This article is from Dr. Greg Williams, director of GCI-USA Church Administration and Development and a faculty member at Grace Communion Seminary. For a related article in GCI Weekly Update, click here. When it comes to the church and its ministry, GCI is firmly committed to having strategies, plans and actions that flow within the … Continue reading "GCI’s educational strategy for renewal" Read the article
In this article, Heber Ticas, CMM’s National Coordinator, discusses how the congregation he pastors uses the Christmas season as a prime opportunity to reach out to unchurched people in the area served by his church. The congregation I pastor in Southern California, Comunion De Gracia, is constantly looking for ways to live out a “missional … Continue reading "Use Christmas for outreach" Read the article
Dear fellow ministers of Christ, In my many travels with Delta Air Lines I often read Delta’s Sky magazine (typically doing the crossword puzzle first in an attempt to exercise my mind!). On a recent flight, a particular article caught my attention. It highlighted the movie Born to Be Blue, in which actor Ethan Hawke portrays fabled blues … Continue reading "From Greg: Humanizing humanity" Read the article
Childrens mininstries have the responsibility (and wonderful opportunity) to teach children about God and his love. This teaching is offered in many ways and at various times. A significant “teachable moment” arrives each December in the Christmas season. Though we may (understandably) object to the commercialism associated with this season, we can take advantage of … Continue reading "Kid’s Korner: Use Christmas to teach kids about Christ" Read the article
In the Western-Christian tradition, Advent and Christmas celebrate the coming (advent) of Jesus Christ into the world. Advent-themed worship services are held on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas (in 2017 the first Sunday of Advent is November 27). Advent celebrations often follow the progressive themes of Hope, Love, Joy and Peace (sometimes in … Continue reading "Advent-Christmas celebration resources" Read the article
Below are links to the five articles in the November Equipper, which offers resources to help congregations and ministries prepare for Advent-Christmas. From Greg: Humanizing humanity Greg Williams reminds us of a central truth of the Advent-Christmas season: Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, has humanized humanity. Advent-Christmas celebration resources Here is a series of GCI-produced … Continue reading "Preparing for Advent-Christmas" Read the article
This sermon summary is from GCI-USA Pastor Lance McKinnon. He preached this Christmas-themed sermon a couple of years ago in his Dallas, GA, congregation. Theme passage: John 1:10-18 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, … Continue reading "Sermon summary: God’s “one and only”" Read the article
Days are getting shorter and the air crisper—both unmistakable signs of the fall season. And if you have stepped foot into any retail store lately, or checked out upcoming movies at the theater, you can’t miss the fact that Halloween is upon us, with all its ghoulish imagery and assorted costumes. In fact, U.S. consumers … Continue reading "Kid’s Korner: What about Halloween?" Read the article
This month, instead of a written sermon summary, we’re posting a video of a teaching that would make a great sermon. It’s a “Reading Between the Lines” presentation from Speak Life, a ministry in the U.K. Titled “Safe and Sound,” it addresses the Parable of the Prodigal Son. On YouTube at https://youtu.be/8Z-9eoXOsbE Read the article
Dear pastors and ministry leaders: October is Clergy Appreciation Month, and though I appreciate our pastors every month of the year, this month I want to send out a special Thank you! to them all. I love these men and women, and I deeply appreciate their labor of love in the Lord. Let’s prepare for 2017 … Continue reading "From Greg: Invest in the development of your leaders" Read the article
