November 13, 2009
Alliance churches are breaking the mold of the traditional church plant. Frustration with budget crunches, dwindling congregations, and decreased giving with little left for outreach has caused many Alliance pastors to rethink the way they do church.
“Trying to get people to come to church just doesn’t work like it used to,” said one Alliance pastor recently. “There’s a general consensus, especially among younger people, that churches are filled with hypocrites who demand money and perfection but don’t practice what they preach; the Bible is an ancient document and there is no evidence of God’s power among so-called Christians.”
In order to build bridges of trust that will bear the weight of truth, some Alliance churches are moving beyond the four walls of traditional church buildings into their communities, demonstrating the love of their Servant King through projects that benefit their neighbors. The fact that nothing is asked in return has captured the attention of city officials as well as local media in some cases.
Freely Give
Pastor Rick Gates has led his Crossroads Church congregation in Perry, Iowa, out of the sanctuary to shine the light of Christ during a Week of Service in their community. Church members have completed 40 projects in four years. Local TV news shows have reported the “free help” that Crossroads provided for the community in June.
“Our culture today knows nothing of the church except that it expects people to give money and attend services for no meaningful or relevant purpose,” says Rick. “The church is not connected to their daily lives and does not make sense to them. Jesus talks a lot about being servants . . . as we serve, people slowly begin to see Jesus.”
Benefitting Neighbors
“Most church plants take 30 or more people and move them,” say Pastor Scott Klaudt of Downtown Alliance Church, who established a coffeehouse in downtown Missoula, Montana, in order to meet plenty of people. “We didn’t want to just shift a bunch of Christians around, which may work for some, but it’s not what I wanted to do.”
The coffeehouse venue provides lunches, catering mostly to professionals in search of quality noontime respite, and hosts open-mike night, jazz concerts highlighting local musicians, and benefit fund-raisers for neighbors. “We recently hosted a benefit concert for a youngster who suffers from a seizure disorder,” says Scott.
God’s Property!
In Ft. Wayne, Indiana, Bob and Sue Havenor and a handful of people, none of whom are in professional ministry, have reclaimed for God an area where an Alliance church once stood. They have taken jobs within their community in order to build relationships and prayer walk. Bob is getting to know a lot of men through his work at an auto parts store.
“We didn’t plant an organization where people with needs must go to a church,” says Bob. “We are the Church that has a mandate to go to the people with needs. This is the essence of incarnational ministry; as John 1:14 says in The Message, ‘God became a man and moved into the neighborhood.’”
Bob’s team began systematically prayer walking every street in a 1.5 square-mile target area. “We started at a strategic location that is, first, an easy place to find on a busy central street,” he says. “Second, and far more important, is what this property once was. This was the site of the Fort Wayne Gospel Temple, a leading Alliance church in the middle half of the last century.”
Outside the Box
ServantChurch in Mission, Kansas, is “committed to doing church simply so that we can simply serve,” says Pastor Doug Burford, who grew weary of buildings, bulletins, budgets, and board meetings, as well as struggling to get busy professionals to meet for prayer, Bible study, and service.
Since its inception, ServantChurch has participated in several projects, including the construction of nanny quarters for a family in which the mother has terminal cancer and the installation of windows to winterize the residence of “urban missionaries” in Kansas City. “ServantChurch is intentionally without a building so that its members are free to worship where they serve,” says Doug.
As the history of the Church bears witness, there are times, like the Reformation, when the Church has to “reset” the course after straying off course. “It has been said that Martin Luther reset the theology of the Church,” Doug says. “This ‘new reformation’ is one that [just may] reset the form of the Church.”
What You Can Do
Praise God for His guidance and provision for Alliance workers who are willing to take faith-filled risks to share the gospel.
Pray that God will bless these four churches with a bountiful harvest.
.
“We wanted to meet people first,” says Scott Klaudt, who pastors Downtown Alliance Church in Missoula, Montana. Through a coffeehouse/community center near the University of Montana, the state’s largest university, Klaudt and his team are accomplishing just that.
With an entrepreneurial approach to ministry, Scott has sidestepped the traditional Alliance church plant model to reach the Missoula community with this innovative outreach. “We started the business first to gain momentum,” he says. “Once we built relationships, we began host Bible studies instead of having a set program.”
The Alliance establishment provides lunch, catering mostly to professionals in search of quality noontime respite. The venue also hosts open-mike night, a favorite past time among University of Montana students. Also, jazz concerts highlighting local musicians, and benefit fund-raisers for neighbors are popular events at the Alliance outreach. “It makes The Alliance look good because we show them love.”
“Most church plants take about 30 people and move them,” says Scott. “We didn’t want to just shift a bunch of Christians around, which may work for some but it’s not what I wanted to do.” Without a tithe base, God has met the needs of the unorthodox church plant. “Our [Rocky Mountain] District has backed us, too.”
Worship services quickly moved from once-a-month to weekly meetings when an increasing number of people began attending. “Attendance now fluctuates between 50 and 80,” Scott says, “including some of the professionals who visit during the day and university students who pack the house at night.”
When Donnie Spotted Elk entered the center he said, “I hear you guys pray for people here. I need job by Tuesday or I will go back to jail.” Donnie recently had been released from prison, where he placed his trust in Christ. When Scott prayed, the Native American ex-convict obtained employment. Now he hosts a Sunday night Bible study for local Native Americans, many of whom are homeless.
The mission of this Alliance outreach is “not necessarily to ‘do church’ but to help the community,” says Scott. “It’s a full-time business. If the business goes down after we’ve spent $250,000 and only one person came to Christ-it was worth it.”
After eighteen years of traditional Presbyterian ministry, Pastor Doug Burford had had his fill of buildings, bulletins, budgets and board meetings, as well as struggling to get busy professionals to meet for prayer, Bible study, and service. “At the same time,” says Doug, “those who were growing in their faith often said that they grew most through their small group meetings.” That led him to long for a simpler expression of “church”-one where there was nothing to do except to pray, study the Bible, and serve.
ServantChurch in Mission, Kansas, is that church. Daring to venture away from traditional church plant models, Doug and a handful of people launched ServantChurch in April 2008. “We are committed to doing church simply so that we can simply serve,” he says. ServantChurch is intentionally without building so that its members are free to worship where they serve. With Doug’s salary covered by a benefactor, all financial resources are used to serve.
Doug was unaware of the history of A. B. Simpson when he came to The Alliance but feels a kinship with the founder, who also left the Presbyterian Church in search of an unencumbered way to reach the lost and to love and serve as Christ taught.
Since its inception, ServantChurch has participated in several projects, including the construction of nanny quarters for a family in which the mother has terminal cancer and the installation of windows to winterize the residence of urban missionaries in Kansas City. The collection of food for an area food bank and the assembly of health kits for distribution to disaster sites around the globe also have demonstrated the compassionate care of the Savior.
Doug believes that service can be the best form of outreach. “People who had not responded to early invitations to “come to church” have responded enthusiastically to invitations to participate in service projects,” he says. “Combining worship with service is an ideal way to demonstrate what Jesus called us to be and to do, creating a powerful witness.”
Unencumbered by other ecclesiastical duties, the church family also has more freedom to help and serve one another. With Doug’s social work background, he is determined that ServantChurch not become just another social service agency, dispensing material help without spiritual help. There is a determination to serve those with whom church members are in relationship.
Church “services” are either at a member’s home or at a serving site. “Service is combined with worship,” says Doug, “in the belief that doing what Jesus asked us to do is as much worship as is anything that takes place in a dedicated sanctuary.”
Believing the Holy Spirit is behind this call back to simplicity, Doug sees evidence of it in the difficulty of maintaining large staffs and facilities during tough economic times and in the struggle of many pastors as they question the institutionalization of the church and the busyness it has created.
Doug is quick to point out that ServantChurch doesn’t have all the answers for how to do church simply. “The presence of children at a worship site without a nursery is just one challenge that creates comical chaos on some Sundays,” he says. “But, I see the church “pressing the reset button.”
As the history of the Church bears witness, there are times, like the Reformation, when the Church has to be “reset” back on course after straying off course. “It has been said that Martin Luther reset the theology of the Church,” Doug says. “This “new reformation” is one that will reset the form of the Church.”
August 26, 2009
In 2005, the initial response to Hurricane Katrina was swift and generous. Americans, shocked by the storm’s destructive power on the Gulf Coast, came to the aid of their fellow countrymen with compassionate abundance. But time passes, and people forget. While agencies and individuals have moved on to other noble causes, the Gulf Coast residents cannot forget Hurricane Katrina. Many continue to live in barely habitable homes and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports that 3,000 families still live in its issued mobile homes.
There is one agency, however, that has not moved on. One organization has maintained a constant vigil for four years, meeting physical and spiritual needs of the people in New Orleans, Louisiana, as well as in Gulfport and Waveland, Mississippi-The Alliance.
The Alliance continues its commitment to help rebuild homes and lives in the hurricane-stricken areas. Read more about these God-sized outreaches and how you can help.
New Hope in New Orleans
From the day that Hurricane Katrina breeched the levees of New Orleans, Louisiana, leaving most of the city under water, Willie Neudahl, associate pastor of New Hope Church in Gretna, has worked selflessly to serve the urban neighborhoods of The Big Easy. The multiethnic communities have benefitted from Neudahl’s efforts to rebuild homes but still are in desperate need of spiritual renewal.
Understanding that he needed assistance in reaching the large, ethnically diverse population of displaced residents, Neudahl sought help from his district leaders, who invited Rev. Donald Smith from Pennsylvania to join Neudahl in the daunting task of rebuilding homes and lives in the Gretna area. Smith joined Neudahl in 2007, and together, the two are impacting a community for Christ.
With the majority of relief work taking place in the Gentilly area, New Hope is in various phases of reconstruction. “While the need is far greater,” says Smith, “our ability to assist is proportionate to the number of missions teams that partner with us.” The need is expected to continue for at least a few more years.
The Vision
Because of the ethnic diversity of New Hope, which includes, Indian, Vietnamese, Guatemalan, African American, Caucasian and more, it is necessary to understand the various cultural backgrounds in order to meet the people at their level of need. “This requires careful consideration of everything from music to the propagation of the gospel to social interaction,” Smith says. “But the leadership of New Hope-an African American pastor and a Caucasian associate pastor-demonstrates to those on the outside that Christ loves people from all walks of life.”
New Hope facilitates five weekly home Bible studies as well as a mid-week study at the church. “Home studies allow people to get to know us while learning about Christ in an informal setting,” says Smith.
Outreaches such as Vacation Bible School and cookouts pave the way to community involvement. “Most of the people who attend New Hope are involved in some way to help the pastors in proclaiming the good news,” says Neudahl. “Many have accepted the Lord, and many others have recommitted their lives to Him.”
As Smith and Neudahl plant and water the seed of the gospel, “The Lord opens doors of opportunity,” says Smith. “As we disciple the souls that the Lord entrusts to our care, we believe that a mighty harvest for the Lord will arise.”
Help is still needed to continue this critical New Orleans ministry. If you would like to partner with New Hope, contact Pastor Smith at djjd49s@cox.net or visit the New Hope Web site.
Incredible Journey in Gulfport
When Darren Sanford moved his family of nine to Gulfport, Mississippi, he found the ministry of Journey4Life to be not quite what he expected. Journey4Life began as a relief outreach to Gulfport residents and businesses that were left helpless after Hurricane Katrina decimated the small Gulf Coast community located between Waveland and New Orleans.
Not much has changed since Sanford reported last year. Four years after the killer storm, FEMA trailers still dot the landscape; illegal drug use is rampant, and divorce and suicide also are on the rise. “Insurance companies’ refusals to cover the losses, lack of employment, and a virtual standstill in the rebuilding effort have led to a deterioration of morale,” Sanford says. “Criminal activity is on the rise as desperate people battle hopelessness.”
Freedom and Liberty
Progress is slow at Freedom Hall community center, but Sanford’s vision is the same. “The building is a perfect illustration of both us and the community,” he says. “It’s a real fixer-upper, a project that many would simply evaluate as not being worth the time. But God uses things like a neglected building and delights in using people of no reputation to mainfest His glory.”
Youth outreach will include sporting events as well as training for young men in skills such as carpentry, electronics, and mechanics. Other life-skills training classes will be made available for women. Freedom Hall will be open to families for events, banquets, meetings, and other social gatherings and also will be home to the Journey4Life church plant.
Liberty Café will be a place where the love of God is shared with people in a welcoming environment; a portion of the profits will go to an organization that helps girls get off of the streets, builds orphanages, provides blankets for those who have insufficient shelter, and supplies formula for babies in famine-stricken areas.
Regrouping
“In regards to Journey4Life, we are restarting the ministry,” says Sanford. “Presently, I am trying to discern the mind of Christ in how this is done. I need to understand the heart of God in this matter.”
Journey4Life has great needs-for workers and for supplies. Electrical supplies, heating/air conditioning resources, and volunteers are needed to help in completing the building transformation.
Sanford requests prayer for God’s wisdom and guidance as well as for the physical needs of the church. If the Lord is leading you to contribute to this vital ministry, contact Sanford journey4life@bellsouth.net or visit Freedom Hall.
Waveland’s Camp Katrina
From the moment The Alliance stepped foot in Waveland, there has been a continuous flow of workers who have helped in demolition, rebuilding, supplying, and meeting the physical needs of the city’s residents, most of whom live in spiritual darkness.
“RP* represents the need for each of us to never give up on the people God puts in our life,” says Tom Barbour, who pastors the Christian Life Center (CLC), “no matter how futile our efforts may seem.” A meth addict, RP received help from the original staging area of “Camp Katrina,” which is now CLC. She indicated early on that she wanted a life change and was ready to follow God on His narrow road. After four years of off-again, on-again attendance at CLC, the once-emaciated woman praises God for delivering her from drugs and tells others of their need for the Savior.
I Work for Jesus
While in search of wood for the smoker grill that is used to cook meat for volunteers, Barbour asked the Spirit to lead him. He turned onto a dead-end street in an old and obviously poor neighborhood he had never seen. “At the end of the street was a pile of oak logs,” says Barbour, who was joined by an older African American man, Theo,* from a FEMA trailer in the neighboring yard. As the man assisted Barbour in loading the wood, Barbour offered the services of a volunteer rebuilding team. Theo thanked Barbour, who gave his standard reply, “Don’t thank me. You know who I work for, don’t you?” Cautiously, Theo answered, “No.”
“I work for Jesus,” Barbour told Theo, whose face brightened immediately. “You know Jesus?” he asked. Barbour and Theo spent the next hour talking about Jesus.
Greg, a recent college graduate, had the next 45 years of his life neatly planned-until he visited Waveland with a short-term missions team. “Trying to fit my recently grace-filled spirit into the constraining box of American routine proved painful,” he says. “Here [in Waveland] was life abundant, and I found myself in a position where I was unable to exist without it.” Greg joined the CLC staff to minister to Waveland residents as well as CLC volunteers, finding his contentment “in Christ alone,” he said.
A Promise Kept
Many lives have been impacted by the CLC ministry, whether they are recipients of CLC’s help, like RP and Theo, or on the giving end, like Greg. Circumstances vary, but the results are the same-God moves in the hearts of all who come in contact with CLC. Through ongoing rebuilding efforts, a thrift store, Bible studies, and church services, CLC has remained faithful to its promise four years ago: “We’re in it for the long haul.”
If you would like to partner with Christian Life Center, contact Tom Barbour at jtbarbour@comcast.net
View Gulf Coast Devastation and Alliance relief efforts on Alliance Video Magazine
*names changed
August 21, 2009
By Bruce and Stephanie Beers, serving in Ecuador
Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you show to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed (Mark 1:17-18, The Message).
One day while walking along the beach, we came upon a group of fishermen who were pulling in their nets. They had fished all night, and their muscles strained as they toiled to haul their catch onto dry land. With each heave of the net, more birds circled overhead until the large black cloud of screeching birds nearly blotted out the sun. They dove and picked at the nets, trying to extricate any particle of food they could get their beaks on.
A Messy Business
This reminded us of what we are doing here as fishers of men. All the while, the devil is flying around, diving and picking at new and soon-to-be believers in order to discourage them or dislodge them from their newfound faith. We are going after some pretty “big fish” and praying for wisdom about the right kind of “bait” to use.
We read an interesting quote from Rick Warren the other day: “If your church is serious about reaching the unchurched, you must be willing to put up with people who have a lot of problems. Fishing is often messy and smelly. Many churches want the fish they catch to be already scaled, gutted, cleaned, and cooked. That is why they never reach anyone.”
Miraculous Catch
On one particular Sunday, our church had a pretty big catch when we baptized eight new believers, who ranged in age from 12 to 90. We’d like to share some of their testimonies.
Luis, age 12, had many fears. He was especially afraid to stay alone. After asking Jesus to take control of his life, he felt at peace.
Daniela, a recent high school graduate, realizes the difference that God has made in her life, especially when it comes to the usual party activities in which most of her friends are involved. She wanted to get baptized to show her commitment to being a woman of integrity.
Ricardo said that before he became a Christian, he didn’t have any friends and people made fun of him at school. When Ricardo prayed to receive Christ, God changed his heart. He began to make friends, and his grades improved dramatically.
Norma, a widowed mother of four, said that she felt empty and cried constantly before she committed her life to Jesus. After placing her faith in Christ, an indescribable peace came over her. She knows that she will never be alone.
Patti trusted in men instead of God and was always disappointed. Now that Jesus is Lord of her life, she has been freed from bitterness, addictions, and false beliefs. He has given her freedom and a reason to live.
Magdalena, who turns 90 this year, thought she was going to get to heaven as a result of her good works and church attendance. Now she is sure that she is a child of God and that He will never leave or forsake her.
Please pray for us as we continue to fish, casting our nets and trusting God for a miraculous catch.
What You Can Do
Praise God for His life-changing work among these new believers. Pray that they will continue to be vibrant witnesses to those around them. And pray for Bruce and Stephanie as they reach out to people who need the Savior.
Donate now to Alliance Great Commission Ministries to support Alliance workers around the world.
Learn More
Check out our Alliance work in Ecuador.
July 1, 2009
Alliance worker Brad Reynolds wrote in May 2009 about the inauguration of Eglise Protestante Internationale (EPI)-the first new church in Léguevin, France, since the 12th century. God is moving in this new international body of French-speaking believers(the church project address is Harvest Promise Toulouse). The following is an adaptation of two June updates from Brad about the harvest at EPI, French for grain of wheat.
New Believers Baptized
This morning’s baptism service ( June 21) was fantastic. The room was full, with the majority of our church present as well as friends and family. The testimonies were clear. One young man told how the faith of mother, our church’s prayer leader, had influenced him. He now has a deep desire to follow Jesus.
It was in the Toulouse International Church (EPI’s sending church) prayer room that William, 18, came to understand the gravity of the cross, where the faith he had always heard about truly became his.
Daniela told of her search for faith and how she had heard about Jesus during a time of depression and uncertainty. A few years later, a friend led Daniela to commit her heart to Jesus; the following day, a member of our church invited her to the Alpha course, an eleven-week practical introduction to the Christian faith.
During the past two years, she has learned much about the Lord and the family called the Church. In addition, her husband came to faith in Jesus last November through the Alpha course.
The Value of Children
Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10.14).
This morning at our worship service (June 28) we celebrated the families and children with whom God has so generously blessed us. Two of our young families dedicated their little daughters to Jesus, giving us the opportunity to talk about our Savior’s love for children. It was also a day for us to proclaim the gospel to between 80 and 90 adults and children who crowded our little worship space to witness this special commitment.
We heard many stories after the service. One family had come with three little children because they knew that we had recently moved into the area; they were surprised to see so many families with children. Another young university student said that he regularly attends a church in Toulouse, but he had overslept and decided to try out our church, not far from where he lives.
Another couple was surprised to see so many young people. He had attended our first Alpha Course in 2001 and had come to faith in Christ. Now he and his wife attend another church on the other side of Toulouse.
A Pastor’s Heart
Please pray for this new congregation to remain faithful in proclaiming Christ. Pray that we will be able to reach other families in our area. May Jesus use us to reach people of all ages and social positions for His honor and glory.
The desire of my heart is best summed up in a quote from Alliance founder A. B. Simpson, “My most important work has usually been to take myself and my shadow out of people’s way and set Jesus fully in their view.”
Learn More
Watch a video of Brad and Tina Reynolds describing their ministry vision for postmodern France. Produced in 2008.
Check out the Reynolds’s Web page.
What You Can Do
The theme verse at EPI is Mark 11:17, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” In your prayers, thank God for William and Daniela who were recently baptized at EPI. Pray that their testimonies, as well as their baptisms, will speak deeply to friends and family.
Pray for the two families who dedicated their children recently. Pray also for the many who visited this new church plant on June 28 for the first time, who Brad hopes “will respond to the words of the Savior and be drawn by His deep love for them.”
Donate to Harvest Promise Toulouse to help purchase the rented building in which EPI is harvesting a fresh crop of sold-out believers.
By Stephanie Beers, serving in Ecuador
The following is an adaptation of an article by Stephanie Beers, who has served as a missionary to Ecuador for 17 years.
Celebrating a missions presence of 112 years, Alliance missionaries in Ecuador gathered with national church leaders, pastors, and members of the 300 C&MA churches in Ecuador to officially “pass the torch” to the national church.
The June 19 service took place in the Templo Alianza, which was founded by Alliance missionaries 81 years ago, in the heart of Guayaquil. The U.S. C&MA was represented by Dr. Bob Fetherlin, vice president for International Ministries, and Rev. Bill Mangham, regional director for Latin America. Rev. David Muthre, president of the Alliance national church in Ecuador, delivered a message entitled “The Legacy of our Missionaries.” Dr. Miguel Lecaro, pastor of Templo Alianza for 61 years, gave a brief historical overview of the mission’s work.
A New Frontier
The first Alliance missionaries landed on the shores of Ecuador in 1897, two years after religious freedom was proclaimed in that country. Previously, the nation was under the direct authority of the Pope and was closed to any influence except Roman Catholic teachings.
By 1908, eight believers had been baptized, and in 1912 the first Alliance church in Ecuador was inaugurated. Ten years later, C&MA missionaries dedicated the first Protestant church in the city of Quito.
Finishing Well
Today, the Alliance national church in Ecuador has grown to more than 31,000 inclusive members who are passionate about reaching their nation-and the world-for Jesus Christ. On July 1, 2009, the local mission officially closed with the retirement of field leadership couple Mike and Carol Welty, leaving behind a mature national church that has a legacy of enthusiastic evangelism, intensive discipleship, sound doctrine, and vibrant trans-cultural ministry.
The U.S. C&MA will continue to have a presence in Ecuador for several more years, as the country will be the base of operations for the C&MA Latin America Regional Office. The regional ministry team comprised of Bill and Ann Mangham (regional directors), Guy and Denise Maurin, (administrative assistant and financial coordinator), Jon and Jessie Ritchey (missions/Latin American Graduate School of Theology and World Missions), and Rich and Lisa Brown (Youth Leadership Development) will continue living in Quito and ministering throughout the region.
Other missionaries who will transition out of Ecuador in the next several years include Paul and Nelda Johnson (Short-Term Ministry coordinators), Randy and Joy Newburn (regional Awana), Bill and Ellen Evans (Alliance Academy International), and Bruce and Stephanie Beers (Samborondón Alliance Church).
Pastor Muthre stated that as the Alliance mission team members finish their task in Ecuador, they can join with the apostle Paul in saying: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
Learn More
Check out our Alliance work in Ecuador.
What You Can Do
Praise God for His work through Alliance missionaries in Ecuador and for the strong national church that is carrying on their legacy. Pray that Christ will continue to use national believers to build His Church in Latin America and beyond.
Donate now to Alliance Great Commission Ministries to support God’s work around the world.
May 6, 2009
“Chaplains tell me they sometimes feel separated from The Alliance,” says Robert Collins, retired lieutenant colonel (Army) and director for Alliance Military Chaplains Ministries.
Collins is the professional and spiritual mentor for Alliance military chaplains whose deployment takes them around the world, and to the frontlines of war. “They have no Alliance churches close to where they are stationed, or they live in an area of the world where there is no Alliance fellowship.”
Collins understands isolation, having experienced it while he was in the military; he is working to change the situation.
Alliance chaplains stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait have been telling the stories of God’s amazing work among troops for six years. Conversions and baptisms have taken place in historic places recorded in Genesis; Bible studies have sprung up throughout the many battalions.
One Chaplain’s Mission
In Kuwait, Alliance Chaplain and Army Captain Erik Gramling recently baptized several troops and attended the Lighthouse Church, where Alliance pastor Daniel Harstad is “on loan” from the Canadian C&MA. The church is part of the National Evangelical Church Compound in Kuwait City, where 10-20 thousand people from 73 multilingual congregations attend worship services each week.
“The Compound was founded in the early 1900s by an American medical couple who were invited by the ruling family of Kuwait,” says Gramling. “The ministry is robust; many come to Christ.”
Gramling also encouraged his German military congregation to give to the ministry of the Evangelical Alliance Church in Baghdad. In one Sunday offering they designated over $12,000.00 to the GCF for that project.
A Global Vision
“The vision is larger than Alliance Military Chaplain Ministries,” Collins continues. “I believe we bring our Alliance chaplain family closer to the true reality-we are Alliance-and we have a vision that is larger than are own ministries. It is a worldwide vision to take the whole gospel to the whole world!”
What you can do
Pray for Alliance military and institutional chaplains as they serve in difficult places.
Learn more
Read other stories from Alliance chaplains.
Donate now to support Alliance Great Commission Ministries.
December 5, 2008
I know it’s strange. I know it’s unreasonable and crazy and foolish. I know. But I’ve often been troubled by my perfect childhood . . . there it is. As I’ve grown up and listened to the stories and testimonies of those for whom life has been hard, there’ve been many fleeting moments where I felt cheated of a background that may have lent itself to a more fruitful ministry, especially in a place like Weaverville. “If I’d had it rough like that guy, I’d have had a better chance to share the gospel with him,” goes the thought. “He’d listen to me because he’d recognize I understand his pain. Then he’d wonder why I was different.” I’ve often asked God why I’ve had such a sheltered life. How does a sheltered life find any common ground to offer the meaningful hope of the gospel to broken lives, to haunted lives?
One of these broken lives came into my office today. I can immediately see he’s one of those men I can’t hope to relate to. He’s a Vietnam vet. There are a lot of helicopters in Trinity County, and as he sits in my office armchair where I seat my guests to put them at ease, he looks anything but. He tells me that whenever a helicopter flies overhead, he flinches. He has to fight the urge to hide.
His neck and back have been shattered. I can’t keep track of how many surgeries he tells me he’s had. He won’t take the pain medication because it makes him mean, and he’s tired of being mean. “I can’t see their faces,” he says quietly, “but I killed a lot of people in Vietnam. It’s a hard thing to feel worthy of love.”
He’s been through a divorce . . . he caught his wife cheating on him. Trust no longer comes easy, he tells me. I sit in the much-less comfortable seat opposite the man and pray furiously. If I pretend to understand, he’ll know me for the sham I am. I feel like he can see right through me, and I haven’t even said a word. I’m still thinking of something to say when this unlikely messenger from God settles my long silent question. “I know I’m a lot older than you,” he observes with a wry smile, “and I know I’ve seen a lot more in this world. I’ve been through a lot that you haven’t. But I’m here because I know you’ve seen what life is supposed to look like, and I don’t know where to start. I’m hoping you can help me get started on the right track.”
The common ground we shared was grace! The grace of God saved us both. The grace of God granted me a healthy history and heritage that seems to draw broken people to me. And the grace of God brought us together in that office meeting so I could keep pointing a broken life to Him for healing. We’re scheduled to begin working through the “Starting Point” class together next week. Thank you, God, for my sheltered life.
Please continue to pray for me, my family and your Outpost brothers and sisters as we lean heavily on God for His guidance every day.
Surrounded By Grace,
Josh, Outpost – Weaverville CA
By Bill Malick
Barack Obama is elected president. Pelosi and Reid are calling the shots in the legislative branch. Gays are marching in the streets across California. AIG, many banks, and car makers have their hands out for cash as the U.S. walks an economic tightrope. Then there are the people in your churches in default or foreclosure, resulting in shortages in giving. Many local churches beg the question, “What does God mean by this?”
In November at our district superintendent Fall Leadership Conference, a team of us asked the “What does God mean by this?” question. No, we don’t have the perfect answer but here is a quick list of what we do know. Look over the list and give us your feedback.
- Radical multiplication will not happen primarily from paid professionals.
- We believe that success in our churches must be measured by reducing “lostness” in the communities we serve.
- The C&MA cannot do this alone—we must partner with others.
- We need to lean hard on the job training for ministry leadership
- Identifying and developing leaders becomes our #1 priority.
- We must return to the original C&MA core DNA.
- We must see adding holistic/soul-winning disciples as THE priority.
- Developing organic ministries is a must BUT accountability will be critical to sustainability.
Dwight Smith (Dwight will be our speaker at General Council for our Church Planting and Health Directors Breakfast on May 27th) identifies six threshold behaviors that must be instilled into the genetic code of our churches:
- People growing in their relationship with Christ
- People telling their grace story on a regular basis
- People knowing their spiritual gifts and employing them both inside and outside the church
- People living in a way that exhibits the fruit of the Spirit
- People obediently living a God-directed standard of Biblical stewardship
- People accepting responsibility/accountability for reaching lost people around them.
There is so much more to talk about, but enough for now. I need your feedback! Jon Rich and I are digging deeper into all of this along with Dwight Smith and will be opening up discussion as we gather several times with all of you in 2009.
Forums
RSS
Podcasts
Newsletters