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. 189, No. 5
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
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Our first foreign missions in India and Bangladesh celebrated their 125th birthday in 2023. As many of our readers know, the CGGC is about to celebrate our 200th birthday next year. You could be forgiven then for coming to the logical conclusion that it took the denomination about 77 years to acquire a strong sense of mission. For a variety of reasons, that is simply not the case, and the truth is far more interesting.
In his 1912 history of the Churches of God, C.H. Forney writes, “The missionary idea is not only as old as Christianity, but it is the essential element.” The same could be said not only of Christianity in general, but of the Churches of God in particular. Before the Churches of God ever sent missionaries off to foreign and international fields, missions work began here, domestically, in the United States. At the founding of the denomination and the first eldership in 1825, only 24 states were in the Union. Missouri, added in 1821, was sparsely populated and would have demarcated, along with Louisiana, the westernmost edge of the Union. The early years of the Churches of God were abundant with missions work, and many of our churches established in the 19th century were planted by what we could simultaneously call “church planters” and “missionaries,” traveling not far behind the expanding frontiers. By 1831, it was cemented in the first Eldership constitution that “there shall be appointed annually one or more missionaries, whose duty it shall be to visit destitute places, establish churches, form new stations and circuits.”1
These mission-minded folk were following God’s call, traveling into Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and to Iowa on the most direct westward route. With a map of our churches and your favorite index finger, you can trace the even line from Harrisburg to Wooster, from Findlay to Fort Wayne, and all the way to Brighton.
Likewise, missionaries were sent to each new state or territory as the denomination could find eager people to do it. Sometimes that meant entering into areas like Texas or Missouri a few years after they were admitted into the Union. In other cases, like Iowa, it’s clear that missionary work was started in 1844 even before it was officially admitted as a state in 1846. This is to say that the missionary spirit was alive and fervent in the Churches of God well from the start.
1 Pg 874
Yet, foreign missions were not inevitable despite much consistent effort. It’s clear that there was difficulty in finding sufficient support for foreign missions. The “Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Church of God” was created relatively early, in 1845, but funds and support were not forthcoming, at least not at a denominational level. It was at the eldership level that most of the missionaries were gathered and initially supported with the help of local churches. General Eldership reports consistently demonstrate a lack of success in fund raising. Whatever the strategy of the General Eldership, it’s clear that their efforts were ineffective and unmotivating. All the while domestic missionary work continued, but foreign work was a non-starter.
It's in 1884 that an auspicious “opportunity” arises that finally let loose the CGGC into foreign fields. John R. H. Latchaw, pastor and first President of the University of Findlay, writes in The Church Advocate that the Free Baptist Foreign Mission Board had reached out to cooperate with the Churches of God in India, saying:
“Their proposal was to grant us the privilege of cooperating with them in their foreign field….
They are not necessitated to make this offer to us. But the urgent cries from the unknown said millions within their territory impel them to say to someone, ‘come over and help us!’, This invitation has reached our ears.
We, with one voice have pronounced it a ‘rare opportunity’…
Now the question arises—are we ready and willing to seize it, or will we suffer it to go by unimproved?”
We did not suffer the Free Baptist Foreign Mission Board long. And what a model for today, that we might see another denomination’s offer for partnership as a rare opportunity, and not a threat to our own identity.
In 1890 the Women’s General Mission Society (WGMS) was created as a national body for organizing the diverse number of eldership women’s societies. Soon all missionary related work was bequeathed from the General Eldership to the WGMS, highlighting just how significant and influential women’s societies were at this time. It was this society that officially sent Clara Landes as our first foreign missionary who landed in India in 1896. Its successor society from 1903 carried on the mission work of the Churches of God, raising funds, employing missionaries, and uniting the disparate local Churches of God mission societies all around the United States.
Now, almost 200 years after Winebrenner laid the foundations for a new church movement, it is evident just how mission-minded it always was. Reading through the letters, firsthand accounts, journals, and pamphlets of our missionaries across these generations ought to crystalize the intense effort and love that carried them to distant lands for the sake of Christ and His Gospel. It is with equally intense appreciation that we can now look at all our foreign fields, and with equal love all of our brothers and sisters in Christ who sustain the missions even now.
John R. H. Latchaw
Student Women's Missionary Society
Clara Landes
125 Years in India & Bangladesh: A Legacy Worth Celebrating!
by Dr. Robert Guy, Jr.
[What follows is an excerpt of an oral presentation from Dr. Robert Guy, Jr. at the Bangladesh 125th Celebration Ceremony in October of 2023. Here, Dr. Guy provides a clear throughline from the foundation of the Churches of God to the foundation of the Bangladesh (and India) mission to an audience of Bengali pastors, wives, children, and the mission/ hospital staff, who are less exposed to the early history of the Church of God.]
John Winebrenner and the Church of God had a missionary thrust from the very beginning. While our involvement in global missions was decades in the making, it sprang from the same roots that led the Churches of God to spread quickly across most of the Midwest.
The proclamation of the gospel and the outreach into new communities which characterized the first generation of the Church of God led to the creation of new elderships, or conferences; Ohio in 1836, West Pennsylvania in 1844, Indiana in 1846, Iowa in 1848, Michigan in 1850, and Illinois in 1851.
It is also important to note the influence of the Mennonite communities drawn into the Churches of God in those early years. Drawn to Winebrenner’s emphasis on the practical living of the faith, Mennonite communities brought a wholistic emphasis on caring for people, one that would find expression in medical work, and education, and in community development, all of which remain an active part of our Bangladesh and India ministry to this day.
Peter Loucks, who served as editor of the Workman Quarterly (published by the CGGC from 1879-1995), regularly pressed for the Church of God to launch its own educational institution as well as become involved in
missionary outreach in other countries. Though he did not live to see it realized, his son, Erastus Loucks, and nephew, Clifford Fox, were instrumental at Findlay College in its early days, and his granddaughter, Linna Louise Loucks Eckert, serves as one of our early missionary nurses.
Any history of Church of God missions should also accent the prominent role that women have played in our missionary endeavors from the very beginning! It is noteworthy that among our early missionaries was Daniel Wertz, who was married to Martha Beecher, the first woman ordained in the churches of God in 1858. This mission couple settled in Iowa, a conference that featured prominently in launching our foreign mission work.
John R. H. Latchaw, the first president of Findlay College, was also a driving force in preparing to support and send our first foreign missionary. Latchaw had also been raised in the Iowa Conference, and while there had been much discussion about foreign mission work, it was not until 1884 that a viable option appeared in conjunction with the Free Baptist Foreign Mission Board. Recognizing this as “our opportunity,” Latchaw called for a “united effort” across the Churches of God.
This led to a concerted effort across the various conferences. Following Latchaw’s lead, and responding
to his appeal to raise funds, several conferences, from East Pennsylvania to Iowa, created missionary societies and began fundraising, with women taking a leading role. In 1890, the Women’s General Missionary Society was created, whose goal was to promote missions to the churches, to curate sustained giving toward missions work and missionaries, to publish and send out missionary news and information, and to send representatives to eldership meetings. Likewise, the organization of missionaries was entirely handed over to the WGMS for a time.
In 1896, The Missionary Signal was first published at the Barkeyville Academy in the West Pennsylvania Eldership, which began telling the stories of John Winebrenner and the early Church of God missionaries as a means of re-casting their missionary vision.
Also in 1896, the Churches of God finally sent its first missionary, Clara Landes, who was educated at Findlay College and ordained in the Iowa Conference. After two years of training at the Free Baptist Mission in Midnapur, she was appointed to Ulubaria, in the Howrah District of India, about twenty miles from Kolkata (Calcutta).
The Free Baptist Mission, whose work in India began in 1793, was delighted to partner with the Churches of God, as they had been struggling to find missionaries for the fields they had opened. In working with the Free Baptists, the Churches of God Mission anchored its ministry in the work of the celebrated missionary, William Carey, and to the very dawn of the modern mission work.
A few years later, Viola Hershey, who also studied at Findlay College, was selected by the East Pennsylvania, and A. C. Bowers by West Pennsylvania, as the second set of missionaries, and were sent to India in 1902. The Free Baptist Mission identified the region of Bogura (Bogra) as their field.
Both of these regions presented an abundance of opportunities for the missionaries, whose work from the beginning reflected the wholistic approach to ministry, including outreach, teaching, medical clinics, and community development.
Two particular aspects are noteworthy. The first involved the engagement with various tribal peoples who had been largely neglected in India, a work that continues to this day. The second was distinctly women’s work, which involved an intentional ministry with upper class (zenana) women who were otherwise entirely inaccessible. Both of these works yielded an abundance of fruit and are directly responsible for the long-lasting effect of our ministry in India and Bangladesh.
The First Four Missionaries: Clara Landes, A.C. and Florence Bowers, and Viola Hershey (top to bottom)
Linna Louise Eckert
Women's Missionary Society
Update on Brazil
with Pastor Mike Poe
Pastor Mike Poe of Carlisle First Church of God returned from an extended trip to Brazil in early July. Pastor Mike had gone to see family, but also to meet with our Brazilian church leaders and Brazil Field Director Ernesto Nunes. Traveling with Global Reach Director Travis Helm, Pastor Mike was able to visit, fellowship, and worship alongside the churches in the South at Campo Grande and Jambeiro Parque in Campinas and our historic first Brazil church at Parque São Paulo in Araraquara.
Pastor Ernesto asked in advance for both Travis and Pastor Mike to speak and teach while they were there but hadn’t prompted them on a topic or theme. Independently, both Travis and Pastor Mike settled on a message of encouragement to the churches. Pastor Mike preached specifically about the story of Peter and the angel leading him out of the prison, which, by God’s grace, was exactly what the church was in need of hearing according to Pastor Jimenez. Pastor Ernesto confessed to everyone that he hadn’t told Travis or Pastor Mike what to say, but that God was working through them to encourage the churches. Apparently, they really needed to hear it.
For a reader unfamiliar with our Brazil field, we have six churches in two states, three in the state of São Paulo,
and three in the state of Bahia. Our Brazil churches are lively, full of genuine believers worshipping the Lord. Pastor Mike said that an American might be surprised by how boisterous our Brazil churches can be. While some of our churches, like those in Bahia, are healthy and growing, the churches that Travis and Pastor Mike visited are in economically depressed communities that were especially hard hit by Covid. During the pandemic, the Brazil government forced all religious gatherings to cease, and many pastors were without jobs. Our Brazil newsletters from 2020 sound dire. But the churches in Araraquara and Campinas are bouncing back, rebuilding their churches through sincere worship and community outreach.
Brazil itself is, like many countries, politically divided and extremism is growing. But the country is also modernizing quickly and a deep middle class is growing too. Education is public and free, but many people try hard to afford a private school which is seen as superior.
While Catholicism has been and remains the predominant faith and the official state religion, it is waning and protestant Christianity has been growing considerably. So have ‘neo-Pentecostal’ versions of Christianity, as Pastor Mike calls them. Likewise, Mormonism and the Jehovah Witnesses has seen much growth too. On the other hand,
Araraquara, the first Brazil Church
spiritism and Voodo are also mixed in the public belief system. Like most places in the world, religious beliefs are rarely drawn with clear lines. Instead, the average person is likely to have picked up a syncretic belief system, intermixing Catholicism, traditional spiritist beliefs, culturally normative Christian ethics, all filtered through consumerist lenses. Given all of this, there is much work for our churches to do in sharing the genuine Gospel of Jesus and its transformative power personally and socially.
The good news is that Brazil is not a place where Christians are persecuted by the government, or where our activity has to be sequestered or hidden.
When asked about how we can better help and support our Brazil brothers and sisters, Pastor Mike reinforced prayer, saying that “there are spiritual battles there, and it can be all the more real and more in your face down there than it is [in the USA].” We ought then to pray for spiritual health and fortitude of our Brazil brothers and sisters.
Supporting specific projects, like transportation or church building projects, is also quite helpful for our churches in Brazil. While Brazil is certainly modernizing, transportation is still not always available, and public transportation can be dangerous or simply unreliable.
Pastor Mike also encourages eyewitness teams. If you or someone from your church is interested in missions work or work teams in one of our international fields, Brazil is an excellent place to serve the Lord while increasing your circle of faithful connections with loving Christians.
Campo Grande, Campinas Church
Children's Education Room
Jambeiro Parque
Mike Poe and Travis at Campo Grande Church with Pastor Jimenez and family (r to l)
The Sound of the Gospel: When Missionaries Speak
by Jacob Clagg
CGGC Director of Communications
Bryan and Katie Crabtree, our missionary couple in Thailand, returned to the USA this summer to visit family, and to tell their story at churches in the Great Lakes and Midwest Regional Conferences. While undoubtedly the greatest benefit for the Crabtrees coming back to the USA is to see their families, to reconnect with friends and acquaintances, and to retread nostalgic places that ground them, there is a different benefit for us. When missionaries visit, they bring with them the opportunity to experience the people and culture that are, in this case, on the opposite side of the planet, and to provoke a renewed passion for the Gospel.
With all three children in tow, Bryan and Katie presented a tremendous amount of material to the churches they visited, speaking candidly about the joys and struggles of living, working, and raising a family in Thailand. The Crabtrees live in the Issan region of Thailand. Situated in the Northeast part of the country, the Issan region is the poorest region, mostly comprised of agriculture and farmland. Less than 1 in 1,000 people in this part of Thailand considered themselves to be Christian. Taking a macro perspective, this region is representative of the larger “10/40 window,” a missionary term that designates a cross section of Africa, India, and Southeast Asia where approximately 25% of the global population lives, but where the vast, vast majority have never heard of Jesus Christ, and where, according the Crabtrees, only about 1% of missionaries go.
It is no small privilege to listen and learn from this 1%. In listening to missionaries like Bryan and Katie speak of their effort in a foreign land, our minds are called to reconsider our own lives and the comforts
therein. We are forced to reckon with our blessed predisposition, and the uniqueness of our affordances which allow us to, at times, take God and Church for granted. In this heavily underevangelized region, the Crabtrees can expect to receive heavy cultural resistance to Christianity, where other religions like Buddhism and Islam are deeply entrenched and culturally rooted.
The Crabtrees spoke about how the church they attend has seen over 40 baptisms in the past year. That would be an incredible number for any of our churches, but it’s a genuine miracle considering how challenging it is for Thai people to leave the Buddhist faith and to officially convert to Christianity. Baptism is the final demarcating line for Thai people. Once you’re baptized, the old life falls away, and in Thailand, that can come with some extreme disruption for people who are often ostracized from their families, friend circles, and perhaps their entire culture.
As the Crabtrees have said before, to be Thai is to be Buddhist, and so there are many reasons why a Thai person might consider themselves Christian yet struggle to take the final step toward baptism. When listening to Bryan and Katie talk about how difficult it is for Thai people to convert to Christianity, we ought to find ourselves both grateful for our religious freedoms, and humbled by professions of faith that we know would challenge us to our core.
Of course, it’s not just the spiritual battles that move us when we have the opportunity to hear from missionaries, but it’s the little things to. We can hardly imagine the sights, sounds, and smells. We bend our minds to comprehend the unyielding heat and stifling humidity during the hot seasons. We shake our heads in disbelief at the annual rains that flood streets and homes. And we shiver at the pictures of tree frogs jumping, wild cobras spitting, geckos crawling, and venomous centipedes scurrying.
One of the most moving parts of their presentation was when the Crabtrees spoke about Sarnelli House, a series of orphanages and homes for boys, girls, and small children who are abandoned by their parents because of severe disabilities or poverty. Currently, Sarnelli House has about 150 kids under their care divided into 7 houses based on age and gender (with the exception of the babies/toddlers) with 11-27 kids
at each house. In one visit to the small children’s orphanage, the Crabtrees held and played with babies that rarely get much physical attention, and have little hope for adoption. In Thailand, there is almost no government assistance for homeless kids. By the end of a missionary presentation, if we’ve been paying attention, we are refreshed. The crystal clarity of the mission and vision alights our darkened eyes. Like ice cold water on a hot day, we’re reminded of just how refreshing the Gospel and the Great Commission are when they are carried out. They ought not be bogged down by eldership squabbles over the color of the carpets, or over the right advertising strategy, or about moving the Bible study from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. No, the opportunity to hear from missionaries reawakens dulled senses to the severity of the gospel reaching the far corners of the earth. The sound of the Gospel marching toward the orphan, the widow, the stranger, and the lost rings so true in our ears that we wonder why we’ve been listening to anything else at all.
Photos from a visit to Sarnelli House (above and below)
Maui has Changed,
but God remains Faithful
by Pastor David Kapaku
Just over a year ago, Maui was changed forever. August 8, 2024, is considered a Day of Infamy, a day no one wants repeated. Lahaina, a historic town, was devastated as fire engulfed a two-mile stretch of businesses and residences, leaving ashes and smoldering lumber the next day. Cemented structures charred by the blazes stood erect, protruding from their foundations like cemetery gravestones reminding us of what was.
People from all over the world felt a wave of compassion to respond. And boy, did they respond. Hotels, VRBOs, Airbnbs, people with second homes opened their hearts for the displaced. Distribution centers sprouted at churches, parks, storefronts, and beaches. The outpouring of the Aloha spirit was evident in FEMA, Red Cross, Samaritan's Purse, Corp of Engineers, Federal/State/County offices. Monies were donated in the millions of millions. A little village in the middle of the Pacific Ocean brought the world's kindness and generosity together.
That was a year ago. So, here's an update of the slow recovery since then.
Clean up is almost completed. The Environmental Protection Agency has been tirelessly working hard to remove toxic and hazardous materials which are being caravaned over to central Maui for burial earmarked by the state and county. Landscapers, cutting burnt trees down, completed their contract at the end of July.
Some of the areas that have been cleaned up are seeing residents slowly move back on their property. Many are staying in campers, vehicles, tents, makeshift buildings, etc.
One of the reasons people are beginning to transition back to their property is cost of living. Rent is outrageous. A one bedroom/one bathroom can rent anywhere from $3500-$8000 a month; two-bedroom two bath $4000-$10,000; and a three-bedroom three bath $8000-$12,000 a month. Many who lost their homes in the fire were underinsured but still have to pay the mortgage on a home that does not exist. Therefore, many have left Maui due to the high cost of lodging.
Those who left, about ten to fifteen thousand or more residents, left a large dent in the workforce. While tourism is on the uptick, workers in the food and lodging industry are missing. Wages are low in comparison to the high cost of living on Maui.
The displaced are still being moved around due to
hotels and other lodging accommodators opening up for tourism. FEMA is still working with the displaced. The good news is that temporary housing is being built. The hope is that the displaced will move into these dwellings. FEMA and Red Cross are slowly fading out. At this time, it is mostly the Red Cross. Now, it's up to the community where they go from here.
Monthly community meetings are ongoing, and the crowds are huge and intense. The state and county governments are assisting residents through created programs. Monies are available for necessities. Law firms are advertising lawsuits against the utility company, county and state governments, and anyone else they can sue.
The main road (Honoapiilani Road) that existed before the new bypass, has been closed for a year. That means the only way in or out of Lahaina is via the bypass. Good news, the main road will reopen August 1. This will bring much traffic relief. Pray the State will continue extending the bypass west.
The recent count of those who passed away due to the Lahaina Fire comes to 102. Pictures of the deceased are displayed along the bypass. These are a melting pot of ethnicities, ages and occupations; each contributing to what makes Maui special.
This morning, I woke up at 3 a.m., drank two cups of tea and waited for the sun to climb over the mountain. As the night yielded itself to the dawn, I stepped onto the porch, sat down with my cup of tea and witnessed the dew on the front lawn. And it reminded me of a simple truth in Lamentations 3:22-23, "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."
To the churches and people who donated and supported the relief effort, thank you. We continue the hard work of restoring people while we show them God’s great compassion.
And to this I say, Amen.
Photo by Mario Tama/Getty—an aerial view of
The Church of God in El Arenal, Veracruz Mexico just celebrated their 15th anniversary, and they didn’t do it alone. From July 18-25, an ACTS team comprised of members from Friendship Community Church and staff from the CGGC office headed down into Mexico to celebrate, worship, and work with the brothers and sisters there.
Started 15 years ago by Sister Estella, the Church of God in El Arenal is an answered prayer, and the product of faith that defied the circumstances of the time. 15 years ago, there was not a single church in El Arenal, but after Sister Estella found the Lord, she was convinced her hometown needed a church. She had a piece of property that she was intending to give to one of her sons for his inheritance, but because he lived in the U.S., she decided it should be church property. One regional pastor remarked to Estella that it might be too challenging to build a church here, but they kept praying until finally the word of the Lord came to them. “Today, God has established his Kingdom in El Arenal.”
From that moment, as current Pastor Fausto tells it, there was no stopping the church being built. A small community of family rallied around Estella. They decided to make all kinds of food and sell it to raise funds so they could build a church. They started selling elotes (grilled corn with mayo and chiles), chips, tamales, coffee, and bread and soon found themselves with enough money to purchase building materials. They poured concrete, laid tiles, put up walls, and carved doors. They built their church with their own hands, and the structure that the missions team worshiped in alongside the brothers and sisters of El Arenal was a testament to their dedication and work. It’s an amazing story, and one that speaks to so many essential qualities of the people and churches in Mexico.
with Jenn Schlumbohm
El Arenal Church Celebrates 15 Years of Serving God
Sister Estella, Jenn Schlumbohm, and Sister Nora (l to r)
7 Happy Anniversary to John & Toni Thumma! May the Lord continue to bless their marriage!
6 Ask the Lord for encouragement and favor with students for Matt Ginter and Josiah Parkhurst at the University of Findlay.
14 Appeal to the Lord that he would raise up strong leaders within Voice of the Gospel Ministries in Kenya.
13 Lift up in prayer the General Conference Staff as they seek to serve the CGGC in all its various ministries throughout the world.
September 2024
Global Advocate Prayer Calendar
5 Pray for the safety of church planters and evangelists who travel to unreached people around the world.
4 Pray for seeds planted in hearts during our summer camp ministries to grow and flourish.
3 Be in prayer for the Crabtree family as they resume life and ministry in Thailand.
2 Labor DayThank God for the privilege of earning a living and pray for all workers to do everything for God’s glory.
1 Happy Birthday tomorrow to retired missionary Annie Avey! Blessings to her and her family this next year!
21 Be in prayer for the people of Mexico, that they would see the living God through Jesus Christ!
20 Praise God for the good work being done in the Dominican Republic . Trust Him to provide continued blessings.
12 Intercede on behalf of Dr. John Costa and ask the Lord to provide safety as he ministers to the people of Bangladesh.
11 Pray for wisdom and safety as Project Help Liaison Denis Droicin faithfully serves.
10 Lift up in prayer Victor Montalvo and his family and ask that God provide wisdom and encouragement.
9 Be in prayer for the people of India & Bangladesh as the countries deal with ongoing COVID issues.
8 Remember Chaplain Byron Denman , his wife Christy, and their children as Byron serves in South Carolina.
28 Unite in prayer for Brazil and ask God to provide peace and healing among a hurting nation.
27 Join together in prayer for Haiti and ask God to restore peace and end the turmoil among the people.
19 Support CGGC Executive Director Lance Finley in prayer as he leads the CGGC ministries.
18 Pray for protection and encouragement for all CGGC pastors, leaders and staff.
17 As the CGGC Administrative Council meets today and tomorrow, ask the Lord to guide our leaders with wisdom and clarity.
16 Praise the Lord for Affiliate Missionaries! The CGGC family is represented in over 40 countries!
15 Pray for the CGGC Ad Council as they meet and make decisions in Findlay.
26 Pray for the Lord to send missionminded pastors to churches in pastoral transition.
25 Join together in prayer for the desire for God’s Word to increase in the Hooghan Nizhoni and Gamerco Churches as well as in the community.
24 The Brazil Conference is led by Pastor Ernesto Nunes. Implore the Lord to revitalize struggling churches there.
23 Thank God for the leadership of Pastor Maria Grigioni in Argentina .
22 Pray for Victor and Alma Montalvo as they serve in various capacities.
30 Lift up in prayer
Dave & Kenda Kapaku and ask for the Lord’s wisdom in how to expand God’s Kingdom.
29 Give thanks for Field Leader Denis Droicin in Haiti! Pray for wisdom and financial support.
5 Intercede for Pastor Victor Montalvo as he leads Latino Ministries and pastors the Palabra de Vida Church in San Diego.
4 Petition to God on behalf of Dave & Kenda Kapaku as they minister to the Kahana Door of Faith Church and the community.
12 Pray for Chaplain Matthew Shenton as he and his family serve in Ft. Bragg, NC.
19 Ask the Lord to direct the ministry of the churches in Mexico . There are significant challenges from those who resist the gospel.
26 Ask God to raise up leaders for His mission in the U.S. and across the world.
October 2024
Global Advocate Prayer Calendar
3 Trust the Lord to provide direction for Rod & Mila Ayers and for God’s glory to be seen through all aspects of their lives.
2 Thank God for the direction and encouragement Kenya field leader Pastor Joseph Mwaura gives local church pastors.
1 Remember in prayer Samir Singha as he leads in India, and for Madhumita as she finishes nursing school.
11 Pray for God’s blessings on the teachers and administrators of your local school district.
10 Trust the Lord to provide wisdom and guidance for Travis Helm as he works as Director of Global Reach.
9 Lift up John & Toni Thumma and their ministry at Hooghan Nizhoni Church in New Mexico. Pray for their health.
8 Uplift in prayer the children of India & Bangladesh that are enrolled in Mission child development centers.
7 Remember Jacob & Haley Day in prayer as they build relationships within the Gamerco Church and community.
6 Pastor Maria Grigioni serves as Field Leader for Argentina. Pray for her wisdom as she makes new connections.
18 Remember to pray for stamina and humility in all Latino Ministries pastors.
17 Be in prayer for Dr. John Costa as he is faithful in sharing the Gospel amid much resistance.
16 Celebrate the establishment of the Southeast Regional Conference ! Pray for the leaders to be bold and engaged locally and globally.
15 Call upon the Lord and ask that he bring healing to the unrest and turmoil in Haiti.
14 Happy Anniversary, Bryan & Katie Crabtree ! Pray for them and their family as they work in Thailand.
13 Pray for Dominican Republic Field Leaders Fremio & Evelin Jimenez as they work with new church plants.
25 Pray for Pastor Dave Odegard , Director of the Great Lakes Conference and President of the CGGC.
24 Seek the Lord’s will for your church’s involvement with global missions . Talk with your pastor about how to keep missions a priority.
23 Intercede on behalf of the churches and leaders across the world who are under personal and spiritual attack.
22 Lift up in prayer Nicaragua and trust the Lord to continue to bless the good works that are happening there.
21 Intercede for divine wisdom and discernment for the Global Reach Commission as they have a meeting today.
20 Pray that God would moves hearts of donors to give generously to the CGGC Global Reach Mission fields.
31 Pray against the forces of evil in the world and in our own lives. Seek God’s protection for all His Church!
30 Pray that hearts would be moved to support this year’s Share the Blessing campaign for Global Reach special projects.
29 Challenge your friends to get involved in ACTS Teams in 2025 !
28 Pray the Lord’s Prayer with an emphasis on God’s Kingdom coming in specific ministries and missionaries.
27 Have faith that many churches request Jeff & Julie Burns to speak on missions at their church.
Since the founding of the church, more churches have sprung up in small, rural El Arenal. They are focusing on ministering to the children with outdoor events, and while the ACTS team was there, they traveled to a town about an hour away to pick up a whole bunch of kids who are part of a youth group and brought them to the celebration. Hot weather didn’t prevent or discourage the celebration services throughout the week, and kind, cool winds saved the day when the temperature threatened to grow truly oppressive.
By all accounts, the ACTS team found themselves the recipients of eye watering hospitality from people who were overjoyed to meet them. “The people were so moved and touched by the mere fact that we came. That we came to visit them, right where they are,” said Jenn, who was on the trip. Jenn Schulmbohm is the Multimedia Coordinator for Global Reach but, along with her son, this was her first time visiting our Mexico churches. “They cared for us and served us so well, and never with any expectations. It was humbling and inspiring. A ‘servant heart’ means something different in Mexico.”
During a time of Q/A, Pastor Fausto was asked “What can U.S. churches learn from Mexico churches?” Initially, Pastor Fausto admitted that there’s not much to learn from our Mexico churches since they don’t have the education, or the books. But having witnessed their focus on a life of prayer, servanthood, and dedication, Jenn didn’t agree. She saw the way they were desperate for prayers, and when an altar call was made, everyone in the church went up to receive prayer. They cling to God and His word, forsaking comfort and convenience. And they do it immediately. Jenn and Pastor Fausto, who had lived in the states for a while, both commented about how the American church can take what we have for granted, and it becomes a barrier to seeking God. Jenn suggested that U.S. Christians often seek God as a last resort, saying that, “in the states, we fight much harder to 'Give everything to God,' because it is easier to live under the delusion that we can handle it ourselves.”
Somewhat comically, Pastor Fausto mentioned that, in the U.S., “If we turned off the AC at a couple of services, people would leave.” It’s true that in the U.S., we have a tendency to get caught up on things that aren’t central to God or to His great commission. Pastor Victor Montalvo of San Diego Church of God said of the Mexico churches that they “don’t have much. They still worship God and love God as if they had everything. They still go when they are sick, when they are struggling financially. They love God and want to worship God.”
In the final days of the ACTS team trip, the women of El Arenal church, who had tirelessly cooked nearly every meal the team ate, took the team's clothes to wash. Given as bags of dirty clothes, the women returned later with hand-washed clothes smelling of soap, neatly folded. Jenn’s reflection on their servant hearts humbled her. How much dirty laundry would we be willing to do for people in our churches?
Right now, our churches in Mexico are diligently working with the Mexico government to be recognized as a conference within the CGGC. They eagerly wish to be recognized not as loosely scattered churches in Mexico, but as a bonded conference of their own. One that can work together with churches in the U.S. and in South America for the good of the kingdom.
Save the Date!
Our next Triennial Conference and the 200th Celebration for the Churches of God, General Conference will be held July 14-17, 2025.
WHEN
• Monday, July 14th: Travel/Arrival Day
• Tuesday, July 15th: Conference Begins, Celebration Service in the Evening
• Wednesday, July 16th: Conference Day 2, Looking Forward Service in the Evening
• Thursday, July 17th: Conference Day 3, ends at 12 P.M., First Meeting of Administrative Council to follow
WHERE
Best Western Harrisburg North, 150 Nationwide Dr, Harrisburg, PA 17110 Conference will be held at the Best Western Premier, the Central Hotel and Conference Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the town that started it all. We’ll have rooms reserved at the Best Western, but Harrisburg will have plenty of additional options for guests to stay at and will be drivable for many of our churches in the ERC. Likewise, we are currently planning for tours of some historic sites, both directed and selfled, to take place early in the week before Conference begins.
WITH
Keynote Speaker: Pastor Matt Lake
WHO
In addition to official regional delegates, ALL are invited for the celebration service Tuesday evening!
WHY
Innovate: New Measures Now
Our theme for this conference is Innovate: New Measures Now which captures and holds in tandem two significant ideas. First, that we have a significant history worth celebrating, especially after 200 years, and second, that we need to innovate now, and keep innovating so we can have another 200 years to celebrate in 2225.
Our tag line “New Measures Now” references John Winebrenner’s “New Measures,” which were innovative methods and liturgies that challenged people in the early 1800’s, and even saw Winebrenner locked out of his own church. New, innovative approaches to saving souls for Christ is in our DNA, and our history is steeped in doing whatever it takes to reach the lost.
As the lead pastor of First Church Williamsport, in Williamsport, PA, Matt Lake is well positioned to speak to us about maintaining our history while pushing boundaries on new ways to reach our communities for Christ. Pastor Matt brought a message of innovation and encouragement to our Western Regional Conference last year, and we were so impressed that we’ve asked Pastor Matt to speak to all of you, next year at the 2025 Triennial Conference Sessions as our keynote speaker.
You’ll also hear a panel of innovative church leaders from within our denomination who will give practical examples of how to start something new in your church.
WHAT?!
Special Announcement
To Commemorate this occasion and the 200th anniversary of the denomination, the CGGC has commissioned a documentary to be produced featuring interviews from key figures in the Churches of God who have been asked to detail and vividly illustrate not only our history, but the core themes that will carry us into the next 200 years.
Meet the Team: Homeplace Creative, a film and media production company, have been commissioned to produce the film and are already deep into production having completed multiple rounds of interviews. We’re very excited to be working with Kyle Adams and Dr. Meg Adams, the founders of Homeplace Creative, COO and CEO, respectively. Their personal involvement has made this project even more special.
The film will debut at Triennial Conference along with the 200th Celebration. After Conference, there will be numerous opportunities to screen the documentary for other events, and we will be making it available for the purpose of teaching our history, the history of American Christianity in general, and a variety of other use cases, like polity courses for new pastors, or new church members in your local congregation.
GIVING CAMPAIGN UPDATES
We wanted to provide a brief update on some of our recent giving campaigns. Our goal for the future is to have two distinct annual giving campaigns that regions, churches, and individuals can plan around.
For the Spring, we have SOW, our growth and plant themed campaign where you can sow into the lives of fields all around the world where we have active missions. Each year we have missionaries and field leaders in our international fields who need supported, and SOW is an excellent opportunity to pull together and make sure that the leaders of our fields don’t experience financial short falls. This season, over the course of our SOW campaign, donors saw over $8,000 raised to support the field leaders who needed it most.
During the Winter/Advent season, we have Share the Blessing, a historic giving campaign where we focus on a few large or significant giving opportunities that can have massive impacts in their respective fields. For instance, last year supporters saw a new ministry support van fully funded for our Gamerco Church in New Mexico that yearly hosts mission teams to the Navajo mission. Supporters also fully funded the construction of two new churches in Nicaragua, and a life changing medical device called a Phaco Machine, for our Bangladesh Mission Eye Hospital.
Whether you choose to participate in both of these campaigns, just one of them, or even simply by helping to spread the word about these urgent needs, we are grateful for your partnership in seeing our Global Reach missions flourish.
Global Reach Updates
Thank you for partnering with our friends and fields in Global Reach. Our main desire and prayer in Global Reach is that the Gospel will be shared in the fields and countries where God has opened doors to be a witness for Him. Those on the front lines are the feet, voice and hands as we work behind the scenes to support them through prayer and financial partnerships. Together, we serve as the body of Christ in finishing the task of reaching the lost, the Great Commission. The following are a few updates from some of our Global Reach fields. Please continue to pray for our leaders and believers as they serve God and share the Good News with seekers.
Brazil
Global Reach Director, Travis Helm and Pastor Mike Poe (Carlisle First Church of God) spent some time visiting the Brazil Good News Church conference in late June and early July. The pandemic hit many of their communities very hard because of the strict shut downs. Two of our conference churches did not recover from the pandemic and closed. A third church is struggling as its location has deteriorated over the years and has become unsafe. Conference President Pastor Ernesto Nunes hosted us and took us to various churches to fellowship and encourage the congregations and leaders.
Pastor Ernesto spends time visiting and encouraging the conference churches, but he and his family are also building a relationship with an independent church in Palmas where our conference churches have closed. Pray for continued involvement and a closer relationship with this church as they have a healthy group of believers and are reaching the community.
India
The Mission has taken up slum ministry in a place called Durganagar in Dumdum area, Kolkata. We work among the children through education. It is to provide educational help to both school age children and older children. We teach language and developing skills. We ministered from April through June and for ministry space we had to depend on the people’s slum dwellings. At present the space is not available and we are praying for a place to continue ministry. The slums are extremely crowded, and space is cramped and limited. The people who have come to the city to survive end up in these slums. It is highly unhygienic with no proper amenities. Slums in general are not very safe. There are about 25 to 27 children in this group.
The Mission has also taken the opportunity to minister to some leper colonies in West Bengal. Samir, Sanat, and Bubai went to meet with a husband and wife, Sandip and Mitu Banowar. as they serve the lepers by teaching among the children and ladies. Sandip also cleans wounds and applies bandages among the lepers as he prays for them. These lowly people are outcasts and reside in Jamuna Bandh, Purulia. It is a roadside colony area, away from the Purulia city. They are open to listening to the message from the Bible, about Jesus Christ. On Sundays, the school age children give time to listen to Jesus’ stories and learn songs. The mothers have a separate time of listening from the Bible and prayer. We are looking for a room to better serve these people. Bubai shares a message to the effected people. Please pray for wisdom as to how God may want our Mission to be involved in helping.
Thailand
The Crabtrees visited their home turf in the US for approximately six weeks in June through most of July. They were able to spend some time with family, introduce Theo to family and friends here in the US, and spend some time sharing about their ministry in Thailand with supporters. They shared at a couple churches in Ohio (Great Lakes Conference) and in Indiana (Midwest Regional Conference). They also had to spend precious time renewing various official documents and getting some for Theo. They appreciate your prayers and support. It’s very challenging traveling 70 hours round trip on flights with 3 children from 8 months to 4 years old. Thank you for lifting them up in prayer as they face many challenges on the field and at home in the USA.
Bangladesh
The new Phaco machine was delivered in late June. It took three hours to install and set up this machine. A big thank you to all the donors who prayed and gave for this instrument. Our Mission staff express sincere gratitude to you all. We took a group picture (right) after installation and eye operation with the new Phaco machine.
The new Child Development Projects that recently began in the Bangladesh Mission have been providing food and tutoring for the children. We are so thankful for your support as this is an enormous blessing and ministry to the children and their families. Pictured below are the children praying before eating their meal after their time of study.
The Mission has a Pre-Primary school in a poor village called Katadanga. The Mission utilizes the school building for a remote eye camp on occasion. Children as well as adults are seen at the eye camps. Pictured below are the class children with the eye camp patients waiting to be seen in the background. The children held their classes in front of the church building on the veranda of the church. Please pray for the children and the eye patients. These are important and effective ministries of the Mission.
Recently, after a busy morning at the Khanjanpur clinic (seeing more than 100 patients), the head of the district health service (Civil Surgeon) conducted a surprise visit. He had many questions but was very impressed and appreciative of the medical ministry that is administered through the Mission to the underprivileged people of the surrounding communities. Below are pictures of his visit. This type of visit is due to many challenges of resistance the Mission faces as it becomes increasingly difficult to share the Good News in this part of the world.
The Mission has been pressured by anti-Mission groups and certain government officials to renovate some of our school structures as many are very old. Time, humidity and extreme weather conditions have taken their toll on these structures. The Mission is continually strapped for more funds for large projects like this, but they trust God to provide. The before and after pictures at left and below demonstrate the renovation improvements of Pahunonda School.
All of the ministries, prayers and efforts are to share the love of Christ with the lost people in the communities of Bangladesh. It is a joy to see the kingdom grow in this part of the world. Celebrate with Mission staff as they welcomed eight new young souls into the family through baptism. They are pictured below with the local pastor and his wife and the Mission area leaders (husband and wife team).
This is the fruit for which we praise and give glory to God. Each faithful donor and prayer partner has a significant part in our Global Reach field ministries across the globe. You may never have the opportunity to meet our pastors and Mission staff or those that are from various countries but someday in heaven, you will be united with them. Partnerships are vital in reaching the lost in parts of the world like India, Bangladesh, Brazil, Latin America and many other areas. Please contact travis@cggc.org if you want to discuss how your small group, church or family can partner to help make an eternal impact on the Kingdom. Little is much when God is in it. There are many needs and opportunities you can partner to fill. Time may be short so don’t delay. There are also opportunities for short term field visits, interns, and vision tours to help encourage and support the field work.
