Compiled by Jim Nieman
Spire Huddles—taking place each Wednesday—offer an online, interactive, conversational, and free way to connect with other church leaders and discuss important topics presented by expert speakers. There is a different huddle focus and host/presenter each week until February.
The huddles begin at 1 p.m. Wednesdays (Eastern time) and last roughly 90 minutes. An additional 30 minutes are allotted for final questions at the end of the main presentation. More than half of the time is spent in small groups.
By the time you complete a Huddle, according to Spire, “you will hear from an expert, connect with a mentor, and leave with an actionable plan to apply your learnings.”
Huddles (and hosts) scheduled over the next several weeks include:
• Today, Virtual Small Groups & Discipleship (Bobby Harrington)
• Oct. 28, Preaching in This Season (Mike Breaux, Mike and Jodi Hickerson)
• Nov. 4, Strategic Leadership (Matt Wright)
• Nov. 11, Rethinking Worship (Don Smith)
• Nov. 18, Mobilizing, Sending, & Serving (Tyler McKenzie)
Only about 100 attendees can participate weekly. Huddle descriptions are available at spireconference.network/huddles/; go there to select the huddle or huddles you would like to attend, and then register.
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News Briefs
IDES staff and volunteers have been working with South City Christian Church in Lake Charles, La., in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura, which made landfall on Aug. 27. Then, on Oct. 9, Hurricane Delta hit just 13 miles east of Lake Charles. Church groups and individuals who would like to help with recovery in Lake Charles may contact IDES. The ministry also requests continued prayer for SCCC, Lake Charles, and the surrounding community.
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GNPI (Good News Productions International) invites folks to join them in celebrating 45 years of creating media and sharing Jesus at 6 p.m. (CST) on Thursday, Oct. 29. RSVP for this virtual event at www.gnpi.org/45.
“You’ll get to meet some of our international families [and] be the first to view the new global music video,” said Mindy Snell, vice president of development. “And what night would be complete without hearing from our much-beloved founder, Ziden and Helen Nutt.”
GNPI is based in Joplin, Mo., and has nine global centers. Its mission is to share the good news through strategic evangelism and provide effective resources to increase global disciple-making efforts.
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Boulevard Christian Church in Muskogee, Okla., is among a handful of churches in that city participating in a backpack food program for schoolchildren. Volunteers deliver backpacks full of nonperishable snacks to select Muskogee schools once a week so kids don’t go hungry over the weekend.
BCC lead pastor Steve Moss told Fox23 News that the need has increased during the coronavirus outbreak. More children are attending school virtually, so it’s harder to provide food for them. Most Muskogee churches involved partner with one or two elementary schools.
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Dr. Greg Linton has been named Johnson University’s new provost/vice president for academic affairs. He has experience as both a professor of New Testament and administrator with Johnson and Great Lakes Christian College. Most recently, he served as JU’s vice provost for academic services.
Linton holds a BA from Johnson, an MDiv and an MA from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Michigan State University, respectively, and a PhD in New Testament and Christian origins from Duke University.
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MOVE (the Missouri Operation for Vigorous Evangelism), marked its 40th anniversary Sunday with its annual MOVE Day. Each year on its anniversary, the church-planting organization—whose mission “is to encourage, equip, and establish new churches to win the people of Missouri to Christ”—asks supporting churches and individuals to consider a special gift or a monthly commitment of support. Through the years, MOVE has planted 32 churches, the most recent one being Cobblestone Christian Church in Poplar Bluff. Learn more at www.movechurchplanters.org. Donations may be made to MOVE, P.O. Box 104594, Jefferson City, MO 65110.
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About 2,000 pumpkins were recently delivered to Tomoka Christian Church, Ormond Beach, Fla. The church sells the gourds from its pumpkin patch each year to raise funds for global short-term mission trips, the Observer reported.
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The Great Lakes Christian College Athletic Department is launching an alumni initiative. “The Crusader Legacy Club is about connecting former Crusaders with our current ones, and creating a lasting legacy within the department for years to come,” according to GLCC. “The goal is to not only to connect our alumni with current student athletes . . . , but also connect alumni with former teammates.”
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The Luis Palau Association will host a free online pastor’s gathering to provide encouragement and support during a year in which many are struggling to keep perspective, stay encouraged, and lead their churches well. The Oct. 29 event is called RE:NEW Talks—Real Conversations for Pastors and Leaders Right Now; it will feature respected leaders from across the nation sharing personal advice and encouragement about leading during this global crisis. Learn more and register at www.palau.org/renew.
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