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August 2004
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Financial reportThis month we begin the long-awaited transition to our local-congregation-based financial structure, writes controller Ronald Kelly. Page 3.
Pastor GeneralJohn tells an interesting story near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, writes Pastor General Joseph Tkach. Jesus went to a wedding and turned water into wine. Several aspects of this story make it unusual. Page 6.
Church governanceOur goal, writes Dan Rogers, is to acquaint leaders and members with the principles and systems of church governance set forth in the new Church Administration Manual. Page 8.
Window on the WorldIn his “Window on the World” column, Randal Dick shares excerpts from an article on world mission that gives fascinating information about a process that has been under way since 2001, and in fact is just reaching its conclusions. Page 12.
Regional SnapshotOur churches in the Caribbean are on a trajectory reminiscent of Jesus’ words in Acts 1:8, writes Charles Fleming. Page 14.
SEP OhioThe greatest part of the Spiritual Enrichment Program in Ohio was the spiritual experience, writes Jim Valekis. This was the most profound spiritual camp experience yet. Page 16.
Youth MinistryWith this article we conclude our series exploring the foundations of a disciplemaking youth ministry, writes Ted Johnston. Page 18.
Bible StudyIn Romans 12, Paul wrote that we should be living sacrifices, transformed in our minds so that we please God and do his will. In chapter 13, Paul gets specific about how a Christian should respond to civil authorities. Page 23.
Lessons From the Bible“I think I might have committed the unpardonable sin!” The young man’s voice on the other end of the phone was frantic. “Why do you say that?” I asked. “I did it again,” he moaned, writes Mike Feazell. Page 27.
By Ronald Kelly
PASADENA—The big news as I write this month is that we begin officially the long-awaited transition to our local-congregation-based financial structure.
On July 10 and 11, the Southwest district congregations began to function under the new plan, followed by the North Central district on July 24 and 25 and the Northwest district on Aug. 7 and 8. Other districts will follow about every two weeks, and we hope to complete the transition before the end of the year.
Changing the way we work
As I have reported from time to time, this new structure will significantly change the way our denominational funding works and will therefore change the kind of reporting we do in the WCG News. For example, with our centralized structure, the denominational budget for the year was projected at $20.5 million in income. Because we were committed to a balanced budget for the year, our expenses were also projected at just over $20 million. For the first six months of the year, we were close to our projections in both income and expenses.
However, as congregations take responsibility for donation processing, receipting and expense budgeting, the flow of funds apportioned to the denomination will be dramatically different. Instead of an annualized denominational budget in excess of $20 million, we anticipate an apportionment income of about $3.5 million for denominational headquarters.
Combined accounting program
During the remaining months of the year, as congregations come on line, we will operate under a combined accounting program, so please understand the numbers will be quite different than you are accustomed to.
Speaking of accounting, a few readers caught an error in last month’s update. I reported an income of $1.362 million as a 1.5 percent decrease from the previous year. The figure should have been a 15 percent decrease—an error in placing the decimal point.
At first I thought about blaming this error on a decimal demon. Then I thought I would cast the blame on the pressure of deadlines by Tom Hanson, WN editor. However, both would be lame excuses, not to mention untrue. In reality, it was simply my mistake, and I apologize for the inaccuracy. If any good comes from a mistake, it is to be more cautious in the future. I don’t think I have made such an error in the past, and I’ll be certain to be more alert in the future.
Now to the financial information for June and the first six months of the year. Member donation income for June was $1.35 million. Income for June 2003 was $1.43 million. That $80,000 difference equates to a decrease of about 5.6 percent. (I hope I got it right this time!)
In addition to member donations, we received about $200,000 in other income. Thus, our collective income was $1.55 million, and our expenses were just short of $1.5 million, so we added back a little to the reserve fund that we had used last month.
Member donation income for the first six months of this year is at $7.77 million, which is a decrease of 7.6 percent compared to last year. However, because of South Orange Grove home sales, we have supplemented our reserve fund during this past half year.
Searching for new facility
We continue to prepare the final about 17 acres of our Pasadena property for sale, and at the same time have begun to seriously search for a building to purchase or lease as a headquarters location. The school that purchased a portion of the lower west campus has graciously extended us the opportunity to lease back the upper three floors of the Hall of Administration for several months. Thus, we are under no great time pressure to relocate.
However, most of our staff would like to move on, and we have found several possibilities to purchase a modest and much smaller facility for our office and archive storage needs. We’ll keep you posted if we make arrangements for a new building.
In the meantime, as mentioned above, our staff is pouring intensive efforts into implementation of the new financial model. Congregational excitement is building day by day. Until next month.
Many members have requested information on how best to make a gift to the Worldwide Church of God, either during their lifetime or upon death through wills, trusts or other means.
If you want to receive information regarding such gifts, the Legal Department of the church is available to aid you in this regard without cost or obligation. Please write Legal Office, Worldwide Church of God, Box 5005, Glendora, CA 91740.
By Ted Johnston
SOMERSET, New Jersey—In Ephesians 4, Paul rejoices that the ascended Christ sends to his church a rich assortment of leadership gifts to equip the church for greater effectiveness in its disciplemaking mission.
Those gifts were evident at the Northeast regional conference conducted the weekend of May 21 to 23 in Somerset. About 240 WCG members and friends attended all or part of the conference.
The conference began Friday with a presentation from James Roberts, president of the Center for Church Based Training. Mr. Roberts gave a compelling presentation concerning the need for discipleship training in congregations and the usefulness of the Discovery course for that purpose. Church Administration is making this course available to WCG congregations (see July WCG News).
Dan Rogers, superintendent of U.S. ministers, then presented a session titled “Creating a Disciple-making Environment in Your Church.” He noted that congregational leaders and workers have the responsibility and challenge to see that the environment in the congregation is conducive to the development of disciples of Jesus. Such an environment is produced through use of four essential devotions: Word, Worship, Fellowship and Prayer.
Friday evening, Pastor General Joseph Tkach addressed the conference with a presentation on developments within our denomination. He pointed to the many advantages of membership in our denomination, including the exciting things God is doing in our midst. He pointed to the rich array of great commission work being accomplished through our congregations around the world.
On Saturday, Mr. Rogers conducted a seminar titled “Growing a Healthy Church: Balance” that focused on balanced disciplemaking ministries within our congregations. Balance is achieved by a full disciplemaking strategy including winning the lost, building the believer and equipping the worker.
The seminar was highly interactive with participants often huddled in groups from individual congregations—talking and praying together about the issues presented.
On Saturday evening, Ron Kelly, church controller, addressed pastors concerning the new financial system. Mr. Kelly urged all pastors to prepare for the new system.
Mr. Kelly also addressed pastors employed by the WCG to brief them concerning the pension plan for current WCG employees.
On Sunday morning several breakout sessions were offered by various presenters including Mr. Kelly on advisory councils; Baltimore, Maryland, members on ministry to children; Greg Williams, Mid-Atlantic district youth ministry coordinator, on ministry to teens; Baltimore and Frederick, Maryland, members on ministry to women; and Pam Morgan, WCG Computer Information Systems department, on the new financial system.
After the breakout sessions the main conference concluded with a worship service. Several provided ministry in song, prayer and dance. Dr. Tkach gave the sermon. Ted Johnston, Northeast district superintendent, led the group in communion.
After the worship service, several members attended a seminar on financial stewardship provided by Design for Ministry.
By Jonathan Stepp
Nashville and Murfreesboro pastor
LEXINGTON, Kentucky—Pastors and ministry leaders from churches in four WCG districts gathered in Lexington June 4 to 6 for the annual district conference.
Like Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, conference attendees heard the clear message: “If you build it, they will come.”
The question is, “build what?” With the change to a new system of financial management, we are tempted to believe that our churches need to build their own meeting facilities if they want new people to come.
Spiritually healthy churches
The conference made it clear that nonbelievers will be drawn to churches that are spiritually healthy enough to reach out to them. If we build healthy churches, filled with people who are friends of sinners, then the lost who need Jesus will come. The facility in which a church is housed is secondary in importance to the health of the church itself.
Dan Rogers, superintendent of U.S. ministers, developed this theme of church health in sessions on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, he led the group through a study in creating a healthy disciplemaking environment through a balance of word, worship, fellowship and prayer.
On Saturday he focused on growing a healthy church through a balance of winning, building and equipping ministries. Friday evening Pastor General Joseph Tkach made a convincing case for the importance of denominational connectivity in creating healthy churches.
Sharing the grace of Jesus
On Sunday afternoon Mark Vincent from Design for Ministry gave the closing presentation on the role of stewardship in building a healthy church. Mr. Vincent stressed that we are first of all stewards of the gospel, and therefore the primary resource that churches manage is the mission to share the grace of Jesus with the world around us. Resources such as church buildings and money must be tools to accomplish this mission—they must not be allowed to become our mission.
Many participants commented on the helpfulness of this year’s workshop format. The teaching sessions allowed time for leaders from each congregation to discuss the issues raised in that session and pray together about how the Lord was calling them to respond.
On Saturday evening, Ron Kelly, church controller, spoke with pastors about the new system of financial management and the newly implemented pension program.
On Sunday morning, breakout sessions dealt with youth ministry, women’s ministry, church administration and other topics. Dr. Tkach, in his sermon during the Sunday morning worship service, asked, “What is the theme song of your life?” Like Mary in Luke 2, we seek to make the song of the Lord’s salvation the theme of our lives.
Ministry booths, which were open throughout the conference, provided the participants with information on a variety of ministries.
Participating districts
The four districts represented were Mid-South (the host district, Bob Taylor, district superintendent), Northeast (Ted Johnston, district superintendent), Mid-Atlantic (Keith Brittain, district superintendent), and Southeast (Allan Barr, district superintendent).
GROUP DISCUSSION—From
left: Lynn
Jordan, Judy Pass, Carl Baughman, Carla
Shavalier, Rachel Thropp and
Pastor
Jonathan Stepp [Photo by Steve Solari]
Something Worth Thinking About
By Joseph Tkach
Turning water into wine
The Gospel of John tells an interesting story near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry: He went to a wedding and turned water into wine.
Several aspects of this story that make it unusual:
It seems like a minor miracle, more like a magician’s trick than the work of a Messiah. It prevented a little embarrassment, but didn’t really address human suffering the way that Jesus’ healings did.
It was a private miracle—done without the knowledge of the main beneficiary—and yet it was a sign that revealed Jesus’ glory (John 2:11).
The literary function is puzzling. John knew of many more miracles than he had room to write about, and yet he chose this one to begin his book. How does it help achieve John’s purpose—to help us believe that Jesus is the Christ? (John 20:30-31). How does it show that he is the Messiah, rather than a magician (as the Jewish Talmud later claimed him to be)?
 Mary expected Jesus to do something, for she told the servants to do whatever Jesus said. |
A wedding in Cana
We can start by examining the story in closer detail. It begins with a wedding in Cana, a small village in Galilee. The location does not seem to be important—what is important is that it was a wedding. Jesus did his first messianic sign at a wedding festival.
Weddings were the biggest and most important celebrations among the Jewish people—the weeklong party signaled the social status of the new family in the community. Weddings were such joyous occasions that when people wanted to describe the blessings of the messianic age, they often used a wedding banquet as a metaphor. Jesus used the image of a wedding banquet to describe the kingdom of God in some of his parables.
Jesus often used miracles in the physical world to demonstrate spiritual truths. He healed people to show that he had the authority to forgive sin. He cursed a fig tree as a sign of coming judgment on the temple. He healed on the Sabbath to show his authority over the Sabbath. He raised people from the dead to show that he is the resurrection and the life. He fed thousands to show that he is the bread of life. And here, he provided abundant blessings for a wedding to show that he is the one who will provide the messianic banquet of the kingdom of God.
When the wine was gone, Mary told Jesus about it, and he said, “Why do you involve me?” (v. 4). In other words, what does that have to do with me? “My time has not yet come.” And yet, even though it was not yet time, Jesus did something. John signals here that what Jesus is doing is somehow ahead of its time. The messianic banquet is not yet here, and yet Jesus did something. The messianic age was beginning, long before it would arrive in its fullness.
Mary expected him to do something, for she told the servants to do whatever Jesus said. Whether she expected a miracle, or a quick trip to the nearest wine market, we do not know.
Ceremonial water turned into wine
Now, it so happened that six stone water containers stood nearby, and they were not regular water jars, John tells us—they were the kind the Jews used for ceremonial washing. (For ceremonial cleansing, the Jews preferred water from stone containers rather than clay pots.) They held more than 20 gallons of water each—far too heavy for picking up and pouring. That’s a lot of water, just for ceremonial washing. This must have been at the largest estate in Cana.
This seems to be a significant part of the story—that Jesus was going to transform some water used in Jewish ceremonies. This symbolized a transformation in Judaism, even the fulfillment of ceremonial washings. Imagine what would happen if guests wanted to wash their hands again—they would go to the water pots and find every one of them filled with wine! There would be no water for their ritual. The spiritual cleansing of Jesus’ blood superseded ritual washings. Jesus has fulfilled the rituals and replaced them with something much better—himself.
The servants filled the containers to the brim, John tells us (v. 7). How appropriate, for Jesus filled the rituals completely, rendering them obsolete. In the messianic age, no space is left for ritual washings.
The servants drew some wine out and took it to the master of ceremonies, who then told the bridegroom, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now” (v. 10).
Why do you suppose that John records these words? Was it advice for future banquets? Was it merely to show that Jesus makes good wine? No, I think it is reported because it has symbolic significance.
The Jews were like people who had been drinking wine (performing ritual washings) so long that they could not recognize when something better came along. When Mary said, “They have no more wine” (v. 3), it symbolized the fact that the Jews had no spiritual meaning left in their ceremonies. Jesus was bringing something new and something better.
.jpg) Jesus found people selling animals and changing money in the house of God, making it a house of merchandise, so Jesus drove them all out. |
Cleansing the temple
In keeping with this theme, John next tells us that Jesus drove merchants out of the temple courts. Commentators write pages about whether this temple-cleansing was the same as the one the other Gospels report at the end of Jesus’ ministry, or whether it was an additional one at the beginning. In either case, John reports it here because of the significance that it symbolizes.
John again puts the story in the context of Judaism: “It was almost time for the Jewish Passover” (v. 13). And Jesus found people selling animals and changing money—animals for sin offerings fellowship offerings, and other sacrifices, and money that could be used to pay the temple taxes. So Jesus made a simple whip and drove them all out.
It is surprising that one man could drive all the merchants out. (Where are the temple police when you need them?) I suspect that the merchants knew that they should not be there, and I suspect that a lot of the common people didn’t want them there either—Jesus was simply expressing what the people already felt, and the merchants knew they were outnumbered. Josephus describes other occasions when the Jewish leaders tried to change the way things were done in the temple, and the people raised such an outcry that they had to stop.
Jesus did not object to people selling animals for sacrifice, or changing money for temple offerings. He said nothing about how much they were charging. His complaint was simply their location: They were turning the house of God into a house of merchandise (v. 16). They had turned the religion into a moneymaking scheme.
So the Jewish leaders didn’t arrest Jesus—they knew the people supported what he had done—but they did ask him what gave him the right to do this (v. 18). And Jesus said nothing about the inadequacies of the temple, but shifted the subject to something new: “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (v. 19).
Jesus was talking about his own body, but the Jewish leaders did not know that. They no doubt considered it a ridiculous answer, but still they did not arrest him.
Jesus’ resurrection shows that he had the authority to cleanse the temple, and his words foreshadowed its destruction. When the leaders killed Jesus, they were also destroying the temple, for the death of Jesus brought all the sacrifices to obsolescence. And in three days Jesus was raised, and he built a new temple—his church.
And many people believed in Jesus, John tells us, because they saw his miraculous signs. (John 4:54 reports the “second” miraculous sign; this makes me think that the temple cleansing has been reported out of sequence because it is an advance indication of what the ministry of Jesus is about.)
Jesus was going to bring about the end of the temple sacrificial system and the end of the rituals of cleansing—and the Jewish leaders were unwittingly going to help him by attempting to destroy the body of Jesus. But in three days everything would be changed from water to wine—from lifeless ritual to the best spiritual drink of all.
Bringing it closer to home
What do these two episodes have to teach us today? First, Christians might well wonder if certain of our traditions have outlived their usefulness and blinded us to new developments in what Christ wants us to do. It might be the holidays that we keep, or the way in which we keep them. It might be the way that churches are organized and governed. It might be unnecessary restrictions on who can do what. It might be attitudes toward evangelism.
But we can do well to ask if our traditions have become as meaningless as water, and whether Christ wants to transform them into something more stimulating.
We can also ask about our attitudes about money. Has money become more important to us than our relationship with God? We can certainly ask this from a denominational perspective, or from a local church perspective as budget committees are being set up. And we can ask it from a personal perspective, whether we might be letting commerce take over time that should be used for the community and people of God. Do we allow shopping and banking to occupy space in our lives that ought to be devoted to worship? Both of these are worth thinking about.
From Dan Rogers,
Superintendent of
U.S. Ministers
PASADENA—Our goal in this series of articles on church administration is to acquaint leaders and members with the principles and systems of church governance set forth in the new Church Administration Manual.
Last month we discussed shared leadership lived out through various leadership teams in our congregations. This month John Stonecypher writes about consensus- building, an essential skill for implementing shared leadership. John pastors the congregations in Des Moines and Mason City, Iowa.
My prayer is that these articles will help equip our members and leadership teams for their work in advancing our mission to make disciples who make disciples, all for the glory of God.
Shared leadership is lived out through the skillful use of collaborative decision-making processes that achieve consensus among the members of a leadership team. Consensus is achieved when all team members agree to support a particular decision. Though each team member may not see the decision as best, they agree to fully support its implementation.
Collaborative, consensus-building decision-making processes
* invite the lead of the Holy Spirit.
* are driven by the shared vision and values of the team.
* hear and consider the viewpoints of all those involved in the decision.
* result in a final decision that all leaders are willing to carry forward.
The consensus-building process
Consensus is built by leading a team through an orderly series of smaller agreements. For the process to work, it is essential that the whole team move from one phase to the next together. For example, it is necessary to define the problem and analyze it before anyone starts discussing solutions. It is the facilitator’s responsibility to guide the order of the discussion process.
Below is a basic consensus-building process adapted from David Straus’ book, Making Collaboration Work: Powerful Ways to Build Consensus, Solve Problems, and Make Decisions.
Phase 1: “What is the problem?” The best way to sabotage problem-solving is to proceed without agreeing on what the problem actually is. One team member may think the problem is “how to get rid of the worship leader who selects too many slow songs,” while another may think the problem is “how to develop a worship service that connects with younger visitors.”
These two team members will be able to agree on the solution only if they first agree on the problem. Each team member must be given the opportunity to say, “This is the problem as I see it.” Everyone else listens without comment at this stage, though clarification questions may be asked.
Phase 2: “What are the causes of the problem?” To come to a common solution between conflicting parties, you must analyze the problem before suggesting and considering solutions. This enables the group to diagnose and treat the disease rather than the symptoms. Often, a group that disagrees on how to treat symptoms can agree on how to treat the disease.
A helpful exercise at this stage is to have the participants envision what it would be like if the problem did not exist, and if things were working like they should. This helps unearth the core desires of the participants, and it is common to find that those desires coincide on both sides of the conflict. Generally, the more time spent in this phase, the better the final solution will be.
Phase 3: “What are some possible solutions?” Now that the team has reached a shared vision of the future, it is time to be creative and brainstorm as many solutions as possible that might help the team move forward together into that future. Encourage participants to share any and all ideas, regardless of how silly or impractical they are.
The goal is generating a large list of alternatives, with the goal of finding possible solutions that achieve the team’s objective by incorporating the core concerns of each participant. At this stage, no evaluation or criticism of ideas is allowed.
Phase 4: “What makes some solutions better than others?” Once the group has exhausted its creativity, it is time to turn on the group’s logical brain and evaluate the various solutions that have been proposed. After the brainstorming, the participants will have a clearer idea of the criteria for what is a good solution and what is not.
Make a list of criteria that the group members feel a good solution should meet. After this list is made, it may be helpful to brainstorm a little more to imagine solutions that can meet all the criteria on the list.
Phase 5: “Which solution can we agree on?” Of all the various workable solutions, which one best accomplishes the team’s core purpose, while meeting as much as possible the root concerns of all the participants? Which alternative can all team members commit to implementing?
When a clear direction begins to emerge in the conversation, it is the facilitator’s job to propose a consensus statement and call for indications of agreement with the statement.
While all leadership teams should be committed to making all significant decisions through consensus-building processes, at times a consensus cannot be achieved. For this reason, it is necessary that the team have a predefined fallback method for making the final decision. In the WCG (as described in the Church Administration Manual) the fallback method is for the designated team leader to make the final decision.
By Charles Fleming
Mission developer
Latin America and Caribbean
ORLANDO, Florida—Following is a report from a visit I made to members in Argentina and Uruguay, in late January and early February.
I met with all four WCG congregations in those countries (three in Argentina and one in Uruguay). Members are doing well, and the growth among our leaders is striking.
Argentina
The Buenos Aires and Ezeiza churches met together in Ezeiza, and we ordained Julio Fernandez to be an elder supporting Carlos Espinosa with the Buenos Aires and Ezeiza congregations.
In Bahia Blanca, we appointed a leadership team of Israel Bravo, Osvaldo Chavez (brother of the late Luis Chavez) and Jose Fernandez. Mr. Espinosa will serve as consulting supervisor to them.
Members in Bahia Blanca lost their pastor of 30 years, Luis Chavez, who died in January, so during the sermon I invited the members to share any of their favorite anecdotes of their relationship with Luis.
I then presented to his widow, Lusby, a table ornament of Jesus washing the feet of one of his disciples as a gift from Pastor General Joseph Tkach, Randal Dick, superintendent of missions, and myself. I told Mrs. Chavez that the ornament represents our memory of Luis—a truly humble servant.
Uruguay
The church in Uruguay is going through a period of significant growth. They had 10 baptisms two weekends before I got there and have six more to do. A year ago Marcos Tonelli (one of the co-pastors) decided it would be better if the other co-pastor, Miguel Machado, should be the sole pastor and Marcos would dedicate himself to two things—the administration of the church and to being Miguel’s prayer support and accountability partner.
Marcos and his wife, Gabby, and Miguel and his wife, Teresita, decided they would have dinner together every Friday night and pray together. They have been doing this for several months.
Miguel and Teresita also attended three cell church conferences in Buenos Aires and began to network with cell-based churches. Three months ago they started their first cell group. They now have five cell groups that have led to the baptisms and to attendance beginning to increase.
I attended two of the cell group meetings while in Montevideo. Miguel is an approachable, gifted communicator. One cell group was at the home of Enrique, a businessman who clearly has leadership gifts. Miguel is training him to be a cell leader.
The other group was at a car wash, where we had 30 people in attendance. Esteban, the owner of the car wash, is a member of our church who is on fire for the Lord.
At present, Miguel and Teresita attend cell group meetings every night of the week. The goal is to do this for a few months until the present crop of leaders in training can take on increased responsibility.
Our services in Montevideo are on Sundays at 10 a.m. in a church owned by a pastor friend of Marcos and Miguel. They are not charged rent, but donate one week’s offerings to the other church. They want to get another place so they can move services to 8 p.m. on Sundays, the time preferred by many churches for services in that part of the world. The owner of the building has his services at 8, so that slot is not available.
Meet Your District SuperintendentDavid Fiedler, North Central district superintendent graduated from Wisconsin State University in Platteville in 1968 with a degree in civil engineering. Before coming to work for the WCG in 1970, he worked as a civil engineer. While employed for Grumman Aircraft, David worked on the lunar module that landed on the moon.
While attending Ambassador College in Pasadena, he worked in the college’s Engineering Department. He was hired into the ministry in 1973. After a few assignments as a ministerial trainee, he began his first pastorate in Liberal, Kansas. In 1977, the family was transferred to Wisconsin where, with the exception of seven years as pastor in Toledo and Findlay, Ohio, they have since resided.
David says he has been married to Linda, “the most wonderful woman in the world,” for more than 36 years. They have three sons living in Oregon, Florida and Wisconsin.
David sensed a call to ministry while at Ambassador and feels privileged to have served our Lord and his people ever since. He and Linda feel blessed to have thousands of friends across the country.
The transformation of our church has deepened David’s conviction that ministering for God was for him. “Now it is seasoned with much more grace and humility,” he said.
For David, being a district superintendent is challenging and satisfying. He has the opportunity to be a sounding board for pastors as well as conduct pastors meetings. His years as a pastor have helped David understand the sense of isolation pastors often experience.
Recognizing that many bivocational pastors have stepped up to the plate under stressful circumstances and with little experience, David is thankful for the chance to assist them in establishing their ministries.
Following is a list of churches in the North Central district with the pastor or pastoral team noted along with the individual’s spouse.
Beloit, Wisconsin: John L. and Darlene Bailey.
Bismarck, North Dakota: Ron and Nancy Getsman.
Bloomington and Mankato, Minnesota: Charles and Linda Holladay.
Brainerd and St. Cloud, Minnesota: Nevin and Jane Nolder.
Cadillac, Michigan: pastoral team: Brian Smith and Ray Griffee.
Chicago, Illinois, North and Kenosha, Wisconsin: Richard and Joyce Frankel.
Chicago Northwest, West & Joliet, Illinois: James and Karen Newby.
Chicago, Illinois, South-Southeast: Willard and Brenda High.
Davenport and Cedar Rapids, Iowa: John W. and Karen Bailey.
Deerfield, Wisconsin: Roger and Doris Walter.
Des Moines, Mason City and Albia, Iowa: John and Karen Stonecypher.
Detroit, Michigan, East: Ross and Jan Flynn.
Dickinson, North Dakota: Albert and Margaret Olheiser.
Duluth, Minnesota: Gordon and Bonnie Lindquist.
Eau Claire, Wisconsin: Roger and June Galstad.
Elkhart and Michigan City, Indiana: Mike and Lori Houghton.
Fargo, North Dakota: Richard and Irma Siedschlag.
Fox Valley, Wisconsin: Becky Abney, Steve Cole and Mitch Ulman.
Freeland and Flint, Michigan: Briscoe and Donna Ellett.
Grand Forks, North Dakota: This is now a small group church linked with Fargo, North Dakota.
Grand Rapids, Minnesota: Carrol and Carol Miller.
Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Fort Wayne, Indiana: Roger and Donna Abels.
Kankakee, Illinois: Archie and Joyce Hill.
Livonia, Michigan: Ron and Carolyn Washington.
Macomb, Illinois: Mark and Josie Bannier.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Greg and Tammy Neller.
Minot, North Dakota: Surgay and Janice Kalamaha.
Muskegon and Grandville, Michigan: Sam and Denice Butler.
Peoria, Illinois: Cliff and Cheryl Parks.
Port Huron, Michigan: Jimmie and Kim Meade.
Rapid City, South Dakota: Larry and Cleo Martin.
Rochester, Minnesota, and Baraboo and LaCrosse, Wisconsin: Gary and Marcia Demarest.
Spring Valley, Minnesota: Troy and Novella Meisner.
Springfield, Illinois: Roy Spencer.
St. Paul and Champlin, Minnesota: Doug and Betty Johannsen.
Watertown and Sioux Falls, South Dakota: George and Jackie Affeldt.
Wausau, Wisconsin: Jim Hainz, Lynne Pahl and Gerald and Joyce Wendt.
West Bend, Wisconsin: George and Jill Isken.
Curtis May: Southwest districtCurtis May was born in Greensboro, Alabama. After graduating from high school, he moved to Brooklyn, New York. There, Curtis studied accounting at the Brooklyn Adult Vocational School. He attended Ambassador College in Pasadena in 1971-72 and in 1979. He also studied at Pasadena City College.
Curtis has worked for the WCG for 33 years. He has served churches in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, Maryland; Norfolk, Virginia; Los Angeles and Pasadena, California. Curtis is a member of the WCG board of directors. He also serves on the board of directors of African Enterprise: A Global Partnership Reaching Africa for Christ.
In 1996, Curtis was appointed director of the Office of Reconciliation Ministries (ORM). He believes that reconciliation ministry is important in order to build unity and harmony within the church to have an effective impact on the unchurched.
He has traveled to cities throughout the United States, South Africa, England and Northern Ireland helping to organize and conduct racial reconciliation workshops. He has received training at the Center for the Healing of Racism in Houston, Texas, and is a member of the center. He is also a member of the International Reconciliation Coalition and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
As district superintendent, Curtis helps pastors and congregations focus on how to reach the lost for Christ by learning how to develop mature believers who are equipped to serve and reach the unchurched. He believes in the importance of identifying and mentoring young emerging leaders.
Curtis’ wife, Jannice, is the founder and president of Connecting and Bonding Inc., an organization that serves ministers’ wives. The Mays have been married for 37 years and have two children, Angela Clark, a certified public accountant, and Brad, a police officer in the city of Pasadena. Both are married.
The Southwest district includes the following pastors and churches:
Altadena Community Life Fellowship and Desert Oasis, California: Eric and Pat Shaw.
Bakersfield, California: Kurt and Michelle Rigby.
Central Coast, California: Don and Anne Cline.
Corona, California: Buddy and Sherlynn Suitor.
Craig, Colorado: Carter and Johanna Chadwick.
Fresno and Visalia, California: Joe and Susie McNair.
Glendora, California: Neil and Susan Earle.
Grand Junction, Colorado: Harry Parker; and Dave and Donna Eddy.
Green River, Wyoming: Wayne and Barbara Fisher.
Hesperia, California: Tim and Leslie Disney.
Honolulu, Hawaii: Gary and Risa Crowell.
Las Vegas, Nevada, and Kingman, Arizona: Tom Melear.
Long Beach and Orange County, California: Richard and Sally Parker.
Moreno Valley, San Bernardino and Beaumont, California: Tom and Alberta Ecker.
Pasadena NewLife Fellowship and Los Angeles, California: Bermie and Carmelita Dizon.
Pasadena Spanish: Raul and Sylvia Ramos.
Pasadena New Hope Fellowship: Dennis and Lorraine Pelley.
Phoenix and Cottonwood, Arizona: Phillip and Lil Rice.
Salt Lake City and Layton, Utah: Ron and Gail Stoddart.
San Diego Cornerstone Community, Imperial Valley and San Diego North County, California: Mark and Ann Stapleton.
Tucson, Arizona: Zita Mickens, James McLain, Ted Millhuff and Paul Pronze.
West Valley and Ventura, California: Rand and Beth Holm.
Window on the WorldFrom Randal Dick,
Superintendent of Missions
I want to share excerpts from an article published in the July-August 2003 edition of Mission Frontiers, the magazine of the U.S. Center for World Mission. This article is by Rick Wood, communications director for World Inquiry.
Rick gives fascinating information about a process that has been under way since 2001, and in fact is just reaching its conclusions.
By Rick Wood
For several years from the late 1980s to the end of the year 2000, thousands of faithful believers spared no effort in attempting to reach the goal of “A Church for Every People and the Gospel for Every Person.”
This vision was the driving force behind the AD2000 Movement. As a result of this movement, hundreds of people groups were reached for the first time and every unreached people group over 10,000 in population was selected by mission agencies for outreach. Tremendous progress was achieved.
But then the year 2000 came to a close, the AD2000 office closed its doors and everyone began asking the same questions. “Now what?” “Where do we go from here?” “What should our goals for the future be?” The mission movement seemed to be adrift with no clear direction and goals.
Luis Bush, director of the AD2000 Movement, took note of this and launched the Evangelizing Our World Inquiry or The World Inquiry, for short, in 2001. A survey was developed with six basic questions.
* What are the major external challenges facing the church regarding evangelization in your city or country?
* What are the major obstacles to world evangelization internal to the church?
* What do you believe God is calling His people to do in world evangelization over the next 25 years?
* What would be a suitable phrase (watchword) to capture the essence of world evangelization to serve as a unifying paradigm for the next 25 years?
* How important are the following for Global Evangelical Structures to provide to local believers to enhance world evangelization efforts?
* You made a decision to trust (place your faith in) Jesus Christ as your Savior because of?
Each question has several possible choices provided, from which each participant can choose or add his own.
The goal of the World Inquiry is to get Christian leaders together in hundreds of cities around the world and to listen to what God is saying through the leaders of his church. Thus far over 5,000 Christian leaders in 600 cities in 66 countries have participated. A remarkable accomplishment in just a year and a half.
But what does this mean to you and to the church as a whole? What difference is the World Inquiry making and where is it headed? And how can you be involved? Let’s examine these questions.
From the very first World Inquiry meeting of Christian leaders in September 2001, something remarkable became evident. The very process of leaders gathering together to wrestle with specific external and internal challenges to the church and the future of world evangelization has had a tremendous catalytic effect.
The World Inquiry is not just a means to gather information, it is a process by which the dreams and visions in the hearts of God’s people have taken on flesh and bone and begun to walk.
Even after the survey forms have been completed, leaders often-times have remained for hours to continue the process of discussion, dreaming and planning. So far 42 major new initiatives have been birthed in China, India, Africa, Mongolia and various other regional and religious spheres out of the World Inquiry process. See the full list at www.missionfrontiers.org.
The leaders participating in the World Inquiry events were often so excited by the process itself that they took it upon themselves to organize World Inquiry events in the major cities of their country or region.
The fact that the World Inquiry has had events in over 500 cities in 66 countries is not a result of great organizational expertise and effort. It is simply the result of people catching the vision for the process itself and volunteering their time and resources to host these events. Essentially the World Inquiry process has flourished because of the volunteered efforts of hundreds of people in various avenues of ministry.
The World Inquiry has come to an end. The findings are beginning to be analyzed into a road map for the coming decade of Great Commission work by the church.
From Charles and Carmen FlemingORLANDO, Florida—Jesus promised that those who received the Holy Spirit would be transformed, not only in what they do, but in who they become.
They would be his witnesses. As we observe what the Spirit is doing in our churches in the Caribbean, we see that they are on a trajectory reminiscent of Jesus’ words in Acts 1:8, where he said: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Among many of our members is a new sense that we live to share—and share sacrificially—the love and knowledge of Christ with others.
In preparing this report we asked our leaders to pay attention to the ways in which God is leading us to have more concern for people outside our church (non-Christians, backslidden Christians and needy people in the society around us). I hope you enjoy their reports.
Antigua
The Antigua congregation is a small group church that meets twice monthly on Sundays. The congregation consists of nine baptized adults and five children. On those Sundays when we have no scheduled meetings, some members worship with other denominations.
In many, sometimes small ways, our members have been on missions. Our eldest member has assisted the Girls’ Guides in her community for a number of years.
Two men are involved in relational evangelism. One of them visits elderly members of his community. He devotes time in intercessory prayer for them.
For the past two and a half years, even as the WCG is my home church, my family has also been worshiping at a Baptist church. During the past year, they acquired a building adjacent to their church to use to reach out to the community and share the gospel. As an architectural draftsman I volunteered to provide architectural drawings for an extension to the building.
My wife, Connie, was able to arrange the procurement of furniture. This center is used for various classes and also has a bookstore in which religious literature is sold. Frederick Ferris.
Guyana
Our locally produced Bible studies by Aubrey Williams have added eight new subscribers to the distribution list.
April saw the launch of a youth publication titled Youth Focus 2004. This publication educates young people with respect to renewing spiritual values and to be empowered to cope with moral and spiritual issues in society today.
The women’s ministry put a program of activities for 2004 into action. Besides meeting every month, they planned a two-day retreat in July, visits to elderly and children’s homes, a regular one-day monthly fast, leading in praise and worship services once a month and supervising youth activities.
On May 3 the women visited a senior citizens home and conducted praise and worship, explained Psalm 27 and shared a meal with residents. Goraiah Papayya.
Bahamas
Our congregation hosts community Crime Watch and Homeowners Association meetings monthly, which has attracted up to 60 neighbors. At one meeting, I handed out a survey asking neighbors what they felt the church could do to help people in the area. Many said we can get into the community and meet people and visit them in their homes; that we ought to be seen and not just heard.
Shortly thereafter, we began our community walk-about as part of our get-to-know-your-neighbor campaign. We let our neighbors know that God has placed us here to serve, and that we want to get to know them; that we offer two services weekly to help meet their spiritual needs. We invited those who do not have a church home to worship with us. A good number invited us into their homes and were excited to see that someone cares.
Several months ago, we also began conducting a weekly service outside in the parking lot. This has attracted several young men who come and play basketball.
Our soup kitchen feeds about 75 to 100 people weekly. In Freeport, we assist with the Meals on Wheels program. Robert W. T. McKinney.
Dominica
Over the past year, we have visited a prison, hospitals and a home for the aged, where we share Christ with residents and pray with them. We respond to people in distress. We gave a cash donation to a family left homeless by fire. One of our members provides daily transportation and helps fill other needs for a single parent with three young children.
Our midweek Bible study and prayer meetings are more open to the public. Cris Vidal.
Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago
Through the Emmaus Walk, God is deepening our appreciation of his grace, and the Holy Spirit transcends denominational distinctiveness. Walks are 72-hour weekend discipleship ministries for building more vibrant disciples of Christ. In Barbados we conducted five walks in the last two years involving Christians from several denominations. We conducted 11 walks in Trinidad.
We maintain a friendship with Campus Crusade for Christ through which God is strengthening some of our young believers as active Christians with hearts for evangelism and also building our marriages.
Patricia Scott reports: “At the beginning of the year, the youths were invited to attend the Leadership Training Institute (LTI), Campus Crusade’s annual camp. The theme of the camp was “Becoming Onesimus Serving at Home and Abroad.” We studied the book of Philemon, the life of Onesimus and applied them to our lives. We looked at ways we could be useful in our home, school, work, community and worldwide. We also discussed things that have us in bondage and how we can break the bonds and serve God freely.”
Wayne Rajaram reports on the marriage ministry involvement with Campus Crusade for Christ: “In January, a four-week Family Life Home Builders Couple Series was conducted at Arima, Trinidad, in which eight couples participated. The theme was “Keeping Your Covenant.”
Eighteen of our leaders have attended area seminars conducted by the Haggai Institute for Leadership Development, and two have attended in Hawaii and Singapore.
We have also begun assisting our Methodist brothers by preaching the word in several of their congregations in central and southern Trinidad. Our job there is to assist the resident pastor.
God is showing us that the harvest indeed is great but the laborers are few. We have a great need for faithful leaders who have abandoned themselves to Christ to build disciples who also abandon themselves to Christ.
Bermuda
This past year has been one of prayer and consolidation for the congregation. We have settled into a beautiful new building, which God as provided, and we have begun to use the facility for outreach and evangelism.
As our motto this year is “God Is Working,” our sermon themes have covered a variety of topics outlining the ways in which God wants us to reach out to join him in his work.
Prayers are offered for the unsaved each week during our intercessory prayer time.
The last Sunday of each month is Community Sunday, where members of the public are specifically invited, along with friends and relatives of church members.
We are eagerly anticipating how God will use us to expand his kingdom work here on the island. Senior Pulley.
Haiti
Our church in Haiti continues to lose members, yet it is enjoying its greatest period of ministry ever. We have an average attendance of 12, but God uses this small group in a truly impressive manner. The church sponsors a school for 240 students. It provides a quality education that includes Bible instruction and Christian living principles. The contact with the children’s parents is used to share the gospel with them, and some of them show some interest.
Our school is providing hope and a priceless opportunity to a group of children who are growing up in one of the most difficult countries to live in. They receive love, care and attention along with training that can give them a chance of doing more than just survive in the grinding poverty that is the lot of so many on the island. And that education includes an explanation of the good news that Jesus brought. Charles Fleming.
French West Indies
Here in the French Islands we began cooperation with other denominations a few years ago. It was not easy, but with the help of God, we have a few results.
We are involved in a cooperative venture with Child Evangelism Fellowship, through which some members were trained in how to proclaim the gospel to children. One of them, Roselyne Klock, a deaconess, is equipped as a trainer of trainers. Some parents are coming back to church because their children have been involved in this program.
Roselyne is to lead a team from Guadeloupe to train members in Martinique. We plan to do the same in Haiti next year for children at the church-sponsored school.
Another area of cooperation with other Christian denominations is in Martinique where my wife, Betty, and I were invited by some evangelical churches to lead seminars on family matters. Some of the women who have attended these sessions also attended a women’s retreat organized by our fellowship in Basse Pointe in May.
Another area of cooperation in Martinique is worship. Each month, we invite different vocal groups from the Christian community to share with us.
Charity is also another area of involvement of the French West Indies congregations. We join with choirs from different denominations singing together to collect money to help people in need. Each year, the Martinique congregation contributes to a food bank for the needy.
We still have a lot to do, and we make this a priority in our prayers, to know the plans the Lord has for the people of our islands. Jack Brunet.
St. Lucia
One Sunday each month, members run a lunch program at St. Lucy’s Home for the Poor in Castries.
Suriname
Members in Suriname take part in individual social projects such as buying medicine for the needy and paying for a hydro system for an orphanage.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
The women’s ministry has an outreach program for the aged and disabled.
Members take part in a support program for abandoned children conducted by St. Benedict’s home.
Jamaica
Members in Jamaica participate in a food distribution program for the poor, and host funeral services for the general public.
Women's ministry active
in Snellville, Georgia
SNELLVILLE, Georgia—The women’s ministry in Snellville has about 20 members actively involved in outreach programs.
We have a visitation program at Grady Hospital. We have adopted ward 6A and visit there about every two months to see the patients and distribute magazines, puzzles and treats depending on what holiday is pending. Our goal is to uplift the patients and encourage the staff so that a spirit of cooperation is evident. We bring homemade goodies and fruit to lift the spirits of the staff so they can better care for the needs of their patients.
A visitor asked for some religious material, so we gave her one of our magazines. When she asked the cost, we said, “compliments of the Worldwide Church of God, Christian Family Fellowship of Snellville.” We also have labels to identify us.
Our group also works with Grace United Methodist Church of Atlanta to feed women from a shelter for battered women and children. We do this on a quarterly basis, and we also distribute clothing, personal items, school supplies, tissue and whatever we collect from the members.
God has opened the opportunities to take part in the Great Commission to make disciples. What better way to witness for Jesus than to show his love working in us through service? Carolyn Calhoun.
By Jim Valekis
Camp director
BELLFONTAINE, Ohio—By the grace of God, what began as one camp in the Northeast district of the WCG has grown into two—a senior camp and junior camp. A combined total of 190 young people and 60 staff were served in the process, and the reviews from many of them is that this was by far the most profound spiritual camp experience they’d ever experienced.
 Terreil Hall (left) and Tom Smith. [Photo by Donna Louis] |
After a slow start in registration, the senior camp (June 20 to 25) finished strong with 101 youths attending as campers and a staff of 40, including one visiting pastor who brought his young people to camp and stayed as an observing guest for the entire week.
The junior camp (June 13 to 18) topped out at 89 campers and 22 staffers (see report on page 17 from Tom Smith, executive director).
By far, the greatest part of the senior camp experience was the spiritual experience, with lives being transformed and commitment to Christ and ministry and discipleship being greatly deepened.
The camp chapel theme, “Get Real! With Jesus Christ,” was echoed in many ways
 JUNIOR CAMPERS—From left: Kaley Floriana, LeeAnna Gill, Elizabeth Roberts, Tiffany Jones and Amy Lemaster. [Photo by John Louis] |
throughout the week, including five chapel messages, two Christian living seminars (one on facing temptations and one on the Apostles’ Creed) and various worship events throughout the camp week.
Youths attending the camp included 11 from the Bahamas and several nonchurched kids, many of whom knew little about God.
Robin Dunn, mother of Andrea Dunn, began attending one of our congregations primarily because of the positive changes WCG camp ministry brought about in her daughter. She reported at church in Tipp City, Ohio: “I didn’t even recognize my daughter when I came to pick her up. She looked happy for the first time in a long time, and even family back home noted a difference.”
JUNIOR CAMPERS—[Photo
by John Louis]
The daughter brought tears to her mother’s eyes as she stood up at church and reported: “Before I went to camp I didn’t even know whether I believed in God. Last Tuesday, I accepted Jesus Christ.”
Virtually the same was said by a John Bettis from Tipp City. That church had a
 Autumn Richie |
spaghetti supper as a camp fund-raiser, and he was presented with one of two free weeks at the camps. He plans on attending church every week, and has connected with the congregation through the camp’s youth workers who attended with him. His pastor sees this as an opening wedge for being able to expand into community ministry in his area.
The campers had plenty of time for play as well, with water balloon battles, mud-pit fights, zip lines, water polo and rope challenge courses.
 TUG OF WAR IN MUD PIT |
One of the most enjoyable times for the youths, though, ended up being the worship time in the evening that culminated with virtually every camper praying individually, one by one, at the wooden cross overlooking the lake under a starlit night.
Another powerful evening was the open discussion camp-fire sessions directed by Mike Greider, camp chaplain, for the guys, and Becky Valekis and Julie Frantz for the girls, giving the campers an opportunity to pray and discuss challenges with temptation issues facing teens today.
One enthusiastic camper wrote the camp office with this report about his first
 GIRLS DORM 1G |
weekend back at church: “My group got home safely, and we’ve still got our fire going. It came as a natural reaction to pray over my mom when I noticed she was sick.
“We went to church today and a lot of people were turned on by our liveliness. Our youth pastor had been at a loss because he thought he was failing, and then to see us with such a renewed zeal brought him to tears. He was so happy to see us really getting into God.
“We were given as much time as we needed to talk about our experiences at camp and what they meant to us. God did so much for us.
 CHAPEL DEBRIEF—Photos on this page by Julie Frantz and Tina Frantz. |
“I really want to get involved in my church now! I’ve started a church drama team. I’ve already had a couple people ask to sign up for whatever they can be helpful with. It’s so cool to be a light to others.”
Work of the Holy Spirit
 From left: Shannon Hampton, Nichole Richie and Holly Dunn. |
One staff member put the experience this way: “Youth ministry is by nature exhausting, frustrating and sometimes incredibly messy.” And this week was no exception. But to stand back and see what the Holy Spirit did at this camp made every sacrifice infinitely worth it.
Junior camp
Tom Smith reported that 22 staff hosted 89 seven- to 13-year-olds at the SEP Ohio Junior Camp. Staff and campers came from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and West Virginia. This was an 80 percent increase over last year’s camp.
We enjoyed serving 13 Angel Tree children (one or both parents are in prison). For our curriculum, we used Lava Lava Island, Where Jesus’ Love Flows from Group Publishing. The children learned how Jesus brings hope, followed God’s Word, fights temptation, gives us courage, saves us and gives us a reason to celebrate. They also made crafts and treats each day.
The campers had lots of fun swimming, fishing, boating, blobbing, mountain-boarding and playing various games.
Twenty-three asked to counsel for baptism when they returned home. Their pastors and parents were notified.
By Ted Johnston
Co-director,
National youth
ministry development team
In this column, Jeb Egbert and I have been presenting principles and strategies concerning the development of ministry to children, teens and young adults.
This “GC2” (Great Commandment-Great Commission) ministry, which is represented in our logo, flows out of our encounter with Jesus, where we embrace his love (represented by the heart in the logo) and share in his ministry to make disciples who make disciples (represented by the cross in the logo).
With this article we conclude our series of articles exploring the foundations of a disciplemaking youth ministry that is conducive to making and developing young disciplemaking followers of Jesus.
 Conduct regular ministry team meetings that emphasize the foundations of disciplemaking. |
The powerful principle that underlies the foundations is that the Holy Spirit makes disciples of Jesus. Our job is to cooperate (co-minister) with him. One of the most important ways we do so is by providing a healthy environment for the Spirit to do his disciplemaking work. In this series, we’ve defined six essential characteristics (foundations) of disciplemaking environments:
An atmosphere of love (where we reflect God’s love to all participants)
The adoration of Christ (where Jesus is clearly presented and worshiped)
Prayerful dependence (where participants are being connected to and formed by the Spirit through the spiritual disciplines)
Communication of the Word (where the gospel is clearly and persistently proclaimed through the teaching of Scripture)
A biblical group image (with a clear sense of disciplemaking purpose leading to a community of hope and expectancy)
Commitment to contact (where participants are heeding the Spirit’s call to reach out to one another and to non-believers)
Just do it!
Perhaps you’re saying to yourself, “Good stuff, Ted!” (Thank you.) But let me ask, what will you do about it? May I encourage you to go and live it? “But how?” you may reply. (Glad you asked.) The key is to seek God’s help to be passionate, intentional and persistent.
Let me share with you an important tip: conduct regular ministry team meetings that emphasize these foundations of disciplemaking.
Meetings easily get bogged down in
the stuff of ministry: who will pick up the kids
for the outing, who will bring
food, who will provide worship music and teach the lesson (and this is important
by the way!).
But your meetings should also provide time for what is even more important: developing a disciplemaking ministry team. Here is a suggested format:
Worship. Begin by practicing the adoration of Christ, prayerful dependence and communication of the Word through a time of group worship. Our ministry is useless (or worse) unless we are connected to God. In worship through song, prayer and Scripture, we are building the ministry team’s foundations.
Examine the foundations. Evaluate the foundations of your ministry. You might address one of the six foundations at each meeting. For example, at one meeting the team leader might ask, “How are we doing in maintaining an atmosphere of love in our ministry to children?”
Then each team member would report
and participate in a general discussion concerning this foundation. As you do
this, you’ll be focusing together on what really counts.
Look for strategic balance. Continue the self-evaluation by discussing how the ministry is doing in achieving a balanced disciplemaking strategy (see this column in the May through August 2003 WN issues).
The disciplemaking strategy has four essential and interrelated parts: 1) winning the lost, 2) building believers, 3) equipping workers and 4) multiplying leaders. In your team meetings ask how you’re doing in growing toward a balance of all four.
It’s common to put all the ministry
eggs into one basket—usually the basket
involving the building of believers. But
that won’t do if you’re seeking balance. So ask what the team is doing to reach
out to unchurched kids (to win the lost), and to recruit and provide training
for the youth ministry workers (equip workers) and to recruit and train youth
ministry leaders (multiply leaders).
By regularly (and persistently) emphasizing strategic balance, you’ll reap positive change as more and more of your team members catch the vision for being a balanced disciplemaking youth ministry.
Make assignments.
Eventually you have to get to the work tasks that are vital to conducting the
business of the ministry. But beware of getting bogged down in what is urgent
rather than focusing on what is essential. Make plans and assign work tasks that
strengthen the foundations and promote strategic balance.
Here’s an example of what this means: you have to do more than talk about winning lost kids to Christ, you have to assign programs and people to do something about it. So set goals and make work assignments that relate directly to the foundations and to the four aspects of the strategy. As you do, you’ll see more and more disciplemaking ministry occurring.
And have fun!
A final word of both caution and encouragement: Don’t get so serious about disciplemaking that you wring the joy out of it. Being a disciplemaking youth ministry leader or worker is about being with Jesus as he lives out his passionate love for young people. He reaches out to them with love and joy. It’s a blast to hang out with Jesus as he ministers to kids. So be with him; serve with him—and have fun while you’re at it!
Yes, it’s often hard work with many difficult obstacles. Sometimes it’s discouraging and distressing. What teen ministry worker has not shed many tears over a teen member gone astray? What children’s ministry worker has not been frustrated by lack of parental support? We experience sorrow and frustration in the journey with Jesus—but also great joy.
Thanks so much for your generous and sacrificial ministry to and through our kids. I deeply admire, respect and love you, and Jeb and I hope this series of articles on the ministry foundations has helped equip you for your ministry.
By Michael Morrison
When Paul wrote Romans, Nero was the emperor. In his early years, Nero was a good ruler, but he turned evil, and tradition says that Paul was executed under his reign.
In Romans 12, Paul wrote that we should be living sacrifices, transformed in our minds so that we please God and do his will. Paul described the attitudes that should characterize believers: humility, service, love and peace. In chapter 13, Paul gets specific about how a Christian should respond to civil authorities.
Submission to civil government
Paul writes, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established” (13:1, TNIV throughout). Rulers have sometimes used this verse to tell their citizens to obey, but many citizens have rightly wondered if this is what Paul meant, because rulers sometimes tell people to sin. Paul himself once had authority that he used to persecute the church, so how can he say that all authority comes from God?
Remember the context—Paul has just written several verses about how we should respond to evil, and he concludes, “Overcome evil with good” (12:21). Although government authority is established by God, and is good in itself, it is sometimes used in an evil way. Christians should not fight against the government, repaying evil for evil, but are to respond with good behavior.
Paul is giving a general principle, not writing about specific rulers. We do not subject ourselves to specific people, or pay taxes to specific people—rather, we submit to the office, and when a new person is in office, we submit to the new person, not the old one. Once a person is out of office, we do not owe that person any allegiance or payments. The “authorities” that Paul writes about are roles, not specific people.
“Submit” does not always mean “obey,” but it usually does, and Christians should be willing to obey civil authority. If the government commands a sin, then we have to disobey (Acts 5:29)—but that does not mean that we can fight against the government on other issues. We do not conform to the world (12:2), but neither do we try to overthrow it.
When Paul wrote this, he was planning to visit Jerusalem, where there were many political tensions. Jewish Zealots were taking up weapons to fight against Rome. There were also political difficulties in Rome: Jews had been involved in so many disturbances that Claudius had forced them to leave (Acts 18:2). After Claudius died, many Jews returned, but the tensions were still there.
Paul knows that his advice will not be accepted automatically, so he supports it with theological principles: “The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted” (vv. 1-2).
If Caesar demands to be called “Lord and God” (as Domitian did a few decades after Paul wrote), Christians should refuse, even at risk of their lives. But there is a big difference between refusing to obey one law, and a rebellion that claims that Caesar should not rule. It is not wrong to resist specific injustices, but it is wrong to work against government itself. Those who rebel against a God-ordained authority “will bring judgment on themselves.” Civil government is temporary, but it has been established by God (Dan. 4:17; John 19:11). It is not our place to try to overthrow the government.
Paul is writing about a dictatorial government, not a democracy. In a democracy, all citizens are given a small amount of authority each time they vote, and it is not a sin for people to use that authority. They are not rebelling against the government even if they are voting for a new person to fill the office. Quite the contrary: they are supporting the government by participating in it.
Nero, servant of God
Then Paul explains how rebels might
be punished: “For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those
who do wrong” (v. 3). Empires are built on the blood of thousands of
innocent victims. Jesus himself was killed by the Roman government. But when
civil rulers are performing their God-ordained role, they are a threat to
evildoers, not to those who obey the laws.
Paul is giving a general principle, not addressing all the confusing situations that sin creates. He does not say what we should do in a civil war, or when the rulers are so corrupt that they terrorize good people and support criminals.
Paul asks, “Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended” (v. 3). If you are a law-abiding citizen, you should have no reason to fear the government. (However, governments sometimes go awry and persecute Christians. Revelation 13, using imagery from Daniel, depicts civil government as a terrifying “beast.”)
Paul then makes the astonishing statement: “For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good” (v. 4). When Paul wrote Romans, Nero was the emperor. In his early years, he was a good ruler. But he turned evil, and tradition says that Paul was executed under his reign. But Paul calls him the minister of God! The fact that rulers often sin, even serving Satan at times, does not change the fact that God designed those roles to be used for good.
“But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer” (v. 4). Civil rulers serve God by bearing the sword, Paul says. They have authority from God to execute rebels. Genesis 9:6 authorizes capital punishment for murder. God authorized even imperfect governments to administer the death penalty to punish and deter crime.
God has the authority to punish evil (12:19), and he delegates that authority to civil rulers. Personal vengeance is wrong, but civil rulers have the God-assigned responsibility to punish evil. When we report crime to the police, we are seeking the justice that God has designed. Since God wants civil justice, it is permissible for a Christian to serve on the police force, or as a judge, or on a jury, doing what God has declared good, punishing crime not for our own vengeance, but acting on behalf of the civil government that God has authorized.
Paul concludes, “Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience” (v. 5). We should obey civil laws not only because the civil government might punish us if we don’t, but also because God wants us to be law-abiding people (cf. 1 Peter 2:12-14).
Taxes, too
Paul then moves from general principles to the more specific matter of taxes: “This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing” (v. 6). Since civil rulers have a legitimate, God-ordained function, it is right for us to pay taxes to support this service. Rulers are never perfect, but they are still worthy of their wages, and God does not want us to rebel against that role.
Nero changed the tax system in A.D. 58 because of a widespread outcry against the greed of the tax collectors. Paul wrote shortly before that, when the resentment was growing. But a tax revolt would be bad for the Christian community. Paul did not want the believers to be associated with rebellion—especially when Christ himself had been executed for anti-government activity in Judea! Such a reputation would make it difficult for Paul to spread the gospel.
Just as Paul began this section with a comment about what “everyone” should do, he concludes with a command for everyone: “Give to everyone what you owe: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor” (v. 7). Taxes are a debt that should be paid, he implies. We should also pay customs duties, commissions, royalty fees and other obligations spelled out by law. We also have intangible obligations: to respect and honor government officials (Acts 23:5; 1 Peter 2:17)—not for their private lives, but for their God-ordained role of restraining evil.
Since we should respond to evil with good, blessing even those who persecute us (12:14-21), in most situations we should cooperate with civil authorities, since they have a God-ordained function in society. The basic Christian ethic is not to fight for our own benefit, but to do good to others.
Paul’s own experience with the government is an example of a balanced approach. When he was on trial for his life in Judea, he was respectful, but he did not passively submit to whatever the rulers wanted. Rather, he used his rights as a Roman citizen to prevent a flogging (Acts 22:25) and to prevent being sent back to Jerusalem (25:11).
The government gave citizens the right of appeal because they knew that their officials sometimes made wrong decisions, and when Paul used his rights, he was not submissive to the specific person in front of him, but he was submissive to the governmental system. In the same way, Christians today can use their rights as citizens to request changes in government policy, including changes in personnel. Voting is not a sign of disrespect, but is an opportunity to use some of the civil authority that God has authorized.
The law of love
After saying that we should pay whatever we owe, Paul shifts the subject back to love through a play on words: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another…” (13:8; 12:9-10). Love is the most basic Christian ethic. We will always need to love one another; it is an eternal obligation.
Why? Because “whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” The way this is written, the logic could imply that “the law” is the primary goal, and love is a stepping-stone toward that goal. But more accurately, love is the goal, and the law provides guidance about how we are to love. Paul then gives some examples of harmful behaviors we should avoid:
“The commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ ” (13:9; cf. Matt. 22:36). These commandments are not a complete guide to love—they specify a few things to avoid. Written commandments can never be a complete guide to love. Human situations are too diverse for rules to be written about all possibilities. However, the law guides us—it is impossible to love our neighbor while violating these commandments.
Paul is dealing with laws about how we interact with other people—he is not saying how we should show love to God. Most of the old covenant laws about worship are obsolete.
“Love does no harm to its neighbor,” Paul says—but love must go further than simply avoiding harm—it should actively seek to do good to the neighbor. Paul is summarizing the function of the commandments he quoted. He concludes, “Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (v. 10). If we love others, we have fulfilled the purpose of the law—and have gone further than what it requires. If we love our neighbor, we should pay our taxes. Even if the government is evil, we should respond to evil by doing good, not by taking matters into our own hands.
Clothed in Christ
“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy” (v. 13). The Roman Christians were probably not involved in debauchery, but judging from chapter 14, they probably were involved in dissension and jealousy. By grouping these vices together, Paul is implying that competitive attitudes within the congregation are just as inappropriate as debauchery. The church is to be a community of brothers and sisters, not a place where one person vies against another.
Paul then gives the alternative: “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (v. 14). Drunkenness and immorality come from the sinful nature; so do jealousy and dissension. Neither are appropriate for people who give their allegiance to Jesus Christ. When we clothe ourselves with him, imitating him, cooperation and mutual esteem will replace selfishness.
Questions for application
Pontius Pilate ordered the death of an innocent man. Would Paul have given Pilate as much respect as he gave Festus and Felix? When might Paul refuse to obey?
A government has the right to execute criminals. However, does it have a right to use lethal force to pursue criminals who are being protected by another nation?
What might Paul say about the American War of Independence, which began as a protest against taxation?
How does the law of love (v. 10) apply to our relationship with God? What does it command, and what does it prohibit?
When we are saved by grace, why is important that we “behave decently”? (v. 13)
APPLETON, Wisconsin—“Share the Hope” was the focus of a women’s interdenominational retreat sponsored by the Fox Valley Women’s Ministry April 23 to 25.
The sixth annual retreat took place at the Wisconsin Lions Camp Retreat and Conference Center in Rosholt, Wisconsin.
Friday evening, April 23, began with praise and worship celebrated by 37 women. Fellowship followed the service where each attendee was asked to interview someone they didn’t know and then introduce that person to the rest of the group.
Each day was filled with praise and worship through singing, skits, dance, offerings and prayer.
First Peter 3:15 was the theme scripture, which challenges us to “always be ready with an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
The first speaker Saturday morning was Doris Steinberg, co-founder and executive vice president of Sonshine Ministries, based in Menasha, Wisconsin. Doris shared a way to reach out to others in the community by sponsoring Christmas Gatherings and presented a demonstration for the group.
Our second speaker was Cindie Haese, who has spoken to numerous women’s groups and college ministries. Cindie shared her spiritual journey and how God intervened in her life and family in so many ways that she is recording these divine encounters so future generations may know and believe.
“I have been touched to the very core of my being with the hearts of the women I met this weekend,” Cindie said. “Their faith and courage and their pursuit of God has awed and humbled me deeply.”
Sunday morning’s speaker was Becky Abney, who serves the Fox Valley congregation as a member of the pastoral team and is a senior training instructor at Point Beach Nuclear Plant in Two Rivers. The focus of her message was “Becoming a Contagious Christian.” Becky shared many ways that we can reach out to those around us and share the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As Vivian Malcomson of Rochester, Minnesota, said, “Becky really helped us all feel as one body.”
The retreat concluded with a communion service—remembering the sacrifice of our Savior who has brought us all together. Tricia Cole.
FOX VALLEY WOMEN'S RETREAT
A Lesson About Damnation
And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”
So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: “... all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.”
He said this because they were saying, “He has an evil spirit.”
"I think I might have committed the unpardonable sin!”
The young man’s voice on the other end of the phone was frantic. I tried to rub the sleep out of my eyes and sat up in bed.
“Why do you say that?” I asked.
“I did it again,” he moaned. “And after I had repented so deeply. I don’t think I’ll ever overcome. I think I’m lost. I feel horrible dread.”
It wasn’t the first time we’d had this conversation. This man’s persistent struggle with sin had led him to believe that he was under God’s curse. If his repentance had truly been sincere, he reasoned, then he would not ever repeat the sin. Therefore, his repentance must not have been sincere, and since he had repented with all his heart, he decided he must not be capable of true repentance.
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Another man approached me after a church service one day.
“Dr. Feazell,” he whispered. “I don’t know what to do. I think I’ve committed the unpardonable sin.”
“Let’s talk about that,” I said. “What did you do?”
He looked at the ground. “I cursed the Holy Spirit.”
“How did you do that?” I asked.
“I said, ‘Cursed be the Holy Spirit.’ ”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I was reading the verse where Jesus said that anyone who blasphemed the Holy Spirit would never be forgiven, and I just felt this crazy compulsion to do it. Now I’m scared to death.”
I have heard many strange explanations of the unpardonable sin over the years. I have spoken to many people who fear that they might have committed it. But let us understand something—for those who trust in Jesus, no sin is unpardonable.
When Jesus said, “Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin,” he was describing a specific attitude and state of mind that by nature is not true and can never be true of those who trust in him.
Mark explains, “He said this because they were saying, ‘He has an evil spirit.’ ” The teachers of the law had deliberately refused to acknowledge that the works of kindness and mercy that Jesus was displaying among the people were from God. Because of their own jealousy, they had rejected the plain witness of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was sent from God and was doing the works of God. They willingly blinded their eyes to God’s own testimony through the Spirit that Jesus had come in his name to bind Satan, destroy his evil works and forgive sins.
God sent the Spirit into the world to bear witness to Jesus Christ, the only name under heaven by which humans can be forgiven and saved. To reject that witness, to despise what God has done to bring about forgiveness of sins, is to reject the forgiveness itself. How can a person be forgiven who refuses to accept forgiveness? How can a person’s sins be forgiven if the person rejects the Forgiver of sins?
Are you worried that you might have committed the unpardonable sin? The very fact that you are worried about it is proof positive that you have not committed it. The unpardonable sin is unpardonable only because it is the sin of refusing to come to Jesus to be forgiven. It is the Holy Spirit who leads us to Jesus Christ. The blasphemy Jesus refers to in this passage is the rejection of the Spirit’s witness to him as the Son of God and Savior of the world.
So relax. Trust in Jesus, and rest secure in him. He forgives all sins of every kind, even repeated sins and compulsive sins. And he teaches us through the Holy Spirit, who is his witness, to renounce sin and to live uprightly in him. Remember this: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. For those who come to him, no sin is unpardonable.
For Reflection
What sin are you afraid God might not forgive you for? Have you talked to him about it?
By Terry Akers
PASADENA—Brennan Manning begins his remarkable book on celebrating God’s unconditional love for his creation revealed to us in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ and the church’s proclamation of the gospel of grace with the following words:
“The Ragamuffin Gospel was written with a specific reading audience in mind. This book is not for the super-spiritual. It is not for muscular Christians who have made John Wayne and not Jesus their hero. It is not for academicians who would imprison Jesus in the ivory tower of exegesis.
“It is not for noisy, feel-good folks who manipulate Christianity into a naked appeal to emotion. It is not for hooded mystics who want magic in their religion. It is not for Alleluia Christians who live only on the mountaintop and have never visited the valley of desolation.
“It is not for the fearless and tearless. It is not for red-hot zealots who boast with the rich young ruler of the gospels: ‘All these commandments I have kept from my youth.’ It is not for the complacent, hoisting over their shoulder a tote-bag of honors, diplomas and good works actually believing they have it made. It is not for legalists who would rather surrender control of their souls to rules than run the risk of living in union with Jesus….
“The Ragamuffin Gospel was written for the bedraggled, beat-up, and burnt-out. It is for the sorely burdened who are still shifting the heavy suitcase from one hand to the other. It is for the wobbly and weak-kneed who know they don’t have it altogether and are too proud to accept the handout of amazing grace.
“It is for inconsistent, unsteady disciples whose cheese is falling off their cracker. It is for poor, weak, sinful men and women with hereditary faults and limited talents. It is for earthen vessels who shuffle along on feet of clay. It is for the bent and the bruised who feel that their lives are a grave disappointment to God. It is for smart people who know they are stupid and honest disciples who admit they are scalawags.”
Manning identifies a serious problem that many Christians struggle with—accepting grace in theory while denying it in their daily lives. He shows how many have come to view God as “an eternal, small-minded bookkeeper, tallying our failures and successes on a score sheet.” The remedy for this enslaving misconception is also provided—simple honesty. God’s grace is freely accessible to us by merely saying yes to his yes for us in Jesus Christ.
When we really believe that the incarnation and atonement took care of everything for us that stood against us, the burdens are lifted, and we are free to worship God in an internal relationship and enjoy his loving grace in full assurance and peace.
Manning relates through The Ragamuffin Gospel how difficult it is for humans to accept grace. It is not easy to wrap our minds around the fact that God loves us unconditionally. This book has been instrumental in liberating the minds of thousands from the unnecessary baggage imposed on them by the tyranny of legalism and performance-based thinking.
It is highly recommended for its clear presentation of Jesus’ simple message of grace, offering genuine encouragement, hope and healing to all ragamuffins and any others who struggle with their real or imagined inadequacies.
By Dexter H. Faulkner
Not everybody who grows old, grows up. There is a difference between age and maturity. Ideally the older we are, the more mature we should be; but all too often this is not the case.
What’s the result? Problems in personal lives, on our jobs, in our homes and with people. Many of these problems are caused by a lack of maturity in some area.
The book of James was written to help us understand and attain spiritual maturity. “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything!” (James 1:4). I like the way the Phillips translation puts it: “and you will find you have become men of mature character”—men and women of integrity with no weak spots.
As we read the epistle of James, we discover that these Christians were having problems in their personal lives and in their church fellowship. Members were competing for offices in the church, particularly teaching offices. Many weren’t living what they professed to believe.
Furthermore, the tongue was a serious problem, even to the point of creating divisions. Worldliness was another problem. Some were disobeying God’s Word and were physically ill because of it.
Were their problems much different from those that beset us today?
Is not worldliness—the desire to get more and give less—something we all face? It seems that James was dealing with up-to-date matters.
All these problems have a common cause: spiritual immaturity.
Look at the problems James dealt with: showing impatience in time of trouble (1:1-4); talking but not living God’s way (2:14); lacking control of the tongue (3:5); fighting and coveting (4:1); collecting material things (5:1).
Sound familiar?
Here are a few questions we can ask ourselves:
Am I becoming more patient in life’s little tests and larger trials?
Do I play with temptation or resist with God’s help from the start?
Do I find joy in God’s way, or do I merely hear and read about it?
Do I hold prejudices that Jesus doesn’t?
Do I control my tongue and my thoughts?
Am I a peacemaker or a troublemaker?
Am I close to God’s ways or am I a friend of the world?
Am I selfish when it comes to money? Am I unfaithful in paying my bills and taxes?
Do I always go to God in prayer when I find myself in trouble?
Do I criticize and gossip, or do I pray and put everything in God’s hands? Do I pray for my enemies?
We could all add to the list. Just because we have been Christians for five, 10 or 20 years does not guarantee that we are spiritually mature. We all have room for growth.
Christ gives us a mandate in Matthew 5:48: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” That is, grow toward godly maturity in mind and character.
Don’t just grow older—grow up!
By Charles Fleming
My wife, Carmen, and I returned from our April conference in Puerto Rico feeling more like we were at a victory celebration than a working conference.
After years of great struggle, pain and disillusionment, the Puerto Rico church has emerged as a renewed and transformed community of worshipers, with strong spiritual leaders who are ready to take full responsibility for their church.
The conference schedule included sessions of praise and worship led by Santos Torres; helpful presentations by Hector Barrero on finding and living out God’s vision for the congregation; a devotion on the life of Jacob by Paulina Barrero; and my sessions on how God brings about spiritual formation in leaders. We concluded with a communion service on Easter Sunday.
On Sunday morning, Hector, Paulina, Carmen and I confirmed the decision made some months ago by the leadership team to appoint Javier Concepcion as spiritual leader for the congregation. On behalf of the denomination, we commissioned Javier.
Javier and his wife, Ivy, are supported by a dedicated team, which includes Carlos and Ana Maria Garcia, Juan and Oly Gonzalez, Marta Cedeno and Santos and Miriam Torres. The congregation is also blessed with a small group of children who are involved in the life of the church.
Dallas couple participates
in
apartment ministry
DALLAS, Texas—Grace Family members Brian and Amy Tate gave a testimonial at the June 6 service about their ministry geared toward apartment dwellers.
The Tates are involved in Cares Ministry, a group that operates in more than 100 apartment complexes across the country.
Workers for the Cares Ministry typically include either a married couple or two single adults. The two adults obtain a free apartment in exchange for providing 80 hours per month of service to the apartment management. The ministry members partner with local churches.
The Tates cited the need for such a ministry because of a lack of a sense of community within apartments. “It’s the perfect place for a ministry because it’s so neglected,” Amy said. The couple cited statistics showing that only five percent of apartment dwellers are active in local churches, compared with 40 percent of people living in houses.
A main way the Tates conduct their ministry is to organize various social events at the apartment complex. Events have included children’s pool parties, computer and sign language classes, monthly birthday parties, a Christmas party and a pet parade. They host a monthly Saturday breakfast that has drawn up to 50 people.
Anyone interested in learning more about the organization may visit their web site at www.cares team.org. Frank Lewandowski.
Reaching out in Buford, Georgia
BUFORD, Georgia—Our new program, led by co-pastors David Whited and Terry Cohron, continues to grow in strength and numbers.
 David & Tina Whited |
On May 23 the church was blessed with four baptisms: Holly Hamilton, daughter of Lawrence Burke, siblings Jennifer and Michael Payne, daughter and son of Jan and Peggy Payne, and Zaira Piedra, daughter of Anastocia and Filliberta Piedra.
On March 20 Filliberta Piedra organized a festive Mexican social and called it Family Night Fiesta. Thirty members and guests were treated with authentic native Mexican food and music.
On May 6 the Buford church particpated in a combined service
 Terry & Susie Cohron |
conducted by the Buford Ministerial Association comprised of 14 churches.
On May 15 we conducted the first of four planned outdoor events. We called it the Church and Community Picnic, and we had a turnout of 61 people. On June 19 we had our second outdoor event, serving 32 people.
On June 27, Bill Rappe, a minister from the Assemblies of God Church in Buford, led the Buford Fellowship Church in a song service. Mr. Rappe substituted for songleader Sally Stratton. Whit Russell.
Ambassador’s Duckatorium
On June 6, Joseph Tkach, on
behalf
of employee chapel attendees, presented
Gary Leonard (right) and Milan
Zima (left)
with a certificate of excellence.
[Photo by Mickey McKenna]
PASADENA—Fourteen mallards are about
to begin their flight from the waters of Ambassador Auditorium. They are a male
and a female who have raised 12 ducklings in these waters, with the care of
church employees Gary Leonard and
Milan Zima.
On June 6, the employee chapel presented to Mr. Leonard and Mr. Zima certificates of excellence for their service. These certificates were prepared by Monte Wolverton.
Mr. Leonard made sure the waters remained high enough that the ducklings would not get sucked into the drains. Mr. Leonard and Mr. Zima put some boards under the Auditorium where the ducklings could retire at night above the waters and safe from their predators.
Mr. Leonard made sure the ducks were fed well enough so they would not wander off onto streets and be killed. Numerous visitors to the campus enjoy the sight of the family of ducks. John McKenna.
Bulgarian
magazine
launches Russian edition
BONN, Germany—The German church, in concert with Bulgarian pastor Nickolay Nicolov, has printed the first Russian edition of Swiata Istina (the sister magazine of our German Nachfolge), according to Santiago Lange, WCG national ministry leader in Germany, and Alois Mair, accountant in Germany.
Mr. Mair sent the following announcement: “The Russian edition of Swiata Istina was launched because we had many inquiries from Russians who live in Bulgaria. Until recently, Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, had one evangelical Russian congregation with 65 members. Most of the members were refugees from the former Soviet Union. The pastor was expelled.
“Now, Russians who live in the cities of Warna, Plovdiv, Sofia, Burgas and Pleven receive the magazine. These are people who do not belong to any specific denomination or church. We also send the magazine to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Perm Magadan (Ukraine) and Belarus.
“Our production team consists of four translators, who make translations into both Russian and Bulgarian, two people who are involved in the printing process, and 11 who fold, cut and mail the magazine, all of whom are volunteers.”
Patrick Fearon receives
homiletics award
 Patrick & Shabon Fearon |
GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan—Patrick Fearon, who pastored churches in the Bahamas with his wife, Sharon, and now attends Grand Rapids Theological Seminary of Cornerstone University in Michigan, received a 2004 Homiletics Award from Acton Institute.
Mr. Fearon placed second out of a field of 1,200 sermons sent in by students from at least 43 colleges, seminaries and universities. He received a cash award of $1,000.
The Homiletics Award is an annual competition for seminarians and graduate students who are in the process of preparing for a career in preaching and teaching ministries.
According to the Acton Institute, “The annual Homiletics Award recognizes and promotes outstanding achievement in effective Christian preaching.”
Criteria for judging the competition include preparation and presentation, and also an evaluation of the sermon’s content, structure, and exegetical accuracy, along with the contestant’s delivery, clarity and style.
For more information on the Acton Institute and to read the manuscripts of this year’s award-winning sermons, visit their web site at www.acton.org
Orlando church honors
oldest
members
Betty Buelow and Paul Church
of Orlando, Florida, were honored
May 1. [Photo by Riccinni Banham]
ORLANDO, Florida—The oldest female and male members of the New Beginnings Christian Fellowship Orlando were honored May 1.
Betty Buelow turned 93 April 27. She was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1911. She has two daughters, Annalie and Barbara, nine grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She was baptized in 1974 while living with her daughter, Annalie, in Australia.
Paul Church turned 78 on April 25. He was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He has one son, Daniel, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He served in the Navy during World War II. Like Betty, Paul was baptized in 1974.
Betty and Paul are both loved by members, old and young. Betty loves the church and considers that her life. Her love for God is evident by her outgoing personality and contagious smile. Paul is an example of a Christian servant. He serves the local church as an usher and drives the older members, including Betty, to church. Riccinni Banham.
Orlando seniors
attend flower
festival
The Senior Club of New
Beginnings Christian
Fellowship Orlando visits EPCOT Center.
ORLANDO, Florida—The Senior Club (55 and older) of the New Beginnings Christian Fellowship Orlando participated in an outing to Disney’s International Flower and Garden Festival at EPCOT Center April 17. Twenty-six church members participated.
Some of the highlights included seeing gigantic fruits and vegetables at The Land, the boat ride to Mexico and the patriotic America show. Betty Buelow mentioned that the last time she was at EPCOT was 30 years ago. Raisa Schmidt, a widow, reminisced about the happy times she spent at EPCOT with her husband. Riccinni Banham.
Jim Stokes retires as pastor
in Belleville and Alton, Illinois
 Jim & Grace Stokes |
BELLEVILLE, Illinois—Jim Stokes retired as pastor of the Belleville and Alton, Illinois, churches July 16.
Mr. Stokes and his wife, Grace, were baptized in 1974 and served in the Trenton and Vineland, New Jersey, churches before moving to Pasadena in 1984, when Jim entered Ambassador College. He worked part-time in Mail Processing while attending Ambassador, and Grace worked there full-time until they were transferred.
In 1987, Jim was hired as assistant pastor of the Pasadena West P.M. congregation. In 1995, he and Grace were transferred to Belleville to pastor the Belleville, Alton and the (now closed) Mount Vernon congregations.
Mark Queener is now the bi-vocational pastor in Belleville, and Austin Caldwell is the bi-vocational pastor in Alton.
Doctor needs stuffed toys
for
South American children
GREENVILLE, North Carolina—The Greenville church helps a doctor serving in South America collect stuffed toys for needy children there.
The doctor will leave for South America in mid-September. He would like for all stuffed toys to be sent to him at the end of August. If anyone is interested in this project please send an e-mail to Becky Winn at beckwinn@yahoo.com, and she will work out the details on an individual basis.
Church Administration
announces ordinations
PASADENA—Church Administration announced the following ministerial ordinations.
Bart Baril, Port Orchard, Washington.
Kwan Borden, Brisbane, Australia, East.
Austin Caldwell, Alton, Illinois.
John Muir, Irvine, Scotland.
Stewart Raeburn, Glasgow, Scotland.
Micah Royal, Los Angeles, California.
Roy Spencer, Springfield, Illinois.
Michael Stewart, Pikeville, Kentucky.
Gerald Trennepohl, Cincinnati, Ohio, South.
NEW CHURCH SIGN—Jimmy
Meeks, pastor of the Restoration Church in Burleson, Texas, wanted to have the
WCG congregation name, Burleson Christian Fellowship, on the same sign with
their name. Eric Bennett, a WCG member who is a professional sign painter, did
the work and then with the help of some other WCG members, installed it on the
same poles where the former sign had been. “We were all honored that Pastor
Meeks expressed his feelings of brotherhood toward us in this way,” said Tom
Pickett, WCG pastor. His congregation has been sharing a facility with
Restoration Church of Burleson for the last five years.
Festival updates
INTRA-MIRALAGO, Italy—A festival will take place in Intra-Miralago on Lake Maggiore, north of Milan and close to Switzerland, Aug. 28 to Sept. 4. Services will be translated from Italian into German and not into English. Daniel Boesch.
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France— A festival will take place at Evian-les Bains, on the south bank of Lake Leman, facing Switzerland, Oct. 23 to 30.
For more information contact the French Office by e-mail at dpi@club-internet.fr or by telephone at 011.33.6.81.14.83.22.
ACAPULCO, Mexico—A festival will take place in Acapulco Sept. 29 to Oct. 7.
Translations will be provided with a $25 per adult rental fee for the translation equipment.
For information, send an e-mail to Salvador Barragan.
KARLSTAD, Sweden—A festival will take place in Karlstad Sept. 30 to Oct. 7.
The site is the Bomstad-Badens family resort on the shores of Vanneren, the largest lake in Sweden. The resort has its own home page: www.bomstad-baden.se
For more information, contact Carl Fredrik Aas at 011 47 64 86 93 30 or send e-mail to him at cfaas@online.no.
E-mail address for Haitian pastor
The correct e-mail address for Pastor Blaise Franklin in Haiti is jblaise22@compa.net
An incorrect e-mail address appeared in the May WN article, “Who Cares What Happens to Haiti?”
Malaysian wins
international
public speaking awards
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—Wong Xiao Qing, 19, from Kuala Lumpur, was chosen in late March as one of two Malaysian representatives to participate in the International Public Speaking Competition conducted in London by the English Speaking Union (ESU) of the Commonwealth.
ESU’s goal is to promote international understanding and human achievement through the widening use of the English language throughout the world. The competition is open to students in the countries where ESU has chapters.
Xiao Qing was one of two Malaysian representatives chosen from 92 national competitors to travel to London with all expenses paid by the sponsor, HSBC, a London-based international bank.
In the international finals conducted on May 14, Xiao Qing was one of eight finalists chosen from 60 participants representing 34 countries. The theme of the competition was “A Borderless World.” Speakers had to answer questions from the audience after their speeches.
Wong Xiao Qing is the daughter of Malaysian pastor Wong Mein Kong and his wife, Chew Yeng.
Ohio men hear freedom’s cry at retreat
GROUP PRAYER—Men
are led in prayer by Ed Faulk,
pastor of the Lorain, Ohio, congregation.
RAVENNA, Ohio—Twenty men from Grace Community Fellowship (the Akron-Canton congregation) and Edgehill Community Church (the Cleveland congregation) had a retreat March 12 to 14 at a church camp east of Akron.
The theme for the weekend was “Men, Transformed Into Glory by His Spirit,” using the passage from 2 Corinthians 3:17. The motto for the retreat was “Freedom’s Cry.” Through various speakers, we discussed how the men could find inner wholeness and healing in Jesus.
We spent the rest of the retreat in worship, discussion, testimonies, prayer and free time for personal reflection, as well as time for fun. As in past years, we had several men join us from Pennsylvania area WCG churches. David Kaiser.
Copyright © Grace Communion International, 2004
