husbands asked for baptism and was baptized in the park at the end of July. At the same time he was baptized, he and his newly baptized wife also renewed their wedding vows in Raschkos’ home. Two of the young people attended SEP Washington and asked for baptism.

Robert and Marla Rodgers renew their vows.

“This has truly been a halfway house to the kingdom,” Weber said. “Followers of Jesus (disciples) who set about praying for their neighbors and reaching out to them at every opportunity were soon discipling others. As a result eight people are attending church and are members of our congregation. 

“More importantly they are now disciples of Jesus who are beginning to take opportunities to reach out and make more disciples. A home in a mobile home park be­came an open door to the kingdom of God.

“The Raschkos started in their seventh decade of life—becoming excited about what Jesus would do through them. We strongly encourage all members of our denomination to seriously consider how they can become a halfway house—a doorway to people becoming disciples of Jesus Christ.” 

Making the love of God
visible in Columbus, Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio—The Columbus congregation, pastored by John Karlson, is making the love of God visible in our community.

The first step was to develop a survey to identify which members were currently volunteering, where we needed additional help, who would like to help and which segments of society we should target. 

We began with a food drive for a food pantry. The congregation was generous in its donations, and members participated in the weekly sorting and stocking of the pantry shelves.

Our second project, headed by Liz Mertes, was adopting a nursing home. The Christmas and Spring parties featured a piano solo by Brandon Bapst, a violin solo by Nicki Bapst and a children’s church performance under the direction of Lisa Bapst, Judy Hoban and Fian Kunesh. Steve Meade delivered a message, and Tad Lamb, Ron Pollard, Dave Tyler and Larry Titus hosted a sing-along. Food was provided by the Women’s Fellowship.

The third project, led by Katie Yoder and Lisa Bapst, involves individual phone calls to each member of the congregation every three months to see if everything is OK or if there is some way that our group can assist them. Prayer requests are forwarded to those identified by our survey as having a desire to be part of the prayer team.

Our fourth project involves books. The Mission of Mercy is starting a library for the nursing home residents, and we have collected almost 200 books. The Women’s Fellowship, under Cristy Meade’s leadership, is also collecting books for the children’s hospital.   

Ann Miller initiated a meal preparation program that we’ve adopted to assist the grieving. Members also house-sit for the family during calling hours and services so their homes will not be left unattended. Catherine P. Lamb.

Big Sandy church host for
community-wide events

BIG SANDY, Texas—The Big Sandy church offered a community-wide Vacation Bible School July 12 to 16 with a theme of “Rickshaw Rally Racing to the Son.”

Lois Peterson was the VBS director, with assistance from Helen and Jerome Ellerd. Rick Peterson decorated the event with a Japanese theme. Pat Alaire built a rickshaw to portray the event’s theme.

COMMUNITY EVENT—The Big Sandy church hosted a  soap box derby. [Photo by Loma Gibson] FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION [Photo by Sonny Parsons]

Also, during the summer the congregation offered a citywide reading program on Wednesday mornings. A school librarian provided books, and the school sent a busload of children each week. Tours of the fire and police departments and city hall were a part of the program.

Also, for the second year, the congregation hosted a soap box derby to bring the community together. Pastor Sonny Parsons made a presentation at the school and sent home directions on how to build the cars.

“We are letting the people of the community know that we care,” Parsons said. “Then they are more receptive to letting us share Christ with them.”

Lucy Martin, pioneer faculty
member at Ambassador, dies

Lucy Martin-Wener

PASADENA—Lucy Martin-Wener, 98, a pioneer faculty member at Ambassador College, died June 30.

Her husband and her only daughter preceded her in death.

Martin was one of eight original faculty members in 1947 and served the college in a number of positions, most notably as head of the Music Department and dean of women. She retired in 1975.

“She was never a [WCG] member but famously stood by the institution when others left,” remembered Herman Hoeh, one of the four first students of Ambassador.

Martin came to Ambassador after working on the staff of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. While working as librarian and during personnel shortages at the fledgling college, she told then Chancellor Herbert Armstrong that she had done university level work in music and offered to supplement her studies by summer study at New York’s Juilliard School of Music.

Throughout her long career Martin helped influence many undergraduates toward an appreciation of music and the fine arts. Neil Earle.

Austin church commissions
new ministry leaders

 AUSTIN, Texas—The Austin congregation commissioned seven new ministry leaders June 6.

The church had been operating without any deacons for the past two years, since most of the ordained leaders had left the denomination because of doctrinal disagreements. However, God provided new servants who took up the reins of responsibility, and the church ministries have continued to serve the people of our congregation and our community.

COMMISSIONING—From left: Dana Ripley, George  Leal, Johnnie Simcik, Connie Smith, Bill Smith, Amy  Wendland, Mark Wendland, elder John Ledbetter and  elder Don Amundson. [Photo by Rose Sickel]

In recognition of the God-given gifts and the hearts of these servants, Pastor Lee Berger and the church leadership team were led to commission a new slate of ministry servant-leaders. In the commissioning ceremony, the pastor and elders Don Amundson and John Ledbetter laid hands on each leader and asked a prayer for their duties within the congregation. 

At the conclusion of the individual prayers, Berger spoke to the members about their responsibility to support the ministry leaders. The congregation was then led in a united verbal pledge of support for the newly commissioned leaders.

Deacons commissioned are George Leal, Dana Ripley, Johnnie Simcik, Bill Smith, Connie Smith, Amy Wendland and Mark Wendland. Lee Berger.

Houston seniors
have Bible study

HOUSTON, Texas—John Flores presented a Bible study for the Community Christian Fellowship senior citizens Wednesday, Aug. 11. The subject was “Gossip: Is It a Sin?”

After the Bible study, the seniors had a fellowship meal prepared by Mary Washington. Eighteen people attended the study and fellowship meal. Lue Ennis.

Card ministry brings
encouragement to others

BANGOR, Maine—Nearly every week, Marie Theriault, a member of the Bangor congregation, sends cards to people who are sick, grieving a loss or celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and weddings.

Just about every Sunday, Theriault ensures that everyone in the congregation signs the cards and then she mails them to the recipients. Although she spearheads the ministry, she depends on the members to sign the cards and write notes.

All the members (and many nonmembers) have been blessed at some point by receiving these cards. Theriault is putting into practice Romans 12:8: “If it is encouraging, let him encourage.” Frank Bryant.

Chattanooga children mark
Mother’s and Father’s day 

HONORED MOTHERS— Laura O’Neal (left) and  Laurie Dunn. [Photo by  Frances Cimino]

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee—The children of the Chattanooga congregation honored all the parents on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

On Mother’s Day, Ashley Perez read Proverbs 31. Then the children held up letters spelling out mother, while telling what each letter stood for. Then they sang “You Are My Sunshine.”

HONORING FATHERS—From left:  Savannah Dunn, Michael O’Neal,  Shaleigh O’Neal, Sterlyn O’Neal,  Joshua Perez and Ashley Perez.  [Photo by Michael O'Neal]

After the worship service, the women were honored with a tea. The men served cookies and punch. Each woman received a rose and a homemade card from the children. Laura O’Neal was honored as the woman who had been a mother the longest, and Laurie Dunn was honored as the newest mother. Laura O’Neal also had the most children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, totaling 20.

On Father’s Day, the children honored the dads with a surprise. Ashley Perez recited a poem about fathers written by Laura O’Neal, while the children held up corresponding letters spelling the word father.

Afterward, the children served homemade cookies they decorated. They also presented their fathers and grandfathers with a picture frame they decorated in Sunday school. Tammy Perez.

Chattanooga conducts
Vacation Bible School

 CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee—Twenty-five children ages 2 to 14 gathered nightly June 15 to 19

CLOSING PRAISE AND WORSHIP [Photo by Danny O'Neal]

 for food, fun and fellowship at the Chattanooga Vacation Bible School.

The theme was SonGames 2004.   This year we moved outside our community to the East Lake Community Center in a low-income area.

Children learned about Paul’s journey each night through the following points:

Join in!—Saul (Paul) is blinded on the road to Damascus and joins God’s team.

Team up!—Paul teams up with other members of God’s team.

FAMILY SUNDAY [Photo by Michael O'Neal]

Get strong!—Paul ministers to others while a prisoner.

Keep on!—Paul is caught in a huge storm.

Celebrate!—Paul reaches his goal by going to Rome.

Each night the children made crafts such as team visors and flags, a torch game pass, CD yo-yos, plaster dumbbells and trading pins. Games included super soccer, kangaroo relay and waterball. Each night began and ended with prayer and praise.

We have followed up with the community by sharing pictures taken during the week and conducting a pencil drive for the area schools. Tammy Perez.

Neil Earle attends church
parade in Canada

 CARBONEAR, Newfoundland, Canada—Neil Earle, pastor of the Glendora, California, church, and his wife, Susan, attended a church parade in his hometown Aug. 8 in honor of Carbonear’s 589 Air Force Cadet Squadron’s 50th anniversary.

Neil Earle (right) with Elmer  Davis, air cadet chaplain.  [Photos by Susan Earle]

The air cadets are an organization for young people sponsored by the Canadian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Legion. Earle was a member of this distinguished unit from 1959 to 1962 and rose to the rank of sergeant.

The Earles sang in the Cadet Choir that Sunday after meeting with the squadron’s chaplain, Elmer Davis, an old family acquaintance.

After church at Bethany United Church, a full dress parade took place accompanied by the color party to the town’s war memorial, where wreaths were laid, religious services observed and a plaque unveiled to mark the occasion.

Neil Earle (left) with former air cadets at  50th anniversary plaque.

Earle later co-wrote an article that was printed in the local paper Aug. 17, which also featured a picture by his wife, who has had many photos printed in church publications over the years.

“It was an honor to be in the company of the founders of this splendid youth organization, which has done so much to instill values and citizenship in so many young Canadians,” Earle commented. “It makes you realize how important youths and youth leaders are to each church and community.”

Evylin Johnson celebrates

Evylin Johnson [Photo by Bob Rotzien]

94th birthday

 CHAMPLIN, Minnesota— Aug. 1 was a special day for Evylin Johnson as she celebrated her 94th birthday. A longtime faithful member of the Living Hope congregation, Evylin is much loved and respected not only in our congregation but in the Twin Cities. Doug Johannsen.

Jeffrey Broadnax earns
mental health counseling degree

COMMENCEMENT—Pastor Jeff Broad­nax and son Kyle after ceremony.

PEEKSKILL, New York—Pastor Jeffrey Broadnax earned his mas­ters of science degree in Community Mental Health Counseling from Western Connecticut State Univer­sity. Having completed his internship at the University Counseling Center and Westchester County Department of Corrections, he received his degree in a ceremony May 22.

His thesis titled “Family Foun­dations” introduced a holistic intervention for working with emotionally and behaviorally disordered children by integrating all aspects of the family system into the therapeutic process.   

Pastor Broadnax is a member of the American Counseling Associa­tion (ACA) and was inducted into the Connecticut chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, the international honor society for professional counselors, as well as Pi Lambda Theta, the international honor society for educators, having completed his degree with a 4.0 grade point average.

In addition to pastoring the Living Hope Family Fellowship congregations (Middletown and Clarkstown, New York) and the Westchester Family Fellowship (White Plains, New York), Broadnax serves as a counselor and outreach consultant to the Westchester County Department of Corrections Young Offender Program.

Broadnax and his wife, Karen, have two children Jasmine, 13, and Kyle, 6.

Lancaster youths make
feature-length movie

LANCASTER, California—The youth group of the Desert Oasis Community Church (a WCG congregation) in conjunction with 7D Studios and Associates, a start-up production company (made up of the same young people), have completed a Christian feature-length movie titled My Best Friend.

The 55-minute movie, based on a short story written by Cody Urban, is a modern-day parable about the sacrificial love of a Christian for a nonbeliever. The key scripture is John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

In the movie the President of the United States (played by Ken Mitchell, youth and associate pastor) feels called by God to bring the gospel message to a non-believing Secret Service agent (Cody Urban) as­signed to protect him.

As their father-son relationship develops, the President becomes increasingly concerned over foreign, sinister factions attempting to bring the United States into war. The President is determined to have peace and lays his political future on the line to follow a Christian path.

At the same time, enemies in the White House have betrayed their loyalties, placing both men in mortal danger. Special effects, drama and intrigue bring this movie to an exciting and dramatic conclusion as the forces of evil battle the forces of good.

Urban said: “The main purpose and drive behind this movie was and is evangelism. We wanted to do something for God to bring others to him. To shine his light into the dark places and touch the hearts of many, planting seeds wherever the movie is shown.

“We showed the film at the 2004 SEP in Big Bear, California, and the theme of the movie, ‘Jesus as our best friend,’ carried throughout the remainder of the session. Not only was it a blessing to be permitted to show the movie at SEP, but many of our friends from SEP took it back to their churches, taking the movie nationwide.

“It is our hope that eventually thousands of churches will use this movie as an outreach tool or as an instrument of motivation, inspiration and evangelism in their communities.”

Although the setting for the movie is Washington, D.C., it was filmed completely in the Antelope Valley and directed by Urban and Matt Waltz. It was edited by Paul and Nikki Pieper of Community Life Fellowship in Altadena, California, through their production company Pied Productions.

Other actors include Pastor Eric Shaw, Bill, Gabriele and Susie Day, Heather Mitchell, Lewis Parish and many more. Nearly every member of the Desert Oasis Youth Group handled everything from makeup to lighting, sound and camera, set building, costume selection and transportation.

“This was a huge effort,” Mitchell said. “These teenagers, with virtually no adult supervision, spent more than a year of their lives and every cent they had to produce this movie. When their money ran out, they had fund-raisers to keep production going. Hundreds of man-hours were spent, sometimes working late into the night, sometimes all night long and weekends too. In addition they still had jobs to go to, chores at home and homework to do. It truly was a labor of love.”

The movie debut was to a packed house at the Desert Oasis Community Church in Lancaster. Mitchell recalled: “I was so moved at seeing the completed project, knowing everything that went into it, and all the wonderful people who contributed, that I could hardly finish the service.

“We ended the service by singing ‘God Will Make a Way’ with tears pouring down our faces. I encourage everyone to find your own way of sharing the gospel.”

If you would like to support the young people of The Desert Oasis Community Church and 7D Studios and Associates as they desire to produce movies that honor God, you can purchase your own copy of My Best Friend by completing the order form on page 24. All proceeds will go toward production of their next movie.

Name:

Address:

City:

State:

Country:

Zip Code:

Phone Number:

E-mail:

Quantity:

Movie: DVD only                           ($15 each)

Shipping & handling:                              ($2)

Donation:

Total:

Please make checks payable to Susanna Day and mail to 7D Studios, 3130 Gingerwood Lane, Lancaster, California 93536. Phone number: (661) 433-4289 E-mail: 7DStudios@aol.com

Church announces
ministerial status changes

PASADENA—Church Administration announced the following ministerial status changes.

Fred Bailey, pastor of the Richmond, Virginia, church, retired as of July 30.

Gary Endres, pastor of the Kingsport, Tennessee, and Bluefield, West Virginia, churches, changed from employed church pastor to bivocational pastor effective Oct. 15.

Lloyd Garrett, pastor of the Washington, D.C., East church, left our employ Jan. 26.

Hasadore Hall, pastor of the Asheville, North Carolina, and Greenville, South Carolina, churches, retired as of July 30.

Leonard Holladay, pastor of the Anchorage, Alaska, church, chang­ed from employed church pastor to bivocational pastor effective Aug. 27.

Michael J. Kuykendall, pastor of the Salt Lake City and Layton, Utah, churches, left our employ May 7. Ron Stoddart now pastors those churches.

Aaron Root, pastor of the Washington, D.C., West church, left our employ June 11 but remains an elder.

James Stokes, pastor of the Belleville and Alton, Illinois, churches, retired as of July 16.

Micah Royal, pastoral intern in the San Bernardino, Moreno Valley and Palm Springs, California, churches, left our employ Sept. 24.

White Plains church
launches coffeehouse

WHITE PLAINS, New York— Westchester Family Fellowship, the White Plains WCG congregation,  along with Heaven’s Light of Day, a parachurch music ministry led by Serge Volpe, conducted their inaugural Heavenly Brew Family Coffeehouse Sept. 11 at the YWCA in White Plains. 

Plans are for Heavenly Brew Family Coffeehouse to take place every other month, featuring Christian artists and providing an opportunity for Christians and non-Christians alike to come together for an evening of fellowship and entertainment in a nonthreatening environment. 

By inviting more than 40 churches in the White Plains area, putting up flyers, advertising in the newspaper, on various area bulletin boards and by word of mouth, we pray that Heavenly Brew will be an ongoing interdenominational gathering.

Heavenly Brew began the evening with welcoming comments by Volpe, including a moment of silence for the victims and their families of the 9-11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and a dedication of the evening to the late Dan Bierer, pastor of Westchester Family Fellowship, and the Manhattan and Armonk WCG congregations, who died Aug. 5.

Volpe then introduced Jeff Broadnax, the new pastor of Westchester Family Fellowship.  Then Heaven’s Light of Day opened the evening with music, along with an interpretive praise dance presented by Lynne Hewitt-Volpe to the song “Outside” by Gary Chapman. 

After a break with coffee and food prepared by Horace and Sandra Hammond and Carson and Gerdine Thompson, the featured artist of the evening was introduced. Walter Arthur, singer and chaplain of Jacoby Hospital, presented a moving selection of songs.

Arthur ended the evening by directing his family, members of his home congregation choir, and the Jacoby Hospital choir in a spirited version of “Total Praise” by Richard Smallwood. More than 70 people from 10 denominations attended the evening.

The next Heavenly Brew is scheduled for Nov. 6, and will be a celebration of thanksgiving and praise. The featured artist of the evening will be singer and mime, Tina Wills, with Heaven’s Light of Day hosting the evening. Debb Coleman.

Randy Bloom conducts

assimilation seminar in St. Louis 

Randy Bloom

ST. LOUIS, Missouri—Church members from St. Louis and its surrounding areas met in St. Louis July 10 for a seminar on “How to Assimilate New Members” conducted by Randy Bloom, district superintendent.

Making guests welcome

When we have guests in our church, do they feel welcome? Having friendly hosts to greet them at the door and talk with them after the worship service is vital, Bloom said. It makes a difference whether they want to come back again.

All churches think they are friendly, Bloom said. The true test of friendliness comes when we include someone new into our circle of fellowship. Are we just friendly with each other, or with new members too?

That point hit home for Pam Harris, a member of the New Creation in Christ congregation in St. Louis. She shared her experience of searching for the church God wanted her to attend. “I visited many churches before finding the Worldwide Church of God. Each one was not very friendly, and the Spirit told me not to stay.

“The first three times I attended the Worldwide Church of God, people came up to me after services, extended a hand, asked me my name and told me their name. That made me want to be a part of this church.”

Inspiring worship service

Along with friendliness and warmth, guests are looking for a church that has an inspiring and well-prepared worship service, a place for children, adult programs (such as a women’s ministry, a men’s ministry and small groups) and a quality church building. 

Bloom urged us to incorporate these things into our congregations. He also stressed the importance of follow-up contact with guests by church members. Eighty-two percent of people who drop out say no one contacted them after visiting.

Becoming active members

“Assimilation does not happen automatically,” Bloom said. New members need to become active members—involved and responsible—for them to stay. We need to do what we can to help this process along. Susie Ehlen.

Ministerial ordinations

Church Administration announced the following ministerial ordinations.

Troy Meisner, Spring Valley, Minnesota; Hank Lageman, Portland, Oregon; Paul Hailey, Portland, Oregon; Joseph Williams, Atlanta, Georgia; Donald Smitley, New Albany, Indiana; Carnell Johnson, Richmond, Virginia, North; Ivan Lane, Richmond, Virginia, North; Leroy Hunter, Thomasville, Georgia; James Harries, Portland, Oregon; Oscar Baslao, Davao City, Philippines; Levi Yuson, Maramag, Philippines; Joven Jaralve, Zamboanga City, Philippines; Geoffrey Balatero, Ipil, Philippines; Julio Fernandez, Ezeiza, Argentina.

Raul and Pauline Sifuentes:

Amigos Sin Fronteras

HOUSTON, Texas—The Community Christian Fellowship (CCF) congregation heard on Aug. 28 from Raul Sifuentes, a local member, about the mission work that he and his wife, Pauline, are involved in.

Sifuentes said that now is our time to fulfill the great commission of Matthew 28 to go and make disciples of all nations.

The mission is called Amigos Sin Fronteras, which means Friends Without Borders. The ministry visits indigenous people of the Aztec Indian and other tribes in the mountains of Cuernavaca, Mexico, about one and a half hours from Mexico City.

From seven to 35 people are involved in this ministry. Doctors, nurses, dentists, medical technicians and other Christians work together providing much-needed health care to these impoverished people. Surgeries have been performed in makeshift operating rooms set up in neighborhood streets.

Clothing, shoes, haircuts and toys for children are all given free. Amigos Sin Fronteras even provides clean water by the truckload, which is a valuable and necessary commodity. But the best gift that Amigos gives is the gift of evangelism. They teach the people that God exists, that he loves them and that he died for them.

Members viewed a 10 minute video of a mission visit by Amigos. After viewing the film, Pastor Mark Mounts presented a check from CCF in the amount of $200 as a donation to Amigos Sin Fronteras. Jesse Soto.

Newark church to celebrate

fifth anniversary

NEWARK, New Jersey—The 24-7 Community Church will celebrate its fifth anniversary Friday evening, Dec. 10. A dinner dance will take place at the Casa del Sol restaurant in Union, New Jersey.

The celebration will continue with a church service Sunday, Dec. 12. The guest speaker will be Curtis May, director of the Office of Reconciliation Ministries. May is a cousin of the late Ron Robinson, the first pastor of the 24-7 Community Church.

For more information, please contact Lawrence Evans by e-mail at evans_lawrence@hotmail.com or write to him at P.O. Box 154, Morganville, New Jersey, 07751. David Robinson.

Jerry Horswell named
outstanding senior woman

MASON CITY, Iowa—Geraldine “Jerry” Horswell, a resident of Albert Lea, Minnesota, and a member of the Church in Mason City, was recognized as Freeborn County’s Outstanding Senior Woman. 

Horswell was honored at the Freeborn County Fair on senior day. She gave a speech describing her volunteer work and all of the support she has received from her husband, Gene, which enabled her to do it.

Horswell has made a difference in the lives of those she comes in contact with. She believes there is some kind of volunteer work for everyone. She is a good example of serving into one’s golden years. You may need to change course, but you never retire from ministering to others. Mary Crawford.

Worship retreat takes place
at Wisconsin Dells 

TESTIMONY—Tammy Neller  (right) listens as Kristina Fentak  shares her testimony. [Photos by Doug Johannsen]

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wisconsin—The Kalahari Re­sort in the Wisconsin Dells was the site of a worship retreat Sept. 9 to 12 where 1,000 members celebrated Jesus as “The Real Deal.”

They came for worship, workshops, sermons, prayers and the Kalahari’s indoor water park. 

Activities included a family meet and greet, seniors luncheon, children’s church, teen church, praise and worship night, skits, interpretive dances and poolside events.  Also, 671 people received communion. 

SKIT—From left: Nicki Davis, Nate  Denn, Jake Zacharias and Brandon  Caruso. Jake played the part of  Jesus, and Nicki, Nate and Brandon  were people in the crowd who  mocked and beat him.

About a pickup-truck load of food was donated to a Wisconsin Dells area food bank.  

This event was planned with winning people to Jesus in mind, and we estimate at least 100 people not affiliated with the WCG attended in response to invitations extended by our members. 

The dates for next year’s event are Sept. 8 to 11. For more information, send an e-mail message to coordinator Doug Johannsen at Doug.Johannsen@wcg.org

Copyright © Grace Communion International, 2004