Whether it's happening across the street or across the country, check out what's happening with the Foursquare family.
Local Foursquare leaders from across the U.S. will join national leaders and global influencers from around the world for the 2012 Global Summit in Phoenix, June 1–3. The goals are to establish a global eldering community; build together a global strategy; refine and strengthen our global infrastructure; and help resource every nation to evangelize, disciple, multiply and send.
While some see missions strategies as exclusively based either in the local church or from a central office, The Foursquare Church is embracing a blending of the two. Foursquare Missions Director Jim Scott explains the shared values and the distinctive ways in which “both/and” works well in taking the gospel around the world.
Foursquare’s Relief and Compassion ministry is offering help in Fiji after recent flooding that forced at least 3,500 people into temporary shelters and left several dead.
Thailand is predominately a Buddhist nation, and less than 1 percent of its 66 million inhabitants are Christian. But living in Bangkok, the capital city, Foursquare Missionaries Andy and Christina Opie are seeing doors open to the gospel. They have planted one Foursquare church in Bangkok, and are getting ready to launch another, in Phuket.
Bill and Debbie Boling have served as Foursquare missionaries to Costa Rica for six years, ministering to people via local churches, Bible institutes, ESL classes, cooking classes, and outreaches to schoolchildren. In 2010, 407 people in Costa Rica made decisions for Christ, 400 were baptized in water, and 117 were baptized with the Holy Spirit.
From North Asia to Francophone Africa, and from Europe to North America, new Foursquare ministries will be taking root in part because of the faithful giving of The U.S. Foursquare Church. Phase one allocations, which have just been announced, account for one-third of the total Connection 2011 offering. These funds are already impacting the mission field.
There will be no lazy days for Serafin and Alva Contreras when they officially retire in January 2012. Following 42 years of fruitful service, the area missionaries plan to be as active in ministry as ever. They’re simply changing gears—a change orchestrated by God for this faithful couple who have influenced millions of people throughout Latin America for Jesus Christ.
In a recent letter to credentialed ministers, President Glenn C. Burris Jr. outlined several important points of celebration, clarity and communication for The Foursquare Church in 2012. He also announced the theme for this coming year: “Speak: Reclaim Our Voice,” which will also be the focus of Foursquare Connection 2012 in Phoenix, May 28–31.
When Sue Spousta, an ordained Foursquare minister who serves in the North Pacific District, joined a Foursquare women’s conference in PNG, she had no idea it would be so life-changing. In a country rife with poverty and turmoil, these women face many challenges, daily—and they are doing so with great faith in a great God.
Even in the midst of daunting challenges and, in some cases, persecution, The Foursquare Church is growing rapidly throughout Southeast Asia. In 2010, there were a total of 207,000 decisions made for Christ, 41,600 water baptisms and 26,400 Holy Spirit baptisms.