Greater Grace Annual 2011

ANNUAL 2011 A Publication Of Greater Grace World Outreach; A Worldwide Local Church

Mature Believers—

the Heart of Church Reproduction

PASTOR THOMAS SCHALLER BIO A pastor and missionary for more than 30 years, Pastor Schaller led the establishment of thriving churches and Bible schools in Finland in 1975 and Hungary in 1990. In April 2005, he was named Presiding Elder and Overseeing Pastor of Greater Grace Church in Baltimore, the home base church for Greater Grace World Outreach.

Pastor Schaller’s deep, thoughtprovoking messages have made him a much-in-demand speaker at conferences throughout the world. He is a man of the Book and maintains a tremendous schedule of preaching and teaching at Greater Grace Church and at Maryland Bible College and Seminary. During the course of his ministry, Pastor Schaller has also spent several years as the Missions Director for GGWO in Massachusetts and Maryland.

A leader by example, Pastor Schaller can be found on outreaches, at prayer meetings, and at “rap” sessions that go on at all hours on the GGWO campus and in homes and restaurants throughout the Baltimore area.

He and his wife, Lisa, reside in Baltimore and are the parents of two daughters, Amy and Bethany, and two sons, Justin and Kyle. They also have six grandchildren. They all live in Maryland and participate in the ministry of Greater Grace Church in Baltimore.

The question could be asked – “What kind of Christian do I want to be?” The answer could be “I hope a mature one.” Or, “Gee, I’ve never really thought about it.” If I am a pastor, I could ask these questions: “What do I anticipate God doing in the flock? What kind of believers will these be?” Jesus said, “Even so, every healthy tree bears good fruit, worthy of admiration, but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad and worthless fruit” (Matthew 7:17, Amplified).

Paul referred to some believers as “foolish” Galatians (Gal. 3:1), “carnal” (1 Cor. 3:1, 2), “hard-hearted” (Heb. 3:13), “proud” (1 Tim. 6:4) and others as “the glory of Christ” (2 Cor. 8:23), “obedient” (2 Cor. 2:9), and “faithful” (1 Tim. 1:2; 3:11; 6:2). Paul encouraged and anticipated maturity for the believer. He said to the Galatians “my little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (Gal. 4:19). To the Colossians, he said, “… we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: whereunto I also labour, striving accordingly to his work, which worketh in me mightily” (Col. 1:28, 29).

Consider Paul’s work as expressed by Roland Allen in his book “Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours?”

“In little more than ten years, St. Paul established the Church in four provinces of the Empire, Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia, and Asia. Before AD 47, there were no Churches in these provinces; in AD 57 St. Paul could speak as if his work there was done…. This is truly an astonishing fact. That Churches should be founded so rapidly, so securely, seems to us today, accustomed to the difficulties, the uncertainties, the failures, the disastrous relapses of our own missionary work, almost incredible. Many missionaries in later days have received a larger number of converts than St. Paul; many have preached over a wider area than he; but none have so established Churches. We have long forgotten that such things could be…. Today, if a man ventures to suggest that there may be something in the methods by which St. Paul attained such wonderful results worthy of our careful attention, and perhaps of our limitation, he is in danger of being accused of revolutionary tendencies.”

The School of Tyrannus How did Paul lead believers into maturity? The church at Ephesus has this recorded history: “Paul…went into the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly…but when some became more and more stubborn…he separated himself with his disciples, and went on holding daily discussions in the lecture room of Tyrannus. This continued for two years….” (Acts 19:810, Amplified) Paul was teaching the believers for two years daily! In this part of present day Turkey, the hot hours of the day are between 10 AM and 3 PM. Perhaps the school was empty during these hours because of the heat and therefore available to Paul. It is obvious that he was determined to train his disciples beyond the “ABC’s” of being a believer. He wanted them to grasp the deep things, the mysteries of Christ (Eph. 6:19). In Rev. 2:1-2, we read that these believers became discerning and wise so that when confronted with false apostles they recognized them.

The pastors of Greater Grace churches are taught to have similar convictions as Paul. We must train people for years in systematic Bible study and spiritual understanding. We must be sensitive to the anointing of God in the ministry. We must understand what God thinks of us and what Christ has done for us. It takes years for people to begin to think with God in biblical understanding.

Paul was the primary teacher at this school, just as every overseeing pastor has the primary purpose of leading his disciples into maturity. The students came every day to learn Finished Work Theology, Old Testament Survey, Church Life, Leadership and Devotion. How do we

know this? We read in Paul’s epistles what was important to him and what was on his mind. We should ask, “What schools are believers of today attending?” I can imagine Paul’s school. Probably they ate together and had extensive discussions with their teacher. No wonder this church was powerful.

Fifty years ago, the founder of GGWO, Pastor Carl Stevens, believed that believers needed to grasp the doctrines of the Christian faith and see them realized in everyday life. New believers must learn to think. “Give me your undivided attention” was often an exhortation we heard at the beginning of his message. Bible passages were quoted throughout messages. One message, “Throne Words,” has 134 Bible verses quoted, spontaneously, throughout the message.

Three, and then four years, of Bible school were required for a diploma. It is not unusual today to have in-depth, Bible-centered discussion, spontaneously and joyfully, with Greater Grace pastors and believers in different parts of the world. A Greater Grace church planter starts a Bible College as soon as possible after he has begun his church plant.

Greater Grace Churches and Schools Worldwide Simply consider Paul’s strategy. He evangelized and then pastored the new believers. They congregated in homes. He utilized a private school called the School of Tyrannus. He taught them consistently, daily. Sometimes pastors fail to realize the importance of imparting truth to the heart. They need to realize the need for frequent exhortation, comfort, and edification.

Almost 40 years have passed since the opening of our small Bible College in Maine in 1972. In a church basement about 30 students gathered to learn daily Christ. Since this time, several generations of leaders have received Bible knowledge and understanding through our schools. For example, one branch of many branches on this tree is defined as follows: Pastor Stevens taught Tom Schaller who taught Matti Sirvio who taught Vladek Gromov. Vladek Gromov, with Pastor Matti, taught Fuad, Roman, Elshan, Misha, Marat, Sahib, Mechti, and Rufat. Then, Pastor Gromov taught Vladimir Tolmachev, Pamir, Emil, Yura, and Vladimir Teplov. Pastor Matti taught Artur, Toir, Umid, Gani, and on it goes. Consider also other branches that have developed through the ministries of Jim Morrison, David Moore, Glen Cannon, Juha Haatanen, Steve Scibelli, Karl Silva, Bryan Coelho, Stan Collins, Bruce Moon, Chris Moore, Jeff Phelps, Renaldo Brown, Gary Groenewold, Michele Texier, and hundreds of others who are continuing to multiply the message of grace in parts of all the world.

How were these taught? By men, who have attended and founded such schools as the School of Tyrannus. They imparted their lives, taught theology and the Word and actively led their flocks. It works. And there are mature believers.

cover artwork “Hanging On” by Matti Sirvio

c o n t e n t s

2 7 Footsteps Monday evening sessions connect newcomers to GGWO

4 A Harvest So Ready A message from our founding pastor

10 One Body, One Classroom International students add flavor and fervor to MBC&S

12 7 Cities Vision American cities are targets for mission

14 Family Thai God’s work changes a girl and transforms her home

18 The Light of Sotkamo A woman’s investment changed the youth of one Finnish village and left an impact on the world

22 Art and Heart Matti Sirvio’s brush leaves an impression in Turkey and beyond

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Marriage, Pg 6 Christian Education, Pg 8 World Map, Pg 16 Liberia, Pg 19 Peru, Pg 20 Around the World, Pg 24 greater grace annual 2011 /

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7 FOOTSTEPS Pastor Steve Andrulonis

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY Istvan Pirger

For David Ellis, everything that could go wrong went wrong – at once.

He faced a serious health issue. His father passed away. His best friend and business mentor died. His job with Maryland Public Television disappeared.

And, his wife sat him down and said she was leaving him.

“That was a real difficult six weeks,” David said. “But, during that time, a woman I was working with told me that I should go to Greater Grace Church and speak to Jason Moore.”

By the time, he made it to a church service at Greater Grace, David was nearly homeless.

The financial hit he took from losing his job had left him way behind on his bills.

David found Pastor Moore that evening and they talked for more than an hour.

“Without that hour, I am not sure where I would be right now,” David said. “That instant connection is the reason I am pretty much a fixture in this church now. That made such a difference as did the Seven Footsteps meetings.”

There wasn’t an immediate turnaround in David’s situation. He did lose his home, but Pas-

tor Moore and the Greater Grace Inreach Department helped him land in a boarding house near the church in East Baltimore. It was big drop for David who grew in Hunterdon County, N.J., one of America’s wealthiest sections.

“It was a real humbling experience for me,” David said. “I had a place to sleep, and I was learning to walk with Christ.”

David explained that he had a “casual faith” since becoming a believer after the birth of his son 15 years ago. He and his family attended small churches in Bowling Green, Ky. The size of Greater Grace – about 1,400 members – intimidated him until he sat down for his first Seven Footsteps session.

“Seven Footsteps took this big church and made it small for me,” he said. “The table leader that first night was [Pastor] Fred Ellis. An Ellis meets and an Ellis, what are the chances?

I saw it as a God thing.”

The table talk aspect of Seven Footsteps presents an intimate, informal atmosphere for those new to Greater Grace. Senior Pastor Tom Schaller makes himself available for the meetings, giving Greater Grace newcomers as

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chance to see and hear from him outside of the pulpit. The Footsteps discussions, guided by Pastor Moore and Bob Bridges, are designed to encourage overall spiritual growth in Bible reading and understanding, prayer, and church attendance and ministry.

“We want that give and take, that question and that answer,” said Pastor Jason Moore. “The original concept was something Pastor Schaller presented. We have taken that ball and run with it. It has done a great work in establishing newcomers in their understanding of Christianity and a clear, transparent view of what Greater Grace is. They finish the sessions knowing who we are and who they are in Christ.”

Seven Footsteps targets those new to Greater Grace, but the program has buoyed the entire church family. People who have been a part of Greater Grace for five, 10, 20, and even 30 years have also been affected by this initiative.

“It has opened up a ton of ministry opportunities,” Pastor Moore said. “These ‘longtimers’ get a chance every week to explain the Truth and to tell the faith stories of our ministry. It is a joy for everyone involved.”

To date, more than 300 have completed the seven-session program. Those finishing the course are celebrated at a Greater Grace church service, where the “Foot-stepper” receives a new Bible with his name engraved on it and a certificate for a free course at Maryland Bible College and Seminary.

Such was the impact of the original Seven Footsteps design that a new need presented itself – some of those “I found a real identity from completing the first the Bible. The hunger for seven steps wanted God that I sensed among to go further. With that, Seven Footsteps those at the Footsteps 2 was developed. In meetings was contagious.” the second seven-step —David Ellis series, a particular emphasis is made on rope, and in South America have invited knowing the nature and character of God. Pastor Moore and Bob Bridges to lead semiThose completing this series of steps are given nars and trainings. In March, the Inreach a certificate and a copy of Thinking with God, Department published two Seven Footsteps a daily devotional written by Greater Grace workbooks – one for the newcomers and one founder Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr. for leaders. These materials, which include Interest in Seven Footsteps has gone worksheets and illustrations, are available global, as churches in the Far East, in Eu- from Grace Publications.

The Footsteps’ setting in the church’s Book Café creates an air of openness, David said. He found something very inviting about church leaders willing to be so “out in the open” for people to approach. This accessibility draws people into fellowship, he said. He is now part of an outreach team in west Baltimore. David is amazed at where God has led him and at what he is now a part of.

The best part of the meetings, David said, is what they established in his heart.

“I found a real identity from the Bible,” he said. “The hunger for God that I sensed among those at the Footsteps meetings was contagious.

“Really, I cannot wait to come to church.” GG

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A HARVEST SO READY Consider the life of Christ and what He did while He was here. In Luke 8:1, He entered into cities and villages with the twelve. In Luke 9:6, He entered into towns. The disciples entered into villages (Acts 8:25). Philip ministered in cities (Acts 8:40). Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). That says “every creature.” Why would God say “be witnesses to every creature?” That is because every creature without Christ is lost, and Jesus came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10).

Jesus always saw people. In John 3, it was Nicodemus. In John 4, it was the woman at the well. In John 5, it was the man who hadn’t walked in thirty-five years. In John 9, it was the man who was blind. In Luke 8:2, it was a

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woman who had seven demons. Every one of those people was lost.

Jesus always sought out individuals, and He always proclaimed to them the Kingdom of God. Matthew 9:35-38 tells us that Jesus went into every city, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the Kingdom of God, and healing every sickness and disease. It says that He saw the multitude and was moved with compassion because they fainted and were scattered as sheep without a shepherd.

“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38). The laborers are still few, and people are fainting. Jay, a man

Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr.

in our church, came to Christ many years ago, but according to his testimony, he came on his own terms “playing the odds” to guarantee a way into heaven. Soon after, he fell back into more than twenty years of drug and alcohol abuse. All of that changed when he responded to an invitation from his sister to see an Easter play at our church.

“God touched my heart to the point where, while sitting in that seat, I made a decision to listen to the Word of God. The miracles God has performed in my life are too numerous to mention. He has totally changed me. Now, instead of looking for what I can do for myself, I look for what I can do for God. And in turn, He does everything for me.

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“I realize that my life on earth is to communicate the Word of God with others. That’s why in the Bible, He told us to go. That’s what I try to do every day of my life now. I have tremendous joy and tremendous peace knowing that I am doing God’s will. My life is full, happy, and joyous because of it.”

Bill was a professional musician who spent years in a lifestyle that left him bankrupt, emotionally and spiritually, until he was left crying out to God for direction. Someone invited him to church, and by hearing the Word of God and becoming hid in the Body of Christ, his whole life changed. “I enrolled in Bible college, and now I find myself thinking with God more and more,” he said. “It’s amazing how God works through people to bring us around. He cares for our souls. He sends people to minister to us. Without certain people coming to me and spending time with me, personally investing in my life, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It is just so exciting for me to be involved in the work of God.” People come to Christ in so many different ways. Scores of them had everything, and scores of them had nothing. But each and every one had one need—to be saved.

Elizabeth, by her own testimony, was “on the fast track, in the jet set”—a young executive who achieved much success by the age of 23. By the world’s standards and her own, she had it all together. “Then one of my employees had the nerve to confront me and to say that Jesus loved me and that there was value in my soul.”

“I was completely angry, and really offended. I thought, ‘What audacity!’ Thank God, she continued to talk to me. When she said that my soul had value, it touched something deep inside of me. I had believed a lie, and it was causing me to live such a fast life that I probably wouldn’t be alive today had I continued down that road. I was amazed at what she was saying.

No one had ever told me that before.”

“Now I find that it is just so important to share with people the value that they have.

There is such value in each one of us. God loves us so much. He has a reason and a purpose for us to be on this earth. Unless we tell people, there is no way anyone will know.” GG Excerpted from the booklet “The Urgency of the Great Commission,” available from Grace Publications.

PASTOR STEVENS BIO After becoming a believer at the age of 23, Carl H. Stevens Jr. dedicated himself to learning about Jesus and to the study and the ministry of the Bible.

A farm boy born in West Sumner, Maine, in 1929, and raised by his widowed mother from the age of 3, Pastor Stevens approached Bible study and Christianity the way he approached everything in life – with intensity and concentration.

This was a primary characteristic of Pastor Stevens’ life whether he was doing his household chores, playing baseball, training for a boxing match, or learning the guitar. His drive to overcome perceived shortcomings helped him greatly in a number of successful business ventures and played a pivotal role in keeping him in the call of God through a ministry that was successful and challenging at every turn.

Pastor Stevens poured himself into Bible study and spent long night hours reading the Word of God and books related to it. He became an active member of the Gideon and the Youth for Christ organizations in Maine. His prayerful habits to study and to evangelize and his careful, intense sermons helped Pastor Stevens develop thriving churches in Maine, Massachusetts, and Maryland. He also helped pioneer the concept of Christian talk radio.

He spent more than 40 years answering Bible questions and counseling over the airwaves of North America and throughout the world via short wave and the Internet.

Pastor Stevens’ messages emphasized a categorical understanding of the Bible. One of the primary themes of Pastor Stevens’ long ministry was the Finished Work of Christ, the truth that Christians come to Jesus by grace through faith in what Christ did completely and entirely on the Cross. Salvation represents the Finished Work gift of God to whosoever will come to Him and it is not of the works of men lest any should be able to boast.

The pulpit ministry, local church life, evangelism, and worldwide missions were other significant aspects of the ministry of Pastor Stevens. He was dedicated to the “foolishness” of preaching, understanding that it was God’s way to equip believers for spiritual life in this world. He would speak messages morning, noon and night at his churches. As a result, generations of listeners were thoroughly taught the Word of God. Pastor Stevens also emphasized the need to be part of a local church where Christians could find encouragement and fellowship. He spoke of “Body Life” and the communion that grew in an assembly where there were many opportunities to minister and serve be it on outreach, in the youth department, with the ladies’ ministry, or as ushers, musicians, singers, teachers and nursery workers.

In each of his churches, Pastor Stevens quickly established Bible colleges. His conviction was that if people can receive a constant and consistent diet of the Word of God and a categorical conception of Bible doctrine, then they would be equipped for life. He taught from the Bible that men must live by every word that proceeds from mouth of God. Therefore, Bible colleges became fundamental building blocks in establishing a movement whereby believers continued in a living faith generated by the consistent teaching of the Word of God. This movement has produced numerous pastors, missionaries, teachers, and workers who still faithfully labor across the world.

Pastor Stevens took God’s call to evangelism personally and could be found on the streets of Baltimore nearly every week that he was in town. He would go to doors of city homes with a smile and a tract ready tell others of the love of Christ.

This call to evangelism took on a worldwide scope in Pastor’s heart early in his ministry and his churches sent out their first missionaries in 1975. He saw that a team approach to missions would help young pastors in the field and this method has proven extremely successful. The Greater Grace World Outreach now has more than 500 affiliated churches in nearly 70 countries.

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Pastor Bob Colban

Two years ago, I was asked to teach a college class on Marriage Counseling. I flat-out refused at first. I didn’t have a counseling background and I just considered myself unqualified to address students about this subject.

The college’s Dean of Students, however, wouldn’t let me off so easily. He came back and asked, “How long have you been married?”

“Thirty-four years,” I said, giving the correct answer at the time.

“And how many children have you raised?” he asked.

“Four.”

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“Pastor Colban, just those facts alone make you overqualified for this position,” he said with a smile. I took the job and at that first meeting there were 15 students waiting to hear what I had to say about marriage.

Here I am again, being asked to say something about marriage and I am as nervous about it now as I was before that class two years ago. The subject matter is so important and so much has been written about it. I guess the real fear is you just don’t want to get it wrong. Too much is at stake when we think about couples and families and what they mean to God and His Church.

As I look back over the 36 years that I have been married, one thing clearly stands out to

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MARRIAGE

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me – the couple that took those vows on that day years ago is not the same couple today. You just can’t stay the same; I guess this is the point I really want to make. Too many things happen – children happen, jobs happen, moves happen, aging happens. At all of the major points of change, there comes the challenge of transition.

How we handle these transition points determines where we wind up years later.

can find yourself in the same place if you understand a few things about the importance of marriage and why it is under attack.

Marriage is a divine institution from God. This reality alone makes it a prime target of the devil. Satan had staged constant attacks on this institution, introducing adultery and perversions aimed at fracturing the bond between a man and a wife. The other divine institutions are free marriage is a divine institution volition, family, from god. this alone makes it a the church, and national entity. prime target of the devil.

All of these in I was 22 years old and my wife, Chris, was stitutions are defined in Genesis. All are under 21 and fresh out of college when we walked attack because Satan hates anything that God the aisle at little Catholic Church in Lee, cherishes. Regarding free volition, we see more Mass. We had very, very little preparation for and more how people are being absolved of rewhat would happen that day and for the life sponsibility for their actions. Brain chemistry that would follow it. The two of us met with an and family environment gets the blame when 80-year-old Catholic priest one time. All I resomeone commits a crime. “It’s not my fault,” member was that his one big question was this: is the mantra. We see that the move toward “Do you know of any reason why you cannot global economics and global governmental perform the marriage act?” I didn’t know how systems are strategies of Hell to weaken nato answer that one. And, I was oblivious to tional entity. the fact that this priest was referring to sex.

If Satan creates trouble in the marriage and That didn’t dawn on me until Chris said, “You the home, then this trouble inevitably spills know what he was talking about, right?” over into church life. My counsel is to be aware.

So it went; two kids – neither of whom Learn the Bible and pray for discernment. knew Jesus Christ at that time – went to the Proverbs 26:6 says that the adulteress altar and began a journey called marriage. And, hunts the precious life. Married couples are it’s a wonderful and wild journey. precious. An adulteress is stimulated by Satan On the Wedding Day, two individual to hunt – to pursue the life of another in order worlds really collide. Before that day, each to destroy it. Satan is hunting. He is careful person was at the center of his or her own uniand crafty about how he assaults a marriage. verse. Everything revolved around the self. This I am not a hunter, but I have talked to changes at the altar, or it should. When a husenough hunters to know that hunting involves band or a wife tries to avoid this collision and stealth, study, and deception. A hunter will keeps self at the center, then the problems come. not charge into the forest and cry out, “Come Child No. 1 comes and then you have another out here, deer, so I can shoot you!” An action collision as you come to grips with another self like this would be counterproductive. Good who sees himself at the center of the universe. hunters understand when deer – or any game Those collisions, those transition points, are animal – are most active and vulnerable. Some the critical moments in a marriage. If a couple hunting involves the use of decoys – artificial can go to God and discover how to weather animals that look too real to resist. these storms, they will find something remark Song of Solomon 2:15 speaks of foxes that able I think. This remarkable thing is that they spoil the vines by nipping at the grapes. The will find themselves more in love than they devil operates this way. Stealthily, Satan bites at were at the beginning. I cannot explain how the marriage relationship. He baits people into it happens – if I could then many, many issues wrong decisions and the results are disastrous. would be solved – but I find myself more in love What things get under your skin? What with my wife now than I ever was before. You pushes your panic button? Don’t be ignorant

of Satan’s devices. Prepare for war every day.

You can steal the element of surprise from Satan by just identifying his ways. In baseball, if a hitter knows what kind of pitch is coming, the task of hitting becomes very simple. If we can see what the devil is throwing at us, we can deal with it. God gives discernment so that we can know what to expect in the atmosphere of our marriages and homes. I realize that this seems simplistic. That’s because it is simple.

However, simple obedience is not always easy to execute.

Recognize the nature of Satan and expect the attacks. Sometimes you may even wake up in the morning and have a sense that you are targeted. That’s because you are. Satan wants to take down marriages.

The key is to know who you are and that God is for your marriage and to know what’s coming. Here’s the reality of it all: Satan has lost and we are more than conquerors. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). A literal Greek translation of this verse reads this way: “In view of the certain fact that God is for us, who can be against us.”

Make that statement the anchor for your marriage and I believe you will find yourself in a great home with a great relationship that is hid in a great church that is accomplishing a great purpose. GG

ABOUT THE AUTHOR PASTOR BOB COLBAN Bob Colban has worked as Project Manager for Taylor Made Construction, based in Edgewood, Md., for the past 14 years. He is 1974 graduate of the University of Massachusetts, where he earned a degree in accounting and a 1989 graduate of Maryland Bible College and Seminary.

He was ordained as an associate pastor by Greater Grace World Outreach in June 2005. He and his wife, Christine, reside in Perry Hall, Md., and are the parents of three sons and a daughter.

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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

PHOTOGRAPHY BY jennifer lynch

Christian education must be intentional, not an afterthought, because the world system is a 24/7 educational program designed to darken our understanding and alienate us from the life of God. The world is not a neutral place; it is a battleground where two invisible kingdoms wage war for the hearts and souls of the human race. Human beings are not neutral either. By default, we are all sinners born into the kingdom of darkness, which desires us to remain ignorant of the Lord of Creation, the King of Glory who sacrificed Himself to deliver us from the power of darkness and translate us into the kingdom of His dear Son. Christian education will not happen by accident, and if we do not choose to make Daniel Dunbar

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it part of our lives, it is the same as choosing to submit to education by the world system; there is no other choice. As Jesus said, “He that is not with me is against me.”

An eleven-year-old boy sits alone in a darkened room, mesmerized by the “adult” images on the screen on his mother’s laptop while she attends choir practice at the church; he barely knows his father who lives in another state.

Wracked with guilt and shame, the boy finds it hard to pray and believe that God loves him.

His soul grows darker and darker, and he finds he cannot stop his addictive viewing. He fears speaking to his mother or to anyone else in his church and with no father to confide in, he is alone and isolated, easy prey for the devil and the world system. The boy, losing his capacity

to receive the Word of God and have normal, healthy relationships, is becoming an angry young man.

The boy described is fictional, but he represents a sad reality in our modern world – the young soul preyed upon by the enemy whose purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. The devil and the world system are not content to confine their campaign of devastation to the homes of unbelievers; Satan aggressively attacks Christian homes to wound and damage the unguarded hearts, minds, and souls of our children. The world is an increasingly toxic place for our children, with sinful lifestyles being normalized – celebrated even – through television, movies, video games, music, and both print and online media. Parents try to

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figure out what is “mostly harmless” enough for their child to be exposed to. Where does Christian education fit in the midst of all this?

As Christian educators – parents, teachers, coaches, pastors, and anyone who has input into children’s lives – we must be watchmen.

In biblical times, watchmen stood on the walls of a city, usually near the gate, looking out for potential enemies, sounding the trumpet and crying out when someone approached. Watchmen needed keen eyesight to discern friend from foe from far off, physical stamina to stay alert and awake into the wee hours of the morning, and both trumpet-blowing skills and loud voices to rouse the troops and proclaim the news.

We watchmen must be vigilant, on guard for the enemies that seek to breach the eye and ear gates of our children, and we need to discern those enemies from afar, not after they have already passed through the gate. In Ezekiel 3:17, God told the prophet Ezekiel to be a watchman over the house of Israel. His duties were twofold: to wait and listen for God’s message and then to warn the people on God’s behalf. To be discerning, we have to wait on God and hear from Him. We need to be educated ourselves through the Word of God before we can stand watch over our children as their teachers.

Keeping watch is not something to leave undone. As citizens of Heaven, we live on Earth as exiles within enemy territory. We should always be on the lookout for an assault.

Our personal experience as believers shows us that Satan uses any means necessary to attack our souls if we do not guard our own hearts.

His strategies are sophisticated and even mature believers can trip and stumble into one of his subtle traps if they are not careful. How much more so our inexperienced children are prone to being snared! Their lack of wisdom and discernment may lead them to be lured unwittingly into something earthy, sensual, or devilish that will harm their souls. We as teachers must be Spirit-filled to have the spiritual stamina needed to stay alert on the job; our children need us watching out for them.

Once the enemy is spotted, we must blow the trumpet and lift our voices to sound the alarm. God told Ezekiel to give the people a warning from Him. It is vital that we all hear

As christians educators— parents, teachers, coaches, pastors, and anyone who has input into children’s lives— we must be watchmen. from God and pass His Word along to our children; we cannot afford to be passive or silent, assuming that someone else is teaching our children Truth. It is also important that the message we pass along is clear and noncontradictory. What the pulpit teaches must be taught in the Christian school, in the Sunday school, in the youth Bible study, in the family devotion times. The enemy’s message, though it comes from different quarters, is uniformly anti-Christian and everywhere vying for the attention of our children. If our trumpet has an uncertain sound, if we are not one in our message, our children will be confused and unprepared for the battle they face.

We need to be alert. Our adversary, like a roaring lion, seeks whom he may devour, and his taste has turned to younger prey. He is not waiting for our children to grow up to destroy their capacities to trust and love God; he desires to cripple them early on to hinder them from walking with God. Our responsibility as Christian educators is to be Spirittaught, to have godly convictions, and to teach those convictions to our children, helping them avoid the snares of the devil and become healthy, godly young men and women. GG Daniel Dunbar is principal of Greater Grace Christian Academy.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY Istvan Pirger

One Body, One Classroom Pastor Steve Andrulonis

Shehan Thomas made a list, checked it carefully, and logged onto the cyber highway in search of a Bible College.

His criteria?

It had to be in America and it had to be in a warm weather locale. As a Sri Lankan living in Dubai, Shehan knew he and winter weather would have a difficult time co-existing.

His Internet search brought him to the Maryland Bible College and Seminary web-

10 / www.ggwo.org

site. Baltimore, MD, in the Mid-Atlantic region, Shehan calculated, had to be in the moderate zone weather-wise. And MBCS’s Biblical Studies curriculum was just what Shehan was looking for. Soon, he submitted his application and was accepted. He arrived from the United Christian Church of Dubai in August 2008 and became part of MBCS’s lively and thriving international student community.

“Taking the Word to the World,” a motto of MBCS, highlights its objective to train students in the Bible and fuel in them a missionary purpose to make disciples in all nations.

Another motto for the school, however, could be this one: “The World Comes to You at MBCS.” For during the most recent semester, there were 20 students who, like Shehan, came to Baltimore from outside of the U.S. They come to glean from MBCS’s experienced faculty of pastors, church-planters, missionaries, and administrators. In the classroom, they find little to disappoint them.

For Shehan, however, the Baltimore climate proved to be something of a surprise. This is because Baltimore’s weather is maddeningly irregular, running hot and cold, wet and dry,

USA

“taking the word to the world,” a motto of mbcs, highlights its objective to train students in the bible and fuel in them a missionary purpose to make disciples in all nations. depending on the position of jet streams and low-pressure fronts that move through the city.

“I didn’t expect it ever to be cold,” said Shehan, who found himself shivering in a thin sweater that was his warmest garment. “This is supposed be the South, isn’t it?”

He did get a winter coat. It was a good thing, too, for Shehan’s first winter at MBCS was the snowiest in Baltimore’s history with three blizzards of 20-plus inches In the midst of all of this, Shehan discovered the warmth of church life, a distinctive that sets apart this Bible college. MBCS is a church-managed institution, and the school’s students are integral to the atmosphere of Greater Grace Church of Baltimore, the home base congregation of Greater Grace World Outreach, a ministry with more than 500 affiliates worldwide.

“My first year was just a weird experience in many ways and I left Baltimore thinking, ‘America, I am done with you,’” Shehan said.

“Then, the e-mails started to come from students and teachers. It really felt so good to feel so missed and so loved. I just realized that I hit such a jackpot in finding this college.”

These international students flavor the outreach and in-reach activities of the church.

Their gifts and talents are on display in the music and drama presentations. Some work with children in the school and daycare operations on campus. Others serve in the café and as housekeepers, cleaning windows and floors at all hours.

Shehan helps out in the gymnasium, coaches middle school soccer at Greater Grace Christian Academy and has tried to explain the intricacies of cricket, his favorite sport, to anyone willing to listen. He even managed to stir interest in the most recent Cricket World Cup, in which his native Sri Lanka placed second.

Viola Vegh from Budapest, Hungary, remarked that she sees no line between church life and college life at MBCS/GGWO.

“You just feel at home here,” said Viola, who was the lead singer for a Hungarian band before coming A Biblia Szol (The Bible Speaks) and spending four years taking courses at KETA – Central European Theological Academy – in Budapest. “The personal investment by the pastors and teachers is so grace-oriented. We are encouraged in doctrinal thinking, but it is so life-oriented. It is so much more than just theology.”

Like most international students, Viola faced challenges in the transition. But this is part of the plan of God, Viola said. It is something each of us must face, no matter what we are doing.

“God just became so big for me here in Baltimore,” Viola said. “There were atmospheric projections that said to me, ‘What are you doing here?’ But this was just part of the usual spiritual warfare we all face. I found it impossible to see myself as anything less than a member of this Body. I was so welcomed and loved.”

From Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Nurlan Bekmurzaev came to MBCS to “be strengthened in the Word of God.” He had been serving under Pastor Emil Osmonaliev in his home country as a youth leader and in many other capacities for the GGWO affiliate church there.

When Nurlan returns to Bishkek, it will be to new church property where a foundation has been poured for the ministry’s new building.

This is a miracle happening in a nation that is not friendly toward the expansion of Christianity within its borders. Nurlan is eager to return home and feels that his time in Baltimore has left him well-prepared.

“I have been touched so much by how the Body operates here in Baltimore,” Nurlan said.

“Really we hear the message about ‘Radical Grace’ and then we see it and feel it when we are together. It really provokes us to go forward and not just live to survive.”

Blen Jaletta found her place at MBCS and Greater Grace in a more roundabout way. She came to the U.S. from Addis Ababa, the capi-

tal city of Ethiopia and earned a four-year degree from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. After spending a year at a Bible college outside Washington, D.C., Blen made her way to Baltimore and MBCS. “The hands-on experience is what I was looking for,” Blen said. “At MBCS, you really get to practice what you are learning. The outreach element and the church-classroom connections really make you part of something bigger than yourself.”

College campus ministry in the U.S. is something Blen prays is part of her future after her graduation from MBCS. What about Ethiopia?

“If God leads me to return home, I want to have a great vision for something there,” Blen said. “I know what I have learned, and this is something that is vital for me.”

This summer Shehan heads to Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he will minister in his hometown church – the Christian Reformed Church – and complete college practicum requirement before returning to MBCS for his Spring 2012 graduation.

“I have really enjoyed the way my faith has been challenged and expanded,” Shehan said.

“The accessibility of the teachers here makes it possible to have real discussions about real questions - and I came with a lot of questions and I still have some. But I have learned how Christians can talk about things and stand their ground with reasoned biblical defenses.” GG

HOW DO I APPLY TO MBC&S? To apply, contact MBC&S by email, phone, or snail mail— Email / info@mbcs.edu Phone / 410-488-2606 Fax / 410-488-2634 Toll Free (USA, Canada) / 1-800-528-2027 Snail Mail / Maryland Bible College & Seminary 6023 Moravia Park Drive Baltimore, MD 21206 USA Web / www.mbcs.edu

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His name is Ron. He burst through the doors of a donut shop on Torresdale Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia. He has a story and he was eager to tell it. Cancer was wracking his body. His days were numbered, he said.

Numbered, that is, until someone prayed for him. Now, he was in the midst of a group from Greater Grace, talking in rapid-fire sentences about how prayer healed him.

“I know about prayer because I went back to the doctor and – I swear to God – nothing could be found in me anymore,” Ron said.

“The doctors were stunned. I am a walking, talking miracle. And I have been looking for more people like the ones who prayed for me.

Maybe you’re those people.”

How many “Rons” are out there? Millions, really. The raw numbers tell us this. In the U.S. alone, there are 52 areas with 1 million or more people living in them.

“We know that the answer for each one is in pointing him to the Son of God, the One who hung on the Cross,” said Pastor Thomas Schaller, Senior Pastor and Presiding Elder of Greater Grace World Outreach. “People are the most interesting and valuable things on the earth. We understand just how much God wants us to have beautiful feet and carry His Pastor Steve Andrulonis

12 / www.ggwo.org

©iStockphoto.com/DenisTangneyJr

C ITIE S VISION message to these places that are full of people, and as they grew these believers reached out people valued by God.” to the areas surrounding their cities. Clearly, Cities present a seeming sense of comPaul understood Jesus Christ’s call to make munity; this sense is very much contrived disciples in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the and structured around economic need. Still, uttermost parts of the world and he set about humans crave relationships because they were doing so. made for them by God. Most people want to Over the past months, Greater Grace bebe with other people, so they move to the citgan targeting specific city centers throughout ies where they find lots of people. And most of those people “I have been looking for are lost and dying – more people like the ones and searching.

The apostle Paul WHO prayed for me. Maybe was a missionary to YOU’RE those people.” cities. During his three journeys described in the book of Acts, we read of Paul the United States with its Seven-Cities Viproclaiming the Word of God in the primary sion. The ministry’s Gospel sights are now trading centers throughout the Roman Emtrained on Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, New pire, particularly in Asia Minor. Philippi, Orleans, Houston, Las Vegas, and Los AnEphesus, Corinth, Athens, Colossae and othgeles. (Future target cities include New York ers were visited. His mode of operation was to City and Savannah, Ga.) go to the synagogues first, expound the truth Each of these locales is among the top about Christ, answer objections and then be500 “urban clusters” in the world according gin teaching those willing to hear more. The to United Nations population records – five of concentration of people combined with busithese areas rank among the top 60 population ness and government traffic made for the swift centers worldwide. An “urban cluster” is deand efficient spread of the Gospel. Local asfined as an area where the population density semblies with local leaders were established exceeds 1,000 people per square mile.

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Washington

Montana

Maine

North Dakota Minnesota

Oregon

Vermont New Hampshire

Idaho Wisconsin

South Dakota

Massachusetts

New York

Wyoming

Rhode Island Connecticut

Michigan

Pennsylvania

Iowa

Nebraska Nevada

New Jersey

Ohio Indiana

Illinois

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Delaware Maryland

Colorado

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West Virginia

Philadelphia, PA

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Missouri Kentucky

North Carolina Arizona

Tennessee Oklahoma New Mexico

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Arkansas

Los Angeles, CA

Mississippi

Las Vegas, NV

Alabama Georgia

Texas

Atlanta, GA

Louisiana

New Orleans, LA Houston, TX

Alaska

Miami, FL

Hawaii

The 2010 U.S. Census Bureau statistics show that these seven urban areas are home to more than 37 million people, representing over 10 percent of the total number of Americans counted (308.8 million).

Two of these seven cities – New Orleans and Philadelphia – have enjoyed a Greater Grace presence for at least 10 years. Donnie Brown is pastor of Greater Grace of New Orleans, an assembly located on St. Anthony Street. In Philadelphia, a city just 97 miles from GGWO’s home base of Baltimore, Dwight Allshouse and Tony Pallotta lead regular weekend outreaches and meetings in the South and Northeast areas. About 20 miles north of Philly’s Center City, Jim Hoppe pastors GGWO-affiliate Grace Bible Chapel in Hatboro, Pa. Chris Moore is also at work in greater Philadelphia.

February 2011 marked a significant turn in GGWO’s work in Philadelphia when the Grace

Florida

Hour radio program began live broadcasts on Thursday mornings on WWDB-AM 860.

This radio outreach has been a principle part of GGWO church-planting efforts in North America, helping to establish ministries in the Boston, Baltimore, and Montreal areas and in Springfield, Mass., Albany, N.Y., and Pittsburgh, Pa. The New Orleans work of Pastor Brown was helped greatly by the Grace Hour, which was broadcast live on WVOG for several years and still has a faithful core of Internet listeners and supporters in the Big Easy vicinity.

“These cities are on God’s heart because there are thousands of lost people there,” so said Pastor Steven Scibelli, GGWO Missions Director during a recent visit to Philadelphia.

“All cities and all lost people are on God’s heart. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.”

Teams armed with tracts have descended on Philadelphia – to share the Gospel and sample the cheese steak subs – since the Grace

vision cities states with GG churches

Hour went on radio. The responses of those approached on the street have been respectful and curious.

In February, a group led by Pastor Kevin Cooper, GGWO Outreach director, visited New Orleans for a week of meetings and evangelism. Pastor John Perkins touched down in Las Vegas in March and will relocate to Nevada with his wife and daughter in July. Pastor Perkins’ initial Bible Study in Las Vegas was attended by 11 people.

Pastor Schaller took a three-day trip to Miami, Fla., just before Easter.

Plans are in the works for visits to Los Angeles – population 12.3 million – and Atlanta, where we have several contacts. GG

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Greenland

Iceland

C a n a d a

United Kingdom

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Ireland

Fr Portugal

United States

ATLANTIC

Spain

Morocco

Alg

The Bahamas

Mexico Cuba Jamaica

Guatemala El Salvador

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Belize Honduras

Tropic of Cancer

Dom. Rep.

Mauritania

Puerto Rico

Haiti

Cape Verde Gambia

Nicaragua Venezuela

Panama

Guyana Suriname French Guiana

Colombia

Mali

Senegal

Guinea Bissau

Costa Rica

Equator

Western Sahara (Occupied by Morocco)

Burkina Fas

Guinea

Sierra Leone

B

Cote d'Ivoire

Liberia

Ghana

Equato Sao TomeR&

Ecuador Peru Brazil

OCEAN Bolivia

Tropic of Capricorn

OCEAN

Paraguay

Chile

Argentina

Uruguay

Antarctic Circle

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Greater Grace Churches Throughout

the World 66 countries 18 u.s. states 504 churches 14 / www.ggwo.org

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Finland

Norway

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Denmark

Austria Austria

Switz.

Italy

Hungary

Croatia

Ukraine Moldova

Serbia

Albania

Tunisia

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Georgia

Bulgaria

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Turkey

Greece

Cyprus Lebanon Israel

a

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Iraq

Jordan

Cameroon

orial Guinea & Principe

Ethiopia Uganda Uganda

Rwanda

Dem. Rep. of Congo

Congo

Bangladesh

India

Oman

Japan

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Burma

Tropic of Cancer Laos Vietnam

Thailand

Philippines

Cambodia

Dijbouti

Central African Republic

Gabon

Nepal

U.A.E.

Yemen

Eritrea

Sudan

Nigeria

Togo

Afghanistan

Qatar

Niger Chad

S. Korea

C h i n a

Pakistan

Egypt

N. Korea

Tajikistan

Kuwait

Libya

Mongolia Kyrgyzstan

Turkmenistan

Syria

Saudi Arabia

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Germany Poland Czech

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herlands.

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East Timor

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Papua New Guinea

Vanuatu Mozambique Madagascar

Fiji

Tropic of Capricorn A u s t r a l i a

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1000 Km

A n t a r c t i c a

The Countries / • Albania–2 • Argentina–2 • Austria–2 • Azerbaijan–3 • Brazil–2 • Belarus–1 • Benin–1 • Burkina Faso–9 • Canada–1 • Chile–2 • China–9 • Congo–8 • Croatia–1 • Czech Republic–1 • Ecuador–3 • Finland–8 • France–3 • Gabon–1 • Germany–3 • Ghana–38 • Guyana–1 • Haiti–15 • Hungary–11 • India–61 • Ireland–1 • Israel–1 • Italy–1 • Ivory Coast–30 • Jamaica–1 • Kazakhstan–1 • Kenya–17 • Kyrgyzstan–3 • Liberia–25 •Lithuania–1 • Malaysia –1 • Mexico–3 • Moldova–2 • Mozambique–2 • Nepal–18 • Niger–1 • Pakistan–9 • Peru–8 • Philippines–43 • Poland–6 • Puerto Rico–1 • Romania–2 • Russia–8 • Rwanda–1 • Somalia–1 • South Africa–2 •

South Korea–2 • Sudan–1 • Sweden–2 • Switzerland–1 • Tajikistan–1 • Tanzania–2 • Thailand–2 • Togo–15 • Turkey–1 • Turkmenistan–2 • Uganda–32 • Ukraine–6 • United Kingdom–3 • United States of America–45 • Uzbekistan–1 • Zambia–7 usa / Alaska–1 • Connecticut–3 • Florida–3 • Illinois–1 • Indiana–1 • Kentucky–1 • Louisiana–1 • Maine–4 • Maryland–8 • Massachusetts–4 • New Hampshire–2 • New Jersey–1 • New York–6 • Ohio–2 • Pennsylvania–9 • Tennessee–1 • Virginia–1 As of June 2011 greater grace annual 2011 /

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FAMILY THAI THAILAND / I’m walking home from church in September with Boom, a Bible college student. Car and motorcycle exhaust sting my nose and lungs. Boom tells me she has to say something, so I bend closer to hear her above the roar of traffic. It’s dark and I’m trying not to trip over broken pieces of sidewalk. She asks if I remember a text message I sent to her before leaving for America last year. I shake my head and yell back that I don’t remember. She says, “For five years I came to church and Bible school to sleep. Then, you sent me a text message last year: ‘God will be faithful to transform your life.’” Boom says that the word, “transform,” was the beginning of something in her life. She couldn’t stop thinking about it. She wanted to know what it meant.

She says, “I knew I couldn’t transform myself. I thought who could do this?” Then she thought, “Only God. Only God could do this.”

“You don’t remember?” she asks again. I have a hazy memory of sitting in a taxi on the way to the airport and sending Boom a text message using the word “transform” and I think, “Wow, how could a word I can barely remember be so powerful?” Boom and her sister, Tuktik, come from a small village in Udanthani province in Northeast Thailand, where their parents, rice and sugar cane farmers, still live in a small, one-room house. They cook over a clay stove outside. Chickens roam freely around the yard. Five years ago, Boom put her faith in Christ and started coming to our church in Bangkok. A year later, Tuktik got saved. For the next year, they would both talk to their mother about Christ on the phone and their mother would ask over and over, “How can I believe in God? I’ve never seen Him.” Their mother could accept the knowledge that Jesus is God, but she couldn’t put her trust in Him because she couldn’t imagine the person behind the words they were saying.

Then, three years ago, Jeab, Tukata, and I visited their home. Before we came, Boom and her family thought, “This is unbelievable. We are poor. We have a small house; no bedroom; no living room; no food to give. Why would they want to come visit us?”

I remember arriving at Boom’s aunt’s house after traveling overnight on two buses.

I hadn’t slept and I was exhausted and hot and

Debbie Colby

16 / www.ggwo.org

wanted to collapse on the hammock hanging from two bamboo trees next to me. Then an older, quieter version of Boom was suddenly, shyly standing in front of me. Something tugged my heart and I hugged her. Boom says that it was the first time that anyone other than her daughters had ever hugged her mother.

For two days, we lounged on hammocks, walked around their small village, and rode motorcycles past eucalyptus trees and rice fields. We visited their father plowing a sugar cane field with his tractor. The smell of warm, earthy soil reminded me of when I was younger and would spend every July and August working in the blueberry fields in Maine.

Their parents kept asking their daughters, “Why do your friends look so happy when they spend time with us, even though it’s so hot and not comfortable for them?” Boom says our visit was the first time she and her sister realized that, “Wow, God must really love us - Jeab, Tukata, and Debbie travelled all that way just to visit us and didn’t expect anything in return.” They say that after we left, their mother told them that she could finally imagine God and His love and believed in Christ in her heart. We were the first Christians, besides her daughters, she had ever met.

It’s hard for Thai people to imagine God as a living person because 95 percent of the country is Buddhist - they’ve been bowing down and worshipping cold, distant stone idols for centuries. They have never met a God like this, who would leave heaven where it was comfortable, to come all the way to earth just to redeem us. Then, they meet Him, understanding that He hung bloody on the cross as a man, refusing to use His own power to save Himself. There is something about Christ’s strong intentions to win our salvation that is powerful enough to cut a straight path through the soul and penetrate the heart. ····· I’m in Boom and Tuktik’s apartment. Boom is serious, sitting crossed-legged on the floor, a pocket Thai-English dictionary beside her, talking about the women’s discipleship class we’ve been teaching over the past year. She points to her heart: “Each class opens my heart and.” - she opens her Pocket Dictionary and points to the verb - “hammers, rivets, my heart more and more. Jesus went straight to Samaria

to talk with the Samaritan woman. He didn’t go around Samaria like man does. She is just like me. He doesn’t hate me but loves me like the Samaritan woman. My life is not lovely but He loves me. Jesus came to our life and put a flag on my heart. He conquered all things, the world, the flesh, the devil. Before, I was in love with the idea of love. Now, I know that this is real love.”

Deep in the heart, Thai women cry out for true love and security. Even if she finds what she thinks is love and gets married, no matter how beautiful or charming she is, it’s never enough. It is normal for a Thai man to have at least one girlfriend or minor wife; some have several minor wives, each with a family to support. It is just a matter of time until someone younger, prettier, or who speaks a little sweeter comes along and catches his attention. A Thai woman has never met a man who values her or treats her with respect, until she is standing face-to-face with Christ, alone, like the woman taken in adultery in John 8. It’s like He’s holding out His own blood, saying, “Look how much you are worth. I made a way for you to be face to face with God inside the Holiest Place. Come. I want to tell you that you are forgiven, cleansed, and accepted in the Beloved. No one can ever undo what I have done.”

Boom tells me, “I had so many questions in my heart I couldn’t speak, like, I’m not beautiful. Like the woman in Song of Solomon 1, I compare everything about myself with other persons. But God says, ‘Stop and look at me, even if you (think you) are not beautiful, you are beautiful to me.’”

I’m stretched out on Boom’s leather couch, weak because it’s hot and humid and the air pressure is high. I think about how these classes started as a small impression in my heart that rose to the surface and formed ideas and words and I’m a little overwhelmed that something that started out so small and insignificant could become so powerful in another person’s life.

It is February and Boom and I are waiting for the van to go to Mahachai, a fishing village an hour outside of Bangkok, for a special outreach. We have just had our Saturday morning woman’s discipleship class about Esther. We talk about how so much of Esther’s life was hidden – years of secret little choices where she

WORLD

Boom, with her family

lost her life at the cross and then that moment came, and she made that one big decision to go in to see the king, and generations of her people lived.

In the van, on the way to Mahachai, Boom reads Philippians 2 to me from her new English Gideon pocket Bible. She stumbles over every word. The van driver keeps accelerating, swerving, and then braking. I sit with my eyes closed and think of how beautiful Boom’s words sound and how much I don’t want to be in this van because I’m so car sick.

We go soul-winning at a park in Mahachai and meet a girl lying on a hammock with a short bob haircut and skin darkened by the sun. She says she has heard information about Jesus in school, but she sits up, stretches her legs to the grass, and leans forward when she hears us talk about love. It’s Valentine’s Day. Boom chops the air emphatically as she translates and I feel the power of the Holy Spirit as I speak. God loves you and never takes His love back. Man says he loves you then changes his mind about you, but God’s love is different. He gives His love and will never take it back. ····· When we ask if she would like to receive Jesus and His love into her heart, she nods her head, yes. After she prays her eyes widen when we tell her that she belongs to Jesus now and that she can talk to Him anytime. He is always there to help. When the bad thing comes, you can say, “No, I belong to Jesus.” You can say “no” one time and save yourself an entire life of suffering.

She’s 13 and her role in society will always be to serve the man – well over 6 percent of all Thai women end up engaged in some form of prostitution, but we walk away feeling like she received every word we said and that those words could possibly save her life someday.

In the van, on the way home, I think of how there was something about this day that was lighter than air. I close my eyes and see mist rise and mix with mist from other days.

It collects as a shadow superimposed above the mountains and valleys of the earth.

I turn to Boom sitting next to me and say, “This was a day of resurrection life, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, this day was like a strong, powerful word to me,” she says.

Discipleship takes time in Thailand. You think the seed of the Word is planted, only to realize it never even germinated because it wasn’t received in the heart; the heart still hides behind an endless maze of twists, turns, and abrupt walls, and insists, “I’ve been trusting in my own goodness and karma for centuries. I don’t need God. I’m fine on my own.”

But God orchestrates a situation such as the one in John 11. Martha and Mary’s brother, Lazarus, dies and the heart realizes that everything it has been trusting and holding onto will someday come to an end.

I’m talking to Boom again in her apartment and her eyes are red. She says, “My whole life I’ve been trying to fulfill myself by myself.

With relationships …” Her hands fly up, “with everything.” She shakes her head and reaches for her Winnie the Pooh tissues. “But, I can’t satisfy myself anymore.” I see tears and hear

the surface of her heart fissure and crack and the sound of movement intensifying: Christ, resurrected, leaping over mountains and skipping over hills, approaching a breaking heart.

There’s something about the way He doesn’t force His will onto us that shows us how different His life really is, that attracts the will and causes it to weaken and bend. Boom says, “Now I know only Christ can fulfill me.” And, I hear a piece of the wall around her heart snap and splinter to the floor.

Buddhism teaches that to reach ultimate satisfaction, or Nirvana, you have to empty yourself of all human desire. I see it as a subtle detachment in a Thai’s face and movements, sitting on the bus, walking on the sidewalk, never caring or thinking deeply about anything. Their spirits come alive as believers, but still so much of their lives sleep. Nothing stirs them into action, until a resurrected Christ arrives at their wall. To Him, death and sleeping are the same. He draws near to a broken place and speaks a word powerful enough to raise Lazarus from the dead: “Rise up and walk in newness of life. My plan isn’t for you to die; it’s for you to live.”

When Boom tells me that seeing the difference between death and resurrection life in the second semester of our class made her want to choose life and that she really started making decisions during the third semester when she learned about Esther, I hear concrete walls, generations of passivity, crumble and collapse with a bang.

Can we measure the value of days when Lazarus dies and life shatters into jagged pieces that don’t fit back together again? Like Martha, we shake our heads and say, “Lord, if only you had been here.” Then Jesus, who is weeping, speaks, “If you only knew - those are all earthy, dying fragments of yourself you can’t keep anyway.” Can we measure the value of death, when it is Christ Himself deposited and mixed inside all those broken places? Or, the power of His words, undefined but full of meaning, bubbling with energy just below the surface of consciousness inside our new heart, anchoring the soul, and setting everything right. A thought rises to the surface and takes on form. Christ, walking on the surface of water, speaks, “Come. Take up your cross and follow me. This is what it means to truly live.” GG

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The Light of Sotkamo FINLAND / To those who remember her, Huli Valpasvuo was like a Sotkamo summer day.

Her life was full of light. She seemed to shine all the time just as the midnight sun does in this village situated in central Finland, where dusk is a stranger during the months of June and July.

Sotkamo? What? Where?

Like Nazareth, where Jesus grew up winning favor with God and with men, Sotkamo represents another among many nondescript places where God chooses to start His mighty works.

The village’s population stands at about 10,000 – and it carries a good reputation as a fine winter sports resort. It is also home to some of the craziest fans of pesapallo, a Finnish sport that resembles American baseball.

The Sotkamon Jymy team is among the nation’s top pesapallo squads.

The skies above the town also draw meteorologists and astronomers who long to see the Kern arc, an extremely rare atmospheric phenomenon. The arc appears as a halo above the horizon and its lower part glows with color. It appears as something of an upside-down rainbow that has been labeled “the grin in the sky.”

The first photos of the Kern arc were made in Sotkamo in November 2007.

To us, that “grin in the sky” perhaps represents the smile of God, as He worked to originate one of His great moves in a small place with a faithful woman who prayed big prayers.

A widow, Huli followed the example of Anna in Luke 2. Following the death of her husband in a car accident in 1966, she had a renewal of faith and dedicated herself to the Lord and to prayer, particularly interceding for the youth of Sotkamo.

Though Huli Valpasvuo passed into eternity in 1995, the investment she made in the lives of those in Sotkamo and beyond brings continuing returns. The seeds she sowed are still bearing fruit to this day.

During the 1960s and ’70s, the village was home to around 5,000. Huli made her home near the middle and high schools of Sotkamo.

A substitute teacher, she gained connections with the students and soon opened her living room for weekly prayer meetings and Bible studies. The meetings became so popular that Pastor Steve Andrulonis

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the furniture had to be pushed out of the room so Huli could accommodate her guests.

“That living room was full of 30 teen-agers,” said Teija Petrone, who began going to Huli’s place in 1971. “She was a woman with such a worldwide vision. Her prayers were not just for us and for Finland, but for Christ’s work throughout the world.”

These petitions included the specific request that God would send a Bible-centered, Finished Work ministry to Finland, said Paivi Janssen, Huli’s granddaughter. Those prayers were answered in some measure in 1975, when Pastor Tom Schaller arrived with a small team in Helsinki, the capital of Finland, located eight hours south of Sotkamo.

Pastor Schaller was fresh out of Bible College and was pastoring a church for the first time. God guided him to Finland, a nation that had an open relationship to the former Soviet Union and the old Eastern bloc of communist countries. The late David Wilkerson wrote of the importance of Finland in his 1973 book, “The Vision.” The founder of Teen Challenge and New York City’s Times Square Church expected a revival to touch this country, where many of its 5 million residents were and are nominal members of the Lutheran church.

Finland also was on the heart of Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr., founder of GGWO and its predecessor The Bible Speaks. It was at Pastor Stevens’ suggestion that Pastor Schaller began looking toward Northern Europe.

Meanwhile, Teija Petrone and several others from Huli’s Sotkamo meetings moved

to Helsinki to attend universities there.

Soon, the pastor and the students came together and a significant missionary outpost was established. The Finns’ ability to move somewhat freely behind Europe’s Iron Curtain would prove critical to the mission of Greater Grace.

Soviet-controlled areas were quietly penetrated as Finns attended universities and took jobs. Faithful believers were meeting secretly in Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Czechoslovakia to name a few places and these Finnish invaders played big parts in these plantings.

As communist governments began to fall in the early 1990s, these works of God moved above ground and churches were established.

“We all feel as if we prayed for a man like Pastor Schaller to come,” Teija said. “It was on our hearts because it was on Huli’s heart as she led us in our prayers. It took four or five years to happen, but we see what God has done with so many of us.”

Little did anyone know the impact Sotkamo’s sons and daughters have had for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By one count, 27 from Sotkamo became part of Greater Grace World Outreach and its mission in Finland and throughout the world.

Those from Huli’s prayer meeting have been leaders and servants all over the world.

Today you can find them working in critical missions hotspots such as China and Turkey.

“What was special about my mother was her gift of love, steadfastness in the Lord and her good sense of humor,” said Liisa Kraama, whose husband Risto is pastor in Jyväskylä.

“She also gave us her blessing when my husband and I went to Lenox in the spring of 1978. When we were led to continue Bible School studies in Helsinki, she came to sit and listen to Bible School classes for a few days to make sure ‘it was pure doctrine.’ Being convinced of the same, she just loved the ministry and Pastor Schaller and stood with the ministry even during the hard times of persecution.”

“People throughout Finland came to know my grandmother as a great woman of God,” Paivi said. “She was such as amazing woman of faith and I know just how much I owe my life to her.” GG

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liberia Pastor Steve Andrulonis

“War can prepare people for the Gospel.” So said Pastor Thomas Schaller at a Greater Grace International Convention as he related a vision for reaching into conflictravaged areas of the world.

Alfred Zekeh is testimony to the truth of this statement. This Liberian knows too well the terror and devastation of war. But he also understands how God worked things together to put him in place where he could become a Christian with a vision and purpose.

The days of Alfred’s youth were days of always staying indoors and keeping his head down. Alfred grew up in Liberia during two periods of vicious civil war that tore the country. A young man was a hunted commodity in those days in Liberia. For 17 years, Alfred said, he had to hide himself away. Any man or boy found out of doors was quickly drafted into the militias of the warring factions in Liberia.

“Only women were allowed outside,” he said. “They had to go and get the food and do all the things that needed to be done for the family.”

Alfred came close to forced conscription a number of times. Once a group of soldiers managed to capture him, but they became distracted at the sight of food. During a mad scramble after a chicken and a few eggs, Alfred slipped away.

“One learns how to survive,” Alfred said with a smile. “Nothing comes easy in Liberia, but we learned how to trust in God.” Liberia has an interesting American connection. The nation was founded 1847 by U.S. citizens as a settlement for freed African-American slaves. Its capital, Monrovia, is named for James Monroe, the U.S. President at the time of the nation’s establishment. The colonists and those from the indigenous tribes clashed immediately and often over next decades. Until 1980, the Americo-Liberians served as a sort of ruling class in the country. These settlers did what they could to maintain their American way of living – establishing English as the primary language, building houses that resembled those in the American South, and establishing the Christian church.

After a number of unsuccessful uprisings, Samuel Doe, an American-trained soldier led a

coup with members of Krahn tribe. The president and cabinet were executed and a military regime took power and ended the AmericoLiberian domination of the government and culture. Tribal affiliations and a depressed economy were a recipe for trouble in Liberia.

Several attempts were made to overthrow Doe and in 1989 the country was plunged into a full-fledged civil war. Nearly 200,000 perished in the struggle for control, which lasted until 1996.

A brief ceasefire was brokered, but fighting resumed in 1997. At that point, Alfred made a determination to get out of Liberia. He fought his way through the wilderness and jungles of Liberia and into Cote D’Ivoire. From there, he walked for weeks across Cote D’Ivoire and crossed into Ghana.

The fight to get to Ghana was nothing compared to what Alfred found there. He wound up at the sprawling Bujumbura refugee camp in Accra, the capital city of Ghana. Nearly 10,000 Liberians were crowd into the camp. It was place full of thieves, disease, poverty, and stench. The camp’s sewer was an open trench.

There was something else at that refugee camp – a Tuesday night Bible college class taught by Pastor Steve Scibelli. Alfred said he grew up as a so-called Christian in a legalistic church, but the Survey of Doctrine class opened his heart to the grace of God. “You could smell that camp with the windows of your car rolled up,” Pastor Scibelli said.

“Just the sights we saw there were enough to make you vomit. I still can’t believe I did that.”

Alfred is glad he did.

Eventually, the situation in Liberia stabilized to the point where Alfred could return.

When he did, he found a church devastated by division. In the midst of mischief and chaos, Pastor Alfred gathered a group together, walked across the street and began a new church work under the shade of a tree.

“It was the only way – we had to be true to the Truth we had been taught,” he said.

That was in 2005. Now, Liberia has 25 GGWO churches with 43 leaders in 19 villages and two Bible colleges.

For the moment, Pastor Alfred and his family are in the U.S. His wife, Sandra, obtained a right to pursue American citizenship and that opened the door.

GREATER GRACE ANNUAL The Greater Grace Annual is a publication of Greater Grace World Outreach.

Editor / Steve Andrulonis Designer / Hannah-Love Shibley Typesetting / Susan May Print Oversight / Bruce May Project Coordinators / Brian Lange, Afrooz Emami Greater Grace World Outreach is a Bible-centered ministry that encourages individuals and families in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. We preach the Gospel and the whole counsel of God from a Finished Work perspective. We are a Christcentered church that believes and practices the cardinal doctrines of the faith.

Our mission is to propagate the Gospel of Jesus Christ locally, nationally, and internationally; to teach, in word and deed, those within our sphere of influence; and to practice and promote a Christian lifestyle.

Established in Baltimore in 1987, GGWO has been training men and women in the ministry of the Gospel ever since and reaches out to places in the city and around Maryland. Affiliated congregations are located in the Dundalk and Hampden neighborhoods of Baltimore and in the towns of Westminster, Silver Spring, and Havre de Grace.

GGWO Baltimore also serves as home base to a network of affiliate churches throughout the U.S. and the world. Our primary resources for assisting these self-governing and self-sustaining congregations are Maryland Bible College and Seminary and the Grace Hour talk radio program. MBCS offers a strong Bible Studies curriculum with an emphasis on leadership development and church-planting skills; it features an experienced, available, and capable faculty. The Grace Hour broadcasts daily from its studios in Baltimore and reaches thousands every day over the airwaves and through the Internet.

GGWO Senior Pastor/Presiding Elder Thomas Schaller Elders Steven Scibelli, Vice Chairman John Love, Secretary Bruce Wright John Hadley Glen Cannon Kim Shibley Sr.

Trustees Robert Colban, Chairman Michael Williams, Vice-Chairman Peter Taggart, Secretary Jomy Antony Brian Lange

Call 410-483-3700 / Visit www.ggwo.org

“This means so much to me to be here in Baltimore and be a part of the home base work of Greater Grace,” he said. “I know what this message has done for my life and for the lives of those in Liberia.” GG

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PERU Pastor Stan Collins

Almost three years ago, Norma Succar started listening to "La Hora de Gracia" (The Grace Hour), the weekly radio program of GGWO in Peru. Her husband was a former pastor, disowned by the denomination where he had served because... uh... that information is being guarded on a "need to know" basis... and, sorry... but you don't need to know.

Pastor Cesar had already gotten complete victory over that thing you don't need to know about, and he got victory because God had given him a Biblical revelation of His grace and love. He knew he was clean and right with God, but couldn't find a church that would agree. Norma told her husband to listen to "La Hora de Gracia" and they were in our church

the following Sunday morning and started taking Bible College classes that afternoon.

He's a mid-50ish, one-original-equipment-legged, motorcycle-riding, totally fearless, absolutely guileless, born again Jew who preached to the Shining Path terrorists back in the 1980s. They let him alone because he threatened them with all sorts of plagues from God if they would dare to strike down a Bible preacher. Now he and Norma are back in the Andes Mountains; in the town of Oxapampa, where he pastored before. But this time there's a GGWO banner hanging from his front porch. He holds church services and Bible College classes in his home, where over 20 and counting come to hear him preach the Word (and watch Pastor Thomas Schaller's Biblical Psychology course). We visited him recently up

there, our Hyundai van climbing on roads that had been shut down by mud slides (dozens of them) the day before. Roads where we had to stop and back up if a truck was coming down the other way. And there we would sit while the truck rumbled past, with our outside tires resting in the squishy mud a few inches from a cliff which fell away to a white-water rafter's dream river far below. And Pastor Cesar was sitting there next to me, just so blessed that the saints in Oxapampa would get to meet some of their GGWO brothers. I wondered once or twice if they would get to meet us, or just hear someone say nice things about us, as we drove through a number of small rivers which crossed the road and dropped off the cliff face into thunderous waterfalls. The girls in the back would gasp, but Pastor Cesar would just

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR PASTOR STAN COLLINS

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he is just so thrilled with the idea of having found a ministry like ours that he cannot keep it to himself. laugh and say, "Oh, this is nothing. Let me tell you about the time when..."

He is just so thrilled with the idea of having found a ministry like ours that he cannot keep it to himself. He seems to know everyone, and the local television station owner is no exception. The Biblical Psychology class is seen every Saturday on Channel 4 in Oxapampa, Peru. And Pastor Cesar has a teaching time on TV on Sunday as well, going over points which particularly impressed him from the class. He also wants to increase the connection with the GGWO Church in Mazamari, about 4 hours away, where Pastor Jorge Serrano is currently enjoying the ministry of Pastor Jon Stambovsky, Tim DeLouis and Jon Hettrick.

If you didn't already have enough reason to come and visit us in Peru, Pastor Cesar and Norma (and the Oxapampa Greater Grace Church) will put you over the top. The grace of God at work in the life of a man is marvelous to behold. GG

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1. A few of the Oxapampa saints had lunch with the Lima team.

2. A typical Andes mountain stream 3. Pastor Cesar and Norma

Born in a small southwestern Pennsylvania town in 1956 (and then again in 1966), I first heard Pastor Carl Stevens preach in the summer of 1974 or 1975, and an “anything is possible” seed was planted in my heart. It took many of God’s people, a lot of their patience and His grace; but that seed simply would not die.

In late July of 1989, Karen and I first realized that God was calling us to plant churches (I was astonished!) in South America. Ten weeks studying Spanish in Guatemala were followed by four years at Maryland Bible College and Seminary. We moved to Argentina in March of 1996 to participate in pioneering the GGWO Church outside of Buenos Aires, and then another one in Rosario.

In June of 2002, we moved back to Baltimore after 6 plus years in Argentina, wanting to spend some time at home base. Three trips to Peru were made during that year, as God’s vision grew in our hearts. We moved to Lima in July of 2003, and have been here ever since.

We saw the faithful hand of God in those first days, and we are still moved by how much He cares for the people here, how kind He has been to send disciples to us, and how grand is His love for His Bride.

The missions team has grown, and so has the work of God. We now have four GGWO Churches in Lima, another in Trujillo (along the Pacific coast), another in Oxapampa (in a beautiful Andes mountain valley) and another in Mazamari (in the low hills of the central Peruvian Amazon rainforest). Our Bible College in Lima is teaching people to think with God about all things, including lost souls, so we will surely see the vision expand.

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ART AND HEART Pastor Steve Andrulonis TURKEY / A world of many colors: this is what Matti Sirvio has always seen – with his eyes and with his heart.

Such vision expresses itself in his work as a pastor and as a painter. Bright splashes cover the canvases Matti has addressed with his brush.

His art dances. Figures, forms and faces swing and sway because of what moves in this artist.

“I’m full of colors and images,” Matti said.

“They persecute me daily until I get them out.

I’m looking for the picture behind the pictures. Eternity is very real, but often covered by a lot of man-made dirt. I want my pictures to speak about eternity.”

His life speaks for eternity as well.

Today, Matti paints the impressions made on his heart by Istanbul, Turkey, the place this Finn has called home since 2006. On the surface, this ancient Islamic city appears, like most of the world’s metropolises, too busy and too hard for the planting of a vibrant church.

Yet, this pastor/painter senses the brooding of the Spirit over the floods of people that course through the streets there.

This pastor hears the dawn prayer calls that reverberate from the minarets and mosques and they awaken in him a sense of God’s desire toward these people. He compares these shrill supplications to the cries of Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis 21. God, Pastor Matti said, heard and answered that mother and son who had been driven from Abraham’s home. The Islamic world needs Christian investment, he said.

“Can God start a church in Egypt, SaudiArabia, Pakistan? Can he speak to the darkness and say, ‘Let there be light’? Matti said.

“If we would dare to go and see, we would be surprised to find out how capable a churchplanter God is.”

Istanbul (population 13 million), the second largest city in the world, is what it is because of its strategic situation on the Bosporus Strait, which helps link the Black Sea with the Mediterranean basin. In A.D. 330, Constantine the Great relocated the seat of Roman government from Italy to this spot. The emperor put his name on the place, calling it Constantinople, and instituted a rebuilding program to make it as monumental as Rome.

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In 1453, the Ottoman Turks captured and began a nearly 400-year reign highlighted by the rule of Suleiman the Magnificent, whose artistic and architectural achievements that made Istanbul a major cultural, political, and commercial center. Following World War I, the Turkish War of Independence led to establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, with Istanbul being one of the new nation’s principle cities.

The mission and purpose of Jesus Christ stirs Pastor Matti. The colors he sees are complemented by the voices he hears. Those voices speak to him as they did to the apostle Paul.

Paul traversed the roadways and seaways of the Roman Empire with the Gospel of God’s grace.

The words Paul spoke and the letters he wrote breathed upon dead men and women and made them alive unto God. Churches took root in cities throughout Asia Minor, now known as Turkey. Early Christians soaked this region with their prayers, their tears and their blood.

These details of church history fuel the mission of Team Turkey. Pastor Matti and the team members carry an understanding of God’s continuous work in this region. They are determined to communicate His heart in the midst of the religious and political confusion that rules the atmosphere.

“Together, we have chosen to love the Turkish people unconditionally,” Matti said. “I don’t think God has an alternative for that. Unconditional love removes even the greatest obstacles and disarms people. Unconditional love is contagious. It cannot be stopped by man.”

The voices and faces that color Matti Sirvio’s moments and memories are of various hues. He has lived at least a year in Hungary, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. In every one of those places, there are now functioning churches served by native pastors.

Such success represents the blessing of God on a commitment from Pastor Matti and his teams to build bridges in places where missionary work is considered unacceptable and morally wrong. Sometimes, he said, mission work and evangelism becomes so sophisticated that ordinary believers feel they never can do it right.

Being in Turkey is a daily decision for Pastor Matti and the Istanbul team.

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Pastor Matti Sirvio, second from the left, and friends at the Izmir Art Biennale

“eternity is very real, but often covered by a lot of man-made dirt. i want my pictures to speak about eternity.”

“It’s a faith decision, based on those things that the eye cannot see,” Pastor Matti said.

“There are so many reasons not to be here.

There are so many cultural, political and humanistic reasons not to disturb the deep spiritual sleep of this giant nation.

“It’s the supernatural life that keeps us going. Seeing the invisible and hearing the voice of God cannot be explained in human terms.”

Among multitudes in Istanbul, two groups of people have particularly touched Pastor Matti – the fishermen and the trash-pickers.

At all hours, the bridges and piers are filled with groups of jolly Turks, laboring for a catch.

These people have created a whole culture around this activity. They have chosen to have a good time while performing a difficult task.

Just like the Turkish team, he said. “Despite the potential dangers and frustrations we experience, waiting for our fish to bite in Turkey, we have chosen to enjoy this call.”

The trash-pickers of Istanbul also appear to happy lot. In a newspaper story one of them explained his thoughts: “Every garbage can contains a new dream.

“You go to a garbage bin. You dip your hand inside, and you start dreaming about what you might find. Perhaps it will be something valuable. And if you don’t find it in this bin, you go to the next. In this manner, you can walk for seven or eight hours daily.”

Matti Sirvio finds something very redemptive in this philosophy.

“When I look at a big heap of trash I easily can see my own life in it,” he said. ”That’s where I’m from and that’s where I would be, if God didn’t give me grace. It’s so comforting to know that I’ll never be dumped again. God doesn’t throw away things that are broken. He doesn’t reject people who have failed.

We are his treasure, found in the garbage.” GG

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AROUND THE WORLD In Africa, with almost a billion people, amidst poverty, revolutions, wars, epidemics, illiteracy, the light of the glorious Gospel of Grace is shining with GGWO. Africa missions started in West Africa in 1986 with a team sent to Ghana, led by Pastor Steven Scibelli. In Togo, Pastor Luigi Palmieri pioneered the work which has expanded to the French speaking West Africa – to Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Niger, and to Benin when, in 2009, Pastor Luigi returned back to Africa with a team.

In 1996 the ministry expanded to East Africa with a team to Uganda. Then, in 2002, church planting started in Southern Africa. Today, 191 Greater Grace churches in 19 African countries have 300 pastors, with 15,000 adults and 3,000 children attending, 1,200 students in forty Bible colleges, and some 100-150 orphans supported by Children of Grace organization.

Six regional African conferences with a total of 6,000 people gather together to celebrate the Word and what the Lord has done. French West Africa meets in August in Togo. In April the Southern Central African countries gather in Lusaka, Zambia. East Africa conference in April 2011 celebrated 15 years of God’s faithfulness in Uganda. Over 50 pastors along with Body members from 16 churches attended. For the 2012 West Africa Conference in Ashaiman, Ghana, the plan is to have both Pastor Scibelli and Pastor Schaller there.

Mission trips from Burkina Faso with Pastor Bamouni target Senegal and Mali. A team is preparing to move there. The church in Monrovia, Liberia, has their neighboring country Sierra Leone as a mission target. ····· The distress and devastation of civil war in Ivory Coast has drawn people to flock to churches. Pastor Emil Konan from Abidjan continues courageously to minister and oversee over twenty GG churches in his country. ····· Summer 2010 Pastor Chuck Heidenreich and family returned to Baltimore from Takoradi, Ghana, handing the ministry over to Pastor Henry Nkrumah. Pastor Manny and Molly Harrison returned to Baltimore in February 2011 handing over the ministry in South Africa to a local leader, Pastor Jabu Zwane. He oversees the church in Pretoria and Nellmapius. ····· Jukka and Helena Patrikainen from Finland moved to Nairobi, Kenya, in January 2011 with a vision to plant a church and see God raise up local disciples. Pastor Alfred Otua from Uganda has joined the team.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, the 3rd largest country in Africa, is targeted from three directions – from Uganda to Goma and Mahagi in the north, and with Pastor Victor and a team from Zambia to Lubumbashi in the south. ····· Zambia team life in Lusaka is family life with the young children of the Arman, Brown and Tanguay families. Pastor Adam and Melinda

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Speedy minister in Kitwe, the Copperbelt region in the north of Zambia. They saw church attendance double in a year. The 5th church in Lusaka opened in the spring of 2011. 25 local leaders have been raised up. Bible school has had the 3rd group of 4-year graduates. Teams go on mission trips with a vision to plant churches in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe; Botswana; and Malawi.

Morocco in Northern Africa is a prayer vision for 2011. latin america / From the first missionary effort to Latin America in 1974, the work has grown to 38 Greater Grace churches in ten Latin American countries with a vision to reach out to all of Latin America.

A team is planning to move to Costa Rica in the fall of 2011. Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia are prayer targets.

In the spring of 2011 Pastor Bill and Cheryl Cannon moved from Baltimore to St Marc, Haiti. In April, they started Bible college classes in their house with 20 students attending. ····· In Lima, Peru, at the Latin American Conference in May 2011, 13 men from Peru, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and Guyana received Associate Pastor Ordinations and Licenses to Preach. God is raising up men who have the heart of God to preach the Gospel throughout the continent.

One of them is Sam Persuad, who has been pastoring a GG church in his home in Guyana for ten years. The church in Guyana just loves the finished work message.

Pastor Jonathan Stambovsky, Tim DeLouis and Jonathan Hettrick, all missionaries to Peru, planted a church in the town of Mazamari in the central jungle area during the months of March and April of 2011.

Every week the men spent four nights preaching the Word, two nights on the radio, along with sketchboard evangelism and street preaching.

Several schools opened their doors for them to preach the Gospel to the students.

For Easter 2011 the church in Lima presented “Heaven’s Gates and Hell’s Flames”, with well over 50 people coming to Jesus by faith. A high-quality DVD of the play was produced for purchase and shown to many neighbors as part of their “Win those around you” initiative.

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2 “La Hora de Gracia” Radio program is broadcast on Sunday afternoons from Lima. In Junin, Oxapamapa, the local TV channel shows Pastor Schaller’s Biblical Psychology class on Sunday evenings.

In July and August the Lima church, with hearts constrained by God’s love, goes on mission trips to the mountains, coast and jungles of Peru, taking their sketchboards, tracts, bracelets and His Words of Life with them.

In October a team, with Pastor Stan Collins from Peru, visits Brazil, where the ministry is expanding from Belo Horizonte to Rio de Janeiro by the weekly trips of Pastor Cliff Vincent. From Brazil the team flies south to Argentina for a conference with Pastor Lemos and the Grand Bourg church. Then, to Rosario for a couple of days to be with the believers there, before getting on the bus headed for Chile to visit the two churches there with Pastor Christian Diaz in Rancagua and Rolando Moya in Santiago. ····· Twice a month Pastor Mike Stevens, along with a team from the church in Guayaquil, Ecuador, takes a journey of seven hours by bus to the mountain town of Baños to bring the good news of salvation and to disciple and show love to the new believers in Christ.

Pastor Juan Franco heads up the chaplain department at a local hospital in Quito, Ecuador. The church is active in the hospital ministry visiting patients, praying and presenting the Gospel to them and their families. ····· In Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, Pastor Julian Matthews and family, along with Pastor Rick Knight and his family are blessed with the response to the Gospel in the loving, caring culture. They have also an active and fruitful college campus ministry at a university in Mayaguez. Some future plans include radio, Bible school classes, and outreaches to other towns, including San Juan, the capital. ····· The Mexico team has established two satellite churches - one in Topilejo under the leadership of Martin and Paty Barron, who also run the rehab house there. The other is in Toluca, a city of over a million west of Mexico City, where Victor and Tony Zepeda are doing a great job. Pastor Bruce Moon says that one of the team’s newest outreaches is the Healing Rooms ministry - an outreach to pray for the sick, with a trained team of about 15. New believers are coming to the Lord, and new disciples are being made. We are consistently, tearfully, and in brokenness praying for Revival, a last big one before the Lord comes back.

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1. Uganda, Nansana / Children of Grace orphans 2. Ashaiman, Ghana / The West African Conference 3. Guayaquil, Ecuador / Bible club 4. Arequipa, Peru / Over 600 police officers heard the Gospel. Hundreds of them are no longer lost.

asia / Pastor Mark reports from Borneo: “Bible Institute was commenced in January 2011 with Biblical Foundations Class. There are many opportunities to share the Gospel among Muslims, Buddhists, tribal groups, Chinese, and Malay people. Many receive Christ readily.” ····· In the Philippines Pastor Clyde ministers in Manila and Magnus Gustafsson in Baguio. Pastor Drew Wilezcek from Tennessee travels regularly to the Philippines to edify the churches. He has distributed Bible college classes to the churches on the islands of Mindanao, Siquijor, as well as in Manila and Dumaguete City. ····· GG in Seoul, South Korea, testifies of the transforming power of God’s love and the finished work grace message – from quilt complexes to liberty. In the trials of life the Word has become a living reality stabilizing disturbed minds and emotions. ····· In January 2011 the Bangkok church in Thailand sent out Pastor Ryan and Jar to church plant in Mahachai. Noom was sent to Pob Phra.

Outreaches outside of Bangkok are in Nonthaburi, Saraburi, Chiang Khong, Maesai, and Mae Sodt, a border town to Muyanmar. There is a group of men in Tachelik, Myanmar, taking extension Bible school classes from Bangkok. ····· The work is growing rapidly in Guangzhou, China, with over 200 people coming to the Grace Fellowship with Pastor Joseph. Many new believers have been baptized. There is an increase of God in the churches in other parts of China, too. ····· 120 students are taking MBC&S Extension Bible college classes in three local churches in Lahore and Islamabad, Pakistan. ····· In May 2011, the annual South Asia conference in Mumbai celebrated 25 years of GG in India. Conference attendees came from across the land, also 11 pastors from the state of Gujarat.

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The Ambassador High School in Mumbai, founded in 2005, has 2,000 children. There are over 50 GG churches in India. They reach out to the prestigious, as well as to orphans, prisoners, people in slums and villages. The vision is to see over a 100 churches established in the unreached areas of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. ····· Pastor Rajan in Kathmandu, Nepal, as a response to his Gospel radio program, has received over 1,000 letters, requesting Bible correspondence course material. Leaders from 17 churches come for training at the Kathmandu Bible College. The vision is to plant churches in all the 75 districts of the country.

Twelve abandoned children living on the streets are now cared for at Hope Family, an orphanage started by Kathmandu church in the fall of 2010.

Pastor Narj leads a growing church and Bible college in Pokhara, Nepal. They translate MBC&S classes with a goal to send them to the village churches. Easter outreach to one of the neighborhood villages drew 200 people to hear the Gospel message. ····· In the early 90’s, after the collapse of Soviet Union, there was a great open door to Central Asian countries. Greater Grace missionaries impacted the region, planting churches in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. National leaders have been raised up, Bible college graduates have gone out on a mission to other countries. Believers continue in faith fervently with wisdom reaching out to more villages and towns regardless of the persecution in these traditionally Muslim countries. Churches gather together in August at lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan, and in October for the Central Asian conference in Chimkent, Kazakhstan. In Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, the foundation of the church building has been laid; Pastor Emil is asking for prayer for the construction process to be successfully completed. ····· The Baku church has named the year 2011 as a year of “having our hearts enlarged” as they celebrate 20 years of ministry in Azerbaijan.

Graduates from Bible college are ministering in Central Asia, Europe, and Canada. Countryside teams have established a church in Ismailly and Barda. The latest target area is Agjabedi. Concerts by “Dan Ulduzu” music group together with preaching is an effective tool in reaching the lost. Regular mission trips target cities in neighboring countries of Georgia, Russia and Iran. ·····

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2 1. Tyumen, Siberia, Russia / Puppet outreach 2. Helsinki, Finland / Welcome to International Youth Event, July 2011

Team Turkey in Istanbul reaches out to the Middle-East. They urge us to pray for a new wave of missions to the Arab world. ····· Ben and Rimona in Jerusalem ask for prayer for Israel against the rise of anti-Semitism, the attacks against borders, and the isolation of Jews by the nations of the world. It is important for the churches to reinforce their stand for Israel.

EUROPE / Since the first missionary team to Finland in 1975 the work has expanded to 22 countries with 69 Greater Grace churches in the continent of Europe. ····· In May 2010 Helsinki church had a grand opening of their own church facility after having had meetings in rented places for 35 years.

Media Mission Event is taking place in September and October 2011 in the greater Helsinki area. The goal is to reach every person with the Gospel via media with billboards, ads on public transportation, and other printed material. People showing interest will be directed to local churches. Our church is one of over 60 evangelical churches involved in the mission.

The Jyvaskyla church has had an increase in the Bible college and church attendance. They have a regular outreach in Mikkeli, and a new Bible study in Saynatsalo. A great event is the annual fall conference with Pastor Morrison.

Kuopio church celebrated its 30th year anniversary in June, 2011.

Great is His faithfulness.

Many immigrants and international students, especially Africans and Chinese, are finding their church home in the eight Greater Grace churches in Finland. Helsinki church has a special outreach to the Russian speaking population.

The churches in Stockholm and Malmo, Sweden, experience the blessing of Body life with people from all corners of the earth. They also do joint outreaches to the neighboring country Denmark. ····· Pastor Vladislav Gromov left Moscow for a new mission field, to pioneer in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. He handed the Moscow church over to a capable disciple, Pastor Vladimir Teplov. ·····

WORLD

GG church in Tyumen, Siberia, led by Pastor Pavel Gaylans, is well established and growing. The Bible Institute raises grace disciples. Mime and puppet theater teams minister in orphanages and public parks.

Yekaterinburg is a target city for church planting.

“We are rejoicing over the completion of the construction of our own church building.” By Pastor Mihail Loginov, Tsimlyansk, southern Russia. ····· The St. Petersburg church hosts the annual Russian summer conference expecting a great gathering of people from all the seven churches in Russia and neighboring countries. ····· Year 2011 is the 20th anniversary of Greater Grace in Ukraine - rejoicing in God’s faithfulness having seen seven assemblies planted, and a new thrust into Kyiv, the capital. GG in Ukraine is looking forward to the next 50 years with a vision for orphanages, Christian schools and a mission ship on the Black Sea. ····· A new church was planted in the city of Konskie, Poland, by the Warsaw church. The team does “Street Church” for the homeless and drug addicts in Warsaw along with a rehab home. Correspondence Bible school classes go out throughout Poland and to Poles abroad. Teen ministry in English is drawing the international youth.

Churches in Wroclaw and Gdansk have Royal Rangers ministry for the youth. The Gdansk church holds a special Bible fellowship for single mothers; a Bible Club in an orphanage; meetings for Christian businessmen; special outdoor outreaches.

The churches in Poland love to get together at their annual summer camp. ····· Since the first official church service in February 1990 in Budapest, Hungary, the ministry has grown to 11 churches and keeps growing.

More than 12 Hungarian missionaries and about five non-Hungarians have been sent out from Budapest to serve on foreign fields. A new Bible study in Erd, a small town just outside of Budapest, started in January 2011. Ministry to the Chinese churches continues; what an incredible opportunity to preach to Chinese people freely and openly in Europe.

GGIS students are coming out to the new youth group and student Sundays at the English speaking church on the Buda side of the city. ····· Pastor Petr Tyll from Prague, Czech Republic, reports: “Our annual summer conference has become the peak of our year. Our vision is to see the gospel of grace to be fully spread and established in our country.

One of the target outreach cities is Liberec in the north.” ····· From Andy Valaitis, Greater Grace in Klaipeda, Lithuania, this news: “We continue preaching grace and the finished work, and loving people one at a time. We are small, but faithful and personal. There isn’t anyone in the church whose name we don’t know!” ····· The vibrant Brasov church in Romania follows the vision of Christ. Disciples are made, missionaries have gone to the Far East, Peru and Ecuador in Latin America, Benin in Africa, and Italy in Europe. Church-

planting teams go to Bucharest and Oradea. A new church is being planted in Transylvania, in Sfantu Gheorghe, by Kornel and Ani from Hungary. The International Christian School in Brasov directed by Micah Stambovsky has witnessed lives transformed by Christ. The Obreja family sent from Brasov to Italy is looking to relocate to Palermo in Sicily; they appreciate prayer for disciples. ····· From Pastor Mark Knowles in Moldova: “Little by little we see God building His church here in Chisinau, Moldova. The month of March always brings with it one of the biggest highlights of the year, the European Convention in Budapest. This year we took nine full-blooded Moldovans and one American from our church and we had the time of our lives! What a joy it is to see people start to realize more that they are a part of something far bigger and wider in scope than they originally believed, the Body of Christ.” ····· Pastor Dennis Hulett is ministering in Tirana, Albania, and in a recent church plant in Spille. The First Mediterranean Conference in Spille is scheduled for August 24 -27. ····· The Grace message changes lives in Germany. In October 2010, Pastor Gary Groenewold returned from Berlin to Baltimore and passed the ministry over to Stephan Stein. Churches in Berlin, Heidelberg and Kitzingen are steadfast and abounding in the work of the Lord. ····· GG in Geneva, Switzerland, is a shining light. There is outreach in Lausanne with a vision to plant a church there. Pastor Adanledji travels monthly from Paris to Lyon, the third largest city in France, for church planting. Geneva, Nimes and Montpellier churches have a two week summer camp in Southern France. ····· The Bible college in Paris with its extension schools has 160 students.

Over 250 booklets by Pastor Stevens are translated into French. ····· The annual UK fall conference gathers believers from the London and Chester churches, Ireland and other European countries. Recently a Romanian church in North London with Pastor Raul and Cristina Pescaru affiliated with Greater Grace. Pastor Jon and Margetta Boyce assist them. Pastor Tony and Joyce Morley minister in the southeast London.

They use a variety of evangelistic tools to reach the multicultural, multinational population including the Gospel beads, Creation DVDs, and a transportable outdoor bookshop offering free tracts, booklets, Gospels, and message CDs in different languages to passers-by.

North America / From Pastor James Dadidis in Montreal, Canada, there is this report: “There is rich diversity in our growing, multinational church. Spring 2011 we completed our first two full Bible college semesters. In July 2011, we’ll have a youth week with Pastor Scott from Malta, NY, thus launching our youth ministry. Our annual fall conference with Pastor Love is a much awaited celebration.”

As of June 2011, there are over 500 Greater Grace churches in 66 countries.

More information on the web: ggwo.org/missions

greater grace annual 2011 /

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2011 2012 EVENTS CALENDAR

Conferences and seminars are one way Greater Grace people stay connected to each other and to the Home church in Baltimore. Greater Grace Baltimore has named certain conferences as "International" and others as "regional".

These conferences are scattered among the 5 continents so that all of our churches worldwide have the opportunity to be with a Baltimore leader and other local churches to experience, in a limited way, the big Greater Grace picture. Though there are many local conferences and seminars held throughout the world by Greater Grace churches, this list is limited to those conferences to which Greater Grace Baltimore is committed to provide a Baltimore pastor as the conference speaker. More conferences and seminars can be found at ggwo.org/missions or on the many local church websites.

U.S. REGIONAL CONFERENCES The times and dates of these U.S. Regional Conferences are to be announced. Stay tuned.

Cincinnati, OH – Pastor Bob Schwartz Indiana – Pastor Bruce Johnson Utica, NY – June – Pastor Kevin Lewis St Pete, FL – Pastor Moses Baldwn West Palm, FL – Pastor Dan Foster Marlboro, MA – June and October – Pastor Jim Morrison Springfield, MA – Pastor Don Benoit Enfield, CT – Pastor Paul Paradis Montreal, QUEBEC – Pastor James Dadidas

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AUGUST

JANUARY

01-07 10-12 North East Asian Regional Conference MBC&S Spring Registration Seoul, Korea

14-20 Camp Life Youth Conference 23, 25 MBC&S Fall Registration

OCTOBER 01-07 Central Asia Regional Conference Series Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan

28-29 New England Regional Conference Marlboro, MA

NOVEMBER 17-26 Holy Land Tour Israel

DECEMBER 02-04 UK Regional Conference London, England

29-31 Fitly Framed Conference Baltimore, MD

13-15 West Africa Regional Conference Ashaiman, Ghana

FEBRUARY 10-12 Marriage Getaway York, PA

MARCH 06-10 Eurocon International Conference Budapest, Hungary

MAY 06-18 India/Nepal Regional Conference Series Bangalore, India and Katmandu, Nepal

17-20 Latin American Regional Conference Lima,Peru

25-26 Grace Hour Banquet & MBC&S Graduation

JUNE 25-30 GGWO International Convention Baltimore, MD

WHAT IS HAPPENING AT GGWO maryland bible college and seminary Whether your spiritual needs are to train to be a missionary or to simply get to know the Bible more, we believe MBC&S is the place for you! Our method of classroom learning combined with practical training through utilizing your gifts, is the Biblical model and will be the best possible preparation for whatever path God leads you to.

Appy to MBC&S online / www.mbcs.edu

greater grace christian academy Greater Grace Christian Academy is a church-based K through 12 private school offering a Christ-centered curriculum taught by Spirit-filled teachers in a safe, supportive, small-school environment.

Learn more about GGCA / www.ggca.org

grace hour One of Christian broadcasting’s longest running interactive talk shows. Each weekday listeners participate on the air with host Pastor John Love and others in lively discussions. Bible questions are answered and important spiritual themes are explored during the hour-long broadcast.

Listen live / www.gracehour.org

grace media events Live coverage of several conferences and special events throughout the year.

Watch and listen live / www.ggwo.org

cafe/bookstore Books Published by GGWO on sale at the Cafe/Bookstore.

Thinking With God / Daily Devotional by Pastor Carl H. Stevens The Bible Speaks from the Throne / Daily Devotional by Pastor Carl H. Stevens Field Days / A Journal of the Church Plant in Budapest by Pastor Thomas Schaller Doctrine Monthly / Monthly Booklets by Pastor Carl H. Stevens and Thomas Schaller Greater Grace Annual / The Annual Magazine of GGWO

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