Sunday, June 25, 2017

The Nazarene Communication Network News in Lenexa, Kansas, United States for Sunday, 25 June 2017: "General Assembly Day 5"

The Nazarene Communication Network News in Lenexa, Kansas, United States for Sunday, 25 June 2017: "General Assembly Day 5"
The latest General Assembly news...

Indianapolis, Indiana

Got hope? Share it!

Saturday night’s theme of “One Hope” began with an invocation by General Superintendent Eugénio R. Duarte.

Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International Director Woodie Stevens highlighted the importance of SDMI throughout the world.

“85 percent of all Christians come to Christ between the ages of 4 and 14,” he said.

Prior to the message by General Superintendent Jerry D. Porter, who was assisted by his wife, Toni, missionary Erica Contrarez, Olivet Nazarene University Professor Simone Twibell, and Stevens, the chorus “Revelation Song” was shared in a multitude of languages, representing the diverse locations of the Church of the Nazarene.

Jerry Porter began by allowing each sermon participant to interact throughout the message. The sermon challenged the audience with the question: “What is my hope?” The message reminded the audience that there are many who have lost hope: those who have suffered, been betrayed, and been abandoned. Porter, through interaction with the other participants, illustrated the need for hope on both individual and national levels. Porter shared that “none of us knows how God will answer prayer.”

However, hope is what sustains us throughout the journey. Sharing the example of Paul’s shipwreck in Acts 27, Porter reminded: “even when we experience loss, our lives are in God’s hands, and Jesus is our only hope.” This hope begins with the hope that Jesus is our Savior, and it must be shared.

“Hope has a name,” he continued, “and it is Jesus!”

Our hope is also in Jesus as our sanctifer and sustainer.

“If Jesus is the hope for our world, then we, as the Body of Christ, also are the hope for our world,” Porter said.

He stated that the Vision 2020 goal is a hopeful vision for the future that challenges Nazarenes to continue to share the hope of Jesus with the world. We are to pray for workers for God’s mission while being a worker ourselves – this is how the hope of Jesus will transform the world.

Highlighting the Seven Characteristics of the Church of the Nazarene, each presenter emphasized the means by which we can share the hope of Jesus to the world. Porter concluded the service with personal testimonies of changed lives through the hope of Jesus Christ.

Got hope? Share it!

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Indianapolis, Indiana
NYI announces new NYI chair, holds youth quiz

As nearly 750 delegates gathered at nine regional sites around the world for a time of celebration and reflection on the past four years, they also looked toward the future by electing a new global Nazarene Youth International council chair.

Adiel Teixeira of the Brazil Rio de Janeiro Baixada District was elected on the third ballot for this position and will serve from 2017 to 2021. Teixeira currently serves as the regional NYI president for South America and has served in youth ministry on the local, district, national, and regional levels for more than 14 years.

“I desire to see NYI help every individual discover their place of belonging in the Body of Christ, to understand they are important and valued by NYI, and have a place at the table to speak and be heard,” Teixeira said. “I long to see young people feel they are fully integrated into the whole body and given a voice.”

The Global NYI Convention wrapped up Friday afternoon with worship led by the USA/Canada regional band Harbour and a commission to “GO” as leaders into the world. Delegates shared in a time of communion and were reminded one final time to not let anyone look down on them because they are young, but to set an example for all other believers as indicated in the NYI theme verse of 1 Timothy 4:12.

Additionally, USA/Canada NYI hosted the National Youth Quiz, in which 100 of the top youth quizzers from across the region competed. Huge crowds of enthusiastic family members and friends supported their quizzers.

After studying Luke this year, next year Nazarene Youth Quizzers will learn 1 and 2 Corinthians. Resources are available now through Nazarene Publishing House.

Live Streaming

The 2017 General Assembly worship services and GA plenary meetings will be live streamed for online viewing (Note: SDMI, NMI, GNEC, and NYI plenaries are not able to be broadcast). For Spanish, French, and Portuguese, interpreters' audio will be included. Services will be archived and posted for additional/later viewing.

The service schedule for Sunday morning, 25 June, including music selections, can be downloaded by clicking here (All times Eastern Daylight Time. For the official time in Indianapolis, click here.). Archived service broadcasts are available below.