ISSUE SEVEN, DECEMBER 2020
IF: “A NEW SEASON” NATIONAL, PAGE 6
A REFLECTION OF FAITH INITIATIVES
“WHAT WE BELIEVE” CLASSIFIEDS, PAGE 18
“THE PHILIPPINES” WORLD, PAGE 3
TO WHOM HONOR IS DUE
“SUGGESTED READING”
ENTERTAINMENT, PAGE 16
COVID-19 PANDEMIC & AWC Covid-19 came in like a flood for Apostolic Worship Center (AWC). Many of its members lost loved ones. AWC’s original Sunday school superintendent, Sister Ada Moye, died due to complications of COVID. Twenty of AWC’s faithful members became ill and hospitalized. Continued on page 11
MY NAME IS MIKE GRIGER I will never forget the day God’s Spirit rushed into my heart and changed my life on October 22, 2014. I lived a life of drug and alcohol abuse for about fifteen years, and for the last four years, opiates and heroin. Continued on page 13
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
A great number of lives have been touched by the ministries of Pastor Robert Kurz, whether through his calls to action from the pulpit, the wisdom of his council, or his leadership and guidance in so many other facets in ministry. With so many years of service in the kingdom of God, and so many people in diverse places affected by his ministry, we want to give honor where it is due, and it is certainly due to this great and faithful leader. To truly grasp God’s mighty work in the life and ministry of Robert Kurz, understanding the start of his spiritual journey is necessary. Robert began his walk with God in 1974, but the year prior was an
immense struggle for him. Robert was part of the ‘hippie generation.’ In 1973, and he had plans to leave Wisconsin behind and head out to the west coast. He visited his sister for a final farewell before leaving for California, and little did he know, God was on the move in his life. His sister had lived across the street from Sister Linda Maki, and she had received the Holy Ghost after Sister Maki had spent time witnessing to her. When Robert arrived to say goodbye, he heard about his sister’s profound experience and was skeptical. Unconvinced of the truths he heard from his sister, he turned away from what would be his first encounter with the gospel, and he departed to the coast.
In California, Robert fell on extremely difficult times. With health struggles like a painful ulcer and financial problems that had him starving and desperate, the outlook was bleak. However, when you’re at the end of your rope, that’s when God often steps in. Unbeknownst to Robert, God was chasing him with love and urgency that he would only come to fully understand years later. “I didn’t look like a good candidate for the kingdom,” he says, “but God had other plans.” Indeed, God had mighty plans for Robert’s life, and being the merciful God that he is, he was relentless in his pursuit. Continued on page 8
As we look forward to another year that God has given to us and prepare for what is sure to come, I cannot help but believe that there are some things that each of us must be anticipating. Namely, no COVID, no restrictions on our lifestyles, and yes, our children back in school physically-not virtually! That our worship gatherings might flourish as a result of renewed liberties, and that we might celebrate these gatherings blessed with a shout unfettered by a face covering or separated by six feet of social distance. Continued on page 19
PRIMROSE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY All it takes is one person to be willing to share the Gospel. The Bible speaks many times about God using small things to fulfill His great purpose. The LORD only needed one man to leave his country in faith to start a nation. He only needed the faith of one queen, willing to risk her own life to save that nation from genocide. Continued on page 12
A NEW SEASON
WE ARE APOSTOLIC
March 22, 2020, our first “pandemic” revival, our first “pandemic” cancellation. As full-time itinerant ministers, we derive our income from “the road.” We travel each week to a different church to minister as the Lord would direct and lead us, but on March 22, 2020, that way of life was suddenly in question.
It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to address Parkway APOSTOLIC Church. You are a congregation with a reputation for excellent leadership and exceptional dedication to impacting your world with end-time Apostolic revival. Your visionary pastor and his team are second to none. I am continually impressed by Pastor Peters’ anointed leadership, cutting-edge ideas, and love for the kingdom of God. I’m sure you are keenly aware that God blessed your church when He gave you Tim Peters and his family.
Continued on page 6
Parkway APOSTOLIC Church is the name of your assembly. Apostolic is more than a name or title. Apostolic is a faith. Apostolic is a way of life. To be genuinely Apostolic is a beyond-the-ordinary commitment; it is an unwavering dedication to the Apostles Doctrine’s promulgation and principles of Apostolic ministry. Continued on page 6
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LOCKED DOWN SOULS FIND SALVATION written by Yvette M. Phelps
In March 2020, the news that Covid-19 had made its way to Nigeria hit the papers and news outlets! The country did not know what to believe. Government intervention came down hard, and people could not go to work, vendors could not hawk their trinkets or housewares, the poor whom live hand to mouth began to starve, and the streets were deserted. Anyone caught walking on the streets risked being beaten or arrested. Lockdown caused an effect that traumatized many parts of this nation. It is believed that more have died from starvation than those who have died from the pandemic. Americans became a bad name, and missionary families could not show their faces on Lagos’ streets for several weeks. Violence and murder had escalated on several occasions, just several blocks from the missionary home. With no place to go, borders closed, and the international airport shut down, trust in God for His ultimate protection and guidance was all that could be relied on. But God! God has been working in the midst of the chaos and what the enemy meant for evil; God has turned for good! Many testimonies have emerged through the heartbreaking news of the chaos that the world has been in. This has encouraged many that God is still on the throne, and souls are being pulled from the enemy’s clutches! We want to share with you a few testimonies of the wondrous works of God that occurred during the lockdown! Ogun: News came in April about a man named Abraham. He is a pastor who has believed in Jesus’ name baptism for some time. He tried to preach the truth of Jesus’ name baptism in one of the churches where he helped as a pastor. The church threw him out, but that didn’t stop him from reaching souls with the truth! Since then, he has baptized more than 70 souls. He is passing out tracts and boldly reaching the lost. JC Magallanes, during his AIM tour in Lagos, had the opportunity to baptize 15 in the church Abraham is now pastoring. Lagos: In another location, Reny, an instructor to MTC in Lagos, reached out to a small group giving them a Bible study on baptism in Jesus’ name. Five of the group were baptized in a small canal near the road, and the people received the gift of the Holy Ghost. In our local church plant, 13 have been baptized, and ten filled with the Holy Ghost. Kaduna: In this area where there are clashes between Christians and Muslims that are increasingly getting worse, God is moving despite the Christians’ persecution. Twenty-five souls were baptized in His wonderful name, and 20 received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Ekiti: A pastor and a GATS Bible school graduate, baptized ten souls, and 23 people have been filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost. Schools across the nation have been shut down for many months now, which has prompted a new online distance learning program for Nigeria. We hope to continue this program to open the Bible school to those who cannot attend a physical location. The Bible school in Enugu has been able to continue classes and is doing well. As the churches were shut down most everywhere, believers began moving from house to house doing Search for Truth Bible studies and fellowshipping with each other keeping the saints fed. Online preaching and teachings went forth to encourage the body of believers. All was done that could be done to help the church. First United Pentecostal Church of Nigeria is continuing to move forward in the midst of the pandemic. Across six of the 36 states of Nigeria, 150 were baptized, and 72 received the Holy Ghost! Souls are being born as the scriptures tell it in the book of Acts! Overall, in a year, 5081 were baptized, and 4704 received the Holy Ghost. May God continue to bless the nation of Nigeria with the revival of born-again believers. We give God all the glory! “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” 1 Peter 1:3 ESV.
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THE PHILIPPINES
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written by Missionary Jeff Mallory
2020
GLOBAL MISSIONS FOOTPRINT
Brenda and I, along with three staff members, loaded our mission van and began back in America. We’re missionary evangelists, so while on the field, we have a a most excellent adventure this February. The ambitious spiritual dream we’d had missionary budget to operate from. However, when in the United States, those for decades was finally happening! funds aren’t available to us. When in America, we travel as missionary evangelists preaching. That’s how we live, and we love it. Since March, we haven’t preached The Philippines is an archipelago nation of over 7,000 islands; most are logistically in a church because the doctors say my immune system is “not normal.” After challenging to visit. These were all islands years of chemo and a bone marrow said to have never hosted a missionary, transplant, they consider me a higher and many unmet needs awaited us risk for this virus. there. We planned to cook on the beach, sleep wherever, and roll with the God didn’t let us down! Miracles began everchanging ferry boat schedules. We immediately. A friend offered their were welcoming the unscripted nature unoccupied house just before we of this trip. We set out for at least two boarded the plane, and being only four months traveling by motorcycle, small hours away from our family in Phoenix, boats with outriggers (called Banca we gratefully accepted. Thanking God boats), and whatever else. for a safe hideaway “until the indignation be overpassed,” we had no idea how to For one month, it exceeded our wildest sustain ourselves. expectations. Blissfully we’d left the world behind, with all its troubles. Living We were to learn that ravens flock in a and working simply with these gracious place called Oak Creek. God sent them island people was a time of soul detox. our way just in time. A message came However, even on remote Pacific from Pastor Peters of Parkway not islands, the world’s problems can reach long after arriving, asking how we were you. doing. We were hesitant to respond, so he got a little stern. Reluctantly we told We arrived in a bigger city looking him our situation, and he said, “Parkway forward to a hot shower, doing some loves you guys, and we’re going to help laundry, and eating in a real restaurant, you during this time.” but the moment was not to be. As we checked into the hotel, we heard Manila We’ve been shut away since March, was shutting down to all incoming or but it’s comforting to know we’re not outgoing travel in three days. With great forgotten. He checks in with us often, sorrow, we ended the trip and made it and we’re eternally grateful. We can’t back just as the city shut down. We were repay your kindness, but we can determined to outlast the lockdowns promise to pick up where we left off, and get back to our missionary work, doing the work of the Lord. but after ten days, each day being Parkway is a church with great vision, worse than the one before, we finally but also great reach. Your compassion surrendered and boarded the last Delta and generosity keeps dreams alive and flight out of the country. the gospel dynamic in the world. Isn’t it amazing to think that the most remote We’ve often wondered since if we should have just stayed and ridden it out in islands of the world are being reached with the gospel because of you? some simple coastal barrio church. To watch videos of our missions work, look for us on Facebook by searching “Jeff One reason we waited so long as we had no idea where and how we would live and Brenda Mallory Missions.”
SOULS REACHED
4,474,121
RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT
163,120
WATER BAPTISMS
164,029 30,626
NATIONAL MINISTERS CHURCHES & PREACHING POINTS
37,557 232 553 11,367
COUNTRIES & TERRITORIES IMPACTED BIBLE SCHOOLS BIBLE SCHOOL STUDENTS
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THE UPCI AND THE PANDEMIC written by David K. Bernard, General Superintendent, United Pentecostal Church International The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly affected the church worldwide, yet the church continues to grow and experience revival. In mid-March, the UPCI curtailed executives and missionaries’ travel and postponed conferences or conducted them online. World Headquarters was closed for almost two months except for essential workers, with most employees working from home temporarily. In the summer, we were able to reopen headquarters and schedule some business meetings with social distancing, but we canceled most mass meetings and overseas travel. I had to postpone four overseas mission trips. For September, the General Board voted to conduct our General Conference seminars and services online. In the US and Canada, ten of our ministers and three spouses have died of Covid-19, but we have many testimonies of healing and miraculous deliverance. Overseas, we are aware of ministers who have passed away in
renewed, 94 were healed, and 140 were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Despite the economic crisis, most of our churches in the US and Canada report good financial support. Because of faithful giving by our constituents and good stewardship by our divisions, we have sent special offerings to all North American missionaries, to all enrolled evangelists, and to many churches in other countries that are in crisis, including 1,100 churches in Venezuela. We have advanced funds as needed for our metro and global missionaries. Many districts and local churches have also given special offerings to evangelists and missionaries. We offered to help any minister in need due to Covid-19, but of 10,725 credentialed ministers in the US and Canada, only twelve requested assistance with their ministerial dues. Our Loan Fund has offered a special plan for churches in need, but only a few have requested it. Some of our national offerings have decreased, but we have maintained our budget through special funding and expense reduction. Our
Italy, Spain, and Ecuador. Our Center for Apostolic Counseling has offered online resources to both ministers and saints during this difficult time. In April, our churches throughout Latin America had to cancel their annual conferences. However, some of our ministers produced an online Spanish rally with over 100,000 views and contacts. As a result, 873 people received the Holy Ghost, 347 were renewed in the Spirit, 156 were healed, and 122 requested water baptism. For Pentecost Sunday weekend in May 2020, I asked the Strategic Growth Committee to produce English and Spanish online services. We again had about 100,000 views, 2,294 people received the Holy Ghost, 163 were
literature sale has decreased significantly because of the cancellation of district events and local Sunday schools, but we have seen a good increase in online sales. Along with the limitations on church activities, this crisis has emphasized the importance of prayer, personal connections, ministry in homes and small groups, online evangelism, a united fellowship, and social and political participation to protect our freedoms. We see the value of organization, as the UPCI has supported our missionaries, evangelists, and overseas churches. Our divisions, ministries, and general administration remain financially strong. We give thanks to God for His miraculous supply and to God’s people for their faithfulness.
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PROVISION IN A PANDEMIC written by Evangelist Jonathan Elms
Our family evangelizes full-time, traveling in our SUV that pulls our little cargo trailer. There are five of us, my wife and I, our three daughters, and Chanel, our other furry-child. It has been a miraculous journey from the beginning! However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, everything changed for everyone, including us. We preached the weekend of March 15 in Louisiana, and on that Monday, March 16, we left for Tennessee. My wife’s family lives there, and we planned to take a couple of days to visit on our way to preach in North Carolina and Georgia. Our schedule was full for the foreseeable future, and then the pandemic hit. All of the stay-at-home orders went into effect, and the world began to shut down that week, so did our schedule! Everything in our life took a pause in Jackson, Tennessee, for almost three months. Pastors began canceling meetings and services one by one. When your family’s livelihood depends on scheduled services and revivals, this is your worst fear! A flood of uncertainty and negative emotions came over us.
Many times, when God answers prayer, He performs a greater miracle than what is needed to remind us how great and awesome He is! After the first wave of the pandemic settled down, churches began to reopen slowly. A pastor called me to come to preach one weekend. That one weekend turned into an elevenweek revival in which we witnessed people receiving the Holy Ghost and being baptized for the first time, backsliders returning unannounced, people being delivered from addictions in prayer meetings, and miraculous healings! Our family even contracted COVID-19 after the eighth, but God provided and healed us. In addition, God helped us pay off a debt we had been working to pay off for some time. All of this in the middle of a pandemic. You can’t make this stuff up! Be encouraged! God is a great and awesome God! He is in full control. Place your raw faith and total trust in Him, and He will do miracles for you!
Being our family’s provider, I was facing the very real possibility of needing to find work. On the heels of that thought came the dismal knowledge that nobody was hiring new employees. The droves were laying them off, and businesses were closing to “slow the spread.” How was I going to take care of my family if I couldn’t work? We felt like Israel was trapped by the Red Sea with our enemy, COVID-19, on our heels. I felt trapped and unable to fix this life-changing problem! There were more questions than answers. I called an elder minister who has a very strong voice in my life, and he spoke faith into my spirit. He said, “Jonathan, you may come out smelling like a rose before this thing is over!” Brenda and I did what we knew to do. We renewed our faith and total trust in God, and we prayed! We thanked God in advance for making a way when there seemed to be no way. It wasn’t long before, one after another, pastors and friends began to call us, send texts, and message us through social media. We’ve never experienced anything like what happened next. Each of them asked how we were doing and then said they felt impressed to send us an offering. God was making a highway through the middle of an ocean!
THE LIFE CHURCH OF KANSAS CITY written by Pastor Stan Gleason
The Life Church of Kansas City exited its campus on March 15, 2020, and did not return until May 17, 2020. The Lord had spoken to our associate pastor on the morning of March 22, and clearly said we would be returning to our campus in sixty days. Despite this sure Word from the Lord, we were somewhat tenuous about what the Church would look like during the interim. God had also given us a Word regarding our increased usage of technology (two years prior), but we did not connect the dots until Covid-19 hit. We did not have a Livestream presence until March 22, but God helped us to get up to speed quickly by making improvements weekly. Since presenting online services, we have been blessed to be viewed by over 100 nations and multiplied thousands of views within our city and nation. On March 22, I preached my first message to an empty sanctuary entitled: “The Church Has Left the Building.” I was excited to think that we were back to the first century model of having no dedicated worship location. Along with everyone else, we became versed in ZOOM quickly. Our Christian Ed classes, student ministry, and small adult groups initiated virtual small groups, as well as our discipleship groups. I learned that I could preach to an empty sanctuary with as
much anointing and passion as if it was full. Since March 22, we have baptized 28 with 11 filled with the Holy Spirit, we have enrolled 40 new members into small groups. It has been a challenge to regather our
entire congregation since March 15, and like most congregations, we have recovered approximately 75% of our pre-COVID attendance. Since we have regathered, we have offered two Sunday morning services. Things are a little different: We are not passing offering plates or having altar
calls. We are coming to Church close to starting time and leaving soon after dismissal. Our services are more streamlined (the choir is not singing and fewer promotions), and we are masking in, masking out, and de-masking while in a socially distanced seat in the sanctuary. All of this is new, but God is still moving. We are getting better at altar-calling in place. We are enjoying a sustained move of the Spirit after the messages, and God is strengthening the people. If the pandemic was not enough of a challenge, our nation was hit with social injustice issues and upheaval in our streets. As a result, we have conversations in our congregation and community with people who do not look like us. We have seen the difference that onsite prayer as meant in our inner-city, replacing unrest with peace. The Church has the only answer for social injustice, and that answer is Jesus Christ. He’s the One Who taught us that our Neighbor is someone not like us (Luke 10). Satan thought he would destroy the culture and the Church with these two attacks, but he will fail on both attempts. God has a plan, and it is unfolding right now for His Glory!
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A NEW SEASON written by Evangelist Tim Greene Continued from page 1 By this, I know that thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. And as for me, thou upholds me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen (Psalm 41:11-13 KJV). How would we continue to travel if no one was allowed to have a church? And the struggle with the enemy began. The weight of financial provision or lack thereof was heavy. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have had 42 canceled services and 20 that have already been canceled looking forward, including every overseas mission trip we had planned this year. We have rescheduled 17 services and will reschedule seven that are coming up. Our schedule that had been set for over a year became a jumbled mess of puzzle pieces that seemed to have no rhyme or reason. On one occasion, we changed our flight planned the day and went in an entirely different direction than scheduled. March 27, 2020 (five days after our first cancellation), we held our first online meeting, not on our schedule, but perfectly in God’s timing. Provisions began to flow, from online meetings, canceled revivals, and people who know and love us. At one time, we received an offering from someone we didn’t know. Another beautiful provision is one God set in place
even before the pandemic. Lois was able to finish her Woman’s Voice Devotional, and we received them from the printer on March 15. God has used this not only to bless us financially but to bless others in their time of quarantine to focus on the word of God. What the enemy had meant to hurt us turned into a new level of faith in God, His provision, and His plan. Even you, our friends at Parkway, which we love and have been privileged to minister with for years, had to cancel. Thankfully, we were able to connect through an online event. Parkway has remained a faithful supporter of our ministry, and for that, we are so grateful. We have had 46 online meetings throughout the pandemic, including Facebook Live, Zoom, prerecorded messages, and other venues. Who could have foreseen the thousands of people who have been reached online that may have never come to one of our services! This is no surprise to God. It is the mode of our time, and we cannot look back in nostalgia to the “way it used to be” but instead embrace this new season, knowing what is out of our control remains firmly in His control! We have been challenged by the Holy Ghost to bring the church into our homes! Prayer, intercession, demonstrative worship and praise, giving, and lifechanging altars. While we miss the gathering together, a new dimension has been added that we might have skipped right over! We know that every tactic the enemy has meant for harm has brought us nothing but good!
WE ARE APOSTOLIC written by Pastor Jack Cunningham Continued from page 1 Acts 2:42-47 (KJV) And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (43) And fear came upon every soul: and the apostles did many wonders and signs. (44) And all that believed were together, and had all things common; (45) And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (46) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, (47) Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. My pastor was a Will Rogers type — he had a saying for everything. One of my favorites is, “You can write Hen House over the door; that doesn’t mean there are any chickens inside.” With that saying, he was attempting to convey the idea that what we call ourselves is not nearly as important as what we are. I know that Parkway APOSTOLIC is more than Apostolic in the name. You are Apostolic in doctrine, ministry, practice and procedures, vision, operation of the gifts, and evangelism. There are chickens inside! The word “Apostolic” is defined as “relating to the Apostles, like the Apostles.” Genuine Apostolics diligently study the Book of Acts and the ministries of the early Apostles; then, apply to our life the doctrines, principles, and concepts that guided their lives. To be genuinely Apostolic, we must believe what the
early Apostles believed, do what the early Apostles did, love what the early Apostles loved to preach and teach what the early Apostles preached and taught stand for what the early Apostles stood for. Anything short of their commitment, beliefs, and practices renders us non- Apostolic. We have a good reason for emulating the early Apostolic Church and the Apostles; we want to see what they saw, we want to do what they did; we want to accomplish what they accomplished; we want to build the kind of church they built we want to impact our generation like they impacted their generation. We are alive and working for God at the most prophetically charged time in the church’s history. Our day is full of promise. The greatest church in the history of the world will be the church in the earth at the time of the second coming of Christ. That’s us; we are the end-time Apostolic church! We see more people filled with the Holy Ghost, more notable miracles, more signs and wonders than any generation before us — yes, even more than the Book of Acts church. This is a great time to be alive. It is a great time to be Apostolic. It is the right time for all of God’s people to focus, not on what’s going on in the political or cultural arenas, but focus on God’s plan for His church in this day and hour. I am confident that it is the will of God for Parkway APOSTOLIC Church, under the capable leadership of Pastor Tim Peters, to play a significant role in endtime Apostolic revival. In Jesus’ name!
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IGLESIA APOSTOLICA NUEVA VIVA written by Pastor Eduardo Loera
Nothing can and will destroy the people of the one true living God I learned through my experience with the pandemic. Iglesia Apostolica Nueva Vida grew stronger and was taken to a different level of faithfulness. The doors were never truly closed, our prayer meetings kept going, and when there were more than the recommended number of people, the women gathered with my wife at home for prayer.
From early in the morning to late at night, these faithful brothers worked hard.
In the beginning, there were times when I felt confused and alone preaching in an empty building with only my wife and daughter; however, God never ceased to amaze me and reassure me that I was not alone. Blessings poured out in service acts from brothers and sisters by doing excellent service to the church and us. Whether it was small acts of a great love or financially blessing Nueva Vida with an offering, for example, I can say that we are not tech-savvy, and due to the quarantine, we had to switch our mindsets to make the church more mobile. A brother from church and another friend outside of Nueva Vida came to our help immediately. We were beyond blessed with new equipment and having them set up everything for us, free of charge. Also, a brother blessed us in a significant way by fixing a leaky patch on the church’s roof. He gathered a few brothers from church and friends outside of the church to get the leak fixed immediately. During the many changes and challenges that I was facing amid the pandemic, the leaky roof was just another grey hair. However, the Lord answers prayers, and the group of brothers were a great blessing. The patch was fixed within days.
Although we were in our homes, God was made present and moved within families. During quarantine, there was a man who reached out to me through a sister from church. He was a man who was battling cancer and was waiting to die. He desired to be baptized in Jesus’s name, but first, he and I met for several days so he can fully understand the commandment of baptism. He was baptized in his bathtub in Jesus’s name three days before he died.
Due to having our services online, we started by having our services bilingual: Spanish to English. And by doing so, the Word of God was preached and shared locally and globally. Brothers and sisters from Mexico, Cuba, Ecuador, and across the states joined us for service.
Overall, Nueva Vida would not be where we are today without the grace and goodness of God. God has everything in control and has blessed us by granting us a friendship with Parkway. Parkway has been a great example of how to deal with these changes. Pastor Peters has also been a great leader and has been a great pastor and friend to me. He has helped me during times of uncertainty and has also been an example of a man of God. Once again, thank you, Parkway and Pastor Peters, for all the love and support you have given to Nueva Vida. May God continue to bless you all greatly.
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TO WHOM HONOR IS written by Veronica Sparks
Continued from page 1 After many hardships experienced during his time in California, Robert finally decided to return to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in 1974. While he had left for the west coast with confidence, he now returned a defeated man in desperate need of a savior. While his suffering had been great, and his life’s direction seemed unpromising at the time, it was ultimately this suffering that enabled God to catch Robert’s attention. It was only after these hardships that he finally found and said ‘yes’ to Jesus. In 1974, Robert returned to his sister’s house and began to listen to the truths that she had tried to share with him the year prior. He went to church with her the next Sunday morning, was saved by the wonderful grace of God, and began to faithfully serve in his kingdom. The following year at Apostolic Faith Church, where Robert had given his life to Christ the year before, he met and married his wife, Anita Leonardson. God would eventually bless the couple with three children, 11 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren throughout 45 years of marriage. However, after they initially married, the couple stayed in Eau Claire for ten years while attending and serving at Apostolic Faith. During this time, Anita received her degree in elementary education and began teaching. Robert finished his degree in restaurant and hotel management and was able to reach people with the gospel while working as a restaurant manager. While attending Apostolic Faith, Robert and Anita enthusiastically drove into serving in the kingdom by starting “Students for Jesus” with Ernest Maki, which often brought in 300-400 students for each meeting. Robert also served in other capacities such as a nursing home ministry, where he began speaking and honing his preaching skills. God had lit a passion in Robert during this time that could not be quenched and would not prove unfruitful! In 1985, the couple moved to the Wisconsin Dells and attended Immanuel Apostolic Assembly with the Makis, who had witnessed to Robert’s sister years before. Robert served as Assistant Pastor, and as he faithfully responded to God’s
leading, God molded him and grew him in preparation for his future in continued ministry. A short while later, Robert felt called to start a home missions church. Specifically, he was called to the city of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, the town where he grew up. He faithfully said ‘yes’ to God in response to this call, and the couple moved to Rhinelander. They started by having services in their living room, and God was able to use the connections that Robert had from his family and old friends in the area to grow these “living room” services to 45 people each Sunday morning. At this time, Robert was working for his father at his supermarket, but a fire started in the store, and it burned down. Since Robert was a member of management in the store, he received an insurance payout that was equal to a year’s salary. He took this payout and built a church building so that their services could move out of their living room and accommodate more people every Sunday morning. Robert built Northwoods Christian Fellowship in Rhinelander with his own hands, and with some help from people he knew in town. Through his faithfulness and obedience to God, many souls were reached in the area, many of which were Robert’s old friends, and the word of God was heard and responded to right in his home town. He facilitated this church’s growth until the next chapter in his ministry emerged, but the church still stands in Rhinelander to this day. The couple eventually moved back to the Wisconsin Dells. Robert continued his position as Assistant Pastor to the Makis as well as principal of the church’s school while Anita used her abilities to teach in the church’s school as well as serve in the Sunday school department. During this time, Robert also finished his bachelor’s degree in psychology and his master’s degree in counseling. God was continuing to prepare him, and it wasn’t long before Robert’s calling took him to new areas of service in the kingdom. In 1992, he began to work in a position as the school administrator and principal at Parkway Christian Academy while Anita taught kindergarten and 3rd grade at the academy. As the administrator, Robert transitioned and grew the school’s
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DUE: ROBERT KURZ
curriculum while overseeing the education of over 300 students, all of whom were children of Parkway Church members. He also facilitated the church’s child care center’s opening and operation, which serviced many families in the church with needed care. He provided a Christ-centered foundation for their children. During his 10-year career at the academy, Robert’s master’s degree in counseling enabled him started “Training for Life Ministries” with which he performed couples therapy and traveled to speak at marriage conferences. Even though Robert’s faithful responses to God’s direction had brought him a long way in his ministry, God had even more plans to use him for the kingdom. In 2001, at 50 years old, Robert felt yet another calling on his heart. For a handful of years prior, he had been evangelizing part-time with the support of his leader, Pastor Frank Tamel. However, Robert now felt an even stronger call to evangelism. Given this strong calling on his heart, he was now faced with an enormous decision that had to be made. Should he stay at Parkway in the security of his current position, or should he make the financially risky transition to becoming a full-time evangelist? God tells us in scripture, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you” (Psalms 32:8). In true, miraculous form, God would soon send Robert a confirmation to his question that could not be mistaken. Robert had been praying at length regarding the choice he was faced with, and he needed a miraculous intervention to make this decision. It wasn’t long before Robert got a call from Jeff Arnold. Jeff told him that God had laid something on his heart during this call, and Robert needed to hear it. Jeff told him to “quit your job and evangelize.” This call was a divine confirmation for Robert, and it ultimately solidified his decision to become an evangelist full-time. For the following year of transition, Robert kept his responsibilities at Parkway while simultaneously pursuing his calling to evangelize. He traveled around the country for 45 weekends each year to preach the word with his wife, Anita, often by his side. After a year of double-duty, Robert retired from his role as
Parkway’s school administrator and focused solely on his call to evangelize. Thirteen more years of full-time evangelism ensued during which Robert traveled and preached in various cities and churches before he finally made the decision to reduce to part-time evangelism. However, his obedience and willingness to serve continued. In 2015, he began to take on new roles at Parkway Church. For the last five years, Robert has held the role of Discipleship Pastor. He’s overseen and grown the deacon ministry, performed counseling, and even preached regularly on Sunday mornings, all while continuing to evangelize part-time. While we are all instructed to “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58), Robert has truly lived a life that is a godly example of such dedication. The testimony and the life-long ministry of Pastor Robert Kurz is one of steadfast obedience to God. For every call placed on his heart, Robert responded to God with a ‘yes.’ In turn, for every obedient response to the Lord’s leading, God was able to do mighty spiritual works through him. But that’s not all God was able to do. “God has brought me a long way from where I was,” Robert says. From the foolish rebellion of a ‘hippie’ to the faithful obedience of a servant, God was able to shape Robert himself. Through every obedient ‘yes,’ God was also able to mold and grow him to be used in various capacities ranging from school administration and leadership to pastoring and home missions. The dedicated life and work of this faithful man is, without a doubt, a testimony that proclaims the power of a ‘yes’ in the kingdom of God. It is proof of the mighty work that God can do both in you and through you when you respond obediently to the calling that God places on your heart. Pastor Robert Kurz, we honor you for your willingness to serve, your faithfulness to God, and your many years of dedication to the kingdom. Your obedient response to God’s calling on your life has and will continue to spread the gospel of Jesus to the far reaches of this world. Today, we honor you for your ‘yes.’
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GOD CAN USE ANYONE WITH ANYTHING written by Sarah Pollnow
When I was asked to reach out to a woman who requested a Bible study by texting “Bible Study” to Parkway’s text line, I was a little nervous. I had taught plenty of Bible studies but had never taught a study online before. I didn’t know this girl or even her sponsor. I didn’t know her background knowledge; how would I know where to start the study? I had just started using Zoom. How do I teach, have visuals, and see my notes, all at the same time? How do I even get them the handouts? Well, I reached out. I left a voicemail and didn’t hear back right away. After I accidentally left another message on her phone, one that was meant for someone else, my texted apology opened the line of communication, and our study started shortly thereafter. God is good.
to be learning and becoming more knowledgeable. Lastly, she’s grateful that having a study helps her prioritize a specific time to learn and grow closer to God. I’m just so thankful. Thankful that God gave me an opportunity to serve even though the church doors were closed. Thankful God can use Zoom to spread His Word. Thankful that God brought two more hungry souls to Himself. Thankful that when we submit to God’s purpose, God can use anyone with anything.
Isabella and her best friend, Airicka, both joined the study. I was immediately drawn to how hungry they were to know more about God. Isabella had gone through a significant personal tragedy the same week the study started, and was truly coming to know that God “is near to the broken-hearted” (Psalms 34:18). We started with a one lesson study, then taught a four-week study, a few single lessons on specific topics, all the Grow lessons, and are about halfway through a thorough twelve-week study. God has blessed us. We became friends and met each other for the first time in person when Isabella decided to be baptized. Airicka made her decision about a month later, and they’ve both been baptized in the beautiful name of Jesus. We praise God for what He has done. Airicka shared that she still looks forward to the studies and finds that she’s discussing the topics with family and friends throughout the week. She feels it “brings her back home” for about an hour every week. She’s continuing to be hungry to learn and know more and more of God. Isabella loves the intimacy of having personal Bible lessons weekly and having an avenue to discuss thoughts and questions during the week. She’s thankful
NOT EVEN A PANDEMIC written by Kathy Lemberger
Parkway has been a small group church for over 25 years. During this time, we have had three goals for our groups. Our Life Groups have existed to help one another grow in relationship with God, in relationship with one another, and to reach out and invite others who don’t know the Lord to join our group, thus growing in numbers and eventually growing new groups. While all of these goals are important, to have a successful group, each of them must receive balanced attention. To be successful, Life Groups’ purposes can be thought of as the legs of a three-legged stool. If any area is given too much attention, the stool will not achieve its purpose. At the start of 2020, we realized that while most of our groups were doing great in the first two goals, many were struggling to find ways to attract others into our groups. After much prayer, our Life Groups were challenged to develop new and innovative ways to reach the world around us and form relationships that would eventually open doors to evangelism. As we were preparing for our first Life Group Fair, we rejoiced that with the new model. We were going to have a 36% increase in the number of Connect points our Life Groups offered, and then the church was forced to close our doors and go to virtual services due to the Covid-19 pandemic. To say that we were initially disappointed would be an understatement. Needless to say, this disappointment didn’t last long before the Lord began to show that His ways are greater than ours. As we discussed the future of our Life Groups, one of the elders reminded us of the story in Luke 5. In this account, Jesus came upon a group of fishermen washing their nets. The Lord asked Simon to go out into the deep and let down their nets to catch some fish; he replied that they had worked all night and did not catch anything. However, he went on to declare that he would do as the Lord instructed. Suddenly their nets were so full that they began to tear, and their boats nearly sank from the catch! With that reminder, our leaders realized that the Lord had a better idea, and we began to use this time of quarantine to focus our attention on people we might not have noticed before.
The creativity of our leaders was inspiring. They suddenly found themselves learning to use Zoom, Google Meets, and other virtual applications. It was a blessing to connect with each other and to encourage one another, but something more important began to happen. Many groups started to reach out to scared people and whose hearts were open as never before. Bible studies began in a variety of virtual settings. One group advertised their Bible study and had 17 people attend virtually. Another group had a study that included people from three states and cities throughout Wisconsin, all of whom were too far away to ever attend Parkway, but the group rejoiced because they had the opportunity to share the Good News. Conversely, we had the opportunity to baptize a family who had been taught a Bible study by their sister, who lived in another state! Recently, Life Group members were asked to answer the following question with just one-word answers: What does Life Group mean to you? The graphic you see is a depiction of the responses received. It was constructed so that words that appear more often were printed larger than those mentioned less frequently. It seems that the members of Life Groups are experiencing the balance of the three goals in many ways. If you are not involved in a Life Group, you are encouraged to do so.
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COVID-19 PANDEMIC & AWC written by Pastor Marshal Newble Continued from page 1 Many had to defeat this hideous disease on their own because of strict hospital policies that denied all visitors. I fought hard to keep myself, and the Church encouraged by the preaching of God’s word through Zoom and Facebook.
outreach effort. After all the pain of losing loved ones, being shut-in for months, and not attending church services, there is life after COVID-19. For years I have dreamed of having church services out on the streets, leaving the church building to take the gospel to those who will never grace the
Due to the COVID craziness, there is much talk about the “New Normal.” Life, as we currently know it, is predicted never to return. People are looking more and more like masked bandits as they live in fear. What a perfect opportunity to spread the gospel. “For He has not given us the spirit of fear but of love, power, and a sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7). Proverbs 11:30 teaches, “he that wins souls is wise.” My latest adventure to bring peace in a crazy upside-down world is to make a concerted effort to meet more of my neighbors. One day while in prayer, I felt the Lord give me a specific plan. I went door to door as the “masked preacher” taking prayer requests and giving words of encouragement. We now have a neighborhood morning, “praise walkathon.” A quick five-minute Bible study followed by a six-mile prayer walk through the neighborhood. Many attest to having a greater sense of peace and positivity. Several neighbors are now listening to AWC’s weekly broadcasts as a direct result of this
doors of a church. I had the opportunity to unite with local pastors to sing and worship as we marched throughout our neighborhood. We also had the chance to pray for several police officers; they were extremely grateful.
I want to give a special thanks to Parkway Church and Pastor Tim Peters. Through every trial in this pandemic, Pastor Peters and Parkway were there to lend a helping hand. Pastor Tim called me regularly to listen and give great words of encouragement. Parkway sent out many prayer requests on AWC’s behalf. They helped to establish our Livestream ministry by securing an excellent camera. This helped tremendously with the quality of each broadcast. Our live streams reach people in Jamaica, Antigua, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, South Africa, Thailand, Myanmar, and across America. We are averaging nearly a thousand plus hits per broadcast. This would not be possible without the help of our dear friends at Parkway Church, and Pastor Tim Peters. Romans 8:28 declares that “all things work together for the good to them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.” It never said all things were good but that it would eventually work out to benefit them that love the Lord. Although this pandemic has left many sick or even dead, there really is something good happening because of COVID-19. More and more people are reaching out to Jesus and looking for answers. This is probably the Church’s greatest opportunity to spread the gospel since 9/11. May the Church seize the moment and reach for hungry hearts - In Jesus’ name!!
GOD IS STILL MOVING written by Ricky Garcia
The following account demonstrates how God can use the most unfavorable circumstances for good. During one of the most problematic pandemics in human history, God has not stopped working in our midst. We have seen negative responses but also positive reactions during this adverse time. We have seen an awakening of many with a hunger for God and a desire to surrender their lives to Him. There have been many new spiritual births during the pandemic, and we have seen a great revival among the Hispanic community. Some of these Hispanic souls that decided to surrender their lives to God were living disordered lives, consumed in alcohol, drugs, and depression. However, they have found deliverance, joy, peace, and life in Jesus Christ.
with God and even taught what he learned to his wife and children. He is hungry for God and has gotten involved in the virtual GROW class as well as Life Group. Even though the conditions did not allow him to participate physically in church activities, he has pursued every virtual opportunity to get closer to God. These positive reactions have helped us comprehend that sometimes we cannot control the current circumstance or what happens around us, such as pandemic, war, financial difficulties, emotional distress, and other individual’s words and attitudes. However, we have complete control of how we react to the circumstance and everything that occurs to us or around us. These new converts decided to trust God and commit to developing a deeper relationship with Jesus.
One of those Hispanic new converts began watching the Spanish virtual services from Parkway Church and was convicted by the message and love of God. He was moved by God’s word, and a burning desire to commit his life to God grew in his heart. He contacted the church’s leadership and was baptized in the precious name of Jesus. He has used his quarantine time to study the Bible and grow spiritually in a relationship
It is our duty to share this precious message and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Just like we are commanded in Mark 16:15, “And he said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” Our community is full of people in need, struggling to survive, submerged in depression, anxiety, drugs, alcohol... They need someone to show them God’s love and help them find deliverance,
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PRIMROSE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY written by Matt Andruscavage Continued from page 1 He only needed 300 willing warriors to simply obey, and an entire army of the enemy was defeated. He only needed two loaves and a few fish to feed the multitudes. Jesus said the Kingdom of God was like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden, and it grew and produced a great tree where the birds would make their home in its branches (Luke 13:18). That grain of mustard seed was planted one day when Andrea Poplawski decided to be a witness to her co-workers at the Primrose Retirement Community in the summer of 2017. Some co-workers were interested in a Bible study, and after a couple of months, a Bible study was started in Andrea’s home. For a few weeks, the only guest was a young woman named Taylor. She had many questions, but her heart was incredibly open. She took the teacher’s advice and immediately began to check into the things she was being taught. While at first, she was soaking in the beautiful knowledge of the Word of God, the LORD was working on her heart. Taylor was invited to church, and after coming a few times, without her co-worker or teacher at the service on Sunday, she decided it was time for her to obey the Gospel. She repented of her sins, decided to get baptized in the name of Jesus, and she received the Holy Spirit the very same way the Apostles did at Pentecost - she spoke in other tongues as the Spirit gave her the ability! From there, the Bible study grew. Taylor and Andrea continued to invite co-workers, and more came. Taylor invited her grandmother. Eventually, Andrea’s living room was too small to fit all of the guests. A new location was needed. What better place than Primrose itself? Primrose allowed us to gather in their dining room, which had a large television screen, making it easy to give visual Bible presentations. More of Andrea’s and Taylor’s co-workers would begin attending, but after only a week, another something special occurred. A resident from the retirement community decided to see what was going on. Mary enjoyed it so much that she brought her husband the following week. After a couple of weeks, more residents began to attend, and the word was spreading. After only a few short months, there was no more room in the dining room. The Bible study was moved to the pub, a large open room with tables, chairs, and two large screens. From Spring of 2018 until now, many of the residents at Primrose, including Taylor’s grandmother, who lives a few blocks away, attend the Primrose Bible study and hear the Word of God each Saturday. The rules are simple: everyone is welcome. It’s a Bible study, not a study of a particular denomination. We all learn together, and there’s no such thing as a dumb question. Many residents have wondered why they never heard the Bible taught in this manner. Though there are often questions about why tradition has paved the way for some things in the Bible not to be often taught, the common denominator is that all who come are hungry for truth and what the Bible says. By 2019, a consistent group of people shows up each week, and many have gone through an entire cover to cover Bible study more than once. The study is also tailored to their questions. If someone has a question about a subject that hasn’t been taught, a new lesson is made to answer any of those questions, which the residents and guests appreciate. In the Spring of 2019, the question of biblical salvation was being discussed, and one of the residents felt the LORD tugging at his heart. He decided to repent of his sins and be water baptized in the name of Jesus right in Primrose’s spa. It was close quarters, but we got him under the water, and now his sins are washed away! Throughout the last couple of years, with Andrea and Taylor organizing and spreading the word, we have been able to organize Christmas concerts, and even an occasional service with singing and a short message, which have been very well attended by residents who don’t usually visit the Bible study. 2020 has brought new challenges. Andrea and her husband Geoff, who was a Licensed Practical Nurse at Primrose, moved to northern Wisconsin. Covid-19 caused Primrose to go into lockdown. Taylor has been amazing throughout all of this, continuing to work and serve the residents. She was then able to work something out with the teacher and set up a Skype broadcast on the pub’s big screen. The teacher and residents can see and speak to each other, and the slideshow presentation can be seen as well during the broadcast. This has been an enormous blessing to the residents as they can continue their Bible study, receive much-needed encouragement, and can even watch Parkway’s services in their community theater on Sunday mornings. Despite all of the challenges, Parkway’s reach into Primrose continues, and we believe God for a great harvest. To Him, be the glory!
IF • DECEMBER 2020
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MY NAME IS MIKE GRIGER written by Rick Bergeron Continued from page 1
life was going to be different after that.
Within 14 months, I had overdosed on heroin 13 times.
Shortly after, I ended up in jail for eight months. In confinement, God dealt with me, and I developed a deep, close relationship with Him.
On October 22, 2014, my day started like many other days in the past four and a half years, high on opiates and heroin, waking up in the back seat of my dope dealer’s car with my girlfriend, and living a life of stealing from everyone while selling and trading everything I had for drugs. My girlfriend and I had exhausted our welcome from everyone we knew because we had stolen from all of them, and now we had nowhere else to turn but to my girlfriend’s parents because mine were gone. When her parents came to pick us up, they asked for the absolute truth, and despite the strong desire to lie again, my heart was filled with remorse, so I poured my soul out to them and told them EVERYTHING we had been doing. Instantly a weight lifted, and I felt God’s presence and Spirit rush into my heart and change me. I knew my
When I was released, I went straight to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission, and that is where I met Rick Bergeron. Rick began going to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission in 2013 to teach Bible Studies to homeless men. Many were sincerely hungry for God and came to Parkway Church, got baptized in Jesus’ name, and had their lives changed. In 2015 I showed up in the Bible Study room, was very hungry for God, and asked many questions. I felt the anointing of God and believed the plan of Salvation. Then Rick taught me a personal Bible Study; I got baptized in Jesus’ name on December 20, 2015, baptized with the Holy Ghost on April 29, 2016, and became a fireball for the Lord. For the next several years, Rick mentored and
discipled me, and as I watched him give others rides to church and teach them Bible Studies, it gave me a clear example of what I should also do. So when I got a decent job, paid off my years of fines from my DWI, bought a car, and finally got my driver’s license back, I did the same thing Rick did. I filled my car with men to bring them to church every Sunday and taught them Bible Studies and truth. Many came and got baptized, received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and continue to live for God. My mentor Rick says the willingness to go and teach when God moves is so important because you never know who that one person might be that gets saved, and who God will use to save many! So praise God that Rick was willing to go to the mission and teach and preach to me. I am currently employed as a counselor at the mission, and Rick and I continue to teach as a team and reach many souls.
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE CHILDREN written by Theresa Haldorson
Let me tell you about Children’s Ministry at Parkway Church! Parkway is a church that truly believes “children are a heritage from the Lord” (Psalms 127:3) and commits itself to teach the truths of God diligently to children (Deuteronomy 6:7). Upon arriving at Parkway church five years ago, I was quickly recruited into the children’s ministry. I was immediately impressed by the love and enthusiasm for teaching children by those involved in this ministry. It was contagious! Children’s ministry at Parkway Church is not just a childcare service. It is an environment where children can learn about, enter into, and grow in a relationship with God. Whether they attend Bibleland or Kidz Concessions, they are encouraged to actively participate. They lead worship and are included in the Bible lessons and practical application through games, object lessons, and crafts. With 2020 bringing a pandemic, our children’s ministry transitioned to an online learning format. The Parkway children’s ministry team stepped up to the challenge by getting out of their comfort zones and giving unselfishly of their time and creativity to provide online
learning for our children. It was encouraging to see our children and families utilize this resource, sending in videos, and participating in online challenges. It was always God’s plan for instruction to begin at home. “Train up a child in the way he should go…” (Proverbs 22:6). Partnering with parents and families to instill the Word of God in children’s lives has always been the goal of Kidz Parkway. The measure of our effectiveness is the number of children we see every year who are giving their lives to Jesus, being baptized in His name and filled with the Holy Ghost, even during a pandemic. God is so good! Whatever changes the future holds, Kidz Parkway is committed to creating a learning environment where children can experience and grow in God. I am SO thankful to be a part of this ministry and see God at work in our children’s lives. IF you love children and are looking for a place to serve, I would encourage you to consider Kidz Parkway.
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IF KIDZ
IF • DECEMBER 2020
let’s make a fire snake (be sure to do this with a parent, not by yourself)
start
INGREDIENTS - 2 tsp of Baking Soda - 8 tsp of Granulated Sugar - Lighter Fluid (or other fuel) - Sand - Long-necked Lighter - Ceramic bowl - Baking Sheet to hold the experiment WHAT TO DO 1. On your baking sheet, pack your ceramic bowl with sand. 2. Soak the sand with lighter fluid. 3. Mix the baking soda and sugar together, then pile it on top of the soaked sand surface. 4. Light it with your long-necked lighter*.
finish
* Keep some water nearby just in case you need to extinguish the fire. WHAT’S HAPPENING? When the mixture burns, the baking soda gets hot, and it decomposes to release carbon dioxide gas. A lack of oxygen in the sugar from the combustion creates carbonate and water vapor. The pressure from the CO2 gas pushes this carbonate out to form the snake, which should continue growing for 20 minutes, give or take.
FOR THIS REASON, I REMIND YOU TO IGNITE THE FIRE OF THE GIFT OF GOD WHICH IS IN YOU.
based on 2 timothy 1:6
books of the bible word scramble 1. ENIGSES
6. VAETRIOENL
2. ROBPRESV
7. DNLAEI
3. U E1LMSA
8. AONJH
4. TRHU
9. T TOY2HMI
5. ESIAPSEHN
10. SLPAM
ANSWERS: 1. GENESIS, 2. PROVERBS, 3. 1 SAMUEL, 4. RUTH, 5. EPHESIANS, 6. REVELATION, 7. DANIEL, 8. JONAH, 9. 2 TIMOTHY, 10. PSALM
IF KIDZ
age:
Name:
IF • DECEMBER 2020
coloring contest Please submit your coloring page into the wooden box located in the Still Waters Bookstore by our New Year’s Eve Service on Thursday, December 31, 2020. The winners will be announced in the Sanctuary in January. * Image borrowed from The Bible App for Kids
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ENTERTAINMENT
IF • DECEMBER 2020
PASTOR’S SUGGESTED READING FOR 2021 1. Prayer Power Unlimited by J. Oswald Sanders
4. Leaders Who Last by Dave Kraft
A book to help strengthen your pursuit of intimacy with God. This would be a great resource for an individual or Life Group desiring to better understand the importance of prayer, its impact on personal relationship with God and the fuel added to your individual serve.
Probably one of the most revelatory books I have read next to the Bible. It has caused me to take a hard look at what I am doing, why I am doing it and how I might be better.
2. American Gospel by Jon Meacham A truly good read for those who would be interested in our Nations founder wrestled with importance of Faith and Liberty and how it relates within our current cultural climate.
5. Made for More by Brian Kinsey A really good read for those desiring to challenge status quo as a believer, leader, servant, minister, etc. He gives some practical resources for how to discover purpose and reach for your God given potential.
3. Letters to the Church by Francis Chan
6. The Bait of Satan by John Bevere
An interesting and inspiring read looking at this simple fact; If God had His way with what we call the church would she look the way we have adorned her?
This is a book that I recommend everyone read once a year, at every life or ministry transition or new season of life. It is so easy to fall prey to the trap of offense and never realize it but if stuck here we limit the God given potential of our lives and the flow of God’s blessings.
PARKWAY’S TOP 10 PURPOSE INSTITUTE SPOTIFY WORSHIP SONGS 1 |
Wait on the Lord
James Wilson, Brooke Staten
2 |
Tremble
Mosaic MSC
3 |
Glorious Day
Passion, Kristian Stanfill
4 |
Throne Room
People & Songs, May Angeles, Ryan Kennedy, The Emerging Sound
5 |
King of Glory
Indiana Bible College
6 |
Give Me Jesus
James Wilson, Draylin Young
7 |
What a Beautiful Name
Hillsong Worship
8 |
Do It Again
Elevation Worship
9 |
Miracles
Jesus Culture, Chris Quilala
10|
More And More
BJ Putnam
“I initially enrolled in Purpose Institute (P.I.) because of my desire to enhance my walk with God. My four-year tenure not only improved my relationship, but it also developed, prepared, and equipped me with fresh knowledge and insight for greater ministry in the kingdom. It was a period of being instructed and inspired to move out and go beyond my comfort zone to fulfill my calling, the Great Commission. Before His ministry began, Jesus was led of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tested for forty days and forty nights, to a place which further prepared Him to be the greatest teacher of all times. P.I. can be likened to an extended wilderness experience because it is a place of testing, equipping, and preparedness. It is a place of discovery and enhancing one’s natural abilities and calling to serve in the kingdom. Scripture records that Jesus was full of the Holy Ghost and led by the Spirit into the wilderness. He returned from the wilderness in the power of the Spirit, taught the people, and was glorified of all. P.I. was a step of faith that challenged, inspired, and equipped me to be all I can be in the kingdom for His glory. For anyone desiring to go deeper in God and discover their purpose and calling, I highly recommend Purpose Institute.” - Frances Blaize
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BIRTHS/DEATHS
IF • DECEMBER 2020
2020 WATER BAPTISMS Erik Avila
Emeleo Guzman
Daniel Balderas
Dayona Henderson
Tracy Bartley
Brittany Heredia
Harper Beaugrand
Machaela Jasso
Paul Benavides
Jessica Jost
Abigail Benitez
Noah Klawitter
Antonio Bernal
Dermetrious Lindsey
Javier Bernal
Jace Maki
Cindy Bird
Alfonzo Mills
Mackenzie Blackman
Tristan Moore
Marquis Bohannun
Jennette Moran
Violet Bondar
Isabella Navarro
Anthony Cade
Teresa Ocampo Rojas
Ivan Camarillo
Donna Polasek
Alek Campbell
Tim Ratcliff
Nicolas Casas
Cedric Reed
Mary Cereceres
Lula Reed
Jeremiah Cervantes
Travis Richards
Laura Paisley Chen
Wilfredo Rodriguez
Calista Contreras
Hannah Rowe
Airicka Currie
Julie Schultz
Walter Daniel
Zoraida Seda
Genesis Victoria -
Jacqueline Serkowski
Dejesus Lanza
Jennifer Slaski
Saraya Delagarza
Daniel Sostre
Xavier Delgado
Jennelle Sostre
Gabriella Duncan
Ronald Strass
Angelicia Figueroa
Matt Stried
Dakota Figueroa
Jessica Swoboda
Carlos Fuentes
Honor Thielecke
Emily Glodoski
Keitha Turner
Christopher Gonzalez
Yarilyz Veguilla
Jeremiah Gonzalez
Tina Wiechers
Josaiah Gonzalez
Bryce Woychik
OBITUARY FOR... Death Nothing can prepare us for a loved one’s death or the terrible loss in our lives that death brings. The grief and pain that we experience is genuine and takes time to heal. But our God will not forget us in our time of heartbreak. Be comforted by these words of God in your time of mourning.
Karina Gonzalez
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4
2020 INFILLINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalms 147:3
Erik Avila
Francis Quinones
Harper Beaugrand
Lula Reed
Marquis Bohannun
Travis Richards
Maxine Cook
Jennifer Slaski
Walter Daniel
Jennelle Sostre
Nolan Gromoski
Honor Thielecke
Jessica Jost
Solomon Torres
Dermetrious Lindsey
Keitha Turner
Alfonzo Mills
Maria G. Urena
Jennette Moran Teresa Ocampo Rojas Misael Perez
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Psalms 34:18 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Isaiah 53:4 Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. John 14:1 Beloved brothers and sisters, we want you to be quite certain about the truth concerning those who have passed away, so that you won’t be overwhelmed with grief like many others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who died while believing in him. I Thessalonians 4:13-14 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ Revelation 21:4-5
You “You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3) Biographical sketch: You were born under the curse of sin, but then, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). You died on the day that you repented of your sins. Scheduled internment took place on the day you were baptized in the name of Jesus because “all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father we too might walk in newness of life.” You are survived by none other than your spiritual self when you are born again of the Spirit of God. “But now we are delivered from the law, having died to things in which we were bound, so that we may serve in newness of the Spirit” (Romans 7:6). “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). And so, “Consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11).
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CHRISTIAN LIVING As Christians we are to love God and love others. We are to worship God joyfully and seek to live a life that is pleasing to Him both inwardly and outwardly—in our thoughts, words, and actions. We are empowered to live a life pleasing to God through the Holy Spirit. As a Pentecostal church, we believe that the supernatural gifts of the Spirit are for the church today and are available to all Spirit-filled believers (Mark 12.28-31; 1 Cor 12.810; 2 Cor 7.1; Rom 8.13-14; Gal 5.1926; Heb 12.14).
GOD + JESUS There is only one God. The One God has revealed Himself to us as our Father, in His Son Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that is, the One God manifested in and through an authentic human life. To see Jesus is to see God. (Deut 6.4; John 14.9; Eph 4.4-6; Col 2.9; 1 Tim 3.16).
SIN + SALVATION Everyone has sinned and needs salvation. Salvation comes by grace through faith based on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Rom 3.23-25; 6.23; Eph 2.8-9).
WHAT WE BELIEVE There are times when a person would say they have fundamental beliefs about important matters such as finances, marriage, abortion, raising children, or education and in the substantiating of these beliefs they would pull upon facts. Facts are something that are not simply a result of belief, feeling or simply a mental assent of the individual, but rather they are based upon evidence that can be discovered, tested and proven by others. When it comes to matters of faith and God, it seems as though this criteria is all but discarded, and we allow ourselves to base not only fundamental beliefs, but eternal outcomes, on simply feeling, emotion and personal confidence.
The Bible is and has been proven throughout the centuries to not only be relevant and timeless, but also factual and accurate. This is why you will find what we believe to be based upon the whole counsel of the Bible and also our confident hope of eternal life with our Creator, God, and Savior Jesus Christ therein. We would ask you as you peruse this section that you remember that these are not simply beliefs of one individual or organization, but rather timeless truths and sure promises given to us by our Great God.
COMMUNION The cup and the bread are taken by believers together in remembrance of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us, until He comes again at the end of this age (1 Cor. 11:23-27).
HEALING God still provides physical and emotional healing, deliverance from addiction, restoration of relationships, and transformed lives (James 5:14-15; Isaiah 53:4-5).
THE BIBLE
LIFE GROUPS
The Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is true in all that it teaches. As the flawless Word of God, it is our only authority for what we believe and how we live (2 Tim 3.15-17).
God created us to thrive in relationship, first with Him and then with one another. Doing life together is a principle that we find throughout the Bible and is supported and taught through the teachings of the New Testament (Acts 2:42-47; Matt. 18:20; Heb. 10:24-25; 2 Tim. 2:2).
GOSPEL + CONVERSION
THE FUTURE
The gospel is the good news that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. We express our belief in the gospel through our obedience to the gospel. We obey the gospel and apply it to our lives by repenting of our sins (death to sin), being baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (burial), and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (resurrection). This threefold experience is the consistent pattern of conversion in the early church (1 Cor 15.1-4; 2 Thes 1.8; 1 Pet 4.17; Mark 1.15; Acts 15.7; Rom 6.3-4; Acts 2.4, 37-39; 8.9-17; 10.1-48; 19.1-7).
Jesus Christ is coming again to catch away His church. In the end will be the final resurrection and the final judgment. The righteous will inherit eternal life, and the unrighteous eternal death (1 Thes 4.16-17; Rev 20.11-15).
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GENERAL CONFERENCE General Conference is more than just church services and meetings for the United Pentecostal Church International. It is where next year’s vision is cast, articles of faith are established, officers are elected, and the future is set into motion. The 76th UPCI General Conference will be held on October 5-8, 2021 in Indianapolis, IN. We encourage all who desire to make an impact in the Kingdom, attend to share in what God has done, what God is doing, and to share in the vision for the future of the United Pentecostal Church International. For more information on the 2021 UPCI General Conference visit www.upcigc.net.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Continued from page 1 We know that 2020 was a year that many predicted would be filled with greater vision and clarity. Those predictions were not wrong, for it certainly proved to be a year of great clarity, although, for some, it may have seemed to be shrouded in a cloud of conspiracy, uncertainty, and loss. As a local assembly, we experienced loss as we bid farewell to a number of our loved ones as they transitioned into their heavenly rest. Some stricken with COVID and lost from us much too early. Nevertheless, we find comfort and cause for joy, knowing that they are resting, awaiting their eternal reward. Churches of all faiths across the globe found a clarity that those who said they were committed followers of Christ were actually weak and spiritually anemic. Many who either have entirely disconnected from the body of Christ or have given in to the spirit of the age and are fallen away professing identity with Christ yet lacking a true relationship with Him. We must continue to pray for their awakening and reconciliation. As followers of Christ, we know that He has a plan not only for redemption but also a time table for a return to this earth which will bring about two things in particular, the restoring of His kingdom and an impending judgment upon any who are not walking in fellowship with Him. This clarity must cause a stirring within our hearts that a fire is reignited for the kingdom’s cause. That we, as Apostolic believers, remember who we are, what we represent, and the message which we must communicate to our world. The Lord speaking through the prophet Joel said this, “..I will restore or replace for you the years that the locust has eaten–the hopping locust, the stripping locust, and the crawling locust...” (Joel 2:25 AMPC). There have always been times throughout humanity’s history, where we have experienced great loss materially and also seen a falling away of people from fellowship with God. But there always remains the faithful promises of God’s Word that He would always seek to restore what was lost. The day in which we live finds us at a similar threshold, and I wonder if the church of the living God, we as Parkway Apostolic Church, will step across the threshold into our ordained place of leadership for this time?
Are we willing to have homes that are focused upon the spiritual development of our children? Will we, as a church, be willing to make the investment that our households’ heads are spiritually strengthened? Will we make the investments into new converts that they might be equipped and prepared to go back into their portion of God’s harvest field to gather fruit unto the Lord? Today requires that we, as Parkway, would respond to these questions with, “YES! We will, and we are!” As the Senior Pastor of one of the greatest groups of Apostolic believers in the greater Milwaukee metro area, I believe that this is who we are as Parkway Apostolic Church. As you make your way through this publication, you will read stories which, I pray, will inspire you and encourage you to allow this fresh wind of God’s Spirit to blow through the embers of yesterday’s fire, that once again, this fire will begin to burn with fresh fervency until we are all consumed as our elders who have led the way before us. Our world must be reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we are the people for such a time as this! I would also ask that, as you read the various articles, you allow God to speak to your heart, whether individually or as a family, that you might consider making a sacrificial commitment financially, that is above your normal faithfulness of the tithe and of offerings, to sow into the vision that will help us to continue to reach into our families, community and around the globe with the gospel message, that we might be a blessing to both those of the family of God and those who will become a part. Will you consider once again, or maybe for the first time, pledging financial support to the vision God has given to us as Parkway Apostolic Church? Today is a day to expect the miraculous and to walk in such a manner that we might have a modern-day book of Acts harvest. Lord, send us revival! Thank you.
PURPOSE INSTITUTE Purpose Institute is a ministry training institution that partners with local Apostolic trainers anywhere in the world. PI enables trainers to develop leader’s ministry skills and to clarify their individual purpose. Purpose Institute supports the local mission by providing curriculum and systems that are adaptable and accessible ministry training resources. The Purpose Institute curriculum has been designed to cycle in eight semesters. A student can begin at any point in the cycle and follow the curriculum through to completion. Each semester is designed to be a good mix of courses that include a focus on biblical, leadership, and spiritual training. The curriculum is currently available in multiple languages. Did you know that Parkway Church offers scholarships for those who are actively involved in a ministry on campus? Base Camp - $100 / per semester The Climb - $200 / per semester The Summit - $300 / per semester See Vanessa Sparks for more information or email 4u@parkwayoc.com.
ABOUT IF As you make your way through this publication, you will read stories which, I pray, will inspire you and encourage you to allow this fresh wind of God’s Spirit to blow through the embers of yesterday’s fire, that once again, this fire will begin to burn with fresh fervency until we are all consumed as our elders who have led the way before us. The print version of IF is published annually in December. The publication is also available online via www.issuu.com/ parkwaychurch.
Tim Peters Senior Pastor
Parkway Church 10940 S Nicholson Rd Oak Creek, WI 53154 Parkway Church
1 414 571 2680 4u@parkwayoc.com www.parkwayoc.com @parkwayoc
@_parkwayoc
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