In Philadelphia last year, many convention-goers

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1 FEB IN THIS ISSUE Church of God Family s Museum in Convention Host City a Must-See...1 Ferguson, MO-Area Pastor Calls Church, Community to Reconciliation...2 Spanish-, English-Speaking Churches in Texas Become One...3 Youth to Participate in Historic Unity Event this April...4 Kingdom-Minded in Muncie: Mary and Cornelius Dollison...5 A Shelter in the Desert: Arizona s Mission to Navajos...6 Tanzania: Local Leaders, Missionaries Taste Fruit of Their Labor...7 Barney Warren, David Biggers, You, and Me...8 Allen, South Dakota: Learning from the Culture You re Called to Teach...9 Pornography, Trafficking, and the Church From the Archives: Unity Demands Fellowship Get your pastor there: the General Assembly and 2017 Convention. Register at SUBSCRIBE To subscribe to this e-newsletter, your request to CHOGnews@chog.org. YOUR NEWS To submit news items regarding your church, district, state/regional assembly, or organization for possible use in CHOGnews, send an to CHOGnews@chog.org along with a short summary, including contact information. For the most up-to-date news, go to Church of God Family s Museum in Convention Host City a Must-See By Carl Stagner In Philadelphia last year, many convention-goers were privileged to see the Liberty Bell and sink their teeth into mouth-watering cheesesteak. Near Vancouver, the breathtaking Multnomah Falls received a lot of attention before and after the first Regional Convention of Two years in Oklahoma City afforded the opportunity to solemnly remember victims of the 1995 federal building bombing, but also the chance to taste some of the best barbecue around. While in Wichita this June for Church of God Convention 2017, you may want to plan a visit to one Old Town Wichita museum which sprang forth from the story of one influential Church of God family. In the early 1940s, a dynamic evangelist named Elmer Kardatzke was called to pastor the First Church of God in Wichita, Kansas. A congregation of perhaps fewer THIS DINOSAUR SKELETON IS JUST ONE OF MANY WORLD TREASURES TO SEE. than a hundred saw incredible growth under his leadership before the baton was passed to a driven young minister named Ray Cotton. It was First Church of God which would become what is known today as Central Community, the host church of Church of God Convention Perhaps some recognize the Kardatzke name because of E. E. Kardatzke s widespread influence across the movement, or because they took classes from Elmer s brother Carl at what was then Anderson College. Today, Anderson University students exercise body and soul in the Wellness Center which bears the Kardatzke name. To many family and friends, Elmer was simply known as Mit. But to Dr. Jon Kardatzke, it was Dad. Of course, Jon s father was a commanding figure in the church, Lorna, Jon s wife explains. I remember him as a very kind man, full of energy, loving the Lord s work with all his heart. My own grandfather Dr. C. W. Smith was one of the pioneer evangelists in the church, too, founding several congregations in Louisiana, including the Church of God in Ruston, where I attended with my family. Jon and I have had a strong foundation in the Church of God. In 2001, Jon and Lorna Kardatzke founded the Museum of World Treasures, which continued on page 15 1 February 2017

2 Ferguson, MO-Area Pastor Calls Church, Community to Reconciliation By Carl Stagner August 9, That was the day Michael Brown was shot and killed in a city which has sadly become emblematic of recent racial tensions in our country. Ferguson, Missouri, drew massive media attention in the days and weeks following the tragedy, but there was one near-tragedy that took place in another St. Louis, Missouri-area municipality which few know about. Five days earlier, Brian Burton found himself looking into the barrel of a gun which discharged; no explanation as to why the officer s gun went off, nor why there was no bullet to be found. But Brian Burton, now pastor of First Church of God in St. Louis, considers it only by the grace of God that he s alive today. Based on his perspectives growing up within a few minutes of Ferguson, as well as his experience leading a multicultural church today, Pastor Brian offers a clarion call to the church for reconciliation. The city of Florissant borders Ferguson just to the north. Many may not know the geography of the area, but it s important to understand that the St. Louis metropolitan area is composed of more than eighty municipalities, many with their own government, police departments, and so on. The city of St. Louis is home to about 320,000 people, PASTOR BRIAN BURTON but the entire area has a population of over a million. Following the intense media coverage of 2014, consumers of news across the country were likely to come away with a negative perception of the city of Ferguson. But Pastor Brian says it s really just like any other big-city suburb. The climate of life is no different, he explains. People work, people play, people live. Everyone goes about their lives. Then something so abrupt happens that it s hard to fathom how it could happen here. But, really, it can happen anywhere. It may go without saying, but what we see through the media lens is often a distortion of reality. Ferguson, Missouri, is one example of that. It s hard to glean from the reports that the people of Ferguson really just want to live peaceably, he explains. It s not a city full of protestors. It s not necessarily what you d think of when you hear the word ghetto. Ferguson is a suburb full of people who are hard-working, take care of their families, who like and love each other. When the news broke that a young African American man had been shot, one of Brian s greatest fears was that he would know the victim. After all, Brian was intimately acquainted with the Ferguson community, a city which shared its school system with neighboring Florissant. In fact, Brian once managed the apartment complex some two hundred feet from where Michael Brown was killed. As it turned out, Brian did know some of the family family members who had actually grown up in one of the local 2 February 2017 FIRST CHURCH OF GOD THANKSGIVING OUTREACH. was perhaps the hardest thing for Brian to deal with. And though Brian was deeply dismayed by the reports coming out of Ferguson, he wasn t all that surprised. After all, less than a week prior he d again experienced racism rear its ugly head. The church is supposed to be different than the world. While the culture exemplifies so much disunity, God s people are called to a different standard. True unity among believers is possible, but Pastor Brian insists it can only come about with a kingdom perspective. With Jesus as our subject, Brian explains, everything he did was intentional. Everything he did was an effort of reconciliation between God and man. We have to be just as intentional in our reconciliation among what seems to be divided churches. I really think we have to get away from this is my church, that is your church and need to start to express that we are the church. I wholeheartedly think that there are some churches that need to explore the possibility of combining their forces in an effort of unity. It won t be easy. And we have to get past these are our resources, those are your resources. You know, we pray every Sunday, Lord, make us good stewards of what you ve given us, and we sing we reach our hands in fellowship to every blood-washed one. But do we really mean what we pray? Do we really mean what we sing? Or are we just satisfying ourselves instead of setting the example for the world around Church of God congregations. This CWC MEETS WITH FIRST CHOG LADIES FOR OUT- REACH DISCUSSIONS. continued on page 6

3 Spanish-, English-Speaking Churches in Texas Become One By Carl Stagner Pastor Malcolm Tyree described it as a Super Sunday, but not because of a certain football game between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons. What happened on Sunday, February 5, at New Vida Church of God in Dallas, Texas, was nothing short of incredible, especially in light of all that had transpired over the past year. Eleven people were baptized, ranging in ages from six to sixty. Wonderful, sure. But not so uncommon. Uncommon was that these individuals represented multiple cultures originating from the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Cuba. Such celebration came on the heels of a year of transition which saw the finalization of the merger between a Spanish-speaking and an Englishspeaking congregation. But for New Vida Church of God once New Life Fellowship and Iglesia de Dios Vida Abundante this wasn t the grand finale. This is just the beginning. Not surprisingly, the children and youth took the first steps. Before it became clear that the two Church of God congregations in Dallas should come together as one entity, the children s and youth ministries were already functioning as one. More than a year earlier, the children s programs of each church had combined, and for six months, the youth ministry had been a joint effort. Before long, it was apparent that the children and youth had set an example for the rest of the church. Logistics, including the name change, took a while to address, however, particularly when it came to financial COMING TOGETHER FOR FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP! matters. But that didn t stop the church from living out what is often only taught and believed conceptually. Throughout 2016, the Church of God of Dallas, Texas, continued to spread the hope of Christ at home and abroad. Last year, for example, they volunteered almost three hundred hours together to the local elementary school and gave more than $111,000 together to missions around the world. From fellowship to community service, to children s and youth ministries continued on page 13 CHRISTTCENTERED. LIBERAL ARTS. URBAN. DIVERSE PORTLAND ^ Ash Wednesday isn t until March this year. Order more doughnuts! 2017 Kevin Spear 3 February 2017

4 Youth to Participate in Historic Unity Event this April By Carl Stagner It s at the core of who we are. We preach about it. We sing about it. We read books about it by pioneers of our movement. But we don t have a flawless record of living it out. The perfect love which unites us all in Jesus must translate to how we function as individual churches and as a movement. A new generation is rising up in the Church of God less connected to the way we ve always done it. They are challenging the status quo; they are daring to do things differently. They re setting the example for the rest of us as they come together in Indianapolis, Indiana, April to worship under one roof. No, it s not the International Youth Convention. No, it s not NIYC. And no, it s also not a youth convention of the Concilio Hispano. It s ONE gathering, hosted by all three groups, that your church s youth group won t want to miss. Picture this: a crowd of middle and high school students, diverse in ethnicity, reflecting multiple cultures, all lifting up the name of Jesus, together in one place, at one time. Perhaps a momentary glimpse of heaven, such an experience is far different than the typical weekend worship gathering that unfortunately fed the observation that Sunday is the most segregated day of the week. Imagine then the bold witness of these same students joining hands as they give back to their host city through community service. When Jesus is the subject, even more incredible things can and will happen. The ONE event is affordable, too. Registration for only $20 won t break your student s IYC2018 budget, and it includes lunch (Hurry! This early-bird rate ends on March 31! Find lodging soon, too: sporting events scheduled for the weekend of ONE mean hotels are filling up fast!). ONE will take place at Church at the Crossing in Indianapolis. The Friday night session will be hosted by IYC. The Saturday morning session will be hosted entirely by the Hispanic Council of the 4 February 2017 Church of God (Concilio Hispano). NIYC will host the closing session on Saturday afternoon. The service project will bless the incredible work of Gleaner s Food Bank in Indianapolis. Discussion groups, time to connect, and follow-up resources are all included. For a detailed listing of events, visit While ONE isn t all that needs to happen to bring about the full scope of the unity we preach and sing about, it is a step in the right direction. Andy Stephenson of IYC has reflected that this will surely be a great testimony to the church and to the world of what God can do when we unite together as one. Kevin Earley of NIYC has made it clear that this event will remind us that, as a movement, we are much more than our individual congregations, camp meetings, and neighborhoods. And Ramon Rivera of the Hispanic Council said, No matter what language we speak or what race we are, we can meet in one place for one purpose. Youth groups and student ministries must register their students by March 31 to take advantage of the early-bird rate of just $20. Waivers, hotel information, and more details are available at Don t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 niv

5 Kingdom-Minded in Muncie: Mary and Cornelius Dollison By Rachel Eldridge Unity. Reclamation. These are tough goals. It s easier to think about them than to do them, far simpler to dismiss them as buzzwords than carry them out, day by day, in the messiness of life. But for Mary and Cornelius Dollison and Kirby Avenue Church of God, unity and reclamation are part of life itself. Working together, involving all has been my motto, and I strive to live it every day, Mary wrote in a recent column in her local newspaper, expressing gratitude for a Lifetime Achievement Award she recently received. Instead of leaving a low-income community during its toughest times, Mary and Cornelius chose to love their neighborhood and live a missional life right where they were (and still are). Over the years, Mary has taught in the public schools, co-founded an innovative educational nonprofit, mentored countless students, and helped organize a tool bank and food pantry that serves more than 150 families every month. Through it all, her husband Cornelius Dollison has been by her side, as has the faith community at Kirby Avenue Church of God in Muncie, Indiana. Handel Smith, chief domestic officer for Church of God Ministries, fondly remembers a visit to the Dollisons home church. The congregation is small, he says, but it s a small army. If every church in America were doing what Kirby Avenue were doing wow! What a way to impact the world for Jesus Christ! It is incredible what can happen when God lets us work together, Mary says. Through her investment in the Whitely Community Council (an effort to empower and promote a safe and healthy neighborhood), seventeen churches across Muncie regularly join forces to show Christ to all people. In case after case, the Dollisons share examples of making Jesus not the church the subject. When the kids come to school, we re there to greet them, Cornelius says, explaining how the couple, their pastor, Kirby Avenue parishioners, and others from the neighborhood association have partnered with the local elementary school. Church-goers from all denominations are out front in the mornings, encouraging children with signs that read We believe in you! and Have a great day! We get a lot of hugs and a lot of fistbumps, Cornelius says with a laugh. That s how we win people for Christ. They know we care. In another instance, the Dollisons and the community council raised funds to save Muncie s historic AME church. Warner University KIRBY AVENUE MEMBERS READY TO ADVANCE GOD S KINGDOM. A HIGH CALLING. A HIGHER CAUSE. And, as always, their influence trickled down to the younger generations: Mary spoke proudly of two young African American men who achieved their Eagle Scout awards through landscaping the church yard and repairing the parking lot. These students are a reminder of all the other students the Dollisons and the Kirby Avenue congregation have influenced over the years. We ve been at Kirby Avenue for more than fifty years, and we ve seen us grow and grow, and we ve seen us go down in numbers, Mary says. But whether or not we get numbers, we just want to get souls. continued on page 15 Learn more about Warner s Online Church Ministry Program. Pursue your calling, and help move forward the cause of Christ and His Church. Prepare yourself for ministry with Warner s Online Church Ministry Program. PROGRAMS OFFERED: Bachelor of Science in Transformational Christian Ministry Associate of Science in Church Ministry Certificate in Ministry Master of Ministry Warner University is located in Lake Wales, FL. To learn more about us, visit warner.edu today. 5 February 2017

6 A Shelter in the Desert: Arizona s Mission to Navajos By Emily Ploetz Out in the remote, high desert of Arizona is a place of worship that has served the community on the Navajo reservation for many years. The Church of God outreach, Klagetoh Shelter Mission, is a guiding light for believers of all generations of local Native Americans. Pastor Ron Woodman has been involved in ministry for over forty years, and officially became the pastor at Klagetoh Shelter Mission in Since his ordination in Phoenix in 1973, he has been serving people living on the reservation through numerous ministries helping to speak truth and love into sometimes desperate situations. Pastor Woodman serves today alongside his sister Maureen Woodman, who also serves as first chief for the American Indian Council of the Church of God. The mission they lead together adapts to whatever capacity the people need. Klagetoh Shelter Mission is a place for outreach ministries, revivals, and community services. There are services every Sunday morning, along with special services for Thanksgiving and Easter. Much of Pastor Ron s work revolves around intercessory prayer. He regularly receives phone calls from members asking him to pray for their families. Whether at a Sunday worship service or a funeral, prayer is central to the work of Klagetoh Shelter Mission. Pastor Woodman s life has been closely tied to the history of the Mission. When he was about thirteen years old, his parents started hosting prayer meetings in various houses, until the group moved to the place where the church is now located in the early 1970s. In 1971, Pastor Woodman rededicated himself to the Lord and was filled with the desire to help young people WEST SIDE CHURCH OF GOD (GLENDALE, AZ) WORK TEAM AT KLAGETOH. come and be saved. His goal was to start a youth revival in the area and put together a shelter for youth revival services. Once he received his ministerial license, he rejoined his father to serve at Sunday services and revivals by recruiting young people his age from the community to join the congregation. As Pastor Woodman got older, he started teaching a Sunday school class for adults and led Vacation Bible Schools during the summer. It wasn t long after that when he became the pastor of the Mission in the footsteps of his father. It s my desire to minister to my people any way I can. I know that God can help me because, when I depend on God, he always finds a way to support the ministry. Continuing the work that his father poured into, Pastor Ron works very hard, ensuring that Klagetoh Shelter Mission can help more and more Native Americans today and into continued on page 10 6 February 2017 Ferguson... continued from page 2 us? Unless we re willing to put them into practice, they re just words. Unity will also only move from that which is only theoretical to functional when we re intentional about it. We have to deliberate, Brian reflects. We cannot fall back into those words that kill churches, such as this is how we ve always done it. I ve always wondered why, even as a child, we were just a couple miles from one Church of God congregation, but we d drive past it, and another Church of God congregation, to worship at yet another Church of God congregation. Where is the unity in that? The one we lived by was primarily black, the second one we passed was primarily white, and then we d go to another primarily black congregation. Why can t we get it together? It almost seems that the this is how we ve always done it mentality has become intrinsic. This will be our downfall unless we re deliberate. Brian Burton says our culture has no impetus to start really moving together toward reconciliation on its own. If the church can t get it right, why should we expect our communities to get it right? But with Jesus as the subject, unity is within our grasp. It s time to take hold. Were you blessed by reading this story? Support the ongoing work of Church of God Ministries with your gift to the World Ministry Fund at world-ministry-fund/. Please forward theis e-nwsletter as an encouragement to your church

7 Tanzania: Local Leaders, Missionaries Taste Fruit of Their Labor By Carl Stagner When fire destroyed the boys dormitory at Aldersgate Education Center on August 29, the Church of God in Tanzania faced a pretty serious test. Would the church and the school resolve to respond undeterred from the upward path they were on, or would the effect of the blow require extensive recovery? Your generous support following the tragedy, combined with emergency funds sent immediately from Global Strategy, provided the relief that was needed right away. But the Church of God in Tanzania rose to the occasion with haste and dignity that reflected a people growing in number, spiritual maturity, and sustainability. When the Church of God regional coordinators convened in Tanzania for their annual January meetings, those present were afforded a firsthand opportunity to witness the fruit of seeds planted over generations by both missionaries and indigenous leaders. Over the years, Church of God missionaries have poured heart and soul into helping the Church of God in Tanzania become more and more selfsustaining. Our missionaries long to see not only immediate needs met, but long-term needs addressed through spiritual and corporate transformation of churches across the globe. The greatest joy of discipling a new believer is the day he or she begins discipling another. While missionaries, regional coordinators, and Global Strategy staff were in Tanzania, they rejoiced to see remarkable steps taken toward the Church of God there being a vibrant, disciple-making body requesting less outside assistance. While there is yet much to be done in the way of leadership development to keep up with the growing congregations, the future of the Church of God in Tanzania looks bright. In the wake of the Aldersgate fire, the Church of God in Tanzania raised money within the church and secured donations from outside of the church. In combination with the gifts from North America, the Tanzanian church was able to rebuild the boys dormitory within two months! Through Project Link, the Church of God in Tanzania had been very dependent on North American dollars for ministry, Ben Shular, chief international officer of Church of God Ministries explains. Ben and his wife Kelli served as missionaries to Tanzania for eight years. Now they re humbled to see what has happened since. We worked hard during those years to get these projects ended and replaced with their own funding to train them on giving, and really owning the operations of the church. THE ARMSTRONGS JOYFULLY REUNITE WITH HERMAN KISASILA OF CHILDREN OF PROMISE. 7 February 2017 While self-sustaining in operations, the Church of God in Tanzania is starving for more qualified leaders as the church is experiencing incredible growth. Some areas of the church aren t as healthy as other areas, making prayerful and financial support an ongoing need. But your support is no longer going to operations it s going to developing indigenous leaders of today and tomorrow through training and scholarships. For Ben and countless others who have invested in these brothers and sisters, that s exciting. Not only is the church self-sufficient, they ve grown and have a focus on evangelism, Ben explains. Aldersgate is bigger and up over a thousand students. They re building more buildings on their own. The Bible school has more students than they ve had in a long time. Don and Caroline Armstrong now serve as regional coordinators for the Asia-Pacific region of the world. For many years, however, they, too, had served as missionaries to Tanzania. Returning for the regional coordinator meetings was a tremendous blessing for them. Caroline and I feel honored to be two of many missionaries that have worked in Tanzania since the Church of God work started there in 1959, Don explains, all of whom labored many years to bring about what is present today. It involves a lot of people accepting a calling to leave the familiar, sell everything, move half way around the world on a one- continued on page 12

8 Barney Warren, David Biggers, You, and Me By Carl Stagner Barney Warren, Adam Miller, Eugene Newberry, Hollis Pistole, and David Biggers. David who? In a lineup of prominent ministers of the Church of God, the name David Biggers may seem out of place. But that is not the case at all. Transforming Life Church of God of Baltimore, Maryland, has a rich history of outstanding leaders, a history which continues to unfold. Before Pastor David entered the scene, the congregation had dwindled down to about thirty, mostly white believers in a predominantly African American neighborhood. Four years later, the church sees an average weekly attendance of about three hundred. Rewind several years. God was preparing the heart of David Biggers under the exemplary leadership of Ben Reid in DAVID BIGGERS GREETS A GENTLEMAN ON A CHURCH PRAYER WALK. 䔀搀甀挀愀琀椀漀渀眀椀琀栀愀瀀甀爀瀀漀猀攀 伀渀 ⴀ 挀愀洀瀀甀猀 Ⰰ 漀渀氀椀渀攀愀渀搀最爀愀搀甀愀琀攀瀀爀漀最爀愀洀猀愀瘀愀椀氀愀戀氀攀 眀眀眀 䴀䄀䌀唀 攀搀甀 southern California. David s father Charlie, also a Church of God preacher, had actually sent him to Reid s church for the purpose of being groomed as a young minister. Years later, the Warner University grad found himself putting his God-given gifts to work for a congregation of five hundred people in Atlanta, Georgia. How does a person leave a thriving church like that for a congregation of only thirty people nearly seven hundred miles away? It was God and ministry, he explains. I m sold out for both. I love challenges and seeing God do great things in challenging situations. It also doesn t hurt that Biggers is a big people-person. THE CHURCH OUT ON A PRAYER WALK. We couldn t just expect people to come to us, Pastor David reflects. We re constantly in the neighborhood meeting people, greeting people, and letting them know that we re very much alive and available to them. In the first year alone, we canvassed the neighborhood and reached some three thousand homes. When neighbors visit the church, they tend to stay because of the family-oriented atmosphere. It s about relationships and love, Pastor David explains. We ve become a family more than we ve ever been. Absolutely it s God who has added to the church, but he s added to a family. We pray genuinely for one another. We follow up with phone calls if someone is missing. All of this was instrumental in the growth of this church. As a hub of neighborhood activity, anything that benefits the community is worth considering as a ministry to the community including a boxing ring. When one of the church members approached Pastor David with the possibility of turning a Sunday school classroom into a boxing gym, the idea was received with curious anticipation. Now the ring is open three times a week and sees up to thirty children attend on a regular basis. Of course, the church s boxing ministry isn t just about learning self-defense and discipline. It s much more about life change. continued on page 12 8 February 2017

9 Allen, South Dakota: Learning from the Culture You re Called to Teach By Carl Stagner Near the corner of BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) Road 22 and Allen Road on the Pine Ridge Reservation of South Dakota, you ll find a spiritual intersection where cross-cultural connections take place. Tour the region and you ll be amazed by the vast open spaces and breathtaking vistas, but your jaw will drop at the evidence of destitution that dots the landscape. It s into the midst of such poverty and a variety of related social ills alcohol and drug abuse, joblessness, lack of education, general despondency that Tim and Kim Wardell were called. Not a situation that just anybody would be vying to jump into, it was a golden opportunity for high-impact ministry and teaching. But since the Wardells arrived in September, they ve discovered that they re not the only ones with something to teach. Tim and Kim Wardell serve as Church of God home missionaries to Pass Creek Church of God in Allen, South Dakota, building upon the foundation laid by Barry and Shelly Bentley. Long before Church of God Ministries ever commissioned them to leave their mild Georgia winters for the brutal TIM AND KIM WARDELL BLESS A LOCAL CHILD. blizzards of the badlands, God was preparing their hearts for Native American Ministries. Since 2009, Kim made the trek annually to Allen with their home church of Town Center Community Church of God (now Legacy Church) in Marietta, Georgia. Mission trips to the Pine Ridge Reservation were common for the Georgia congregation, which spawned the incredible ministry of presence and Christmas shoebox distribution led by the late Janice Turner. During these mission trips, Kim developed and nurtured relationships with the Lakota people that continue to this day. This ministry of presence continues with Tim and Kim Wardell, and directly affects the way they help manage the Christmas shoebox distribution for the children of Allen. These are more than just Christmas gifts, Kim clarifies. We ask the people that commit to a box to write to that child through the year. It s far more personal. Through these shoeboxes, Janice wanted to accomplish an ongoing relationship. Another way the Wardells are ministering in Allen is through the provision of warmth. Winter is extremely cold here, Tim explains. But because of poverty, these kids walk around with sometimes very little on. So they collected and distributed coats in November to the community, just in time for winter s wrath. While the Wardells are very 9 February 2017 DISTRIBUTING WINTER COATS AT THE CHURCH. intent on teaching the locals to provide for their own households, this was an immediate need that simply couldn t be ignored. Still, it s vital that social problems be addressed with more than a Band-Aid. Tim and Kim want to see life transformation among their neighbors where, in perhaps a few years from now, fewer and fewer people will need handouts either from the government, or from the church. There s a misconception among many in these Native American communities that the church exists for the primary purpose of meeting the needs and often the wants, as well of people. While community service is a natural extension of a church that loves people, the Wardell s prayer is to see the fruit of lives changing and more and more indigenous leadership taking hold. As a first step, they ve established what s known as the Lakota Trading Post. Most people do not use online banking and, besides WIC, there isn t much in the way of electronic transaction. To serve as the online go-between, Kim is making the crafts and jewelry of individuals available online for sale. Proceeds go directly to the individual, and the sellers begin to open their eyes to the skills they have and feel more empowered to provide for their own families. continued on next page

10 A Shelter in the Desert... continued from page 6 the future. Whenever Klagetoh Shelter Mission is faced with challenges or hardships common to life on the reservation, prayer is what binds the community together. In view of poverty, alcoholism, and high crime rates, ministry on the Navajo reservation is unquestionably sustained by prayer. Totally depending on the Lord and his PASTOR RON WOODMAN HOLDS HIS GRANDSON. divine provision brings hope to Klagetoh Shelter Mission regardless of what challenges they face. Pastor Woodman explains that every time he and his wife knew the mission was lacking in funds, for example, they would pray that God would help them. Somehow there would always be enough money in the end! God is given all of the glory whenever a blessing such as this comes their way. I know that the Church of God is praying for us and I am always thankful because we need each other and there are a lot of needs here. Pastor Woodman has requested that the rest of the Church of God movement would pray for the finances of Klagetoh Shelter Mission so they can help more people in the community. He also asks that the movement pray for his health, as well as the health of his wife Effie. Finally, he requests prayer that donations would come in for a special event they would like to host during Christmas to bless their needy community with gifts. To support the work of the Klagetoh Shelter Mission Church of God, mail your donation to Church of God Ministries, PO Box 2420, Anderson, IN Be sure to write Project on the memo line. Or, make your donation by phone at Learn more about the Church of God at Emily Ploetz is Anderson University student serving as communication intern for Church of God Ministries. Allen, South Dakota... continued from page 9 It s all a part of an intentional strategy to turn this into an indigenously sustainable culture, as Kim puts it. This kind of empowerment brings about a healthy sense of self-worth and pride in one s work. By this time next year, they may be able to purchase their own winter coats, she says. The gospel, Christmas shoeboxes, winter coats, and job skills are just a few of the many things Tim and Kim are passing along to the people of Allen. But by word and by example, they re discovering that there is much we can learn from the Native American culture, too. When it comes to faith, their religion has elements of Christianity, but it s mixed with a distorted view of God, Tim explains. Even some of the Christians have been influenced by being immersed in some of the traditions for so long. One thing is for sure, however. As a friend of mine who works with the Navajo people puts it, you ll never meet a people who give so much out of their poverty. These people are so generous! The elements of the Christian faith they embrace they do so wholeheartedly. If the complete truth of God ever got into the depths of all of their hearts, they would wake up God s church and we would become un- Westernized in a hurry. Learning from those they came to teach. That s powerful. And sobering, too. That we came out here thinking very ignorantly that we would be helping them only we were so wrong, Tim reflects. You expect this kind of poverty, this kind of crime in a third-world country, but this is the United States of America! Yet these people are so kind, so respectful, and their search for something bigger than themselves is obvious. If you let them speak into your heart as much as you re planning on speaking into theirs, wow! God has surely used them in our lives. Visit the Lakota Trading Post online at com/shop/lakotatradingpost. To support the work of the Wardells at Allen, South Dakota, mail your donation to Church of God Ministries, PO Box 2420, Anderson, IN Be sure to write Project on the memo line. Or, make your donation by phone at Learn more about the Church of God at 10 February 2017

11 Pornography, Trafficking, and the Church By Levi Scott The sexual culture of our world today is one that harms the lives of everyone made in the image of God. The link between pornography and sex trafficking should serve as a warning to all of us. Sadly, surveys reveal that people in our pews and sometimes pulpits each contribute to the trafficking industry by our silent acceptance and consumption of pornography. Our world is broken, people in our churches are broken, but many are doing what they can to make a difference. There are many who are actively fighting against the industries that are leaving God s children in chains, whether in a brothel or behind a computer screen. CHOG Trafficklight is has grown out of the Church of God with the intent to raise awareness and support for organizations and ministries in the Church of God bringing about transformation in the lives of those afflicted by the sex industry. Trafficklight has supported ministries like Stripped Love, Church on the Street, Pink Door, and OneHeart. Each of these ministries is fighting the sex industry through meeting people where they are, providing resources, and helping individuals escape the cycles of the sex industry through education and the love of Christ. Church of God congregations and individuals have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Trafficklight, which have all gone to promote freedom throughout the world. Fighting sex slavery is no new task for the Church of God. We have been combating this evil for over a century. In 1914, such ministry began as a home for orphans in India, but was accomplishing much more than this. Its involvement with young girls kept them off the streets and provided a way for them to avoid sex traffickers, that frequently take advantage of the impoverished state of many families and persons in India, by buying these young women from destitute families and then selling them for sex. The Shelter has saved hundreds of women from traffickers who would otherwise harm them, and continues to do this today. This fight for freedom so much bigger than the Church of God. For example, an ecumenical ministry combating human trafficking in Los Angeles is the Dream Center. They have many ministries, one of which provides a safe haven for women seeking to escape trafficking. The rescue phase is linked to their outreach programs, a hotline for victims of trafficking and branches of law enforcement with whom the Dream Center works. The Dream Center is preparing these women for a brighter future outside of the trafficking industry. From Atlanta, Georgia, to Dayton, Ohio, to Berlin, Germany, we re actively helping to abolish the harmful effects of sex addiction, sexual abuse, and sex slavery in our world. The sex trade industry is a complicated knot of sinful chains, one that has been successful at binding many people to itself, but this is becoming less and less of the case. With these and many other ministries reaching out to untie the knots that keep people trapped, God s church is helping people live out the words of Ephesians 3:12 In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence (niv). The push by God s people to stop sexual exploitation is a growing effort. Local congregations can get involved by: Praying for all the victims of the sex trade industry, those who are forced into it, those who choose to work in it, those continued on page February 2017

12 Barney Warren, David Biggers... continued from page 8 Our goal is to see lives transformed, David explains. This ministry is one example of an outreach for children who may have no place to go, and gives them something to do, but also teaches biblical principles in the process. PASTOR DAVID BIGGERS It s doing so many positive things you couldn t even imagine. From an earthly perspective, Pastor David s accomplishments certainly make him worthy to be included in such a lineup of Church of God leaders. But in everything, David points back to the Father, giving him all the glory. After all, David Biggers simply listened, obeyed, and watched God move in mighty ways. I m always looking for God s opportunity for me to do great things on his behalf, he explains. Any place where I can see opportunity for vision to be cast and ministry to be given, I m all for it. Jesus is the subject. David Biggers, you, and me we are the faces of a movement that continues to make a tangible difference in Maryland, in North America, and the world. Were you blessed by reading this story? Support the ongoing work of Church of God Ministries with your gift to the World Ministry Fund at Tanzania: Local Leaders, Missionaries... continued from page 7 way ticket, and begin ministry in a culture that is not their own. And most importantly, it involves people in the local culture responding to a call by God to live their lives differently than what their culture tells them they must do. There is yet much work to be done in Tanzania, but the Church of God is certainly celebrating what God has already done through local leaders and the numerous missionaries. Mike and Heather Webb served as missionaries to Tanzania and now live there as regional coordinators for Africa. They echo the Armstrong s refrain about the role of the Tanzanians. Overall, we have seen incredible progress in Tanzania because of the faithful investments of many godly Tanzanian leaders and missionaries over the course of many years, they add. God has brought the church through hardship and blessing, and the many years of faithful building is bearing fruit in a church that is increasingly healthy and continues to grow. As RCs, we are so thankful for the many years of labor that have taken place in this country. Support leadership development in Tanzania. Mail your donation to Church of God Ministries, PO Box 2420, Anderson, IN and clearly designate your gift to Project # Or, give online at www. chogglobal.org/giving-opportunitiesafrica/ under Tanzania and Tanzania Pastoral Continuing Education ( ). Thank you! INSIDE ONE OF THE NEW DORM ROOMS. THE REGIONAL COORDINATORS WELCOME PASTOR DISMUS MOFULU. 12 February 2017

13 Spanish-, English-Speaking Churches in Texas... continued from page 3 CHURCH OF GOD CONVENTION where English is often the preferred language by each culture, the love of Christ transcends the language barrier. Where it is more practical to have Spanish-specific and English-specific programming, such as the Sunday morning worship service, they opt for flexibility and functionality. Therefore, we host two Sunday worship gatherings, much like some churches have held contemporary and traditional worship gatherings, Pastor Malcolm explains. We come together in times of joint meals and family activities. And our children, youth, and outreach ministry efforts are joint The messages in the [worship] gatherings are designed to speak to the needs of those in attendance. But the vision, direction, and strategic efforts of our congregation are done in harmony. Additionally, the separate worship services combine for special events, such as Easter, Christmas, and baptisms. Pastor Malcolm makes an interesting observation about the language barrier: Language barriers exist in monolingual groups just as they do in multilingual groups. Nevertheless, the church is blessed to have many adults who are bilingual. Approximately 25 percent of our congregation speaks both languages, Malcolm explains. Additionally, we use Google Translate for our written correspondence. Though Google Translate is not perfect, it is about 75-percent accurate. To make up the difference, they have the translations reviewed. Because we have some 30 percent of our congregation that has traveled or lived in another country, Malcolm adds, we have a body that is accepting of multiple cultures and is willing to work through the process of connecting in a different language. Pastor Carlos Lamelas, who formerly led the ministries of Iglesia de Dios Vida PASTOR CARLOS LAMELAS BAPTIZES A BELIEVER. Abundante, also understands that functional unity isn t easy, but is more than worth the work it takes to achieve. For our good, God is not a God of confusion, he reflects. If the vision really comes from him, it will put the same feeling in those who have determined to implement it. The witness of the formation of New Vida Church of God is powerful and refreshing. It s not only about unity, but also what this unity says about Jesus that, of course, he is the subject. Pastor Carlos and I talked a great deal about this testimony of unity in the lead-up to the merger, Malcolm explains. We felt strongly that we were not living up to the ideals of the Church of God or the scriptural teachings of the body of Christ by operating as two bodies. It seemed especially odd that we were both Church of God congregations who strongly believed in the unity of all believers, but we allowed language and aspects of cultures to keep us from expressing our oneness. Pastor Carlos perhaps says it best: As servants of God, we do not intend to build separate kingdoms, but our most sacred mission is to collaborate in the kingdom of God, conscious that united we are stronger. Were you blessed by reading this story? Support the ongoing work of Church of God Ministries with your gift to the World Ministry Fund at org/world-ministry-fund/ WICHITA, KANSAS JUNE jesusisthesubject.org 13 February 2017

14 From the Archives: Unity Demands Fellowship By James Earl Massey Be eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3 rsv Human contacts can at times be burdensome. Strained relations can happen in many ways: there is strain when our opinions clash, when our cultures differ, when our individual expectations are diverse, and when our personal interests are separate and strong. Unless the spirit of community prevails in these times of strain, any oneness is thwarted. Unity is a divine gift, but we believers can experience that oneness only as we let it happen through open sharing with one another. Unity has to be desired before it can be developed. Personal effort promotes togetherness and maintains that togetherness in unbroken fashion. Unity is more than a spiritual matter; it is a social result. It is a happening in the heart that makes each believer sense and seek togetherness with all other believers. Division is not rooted in structures but in ourselves, in our attitudes and outlooks. As we think first and foremost about the church and forsake the limited concerns of personal whim and individual feelings, we overcome the distance that selfishness makes us feel. There is in the Christian faith a community principle. The church involves us in a life that must go beyond our privacy and preferences. Unity does affirm us as individuals, yes, but it does so only within the wider fellowship. The church is not just a spiritual entity within which each person goes her or his own way; it is a social bond to help us go God s way together. Only thus does the church become visible to the world as a distinct people. It is time to open our eyes and hearts to all the others in this procession of faith. It is time for all of us to become more concerned about the whole church and to accept one another in full. This is the concern of the writer s call upon us to show lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Please notice that the writer stresses a vision of the whole church. He knew that we transcend selfish considerations and smaller groupings only when we are challenged by the larger vision. That is why the writer repeatedly underscored the oneness of the Christian message. He wrote, There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all (4:4 6 rsv, italics added). Given this concentrated attention upon oneness, and on such a grand and glorious scale, we believers are being told to lift our sights to the wider range of faith and relationships. We are being told to see as God sees, and to work in agreement with God, who has willed our unity in him. God has shown faith in us. We must be faithful to what he has planned and willed for us. A part of that plan appears in Ephesians 4:13 where the writer speaks about unity in still another dimension. He speaks of attain[ing] to the unity of the faith. The Greek wording here pictures a procession of citizens moving toward an agreed place of meeting, where something special is to happen at an 14 February 2017 appointed time. The writer uses that picture to remind Christians that we are moving to a predetermined place where something of great importance will happen, and in which all will be involved as full sharers. That is our hope, the one hope to which he refers. We are being told that the church, the whole church, will one day share fully what Jesus now experiences in the presence of God. All believers are part of that procession of faith; all are called to reach that place of gathering, and all who reach it will know the fulfillment God has planned for us. God s love toward us should inspire us to keep faith in his plan and it should stir us to help one another as fellow believers on the way. We ought to affirm one another: we are on pilgrimage together. Thus the plea to [Be] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Our unity is God s will. Here are some considerations to help us fulfill his will. We can maintain unity if we keep a right balance between private preferences and group demands. The majority of problems in church life grow out of our preferences what we like and what we dislike. A preference is something that is first a choice, something that holds highest priority among our interests, something that stands ahead of all other things. It is continued on page 16

15 Family s Museum... continued from page 1 has become one of the premier museums of its kind in the country. Jon, who had acquired quite a personal collection of artifacts over the years, figured it was time to share them with the public. His wife knew for certain. From the time of its inception, I have been an encourager for Jon, Lorna quips. I have often said that I am the founder because, as his collection grew, I said It s time to get this out of my house! As I recall, it was the final straw when I returned from a trip to find a complete set of armor in our foyer! Today, Lorna continues to hold a place on the board of directors for the museum, while Jon has had to take a step back due to Alzheimer s. Since the nonprofit organization was founded, the acquisition of more and more artifacts required a relocation to a larger, old building near Old Town Wichita, which they reclaimed for this new purpose. Today more than a hundred collectors have contributed by donation or loan the artifacts that compose this treasure trove. There s something for everyone to see, including some of the most complete tyrannosaurus rex skeletons you ll find anywhere. Another unique visitor favorite is a shrunken head from a tribe in South America. Museum management recommends visitors allow at least an hour and a half, but note that many stay much longer. Tickets are reasonably priced under $10, and day passes for families are available. Visit www. worldtreasures.org for more information, hours, and directions. Register for Church of God Convention 2017, June at Central Community Church in Wichita, Kansas, at www. chogconvention.org. #Reclaim2017 Pornography, Trafficking... continued from page 11 who cannot escape it, those who fiscally support it, and those who run it. It is important that we reflect Christ s image of offering grace to all who are afflicted, even the ones who are afflicting others. Getting involved and building connections with already existing ministries that combat these issues. CHOG Trafficklight is the best place for Church of God congregations to start. Pastors have the special role of educating and helping their congregations deal with the issues that arise from pornography and sex slavery. They can listen to issues while providing graceful care and love. Encourage those who express issues in these areas to seek professional help from a counselor. Inform their congregations of the dangers that pornography, and sex slavery impose on the self, and others who are engaging in these activities at all levels. Be on the lookout for resources to promote sexual purity through Trafficklight 2.0, which will be unveiled on Freedom Sunday, March 5. For more on the link between pornography and trafficking, visit www. chognews.org and search trafficking link. Pornography is just one of the issues Trafficklight 2.0 will tackle. Trafficklight 2.0 will be unveiled on Freedom Sunday 2017, March 5. Please consider holding a place in your service for a short video introducing this next stage in calling our attention to the global and local human trafficking issue, and how close to home it really is for each one of us. Visit org. Levi Scott is a Christian ministries major at Anderson University. 15 February 2017 HANDEL SMITH (FAR RIGHT) AND HIS CHILDREN JOIN PASTOR MITCHELL. Kingdom-Minded in Muncie... continued from page 5 The young people who came through our doors as children are now spread all across the country, and they re still living for the Lord. We re planting seeds. Jonathan Mitchell, Kirby Avenue pastor, agrees, saying the key is working together and trusting God. When he came to Kirby Avenue a year-and-a-half ago, he had a three-year plan to get to know my congregation, know their gifts, and know where to serve. But that went out that window, he quips, because these people were already serving everywhere! Now Pastor Mitchell encourages and joins his flock in intentionally working with other churches in the area, attending a Bible study with pastors from across the city, and serving on a board of local community organizations. He likens it to Pentecost, where followers of Christ were joined in prayer and sent forth in service through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit united them, and that s the same Holy Spirit who unites us today. Were you blessed by reading this story? Support the ongoing work of Church of God Ministries with your gift to the World Ministry Fund at org/world-ministry-fund/. MARY AND CORNELIUS DOLLISON