Dear Pastors and Ministry Leaders:
[caption id="attachment_21" align="alignright" width="150"] Greg and Susan Williams[/caption]
In 2014, nearly 60 million people were displaced from their homes and native countries by war. The spotlight in 2016 is on the crisis in Syria where almost half the population have become refugees, leading to the largest migration in human history. This global refugee crisis must not be ignored. But how can GCI congregations respond?
[caption id="attachment_360" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Syrian refugees in Hungary (via Wikimedia Commons)[/caption]
In January I attended the GC2 Summit near Chicago. It addressed the global refugee crisis and the church's response. Before the conference I wondered... Read the article
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This article is from Regional Pastor Rick Shallenberger. Rick works with pastors and congregations in the upper Midwest and also serves as a contributing editor for Equipper.
[caption id="attachment_158" align="aligncenter" width="289"] Rick and Cheryl Shallenberger[/caption]
GCI has two chartered churches in Cincinnati, Ohio. Christ Community Church (CCC) on the east side is pastored by George Hart, and Christ Fellowship Church (CFC) on the west side is pastored by Dustin Lampe. By God's grace, both churches are in the midst of renewal. Here's what renewal is looking like in those two congregations.
Both CCC and CFC moved to new locations within the past three years. Previous attempts to get involved in their local communities... Read the article
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This article is from Calvin Simon who pastors New Creation Community Church, GCI's congregation in Norfolk, Virginia.
[caption id="attachment_107" align="aligncenter" width="230"] Calvin and Erica Simon[/caption]
As a pastor, I’m always on the lookout for resources to use in discipling people in the way of Jesus. Our congregation wanted a monthly discipleship class, so we started by studying the GCI booklet, The God Revealed in Jesus Christ. After completing that study, we were looking for something that would meet us in our everyday lives.
I had recently been working my way through Cathy Deddo’s book (with study guide), The Letter of James: Knowing the Father of Lights in the Midst of Our Darkness. I knew at once that it was... Read the article
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Here is the summary of a sermon for Easter Sunday written by pastor Lance McKinnon (Revised Common Lectionary, year B)
[caption id="attachment_47" align="aligncenter" width="261"] Lance and Georgia McKinnon[/caption]
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (NRSV)
Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you--unless you have come to believe in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in... Read the article
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The March Equipper focuses on what the Spirit is doing to bring renewal to our churches. The five articles in his issue are linked below. Enjoy! -Ted Johnston, Equipper editor
From Greg: Keys for renewal in our churches
Ministry rhythms that lead to renewal by Heber Ticas
Recommended discipleship resource by Calvin Simon
Here's what renewal looks like by Rick Shallenberger
Sermon summary: Forget being forgotten by Lance McKinnon Read the article
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This article is from Heber Ticas, senior pastor at Comunión De Gracia, GCI's Sun Valley, California, congregation. Heber also is the national coordinator for GCI-USA Church Multiplication Ministries.
[caption id="attachment_119" align="aligncenter" width="237"] Heber and Xochilt Ticas[/caption]
As I write this, I'm enjoying 80 degree weather here in Southern California. We've been having summer weather in the middle of winter for two months---it seems entirely out of rhythm! Sweaters have given way to t-shirts, and beach day is a real possibility.
In our everyday lives, rhythms are natural occurrences, and it's no different in ministry. In both venues, the rhythms fluctuate from time to time as our surroundings change. And in... Read the article
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Dear Pastors and Ministry Leaders:
[caption id="attachment_21" align="alignright" width="150"] Greg and Susan Williams[/caption]
I hope you like the new format for Equipper. It's formatted to be read on a wide array of digital devices including computers, tablets and smart phones. This format allows greater flexibility to link to outside articles, embed videos and in other ways more effectively equip you with disciplemaking ministry resources and tools. We invite your feedback using the "leave a reply" feature at the bottom of the page.
Last month's issue of Equipper focused on what renewal looks like within our very small congregations (we call them Fellowship Groups). This month we look at what renewal looks like within our... Read the article
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This article is from pastor Sam Butler.
[caption id="attachment_39" align="aligncenter" width="297"] Sam and Denise Butler[/caption]
Several months ago I was challenged to consider using the lectionary to shape my preaching-teaching and worship planning. I say “challenged” because I was accustomed to “doing my own thing” in planning my sermons, and the idea of using someone else’s pre-determined structure did not sit well with me at first. Despite my initial resistance, I decided to give the lectionary approach a try. I began by studying the meanings of the seasons of the historic, orthodox Christian worship calendar as outlined in the lectionary, and then looking at the Scriptures that the lectionary assigns to each week... Read the article
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This article is from regional pastor Randy Bloom.
[caption id="attachment_36" align="aligncenter" width="258"] Randy and Debbie Bloom[/caption]
In GCI we have a vision for all kinds of churches for all kinds of people in all kinds of places. Some of our smaller congregations have realized that they are most effectively positioned to contribute to the realization of this vision by utilizing a fellowship group structure where people worship and fellowship in an informal environment that is attractive to new people who do not wish to be part of a more traditional, large church.
Fellowship groups are an ideal setting sharing the word of God through interactive Bible discussions rather than traditional sermons. Sermons typically are... Read the article
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Here is the summary of a sermon for Palm Sunday written by pastor Lance McKinnon (Revised Common Lectionary, year B)
[caption id="attachment_47" align="aligncenter" width="260"] Lance and Georgia McKinnon[/caption]
Mark 15:33-37 (NRSV)
When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah." And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down." Then Jesus gave a loud cry and... Read the article
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