The Global Advocate - July/August 2021

July/August 2021

Vol. 186, No. 4

ADVOCATE The

G L O B A L

a publication of the Churches of God, General Conference

Global

Mobilization I N

T H I S

I S S U E

4

Perspectives on the World Christian Movement

by Heather Houghton

57

Don Dennison Completes His Time at the CGGC

A Story of God’s Work from Venezuela to Chile

by Pastor Christina Acosta 11 17 Higher Hope Partnership with The Dominican Republic with Pastor Mike Schooley 69

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.

Vol. 186, No. 4 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.

F

inishing the ission by

M

Ben Tobias & Travis Helm

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 July/August 2021

Everyone who starts a project probably has

a pretty good idea of when their project is done, whether it’s a carpenter and a building project, an accountant and her tax documents, or a farmer and his planting. We like the satisfaction of looking at our completed task and thinking, “Mission accomplished!” But what about the gospel? What does it mean for us to finish the task? Jesus gave us a VERY clear mission in Matt.

28:19-20 – “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.

Therefore, go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” It does not get much clearer than this. Jesus wants us to multiply as His disciples, to proclaim the gospel to ALL nations and see them follow Him. This has been the ongoing mission of the Church for almost 2000 years.

To

read this complete article, please refer to the printed copy or request a PDF copy from Rachel Foreman at RachelF@cggc.org.

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on the erspectives P orld hristian W C Movement

by Heather Houghton

H

ow can our God be anything other than a Missionary God with a global purpose? When I first learned that there would be a zoom option for the Perspectives course I was thrilled. Yes, I thought!

I can learn more about Missions. My initial preconception that this was a course only for “people with a heart for missions” was completely wrong! God desires all His children to walk alongside Him as He fulfills His plan for mankind. God’s word tells us exactly what that purpose is in Genesis 12:1-3 when God makes His Covenant promise to Abram and in Matthew 28:18-20 when Jesus gives the Great Commission. The Great Commission was not just for the Disciples or those we consider missionaries. It is for all of us who have called on the name of the Lord and have been saved. The ultimate fulfilment of God’s plan is found in Revelation 7:9 where “a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue” stand before the throne of God and His Lamb.

This course showed me how God has been accomplishing His purpose over the course of human history. It has introduced me to some of the pioneers of Missions and the many peoples of this world who live in darkness still. I was reminded that each of us has a unique and special role to play in the overarching narrative that God has been writing throughout history. I was able to envision more clearly the war that God is waging against evil and how He desires His people to fight with Him. He has blessed us so that we in turn may be a blessing to others. This course has also affirmed the role God has assigned to me, not just for Missions globally, but for evangelism here at home. The Perspectives course has been an incredible learning experience and expansion of my vision. I highly encourage everyone to make an investment into their knowledge and spiritual growth by taking this course.

My thirst for God’s Word has been taken to a new level of passion that has impacted my desire to seek God in all areas of my life from increased prayer to stepping out boldly in His service. I am more aware of the need in this world and around me and I have joyfully responded to His call by saying, “Here I am Lord! Send me!” This course will be a blessing that you will want to share with as many brothers and sisters in Christ as you can. Take this course and expand your Perspective!

Perspectives on the World Christian Movement is a 15-week-long training, equipping, and mobilization class which unpacks God’s heart for the nations and for the purpose of imbuing you with His worldview. For more information or to register for a Perspectives class, visit https://www.perspectives.org/.

4 July/August 2021

on DDennison

completes his time at the

CGGC

D

on Dennison served as the Director of CrossCultural Ministries (now Global Reach) for 20 years before “retiring” from that role in 2015. Since that time Don continued serve in a voluntary role as Church Mission Consultant for the CGGC, assisting local churches improve their missions efforts and ministries. This week Don is stepping away from that role and is completing his time with the CGGC. We are grateful for his many years of faithful service and celebrate all that God has done through his life and ministry with the CGGC. Thank you for serving so well. You will be missed!

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S V

G

Work Chile

A tory of od’s from enzuela to

by Pastor Christina Acosta Director of Latino Ministries

M

any of us have become accustomed to the new way of this world under the coronavirus restrictions and quarantines. These new regulations have often limited our mindset in what we feel can or can’t be done. Here is a story that I hope will motivate you to do more and to reach out further than you ever have before, even under the restrictions or challenges of our new way of life!

Meet Yolmary Rodriguez and her family who are heading up a new work near Santiago, Chile. This family found Jesus through the work of the Churches of God, General Conference in Venezuela through the ministry of the Ezperanza Viva Church in San Juan de Los Morros, Venezuela.

6 July/August 2021

In 2018, her husband, Jose Dario Briceño Chacon, moved to Chile to seek new opportunities. With the economic and health crisis in Venezuela, they chose to move out of the country as have many others who were part of the ministry in Venezuela. The mass exodus from Venezuela is caused by famine, difficulty in finding jobs, financial crises, health crises, and difficulties with the past and present ruling governments. Many are finding it necessary to make this decision to move for the betterment of their family circumstances. Pastors Liarxi and Mara Alcala from Ezperanza Viva Church encouraged Jose and Yolmary and kept in touch with them as they got established in Chile.

Jose was in Chile for about two years before helping his wife and children, Isaac and Isabella, to come join him.

During this time, he found a place to live and a job which provided a stable location for his family. God provides, and we can continue to trust in His provision.

Since arriving in Chile, Yolmary and her family proved to be persistent and faithful in their efforts to reach others through Christ’s example and Word. During their first year in Chile, the Rodriguez family began to reach out to the community by starting Zoom meetings, all under pandemic restrictions. Yolmary started a weekly Bible study that still runs today. It is recorded and broadcast for many people to join and hear God’s Word. The stop-and-go Coronavirus restrictions have made things more difficult, yet the ministry is having a good impact.

Last year, the ministry was provided with COVID Emergency Relief Funds through the CGGC (the Chile ministry gives a special “thank you!” to all the people who donated for this cause). Those funds helped them provide protective wear, disinfectants, and emergency food for people in their surrounding area to stay safe and healthy against COVID-19. This allowed them to meet more families in the area and opened the door to even further conversations. Because of the funds given to COVID Emergency Relief and the outreach efforts of the Rodriguez family, a house church was birthed in early 2021! The congregation is gathering each Sunday in their home.

Traveling, even within the country, is very restricted right now in Chile. One must obtain a special pass to travel about to purchase food or go to work and yet they are able to use these passes to travel to and from the house church The Global Advocate 7

8 July/August 2021

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service on Sundays as well. So even with a full quarantine in effect, God’s Word and outreach goes on! This reminds us of the times in the early church when the believers had to use symbols for people to know where gatherings would be held, only in Chile, they need to use a pass to get to the services that are held in secret.

COVID restrictions or not, it does not change the human need that we all have to be filled with God’s presence.

Now more than ever, people have a greater need to find someone, to find a place that is still open so that they can receive counsel, especially spiritual counsel. Churches are being planted, people’s hearts are being reached, God’s work continues to impact many here in the States and across the Globe. We just need to believe that God is so powerful, and His plan is so perfect that He knows what He is doing and where He is doing it. We need to learn to trust in God and His ways and be able to give our plans up to Him so that we don’t interfere with His will and purposes for His kingdom. Let’s make a decision to BE the Church when it matters most! “Perhaps you were born for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

10 July/August 2021

Higher Hope Partnership with The Dominican Republic an Interview with Pastor

Mike Schooley

by Ben Tobias

Pastor Mike Schooley is the founding pastor of the Higher Hope Church in Horseheads, NY. A few years ago, he contacted Global Reach about connecting with one of our international fields – a request we LOVE hearing! – and after talking with him about Higher Hope’s goals we put him in touch with Latino Ministries Directors Caleb & Christina Acosta.

The Dominican Republic seemed like a perfect match! No one knew, of course, how COVID-19 was going to disrupt the world in 2020, so it was a tremendous blessing to see Higher Hope move forward in global mobilization. We’ve asked Pastor Mike to share some of his thoughts and the lessons he and the church have learned so far.

Pastor Mike, please tell us some of your story at Higher Hope. When the church first got started, how did global mobilization fit into your plans?

We started the church in 2006 in my home area of upstate NY. My wife and I previously had been with Chambersburg Church of God (now Grand Point Church) where we spent six years, but felt a call to return to our home area to reach people in upstate NY. Although it is a small town region, there is a great spiritual need here in NY. As we walked through the start of the church, we knew we wanted to be an Acts 1:8 church. We wanted to be witness in Jerusalem - we wanted to be a city on a hill here, serving, giving, and connecting with the needs and people of this area. Judea - we also wanted to care for ministries in the states. doing mission trips to NYC, work projects in NJ from the damage of the hurricanes, to Washington DC. We try to engage our young people in the power of in states missions because these trips are so powerful in our lives. Samaria - we wanted to make an impact in an area that is not like us. For us, we prayed that we could impact the city of Elmira - praying for a church plant, and doing a few things along the way to reach into the city and build relationships with people there. And also to the ENDS OF THE EARTH. So we wanted to be part of what God is doing around the world. From the first few years we prayed that we could support missionaries but also have a connection with a place overseas that we could really partner with and focus on fanning into flame what God was doing there.

As we looked around at what other churches were doing, such as Exponential Church partnering with a sister church in Haiti and Grand Point Church partnering in different places as part of their mission, along with a few other churches as well, I was encouraged and challenged to continue to pray and look.

There are many different ways to engage cross-culturally, so what led you to focus on the Dominican Republic?

One of our goals as a family is to take each of our kids when they become a junior or senior on an overseas mission trip. A few years ago, I was planning a trip for my son who loves baseball and connected with an organization in the Dominican Republic where we could play games, do baseball clinics, along with connecting with kids, feeding the hungry, and connecting with the local church.

The Global Advocate 11

We invited many of the young men who played baseball with him on his high school travel team (some of whom had no spiritual background) and we ended up taking 15 young people and three adults on this trip… and it was life changing for many of them.

Last year we continued to look for a place to partner. The CGGC staff pointed us to Caleb and Christina Acosta with whom we have had many conversations. As we talked with them, I began feeling like this was the place God would have us partner with to encourage, pray, and support the move of God that was already happening there. My prayer is that we won’t get in the way but in a small way we can fan into flame the work of God that is already happening.

We have also committed to partnering on a deeper level with a ministry in Honduras and a ministry in Ecuador… along with supporting missionaries in various ways.

How did the pandemic affect the church’s engagement? What were you able to do in the past year?

It was during the pandemic that we really started talking to the Acostas and they laid out some needs for us that came with COVID but also had some opportunities to expand what they were doing in the DR. God had and has blessed us all through COVID and because one of our core values is generosity, as we heard the needs we were able to say, “YES.” We continue to have conversations on what other needs they have that we can help with. Right now I believe there are four churches in the DR with the CGGC. My prayer is that those four churches would reach and disciple more in their areas and that we would see more churches started there in that region.

12 March/April 2021

Looking ahead, what are the next steps for Higher Hope’s relationship with the Dominican Republic?

We hope in the next year that we will finally be able to go down and really begin a relationship with Pastor Fremio Jimenez and the other leaders in the DR. We pray we can do more than send money, but really take people down to connect, serve, and walk alongside the leaders in the DR. We also hope to be creative in our connection there. There are some ideas that we are bouncing around that we hope will impact our church as we seek to follow Jesus. We want to create a deeper connection of not just generosity, but a partnership, so that both our church and the churches in the DR are seeing God move in powerful ways.

Because of COVID-19, we’ve all learned to be resilient and adaptive, so what were some of the lessons you’ve learned?

When the shut down first happened - there are many things you have to process as a leader - doing ministry was one, mission trips another, finances another. How do we become more generous in a time when we are concerned about finances? How do we partner in a greater way when we aren’t able to do mission trips?

One of the many joys of walking this last season as a church is being able to step into some needs that the DR and other areas were/are having and using what God has gifted us with to help. And we are looking forward to this next step of connecting and growing our relationship with the DR. We thank God for Pastor Mike and the Higher Hope Church! If your church is considering a deeper connection with global mobilization, please let us know at Global Reach. We want to do everything we can to bring glory to God in every part of the world!

What is

T

S

?

ponsorship

by Ben Tobias, Director of Global Reach

he idea of sponsorship in missions has been around a long time. I remember going to Christian concerts in the 80s and hearing the challenge from Compassion International to sponsor kids’ education. They promised a personal connection, in that the sponsor would receive a picture of the child and would receive annual letters. At that time the financial commitment was $30 per month, and eventually I got involved when I had a more reliable income.

Global Reach has a variety of opportunities for sponsorship, and not only for children overseas. Every time you regularly give to a particular ministry, you’re engaged in sponsorship. You’re making a difference in someone’s life or ministry on a regular basis. This is what Jesus meant when He said: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). Sponsoring an individual or a ministry is an investment in God’s Kingdom.

Here is a list of some sponsorship opportunities with Global Reach and how you can get involved.

• Kenya child sponsorship (GR 2837)—$20/month or $240/year • Haiti Sister Church (GR 2803)—$700/year • Haiti Sister School (GR 2713) • National Field Leaders—Varies by field Please contact Global Reach Directors Ben Tobias (BTobias@cggc.org) and Travis Helm (Travis@cggc.org) for specific information about each of these investments. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also!”

Ways to Give to Other Global Reach Ministries Visit cggc.org and click “Give” or “Missions” from the main menu. Find the area you’d like to contribute to and then click to open the donation form. You can now give via credit card or ACH right from within the cggc.org website— just fill out the online form and submit it! You will also have the option to make your gift recurring.

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Global Reach Updates As

we move into summer and we see restrictions start to lift here in the USA, many of our fields in Latin America and Asia have seen spikes in Covid-19 and they have been suffering through new lockdowns. It is easy to become discouraged, so we need to be in prayer for our brothers and sisters now more than ever.

During so much suffering, God is still at work advancing His Kingdom. The following updates give testimony to His redeeming grace and power.

Haiti

Mike and Dawn VanDervort report that Haiti continues with political problems. Opposition to the current president remains active. For two years, they have dealt with “peyi loc”, the roads all closed with barricades and burning tires. Though they see this on a lesser scale, we are now dealing with well-armed gangs and many kidnappings. One recent weekend, twelve kidnappings took place including priests, nuns, and doctors.

Despite the political and socio-economic problems, we see evidence of God working in Haiti. Our churches remain open and well attended. Pastor Watson just sponsored a conference for the chaplain ministry the Friday and Saturday of Easter weekend. It was well attended, and three people accepted Christ as their Savior.

14 July/August 2021

Venezuela

The Acostas report that Venezuela is reaching out more than ever! They are very active in social service to their communities. Pastor Adam and Nurbis Garcia head up the work in Calabazo. They pastor “Fuente de AguaViva” meaning “Fountain of Living Water.” Their motto is “Called to Serve.” They serve a community of children from “Sector Campo Alegres” which means “The Neighborhood of Happiness.” Here they have sport events, games, a food program, and share God’s Word. They see how God has been faithful to them in this mission. They have been able to serve even more under the pandemic restrictions than before the restrictions. Adam and Nurbis continue to reach out to the children in their community through a program called “Bread and Life” or “Pany Vida.” They believe that serving is one of their greatest blessings!

Thailand

At the time of publication, Bryan and Katie Crabtree should be traveling or have just arrived in Thailand to begin their journey serving there. Please be in prayer for them as they possibly serve a quarantine period, look for suitable housing, and get adjusted to a new culture for them and their one-year-old daughter Elli. They are also expecting their second child in November. Pray for the whole birthing process as it may be a little different experience for them in Thailand.

They appreciate your prayers and support.

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India

India and many other parts of Asia have been dealing with their highest level of Covid-19 cases and deaths. Lockdowns were reinstated back in May shortly after people started to be free to move around.

These reinstated lockdowns have proved very difficult on everyone but especially the younger generation. The secondary and higher education schools had reopened and then closed again once the spike occurred. Primary schools have never really reopened since March of 2020. Despite that, our workers in the more rural areas have been able to gather the children on some special occasions to help encourage them and bring fellowship to them. We were also able to provide them some good meals. Our workers were also able to provide a village with a deep water well during these recent lockdowns. This has brought some encouragement to these people in a time when they need it most.

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Bangladesh

As Covid-19 cases recently surged in Bangladesh, Dr. John and his team have started providing the third wave of relief food and items to families where we serve in Bangladesh. Dr. John was able to join in with our latest Global Reach Virtual Summit and give us the latest updates. It was good to see his face and hear his voice. He shared about the extreme rise in Covid cases and deaths as well as some recent tornados that went through some of the ministry areas. One of the older structures was damaged (pictured below right). Dr. John was also able to share about some of the new initiatives the Mission hopes to focus on through 2021 and into the following years.

Thank you for your faithful support across the globe. It is making a difference.

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