Videos

This month, John is joined by Tim Crouch, vice president for Alliance International Ministries (IM), and Mike Sohm, president of CAMA Services. The three discuss what God is doing to shape Alliance missions for the future, including organizational restructuring to more effectively lead, manage, and communicate our multi-specialization missions work. One of the first steps is the integration of CAMA with IM to create a more holistic missions ministry, which will also increase opportunities for more people in our churches with varied gifts and callings to serve in Alliance missions.

Here is a short historical timeline to bring more clarity to this discussion.

John addresses the word “complexity” this month, specific to the increasing complexities of life and ministry that are converging upon the church and its leaders. He notes how Jesus entered a complex political environment, well aware of the complexities of spiritual warfare, and was able to avoid wrong conversations. To provide perspective on how to live in our complex world, John unpacks Matthew 10, where Jesus says, “. . . be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”

This month, John is speaking from a Caribbean island where he has joined the 23rd anniversary celebration of the C&MA national network of churches there. He likens the U.S. Alliance relationship with this Body to that of “grandparents,” as there has been no U.S. C&MA presence in the country but where The Alliance is beginning to arise. He also unpacks a five-point agreement of how the U.S. Alliance can best serve the thriving 75 congregations in this island nation that have 90 church plants and a vision to plant 30 more by 2020.

This month, John interviews Terry Smith, the new vice president for Alliance Church Ministries. Terry shares his passion for people to know Jesus through planting new churches and strengthening existing churches while voicing a concern that personal preferences in some of our congregations are chosen over evangelistic fervor. John summarizes: “Jesus is passionate about the local church . . . As we engage fully in establishing and strengthening local churches, we’re doing that which is dear to His heart.”

John brings Christmas greetings from an unexpected setting: a wedding in Colorado Springs. In his message about the Good Shepherd in Psalm 23, he explains how the Shepherd’s goodness and mercy, which is said to “follow” us (vs. 6) translates to “chases” us. “Christmas is a fantastic time for us to . . . share the good news that the God who would pursue us all the way from heaven welcomes us to the great wedding feast to come—Joy to the world! The Lord has come!”

John shares the keynote address he recently presented at a conference in Colorado Springs about the Alliance perspective on law and culture. From his PowerPoint titled “Our Fascinating Challenge: A Primer for Understanding Christian Engagement in a Post-Christian World,” John unpacks five points that lead to three applications for the U.S. Alliance family. “Let’s do this well,” he concludes, “living under His authority with all of His love living through us.”