Global Impact in the Free Methodist Church

You have global impact, North Central Conference.  Surpassing one million members is a fantastic milestone for the Free Methodist Church.  We are one of but a handful of Christian movements that continues to grow in America, and exponentially around the world. It’s not an accident. It is the result of a dedicated focus upon Christ’s great commission to “GO!!!” to all the nations, making disciples.

A significant way we take the Great Commission seriously is our missions movement. We develop and deploy smart, dedicated, spirit-filled women and men to develop seriously excellent cross-cultural skills and who are capable of contextualizing the gospel of Jesus in winsome ways in places where the gospel has either not been heard or has been badly distorted.  We call these folks missionaries.  Our missionaries raise up servant-leaders, train and equip, and set loose upon broken and hurting segments of our global population redeemed, renewed, restored and responsive indigenous leaders to keep the movement of being more like Jesus going.  

WE raise up missionaries. WE send them into the world. WE support them and the ministries that are given birth until they are able to sustain themselves and continue the process.  Some of our first missionaries went to the Philippines, and now the Free Methodist Church of the Philippines sends missionaries throughout Asia and even to the United States. That’s how it’s supposed to work.  

WE make that possible when we continue our dedicated support of one of the best, most fruitful aspects of being a Free Methodist in the 21st Century – FM Global Missions.  

Every NCC church should have already decided their annual missions support for 2013. But most have not. At Annual Conference 2011, the pastors and delegates voted in the affirmative to make their missions giving goal a Happy Meal per attender per week.  That’s five bucks a week for the folks who come to church.  A church averaging 50 worshipers, then, should consider committing to global missions 5 bucks (that’s about what a Happy Meal costs), per attender, per week. That’s about $1,000 per month, which is about $12,000 per year. 

Some churches will be led to give a lot more, seeing this goal not as a burden but a joyful way to participate in the most fruitful “Great Commission” endeavor we engage.  Some churches will not be able to give that much, serving primarily the homeless or rapidly mobile immigrant populations, or in very economically depressed regions.  But every North Central Conference church is in a covenantal relationship with each other, our global partners, and I dare say our Great Shepherd Jesus Christ to fulfill the God-given command and holy privilege of GOING into the world to make disciples.  That is why we send missionaries and missions dollars.

Our network of NCC churches have given the following: 2008 - $347K; 2009 - $209K; 2010 - $226K; 2011 - $200K. 2012 (figures through 11/12) - $151K.  That’s not bad. But there’s a downward trend line. We can do better.

We have 4000 people worshiping each Sunday in our NCC churches. If we were able to make our Happy Meal commitment, that would be over $1,000,000,000 each year. If we limit the Happy Meal goal to those who are committed members, that’s about 3000 Christ-followers, the NCC churches would generate over $750,000.00 a year to win the world for Jesus.  

We are capable of much.  What is your church’s commitment?

If your church has not yet made your annual COMMITMENT, your covenantal estimate of about how much you believe you can give to support global missions, the time now. 

It is essential that you make a commitment. The FMCUSA will not send missionaries or support global projects that do have apparent commitment.  You SHOW YOUR COMMITMENT by logging on to our FM Missions Web Site at the beginning of each year and entering the commitment amount.  t’s pretty easy to do. It’s devastating to our movement if we don’t do this simple thing.  

Clear instructions on how to make commitments are located both on the nccfmc.org web site and at the fmcusa.org web site (http://fmcusa.org/fmwm/commitments).

Church may commit to any Free Methodist missionary or country share project they wish to support.  Most of our churches are supporting the work Jerry and Jan Coleman and the projects of Eastern Europe, Jim and Deb Wilson and the projects of Southeast Asia, especially the Philippines, or of Mike and Vicki Reynen and projects in Africa. These are the areas and individuals we support because these missionaries were raised up and sent out from among our churches.  However, as the Spirit leads you and your congregation, we have solid global impact options all over the world that may better fit your passions and spirit-led goals. 

Have global impact. I suspect the literally millions who will find Jesus as savior, discover clean water in their villages, be set free from literal bondage to the sex trade, receive medical care in the name of Jesus, and eat for the first time in a week will be glad you and your peers gave up a happy meal a week to make the world a better place. 

Entire Sanctification ... Being All In!

“Entire Sanctification” is an odd and exciting term.  It is a cornerstone Free Methodist doctrine.  It has also vexed and offended many.  The doctrine is particularly frightening for the modern mind when paired with another phrase from our Wesleyan heritage – “Christian Perfection.”   Jesus Christ, our founder (not John Wesley, contrary to popular opinion), was the first to voice this concept.  “Be perfect, therefore,” said Jesus (Matthew 5:48), “as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  And “Entire Sanctification” are the words employed by the Apostle Paul when he prays for the Thessalonian church, “And may the God of peace Himself fully sanctify you, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Literal Translation Bible). 

John Wesley, our historic mentor, pointed not to some unique experience of his own, or novel understanding of the Bible when he called upon those in the renewal movement of his day (called Methodism today) to be sanctified through and through.  He pointed to the Bible, Old and New Testaments.  He drew from the writings and experiences of the early church fathers.  He gave voice to what he witnessed in the lives of believers who, through faith alone received God’s forgiveness and (often after a “salvation experience”) an experience of Spiritual awakening, fullness of the Holy Spirit, which led to such a transformational life change that the only to explain it was that Jesus was somehow living in and through these believers in powerful ways. 

These life transformations were in stark contrast the common experience of Wesley’s Christian peers.  His intellectual Oxford peers had lost nearly all sense of experiencing the power of God in their lives as they traded the treasures of the heart for an intellectualized, often sanitized, version of Christianity that led to Deism, moralism, and other ‘isms’ that were less than God’s desire.  Wesley’s peers in the streets, mines, prisons and distilleries of Great Britain believed the church to be by and large irrelevant for them, with often lifeless spiritual leaders bringing little more than the ritualistic functions expected of them for marriage, baptism and burials. 

Maybe today’s Free Methodists need to find new language.  But we don’t need to find a new message.  Jesus didn’t call for half-hearted, lukewarm commitment to the Kingdom.  The Apostle’s did not die as martyrs preaching a gospel of comfortable acceptance of sins, brokenness, injustice, poverty, self-centeredness.  The early Christian movement did not seize the hearts of slaves and soldiers, artisans and emperors by asking nothing and promising more of the same.   The promise was declared that God’s kingdom belongs to those who are fully, radically, uncompromisingly devoted to following the King.  The promise was that a broken life might be made whole.  A broken world might discover restoration.   As the Ambassadors of the new Kingdom, we go into the nations and teach everything our Lord teaches us, proclaiming and incarnating through the Spirit God’s holiness and love.

John Wesley used 26 different phrases and Biblical references to describe what we today narrowly refer to as “Entire Sanctification.”  He did so because he was deeply concerned that people might become fixated upon or have negative reactions to any one of the terms that he felt the Bible employed in describing the concept.  So, today, I imagine that no matter what different terms we may choose to use, someone will doubtless take exception and claim it is not what they can in any way believe. 

I’m going to take a shot at it anyway.  Free Methodists believe that God expects AND empowers those who will turn to God (either to repent of wrongdoing or to embrace a more beautiful and true life or any combination therein) to be 1) all in with Jesus, 2) radically devoted to God, 3) refuse compromise with the world, 4) full of the Holy Spirit, 5) wholly available for God’s purposes, 6) settling for nothing less than everything God has in store, 7) not holding back or onto anything that hinders God’s work through us, 8) sacrificing anything to be everything God intends us to be.  

Maybe John Wesley said it best when he said, “What I mean by Christian Perfection is nothing other than love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.” 

I wonder where Mr. Wesley got that from?

Don’t settle for less than all God wants to be and do in and through you.  Let’s be all in!    

Advent Apocalypse

The end of the world came to Janesville, Wisconsin. Janesville is home to the Administrative Offices of the North Central Conference . . . AND birthplace of “Miracle” the white buffalo. Miracle was born in 1992, and many believed she fulfilled Native American prophesies of the end of an old era, ushering in a new age of peace led by a Christ-like figure called the White Buffalo Woman.  Miracle died in 2004.  The White Buffalo Woman never did come. 

    Around the same time (1997) a red heifer was born in Israel. Many Jewish thinkers believe that when the kosher red heifer is born, it will finally allow for the reconstruction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem, fulfilling Numbers 19:1-22 and Mishnah Tractate Parah.  At this time, animal sacrifices will recommence as part of the life of Jewish religious expression. The Temple Institute (a group that checks such things) says that as of now (2012) there is indeed a kosher red heifer in Israel marking that the time is nigh. The Temple described by Ezekiel (40-47) will at last be rebuilt. Dispensationalists (and sensationalist) Christians like Hal Lindsey point to this Third Temple as possible only under the reign of the Anti-Christ who will use it to proclaim his dominion and demand worship.

   Then there’s the ominous 12-21-12 Apocalypse. Ancient Mayans built great temples to approximate mountains upon which they could cut out the hearts and lop off the heads of countless human blood sacrifices to their gods.  And they were pretty good with calendars. The Mayan calendar and mythology speaks of five ages, and we are nearing the end of the final age. It’s even more mysterious to say, we have reached the 13^th b’ak’tun, or Mayan date 13.0.0.0.0 – December 21, 2012.
     And then there are wars and rumors of wars. And sicknesses. And earthquakes. And tsunamis.  And governments rising and falling.  And the middle-East in turmoil. And over 30% of Americans believe we are living in “end times” while we watch the same stuff that could have been seen on CNN if it aired in 400 AD, 1000 AD, 1500 AD and on and on … Countless other white buffaloes (well, 21 have been counted since 1833), many red heifers, and New-Agers buying into obscure interpretations of long dead civilizations are simply a handful of the truly countless “signs” that have been interpreted as apocalyptic before and after the birth of Jesus.

I anticipate celebrating the birth of the Son of God on Christmas, December 25, 2012. My family will not be hunkered in a bomb shelter or riding a giant neo-ark with John Cusack reading Hal Lindsey or Tim LaHaye novels. 

Instead, we and other Christ followers will be gratefully celebrating the birth of a gentle King in a manger 2000 years ago. A King, our King, who rules over land and sea and the willing hearts of those who follow.  A king whose followers identify as poor in spirit while inheriting the kingdom, mourning yet comforted, strong in humility, hungry for righteousness, merciful to others, pure in heart, living as peacemakers in a world characterized by conflict and revenge. Our king gave his life to save the world. Our king died in apparent disgrace but rose from the dead, the true promise of ultimate victory. Our King lives through faith by the Spirit in our hearts yet today. Our King will return – though he promises no one knows when, so all should be ready.

Fear not 2012. Fear not red heifers, white buffaloes  alien invasions or a zombie apocalypse. “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.”  

Vote for Jesus?

Vote for Jesus!  Cute slogan – not possible. Not even Jesus would endorse that option.  In the flesh he refused to be crowned by a crowd eager for his early rule, and shared with Pontius Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this earth” (Jn.18.36). In fact, Jesus warned his disciples not to engage in political games the way the “gentiles” do, seeking to be in a position to “lord” their authority over others, but rather to become “servants of all” (Mtw.20.25). Jesus and His disciples through the ages have a globally redemptive view that transcends nationalism, party divides and political power plays.  Nonetheless, Christians are called to engage their world, often engaging in healthy ways with political movements.

Many Evangelical Christians will sense some ambivalence in casting their presidential vote this year. President Obama self-identifies as a Christian, being converted to faith and baptized as an adult.  Many conservative Christians question how his faith has been evidenced through some of the issues he has embraced.  Mitt Romney self-identifies as a Mormon, very committed to his faith.  Most Evangelical Christians, including Free Methodists, view Mormonism as a non-Christian cult.  I don’t know the religious views of Gary Johnson (Libertarian candidate) or Jill Stein (Green candidate).  Regardless, this election is not a time in which Christians vote for their next ecclesial leader, but for a person of sound character and healthy mind with the ability to lead the United States through very troubled times.

Perhaps Christ-followers should vote for the candidates or parties that seem to align best with Jesus or Kingdom or Christian values. This also creates a dilemma. There is no single “biblical world-view” and fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ have drawn quite different conclusions on many core matters (for example just war versus pacifism). 

It will likely prove a very dangerous stance to claim any particular candidate or party is the godly one, and to judge as unspiritual (or unpatriotic … these are not the same) those who disagree.  Some may believe that surely all true Biblical Christians would endorse the same set of core values or issues as being closest to the heart of God.  This is simply not true. 

Around the same era, speaking to the larger context of the Jewish people of faith, three prophets of God, led by the Spirit of God, preaching the Word of God proclaimed three very different agendas. Malachi proclaimed a deep concern for marriage, crying out that “God hates divorce!” and pointing to the disintegrating family as a core cause of national and spiritual distress (Malachi 2). Zechariah had a different emphasis, “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other (Zech.7:8-9).”  Haggai had a different emphasis, blaming economic woes on neglect of the temple of God (Haggai 1). 

If we were prone to label and divide, pick sides and play party politics, we might be tempted to say a conservative “values party” leader like Malachi is dead-on but that a liberal social justice guy like Zechariah is bad for the country. Or visa-versa. Or point to Haggai's religious solution of getting back to prayer, worship and building up the temple as the truly godly approach and wonder about how faith-compromised the more socially involved Malachi or Zechariah might be. Knowing that each of these “agendas” originate from the Spirit of God, we are not left with the option of playing the labels game and claiming one is closest to the “Kingdom agenda.”

What if God’s best desire for a nation is an agenda too big for one party to contain?  What if the “mind of Christ” is too big for one person to have the whole picture?  What if every nation needs the values of personal morality and responsibility and social justice and care for those who cannot care for themselves in order to be closer to healthy?  What if portions of “Kingdom agenda” issues are reflected by Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Independents and Green or Tea Partiers alike? And what if aspects of each agenda may in fact embrace issues that oppose the heart of God?

What if Zechariah had the best words for voting Americans of faith during this contentious time? “In your hearts do not think evil of each other!”  It is my prayer that nowhere in any church in the North Central Conference will someone utter something as uninformed or unspiritual as, “No true Christian can vote for (fill in the blank).”  Engage what God has called you to engage with all your heart, contribute to the betterment of the nation in which you live, while holding onto enough gracious humility to bless those engaged in issues that you do not feel are as important, or who take a different point of view than you do.  

Let us endeavor to prayerfully work together as the people of God to make the best decisions we can, and to work as fruitfully as possible across every political divide.  Jesus as Lord (rather than any political party) makes this possible. Jesus as Lord, I believe, makes this necessary.

Appreciating Pastors

I wonder if my experience might help you understand the heart of your pastor.  In so doing, my hope is that you will take time this month to extend a word of kindness, a show of appreciation, during October, which for 17 years in the USA has been “Clergy Appreciation Month.” 

I have worked a few jobs. I have been a lumberjack, worked a ranch, in a garment factory, as a dishwasher, cook, counselor, social worker, business owner, landlord, administrator, university educator and more. I have worked 9-5, swing shift, rotating and overnight shifts. I know for a fact, first hand, that every job has its challenges, charms, curses and blessings.

I have also pastored. It is hands down the most varied, challenging, difficult and delightful role in my personal experience. It is uniquely challenging. It is the only job where I have worked no less than 60 hours a week routinely but have been accused of being a slacker who really works but few hours a week. It is the only job where drawing a salary (in every case, much less than the average salary of the church’s board members) for solid, competent work was viewed as potentially unspiritual. It is the only job in which every fault or flaw not of my own but of my wife and children have been critiqued, often openly and painfully.  It is the only job in which I have been asked to be humble and bold, lead with vision while being asked to serve all, embrace and love everyone with warm grace while challenging everyone equally with sometimes harsh calls to repentance, create a sense of unified purpose and adherence to standards of conduct while being sensitive to the needs of the harshest detractors and unrepentant sinners.  It’s all quite logically and practically impossible!

There have been seasons when it seemed every word, every direction, every sermon was critiqued and every motive challenged.  As the pastor’s biggest critic is usually him or herself, I have felt the weight of constant self-evaluation and reflection upon integrity as one called to proclaim the very Word of God, knowing that people, even when critical, are depending upon the pastor getting it “right” so that they may be encouraged, challenged, inspired, changed not by the personal opinions of the preacher by the good news of the gospel. Most difficult of all is sharing the gospel as continually and faithfully as I know how, in the church and outside of the church, through word and deed, and seeing how often the love of God is rejected, disputed and mocked – and seeing the resulting pain in lives that could be healed and full of joy through simple trust in God’s grace and obedience to His loving commands.   

But then again, pastoring is uniquely wonderful.  To journey with human beings through every stage of life, from birth, to growth, to youth, to marriage, to family, to sickness, to health, to professional struggles and gains, to the losses incurred through the ravages of time, to death, to comfort, to eternal hope.  No other vocation affords this blessing.  To be the midwife who catches the newly “born again” when the Holy Spirit moves and to see the amazing changes of healing and hope that occur.  To champion the poor and disenfranchised and see the homeless housed, hungry fed, abused healed, enslaved freed, jobless employed, hopeless hopeful and communities transformed. To take hits for leading through biblical truth and see over time the power of persuasion soften hearts and make room for the holy.  To be frequently awed by the power of the Spirit to answer prayers prayed with tears and faith as people experience miracles skeptics say don’t exist. To see enemies become friends. To see goodness happen. There are challenges, but when called to pastor, it is difficult to imagine any other form of service. Pastoring is fantastic.  

GeorgeBarna, demographer, researched pastor’s work habits and experiences.  He writes, "Most pastors work long hours, are constantly on-call, often sacrifice time with family to tend to congregational crises, carry long-term debt from the cost of seminary and receive below-average compensation in return for performing a difficult job. Trained in theology, they are expected to master leadership, politics, finance, management, psychology and conflict resolution. Pastoring must be a calling from God if one is to garner a sense of satisfaction and maintain unflagging commitment to that job. Fortunately, we have thousands of men and women who have responded to that call and serve God and His people with energy and grace. May they be encouraged by an outpouring of love and gratitude this October - and beyond!"

It’s Pastor Appreciation Month. There is much that is worth appreciating. There are unique struggles and unique joys. Let me encourage you to celebrate and appreciate your pastor this month. You will find Pastor Appreciation Resources at clergyappreciation.org. You may wish to send your pastor to the NCC Annual Pastor’s retreat in October. Remember, your pastor is doing what he or she does out of love for you and obedience to God in Christ Jesus.  

Everyone… Let’s Go Back to School

Too many American Christians don’t know much at all about what they claim to believe. There is nothing weak or ineffectual about the Christian Faith. Yet many of us who have placed our faith in Jesus while embracing a rather lazy approach to maturity fail to learn (and hence to live out) the implications of the Faith. By the “Faith” Christians for millennia have meant the body of doctrine and knowledge that lies at the heart of what Christians say they believe.  

It is true that Christianity at its best is a “relationship” and not a “religion.” Love trumps intellect every time. It dangerous, however, when we replace knowing the truth about Jesus and approaching an increasingly biblical world-view with mere feelings or a merely emotional sense of connection. Too many of us, and I mean Free Methodists in the North Central Conference, have settled for being quasi-Christian feelers rather than radical followers of Jesus fully committed to knowing and living out the best of Christianity. Chanting (if silently) “doctrine divides, practice unites” many of us have set aside learning, teaching and preaching core Christian doctrine and the concepts that are legitimately known as “the Faith.” I have actually heard some people say things like, “It doesn’t matter what you believe or what you do so long as you have faith in Jesus.” What then does it mean to have “faith in Jesus?” We follow Jesus’ proverbial “blind guides” when we place faith in our imagined “Jesus” made in our own image or follow a “Faith” developed by uninformed (though well-intentioned) spiritual leaders.

Free Methodists are a holistic connection of believers. We embrace the need for purity of heart and the rigors of the intellect.  We embrace the call to a personal faith in Jesus which saves our very souls and a commitment to public justice and social holiness which saves our very communities. We embrace spiritual experiences and scientific research, tradition and innovation, orthodox creeds and their fresh expressions, charismatic gifts and biblical obedience, freedom of conscience and voluntary cohesion through discipline that provides order.

Let’s TEACH our children. PREACH with clarity without “dumbing down’ the gospel. COUNSEL Biblically even as it challenges notions of amassing personal material wealth or engaging in any sexual choice. Let’s go back to school! 

Know your stuff!  Know your doctrines. Send your kids to Sunday School. If you’re an adult, TEACH Sunday School (you will more doing this than by merely attending). Study Scripture and theology in your small groups. Let’s commit to read something besides Facebook and the ESPN scrollbar. 

“Dear friends, you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2Pet.3.18).

Accomplishing More Together… A Good Report

The Fabulous Five USA Olympic Women’s Gymnastics Team have demonstrated the power of synergy – accomplishing more together. Dominating through strength, grace and an obvious spirit of mutual encouragement and dedication to the task, this team of golden Olympiads (pictured) makes America proud.  Team USA basketball is doubtless on its way to gold but LeBron James alone could not do it.  TEAM! Together We Accomplish More. Synergy.

You alone can make impact in this world.  As Frederick Douglass, the great American abolitionist said, “One and God make a majority.”  Yet, we know that as Christians it takes a WE not a ME to effectively accomplish the mission Jesus gave the church. Every NCC congregation is tasked with ‘Bringing Jesus to the North Central United States” and beyond.  No NCC congregation can do that alone. 

Here are just a few of the ways your NCC team is “Bringing Jesus”.

The first half of 2012, NCC churches have invited many to follow Jesus, and over 650 people have made new confessions of faith in Jesus.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit, and is occurring among churches of every size and demographic. Leading the NCC in effective evangelism are congregations ministering primarily among African Americans and Hispanics. With powerful vacation Bible School ministries, several congregations have seen an upsurge of children making decisions to receive Jesus.

Pastor Scott Whiting (pictured) in Eau Claire, WI is seeing amazing fruitfulness through the work of Catalyst Church. A strong value of the NCC is loving and connecting with your community.  Scott and his team know the power of connection and prayer. Scott says, “Catalyst has been praying 'selfishly' for our landlord.  We don't want to get kicked out of our space because its perfect for our needs and a very visible location.  So we've been praying that all the other empty units in our shopping plaza get tenants, so that our landlord's income is boosted; and since she knows we've been praying for this, she might be less likely to kick us out for a higher paying tenant.  I spoke to her this morning. All three other units have now been leased.  All new tenants expect to be open for business next month.  And one of them is a coffee shop!  How perfect could that be?  Not to mention the snow cone vender (who's a seminary student) in the parking lot!  She's absolutely thrilled and thanked us for praying.”  

Greater Hope Community Church in Clarinda IA is experiencing revival, despite deep personal pain and struggles. Pastor Ed Simmon reports, “God is blessing the Church Family, we had 2 rededicate their lives back to Christ. I have been teaching a new Christians class on Wed Nights wonderful class. On August 10 people will be baptized in our swimming pool in my back yard.  As for me God has been blessing me beyond my wildest dreams. I have arthritis in my lower back my hips knees and ankles some days I have a lot of pain. On those days I can really feel Christ holding me.  Since this has happened to me over the last 8 months I've learned more about living in the grace of God than I did in all my 29 years since giving my life to Christ. God's Grace really is sufficient. Christ always holds me through the pain and He always leads me in my walk Christ is always with me”

An impoverished, unchurched, neglected and sometimes dangerous neighborhood in Rockford IL is embraced and loved by the Free Methodists in this community. Pastor Paul Bundschuh (pictured) and Tim Wauchope report, “God has led us to minister in various ways to the adults and children at an apartment complex across town over the last year. We distribute school supplies for the children and make great connections with the parents. Our VBS in this community this summer saw 5 children accept Christ as Savior.”

The churches in 2012 that have seen new believers result from their prayerful investment in outreach and evangelism in the Heartland are Clarinda, Fairfield, Oskaloosa and Toddville; in Chicagoland are Aurora, the Chapel in Chicago, Evanston, Melrose Park, Oswego and Woodstock; in Team North are Alexandria, Glencoe, Motely; in Three D are Albert Lea, Austin, Bloomington, Fillmore, Mason City, Sioux Falls, Rapid City; in Upstate IL are East Peoria, Freeport, McConnell, Rockford, Wataga; and in Wisconsin are Beloit, Eau Claire, Fitchburg, Emmanuel, LaFarge, Livingston, New Berlin, Platteville and Richland Center.

The number of churches reporting people who are making life change decisions is phenomenal.  In every nook and cranny, Christians are being called to deeper devotion, loving outreach and service to their community and world.  Free Methodist chaplains like Derin Fowler working hospitals, Randy Waller in long-term care, Ray Leach working in the military, Marie Rose working with the police force and many others are touching lives in crisis everywhere.

God is at work in centenarian churches and infant projects. Souls are being saved in affluent and impoverished, Hispanic, black, Asian and white communities, among young old, in small towns and cities. How is your church fervently praying and seeking God’s power and vision?  How are you actively engaging the community? How are you regularly encouraging and challenging growth in Christ? As a team, let’s keep advancing toward being increasingly in line with Jesus and Kingdom values and visions.