BMH Editor's Blog

Henry Rempel, very likely the oldest living Grace Brethren pastor, celebrated his 103rd birthday on March 17. He is living in a residential nursing home in La Habra, California, and was honored at the Grace Church of Long Beach on March 18. (photo courtesy of Becky Dick)

Among the Grace Brethren churches he has pastored are Uniontown, Pennsylvania; Yakima, Washington; Norwalk, California; and North Long Beach, California.

He was thrilled to receive a television set for his birthday because now his “Sundays won’t be so pagan” and he can watch some Christian broadcasts.

He would love to hear from friends—the address is St. Margaret Home, 981 Flamingo Way, LaHabra, CA, 90631.

Pastor Keith Randall of the Peninsula Grace Brethren Church in Soldotna, Alaska (shown here with Nicaraguan children) is currently in Nicaragua with a ministry team. Here is a short report from Keith:


Greetings from Nicaragua. We have been working building houses the past four days. We have eight houses in various stages of completion. Two are almost complete, but no family will move in until all the homes are completed.


We have also had programs for the women and children. Yesterday, a young woman accepted Christ as her Savior. You can see pictures at www.peninsulagrace.org.


Thursday we had a celebration with the families that we “adopted” and gave them gifts for their new homes. Friday we are going to the market and relaxing in the afternoon. On Saturday we will fly back to Alaska.


On Sunday, April 15 we will be sharing the great things that God has done in our lives and in the lives of the Nica people this week. Thank you for praying for us and please continue to pray for a safe trip home.

This item from the e-newsletter of GBIM staff Rob and Nichole Plaster in Paris, France, caught our attention as a clever witnessing idea:

Please pray for our teammates the [Dennis] Martins who will be hosting an Easter club tomorrow, Friday, March 30th (11:00 AM EST), and another one for the jr. high students on Saturday, March 31st (12:30 PM EST).

Please pray especially for the jr. high group on Saturday, as they will be "discovering" the Easter story. They will embark on a mystery quest entitled, "Where's the body?"

As they stop at each location in the neighborhood, they will meet a different Bible character who shares of their experience with Jesus, His death, and resurrection. There are even adult actors involved who need the Lord.

Pray for two choir members who are playing the part of Roman Guards and may be hearing the Easter story for the first time.

The Fountain of Life Bible church, the Grace Brethren church in Johnson City, Tennessee, pastored by Vic Young, is starting services in Spanish this Saturday evening. We hope eventually to bring you some photos and reports of this new venture. (double click image to enlarge)

The Department of Religious Studies at Grace College will host a Symposium on Monday evening, April 9, on the topic, “The Church in the People’s Republic: Do American Missionaries Have Any Business in China?” Dr. Brent Whitefield (pictured), Assistant Professor at Valparaiso University, will speak, followed by discussion.

Dr. Whitefield has been an observer of the modern house church movement in China and maintains contact with that community, traveling there frequently. His talk will reflect on the regeneration of the missionary movement in China over the last two decades and will raise probing and controversial questions about the approaches of Western missionaries today.

Dr. Whitefield holds a Ph.D. from Cambridge University and is a member of the Yale-Edinburgh Group on the History of the Missionary Movement and Non-Western Christianity. He is one of the elders at Calvary Church (Valparaiso), pastored by Grace graduate, Lionel Young.

The Symposium will be held in Ashman Chapel, McClain Hall on the Grace College and Seminary campus in Winona Lake, Indiana, on, Monday, April 9, at 7:30 pm.

Robert K. "Bob" Rohrer, 76, of Manheim, Pennsylvania, died peacefully surrounded by his family and went home to be with his Lord on Friday, March 23, 2007, at the Lancaster General Hospital.

Born in Manheim, he was the son of the late Oscar O. and Edith Shue Rohrer. In his early years Bob worked with his father operating the family flower business, the former Rohrers Greenhouse, located in Manheim.

He then was employed for ten years for the former Raymark Industries in Manheim and most recently worked for twelve years at Weis Markets Manheim until his retirement. He was the loving husband of Jean Wagner Rohrer and they observed their 56th wedding anniversary in October of last year. Bob was a member of Calvary Church Lancaster.

Earlier in his life, with his wife's help, they started the Grace Brethren Church of Lancaster and the Grace Brethren Church of Manheim. They were members of the Grace Brethren Church of Lititz for twenty-five years.

A vocal enthusiast who shared a joy of singing, Bob was a member of the Gospel Four Quartet and sang at over one hundred weddings. He volunteered his time at the Lititz Christian School and at Pleasant View Retirement Community, Manheim, working with the sound and video in the Hoffer Auditorium and with many gardening projects.

Bob had a keen interest and love of Kite Flying and started a Kite Flying Club at the Retirement Community. He was also a member of the Stiegel Roses Senior Citizens Group Manheim.

Surviving, in addition to his wife, are two sons, David A. husband of Kristina B. Rohrer of Arcanum, Ohio, Michael A., husband of Becky L. Rohrer of Princess Anne, Maryland, six grandchildren, Michelle Wright, Jonathan Rohrer, Aaron Rohrer, Adam Rohrer, Amanda Rohrer, Denise Rohrer, four great grandchildren, two sisters, Darlene wife of David Creighton of Lancaster, and Janice wife of Jay Martin of Manheim.

A memorial service was held Tuesday, March 27, 2007. To send the family a message of condolence, log onto www.buchfuneral.com

CE National will sponsor three events for seniors during the month of April, 2007.

Thursday, April 12th the Mid-Atlantic district will host a Day Away. BMH Books author Dr. John C. Whitcomb (pictured) will be the speaker.

Friday, April 13th a Day Away will be held in Wooster, Ohio, at the Grace Brethren Church. Dr. Tom Julien will be the guest speaker with Greg Woodrum leading worship. Ed Lewis will be the MC.

On Friday, April 20, seniors will sing and fellowship together at New Holland Grace Brethren Church, followed by a delicious meal at Shady Maple Smorgasbord. Pastor Charles Ashman will be the featured speaker.

For information and to register for any of these events, log onto http://www.cenational.org/cenational/announcements.asp?IDNum=10&eventCode=

EDITOR'S NOTE: Ron Shafer has, in the past, been a leader in the Grace Brethren Church of West Kittanning, Pennsylvania (Mark Cornwell, pastor).


PITTSBURGH -- An Indiana University of Pennsylvania professor and North Buffalo resident will take on a new role this week as he portrays his most admired historical figure, President Abraham Lincoln.

Ronald Shafer, of the English Department at IUP, will assume the role of Lincoln in a production of "Lincoln and Lee: Music of the Civil War," to be presented at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in Pittsburgh's Oakland section.

The special music production, under the direction of New Bethlehem native Roger Tabler, a Pittsburgh-based music director and conductor, will be presented by the Pittsburgh Youth Pops Orchestra, an ensemble of 75 musicians ages 12 to 19, representing 30 school districts in Western Pennsylvania.

Shafer, who is in his 37th year at IUP, said Lincoln is one of his most admired historical figures.

"I was honored to be asked to assume this role," Shafer said. "I admire Lincoln not only because he was one of the greatest leaders the nation has ever seen but he is also thought to be the best writer of any of the presidents. He actually wrote the Gettysburg Address, as he did practically all of his speeches. He was a brilliant orator and an accomplished wordsmith. Personally, I am impressed by Lincoln's humanity as well as his intelligence."

Shafer gave full credit for the production to Tabler, who he said was at one time one of his students at IUP.

"Roger is recognized as one of Pittsburgh's top 100 most successful new leaders," he said. "He is the one behind this whole Lincoln and Lee production. Roger's script gets into Lincoln's head and soul."

Tabler said all the original words spoken by Lincoln and Lee, relating to their thoughts on the war, their similar pressures of dividing and uniting a country, their ideas about warfare and religion, and their similar views on the role of music in times of turmoil are included in his script.

Tabler shares Shafer's fascination with the Civil War era.

"I have always loved the history of the Civil War era. I chose to have the narrator to be from Martinsburg, W.Va., because that is where my grandfather was born, and I spent time there every year while growing up. I grew to really like the area and the history that it represents to the nation, and the place that it holds in my heart."

Tabler said West Virginia was split over the issue of slavery and the right to secede from the Union. He said the town of Martinsburg changed hands under North or South control nearly two dozen times during the course of the war, and with the presence of the B&O Railroad, it was a significant area to control.

Tickets for the event can be obtained at the door on the evening of the concert for $10. Shaffer said there will be a will-call table and anyone who mentions his name can be admitted for free, while supplies last. For additional information, readers may contact Lynne Cochran, Pittsburgh Youth Pops Orchestra executive director, at 412-403-0002.

Gateway Grace Community Church, the Grace Brethren church in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania, pastored by Dan O'Deens, will host the Children of the World International Children's Choir on Easter Sunday, April 8, at 6 p.m. The church meets at LanChester Christian School, 200 Airport Road, Valley Township (Coatesville).

The choir, comprised of 15 children from four different countries, consists of orphaned and disadvantaged children from India, Uganda, Brazil, and the Philippines. They are in the midst of a ten-month concert tour in the United States. They have performed at Disney World, Lego Land and the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA.

This inspiring one-hour concert will feature several songs, in both English and native dialects, as well as stirring personal testimonies. Also part of the concert is a video presentation, featuring footage of the children’s home countries.

The children represent thousands of children in World Help’s Child Sponsorship Program around the world who suffer hardship, hunger and disease. The purpose of the Children of the World is to generate compassion and inspire individuals to get involved in the World Help Child Sponsorship Program, helping to change the world…one child at a time.

For more information, call the church at (610) 857-0720 or e-mail info@gcwired.com. More information is also available at www.gcwired.com.

A nonstop prayer movement is spreading on campuses across the U.S.

At the University of Arizona last month, students set up tents on the mall of their campus and began a 24-7 prayer effort at the beginning of Lent, reported the college’s newspaper, the Arizona Daily Wildcat. The 40-day vigil will end on Easter.

"We're praying for our friends, for campus, and we're praying for the world, that God will reveal Himself and make Himself known," Isaac Yourison, an organizer of the on-campus prayer movement, told the newspaper.

He said he and other students were inspired to begin the prayer effort after reading a book by Peter Greig, founder of an international prayer movement known as 24-7. “When I read Red Moon Rising back in January we felt that God was telling us to do this then,” Yourison said.

Roughly a dozen Christian organizations are involved in the prayer campaign at the University of Arizona. Each group is assigned certain days to maintain constant prayer in the center of campus, where thousands of students walk by daily. Inside the tents are maps and prayer requests to aid students in intercession, the Daily reported.

Organizers say the prayer meetings are open to all students and that participants are free to pray as they feel led. The University of Arizona is one of 60 colleges across the U.S. where students have partnered with the England-based 24-7 prayer movement to lead nonstop prayer on their campuses.

Three new job positions at Grace College & Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana, are now listed on the FGBC website under "jobs."

They include: ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ACCOUNTING/FINANCE,ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF COMMUNICATION & DEPARTMENT CHAIR, and DIRECTOR OF WATER QUALITY AND SCIENCE FACULTY MEMBER.

For more information and to read a more lengthy description, log onto http://www.fgbc.org/jobs.htm

Pastor Roy Halberg and the Grace Brethren church in Alta Loma, California, each year host a barbecue for international students. Here is Roy’s report from this past weekend:

More than 30 international students attended our barbecue on Sunday, March 25, at the park across the street from Pastor Roy’s house. We taught several how to throw an American football and a Frisbee. We played volleyball and badminton along with several other games.

The highlight, as always, was our American cheeseburgers with all the fixin’s. Michael, a student from Taiwan, wanted to learn how to cook burgers so we signed him up for a crash course in culinary excellence.

There were lots of chips and dip and drink to go along with the burgers, which led to lots of smiles and laughter.

Pastor Roy Halberg continues:

We always finish our BBQ times with the group together in a circle. We ask each student to introduce themselves, giving name, country, hobbies, and life goal.

As we go around the circle it is an opportunity for each student to practice their English and also an opportunity for us to introduce ourselves and share a little of our purpose for being with them . . . to share the love of God.

We then make available Bibles (in English) and gospel literature (in their native languages) for those who wish to read and learn more.

Pray with us for the very special young people who are studying English here. Pray that the Lord will open their hearts to not only understand English better but to understand God’s love for them.

Dr. Larry McCall, author of the BMH book Walking Like Jesus Did, will be the speaker for this month’s Men Following Christ meeting on Saturday, March 31, from 8 AM to 10 AM, in the 2517 Restaurant, next to the Ramada Inn of Warsaw, Indiana.

The public is invited to join for breakfast, fellowship, worship and a message from McCall.

Men Following Christ is a men's disciple-making ministry devoted to bringing glory to God by making as many men as possible fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ and to multiply lifetime workers for a worldwide impact.

Men Following Christ meets the last Saturday of every month from 8 AM to 10 AM in various locations around Warsaw and Winona Lake, Indiana. For more information or to receive e-mails of upcoming events, please call Rod at 574-253-1594 or Don at 574-453-1555, or check out our website at http://www.menfollowingchrist.org.

The National Institute for the Development of Ministries to Youth, a ministry of CE National, is hosting the annual Youth Emphasis Week at Grace College this coming week, March 27-29, 2007.

During the week students are exposed to the needs of youth in our culture and are encouraged to consider youth ministry on a vocational or volunteer level. The theme for this year is "Youth Ministry: Culture and the Gospel."

Monday at 9 p.m. there will be a large hang-out/get-together/party-time with free pizza at CE National's Russell Center. Pastor Scott Distler, from Grace Church in Lititz, Pennsylvania, will speak, and he will also be the speaker for the Tuesday morning chapel service at Grace.

Wednesday, Pastor Scott Greene from Warsaw Community Church will speak. He is then going to speak on Wednesday night for two sessions/seminars that are open to the public at the Russell Center at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Thursday morning will showcase a newcomer to TNI: Josh Finklea. Josh is a pastor/speaker from Illinois. His focus will be on challenging the students to evangelism. Sound Investment, Grace College’s traveling music ministry team, will be leading music all week.

Timothy Kurtaneck, Director of TNI, has coordinated guests and events for the week. For more information, contact Courtney Cherest at 574-267-6622 or theinstitute@cenational.org.

The Madison County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities gave London Grace of London, Ohio (Pastor Tim Ruesch) a public awareness award at their 17th annual appreciation awards night Tuesday evening, March 20.

The London church has about seven adults who receive services from the MRDD Board and who attend London Grace each Sunday. A few months ago Pastor Ruesch wrote an article in his ministry update about their involvement at London Grace, and this article found its way into the hands of an MRDD staff person who then nominated the church for the award.

The text of Pastor Ruesch’s article is as follows:

A dear friend of mine recently visited London Grace and was struck by the fact that we have a large number of people with disabilities who attend the church. Not only was he struck by the fact that they attend but that they are also active in serving by greeting people and handing out bulletins. This was something he has not seen in other churches.

He commented that God is doing something through us. I had never made that connection but as I thought about it my eyes welled up with tears because I realized that my friend was right.

London Grace is blessed to have a number of people attending who have disabilities. As a pastor I love to watch the church family interact with each other. There are always hugs and laughter but on occasions there are tears because of some hardship such as the death of a family member or roommate.

As a pastor I can get a little one-track-minded on Sunday morning. After all, I have a lot of responsibilities and a lot on my mind. However, it never fails that God uses one of our disabled individuals to help me loosen up a little by giving me a big hug or wanting to show me a Special Olympics medal.

As a church we have been praying that God would do something through us that can only be explained by Him. I am convinced that our disabled members of the family are an answer to this prayer. Most of the time they are faced with misunderstanding, avoidance, discomfort, and prejudice from the public

Not so at London Grace. God has done something and we rejoice in Him. I am blessed to pastor such a great group of people.

Grace Brethren U.S. Navy chaplain Dayne Nix (pictured with his wife, Linda) recently was reassigned from Iceland to San Diego, California.

Of his new assignment, Chaplain Nix writes:

"I am director of the Southwest Region Spiritual Fitness Division. We have responsibility to provide ministry in two areas: retreat ministry for our Sea Service men and women and training for our Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps Chaplains.

"In the area of retreats, we provide monthly marriage retreats, personal growth retreats, spiritual growth retreats, team building seminars, and women's retreats.

"In the area of training, I provide annual training for about 100 regional chaplains in the Navy Chaplain Corps six core competencies. It is a very exciting ministry."

According to a recent Eagle Commission newsletter by coordinator Larry Chamberlain, Grace Brethren Chaplain Endorsing Agent John Schumacher recently returned from two weeks of ministry in Guatemala, where he represented the National Association of Evangelicals International Chaplaincy Commission on a mission to train chaplains in the military, police, and prison systems.

Schumacher is scheduled to do the same in the Dominican Republic in April, with possible future opportunities elsewhere.

For more information on Grace Brethren military chaplains and the Eagle Commission, log onto http://www.gbnam.org/chaplains/chaplains.htm.

Laura B. Estep Humberd, 88, of Winona Lake, Indiana, died at 2 p.m. Monday, March 19, 2007, in her residence.

She was born September 30, 1918, in Springfield, Ohio. On August 29, 1942, she married Jesse Humberd, who survives.

Living in the Winona Lake/Warsaw area since 1951, she was a former elementary school teacher at Claypool, McKinley and Lincoln schools, and taught at Grace College.

While in Ohio she operated her own kindergarten in her home for five years. She was a member of Indiana Retired Teachers Association and Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church, where she was a past primary superintendent.

Also surviving are two daughters, Lenora “Lee” Kingery, Dover, Delaware; and Margaret “Meg” Damer, Howe, Indiana; five grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw, Indiana, with Pastor Tom Miller officiating. No calling is planned. Titus Funeral Home of Warsaw is in charge of arrangements.

OAKLAND CITY, IN - The Grace College men's basketball team finished as the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) runner-up as the Lancers fell 90-81 in overtime to Bethel (Ind.) College in the championship game.

It was the fourth meeting of the season between the two programs and the third straight that was decided in overtime. The championship is the fourth NCCAA championship in Bethel's history and the fourth NCCAA runner-up for the Lancers.

The game featured 15 lead changes and 14 ties. Marcus Moore recorded a team-high 23 points with five assists for Grace. Gaff added 14 points, six rebounds and four blocks while Johnson chipped in with 13 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Scott Moore ended the evening with 13 points and eight assists.

Marcus Moore and Johnson each were named to the NCCAA All-Tournament team with Moore also being honored as a honorable mention NCCAA All-American. Senior forward David Ritter was named an NCCAA Scholar Athlete for his work in the classroom.

Grace ended its season with a 23-12 record while Bethel finished 21-15.

The Religious Studies Department of Grace College and Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana, announces a symposium on Tuesday evening, March 27 featuring Professor Layne Sumner. Sumner is also pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church of Warsaw.

He will speak on the topic, “Christians in Community: Are Churches Missing the Boat?” Sumner will examine the formation and development of community in the early church, especially as evident in the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, and will make application to the needs of today’s churches. Discussion will follow.

The symposium will be held in Ashman Chapel in McClain Hall on the Grace campus, March 27, at 7:30 pm. The public is invited.

For more information, contact D. Brent Sandy, Ph.D., Department of Religious Studies, Grace College, Winona Lake, IN 46590, 574-372-5100 x 6061.

Laura Humberd, wife of Grace College Professor Emeritus Jesse Humberd, passed away in her sleep Monday afternoon, March 19. Mrs. Humberd had been bedfast for the past five years.

In God’s good timing, the Humberds’ daughter and son-in-law, Margaret and Steve Damer, were in town visiting their parents this week and were able to be with Dr. Humberd.

Laura Humberd attended Bryan College and was a member of the first graduating class of Grace College (BA 54). She also graduated from Grace Seminary (MRE 66). She taught in the Warsaw Community School system for more than 30 years, retiring in 1985.

The Humberds have two daughters, Lenora Kingery (BS 66) and Margaret Damer (BA 68).

Titus Funeral Home in Warsaw is in charge of arrangements, and a full obituary and further information will be posted as it becomes available.

Dr. Ron Manahan, president of Grace College and Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana, has announced that at its meeting last week the board of trustees of the schools named Dr. William Katip (pictured), currently provost and senior vice president at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, as the provost at Grace.

Manahan said, “I believe this is an excellent outcome for us. Dr. Katip will begin his work at Grace by at least 1 July. Additional details regarding this appointment will be given later.”

Manahan also indicated that the schools’ search for a vice president of college academic affairs will be put on hold for the coming year to allow time for overall organizational evaluations.

Katip is a former Grace employee, serving as instructor in psychology, as admissions and retention counselor, as director of financial aid, and as associate dean of students during the years 1974-83.

Katip received his B.A. degree in psychology and Bible from Grace College in 1974. He is also a graduate of Purdue University, MS 1977 (Clinical Psychology), and of Michigan State University, Ph.D. 1986 (Higher Education Administration).

Katip is married to the former Debbie Cahill, (BA, Grace College, 1974) and they are parents of four children: Mike, Scott, Adam, and Holly.

Following the opening business session this afternoon at the district celebration of the Northern Atlantic Fellowship, held at the Penn Valley church in Telford, Pennsylvania, four seminars were held to inform delegates of initiatives happening in the NAF.

Here Chris Skowronek, lead pastor of CenterPoint Community Church in Berlin, Connecticut, and chair of the district missions committee, led a session entitled "Becoming the Church That God Can Use."

Other workshops included "Strategizing for Mission at the Center of Your World" by Steve Galegor, Jr., GBNAM career missionary to New York City; "Planting New Churches in the Soil of the City" by Jim Brown, pastor of Crossroads Community Church-Northeast in Philadelphia; and "Boston and Beyond" by Jack Brown, pastor of the North Shore Bible Church in Essex, Massachusetts.

More than 350 people from the 30 Grace Brethren churches in the Northern Atlantic Fellowship attended the district celebration this afternoon and evening at the Penn Valley church in Telford, PA.

Here district moderator Dan Jackson, from the Myerstown church, delivered the evening Bible challenge after a number of reports from national and district organizations.

A special highlight of the evening was a telephone call from Africa in which GBIM missionary Barb Wooler narrated a slide show live by telephone from Bangui, Central African Republic. She and Judy Orme, who was on the platform, represented the Grace Brethren orphan's ministry in the CAR. More than $1,850 was given in a special offering for the orphan ministry.

Several of the Brethren Missionary Herald Company staff persons spent the day today at the regional meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, being held at Warsaw Community Church in Warsaw, Indiana. The meeting was hosted by Grace Seminary.

BMH books are widely used by professors in Bible colleges, Bible institutes, and seminaries for their courses, so the day included many fruitful conversations with prospective buyers as well as prospective authors. Ann Myers (left) and John Leonard (right) of the BMH staff were on hand, as well as editorial director Liz Cutler Gates and publisher Terry White.

YIB (Your Intrepid Blogger) takes to the road/air this weekend (snowstorms permitting) to participate in worship services Sunday morning at the Penn Valley Grace Brethren Church in Telford, Pennsylvania (Tim Boal, pastor) and then to represent BMH Books at the Northern Atlantic Fellowship district conference, also to be held at Penn Valley.

Dan Jackson of the Myerstown, PA, church is the conference moderator and host.

Dr. Brent Sandy of the Grace College & Seminary faculty was one of the presenters at the 52nd annual midwest region meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, being held today and tomorrow in Warsaw, Indiana, and hosted by Grace Theological Seminary.

Dr. Sandy's presentation was entitled "Misinterpreting the Psalms: The Slipperiness of Poetry."

Sandy was one of a number of Grace faculty presenters, including Tiberius Rata, Matt Harmon, and former Grace professors Gary Meadors and Herb Bateman.

Next year's regional ETS meeting will be at Moody Bible Institute of Chicago the dates of March 28-29, 2008.

Dr. Terry Hofecker, pastor of the Northwest Chapel in Dublin, Ohio, and an adjunct professor at Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana, was one of the presenters today at the midwest regional meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society.

Hofecker's presentation was on an archaeological dig in Israel for which he served as administrator. The title was "Results of the 2006 Inaugural Season of Excavations at Tel Gezer: The 'Solomonic' Fortifications."

The Grace College men's basketball team advances to the semifinal game of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Tournament after a win over Malone College (93-91) yesterday in the first game of the tournament.

The Lancers, seeded second in the tournament, will play the winner of No. 3-seed Northwestern (MN) College and No. 6-seed Dallas Baptist University today at 5 p.m. CT. The tournament is being held in Oakland City, IN.

Follow the Lancers at http://www.grace.edu/athletics/ or http://www.oak.edu/athletics/mtourney%202007/bracket.htm

Christianity Today International has named Harold B. Smith (pictured) editor-in-chief and chief executive officer of its Chicago, Illinois-based stable of magazines, church resources and Internet websites and periodicals.

Smith succeeds the leadership team of Harold Myra and Paul Robbins as head of Christianity Today International (CTI).

Smith, 56, a resident of Carol Stream, Illinois, is a native of Detroit, Michigan. He holds a BA in history from the University of Michigan and studied and taught journalism at Michigan State University. Smith and his wife, Judy, have two adult sons, and they are active members of College Church in Wheaton, Illinois. Smith's resume includes service with the National Association of Evangelicals prior to joining CTI.

Smith joined the staff of Christianity Today magazine as special projects editor in 1984, and was promoted through various positions. Most recently he served six years as executive vice president. With this appointment, he becomes only the fourth top executive in the company's 50-year history.

Myra and Robbins announced their retirement after three decades at the helm of the publishing concern.

Christianity Today magazine was founded by evangelist Billy Graham in 1956 in an effort to give the fledgling evangelical movement coverage of faith news and the changing Christian culture.

Today CTI publishes 13 print magazines including Today's Christian Woman, Leadership Journal, and Ignite Your Faith (formerly Campus Life), operates award-winning websites with more than 30 channels for men, women, teens, and church leaders reaching more than 2-million unique visitors monthly, and produces more than 40 electronic newsletters reaching 1.4 million subscribers.

Scott Distler, pastor of the Grace Brethren Church of Lititz, Pennsylvania, included this note in his weekly e-mail update to his congregation this week:

As of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, we have 82 people who are scheduled to be baptized this Sunday here at Grace Church and applications for baptism can still be turned in online (www.lgbc.org) through Thursday.

WOW! Isn’t God good? How amazing it is to preach for two weeks on what the Bible teaches about baptism and to have it result in so many people who are led to take this step of faith, love and obedience. It’s a long way from the 3,000 that were baptized in one day on the Day of Pentecost as seen in Acts chapter two, but I am literally blown away at God’s work.

I have been very excited as I have read through the applications to see so many of them who are new believers in the past year. Many others have been followers of Jesus for some time but have never been baptized and want to obey the Lord in this way.

NexGen, a one-day conference that aims to equip Christians to effectively engage the next generation with the gospel, will be held this Saturday, March 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Grace Community Church in Goshen, Indiana.

Open to all who have an interest in ministry to and with children, NexGen is two mini-conferences within one conference. There is a track specifically for parents and children’s ministry volunteers and another track specifically for elementary age children.

The conference’s theme, “Tag – You’re It,” will motivate and equip children to tag other children with the gospel.

Of the 51 million children under the age of 18 who live in the United States, more than 40 million of them do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior, which suggests that there are some basic unmet spiritual needs. This is one of the most significant and fertile mission fields in the nation.

This conference is specifically designed to reach children within the ages of 5 and 12, when they are most likely to accept Christ.

Two main sessions will feature a fun atmosphere, incredible worship, and dynamic communicators who will challenge each participant. Featured speakers include CE National executive director Ed Lewis, Grace Community Church’s children’s pastor Jon Rauch, and Olympic athlete Brock Kreitzburg (pictured).

Brock Kreitzburg was a member of the 2006 U.S. Olympic Bobsled team, where he was ranked second in the world in the four-man bobsled.

After a standout career as a wide receiver at the University of Toledo, Kreitzburg took part in a mini-camp with the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the spring of 1999.

After attending a bobsled training camp, Kreitzburg joined the national team in 2002. Brock uses his platform as a Christian athlete to speak to children at school assemblies throughout the country.

Brock will be interviewed in the opening main session and will also present during the kids’ track. Every student will also have a chance to meet Brock and ask questions about his Olympic experience.

Registration is $15 per person with special rates for family registration. For more information log onto http://www.nexgenconference.com/nexgen07.pdf

Mike Jentes, pastor of thequest in the Short North section of Columbus, Ohio, shares the following experience in this week's e-mail update to his congregation:

Last week I challenged us to be risky for Jesus...and invited us to an experience where God had to show up. We took that risk together on Sunday night.

People showed up at our house and we looked at a passage in Acts 13. It tells us that the Holy Spirit spoke to a group of people and that their action of response was prompted by the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:1-5). We really want and need that kind of direction in our lives.

Sometimes we feel like God is done speaking to us...and we grope around acting like He doesn't...but we believe that God speaks to us: through the Scriptures, through other believers, through situations, through common sense, and in our everyday lives. We also believe He wants us to do something.

So Sunday, I asked those gathered to get into groups of 2-4 (kids counted in!). Then I gave each group a $10 bill and gave them this assignment: Figure out what God wants you to do with this $10 and do it. We'll gather in an hour and half or so to hear what God put in your hearts and what you did.

We put God to the test--and He guided and directed us in very different ways for each group. Isn't that just like Him?

One group went to a restaurant with eyes open to see what God might want them to do. They ate a bit (on their own buck) and the thing that emerged for them was to send the money to a single new mom who has been connected to thequest.

My group started out to connect with a homeless person who a couple of us saw on our way to the gathering. We went to find him, and couldn't. So we stopped and prayed for more direction. A few options came forward and we sensed that God was prompting us to get a grocery gift card for someone who was actually in another group. We also were able to get her daughter a cookie card...for a free cookie every time she goes to the store!

Another group that I was proud of was three of our elementary boys with one of our men. They started out with wanting to buy toy cars with their money. Then they wanted to by a REAL car and a house.

The reality of $10 sunk in and they began to think about sharing this gift with others. One of the boys remembered something about a cancer hospital for kids. They agreed God wanted them to send the money to the hospital. They wrote a letter to the hospital. They even recruited more donors and ended up with a $25 gift to the hospital.

It was amazing the diversity of what God wanted with the $10, and it was awesome to know that when we did it...we did it through His direction.

May we continue to live under His direction every day.

According to the latest electronic newsletter from thequest in Columbus, Ohio (Mike Jentes, pastor), Micah Daniel Ward joined parents John and Kate (pictured) at 6:12 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14. Michael weighed in at 8 pounds 1 oz. and both he and his mom are healthy. Cards can be sent to 248 E. College Ave. Westerville, OH 43081

Grace Community Church, the Grace Brethren church in Goshen, Indiana, (Jim Brown, pastor) launched its satellite church in South Bend/ Mishawaka this past Sunday March 11, 2007. (photo courtesy of Jim Brown)

Pastor Brown describes it as "One church two locations www.gracecommunity-church.com" and reports, "It was a super launch! God moved in a big way and 165 people came to our first service. We saw two people give their hearts to Jesus. The hallways were filled with excitement and anticipation as new people from all walks of life were loved on by our launch team. "

He further reports, "Pastor Jerimae Yoder (Worship Pastor) led us in inspiring worship and Pastor Tim Boucher (Campus Pastor) led the service. People interacted with the message which was a DVD from our home campus in Goshen. The potential is out of this world as 170,000 people live in the surrounding Michiana area."

A number of doctoral students are participating this week in a worship class currently taking place at Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. (photo courtesy Ken Bickel)

The class focuses on worship and includes students from the U.S. and Nigeria. It is being co-taught by Prof. Ken Bickel of Grace Seminary and Rev. Mark Davidson, Pastor of Worship at the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Warsaw, Indiana. Davidson has more than 25 years of experience as a worship pastor.

GBIM missionary to Argentina Gary McCaman sends along this encouraging summary from missionary Alice Peacock in response to the GO Grace team that ministered in Argentina last week:

Thanks so much for praying for the Grace GO Team that left yesterday for home.

God certainly answered your prayers. You may remember that we cancelled the showing of the JESUS film and hoped to show it this last Friday night instead of last Sunday. It rained a lot again on Thursday, but on Friday God graciously sent sunshine and wind to dry up the field and we were able to show it to 140 people, the majority of which were children.

Pray for the eight contacts we will be following on this event. Most of all, I want to thank God for the love and unity He gave the Bernal church young folks and the Grace College students as they worked, played and ate together in this effort!

DECLARE HIS GLORY AMONG THE NATIONS, HIS MARVELOUS DEEDS AMONG ALL PEOPLES. FOR GREAT IS THE LORD AND MOST WORTHY OF PRAISE. (1 Chron.16:24,25)

Pray also for the driver of the van that transported the team. A random call to a “Van Company” resulted in a spiritually sensitive driver that LIVES IN THE VERY NEIGHBORHOOD where the team was ministering. How cool is that?

Hope Community Church, the Grace Brethren church in Raleigh, North Carolina (Mike Lee, pastor), has a creative outreach the first Sunday of every month called “Bumper Crop.” (photos courtesy Mary Ann Sibley)

All those who attend church on that Sunday are urged to bring bags of groceries, toiletry items, and paper goods, leaving the bags on the parking lot pavement by the bumpers of their cars as they enter for worship.

Volunteers, who wear bright yellow vests with the “bumper crop” logo, then drive up and down the parking lots and load the bags into trucks and autos for delivery to a pre-designated neighborhood community center, where volunteers distribute the donated items to needy recipients.

Mary Ann Sibley, volunteer services director for the Raleigh church, says the program is working wonderfully. She sends along several testimonies of the impact made by the donations.

One respondent said, “After unloading all the vehicles we stood in a circle and joined hands for a prayer of thanksgiving. We were all touched by what God did and continues to do through the bumper crop ministry. . . at our regular small group meeting last night everyone was talking about how we need to continue to get more and more involved in the community.”

One recipient of the food said, “It was a real blessing for our church…we were able to see both the spiritual and material necessities of the community. We had a wonderful time serving and spreading the word—it is my prayer that God blesses Hope and its congregation for this wonderful act of love. The six new people [who attended services] also accepted Christ as their Lord that night! Praise God!”

For more information on the Raleigh church, click on http://www.gethope.net/

Yellow-vested volunteers from Hope Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, pick up the bags of groceries left at their bumpers by attenders of the Raleigh church and distribute them as an act of compassion and love in Jesus' name.

Today's DesMoines (Iowa) Register carries this feature on Grace Brethren church planter Roddy Ehrhardt:

Pastor to bring New Direction to Ankeny

An Ankeny couple looks for a flock to begin Grace Brethren community. The Christian denomination is similar to Baptist.

By MEGHAN V. MALLOY, Register staff writer
March 13, 2007

An Ankeny pastor hopes that if he builds it, they will come.

Metaphorically speaking, that is.

The Rev. Roddy Ehrhardt, 52, and his wife, Mary, are building a new church in Ankeny, though not one made of lumber and concrete - yet.

"Right now, we are trying to develop a core group of people who believe what we do," Ehrhardt said.

The pastor of 28 years is a minister in Grace Brethren churches, a Christian denomination similar to Baptists. Ehrhardt said the idea to start a new congregation, which will be called New Direction Church as it continues to solidify, came to him some years ago when he was a pastor in Dallas Center.

The couple live in Ankeny. When asked why he wanted to start his church in Ankeny, Ehrhardt confidently responded, "God had given us the call to do this. (My wife and I) went up to Ankeny and knew this was the place."

The pastor said he held a March 4 reception in Ankeny that procured a handful of curious people. He said he has had other people calling him, wanting more information about New Direction.

A Chicago native, Ehrhardt had ministered all over the Midwest before moving to Dallas Center with his wife nine years ago. He works as a manager at Starbucks in the Ankeny SuperTarget when he is not ministering or focusing on building the new church.

"Working there is nice," Ehrhardt said of Starbucks. "I get to talk to people there and form a bond with them."

The Rev. Howard Immel, a Grace Brethren pastor in Garwin, said Ehrhardt has shown "courage" with the project.

"It's not an easy task to try to start a new church," Immel said. "Sometimes it's difficult, and sometimes things fall in to place."

Immel said Grace Brethren members consider themselves a fellowship of churches who rally together in times of need or otherwise. He said despite some challenges, Ehrhardt has "a good idea, the giftedness to do this, and a love for people."

Immel, the chairman of the Iowa district mission board for Grace Brethren churches, said there are six congregations of that denomination in Iowa.

"It'll be interesting to see what the Lord does," Immel said of Ehrhardt's desire to start the new church. "But we have confidence and absolutely support him."

Those interested in joining New Direction Church may contact the Rev. Roddy Ehrhardt at 965-0831. Get details at www.newdirectiongbc.com.

Marti Thompson in the Grace Brethren International Missions office sends the following "heads-up" for all those considering short-term missions trips to other countries:

I work with GO teams here at GBIM. Because of the new regulations on passports, it takes longer to get them now than it did even a year ago.

Anyone even thinking about the possibility of traveling outside of the US should apply for a passport as soon as possible. Check out this website http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

Marti Thompson
Short Term Mobilization Assistant
Grace Brethren International Missions
PO Box 588
Winona Lake, IN 46590
574-268-1888x23
Fax 574-267-5210
mthompson@gbim.org
http://www.gbim.org/

The Grace College and Seminary alumni office is sponsoring a "2007 Creation Celebration Tour" featuring Grace faculty member Dr. Don DeYoung, author of the recently-published BMH book Pioneer Explorers of Intelligent Design (pictured).

The June 29—July 1, 2007 trip features a chartered bus tour from Winona Lake, Indiana, to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to see the phenomenal Sight & Sound Theatres’ dramatic production of the story of biblical creation entitled “In the Beginning.”

Sight & Sound Theatres has long been known for larger-than-life theatrical productions based on stories of the Bible.

“In the Beginning” will present the biblical account of creation featuring the lives of Adam, Eve, and the first generations on earth as depicted in the first five chapters of the book of Genesis. It includes the relationship among God, Adam, Eve, and the angels as they experienced life at its best.

The show presents God’s original intent for creating man and earth, showing the absolute and unimaginable perfection that existed throughout the newly-created world.

Ohio area alumni are invited to join the Creation Tour on Friday, June 29, at the Dublin location as to enjoy an inspiring dinner with special speaker, Dr. Don DeYoung.

Pennsylvania alumni are invited to attend the Creation Dinner prior to the Sight & Sound event on Saturday, June 30, and/or join for the theatrical performance.

Hotel accommodations provided with the Embassy Suites of Dublin, Ohio and the Netherlands Inn of Strasburg, Pennsylvania.

For more information contact Tim Ziebarth in the Grace alumni office or log onto http://www.grace.edu/grace/alumni/tour.htm.

The boards of a number of the Grace Brethren national organizations are meeting at this time of year. The Women of Grace USA board met in Winona Lake, Indiana, earlier this week. Here Viki Rife (left), Women of Grace USA president Janet Minnix (center) and GBIM missionary to Brazil Lisa Triplehorn connect in the cafe area of the Tree of Life bookstore.

Brethren Missionary Herald Co. board met Thursday and Friday of last week in Winona Lake.

The Grace College and Seminary board meets March 15-17 in Winona Lake, and later this month the Grace Brethren North American Mission board meets in San Diego March 27-30.

From the Altoona, PA, Mirror. To read the entire article, click here.

MARTINSBURG — At a glance, former major league pitcher Kent Bottenfield might seem like your run-of-the-mill retired pro ballplayer, traveling from state to state giving clinics, speaking to kids and performing at various events throughout the country.

But this one-time All-Star likes to think his message carries a little bit of a different tune.

‘‘Every player eventually retires, and it’s your passions that keep you moving on with your life,’’ Bottenfield said. ‘‘Mine just happen to be my faith and music, and they’re what get me moving and keep me going.’’

Bottenfield, who won 18 games for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1999, taught a clinic for more than two dozen local boys at Morrison’s Cove Memorial Park Saturday morning. The event was part of a weekend-long trip to the area for Bottenfield, who spent Friday and Saturday nights performing songs from his newly released contemporary christian album ‘‘Back in the Game.’’

‘‘I like to tie the baseball and the music together,’’ Bottenfield said. ‘‘I don’t want to be saying, ‘Hey, come see me [at a clinic] because I played major league baseball,’ or, ‘Come watch me sing so I can hit you over the head with my beliefs.’ I love getting out into communities and meeting people face to face and trying to make a difference.

‘‘Hopefully, some parent or kid who is here will have the desire to come see me sing [Saturday] night or to listen when I speak at [Martinsburg Grace Brethren Church] Sunday morning.’’

Dr. Francois Ngoumape (pictured), who heads up the Bible schools and seminary for the Grace Brethren in the Central Africa Republic, sends the following note of thanks:

On behalf of my family and our staff here, I want to thank you for your prayers for my wife's health. She is recovering and will be back here in Bata Sunday.

At the same time, I came to be informed that my brother-in-law, Pasteur GAnazoui Réné, who was kidnapped by the bandits, has been released last Sunday. Praise the Lord--it is the answer to your fervent prayers. It is a great encouragement and joy for the family.

The bandits said, "We don't want to keep a man of God away from his ministry for a while," and they freed him.

Again thank you for bearing this burden with my family during this last two weeks. May God bless you.

After two intensive days of hard work, the board of directors of the Brethren Missionary Herald Company concluded their agenda this afternoon and departed for home.

Meeting in the newly-remodeled conference room of the BMH building in Winona Lake, Indiana, the board reviewed the company's financials and sales reports, discussed one-, three-, and five-year goals, brainstormed on better ways to fulfill the company's mission statement, and much more.

They also heard reports from Fellowship Coordinator Tom Avey and a newly-constituted Finance Committee which met prior to the board meeting.

Todd Scoles is chair of the board, and Dan Thornton is vice-chair. Other board members participating included Bob Arenobine, Bruce Barlow, Nathan Bryant, and Rick Fairman. Board members Barb Wooler and Pat Phillips were unable to attend.

The next meeting of the board will be July 28 and 29, just prior to the Equip07 national conference in Winona Lake.

The Worthington Christian boy's basketball team has advanced in the state tournament, winning Wednesday night against Fisher Catholic.

The next game will be played at the Fairgrounds Coliseum Saturday at 8:00 p.m. against Harvest Prep. Upon a win Saturday, the Warriors would play for the Regional Semifinal on Tuesday, March 13, at 8:00 p.m.

For more information call Jennifer in the WCS athletic office (614-410-4250).

From today's Prince George's Maryland Gazette.net:

Grace Brethren Christian School’s boys’ basketball team likes to compare itself to the Phoenix Suns. But unlike the high-scoring National Basketball Association team, the Eagles have a championship to celebrate.

The Clinton school won the Maryland Christian Schools Tournament Division I title last weekend at Washington Bible College in Lanham. It was the first Maryland Christian championship for the Eagles, who completed a school-best 30-5 campaign.

‘‘We like to run and gun, so to speak,” said Grace Brethren coach Dennis Loufik. ‘‘The more possessions, the more shots, that’s all they want.”

The Eagles defeated Capitol Christian in the finals after getting past Elkton Christian in the semifinals at Anne Arundel Community College. For Grace Brethren, the championship was redemption after failing to defend its Potomac Valley Athletic Conference title two weeks ago.

‘‘We knew we should’ve won it, but there were some controversial plays,” said Eagles’ senior guard Devin Paige, whose team lost to St. Anselm’s, 59-58, in the PVAC finals. ‘‘We said as a team we wanted to go out and win this championship. We wanted this one, even though, we should’ve won both of them.”

Giovanni Flowers was the tournament’s most valuable player, scoring 26 points in the finals. While Flowers and Paige, who both surpassed the 1,000-point career mark, carried the scoring responsibility this season, Grace Brethren received contributions from several performers.

Brad Harris, a junior transfer from Thomas Stone High, was the main inside presence, as he demonstrated with a 17-rebound showing on Saturday. Eugene Edwards filled in admirably the final 15 games after Benjamin Fuller suffered a season-ending broken hand injury.

‘‘Any guy on any night could’ve been the star offensively,” said Loufik. ‘‘Last year, we were limited in who was going to put the ball in the basket. We had rebounders and defensive people.”
‘‘We were a little lazy, but we decided to start working more,” said Paige. ”We just had the heart and desire to go out and want to win it. We became more mature.”

Loufik expects next season to be a rebuilding process with Harris as the lone returning starter. The Eagles, who won three tournaments this winter, went 52-16 the past two seasons.

‘‘These kids have been together since middle school and that’s why they were successful,” said Loufik. ‘‘They were really family, shared the ball, and played as a team. We didn’t have go to through the meshing process.”

‘‘It was a unique team,” said Paige. ‘‘To be together since ninth grade and watch each other grow and mature as a player and a man, it doesn’t get better for a high school player.”

A “Freedom in Christ Seminar” on the subject “Resolving Personal and Spiritual Conflict” will be held at the Pataskala Grace Brethren Church, Pataskala, Ohio (Fenton McDonald, pastor) this Sunday, March 11 and Monday, March 12.

Many Christians struggle with conflict in their lives, because of a failure to understand who they are “in Christ” and they have been deceived into believing lies about the things that have happened to them in life.

This seminar will draw upon solid biblical study and years of experience helping Christians resolve these conflicts and learn to walk in freedom. The seminar will help each participant take an in-depth spiritual inventory with the aim of walking in victory in their spiritual life.

The seminar leader will be Dr. Timothy Warner (pictured) of International Ministries of Freedom in Christ Ministries of La Habra, CA. In this capacity he conducts seminars and teaches college and graduate level courses in the area of spiritual warfare. This ministry has taken him to Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as Canada and the United States.

He is a graduate of Taylor University (B.A., 1950), New York Theological Seminary (1953, M.Div.), New York University (M.A., 1955), and Indiana University (Ed.D., 1967). Taylor recognized his life of ministry with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree in 1990.

Dr. Warner and his wife, Eleanor, served as missionaries in a tribal village in West Africa from 1953 to 1959; and for twenty-three years he ministered at Fort Wayne Bible College in a variety of capacities including as chairman of the Missions Department and, from 1971-80, as President.

He then became a member of the faculty at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL, teaching in the area of missions and directing professional doctoral programs. He retired from Trinity in 1992 and has ministered with Freedom in Christ Ministries since that time.

He is the author of Spiritual Warfare: Victory over the Powers of This Dark World and Beginner's Guide to Spiritual Warfare.

Sessions include:

Introduction (10:45 AM Sunday) “What I Profess vs. What I Really Believe”

Lunch at Pataskala Grace Brethren Church

Session I (1:00-3:00) “Seeing the World Through God’s Eyes”

“Spotting and Rejecting the Lies of Satan”

Break

Session II (3:30-4:30) “Living Like a Prince in God’s Kingdom”

“Victory Over the Attacks of the Enemy”

MONDAY EVENING, March 12th :

“Steps to Freedom in Christ” - Spiritual Inventory (7:00-8:30 PM)

For more information, contact Pataskala Grace Brethren Church, 3517 Headley’s Mill Road, Pataskala, Ohio 43062, or call 740-927-6543.

February 18, 2007 The Happy Church met in their new facility for the first time.

On February 5th, The Happy Church in Jackson, KY (Mike Tabor, pastor) closed a purchase agreement for a new church facility. See article and pictures .

In spite of snow and ice, an excited church body met and celebrated God's provision as He continues to build His church.

Ron Boehm, shown here with his wife, Chery, is the Midwest career church-planting missionary with Grace Brethren North American Missions. In this encouraging report Ron conveys his excitement at what God is doing in raising up Grace Brethren church planters in the Midwest.

Where do you find church planters? They are very special people who serve a peculiar work of the church to bring the Gospel to all kinds of people in all kinds of places.

Our God is a sending God (John 20:21) and those who successfully planted churches were sent out or scattered by His Spirit (Acts 8:1 & 13:2f). It makes sense that we should be looking for those whom the Spirit is sending.

Pastor Tony Webb and I have been working together in conjunction with the VisionOhio Church Planting Operations Center to find those God is sending into His harvest fields.

Tony has focused his two-day-a-week efforts on contacting individuals in Ohio who have completed our “R U A Church Planter?” web survey. Consequently we have more than 46 who are seriously contemplating and evaluating if God is sending them to plant new churches.

We try to help these individuals evaluate the call of God on their lives. We use three online assessments and a very intense interview to appraise the skill level of each one for the work of church planting.

In addition we gather references, encourage extended relationships with other Grace Brethren leaders, and provide leadership training environments, trusting that God will clarify to them and the church His call on their lives.

So you can see why we need your prayers for this holy work. How can we find the men God is calling into His harvest fields unless the Spirit leads us throughout the process?

Furthermore, if the number of potential church planters continues to rise as it has the past six months, pray that we will be prepared to seriously engage the sending and supporting of many new church-planting leaders into His harvest fields!

The Lanham, Maryland, Christian School, a ministry of the Grace Brethren Church of Lanham, achieved the double pleasure this past weekend of state championships for both the Boys and Girls Basketball teams!

The MCST (Maryland Christian School Tournament) Division II saw the Lanham Lions appearing in the Final Four for the first time in its history.

The Lady Lions defeated the Frederick Christian Warriors 51-39, and the Boys team defeated long-time rival Baltimore Greater Grace 51-43.

Three girls received All-Tournament Honors, and Maame Amponsah, senior, was honored as MVP of the tournament. Four boys received All-Tournaments Honors, and David Porter, senior, was honored as MVP of the tournament.

Lanham Christian School is celebrating its 30th year of ministry. Gene Pinkard is Headmaster of the school and Paul Mutchler pastors the Lanham church.

Kork Moyer (left), pastor of Still Waters Churches, Pottstown, PA; and the Northern Atlantic Fellowship networking coordinator, alerts us to the following:

Our winter endeavors are being highlighted in our local newspaper (The Pottstown Mercury)as a three-day seven-part series on homelessness in our city.

We faced a challenge this winter of having no provision for the homeless community locally, and as the church, simply could not tolerate the situation, moving us to action.

The effort resulted in calling all local churches to rally in protecting the least. What a blessing.

Here is the scoop from the writer:"Wanted to let you know that I just finished proofing the final layout of the series and it is incredible!""It is seven stories, plus some national info which supports the local angle, and will run over the course of this Sun., Mon., and Tues. It is the A1 (above the fold) on all three days.

As Kork said, I really hope this isn't the end but the beginning. Once weget some community response rolling in... that's when the magic happens."

Also, the Philadelphia Inquirer is coming to our shelter tonight and has interviewed us as well.We have not pursued any of this attention, but have simply watched as God has brought this all to bear. I am just amazed by our God!

Here is a link to one of the stories, and other can be found at the newspaper’s site: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18037864&BRD=1674&PAG=461&dept_id

Clive Craigen, who has worked with Grace Brethren North American Missions in Chicago, and who teaches at Moody Bible Insitute, sends the following information about an upcoming ministry opportunity:

I am about to enter into a venture that could be one of the most exciting and life-changing experiences I have ever had. I am going to Vietnam under the direction and guidance of GBIM (Grace Brethren International Missions). In addition to myself, there will be seven students, another adult and the leader, Jay Bell.

We leave for Vietnam on March 9 and return March 23. We will be traveling to the Mekong Delta in the far southernmost region. While we are there we will have the opportunity to be involved in the foundation-laying phase of a grass roots pioneer church planting initiative.

We will be making contacts and building relationships using conversational English in a government school, hanging out and using the youth of our team to connect with young people and carrying medicine to a Christian doctor. Each and every day, we will ask God to lead us to the people with which He wants us to connect.

Please pray for the following:

· Safety as we travel.
· Financial provision for the team
· God’s direction and leading
· My family while I am gone

Please join my Vietnam Prayer Team. These are people who commit to praying
regularly for me and my family while I am on the trip.

To communicate with Clive or to contribute financially to his trip expenses, contact him at ccraigen@moody.edu or 773.590.2554.

Students and faculty from Grace College and Seminary are on spring break this week. While some are relaxing, others are on extended mission and speaking trips. Here is what a few of the faculty members are doing. Your prayers for their safety, travel, and effective ministry will be appreciated.

Dr. Roger Peugh, associate professor of World Mission, will be ministering in Germany at churches near Frankfort and Bonn, a Bible school, and a conference near Berlin.

Dr. Tiberius Rata, professor of Old Testament Studies, will travel to Lima, Peru, to teach on the Minor Prophets for the World Reach Mission staff.

Dr. Paulette Sauders, chair, Department of English, Journalism, and Linguistics, will lead a group of 14 people on a trip to England.

Dr. Tammy Schultz and 12 students from the Grace College Graduate School in Counseling and Interpersonal Relations will travel to El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico, for their cross-cultural field experience. Dr. Schultz is the chair of the department.

An article on today's Mission Network News gives details about the new radio station, sponsored by Jim Hocking's organization ICDI, that went on the air.

Here is an excerpt--to see the entire article click here.

A radio ministry started March 1 in Africa gives Christians more time with the people.

Integrated Community Development International has been working with HCJB Global to start the first privately owned short-wave radio station in Central African Republic. ICDI's Jim Hocking said, "When I started ICDI, I realized that if I was going to impact communities for the long-term and impact them as far as change and the way they did things, and how they cared for their children I was going to need to have more contact with them than a periodic trip."

The focus of the radio station will be on community development. Messages on how people can care for themselves will be broadcast in four languages: Sango, French, Aka and Fufulde.

If anyone out there (in the Osceola, Indiana, area)