GFI is a member of The Evangelical Church Alliance. John attended ECA’s International Conference in Charlotte, N.C. on July 18-20. It was a good opportunity to present our resources and network with pastors, missionaries and chaplains.
We just posted a video of three testimonies from one of the Workshops in Pigeon Forge. This 5 minute video describes the value of the training and the encouragement of kindred fellowship. The next Workshop is August 7-10! Please check out and share the video on the Spirituotherapy Workshop page, or the GFI You Tube channel.
We’re thankful for those who attended the Committed Christians Conference in Sevierville, TN June 30-July 3rd. It was organized by our local friend, evangelist David Cobb (2nd from left). The other speakers were Preston and Diane Nix. (He is a professor at New Orleans Baptist Seminary, and she has a ministry to pastor’s wives: http://contagiousjoy4him.com). Recording artist, John Swain (right), led us in worship.
During June 4-12, John was back in Canada for some ministry opportunities. He preached at Peoples Church of Montreal and spoke at the Summit Conference hosted by Fair Havens Community Church in Beaverton, ON. Audio recordings of the Summit messages are at the church’s web site: http://fairhavenscommunitychurch.ca Photos of this trip and other recent activities are at GFI’s photo sharing site: https://gfiworld.shutterfly.com
GFI alumnus, Kathy Gwinn, testifies of the devastating wildfires that swept through Gatlinburg Tennessee and the surrounding area of the Great Smoky Mountains on and after Nov. 28, 2017. Biblical and spiritual insights offer comfort to those who go through adversity. You can view and share it on YouTube here:
<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/mnvX7uftlMM” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>
Grace Fellowship announces a new policy to help ministries cultivate biblical counseling teams. As of May, 2017 there is a new option to take Solomon School Online Lecture Series.
Previously, those walking through the Exchanged Life Counselor certification process would register for this 25 video & notes series at the individual rate ($325) and view them on their own. Although the single viewer track is still standard practice, now ministries have the option of purchasing a site license for this module. For a one time fee, your ministry team will have open access to the 25 online lectures and notes.
Some ministries will fund this $1,000 fee by identifying it as a sponsorship project. (It is easier to raise funds for a one-time site license that will have ongoing benefits for the whole ministry than for an individual’s expenses.)
One advantage of the site license is the use of the video lectures as a group training process. This is how our affiliate in Minnesota, Cross to Life Discipleship Ministries, went through this module of training. The use of the videos in a group setting allows for helpful discussion, feedback, and application to your local ministry.
The other requirements for individual certification remain the same, although some ministries also do the Exchanged Life Conference as a group via DVD rather than (or in addition to) the live event.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact John Woodward at GFI. God bless the development and deployment of Christ-centered counseling ministries!
One of the most uplifting ways to learn about the value of Exchanged Life discipleship and counseling is through testimonies. Grace Fellowship is beginning a podcast series of audio testimonies.
Listen to Dr. Al Scardino tells of his journey to know Christ as Life. Some time after resigning from the Roman Catholic priesthood, he embraced the plan of salvation and was born again. He shares about how he and his wife benefited from Exchanged Life Counseling in Colorado; he was later trained in this type of ministry in Florida. In 1988 Al became Director of Biblical Counseling at First Baptist Church of Atlanta under Dr. Charles Stanley, and led that staff and lay ministry for two decades. Listen/download here.
Lay counselor, Mary Louise McDonald testifies of her journey to experience Christ as Savior, Lord, and Life. She was trained by Dr. Judy Unruh and counseled at church and eventually from her home. In spite of a cancer battle and ongoing physical handicaps, Mary Louise draws on God’s grace and faithfulness daily. Listen/download here.
Champion swimmer, Bonnie Glasgow, has attended GFI’s Conference and Spirituotherapy Workshop. At age 50 she had a transformational breakthrough with an Exchanged Life counselor in Texas. Bonnie’s testimony was included in the workshop video that is online here: vimeo.com/89142581. Below is a news clipping from August 26, 1977; she won two more medals in 1979 in Mexico City. Bonnie is scheduled to have an international trip (Tunisia, Sicily, Italy and Switzerland) May 12-July 12. It will include swimming and sharing the good news of Christ as Savior, Lord, and Life. Let’s remember Bonnie in prayer; she wants to use her influence as a champion swimmer to herald the Rest of the Gospel.
The annual convention of Network 220 was hosted by Grace Life Fellowship in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on April 27-30. This association of Exchanged Life counseling ministries and like-minded churches has its roots in the five branch offices of Grace Fellowship International. They were spun off from the parent organization and formed the Association of Exchanged Life Ministries in 1986 (eventually renamed Network 220). Last weekend ten new members were added. (Now the Network has about 135 member organizations.) GFI had a resource table there and many relationships were strengthened and new friends were introduced. Pray that the association doesn’t drift from the centrality of the Cross and a balanced view of the Abiding Life.
We congratulate Yvonne Ward on completing her certification process in Exchanged Life Counseling with Grace Fellowship International. Here is her testimony:
.
The Grace Fellowship International certification program has been one of the most positive and beneficial experiences in my Christian life. I did exchanged life training in the mid to late 90’s through a related ministry in Tennessee. While I learned much during that training, I feel the training I’ve received from GFI has been a deeper and more usable.
Since my certification with them almost twenty years ago, I’ve done a lot of Biblical/ discipleship counseling. The reason I chose to go through the GFI work was two-fold. Mainly, it was because I wanted to review and gain new insight for my personal life, as well as my counseling ministry. Through this process, I feel better equipped to share through the Spirituotherapy materials and training.
Personally, I’ve been reminded of my own identity in Christ. I lost my husband (to cancer) three years ago and found that I wasn’t sure where I fit anymore after my husband was gone. No longer a wife, a missionary, and not ministering alongside my husband was heartbreaking. I believe part of personal healing has been through the Holy Spirit using the truths I’ve been reminded of during my training with GFI.
Currently, I am serving in my church as a Biblical/discipleship counselor. I don’t know what God has in the future but my desire is to continue to minister to hurting women through the means of the Spirituotherapy methodology.
Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of the ministry at GFI. I value the friendships I’ve made and hope to continue them.
Yvonne
yvonneward50@gmail.com
