Dear ministers of Jesus: This issue of Equipper focuses on preparing us for ministry during the upcoming Advent-Christmas season when we’ll celebrate Jesus’ three comings: 1) his future bodily return in glory, 2) his coming now through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and 3) his coming 2,000 years ago through his incarnation and birth. This season is a … Continue reading "From Greg: Go tell it on the mountain!" Read the article
Dear ministers of Jesus, At our recent Denominational Conference held in Orlando, Florida, GCI President Joseph Tkach announced that I will be replacing him as President when he retires at the end of 2018. Many people congratulated me and shared other positive responses—none more positive than the kind words spoken by Mrs. Norva Kelly. Norva … Continue reading "From Greg: Our journey from trial to abundance" Read the article
Dear Brothers and Sisters in ministry, I know we’re all praying for those who have suffered loss and those still in harm’s way in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey that has devastated parts of Texas and Louisiana. For a report on how our members in the affected areas fared and how you can help, click here. … Continue reading "From Greg: Celebrating Our Transformation" Read the article
Dear pastors and ministry leaders: As I travel in my responsibilities as Director of Church Administration and Development and GCI Vice President, I’m blessed to spend time with GCI leaders and members throughout the world. We truly are an international family, and that is something to celebrate! I recently had the pleasure of visiting our … Continue reading "From Greg: Celebrating our family" Read the article
Dear pastors and ministry leaders: We each have unique “wiring” (personality). One of the personality assessments I’ve taken identifies me as a “socializing director” with a “pioneer voice.” That means I tend to attract people, though I like winning even more. Being wired that way, I tend to work long hours and push others to … Continue reading "From Greg: Retreating to charge forward" Read the article
Dear pastors and ministry leaders: One of the most frustrating things in any job is not having clear job expectations. I experienced that frustration during 15 years serving as a lead pastor—at times it felt like a 24/7 job that was not only a bit unclear, but never finished. Do I hear an “amen” echoing … Continue reading "From Greg: LEAD-P (priorities for pastors)" Read the article
Dear pastors and ministry leaders: When it comes to renewal (the GCI-USA theme for 2017), knowledge of God (theology) is both our point of beginning and guiding light on the journey. This is true whether the topic is the renewal of our leadership (the theme for the February Equipper), or the renewal of our theological vision—the theme … Continue reading "From Greg: Renewed in Christ" Read the article
Dear pastors and ministry leaders: LifeWay Resources President Thom Rainer is pretty good at predicting trends in the North American church. He’s been analyzing those trends for years, and recently shared his take on what lies ahead in an article titled “The Top Ten Major Trends for 2017.” I’ve reproduced his list below (with minor … Continue reading "From Greg: Trends for churches in 2017" Read the article
Dear fellow pastors and leaders, Our theme this issue is congregational leadership. Though a large topic, it’s vital to our ongoing journey of renewal. The old adage is generally true: “As go the leaders, so goes the church.” By definition, leaders are influencers, thus who they are as people and how they exert their influence, have … Continue reading "From Greg: team-based and pastor-led" Read the article
Dear Pastors and Ministry Leaders, Happy New Year! I pray that the year ahead will be for you one of joy and fruitfulness in Christ. As I noted in last month’s Equipper, “Renewal” will continue to be our guiding theme in 2017. For us to travel that Spirit-led journey together, it’s vital that we make some mutual commitments. … Continue reading "From Greg: mutual commitments in 2017" Read the article
