World Renewal International
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Trustworthy People
My friend Frank Penna (pictured right) is with me this week. He was with me at Arba Friends last weekend and at Liberty Church, Georgetown, Il. this next week. He is the Worship Team Director for World Renewal. He lives in Wichita, Kansas. I first met Frank when I went to interview for the pastor position at Haviland Friends Church, Haviland, Kansas in 1979. The church was host to Barclay College in the little Kansas town. Frank lead our first Worship Conference in Brazil last December. He sometimes travels with me leading worship as I preach in churches. Not all churches are ready for the contemporary style of Renewal. Renewal has 6 members and it can be overwhelming to some congregations. Frank's signature music is biblical story songs like Ken Medema's "Moses." Blows 
me away every time! Dan Downer does the visual technologies for us. He is from my youth group in my first pastorate in Traverse City,MI.
me away every time! Dan Downer does the visual technologies for us. He is from my youth group in my first pastorate in Traverse City,MI.Frank Penna had just graduated from Barclay College with a degree in Church Music and was the Minister of Music at the Haviland Church. Pastor Hubert Nolen, now Senior Pastor of Brookville Road Community Church, Indianapolis, IN. was on staff as the Youth Pastor at that time. Hubert (pictured left preaching in Brazil) was still finishing college. My brother, Mark, now Senior Pastor of Brandywine Community Church, Greenfield, IN would come to the college as a freshman and serve as my intern in the church. Mark's wife Kathy Saylor (their picture below) was already a student when he arriv
ed.
ed. Mark's college roommate was Wes Davis. Wes served as one of my first Pastoral Interns at the Haviland church. Pastor Wes is the Senior Pastor of Riverton Friends Church, Riverton, Kansas. Riverton is a country church that has grown under Wes's leadership to over 350-400. That is very unusual for a country church. Today Pastor Wes (below right) is on his way to Hungary and Romania to teach Gypsy Friends Pastors How to Teach and Preach Like Jesus. He is World Renewal's Director of Education Development and very instrumental in establishing our new World Renewal Ministry Institute this year. At the end of the month he will start our Ministry Institute in Mexico City, Mexico. 
All of these men and their wives have helped in the establishment of World Renewal International and the planting of new churches. It is a little mind blowing to me at times how it has all worked out. Paul admonished his student Timothy, "Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others." 2 Timothy 2:2 TLT The greatest joy I have had is seeing my children pass Jesus on to others. In many ways the names I have identified today are the children or young people God gave us way back in the late 70's and early 80's. They are the teachers now in many ways to me. I have to really pay attention when I am with them as they are always teaching me new methods and truths.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us." Hebrews 12:1
Thanks for stopping by.
:: posted by Gary Wright, 5:54 PM
1 Comments:
thanks for your web page i read it everyday.
