2013 SUMMIT Update: Tuesday
FEIC Summit
October 15, 2013
Tuesday AM Devotional
Randy Carter
‘Perhaps Faith’ Trumps Chaos
The chaos facing the Israelites:
They were hopelessly outnumbered
They were under resourced
They were overcome by fear
Jonathan’s response to the chaos:
He refused to follow the crowd in doing nothing
He dared to dream a big dream
He chose to focus on the greatness of God, not the desperation of the hour.
How will you use your faith to overcome your chaos?
You use your faith to do all you can do.
You expect God to do the impossible.
You watch your faith become contagious.
Other takeaways:
When desperation meets the greatness of God, faith results in courage and passion
Step out on the ‘perhaps’ and see what God will do.
Download Randy’s powerpoint here.
FEIC Summit
October 15, 2013
Tuesday AM Sessions I & II
Leigh Metcalf
Opened with story of how he met Larry and Melinda Henderson at the 2012 World Mission’s Summit. Shared how God had put Europe on his and his wife’s hearts.
Leigh and wife Jodi live in Arizona and work in the district office focusing on church planting and church health.
“We started a church, had nothing but the support of our district. Started in our hometown. Started on 5.5 acres with land and a barn. We decided not to put an AoG label on our church. Wanted anyone to come. People drove by and stopped to come to church. One guy flew over in a small aircraft, felt the presence of God, went home and got his family and came.
First Sunday – 126 people came.
Looked to meet community needs. Started preschool, thrift store, school of ministry.
After five years, challenged by maintaining status quo; had staff turnover. Hired our friends – people just like me. Thought it would be great. But no longer had diversity of creativity, different ages.
We got back into multiplication mode. Sent out 50 people. Did all the things that we did to start our church. Launched with 225 people in community.
Planted 6 churches in community. We got voted into current position and now plant churches around the state.
Love the ministry. Challenged us to stay close to the important things. Sometimes we have to deal with difficult body parts and it becomes a challenge to continue.
Hearing from God is not the same as going to conferences for ideas. It’s great to learn from others but have to know that God is giving us specific direction for our situation.
I Corinthians 16
You’re in a battle – there will be wounds, hurts, scars. But we need to hear ‘get back in the game’, there is a time to cry or get a hug, but sometimes we need to stand.
Jesus had a diverse group of people around Him. It’s wisdom for us today to be effective in ministry or in any area of life to surround ourselves with people who are different than us. Have the opportunity to cross-pollinate.
Only 26% of churches in America are growing. People are passing through churches sampling. We need to surround ourselves with faithful people. Sometimes left with hiring someone who is competent but not loyal. Or someone who is loyal but isn’t competent or willing to continue to learn.
It’s important for churches to stay relevant and healthy. Even McDonald’s works to change its vision. Used to serve fast food that made customers fat. Now they serve something fast and healthy.
Must change to meet the current needs. Must be relevant to everyone in your congregation. Example: worship must be relevant to all.
Take time to sharpen axe so we can get something done. Other than hacking away with a dull axe. It takes work to keep sharp.
Great leaders pay attention to details….down to the toilet paper. What are the little things we’re missing that could affect people.
Restaurants, etc. churches fail because they don’t meet the needs of their people.
Find a need and fill it.
Cross-pollination brings fertility. It’s through our differences that we bring forth fruit.
People don’t come to church to see ordinary – but to see extraordinary.
If you surround yourself with people like you they will compete with you and not complete you.
Apply that education and make it relevant to your daily life. People only pay attention when its relevant to their needs. In the Kingdom of God the quickest way to go up is to go down.
FEIC Summit
October 15, 2013
Tuesday PM Forum
Terry Hoggard
FEIC has worked to establish resources that can be shared within the network including people such as David Baroni, the Beebes, Mark Purkey.
A few years ago, we realized that a number of FEIC members were developing relationships with international churches outside the European network and we began to explore the idea of starting a global network. We put together a proposal, Greg Mundis saw it in 2011; approved it Feb. 29, 2012; met with regional directors in June; by December of 2012 we launched the website.
Goal is to establish visibility globally; inspire regional development. GICN is a relational connection. Those in each region will explore establishing relational networks.
Then several people – members and guests shared…
Arto Sadeaho: Talked about Business as Mission. Recommends having an exhibition stand in Bankok, January, 2015 at world missions event. Can reach missionaries, evangelists and pastors around the world with this idea.
Jerry and Nancy Sturgeon, pastor of International Christian Assembly In Moscow:
We’ve been in Moscow for almost 2 years. Church has been there 21 years; 10 pastors over that time. Just hired an assistant pastor from Nigeria. We have 350+.
Would welcome help from anyone who feels called there.
Peyton and Clover Harris, pastor of Nation Church in Istanbul. We’re in a city of 15-18 million people with 1,000 Turkish believers. We started the first AoG church in Turkey. We planted in English but are Turkish-friendly. We translate into Turk, we do about one-third of our songs in Turk. We believe that every person who comes to us – be they English speakers, missionaries, Turks – is important.
José María Almarza Cano and Carlota Verdura Weatherford pastor El Puerto de Santa Maria, in Cadiz Spain. They heard about a church with no pastor. Dan and Kathy Stump and Terry Hoggard worked with us to get us in touch with the people in the church. We had our first church retreat, which was a success. We’re there because God’s put us there. Praying for more laborers. Were running 30 – had to buy 10 more churches – some Sundays we have 70. We have 30 kids and four pregnant women.
Dan and Kathy Stump, pastors of the International Church of Barcelona announced a transition. “We have enjoyed every day of pastoring in Barcelona. Entering a transitional period. We feel it’s time to pass the church on and God’s made it clear to pass the church on to John and Brandy (?). The Stumps will stay involved with the church for the foreseeable future. They will also serve as advocates for international churches in southern Europe.
Mike and Loretta Hopkins, pastors of International Christian Assembly in Rome talked about their 25th anniversary and also announced a transition. Had a great celebration for 25th anniversary. Five former pastors there for banquet, 9 embassies represented. Talked about the history of international church development in Europe. We’d been at ICF in the midst of chaos, looking for strategy, wished there was a manual on ‘how to do international churches.’ We sent a young guy – Andre Cordeiro to CTS, paying 90% of the costs so he could come back and minister at our church. Then Mike promoted CTS to group encouraging FEIC pastors to look at CTS as a potential partner for furture workers. Announced transition from Rome: We’re going to move to Brussels and help promote CTS in Europe and the USA. Seeking out young students in the USA who feel a call to Europe. Talked about losing one of their young adults drowning in the lake at the camp this summer. New direction for camp being considered, possibly in Florence. Talked about upcoming Converge worship training seminar in Rome.
Pat and Brenda Mahar, pastor International Christian Fellowship in Athens. Took the church in Athens after Wislocky’s left. Went through the burning of Athens and financial crisis. Had 100, dropped to 50; lost the core of our givers. People lost work, went thru savings, had to leave to find work. Africans are returning to Africa for lack of work. We are currently focusing on refugees. Syrians are coming into Athens at the rate of 200 a day. Our bookkeeper is married to a Syrian. He gets calls from Syrians stuck on an island. Have found a camp of refugees – praying about taking church to them because they won’t come out due to lack of papers.
Terry then shared about the financial issues in Canaries. Frank and Baz are having a hard time in their churches, working jobs to pay their bills. Need real miracles.
Nicholas Wu, visiting pastor from Malaysia spoke: Got involved in ICA in Hong Kong thru Otis Keaner. ICA became one of the largest churches in Hong Kong. It’s a joy to be here.
FEIC Summit
October 15, 2013
Tuesday PM Service
Pastor Tony Ibarra
12 million Filipinos scattered in world. There are 100,000 million Filipinos in the Philippines. Pray for the Philippines – recent earthquake; sex-trafficked children.
Ephesians and OT story.
Ephesians 2 & II Samuel 9
Everything we have in this life, everything we do is by His grace.
Story of woman who ran to save boy from being killed; they fell and boy became lame. David wanted to show kindness to the boy who was now a man – a descendent of Jonathan. He told the man he would sit at his table and the wealth stolen from his father would be restored.
That’s what the grace of God does.
Grace of God is God’s divine equalizer.
Come to the King, the grace is available.
