Monday, October 1, 2018

Why the Gospel Matters by General Secretary Dan Coleman


The year was 1979 when teenage singer Amy Grant’s album “My Father’s Eyes” was released. Some years later, during the late 1980s, I remember listening to the title song while driving down the road one day. I had heard it before on several occasions, but this time the lyrics really spoke to me: “When people look inside my life I want to hear people say, she’s got her Father’s eyes. Eyes that find the good in things, when good is not around. Eyes that find the source of help when help just can’t be found. Eyes full of compassion, seeing every pain. Knowing what you’re going through and feeling it the same.” 

It was at that moment the Holy Spirit began to speak to my heart and I began to pray: Lord, when I’m about my daily business, let me see how you see. I want my Father’s eyes! This experience, along with some others that summer, really did transform how I would view ministry from that time forward.

Jesus said in John 4:35: “Do you not say, there are still four months and then comes the harvest? Behold, I say to you lift up your EYES and look at the fields, for they are white for harvest!”

We have a great global challenge, and we serve Christ under His Great Commission. The only Christian discipline we can accomplish better on earth than in heaven is sharing the love of Christ with others. It has been said that the most important thing in life is ensuring that you are going to heaven. The second most important thing is taking other people with you. It’s going to be great just to make it to heaven, but it will be so much better to look around and see others you brought along.

After Jesus paid for our sins on the cross and rose from the dead, He ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father. Christ sat down indicating that His redemptive work was finished. In fact, those were his very words on the cross just before he commended his spirit to the Father: “It is finished” (John 19:30). 

Now that His work is finished, ours has begun. Pentecostal evangelist T.L. Osborn noted, “After purging us from our sins, making us worthy to share His life and virtue, He sat down. But it is not our time to sit down. It is our time to stand up! His redemptive work is finished. Now He has committed to us the continuation of His ministry, as His representatives. He has now delegated us to go with the good news, as His Ambassadors and to act on His behalf and in His name.”

According to Revelation 7:9, there will be newborn people from “all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb...” Between now and then we are God’s delegated witnesses to reach every person on earth with His message. Our job is to get the gospel to everyone everywhere. We may start next door, or with the person who works next to us, or perhaps even with a family member. Every breathing human needs Jesus!!

During the brutal days of communism, Alexander Solzhenitsyn was confined in the depressing Soviet labor camps where many people died. He was an “enemy of the state” because he loved freedom and he loved Jesus. Along with the other prisoners, Alexander worked in the fields. His tedious days were a cruel pattern of back-breaking work and slow starvation.

One day, the hopelessness of the situation finally overwhelmed him. Alexander felt no reason to go on living. His life seemed worthless as he slowly rotted in that unrelenting prison. Alexander reached the breaking point. Laying down his shovel, he walked slowly to a bench. He knew death was probably only minutes away. Soon a guard would order him back to work, and when he failed to respond, he would probably be bludgeoned to death with his own shovel. He had seen this happen to other fellow prisoners.

As Alexander sat waiting, he suddenly felt a presence. Lifting his eyes, he saw that an old man was now seated next to him. The old prisoner, without saying a word, drew a stick through the sand at Alexander’s feet, tracing out the sign of the cross.

Alexander stared at the cross, and his entire perspective changed. He knew he was just one broken man pitted against a powerful, dehumanizing Communist machine. But the cross gave Him hope. He knew that the hope of all humanity was represented in that cross. Through the power of the cross, all things were possible. Alexander slowly got up and went back to work. 

History would soon make dramatic, sharp turns. Alexander would be miraculously freed. His writings would expose the deceptive and misleading Communist system and identify the fault lines that were about to shift and crumble. And Alexander Solzhenitsyn in his own lifetime has already gone down in history as one of freedom’s greatest advocates.

And such is the power of Jesus Christ! His cross, resurrection, and the gospel all matter! One day, the Great Commission will be the Great Completion. Everything will find its fulfillment in Jesus Christ!





Saturday, September 29, 2018

The Globalization of One Mission—One Movement



By: Dr. Wayman Ming Jr.

The footnote of 2018 can be summarized by this one phrase: The Globalization of One Mission—One Movement. For the first time in the Pentecostal Church of God, representatives from three continents or regions—Africa, Asia, and the Americas (with approximately 40 nations)—gathered together to engage in a global message and mission. With some in laughter and some in tears, national leaders were lifting their index fingers and proclaiming, “One Mission—One Movement.”

As one bishop from the All-Asian Conference declared, “Everybody is excited and on fire with One Mission—One Movement. Everybody, including myself, goes home with a fresh passion to win souls, disciple them, and grow our churches.… I did not only catch the vision but was caught by the vision itself.… As bishop, my only agenda is winning souls and discipling them to become leaders of leaders. I am learning to minimize legislation and legal matters and maximize the agenda of the Kingdom of God instead.” 

Loved ones, as I expressed in my acceptance speech as general bishop, I believe that our PCG mandate in writing a first chapter for a 2nd-Century PCG involves “living as a Global church with a global mission rather than an American church with a global mission.” We are a multinational, multicultural, multi-generational church and, God willing, we will learn how to live it out by God’s Spirit.

Fortunately, this mandate is a biblical mandate and not just a PCG mandate. In Mark 16, which remains as one of the most intense passages of Scripture concerning the globalization of Christ’s mission on earth, Jesus allows us to catch a glimpse of His global plan. Right before He ascends, Jesus appears to the 11 apostles and gives them some last-minute instructions:

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15; NKJV).

Before we consider Jesus’ words concerning the globalization of the gospel—“go into all the world,” let’s consider His mandate to “preach the gospel to every creature.”

Question: Have you ever considered how we can preach the gospel to every creature if… we only preach from behind a church pulpit?

Of course, we all understand that only a select few may ever preach from a church pulpit like many pastors and evangelists, but we must also acknowledge that preaching the gospel to every creature won’t happen unless every Christ-follower lives as a preacher. In fact, there’s something important about “marketplace ministry”—moving the Kingdom of God into every sphere of culture—that only happens when all of us preach the gospel.

The globalization of Christ’s mission presented in Mark 16:15 is spiritually myopic if it only includes setting up chairs in one direction with one person preaching from one podium. The real mission of the Church includes introducing every sector of society to the Savior of the world. When Jesus is lifted up—not just sometimes in the church house, but at all times outside the church house—He attracts all people to Himself. He attracts every creature. 

Certainly, pulpit ministry in every church is a wonderful gift to the Body of Christ. Yet, allow me to reinforce the notion that we are all called to preach every day of our lives. In fact, the word “preach” (Gk. kerusso) means “to proclaim or herald a message.” 

Interestingly, one of the most fascinating passages of Scripture concerning preaching is found in Romans 10, which is the gospel tract chapter. It’s the “salvation road” chapter or the “altar call” chapter. How many times have we heard…

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” 
(Romans 10:9-10, 13, NKJV)?

Yet, notice the verses following…

“How then shall they [unbelievers becoming believers] call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they [unbelievers becoming believers] believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they [unbelievers becoming believers] hear without a preacher? And how shall they [unbelievers becoming believers] preach unless they are sent?

 (Romans 10:14-15, NKJV).


Do you see the inference that every unbeliever becoming a believer should be sent to preach? WOW!! In other words, every believer should be sent to preach that others may hear and believe! 

Can you see God’s plan for every believer? Unfortunately, the one part of the plan that seems to break down more than any other remains: “every believer preaching the gospel.” The one part that diverts God’s plan from working occurs when every believer doesn’t preach the gospel!

Furthermore, I believe that Jesus even affirms this observation in Matthew 9. Do you remember in verse 35 when “Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people”? Jesus sees the multitudes and is moved with compassion (Gk. splagchnizomai: pity from the bowels) because they were weary (Gk. eklyo: exhausted) and scattered about (Gk. rhipto: thrown down with considerable force) as sheep without a shepherd. After this, notice Jesus’ exhortation:

“…The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest 
to send out laborers into His harvest” 
(Matthew 9:37-38, NKJV).


Jesus is talking about His missional plan, and He basically says, “We need to pray for more laborers or preachers.” The real challenge of One Mission—One Movement is having enough laborers or preachers. The harvest is certainly magnified, and the harvesters are minimal. Loved ones, we need to pray because the one solution for the globalization of One Mission—One Movement remains more preachers.

Isn’t it interesting that the word “preacher” is not mentioned in the fivefold ministry gift? From Ephesians 4:11: “And He gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers”—but  not preachers. Isn’t it interesting that Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:28 that “God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers…”? He never mentions preachers. Isn’t it interesting that He talks about desiring all kinds of gifts, but He never mentions preaching as a gift; and He certainly never mentions preaching at all in 1 Corinthians 12-14? 

Allow me to submit to you that preaching is not mentioned in the gifts chapters of the Bible (Ephesians 4, 1 Corinthians 12-14, or Romans 12) because preaching or announcing the gospel is not meant for merely a select few but for everyone. Why would God’s Word not mention preachers in these verses of Scripture if all of Christ’s followers were not called to preach the gospel to every creature in every sphere of our culture?

Furthermore, isn’t it interesting that when Paul lists the qualifications for elders or bishops to Timothy, he says that an elder should be “blameless, the husband of one wife…able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2)? Why doesn’t He say, “able to preach”? Could the answer simply imply that all believers should be preaching the gospel to every creature? 

Even when Paul declares that he was appointed to preach in 2 Timothy 1:11, could he not have merely been counting himself with all believers? Actually, the very next verse expresses what every believer holds to be true: “…for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day” (2 Timothy 1:12, NKJV). The overwhelming evidence in Scripture suggests that the only way every creature will hear is if every believer will preach.  

Now, someone may say, “But God wouldn’t send new believers to preach as inferred in Romans 10.” Yet, weren’t the 12 disciples new Christians when Christ sent them out two by two? They were unlearned and ignorant men. Weren’t the 70 witnesses also new Christians when they were sent out two by two? Absolutely. How about the demoniac in Mark 5? Jesus actually sent him home to Decapolis to share the gospel with everyone who would hear it. 

Allow me to simply suggest that the globalization of the gospel is possible because every Christ-follower is called to “preach the gospel to every creature.” Thankfully, God’s plan is working, and we are experiencing the globalization of One Mission—One Movement. 



GO INTO ALL THE WORLD!


The word “go” is a present verb. It involves movement—go and keep on going and keep on going after that! This word creates active connection, while the word “world” (Gk. kosmos) distinguishes the place or sphere of that connection. The Greek meaning of “world” often denotes political systems or spheres of influence.

The Apostle Paul actually uses the same word when he writes that Satan is the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Paul wasn’t really speaking of the physical earth but the sphere of this world’s system. Just as Satan seeks to infiltrate and manipulate this world’s sphere or system, we are called to proclaim the gospel to the same. 

So, here is the good news. We don’t have to move to the other side of the world to preach the gospel. Jesus doesn’t expect all Christ-followers to uproot their families and move to a foreign nation; but He does expect us to take the gospel to every ethnic group, culture, and sphere of influence in our cities and communities. 

Consequently, here is the all-important question: Where is your closest mission field? Your closest mission field can be your neighborhood, where all kinds of cultures already exist. Your closest mission field can be the marketplace, where you connect with people of every color and creed, tribe, and tongue. Your closest mission field can be your community center, where leaders of all ages influence your city and community.

When Jesus said, “Go into all the kosmos and preach the gospel to every creature” He was calling us to take the gospel to our world or sphere of influence. In fact, in the other complementary passage—known as the Great Commission—Jesus said, “Go and teach all nations” (Matt. 28:19). The Greek word for “nations” (Gk. ethnos) simply means ethnicity. In other words, reaching different customs, cultures, and civilizations!

Today, most nations are simply a mixture of cultures and customs. Just leave your house and drive down the street to a different neighborhood, and you’ll probably find a mixture of culture and customs very different from your own. So, hear the powerful connotation of this truth…

Ethnos refers to every people, and kosmos refers every place.


Jesus’ mandate is referring to every people and every place! We’re talking about the inclusive nature of God—that He loves all people in all places. In truth, how can we love God if we don’t, in turn, love the people God loves?

Listen, whatever we love, we pursue! If we love certain foods, we pursue certain foods. Some of us will even put specific food names (and brands) on our calendars because we have developed an appetite for them.

Some mornings I will write “Starbucks” on my calendar, so I can get an iced caramel macchiato. Whenever I am in Santa Clarita, California, I put the name of a certain taco truck on my calendar because I love their tacos. In Fort Worth, Texas, “Andy’s Frozen Custard” is often noted on my calendar because I love frozen custard. Here’s the bottom line: We pursue what we love. If we genuinely love people, we will pursue them and “go into all the world.”

Loved ones, please hear my heart! The globalization of One Mission—One Movement is in our grasp if each one of us will engage in “preaching the gospel to every creature.” Until my last breath, I will reinforce the notion that every person is a mission…every church is a mission…every nation is a mission. Moving the mission of Christ forward activates every person, church, and organization to embody the mission of Christ in their world by the power of the Spirit. Thankfully, the Pentecostal Church of God is a global church with a commitment to a global mission. It is actually God’s plan A, and He really has no plan B.



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Wednesday, June 20, 2018

The Culture of One Mission—One Movement by Dr. Wayman Ming Jr.


What comes to mind when you hear the word “culture?” Have you ever thought about the notion that our homes, churches, and organizations have a specific culture? Actually, note the definition of culture…

Definition of Culture: The sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another. (Dictionary.com)

Did you capture the big idea? Culture involves the “sum total of the way we live.” It is the sum total of our beliefs and behaviors integrated in daily life and transmitted to the generations following. 

Much like an iceberg, our lives are the sum total of cultural characteristics that are not just seen above the surface but are developed below the surface. What we do in public is often activated by what we believe and value in private. 







Much like an iceberg, every person creates culture above and below the surface of their lives. Families create culture. Churches and organizations create culture. For example, when the leadership of a church parks in the back of the parking lot to allow guests and the elderly to have the best parking spots, that creates a certain culture—putting others first. Or, when the leaders of a church walk through the facilities and pick up paper or displaced items from the floor instead of leaving them there, that creates a certain culture—God’s house is important. In other words, culture is created by the way we live our lives.

Why is this so important? Because the culture in our churches and organizations determines how people fit in! Culture determines what kind of life grows and flourishes and what kind of life doesn’t. Just like certain kinds of plants and animals thrive in certain environments, culture enhances whether people grow and ultimately influences their environment. In many ways, culture to a church or organization is like personality to a person. In essence, the best way to describe culture would simply be to say, “This is how we live”—”this is how we live in the Ming family …. this is how we live at our church … this is how we live in the Pentecostal Church of God.”

So, here is the all-important question then: Are we creating culture by design or default? In the Pentecostal Church of God, we hope to create culture by design. Certainly, our movement has already developed a certain culture; however, that doesn’t mean that the existing culture can’t be reformed. In this article, I would like to inspire the beginning steps toward a cultural shift through intentionally living in three ways—placing “Mission above the Machine,” placing “People above our Preferences,” and placing the “Other Generations above our Generation.” Are you ready?


PLACE “MISSION ABOVE THE MACHINE”

Some have heard me share that one of most transformational moments in my life occurred when the Holy Spirit revealed that I was “oiling the machinery” more than “moving the mission of Christ forward.” Unfortunately, many of us can wind up in an all-to-familiar place—maintaining ministry more than living the mission of Christ. Allow me to ask you a personal question: Are you maintaining the ministry machine of your life or are you living the mission of Christ?

Now, if you have any question marks concerning what living the mission of Christ really means, allow me to reinforce the notion that missional living represents a significant cultural shift in the way we live for Christ. Missional living means that we engage the world the same way that Jesus did—by “going and reaching out” rather than just “modeling what we believe.” Jesus said…

“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15, NKJV).

“And as you go, preach saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matthew 10:7, NKJV).

According to these mandates, every Christ-follower should intentionally engage people concerning the Gospel and the Kingdom of Heaven. In fact, I believe that every Christian should be able to articulate his/her faith in three minutes or less. The reference “to preach” in these scriptures doesn’t pertain to standing behind a pulpit in front of Christians, but intentionally engaging pre-Christians throughout life’s journey.

Recently, I was returning from Africa and ended up right next to a wonderful Muslim lady in full regalia. She was covered in her burka, and her hands and wrists were decorated with this type of lovely calligraphy. After engaging in a conversation, I learned that the artistic flare on her hands and fingers did not represent anything more than her desire to present herself with elegance. During our conversation, I noticed that she kept clicking a little item that looked like a stop-watch. When I asked about it, she showed me the number 1,301 on the face of it and expressed that she had asked God (Allah) to forgive her 1,301 times. I certainly tried not to express my utter amazement, but on the inside, I was doing summersaults when she shared that she had clicked her small trinket 1,301 times during the past thirty minutes. Of course, this opened the door to a conversation concerning the notion that Christ died on the cross to forgive us of our sins once and for all. 

The truth is that I could have modeled the Christ-life by being kind to this woman during the entirety of the trip, but until I engaged her in a conversation, I wasn’t placing “mission above the machine.” In fact, I couldn’t help but ask myself whether what Christ would have done in my situation. Candidly, I don’t believe that He would have sat by her on that flight without ever engaging her in a conversation concerning her soul? As the Scripture declares, “…And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14, NKJV). 

May I suggest a cultural-shift here? Would I be too bold to suggest that we can end up “oiling the machinery of ministry” and excuse ourselves from “moving the mission of Christ forward?” Certainly, a tension exists to do “business as usual,” and unless we intentionally live our lives by filtering what we do through the grid of mission, we can become spiritually complacent. Interestingly, complacency is common when our focus is more management-based than mission-driven and internally-focused than externally-motivated.

Please hear my heart! In the Pentecostal Church of God, we must experience a culture-shift that allows us to filter everything through the grid of mission. If what we’re doing in ministry is not reaching the lost and equipping and sending the found, then we should cast it as far as the East is from the West. If what we’re doing is not multiplying ministers and missionaries, training church planters and multi-cultural leaders, and coaching up pastors to reach beyond their four walls, then we should change our priority list.

Fundamentally, missional praxis must supersede church management. In truth, every person is a mission. Every church is a mission, and every nation is a mission. Moving the mission of Christ forward applies the whole life of every person, church, and organization to embody the mission of Christ in their world. Now, that is a culture not only worth dying for but worth living for.

PLACE “PEOPLE ABOVE OUR PREFERENCES”

How is this even possible? Is it possible to place people ahead of our personal preferences? After all, preferences are simply what we prefer—what we like or dislike. Yet, the possibility of this cultural paradigm must exist because Jesus makes the statement… 

“…whosoever desires to become great among you, let him be your slave … Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:26, 28, NKJV)

As we look at the example of Jesus, we know this way of life is possible because He continually loved people ahead of Himself. The programs, protocol, and procedures of His time did not supersede the woman at the well, the lame man on the Sabbath, or Lazarus in the tomb. 

For years I have struggled with a PCG culture that tends to elevate rules of order and bylaws above people. I’ve even attended conventions and business meetings where the letter of the law was elevated above the spirit of the law. In other words, the law enslaved people rather than setting them free. Transparently, in those moments, I wanted to turn over the tables of the money-changers and the dove-sellers and say: “Where there is no vision, the people perish, but where there are no people, the vision perishes.” In other words, people should be our priority and not our policies and procedures. 

One of my favorite stories for illustrating this point involves a pastor who went to a car wash and asked for his trunk to be vacuumed. The attendant responded by saying, “We don’t do trunks.” The pastor even requested to pay extra and finally offered to pay double, but the attendant still said, “We don’t do trunks.” Unfortunately, we see some of the same sentiment in the Church. Rather than trying to love and care for people at the point of their need, we tell them, “We don’t do trunks.” We restrict their freedom because our policies, procedures, and preferences don’t allow for anything else to be considered.

As we approach a new chapter for a 2nd-Century PCG, I am praying that we will see a cultural-shift that begins to prioritize people above personal preferences. When we begin to hear the sentiment, “we don’t do trucks,” I am praying that we will not allow that sentiment to become our burden. Our preference may suggest that “we don’t do trunks,” but our willful obedience to Christ will inspire us to place people above ourselves.

Perhaps, you’ve heard the story of Alexander the Great who was in the midst of his 3300-mile journey in eleven days. His army was parched without water when some Macedonians came by and offered Alexander a drink from one of their helmets. When Alexander saw hundreds of his men staring at the water, he returned it saying, “If I alone should drink, the rest would be out of heart.” His entire army started cheering his temperance and magnanimity, vowing to follow him to the ends of the earth. Why were they cheering? Alexander the Great had placed people above his own preferences. 

PLACE “OTHER GENERATIONS ABOVE MY GENERATION”

Interestingly, every generation seems to evolve as a cultural critic: “Our music is better than your music … our lifestyle is better than your lifestyle … our convictions are better than your convictions … our generation is better than your generation. Whether in gest or sarcasm, each generation can serve as a voice of antagonism for other generations. Generally, some people never learn the difference between living their lives as critical thinkers rather than critical spirits.

In fact, allow me to highlight the notion that the Church of Jesus Christ is multi-generational. Specifically, there is no such thing as “us” against “them” unless a particular generation wages war against all the other generations. The generational challenge shouldn’t be contextualized by a “young vs. old” or “old vs. young” rubric. Currently, we are not just navigating through the generations known as the Depression Kids, Boomers, or Busters, but we are navigating through other generations like Generation X, Generation Y, and even Generation Z. Every generation is unique and valuable to the Kingdom. 

The PCG is also a multi-generational church, and at some point, we must recognize that our present and future depends upon our willingness to prioritize the next generations. Candidly, I can’t remember my exact age or the specific day and time, but a transformation of heart took place in me that affirmed: “The rest of my life is no longer about me; it’s about the generations after me.” The only way I can describe it is a “turning of the heart” took place.

Malachi 4:5-6 declared, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers…” (NKJV).

Perhaps, one of the signs of spiritual maturity involves a cultural-shift of the heart. The heart shifts toward the other generations and especially the next generations. Interestingly, the heart-shift doesn’t begin with the children but with the fathers and mothers. The children certainly reciprocate but specifically after the parents initiate.  

Unfortunately, some church leaders still struggle with segregating the next generations rather than integrating them. Instead of connecting with the next generations, they delegate that ministry to the youth adult and children’s leaders. Pardon the poignancy here, but they hire a young leader and pass off their heart.

Recently, I heard the story of a lead-pastor who was so burdened for the children of the church that he spontaneously left the adult service and served in the children’s worship service. He certainly wasn’t desiring accolades or seeking to neglect the adult population of the church, but he had experienced a cultural-shift in his heart. I believe that the missing ingredient for placing “other generations above my generation” is heart.

Now allow me to share the disclaimer for those who may feel that I am delegitimizing generational preferences, music styles, or even personal convictions. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the cultural idiosyncrasies of your generation. By all means, enjoy them in your personal time and space. Enjoy them whenever possible.

However, allow me to inspire you with a different approach when mixing and mingling with other generations in collective worship and service. In private, enjoy your generational preferences, but in public, learn to place the other generations above your generation. 

In fact, if you find yourself struggling with it, ask the Holy Spirit for a “turning of the heart,” and I believe that just as our Heavenly Father turned His heart toward His adopted children, we will learn to turn our hearts toward the adopted children of the next generations.  

Remember our definition of culture above? The sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another. How can we see a culture-shift without witnessing a transmission of it from one generation to another? 

Loved ones, as we move toward the first chapter of a 2nd-Century PCG, let us decide to create our PCG culture by design and not default. If we will place “Mission above the Machine,” “People above our Preferences,” and “Other Generations above my Generation,” I believe a cultural-shift will occur that will catalyze us toward One Mission—One Movement. Remember, God blesses motion and not just notion. So, as leaders of the Pentecostal Church of God, let’s not only affirm these together, but live them together. Selah.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

American Indian Missions: OUT WEST IN WINSLOW



American Indian Missions:  OUT WEST IN WINSLOW

By American Indiam Missions Director David Petty
Winslow, Arizona was all but forgotten when Interstate 40 displaced Route 66 and began taking travelers around its downtown in the late 1970s. But it has one thing going for it: People still want to stand on the corner in Winslow after Glenn Frey and the Eagles made it sound so cool in their hit song “Take It Easy.”

It should be noted, there is a lot more to Winslow than just a catchy tune and tribute statue of Frey standing on the corner. Within the city limits is a thriving American Indian Missions church! And this church features an energetic youth group, whose participants are involved in a variety of activities. This past December, their presentation of “Jesus Means Christmas To Me” drew an attentive audience as the holiday season kicked into gear. Since then, these young people have been on the move—from sharing their faith through creative events to fundraising for a mission trip—and are also gaining worthwhile experience learning how to manage their own youth services.

Trent Charley, the youth leader, is an avid reader and collector of Superhero comic books and enjoys watching Marvel and DC movies. He recently developed a “Superheroes for Jesus” theme to engage the youth, and he encouraged participation by asking everyone to dress up as their favorite superhero. The youth donned costumes as the Hulk, Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain America, and a host of other masked crusaders. Joining the fun, Pastors Allen and Carol Pashano even dressed up as Mr. and Mrs. Incredible. Trent’s message to the youth: be more than just average—be super for the Lord.

To support a mission trip to California scheduled for July, the youth baked desserts for an auction fundraiser, which resulted in more than $200 garnered to help with expenses. While still in the planning stages, kids and grownups alike are very excited about this trip. The goal is to take 6-7 youth (ages 9-13) and a small number of adults to perform, minister, and convey their rich Native American culture with the message of Jesus Christ at the forefront. They plan to dress in beautiful, authentic Navajo attire and share various cultural treasures, plus make delicious Navajo frybread for some tasty sampling. Naturally, a stop at Disneyland is on the itinerary before the group heads home. 

This mission trip is their first bold move in promoting their church outside of Arizona. One Mission—One Movement aptly describes this body of young believers, who desire to minister beyond their boundaries and cultures with the positive message of Jesus Christ. Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled (Luke 14:23, KJV). 

Missionaries and churches operating under PCG American Indian Missions are rife with plans to engage congregants and build for the future—even in remote locations and with limited support. The church in Winslow is a prime example and underscores our mission to evangelize First Americans so they can win others to the Lord Jesus Christ!







                                            



Wednesday, May 2, 2018

NATIONAL MISSIONS: MAKING AN IMPACT


In December, the Pentecostal Church of God explored new territory by spreading the net a little wider for our annual Impact Christmas project. For more than a decade and a half the PCG family has brought vital aid, love, and Christ to some of the neediest families in America (located in the Appalachian Mountains) just prior to the Christmas holiday. Due to the massive devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey in recent months, it became apparent that even more people could benefit from such assistance at Christmas time. Through a One Mission—One Movement effort, we were able to bring needed aid to the victims of that disaster simultaneously with Impact Appalachia.

Impact Texas was designed to target Hurricane Harvey’s flood victims (primarily elementary- age children and their families), many of whom were still homeless and displaced. The response from our PCG family was amazing and, through an outpouring of support, the Impact Texas initiative was able to:

• Provide every family with a shopping cart piled to the top  of their heads (some had two carts!) with household goods such as appliances, bedding, toiletries, and dishes.  
• Fill an entire school library with so much food that everyone got what they needed—and much more.
• Assist parents with shopping for their children so they would be able to give them something on Christmas morning.
• Provide individually wrapped gifts to every child and give away more than 60 brand-new bicycles, plus some nice toys.

What resulted was a great time of celebration and excitement for these kids and their families, which helped alleviate some of the daily pressures they were dealing with due to the flood. Impact Texas said to a hurting, recovering community that we know you are there, we see your hurt, and we want to respond to your need.

Most importantly, the Impact Texas team shared Christ that day. The PCG family continues to be Jesus in skin, and One Mission—One Movement has made a statement: We are here to stay and be the church we were born to be in the book of Acts.

As the PCG National Missions director,
I am excited to be part of such a great group of God’s people, who see the world through the eyes of Christ and recognize the needs of suffering humanity. Giving this world Jesus must remain our goal and ultimate priority; but seeing the needs of hurting people and responding in kind must remain the mission of this movement. How can we win them without helping them, and how will we help them without YOU?


From the depths of my heart, I wish to say to our PCG family who assisted with the Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts, as well as the Impact Appalachia and Impact Texas giving programs, a big and sincere THANK YOU! In addition, please let me remind you of a scripture we should all take note of: “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done” (Proverbs 19:7).

Blessings to you all!



Want to see the full article? Check it out in the latest Pentecostal Messenger!

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

This Is Us by Rev. Randy Lawrence




The Pentecostal Church of God has a rich legacy of Bible colleges woven through the tapestry of our story. Messenger College was founded in 1987 to continue the legacy of those foundational institutions. Only eternity will reveal the impact that Southern Bible College and Pentecostal Bible College have made on our world.

For 30 years, Messenger College has been dedicated to the task of developing ministers to spread the gospel. Our graduates have crossed the globe to carry the good news of the gospel in Pentecostal power! 

Today, we live in a completely different world, BUT our mission is still the same. We exist to develop world-changing Pentecostal leaders for the 21st century. We want to raise leaders who will penetrate the darkness of this hour with the bright light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

This is our focus.
This is our priority.
This is our pursuit.

I want you to take pride in knowing that:

This is our school.

Messenger College is the accredited arm of education, training, and development in our movement.

For our school, we are at both an exciting and crucial time in our history.

It’s an exciting time because… we ARE training and developing our next Pentecostal Church of God ministers and leaders! Please allow me to introduce you to a few of our future leaders:

• Meet Chelsea Terry. Chelsea is not only an MC student, but
  she also represents the next-gen of PCG missionaries. While
  she’s already spent extended time on the missionary fields of
  Chile and Guatemala, upon graduation Chelsea plans on
  being a full-time foreign missionary with the PCG.

• Meet Anna Herring. Anna is studying Intercultural Ministries
  at MC and has a passion for missions. Her compassion
  and tender heart for the lost and hurting people of the world
  is absolutely contagious.

• Meet Ira Lopez. Ira is currently pursuing
  his Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry with
  an emphasis in Pastoral Ministry. Upon
  graduation, Ira desires to be an ordained
  minister and serve as a pastor in the
  Pentecostal Church of God.  

It’s a crucial time because…

Education is not an option. Faith is under attack in secular institutions of higher education. It is absolutely imperative that our next generation of leaders have a place where they can be trained and developed, which is thoroughly Pentecostal and thoroughly missional. MC is that place.

The Pentecostal message must be a priority. At MC, we are not only Pentecostal in doctrine but also in experience. We are passionate about training Pentecostal leaders who understand the person and power of the Holy Spirit. 

Educational institutions rely on giving. It is not a secret that colleges and universities (both faith and non-faith based) rely heavily on outside giving to financially make it each year. Messenger College is no different and relies on the vital support from the PCG. 

I believe with all my heart that we have some great days ahead at MC. The Spirit is moving on the hearts of young men and women who are eager to be trained to go and make a difference in this world! We are ONE MISSION—ONE MOVEMENT and, at MC, we are training the next generation of PCG pastors, worship leaders, church planters, missionaries, and leaders!

THIS IS US.

It is because of your faithful support that we are able to continue developing world-changing Pentecostal leaders for the 21st century.


The One Mission—One Movement Initiative

One Mission—One Movement speaks to a unified movement of people who live the mission of Christ in our world through the power of the Spirit.

As we position ourselves to write the first chapter of a 2nd-Century PCG, we must do more than vision-cast a God-given message; we must visioneer a missional movement. Vision-casting speaks to communicating vision, but visioneering speaks to “spiritually engineering a strategic plan in sacred cooperation with God.” We are in the process of developing a “One Mission—One Movement Global Initiative.” In the meantime, please note the U.S. Initiative below.



IMPERATIVE #1 
WHAT: Introduce One Mission—One Movement to our PCG family.
HOW:
o Develop a Communications Team to utilize the full extent of social media, website, 
  The Pentecostal Messenger, and videography.
• Communicate One Mission—One Movement
• Communicate our PCG story at the Centennial
o Develop a PCG APP that connects with our PCG family and shares…
One Mission—One Movement
• Missional Success Stories
• Missional Training Opportunities
• Missional Giving Opportunities
o Utilize videoconferencing to connect with our district leaders.
o Connect with our ministers and leaders through the ILDs and district meetings.
o Promote a grassroots participation at our Centennial to really experience
  One Mission­—One Movement.
WHEN: 2018-2019

Imperative #2
WHAT: Create an Easy-Access Entry Level for the Credential Process
HOW:
o Create a Young Leader’s Task Force to develop a creative experience for group
    involvement, personal coaching, and resource incentives.
o Develop a timeline with a launch date for each district to take a group of new
    ministers through this leadership experience.
o Develop a lower entry-level cost that will be user-friendly for new exhorters and also
  encourage local churches and/or districts to support them if so desired. 
WHEN: 2018-2019


Imperative #3
WHAT: Reform the national office into an International Mission Center (IMC)
HOW:
o Create a leadership team to develop three tracks of training for…
• New Leadership Coaching: New ministers and missionaries
• Church Plant Coaching: New church planters and multicultural ministers
• Church Health Coaching: Existing pastors and leaders
  (Launch the training on-site and online through weekly intensives)
o Develop a One Mission—One Movement on-ramp for every church that…
• Resources their mission: How can we help you magnify your voice?
• Trains their leaders: How can we help you train your leaders?
• Multiplies their giving: How can we help you multiply your giving?
o Move Messenger College to the International Mission Center (IMC)
WHEN: 2018-2019