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In part three of a three-part series, Foursquare pastors and leaders weigh in on practicing the gifts of the Holy Spirit in corporate church gatherings, and discuss the challenges and safeguards of Spirit-led ministry. While their ways of introducing and pastoring the work of the Spirit vary, they agree on one thing: We must be about reclaiming the gifts of the Holy Spirit in our churches.
How are the gifts of the Holy Spirit in your life manifesting in your interactions with others? In part two of a three-part series, we learn from fellow Foursquare pastors and ministry leaders how the gifts of the Holy Spirit work one-on-one, in small groups and in personal friendships.
In part one of a three-part series, we take a close look at how the gifts of the Holy Spirit are working in the personal lives of Foursquare pastors and their churches. We examine how they model the gifts for their congregations, and why the gifts are so vital in our churches today.
Cricket Witt and her husband, Andy, are members of Grace Fellowship, a Foursquare church in Absarokee, Mont. Their story is one of restoration—how God can heal the brokenhearted from the wounds of the past. They say God ministered to them through believers who demonstrated their faith by how they lived—with integrity, a love for Christ and an unconditional love for people.
Over 3.3 million people live in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and one of the most populous cities in Africa. Despite the challenges of living there, which include poverty and high crime rates, Foursquare Missionaries Garry and Brenda Kean are making inroads for the gospel. They planted New Song Nairobi and have a vision to reach the entire nation.
After 16 years of church planting and leadership development for Foursquare in Europe, Marc and Kathy Shaw have moved back to the U.S. and planted a church in Washington State with the goal of releasing the next generation into ministry. Marc says it’s all about building a band of disciples who will be change agents in their world every day.
David and Joyce Wing have served Dover Foursquare Church in Dover, Ohio—a small town of 12,000 people in the shadow of Amish country—for 42 years. Loving people well is what this church is all about. They are known as a place where the people show friendliness and love, serve the community and give freely.
In the conclusion of our three-part series, Foursquare NextGen leaders discuss how parents and pastors can work together to create an environment for young people where they will feel safe and can explore their relationship with God.
Studies show that teens are rejecting the church in droves. How can we turn this around before we lose the next generation? By approaching youth ministry with a new paradigm that is more holistic, say Foursquare NextGen leaders. As author Reggie Joiner notes, if we want to “experience a different outcome, we need to embrace a different strategy.”
The latest research reveals that most young people today are resistant to the church. It’s a disturbing trend, but Foursquare churches across the nation are tackling the issue head-on. It’s not too late, say Foursquare’s NextGen leaders, to develop a successful ministry that effectively reaches the “cradle to college” crowd.