Advent encompasses God’s story from the garden of Eden in Genesis to the establishment of the New Jerusalem in Revelation. Bobby Gross, author of Living the Christian Year, says this: “The biblical scope of Advent stretches from the garden in Genesis to the New Jerusalem in Revelation… In one sense, the whole of the Old … Continue reading "Advent Themes and Symbols" Read the article
Written by Eugene Guzon, Superintendent of Asia Have you ever noticed how easy it is for life to go unnoticed due to the busyness, noise, and clutter of each day? If we are not careful, we miss many opportunities to enjoy God’s presence and the deeper revelations of his glory. A couple of weeks ago … Continue reading "The Christian Calendar: Ordering our Days" Read the article
By Rick Shallenberger, Equipper Editor For most of my life I wasn’t sure how to deal with Peter’s admonition, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” The sad reality is no one asked me for the reason of my hope … Continue reading "A Reason for the Hope You Have" Read the article
By Bill Hall, National Director, Canada The seminar on Small Group ministry was nearing a close. The attendees had heard about having an “empty chair” at a small group meeting, creating a safe place for sharing and about the “life cycle” of a group. When I opened the floor for questions and comments, one person … Continue reading "What About Evangelism" Read the article
Do our lives inspire others to say, “I want what you have”? By Tim Sitterley, US Regional Director, West When I was an assistant pastor, one of my responsibilities was coordinating our worship services. This was early in the worship wars, and there was still a great deal of resistance to contemporary choruses and instrumentation … Continue reading "Faces of Faith" Read the article
In GCI, we pursue Christ-centered relationships and seek to serve each other with high support, high challenge—with grace always. Bringing challenge in a healthy way can be difficult. This month we are focusing on the difference between calling up and calling out, in order to be liberating leaders who empower others. Click the link below … Continue reading "Calling Up vs Calling Out" Read the article
Participating in a three-year plan to preach through the Bible By Bill Hall, National Director for Canada I still remember the day 21 years ago when I started in my first pastorate. In my discussions with the outgoing pastor, he mentioned that it would be beneficial to meet with some pastors from other denominations who … Continue reading "Using the RCL" Read the article
Grabbing people’s attention with stories and passion By Randy Bloom, US East Regional Director Jesus used storytelling in powerful ways. We call many of these stories parables. He illustrated that one of the most effective ways to prepare inspirational sermons is to include stories in them. Jesus’ stories challenged people. At one level, many of … Continue reading "Preaching With Passion" Read the article
The difference between teaching and preaching By Randy Bloom, US East Regional Director When was the last time you heard an inspirational sermon? When was the last time you preached one? (I used the word, “preach.” You’ll see why later.) These may be difficult questions to ask and answer. I’ve heard some inspirational sermons. I … Continue reading "Foundation of Inspirational Sermons" Read the article
Affirmation and appreciation go a long way in deepening relationships and making sure another person knows that you value them. A Healthy Church takes the time to acknowledge and say thank you to volunteers and leaders. One way pastors can affirm their team is through a personalized note. Check out the GCI branded pastoral letterhead … Continue reading "Love Venue: Volunteer Appreciation" Read the article
