The Global Advocate - November/December 2021

November/December 2021

Vol. 186, No. 6

ADVOCATE The

G L O B A L

a publication of the Churches of God, General Conference

I N

T H I S

I S S U E

24

God is our Strength, We are Not in Control

by Travis Helm

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Jesus Never Said Thankful was Easy by Julie Dibble

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Blessing Through the Back to School Blitz by Lance Finley

9 2022 ACTS Teams by Haley Day 10 9 WTS Partnership with the CGGC Around the Globe 14 with Dr. Brent Sleasman

Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3b).

THE GLOBAL ADVOCATE (ISSN 0009-630X) is published bi-monthly by the Churches of God, General Conference.

G od StrengthWe are Not in Control is our

by Travis Helm, Global Reach Assistant Director

Vol. 186, No. 6 Established June 5, 1835 as THE GOSPEL PUBLISHER, re-established on May 1, 1846 as THE CHURCH ADVOCATE, and re-established on October 1, 2019 as THE GLOBAL ADVOCATE. Rachel Foreman, Managing Editor The Global Advocate, official publication of the Churches of God, General Conference, exists to encourage members of the CGGC to maximize their collective potential for Kingdom impact.

Correspondence: Address correspondence to The Editor, The Global Advocate, Churches of God Publications, PO Box 926, Findlay, OH 45839, or email to RachelF@cggc.org.

Periodical rate paid at Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Postmaster: Send address changes to THE GLOBAL ADVOCATE, PO Box 926, Findlay, OH 45839. © 2021, Churches of God, General Conference 2 November/December 2021

How many of you could describe some of the

following statements below as part of your life experience, especially over the last 18 months?

• You have more things to do at work, home or school than is humanly possible to do.

• The things you are working on seem almost impossible to complete due to circumstances beyond your control (like pandemic restrictions).

• You find yourself tired, exhausted, and feeling like you have little or no control of normal day to day events within your work and family life.

• Resources and moral support seem to be at an all-time low.

• You get asked to come up with a creative new way to perform everyday tasks that you feel ill equipped, weak, and unqualified to do.

• You are fearful of how things will turn out.

Indian leader friend (on right) Travis traveled with on the 2012 trip with a tribal pastor/family.

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ost of you probably know Gideon’s story in Judges chapter 6. I think Gideon demonstrates someone who was an average family guy, who was just trying to fly under the radar and provide the best he could for his family amid a very difficult, dangerous, and helpless situation. As a background to the story in chapter six, the Israelites had done what was evil in the Lord’s sight, so He handed them over to the Midianites. The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites fled into the mountains hiding in caves and dens. The Midianites were camping all around on the lookout to devour every bit of food and possessions the Israelites had. They literally stripped the land bare and the Israelites were starving to death. At this point they cried out to the Lord for help. The Lord sent a prophet to remind them of how disobedience (sin) got them into this mess. Then the angel of the Lord brought a message to Gideon as we see below in Judges 6:12-16.

The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”

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“Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”

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Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

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“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”

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The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

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As we’ve navigated through this pandemic, many of us may relate with some of how Gideon may have felt in that day. I can remember a specific event in my life from early 2012 where I found myself overwhelmed and helpless knowing I was not in control. Below is a narrative of that story.

I was assigned a monumental new task at the ministry I served at full time. I was to lead a group of pastors through India for a two-week tour. This was the first time I would lead a group of pastors from different parts of the USA, throughout all of India. I was not the first choice but told I received the assignment because I was the only person who currently had a valid visa. I know I was not being asked to rescue a nation from the Midianites, but I still had several concerns and felt overwhelmed and not in control. One major concern I had which I didn’t really share with anyone was a fear of leaving my girls. Grace was 11 and Faith was 2½. Faith also struggled with asthma and regular ear infections.

I really struggled processing the idea of something happening to them while I was on the other side of the globe, and not being in the US for them. It was the type of fear that can cripple a person emotionally and mentally. While in India, our group was on our way to visit a tribal church.

Around 10 p.m. in the US, and before noon the next day in India, I received a text from my wife, Lisa. It read: “Been hoping to avoid this but wanted you to know that Faith has been running a high fever and now she is showing signs of respiratory distress–may need to head to the ER.” The horror on my face must have been evident because the Indian leader with me asked me if everything was okay. I explained the situation and he assured me that when we got to the village church they would pray. He had a confident, caring, reassuring smile on his face. They did pray, Indian style, and it was the most fervent praying I have ever experienced. After several moments of them all praying aloud together, the village pastor closed out the praying and they thanked the Lord for The Global Advocate 3

answering. About 20 minutes after we prayed, (a couple hours after Lisa’s first text) I received a second text from Lisa. “Her fever is completely gone; she is breathing quietly with no laboring or congestion–it’s unbelievable.” I was able to share that with all the believers at the village church and we thanked God. Although I prefer to not have that experience again, I’m a better person for having lived through it and I’m grateful for the growth in my faith that I experienced.

I had written down some concluding thoughts about what I had learned during that experience and what good things came through Gideon’s experience. My place of weakness and loss of all control caused me to totally depend on the Lord. I experienced Him working in this situation despite my fear and limitations. God made up for what I lacked and became my strength and much more. We can conclude the following from Judges 6. If Gideon would not have eventually trusted, obeyed and been totally dependent on the Lord, he would not have experienced the blessing of his faith increasing. He would have missed out on knowing God more intimately and Israel may not have experienced peace over the next 40 years. Others were impacted by his obedience.

Those villagers at that tribal church in India got to experience God answering their prayers for my daughter’s healing. What a faith building experience for them and me!

God is our strength.

Whatever challenge you are currently facing, whether you are a pastor or church leader trying to maintain your small My Indian leader friend and me traveling by plane inside India groups and find ways for your congregations to maintain relationships. Whether you are that parent trying to help your children navigate school from home or a virtual classroom setting while you work full time. Whether you are that student trying to get through school or college with all the mandates and lockdowns. Whether you are an average family guy trying to provide for your family and help them navigate a world that is quickly declining in moral decay. I encourage you to trust Him through each step of that challenge, praying while seeking Him, depending on His wisdom and strength, believing He will be your provision at just the right time. Remember to be thankful for God’s blessings. The devil will do everything to crush your walk with God. He wants to ruin your job, cause you shame, destroy your children’s souls, and steal the joy in your life. He wants to destroy your walk and testimony with God. But God is our strength!!

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”

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J T

esus Never Said was hankful asy

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by Julie Dibble

W

hen COVID first hit, everyone panicked. Churches and schools secured their doors. Businesses were caught between the concurrent need for stability and a disease-free sanctuary. Personally, grocery trips were particularly anxiety-provoking. I had heard of people sanitizing each grocery item before bringing it into the house. I wanted to be cautious, not because I worried for myself, but I didn’t want to bring anything home to my husband and boys.

The first Sunday after the shut-down, I let everyone I could think of know that I would be preaching in the parking lot of the church. In the words of Paul, “God’s word is not chained,” (2 Timothy 2:9) nor will it ever pass away.

Meanwhile, as many of us did, I prayed for God to lift this plague, this global pandemic wrought with tendrils slithering down its victims’ lungs. I believed God not only could lift it but that He would do it as He did through Moses for Pharaoh (Exodus 9:13-16).

Time wore on, though, as if in slow motion. I recall opening our front door one Saturday to see no sign of life walking, doing yard work, or even driving. An eerie stillness had overcome our town. I am thankful for the discernment God has given me. When stillness is eerie, it is not His presence you are in.

I asked my Lord: What are You doing, God? More practically, what do You want us to do?

When you consider this temporary, difficult life from heaven’s perspective, Holy Spirit leads you in word, thought and action to be pleasing to Him. Jesus never said it would be easy to remain thankful in situations in which the enemy has cornered so many in fear, in which God has allowed many to lose their lives.

Yet Jesus is holy and perfect. His Word says have faith and … even if it is just the size of a miniscule mustard seed, you, too, can live victoriously through Him (Matthew 17:20). If we are honest in our confessions, we know what it takes to be thankful in all things.

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• Lay the complaints, especially those regarding our personal preferences, down at His feet.

• Repeat and believe several times a day, His ways are not my ways.

• See His hand at work in our daily lives. God is not just a Sunday Dad. Nor does He only show up during our sacred devotional times.

Jesus says Our Father is always working (John 5:17).

During this time and even now, it is not wrong to follow the news but do so as Jesus commanded: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.

Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16).

Notice He doesn’t give us license to smatter our personal opinions all over the internet. We are to represent Him in the midst of struggle, in the deepest of valleys, and speak from the rooftops all that He tells in the dark (Matthew 10:27). Be wise.

Limit the negativity and stress to which you expose yourself. Before you enter in, remember the Great Commission still applies, maybe even more so.

I recall the news being depressing during this time. It was heart-breaking to see how so many needed hospitalization but couldn’t get it. Some hospitals were full. At the same time people were dying, many were whining about COVID’s inconveniences. When we love Jesus, we shall not and cannot respond to everything but pay special attention to those who can’t fight for themselves. I trust God heard all His saints praying around the globe for healing, for medical staff, for protection.

God showed mercy upon whom He chose to do so (Romans 9:15). I witnessed His faithfulness in bringing my mother-in-law, father-in-law and son through COVID without any complications.

Our particular neighborhood came alive during this time of isolation. New friendships, peer checkins, food drop-offs. In our Dibble family, we played many board games and spent precious time with each other.

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In church prior to COVID, I had taught two inperson classes. I was gearing to teach another one in person. During this separation from people, I planned to wait until we could all gather with our Bibles and hold hands while we prayed to begin class. Holy Spirit knew the Father’s plans. He convicted me to teach this class online, not to wait, to act swiftly in fact. Our God knew how much we needed community, how much we needed to stay close to His Living Water, and whom was broken before COVID and needed cared for. The class was called Deepening Our Love for God. It was a privilege to be used in this manner as He spoke to each and every one through the lessons and our times of prayer.

Yet, while we here on earth, there are still more that need His love, His truth, His forgiveness.

Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).

Let us not become weary of being thankful either, no matter the season or situation: But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

Our praise and thanks may be a sacrifice at times, one in which He honors in full. When we can’t leap around in pretty-colored boots with a sloppy smile thanking God for all things, we do not give up. We bow our heads, allowing our heart’s beat to praise and thank our One True God. None of us will ever be thank-full 100% of the time.

That is, until Jesus comes back. We shall have no tempter along on the ride to heaven to whisper ways we should criticize the angels or incite bitterness because we hadn’t received our latte before lift-off.

No, the victory in full will be ours because Our Lord and Savior not only died for us, but He rose again.

He not only made us His own before He ascended, but He is coming back to claim us for eternity. If that doesn’t evoke a “Hallelujah Thank You, Lord!” … you might want to check your pulse.

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lessing Through the ack to School litz

by Lance Finley CGGC Executive Director

Pastor Dave Odegard with backpacks Photo by Kenton Times

E

ach summer for the past several years, on a hot and sunny Sunday afternoon in August, the village of Wharton, OH is transformed from it’s normal quiet and sleepy existence into the “place to be” thanks to the Wharton Church of God (https://www.whartoncog.com) and their Back to School Blitz. Wharton is a village of approximately 400 residents located in Wyandot County, about 20 miles southeast of Findlay. The brothers and sisters at the Wharton Church of God are doing a tremendous job of loving their neighbors and serving their local community.

A typical Sunday afternoon drive through Wharton wouldn’t probably offer a lot to report on, but on the day of the Back to School Blitz, that’s a whole different story. The village blocks off one end of the main road with barricades and the local fire company parks a fire engine at the opposite end of the street in order to redirect traffic for the day. This quiet street is transformed into a carnival-like atmosphere with fun, food and lots of people enjoying the time together. At both ends of the street there are bounce houses full of energetic children playing and laughing. On one side of the street there are a number of booths with games, face painting and other activities for the kids. On the opposite side of the street there’s a dunk tank, a food station with hot dogs, beverages and cotton candy, as well as a DJ from a local Christian radio station playing music and serving as the emcee of the event.

Photo by Lindsay Ginter

The Global Advocate 7

In addition to all the fun and food, there are also hair stylists giving back-to-school haircuts to some of the kids. Inside the Dwelling Place, the congregation’s new fellowship hall that also serves as the community center for the village, there’s a station where kids and their parents can pick up a backpack filled with school supplies for the upcoming school year. This past year the church and their community partners were able to distribute nearly 400 backpacks filled with supplies. In addition, there’s typically a few prizes and give-aaway drawings that take place throughout the course of the afternoon.

For several hours this past August, over 1,200 people came through the Back to School Blitz. It’s an amazing event that the whole community has learned to look forward to each year. Pastor Dave Odegard and his wife Kathy, share that the idea for the Back to School Blitz originated at their former church in Montana a number of years ago. At their former congregation, a teacher in the church had the vision to start this kind of ministry and when the Odegards were called to serve at Wharton, they sensed that an effort like this would be a good way to connect with the local community. The church was willing to give it a try and the first Back to School Blitz was launched back in 2013. That first year they saw about 120 people attend the Blitz and they had about 40 individuals from the church serve at the event and distributed about 50 backpacks.

The event has certainly grown over the years, and it’s something that the Wharton Church of God would struggle to pull off on their own, but they’ve been blessed with a number of partners in the effort. This past year there were about 70 people who volunteered during the Blitz – it takes a lot of people to put on a quality event like this and

the congregation provides a large number of the volunteers for the day. Congregation members man the dunk tank, provide supervision for the bounce houses, operate the various game and activity booths, work the registration table, distribute the backpacks filled with school supplies and prepare and serve a lot of great food. Pastor Dave relates that while the church provides most of the volunteer staff for the day, a number of other community members also help provide the manpower necessary for such an undertaking. A fellow pastor from a nearby community in the same school district, several teachers and staff as well as a few community members also volunteer during the course of the event. Pastor Dave also shares that the event has been a great tool in helping folks in the congregation grow in friendship and unity as they’ve worked alongside one another at the Blitz. They’ve even seen people come to Wharton Church of God because of the Blitz and their desire to be a part of a church that loves and serves the community well.

The Wharton Church of God is generous in putting together the Back to School Blitz, but they are grateful for a number of partners and supporters from the community. The congregation has typically funded the food, bounce house rentals, prizes and games which often amounts to an investment of over $1,000 each year. This past year, Wharton was blessed with a $5,000 matching grant from The Foundation of the Great Lakes Conference Churches of God, General Conference (https://www. foundationglc.org) that enabled them to invest in

Photo by Lindsay Ginter

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Photo by Lindsay Ginter

some new technology and equipment to support the ministry effort. Pastor Dave shares that the bulk of the school supplies that are distributed are funded through the generosity of the local community, both through individuals and local businesses who contribute $4,000 to $7,000 each year to help underwrite the cost of school supplies. Pastor Dave relates that “the community really invests in this event and how it impacts our local school.”

Wharton is a part of the Riverdale School District which serves 900 students from the communities of Wharton, Forest, Mt. Blanchard and the surrounding area. The school district as been a natural partner with the congregation as there are several current and former Riverdale teachers who are a part of the fellowship at the Wharton Church of God. The school district helps promote the event, sending home flyers to families to let parents know about the Blitz. Pastor Dave says that the Blitz has helped to enhance what was already a good relationship with the local school. This past year, one-third of the students in the local school also participated in the Back to School Blitz. The relationship with the schools goes well beyond just this one-day event as Pastor Dave shares that it’s not uncommon for the school to reach out to the church throughout the year with various needs or requests.

The church also partners with the school in identifying the class supply lists for each grade and utilizing those lists to prepare the backpacks each year. Families are asked

to pre-register online for the Blitz which allows the church to coordinate the packing of the backpacks according to the various classroom supplies lists. There are students that attend the Blitz who go to other schools outside the Riverdale school district and the church tries to find those class lists online or prepares a backpack filled with a good estimate of the student’s classroom supply needs for the upcoming school year. Pastor Dave shares that one of their future dreams is to find a way to provide a voucher for shoes for the participants (most schools require two pairs of shoes—one for everyday wear and another for gym class).

Pastor Dave offered the following advice to other churches who might want to partner with their local schools in similar ways. “Don’t despise small beginnings. Set aside some money to commit to this kind of effort and be faithful with it for a few years. Know that it will take a lot of volunteers— but we’ve found that people feel really good about what our church is able to do to bless the kids of our community and they want to be involved in efforts like this.”

When asked about what they’ve learned over the years of partnering with their neighbors to put on the Back to School Blitz, Pastor Dave had several observations. “Our community, our neighbors are very generous, and they care about their school.

Over the years, our church has earned some street cred with our community because we’ve cared about the school too. We’ve learned a lot about the needs of our community, particularly about the things that don’t necessarily show up on the surface. It has taken some time, but it’s been worth it.”

Photo by Lindsay Ginter

ACTS TEAMS: A Lasting Impact A

by Haley Day Global Reach Missionary USA Southwest

dvancing Christ Through Service: Short-term intergenerational teams seek to grow closer to God, experience the Gospel at work in different cultures, and see missions as part of everyday life.

I grew up in the church and was very involved with all the “church” activities—VBS, youth group, church camp.

While they all held important roles in my walk with Christ, nothing changed my life and put me on fire for God more than my ACTS Team trips. My first ACTS Team was when I was 14. It was the first time I visited the Southwest, USA and I immediately fell in love with the people, the culture, and the landscape. It was eyeopening for me to experience how within the United States, people could live and worship so differently from me. I went home with an experience and with knowledge that no book, class, or Bible study could have provided me. The next year, I went on two ACTS Teams, and after that, I spent three more summers on ACTS Teams.

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They helped me want to do more in my own church and to reach out into my own community. By going out of my comfort zone and what was familiar to me, I learned that as important as it is to reach the ends of the earth, it’s also imperative that we are reaching the lost in our own communities. This led me down a path to taking leadership roles in my church, an internship leading youth and family ministries, and eventually to seminary and my current position as a missionary through the CGGC in the place that started it all.

Needless to say, ACTS Teams are a huge part of our ministry here in Gamerco. This past summer, the ACTS Team kicked off our summer after being on hiatus in 2020. They began the trip with a prayer drive through the local communities—praying for people, businesses, and churches. Then, they helped clean up the church’s park to host an end-of-school-year celebration for the kids and families in the community. Each year is a little bit different, and projects are usually curated around the team members’ unique skills and the current needs of the church and community. Here is a short testimony from Ellie, a member of the 2021 Southwest ACTS team: “Going on the ACTS trip enabled me to familiarize myself with the missions of the CGGC in a hands-on and meaningful way. I was able to make connections with the congregants at the Gamerco Church of God, the missionaries, the trip leaders, and other participants. The ACTS trip allowed me to serve God as a part of a team.

Even though we did not know each other at the beginning of the trip, we parted as family!”

Come be a part of an ACTS Team!

ACTS Teams are for everyone—young, old, new to the faith, and life-long Christians! If you’ve ever felt called to serve on a short-term mission team or are feeling a pull to step out of your comfort zone, there’s never been a better opportunity. Each mission field is unique and presents its own opportunities for the team that God will gather together. Be on the lookout for the ACTS 2022 brochure at your church or visit https://cggc.org/ministryareas/global-reach/missionary-detail/acts-teams/ for more info and to fill out an application!

2022 ACTS Teams Argentina

Southwest, USA Navajo

Nicaragua

June 9 - June 16, 2022

June 21 - June 30, 2022

July 7 - July 14, 2022

$1,900

$995

$1,400

Led by Caleb & Christina Acosta

Led by Kendall & Donna Hughes

Led by Caleb & Christina Acosta

The Global Advocate 11

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The Global Advocate 13

Winebrenner Theological Seminary

Partnership

with the CGGC Around the Globe

by Ben Tobias, Director of Global Reach

with Dr. Brent Sleasman, WTS President

Recently, Ben Tobias had a conversation with Dr. Brent Sleasman, President of Winebrenner Theological Seminary, about a partnership that reaches around the globe. Together, the CGGC and WTS are working to maximize their collective potential for Kingdom impact!

1. Winebrenner has a long history of working in partnership with the CGGC— as evidenced by so many of our pastors and leaders receiving their training there. So it’s natural for the connection to extend beyond the USA into the global CGGC. Please describe how WTS first got involved in Haiti. How did God open this door and what motivated you to enter this partnership?

During any given term somewhere between 35-50% of our students are from the Churches of God, General Conference. In fact, one of our graduates in July 2021 was Haley Day (pictured right), who (along with her husband, Jacob) is a Global Reach missionary to the US Southwest. What makes Haley’s story even more personal is that she is from the same church where I grew up – the Indian Head Church of God in the Allegheny Region.

The connections between the CGGC, Winebrenner, and Global Reach extend back many decades with many CGGC missionaries serving after graduating from Winebrenner. I’m often asked “which Sleasman family” do I belong to – in the late 1960s and early 1970s my aunt and uncle (Donna and Earl Sleasman) served as missionaries, with their final assignment in Haiti.

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Prior to accepting the position of President of Winebrenner Seminary, I was a tenured faculty member at Gannon University in Erie, PA. Through our local church I connected with Emmaus Biblical Seminary (now Emmaus University) near Cap Haitien, Haiti, and was able to teach several courses for them. I saw first hand the impact that an education can have in Haiti where, for many students, the opportunity an education provided was literally a life or death proposition. On one of those trips Ken and Betty McIntyre drove over the mountain from Borel and picked up our family and hosted us for a few days. I carried this conviction with me to Winebrenner and, in partnership with the Great Lakes Foundation and Great Lakes Region, we were able to begin offering courses in the fall of 2016.

2. What are some of the blessings and challenges you’ve encountered?

The blessings are enormous. The students are eager to learn about God’s Word and how to serve more effectively as pastors and missionaries in their own communities. Even though we teach in Haiti through an interpreter it’s fascinating to see how similar we really are. Also, we’ve been able to build bridges with US pastors and churches as well as a result of our efforts in Haiti.

Some of the challenges are unique to an international context. Currently, Haiti is suffering through an unstable political climate and natural challenges like an earthquake and tropical storms.

These raise questions about the ability to travel.

Haitian Students in 2019 Also, in the US most of us can take for granted consistent internet access so even if travel wasn’t possible (for example, during COVID-19) we could FaceTime or Zoom with our family members. An unreliable internet is also a challenge for Haiti and other international contexts.

3. In recent years, this partnership has extended to Kenya as well. What is the current status of leadership training there? How does it compare or contrast with Haiti?

Since we’re talking about collaboration, I’ll comment upon that for a moment. It’s interesting to see what doors open after we take the first step. When we first explored education in Haiti upon my arrival at Winebrenner, there were definitely more questions than answers. But, in spite of the questions and challenges, I traveled with Pastor Kevin King while he taught the first course in September 2016. Through that experience God revealed additional opportunities and opened additional doors, most recently in Kenya. My encouragement to those seeking new areas of ministry is to take the first step and see what happens!

In January 2020, I accompanied a team to Kenya, led by Pastor Nancy Boyer, from the Eastern Region. One of the challenges in Kenya is that pastors need training from an accredited school like Winebrenner Seminary.

Since there was a clear need, we were invited into the conversation as a possible solution. During that week I had the privilege of teaching a brief session on homiletics (preaching) to the Kenyan pastors and leaders.

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In 2021, despite the challenges of COVID-19, we were able to offer a second course focused on Old Testament Foundations. Nancy and Lisa Wilt were in Kenya and shared some pre-recorded lectures and I met with the students for two hours by Zoom every morning (pictured at left). With the time difference I was starting my day from 7:00 – 9:00 a.m., while they were finishing up their afternoon at 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

One major difference between our experience in Haiti and Kenya is that Winebrenner initiated the efforts in Haiti while we were invited into the opportunity in Kenya. I believe this is confirmation that Winebrenner’s partnership with Global Reach is God-ordained and consistent with the Spirit’s leading. We are now working with the Great Lakes Region and Great Lakes Foundation in preparation of courses in 2022 in Kenya.

4. How can churches and individuals partner with WTS in these areas? (Global Reach is establishing designated education funds for all fields next year, so I’ll provide this information as a way for churches to provide scholarship support.)

Like any spiritual endeavor, prayer is a priority. The challenges of traveling to an educational setting or establishing a working internet connection is a real spiritual battle in many places. Second, as we continue to offer consistent experiences the need for qualified faculty will only grow. A church can be a major blessing by allowing a pastor a week or two (depending upon the context) to travel to an international setting. The pastor will feel supported and they will learn new and creative ways to minister in their own communities. As you’ve noted, financial support is needed for these efforts for travel for instructors or the ability to record quality content, scholarships for students, and basic administrative costs to support the students’ learning.

One dream I had while I was in Haiti for one of the classes was the potential for having US pastors and students sit with Haitian students in the classroom. Imagine studying something like the letters of Paul in an international context!

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5. What is the WTS’s vision for partnership in the future? What are some prayer points?

One of our priorities is collaboration and partnership and we greatly value the relationship with the CGGC in the US and abroad. Today, Winebrenner Theological Seminary is a global network focused on stewarding followers of Jesus who flourish in their vocations for the sake of the world. The partnership with the CGGC enables us to follow the Spirit into the future together.

Winebrenner is actively working toward affordability, accessibility, and quality. We are striving to keep our ongoing costs low so we can continue to be creative in what we provide in the United States and internationally.

Students in Haiti, Kenya, and other international contexts don’t have ready access to quality education – we are working to remove the obstacles in terms of costs and course design to increase educational opportunities.

6. Winebrenner’s involvement isn’t just with global connections, of course. There’s also a new model of partnership with CGGC congregations and regional conferences in the USA as well. Please share a description of where WTS is connecting with churches.

I’m going to rely upon a technological metaphor to answer this. You likely have a smart phone or know someone who has a digital device that uses either the Android or iOS (Apple) operating system. When using those devices you need certain applications (or “apps”) to access the information you want. The operating system, or platform, provides a consistent experience for all users, but the apps are what make your phone or iPad unique to you.

Winebrenner Theological Seminary is developing a “platform” for theological education that provides a consistent experience for all students – whether in the US or Kenya, whether from the CGGC or another denomination, whether from a rural or urban context, or a large or small church. We are building an infrastructure that allows students and collaborative partners to be much more creative in identifying and meeting needs.

We are connecting with churches in local church leadership development. For example, we have several churches that have students enrolled in courses like Leadership & Communication, Interpreting God’s Word, or Spiritual Formation. At the institute-level these courses are $200/course. For students interested in graduate programs we now have $300/month tuition that allows churches to develop ongoing and internal leadership development; it’s exciting to work with local church elders and talk about ways that Winebrenner can assist the training needed for a pastoral transition plan.

My experience consistently reaffirms that the best partners are those who have a clearly identified need and they invite Winebrenner into their context as a partner to solve the issues.

7. How can WTS help churches excel in their leadership development and training? What further opportunities exist?

One of the lessons of COVID-19 is that digital environments can provide more opportunities than many expected. One of the major initiatives that Winebrenner is working on is a digital platform called Co-Mission that will allow a combination of professional content and user-generated content. We want to provide a resource that allows you, as churches and leaders, to develop tools for your local congregation and community. [MORE DETAILS WILL BE AVAILABLE ABOUT THIS SOON…] Our mission at Winebrenner Seminary is to equip leaders for service in God’s Kingdom. We want to partner with the CGGC and Global Reach to see God’s Kingdom reach all areas around the world.

The Global Advocate 17

Giving

Thanks in all

Circumstances

by Kathy Foor, CGWM Director

R

ejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Do you ever struggle with this passage of Scripture? Under ordinary circumstances, it may seem like an impossible command to follow, but right now in this particular time period in history, it may be even harder to rejoice always or to give thanks in everything, especially when people around you are grumbling and complaining about everything all the time!

This is a good time to remember why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit. Only with His help can we possibly obey this command. It is important to realize, however, that we do have a part to play. We must choose to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us how to rejoice always and give thanks in everything because it doesn’t come naturally to most of us.

One tool that helps me to remember to give thanks to God is to keep my Thank Offering barrel in a prominent place, so that whenever I walk past it, I think of something I am thankful for and drop a coin or two in the barrel.

What is a Thank Offering barrel?

This daily act of worship was established by Grace Pierson, the founder of Churches of God Women’s Ministries (formerly known as WCSC) in 1952.

She wanted to help women develop a thankful heart as well as to raise money to benefit missions.

18 November/December 2021

Usually this thank offering is collected by local Women’s Ministry groups the first Sunday of May during a special worship service presented by the women of the congregation. The offering is then sent to the regional treasurer who will send 60% of the Thank Offering to the General Conference Women’s Ministries and the remaining 40% will be dispersed as decided by each region. Originally used only for missions, it now benefits many ministries of the church. Since its beginning, more than $2 million has been given through the Thank Offering. In 2021, our Thank Offerings will support the School for Girls in India (15%), Physical Therapy School in Haiti (20%), Winebrenner Female Students (25%), Venezuela Bible School (15%) and Women’s Leadership Development (25%).

Though typically collected in May, COVID-19 has disrupted our Thank Offering collection, and this year’s contributions have been quite low. Because many of our Women’s Ministry Groups are still not meeting in person, Thank Offerings may still be submitted for this current year. If your group is not meeting or you are currently not a part of CGWM group at your church, this offering can be sent directly to your regional CGWM treasurer or to our national CGWM treasurer, Nancy Scott.

For more information about Thank Offering and the treasurers’ addresses, please visit our website at https://www.cggcwomen.org/thank-offering.

REIMAGINE CGGC 2022 Triennial Conference Sessions July 25-27 University of Findlay Campus, Findlay, OH Winebrenner Theological Seminary Building

Speaker: Brad Briscoe Registration is $95 per person For more information see www.CGGC.org or email daveg@cggc.org SAVE THE DATE and watch for more information on www.CGGC.org and in the next issue of The Global Advocate.

The Global Advocate 19

Global Reach Updates P

lease praise God as you read through these updates and skim the pictures of ministry occurring through our brothers and sisters in the Global Reach fields in various parts of the globe.

Argentina

Pastor Maria Grigioni started a new gathering with the women of the church called “Mate de la Pastora.” It is the same idea as “Coffee with the Pastor.” They come together for fellowship and discuss things to strengthen their walk and testimonial life in Christ. They do this while also inviting women who do not know Jesus as a way of introducing them to Christ. Pray for Pastor Maria as she continues to serve as Director/ Pastor and a police officer in her community. Please keep her son, Valentino in prayer too.

16 November/December 2021

Nicaragua

Over the past two years, Pastor German has helped start four congregations as either a new church plant or affiliation. Not long ago, Pastor German and his family experienced very hard times. God has pulled them through this season, and we see how they are being molded into a new season of reaping the benefits of serving Him. We can always trust that God will protect us, look out for us, and lift us up over our adversaries. May God bless the Nicaraguan Conference, Pastors and Church.

Dominican Republic

Pastor Fremio had been somewhat restricted in ministry efforts in recent months. He is also recovering from a motorcycle accident and doing much better. We praise God for his recovery. Ministry in El Mango Limpio is going well. Services have resumed and people are coming together for worship. Kilometer 20 is so alive with children and families that live there. We have had events where hundreds of children show up and participate. Thank you for supporting the ministries in our DR field.

The Global Advocate 21

India & Bangladesh India and Bangladesh are beginning to open more. The schools in Bangladesh are opening before the beginning of October. Travel is still somewhat restricted. Our Mission workers continue to minister in any way they possibly can including distributing relief resources like food, masks, and other hygiene items (pictured above). This has brought some encouragement to these people in a time when they need it most. In India, the pastors have started free education centers for children to come and be tutored. This has provided enormous relief for parents and brought joy to the children.

Both India and Bangladesh have also been active in providing clean drinking water to needy communities.

22 November/December 2021

Thailand

Bryan and Katie Crabtree found a house to rent in Udon Thani, Thailand where they will be serving. The Lord also helped them find a suitable family vehicle (pictured at left). They are hoping the school Katie teaches at will begin meeting in person starting in October. Katie teaches Bible to her class of first grade students every day. She has been impressed by the questions that students ask and has been so privileged to be able to share the truth of Scripture and of Jesus Christ with them. Please be in prayer for them as they try to learn the language and acclimate to a new way of life.

Southwest

The Southwest was able to host several teams this summer. Both Hooghan Nizhoni and Gamerco were blessed to host VBS for the communities. Each church had over 50 people in attendance, with participation from every generation- infants and all the way up to the elders. We had two people make decisions to receive Christ into their life. Praise the Lord! It was a great way to welcome people back into the church for an event as pandemic restrictions had begun to lighten. While restrictions are returning, we will continue to foster the relationships made during VBS. We are very thankful for the support of the people who served on the VBS teams and the continued prayers and connections we have with them and our communities.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support in reaching the lost across the globe. It is making a difference for eternity.

The Global Advocate 23

Periodical Rate Postage Paid at Aberdeen, SD Permit No. 110260 700 E. Melrose Ave., P.O. Box 926 Findlay, OH 45839 Phone (419) 424-1961 Fax (419) 424-3433 www.cggc.org