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Hello Church Family,
I was born in Ukiah California in 1956 into a wonderful family with a rich Christian heritage and a passion for community and service. Each Sunday we could walk the five blocks down Standley Street to the Methodist church on Pine Street. When I came to Christ as a teenager, I started attending the Baptist Church that was one half a block from the Methodist Church. In the youth group there I would be baptized, discipled, learn to serve, meet my future wife, teach my first bible study, preach my first sermon, and receive a clear call to pastoral ministry as a freshman in college. I would be offered a two year internship and be mentored by the pastors of that church to help prepare me for a life in ministry. During that time as an intern in Ukiah, I would take Bible college extension classes through Simpson Bible College and after two years transfer to their extension at Modesto First Baptist Church. There I was accepting into their ministry intern program where I would serve for 6 years. They would help with my education, provide mentoring, discipling, coaching and a place of supervised in-depth ministry. After completing Bible college and Seminary I would have the joy of working with great pastors, across the country and the world who saw as part of their responsibility to pass on to me what it meant to be a minister of the gospel. They took 2 Timothy 2:2 seriously. “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful [people who will be able to teach others also.” Later, I would be given the opportunity to pursue a Doctorate of Ministry at Phoenix Seminary. During the last 46 years since my call to ministry I have had the chance to participate in countless seminars and conferences to help me grow as a pastor and as a Christian. I have amassed a theological and practical ministry library to help my soul grow deeper, wiser and more informed. I have met and sat at the feet of great men and women of faith. Giants of biblical knowledge, theological insight and practical pastoral skill. I have been so blessed! So blessed! Why do I share this, because Jesus said in Luke 12:48…”From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” We as Christians in America have been given so much and therefore entrusted with much. What is Christ’s demand? Bless others and pass on what has been poured into our lives. Much is required from us all. The Body of Christ around the world needs our help and are asking and praying for it. How great is the need? By some estimates, and data I have gleaned from several sources:
The need is similar to that of the Ethiopian eunuch recorded in Acts 8:30-31. As the eunuch reads the Word of God, “…Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked. ‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone explains it to me?’…” Many of these pastors have the Word of God and they are doing the best they can to understand it but they are praying and pleading that someone would come alongside them and explain it to them. In a couple weeks on Sunday, August 29th, my dear friend and partner in ministry, Dr. Rich Frazer of S.O.S. International will be speaking on Sunday morning. That Sunday will serve as a type of launching pad for a new season of ministry and service for the Zeeks as I join the team at SOS. I will start the faith journey of raising support as a missionary. SOS International is a leadership-equipping mission agency that focuses on equipping national indigenous leaders to fulfill the ministries our Lord has entrusted to them. SOS responds to their training requests by inviting and sending prepared and experienced leaders to train in the areas where these indigenous leaders lack a skill-set, mind-set and/or knowledge-set. My job will be to partner with Dr. Rich to help fulfill this important ministry. SOS International is driven by two vital objectives: the Lord’s passionate desire that “all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth,” (1 Timothy 2:4); and for disciples of Jesus to be developed in every nation (Matthew 28:19-20). SOS International is directed by the scriptural responsibility of the leadership corps of the Church to equip the saints for the work of ministry for the building up of the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16). To whom much is given much is required. I would appreciate your continued prayer, encouragement and support as will enter this new and exciting season of life and ministry. Shalom, Garry Comments are closed.
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