Do you seek peace with God and a personal relationship with Him?

In How to Start a Kingdom Conversation, published by BMH Books (bmhbooks.com), author Duke Heller shows the “Romans Road” to peace with God. It’s called that because all the essential verses are from one book in the Bible—the book of Romans, the sixth book in the New Testament.

Romans 3:23 points out that all have sinned and fall short. All.

Romans 5:8 explains that God, in His great love for us, sent His son to die that we might have forgiveness for our sins.

Romans 6:23 warns that the wages of sin is (eternal) death, but the free gift of God is eternal life. It is ours for the asking.

Romans 10:9-10 instructs that if we confess with our mouth and believe in our hearts in Jesus Christ, we shall be saved.

If you have not already done so, read these verses as prayers to God, commiting your life to Him. The find a good Bible-teaching church (perhaps the church from which you obtained this magazine) and get instruction from God’s Word on what to do next.

The Romans Road is old, but it still leads to life everlasting and peace with God!

On the Move
Off the Press
Kudos
In Memoriam
- Faith E. Becker
- Patricia R. Bush
- Lee H. Dice
- David Hocking
- James N. Knepper
- Nickolas Kurtaneck
- Jonathan Nord
- Harry Speicher
- Glenn H. Stauffer
- Larry Wedertz

On the Move

Rob Borkowitz is the new lead pastor at the Grace Brethren Church in Waterloo, Iowa. Rob and his wife, Karen, have most recently ministered at West-Plex Community Church in Foristell, Mo.

Nathaniel Foote is the new youth pastor at the Grace Brethren Church, Meyersdale, Pa. (Randy Haulk, pastor).

Doug Gray is the new pastor at the Grace Brethren Church in Millersburg, Ohio.

Dr. Richard Fairman is the new pastor at The Bread of Life Fellowship, a Grace Brethren church in Reinholds, Pa. (Pictured at left with wife, Judy.)

Liz Cutler Gates has assumed the role of executive director of the Brethren Missionary Herald Company. Terry White, former executive director, continues part time as the publisher of BMH Books.

The latest addition to the corps of Grace Brethren military chaplains is Dr. Richard Hurst. He reports to chaplain school at Fort Jackson, S.C. in January. He and his wife, Star, are members of the Sebring, Fla., Grace Brethren Church (Randy Smith, pastor).

Nicole Miller is the first Girls’ Ministries Coordinator for Women of Grace USA. A graduate of Grace College, Winona Lake, Ind., she is a native of Berne, Ind., where she attended the Bethel Brethren Church. In addition to writing curriculum for the SMM program, she will be helping equip leaders of girls ministries.

Charles G. Thornton retired from active ministry on October 1. For 49 years, he and his wife, Janice, served the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches in eight churches in seven diff erent states including Galion, Ohio; Buena Vista, Va.; Lanham, Md. (Washington D.C.); Lansing, Mich.; Sunnyside, Wash.; Dallas Center, Iowa; Millersburg, Ohio; and Soldotna, Alaska. Chuck and Janice plan to remain in Alaska.

Marti Thompson retired from Grace Brethren International Missions. From 2004-2009 she served as short-term administrative assistant and travel specialist. She worked with just under 1,000 students, missionaries, and staff as she facilitated their short-term mission trips or ministry travel, impacting 19 different countries.

Off the Press
A new book, Discovery of Design: Searching out the Creator’s Secrets, has been written by Dr. Don DeYoung, Grace College faculty member and Derrik Hobbs, a Grace College alumnus. Published by Master Books, the book compiles designs from nature that have been turned into useful products, from fiber optics to bullet trains. The book is available from bmhbooks.com.

Kudos
Grace College, Winona Lake, Ind., inducted nine members into the Lancer Athletic Hall of Fame on November 7 during Homecoming weekend. The inductees honored at a banquet in the Orthopaedic Capital Center include: Rebecca (Wahlstrom) Macy, volleyball; John Boal, men’s basketball; Darrell Johnson, baseball and golf; Eve (Arthur) Dawes, women’s soccer; Cheryl (Myers) Pulver, women’s basketball; Tim VanDuyne, men’s soccer; the late Lloyd Woolman, athletic director and coach; and Ron and Willa Henry, for their meritorious service to Grace Athletics.

Don Shoemaker, pastor of Grace Community Church, a Grace Brethren church in Seal Beach, Calif., served as the grand marshal of the Seal Beach Christmas parade on December 7.

In Memoriam
Faith E. Becker, 83, died November 12, 2009. She was the mother of Christian Becker, pastor of the Buena Vista, Va., First Brethren Church.

Patricia R. Bush, 74, died November 3 in Altoona, Pa. She was the mother of Grace Brethren pastor Rick Clark, of Ebensburg, Pa.

Lee H. Dice, 80, long-time Grace Brethren pastor, Wooster, Ohio, died November 24, 2009.

David Hocking, of Colorado Springs, Co., died November 6 after suffering a ruptured brain aneurysm. He was the second son of former Grace Brethren missionaries Donand Betty Hocking and the brother of Tom Hocking, pastor of the Bellflower (Calif.) Brethren Church and current moderator of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.

James N. Knepper, 84, of Somerset County, Pa., formerly of York, Pa., died November 15, 2009. He was a charter member of the York (Pa.) Grace Brethren Church.

Dr. Nickolas Kurtaneck died November 3, 2009. He was the father of Timothy (T.K) Kurtaneck, director of church relations and youth leadership training at CE National, Winona Lake, Ind.

Jonathan Nord, 29, died October 29, 2009. He was the son of Chris and Carolyn Nord, who served with Grace Brethren International Missions for ten years in France.

Harry Speicher, 71, Rittman, Ohio, died Sunday, November 29, 2009. He was active in the Grace Brethren Boys ministry.

Glenn H. Stauffer, of Winona Lake, Ind., died Friday, November 6, 2009, at the age of 77. A carpenter for Grace College from 1965 to 1998, he helped build Beta Hall and Morgan Library.

Larry Wedertz, who was a teacher and director of the former Grace Brethren Navajo Mission and School in Counselor, N.M., for many years, died October 15.

Click here for a complete obituary.

One challenge facing congregations today is the number of young people who, after being raised in the church, drop out once they reach adulthood. What is happening? What is the role of the church in helping them remain active participants in Christ’s body?

A joint video produced by SMM (the girls’ ministries arm of Women of Grace USA) and GBB (Grace Brethren Boys) points to some staggering statistics* that may provide a clue to how churches can invest in producing the greatest impact:

• Young people admit to being highly influenced by their role models and actively seeking more such examples.
• Nearly 44 percent of all pre-teens admit they don’t have any role models.
• A person’s moral values are in place by age nine.
• The greatest opportunity for reaching an individual for Christ is before age 12.
• Only six percent of people 19 or older embrace Jesus as their Savior.
• Spiritual identity is largely set in place by age 13.
• Four out of five current church leaders were involved in church life and training prior to age 13.

Believing that the mentoring and discipleship process of children and youth is important, SMM and GBB are planning a Focus on Discipleship day March 13 at the Grace Brethren Church of Wooster, Ohio (Bob Fetterhoff , pastor).

“It’s a chance for those who work with children and youth to find ways to partner in developing strong followers of Christ,” say Rob Gable and Viki Rife, directors of GBB and SMM, respectively. The day will feature breakout and discussion groups. Guest speakers include CE National Ambassadors Stacie Fay and Sarah Knepper, as well as Mark Artrip, high school ministries pastor at Grace Church, a Grace Brethren church in Powell, Ohio.

To see the joint video or to receive a DVD copy, visit gbbnational.com. Keep an eye on fgbcworld-blog.com, FGBCWorld.com, CE
National News, gbbnational.com, or wgusa.org/discipleship for details of this great opportunity to learn more about how God can strengthen our young people through relationships.

*George Barna, Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions: Why Children Should Your Church’s #1 Priority, Regal Books, 2003

Recruiting, resourcing, and managing volunteers is a key aspect of all churches and Christian organizations. Dr. Doug Fagerstrom, senior vice president of ConvergeWorldwide and a former seminary president, has written a masterful book on volunteers, based on his more than four decades of ministry.

The Volunteer: A Personal Toolkit for the Dedicated Volunteer, was published in the fall of 2009 by BMH Books of Winona Lake, Indiana. Here are a few excerpts from chapter 1, entitled “Developing a Relationship With Your Leader.” More information on the book is available at bmhbooks.com or by calling (toll-free) 1-800-348-2756.

A relationship between volunteer and leader is necessary—an open relationship with your direct leader or supervisor will foster healthy communication and meaningful outcomes at the end of every ministry encounter

Ten Imperatives for a Leader and a Volunteer
1. Always tell the truth.
2. Be careful how you talk about others.
3. Learn to ask lots of questions.
4. Learn to listen to each other.
5. Practice the fruit of God’s spirit (see Galatians 6).
6. Have fun with each other.
7. Share prayer requests.
8. Pray about the ministry together.
9. Don’t wait for the other to take the first step.
10. Encourage each other by saying, “Well done!” or “Good Job!” or “I Appreciate You!”

The key to working well together is good communication. Some leaders find it difficult to ask volunteers to meet certain expectations. They feel tentative about requiring too much of a volunteer, or they live in fear of losing the volunteer. Letting a leader know what he or she can expect of a volunteer can reduce this potential tension. Make intentions and boundaries simple and clear.

Ten Things a Leader Would Love To Know About A Volunteer’s Role and Level of Commitment
1. I will commit to serve _____ hours per week.
2. I will serve from ____(month) through _____ (month).
3. I will commit to this ministry role for _____ (period of time).
4. My first priority(ies) that may preempt my service responsibility is (are) _____.
5. I am/am not willing to attend extra meetings that you may require.
6. I can/cannot give personal financial resources toward this ministry.
7. I will help you recruit people to serve with us and will participate in all training experiences.
8. I will be loyal to this ministry by speaking well of you and others.
9. If I experience any difficulties in service, I will let you know right away.
10. I will give you plenty of notice if I decide to leave my role of service in this ministry.

Do you want to grow? Do you desire to offer better service to others and to God? If so, healthy feedback is one way to engage the growth process. Ask “How can I grow?” Ask your leader what you can do to improve your work. Do this in a casual environment when there is time for constructive dialogue with meaningful questions and responses.

Every leader needs grace, mercy, and help. Remember that your ministry supervisor does not just wrestle with flesh and blood but with the unseen forces of evil in this fallen and broken world (Ephesians 6:12). Your leader needs your prayer support!

FGBC World randomly contacted Grace Brethren pastors and leaders to learn their thoughts on leadership.

What is your favorite resource for leadership development (besides the Bible)?
The Art of Pastoring and Leadership is an Art, both by Max Dupree – Chip Heim, Eastside Grace Brethren Church, Blacklick, Ohio

Who in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches is successful in developing leaders?
Those named include: John McIntosh (Simi Valley, Calif.), Tim Boal (Telford, Pa.), Steve Bailey (Buenos Aires, Argentina), and Neil Cole (Long Beach, Calif.).

I hope churches all over the planet are doing this on a local level. We need to be about raising leaders from the harvest. – Dan O’Deens, Gateway Church, Parkesburg, Pa.

What would you like to learn about leadership development?
What are the biblical measures of effective leadership? Why do so many (often highly touted) leaders “crash and burn?” What do North Americans have to learn about leadership from elsewhere? – Mike Yoder, coordinator of leadership training initiatives, Grace Brethren International Missions, Northbrook, Ill.