Connection 2011

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:58:40 +0200

Nearly 2,500 Foursquare pastors, leaders and church members from 54 nations around the world gathered for Foursquare Connection 2011, themed "Accelerate—The Whole Gospel to the Whole World," held in Columbus, Ohio, May 30-June 2, 2011. The Greater Columbus Convention Center played host to the May 30-June 2 event, which included insightful and prophetic speakers, meaningful worship and practical learning.

Volker Heitz, FEFC President, attended both the convention as well as Global Council meetings and shares his experiences.

Meetings before convention: Under the direction of Foursquare President Glenn Burris we came together as National Leaders to discuss the future of the Global Council and its role. Glenn was very clear in his attempt to shift responsibility, authority and resources from FMI in the US to the global family. Some of the results of these meetings were put together (further details see download) in a document titled “Primary Responsibilities & Objectives of the Global Council”.

Convention started with a message from A.J. Swoboda about our love for Jesus. Leslie Keegel focused on our love for each other. Ed Stetzer, Ted Vail and others focussed on our love for the world and the billions of people who have not heard the good news about Jesus. Kelly Tshibaka showed us a video clip “This is discipling” (http://www.foursquare.org/convention_2011/media/videos) on how it would look like if as leaders we would focus less on things that make our churches entertaining and more on making disciples. For more detailed reports on convention check out this link: http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/connection_2011_concludes_in_columbus

Meetings after convention:
The Global Council met with the Foursquare US Board of Directors and the National Leaders to share our vision for the Regional Council and the Global Council. It was great to experience Glenn Burris giving information on current developments, on changes and shifts in direction and including the leaders into the processes. There was an overall positive response for this new direction.

Volker Heitz
FEFC President

Video update from Foursquare Convention 2011

Tue, 7 Jun 2011 17:22:09 +0200

Foursquare Connection 2011, May 30 – June 2, 2011 in Columbus, Ohio, USA
The Foursquare family came together in Columbus, Ohio, for a time of worship, connecting, and seeking God’s guidance on how to accelerate the whole Gospel to the whole world. Jan von Wille shares his impressions …

A new day for an old continent

Thu, 19 May 2011 17:18:00 +0200

The beautiful city of Tallinn was the setting for the 2011 European meeting of Foursquare churches. Delegates from 18 countries gathered in the capital of Estonia from Thursday the 12th of May, until Sunday the 15th.

A new wind
A day before the meetings started the council, Piet, Volker and Jan, felt that God was encouraging them with the words from Isaiah 43:

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I am doing a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”

These words became reality throughout our time together. I think that all present would agree that we could really feel a new wind blowing. How can we describe the mysterious ways of the wind?

The fresh wind was evident in the respect and honor that the generations showed one another. For the first time in the history of these conferences, more than half of the attendees were under 35 years of age. When the council invited everybody under 35 to stay for a special meeting Saturday night, only a few people had to leave the room. There was an understanding that we are a multigenerational family. We need each other and together we can see a lot more than on our own. The young generation is good in navigating today’s world, but we need the more experienced ones among us to help map things out and know how we can implement it. “The Kingdom of God is not flat. It is here.” Once people thought the world was flat, until some people decided to see for themselves what was out of the box. There is still so much to discover, and together we can do that.
There was a bright sense of humility and authenticity; instead of smooth talks, there was a willingness to admit life and ministry are sometimes mysterious. Things don’t go according to our logical and well planned programs. Often we just don’t understand. The Kingdom of God grows with the unruliness of organic chaos. Growth as a theme kept coming up. There is life after the seed germinates and dies. Life sprouts up when people are broken and humble. God sees a beautiful, fertile garden. It is all there, prepared and waiting for spring. Even if nothing seems to flourish in the winter.

Open up. Move in. Stay.
The main theme of the conference was how we can become a missional church and movement again. Jesus sends us in the same way as He was sent by the Father. We don’t just exist, but our lives have meaning and mission.
Martijn started off the discussion on Thursday evening. He shared his story about moving out of Holland to Poland, getting into the culture, and sticking around to see the fruits of faithfulness.
He presented the ideas of opening up, and moving out of the dressing room of our own comfort and theory, onto the field of uneasiness and practice ...
The second aspect of living out a mission is to really move in to our world. Piet Brinksma gave an excellent talk about postmodernism, he helped us understand the world we live in. There is no main story anymore. There are no social role models anymore. It is all about self, my truth, my story. I am the author of my own story. Spirituality certainly is important, but we cannot assume that people believe that Jesus’ way is the only way. David Ballantyne gave a well informed presentation about listening to the city. His presentation challenged us to slow down and really listen and watch. If we are to connect with our generation, we need to be good listeners. Let’s have an open attitude to understand the times and the context. Most of all, to resonate with God’s heart for his children, who live more and more in cities.
Stay. Jan von Wille encouraged us to not neglect the power of our testimony. Remember that Jesus sent us in the same way as the Father sent him. Our life has meaning. We are appointed to share our stories, and tell others about the love and power of God. Not always, our story or our words will be received with open hearts. “You seem to be very deep in this, I don’t know if I can get you out” was one of the reactions Jan got after sharing his testimony shortly after he got to know Christ. But let’s not walk away discouraged.
We are God’s workmanship, prepared in Christ Jesus to do the works that He has already prepared for us. Even if the going is tough sometimes, let’s be faithful. If the seed doesn’t die, there can be no fruit. If we “stay” through a painful germination process we’ll finally see the fruit that God prepared.

Another fresh dimension to this year’s conference was the practical and interactive character. After every session there was a time to reflect in small groups around the tables in the meeting room. As a way to practice listening to the city for instance, we went for a walk to listen, look, observe and feel the heartbeat of Tallinn. But we really got hands-on experience during the “Serve the City” event, that Brett Toft introduced on Saturday. Brett is mentoring a great team of young Estonians that are volunteering in different practical ways to serve the people in their city. The last few years they witnessed amazing growth, many believers and not-yet believers got involved. Martin, a very bright intelligent young man told me that the reason that he keeps joining the Serve the City projects is that it gives him a way to help other people. It is a joy to help, especially if we do it together with others. Saturday morning maybe not everybody was very keen to get out of the comfortable conference room. But there was great excitement and gratitude when everybody came back. What a great way! What a great day!

Saturday evening, there was no main teaching or speech, but Volker led us in a time of feedback and interaction around the tables. We got to process what we had heard and experienced so far. We spent a great deal of the evening serving one another with prayer and encouragement.

The evening ended with a special meeting where the council invited all the young people for a time together. Jan, Piet and Volker expressed their open heart to learn from the young generation. It was a break through time, where we all started to understand we really are a multi generational family, where every one is needed. Leadership is not connected to age. It is the fruit of simply being available and taking responsibility for the welfare of others.

Sunday morning, Jim Scott of FMI shared his heart and thoughts about the movement that we are a part of. It is not about “church” but about the Kingdom of God. The kingdom sometimes grows like an unruly mustard tree. Let’s be open and ready for unexpected growth, it will not all be orderly.

Volker led us in a concluding time, where we focused on Jesus life, death and resurrection. By sharing bread and wine we remembered what Jesus did for us. “Can you drink the cup I drink?” Jesus asked his disciples. After turning water into wine, showing life and enhancement, He know pointed to wine as a symbol of his death. Water, wine and blood. Jesus drank the whole cup. We will also experience all these things. Are we willing to drink the whole cup? When we take part in the Lord’s supper, we show that we believe that our destiny is in Jesus, we live in the power of his resurrection. And we are in this together.

Freshtonia
We all felt that God was doing a new work among us. Ap Verwaijen shared a picture during the last meeting, where he felt that so far Foursquare Europe was like a lawn where everybody brought their little patch of grass. It was a good start. But now new grass starts to pop up through these patches of prefabricated grass. What a beautiful process. God has not forgotten about Europe.
Could it be that part of the fresh experience we had was connected with the country we met in? It sure looks like God is doing something new and fresh in the Estonian church. The Estonian choir that opened the weekend on Thursday evening shone with joy, hope and expectation. God is doing a great thing in Estonia. Our Estonian friends did a great job organizing this event. Thank you for making us all feel welcome, honored and at home.

Thank you Freshtonia!
Martijn Krale, Poland

Here are some individual reactions after the conference

The FSQ conference was very encouraging & refreshing, I felt totally welcome & appreciated from the beginning and got to know many new & interesting people from our big FSQ family. "Get out of the dressing room, listen & serve the city, because the kingdom ain't flat!"
- Philipp Grossenbacher, Switzerland

A fresh wind is blowing in Europe! We drank from the common cup and it was a cool drink for the weary, a joyful drink for the downcast, a commissioning drink for the young, and a celebration drink of Jesus for all! "Greater things are yet to come and greater things have still to be done in this city"
- David Ballantyne, Hungary

I found our time together a great time of family and friendship, experiencing God calling us together in a new adventure walking shoulder to shoulder, enjoying and proclaiming His Goodness and transforming love and power in Europe. It's a start for new ways in an old continent, a new mindset that will produce new approaches naturally by the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit. I look forward for the next time we meet and hear what God has been doing in each and everyone.
- Piet Brinksma, Netherlands

"Transferring names and phone numbers from business cards brings back memories from Estonia, conversations and insights; about people, ministry and the Kingdom of God. The time in Tallinn was refreshing, inspiring and full of joy. Glad to belong to this dynamic and fun family called Foursquare."
- Eddy Dueck, Germany

It was awesome to see so many emerging leaders.
- Dan Chesney, Great Britain

It was great to be with Foursquare Europe again. It’s been a while. I travel a lot in Asia and it has been colliding with the dates for the Europe gatherings as it will next year. The good thing is that when I’m not there all the time I can clearly see the before and after. The generation shift is evident in Foursquare Europe. I love what I saw at the conference, my only concern was that many of the speakers had my hairstyle.
- Erik Jensen, Norway

So many new and young people came together! This fact – together with the practice sessions we shared in the city of Tallinn – made this conference one of the strongest times we had together. I sense that has God has a plan for us and speaks out his calling to us in a new way: “You are an apostolic movement”!
- Jan von Wille, Germany

I love what I see happening in Foursquare Europe, we are entering a new season of generational and geographic partnership and synergy. We are seeing God answer our prayers for new disciples, churches, and nations.
Jeff Roper, USA

It was springtime in the seasons of Foursquare Europe: suddenly the new grass was popping up and the trees were full of fresh leaves; so many young leaders showed up this time. Old and young generations, honoring each other. There is a hope for the future!
Ap and Anita Verwayen, The Netherlands

" My understanding that foursquare is a family and grew a lot, because the generations worked together"
- Terje Sollie Foursquare Norge