Secrets of the Heart - ICOCinvestigation.com

LA STORY
Secrets of the Heart
A Kingdom Pictures Release “SECRETS OF THE HEART” A KINGDOM NEWS NETWORK PRODUCTION
Featuring: ELENA GARCÍA-MCKEAN • JOYCE ARTHUR • GLORIA BAIRD • GAIL EWELL
TAMMY FLEMING • CHRIS FUQUA • LAURA GARCÍA-BENGOCHEA • PAT GEMPEL
LYNNE GREEN • ERICA KIM • LISA JOHNSON • KAY MCKEAN
PRODUCED
BY
AL BAIRD
DIRECTED
BY
ROGER LAMB
SCREENPLAY
BY
MARCIA LAMB & ROBIN FAWCETT
DIRECTOR OF
PHOTOGRAPHY
MICHELLE TINTI
Church of Christ
A KINGDOM PICTURES RELEASE
©2000
BY
KINGDOM NEWS NETWORK.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Editorial
KINGDOM MILESTONES
by Gloria Baird
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are
worried and upset about many things, but only
one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is
better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
– Luke 10:41-42
T
wenty years ago, seeing godly women
powerfully influencing other women
through biblical teaching and training
drew me to the Kingdom of God. Those examples
gave me a new vision not only for my life’s purpose
but also for the lives of our three daughters and
other women’s lives as well. In my background, the
view of “women’s ministry” was limited to hospitality
and teaching Sunday school. I am eternally grateful
for women like Elena García-McKean, Pat
Gempel, Lisa Johnson and many others who have
set the pace in forcefully advancing the Kingdom
in the hearts of women around the world. This
issue of LA Story presents many examples of
women in God’s Kingdom today who are committed,
like Mary, to choosing what is better rather than
being distracted like Martha (Luke 10:41-42).
One of the highlights of our Women’s
Ministry is the annual Women’s Day. The women
in the LA Church have chosen to celebrate our
Women’s Day during March, Women’s History
Month. Women’s events were held at 42 separate
venues throughout the LA Church during the
first weekend of March, each focusing on the
theme “Secrets of the Heart.” With God’s power
and guidance we had a history-making attendance
of 14,217.
Speaking at two of these events and attending
two others, I saw firsthand the amazing unity of a
common theme, with a diversity of approaches
working effectively to meet the needs of thousands
of women. Since Al and I are responsible for KNN,
I was especially thankful to see women’s hearts
moved by KNN’s dramatic video Secrets of the
Heart, especially prepared for Women’s Days
around the world (see page 6).
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LA STORY
June 2000
It is encouraging to
see the growth and evolution of our Women’s Days
and I believe God is
preparing us for even bigger things to come. Years
ago in LA, we started with
one large event for all the
women in the church, then
multiplied to having a
Women’s Day in each of
the 10 regions. This year
nearly all of the 50 sectors
had their own event. With
these events more conveniently located in the
various sectors throughout
the metropolitan area, more
and more of our friends
and family attended and
we were able to share the
gospel and our lives with
them more effectively.
4/9
4/16
4/23
163
9
383
192,207
TENDANCE
L A S U N D AY AT 5/1
13,997
13,325
13,412
15,870
5/7
5/14
13,910
14,358
COURTESY OF GLORIA BAIRD
Secrets of the Heart
COUNTRIES PLANTED
C O U N T R I E S WA I T I N G
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
S U N D AY AT T E N D A N C E
▲ The Baird women. Left to right: Staci Yates, Kristi Bodzioch, Gloria Baird and Keri Hiddleson.
Powerful Women Leaders
God powerfully used Elena to lead the
women in the LA Church to victory. Each year
she has helped the women leaders prepare by
getting an early start, praying, planning and being
spiritually focused. The discipling principle was
very evident this year as the women Region
Leaders helped the less experienced Sector
Leaders plan their Women’s Days, multiplying
their influence and talents for God. By having
more events, special attention could be given to
the needs of various groups. This year we had
several teen and campus programs and five
Women’s Days in Spanish.
Elena has lovingly and firmly focused us on
our purpose – to bring women into the Kingdom,
not just bring them to Women’s Day. To God’s
glory, 307 women were baptized or restored into
Christ during Women’s Month.
Twenty years ago I caught a vision of what
my life, the lives of our daughters and many
other women could become. Today, I continue
to be inspired by that same vision. God loves
us individually enough to teach us something
personally, but he rarely lets the lesson stop there.
He wants us to learn from him and then teach
others. With our daughters now in the ministry in
Boston, Massachusetts; Davis, California; and
Manhattan, Kansas; I can see God moving to
shape their lifework through the dynamic growing
women’s ministry.
The future holds many challenges for us as
women. We will meet these challenges victoriously
as we continue to grow, entrusting the SECRETS
OF THE HEART to God and to each other. ■
Steel Convictions
“It is clear to us, friends, that God not only
loves you very much but also has put his hand
on you for something special. When the
Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t
just words. Something happened in you. The
Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.”
– 1 Thessalonians 1:4
(The Message translation)
W
omen’s harvest month clearly
reminds us that God loves
women very much and puts his
hand on us for something very special! God
blessed us with an historic 307 women baptisms
and restorations. I am so very grateful for the
fantastic Women’s Ministry leaders God has raised
up in Los Angeles and our partnership in the
gospel! Our women Regional Leaders work very
hard because of their strong faith, constantly
laboring in love for the souls of women. I wish
each of you could walk with just one of these
not perfect, but spiritual women and have the
privilege of working with them as I do. These
powerful disciples have allowed the Holy Spirit
to put “steel” in their convictions from their
study of God’s Word and their humility to live by
God’s teachings in our fast-changing 21st century.
Their genuine and refined faith is inspiring the
nearly 5,000 LA sisters to be focused on saving
many souls!
Maximum Truth
Having “steel” convictions as women is
not the norm in society. How refreshing to see
each sister in the LA Church develop her own
passionate commitment to God’s truth. Having
grasped God’s incredible grace for their lives,
out of gratitude they shared God’s grace with
their friends and neighbors. This grace was
evidenced by our record attendance of 14,217 for
our women’s seminars held the first weekend
of March.
Our sisters have deepened their conviction
on Matthew 7:13-14, “. . . broad is the road that
leads to destruction . . . and narrow the road that
leads to life. . . .” This fundamental conviction also
motivates us to reach out to as many women as
possible. Many of us once lived controlled by our
feelings before we became true Christians. Others
of us based our lives on man-made traditions that
by Elena García-McKean,
World Missions Women’s Ministry Leader
were not based on the Bible, but were handed
down to us from our families. Our convictions
vacillated depending on our moods or on whom
we were with at the moment. This caused us to be
weak, confused and fuzzy on moral issues such as
sexual purity, honesty and chemical abuse.
Maximum Effort
Giving our maximum to God, not the
minimum, is another renewed steel conviction,
especially displayed in our Teen and Campus
Ministries. What a tremendous joy it has been to
see these ministries exploding numerically and
spiritually. Karla Escobar, our Women’s Ministry
Leader for all the LA teens, has been pouring her
heart out to impact our teen women disciples to
be their very best for God. In the first four months
of 2000, our Teen Ministry baptized 145 souls
into Christ. Chris Fuqua, a long-time friend and
partner in the gospel, is giving her maximum
overseeing and helping to train our Campus
Women’s Ministry leaders. We are excited that
several campus women disciples are presently
wrestling with going into the full-time ministry.
Pray for them as we desperately need to raise up
more full-time leaders to serve God’s everincreasing Kingdom. Because our teen and college
women are learning to deny self and give their
maximum, they are bright beacons of hope.
Recently, at our church prom, it was such a comfort
to Kip and me that our sons, Sean (17) and Eric
(15), had spiritual, dynamic and pure sisters as
their dates for the evening. They had a “blast!”
Maximum Openness
A third “steel” conviction so vital to our
spiritual well-being is having maximum openness,
not minimum disclosure of what is going on in
our hearts and lives. The theme for our women’s
seminars in March, “Secrets of the Heart,” inspired
many women who attended to release their haunting
fears, lingering hurts, bitter attitudes, secret sins, as
well as secret dreams.
Our KNN dramatic comedy for our women’s
seminars, also entitled Secrets of the Heart, was
such a poignant real-to-life story on the power of
maximum openness. This video had us all laughing
and crying. Our daughter Olivia (a freshman at
Harvard University) saw it at a women’s Sunday
worship service in Boston and said it was the best
KNN video she has seen, and she has seen them all!
One of my most memorable nights was our
“Sister’s Prayer Night” at the Long Beach Convention
Center. Each baptism was awesome! Seeing and
hearing almost 5,000 women praying together in
small groups was extremely powerful! First, we
prayed for an hour on our knees with praise and
thanksgiving. Second, we stood holding up holy
hands crying out to be great workers for God.
Third, we prayed for the souls of our families,
friends, co-workers, neighbors and communities
by name while sitting down in circles holding
hands. In closing, we stood arm-in-arm praying
for our unity. Because of our collective steel
convictions that we totally need God, our prayers
are unleashing his power through us as women,
making a difference in this world for Christ! ■
A
AR
RB
BA
T
AF
KR
▲ The Women’s Ministry leadership group of the Los Angeles Church.
June 2000
LA STORY
3
Forceful Women Adv
TO
M
IK
UK
TA
by Robin Fawcett
What do you get when you unify
a teen ministry, a campus disciple,
an adult ministry and two World
Sector Leader women? Answer:
A baptized family therapist and
her 14-year-old daughter. It all
began when UCLA disciple
Carol Mendoza shared her faith
with Tina Phillips, a single mom
and UCLA Alumni.
After attending a service
with the UCLA Sector of the LA
Church, Tina kept coming back ▲ Through the teamwork and love of three ministries, Tina and Brooke Phillips
became disciples. Left to right: Tammy Fleming, Robin Fawcett, Carol Mendoza,
for more. Tina’s enthusiasm and
Elena García-McKean, Holly Mannel Anderson, Karla Escobar, Tina Phillips and
excitement prompted her teen
Brooke Phillips. All are in the UCLA Sector of the LA Church.
daughter Brooke, a Junior Olympic
Volleyball player, student governTammy Fleming and disciples from the UCLA
ment representative and a 9th grade honor
Adult Ministry. After eight months of searching for
student at a girl’s school, to come a few months
the truth, Tina was baptized on March 4th, followlater. After studying the Bible for four months
ing Women’s Day. “I am so grateful to God,” says
with Karla Escobar, Holly Mannel Anderson
Tina, “for the structure of the different ministries
and Gina Blanchard from the UCLA Sector Teen
woven together to teach us true salvation.” At her
Ministry, Brooke was baptized at the Teen Super
baptism, Brooke quoted her favorite scripture,
Bowl Devotional on January 10, 2000.
Matthew 6:25, saying, “Now I no longer have to
Tina continued to study the Bible with Women
worry about my life or my future.”
World Sector Leaders Elena García-McKean,
The Gift of Life – Los Angeles
“Your gift was accepted.” These were the most
precious words that Janet Dixon, a single teen leader
in LA’s AMS ministry, heard after spending five hours
in surgery donating her kidney to close disciple
friend, Dennis Gates. A husband and father of four
young boys, Dennis had to undergo two to three
dialysis treatments a week for two and a half years.
His life expectancy was bleak. Discovering she was a
perfect donor, Janet sacrificed and even compromised
her own health for the sake of the greater need.
Her exceptional heart to love another more than
herself has resulted in God being glorified in many
lives. “Life is so different now,” says Jana, Dennis’ wife.
“It’s almost like having a second honeymoon.” Janet
also serves as the Distribution Manager for KNN and
LA Story.
salvation
heart
The Fruit of Excellence
by Dora Giraldo – Bogota, Colombia
Patching up a bitter heart with unrestrained
shopping left me ruled by materialism, superficiality and pride. However, God’s incredible
plans changed my life. While on a business trip
from Bogota, Colombia to Miami, Florida, I stayed
with the company owner and his wife who were
disciples in the South Florida Church of Christ. I
went with them to church and met many unified,
happily married couples. At the time, my husband
and I were planning to separate. God made it
painfully clear I did not know how to build a
strong family.
God’s timing is perfect. While I was in Miami,
several Latin American church leaders were visiting
the church. Among them were Flavio and Renee
Marie Uribe who lead the Bogota, Colombia
Church. After having lunch with them, I left
Miami determined to study the Bible when I
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LA STORY
June 2000
returned home. On January 12, 1994, I was
baptized into Christ!
God immediately began molding my heart.
I went from an executive position to being
unemployed. God used this personal economic
crisis to deepen my love and trust in him, and
not in my worldly possessions. My marriage also
faced difficulty, but again I decided to trust in
God’s promises by waiting, being respectful,
submissive and loving unconditionally. It was
during this time that three of my friends became
disciples. In spite of my tears over personal trials,
I let others know about the eternal treasure I
had found.
After a year of unemployment, I landed a job
with the National Defense Ministry as an
International Commerce Advisor to the Cabinet.
Although my salary was barely enough to make
mortgage payments, I was grateful for the opportunity God had given me. Twice I received the
“Brilliant Performance” award given by the
Secretary General of the Defense Ministry. In
1997, I was hired at a major multinational telecommunications company with a great salary and
work conditions. In September 1998, I received
the “Award For Excellence.”
It has not been easy managing my life as a
disciple and working for a company that demands
dedication. However, because of my daily times
with God, a lot of advice and personal discipline,
God has helped me be more committed to
my family and to sharing my faith. Three of my
new co-workers have become disciples along
with two of their husbands. All of them are now
Bible Talk Leaders.
Excellence should not be a struggle but a daily
decision because everything we do in our life is for
God. God turned me into a woman secure enough
to live excellently in spite of my circumstances.
www.icc-csa.org
BRUCE WILLIAMS
The Body Works – Los Angeles
Miss Teen USA
by Kristi Addis Hickman – Los Angeles
In the small town of Holcomb, Mississippi,
my parents divorced when I was three. Determined
not to let a broken home affect me negatively,
my mom enrolled me in dance, singing, art and
baton twirling classes. By the age of seven, I
became the national champion in baton twirling,
winning the title four times over seven years.
Dreaming of becoming a performer, I entered and
won the 1987 Miss Mississippi Teen USA pageant
and went on to win Miss Teen USA. I was on the
CBS Morning Show, signed a contract with
Paramount Pictures and moved to LA to model
and act. After the thrill passed, I longed for something real.
Entering Ole Miss University, I tried desperately
to shake off my unhappiness through partying. I
started smoking pot and dating an abusive guy. I
was living a lifestyle of cocaine addiction, physical
abuse, extreme depression and isolation. Secretly,
I had three abortions and for two years covered
up my black eyes and bruises. Ironically, I was
voted Homecoming Maid, Most Beautiful, and
Who’s Who Among College Students. Even though
I graduated on the Dean’s Honor Roll with a double
major in broadcast journalism and communication,
my life was miserable and hopeless.
After college, I moved back to LA
and started filming national TV
commercials. Again, my life
looked great on the outside
but inside I often wished
I would never wake
up. It was then that
I started praying to
God who sent Diane
Lynch into my life.
After four months, I
finally made it to a
church service. I immediately began to study the
Bible. I found what I had been
searching for my whole life
love
One Hundred Years in the Making
– Birmingham, Alabama
Imagine witnessing the turn of two centuries,
being alive through the Great Depression, two World
Wars, the invention of cars, airplanes and television,
mankind’s first walk on the moon, the onset of modern
technology and communication through the worldwide
web. Gladyce Devers does not need to imagine – she
remembers! But, even more amazing is that after 100
years of life on earth Gladyce was baptized as a disciple
of Christ on April 6th in the Birmingham, Alabama
Church. Gladyce is the grandmother to disciples Marvin
Clement in the Houston Church and Ann James in the
LA Church. After living as an agnostic for all these years,
she says, “Before I was a disciple, I felt hopeless when
I was afraid. But now I rely on the power of prayer.”
COURTESY OF KRISTI ADDIS HICKMAN
vancing T he Kingdom
and was baptized a
few weeks later on
March 2, 1996 –
Women’s Day.
Over the past
four years, God
changed many things
deep inside my heart.
Dave and Coleen
Graham took me into
their home and helped a
messed-up, selfish, weakwilled woman learn to
love God and his
Kingdom. God has
blessed me beyond my
wildest imagination. I
am now married to the
man of my dreams, Jeff
Hickman, and together we
lead the great Coastal AMS
ministry, by the grace of God.
Maria Atiamuga – London, England
This forceful teen brought 35 women friends to
the Women’s Day in March. One of her teen friends,
Shelley, studied the Bible and was baptized within two
weeks. The director of her high school was so impressed
with Maria’s positive influence that she asked Maria to
set up a Bible discussion in the school.
Set Free in Christ – India
by Marcia Lamb
Women’s Day in India represents a day of
spiritual freedom for 16-year-old Padma (name
changed to protect her identity). Life in poor
Hindu families is especially difficult for young
women. Padma lives with her mother, step-father
and three brothers. To earn money for the family,
Padma’s mother tried to force her into prostitution. Her abusive step-father constantly makes
sexual advances towards her. In the middle of
such a dark life, Padma was eager to have a new
life in Christ. She studied the Bible and was
baptized on Women’s Day 1999. Her family beats
her on many occasions when she returns from
attending meetings with the church. In turn, her
neighbors abuse her for not obeying her mother.
Recently, Padma’s family decided to take
control by arranging a marriage between her and
her 40-year-old uncle. Padma refused, stating that
she would only marry a true disciple. The rejected
uncle continuely threatens her. Her mother, who
had previously tried to protect Padma from her
step-father’s sexual advances, now leaves Padma
to fight the battle alone. She and the disciples in
her ministry are constantly in danger of being
beaten during their three kilometer walk to and
from church meetings by ruthless thugs hired by
her step-father. Many times when she returns
home, she goes to bed hungry because no food
was left for her. Yet, in the midst of persecution,
Padma is still a faithful disciple. Nothing can take
away her love for God or his love for her (Romans
8:35-39).
free
June 2000
LA STORY
5
Secrets of the Heart
With Power, the Holy
Spirit and Deep Conviction
(1 Thessalonians 1:5)
Church
Los Angeles
India & South Asia
Mexico City
United Kingdom
Atlanta
San Francisco
Moscow, Russia
Bogota, Colombia
Philadelphia
Denver
Kansas City
Disciples
4,602
2,364
2,400
1,500
1,890
1,424
1,700
708
497
477
252
Attendance
14,217
10,011
7,800
7,000
4,874
4,426
4,332
2,240
2,149
1,200
522
HIGHLIGHTS AROUND
THE WORLD
• Ruth Thomas, of LA’s Rim Cities
Sector, who is 82-years-old, had 20
friends attend.
• The United Kingdom Churches held
their Women’s Day in the famous
Wembley Stadium in London.
• The Lucknow Church in India averaged
17 visitors per member.
▲ From left to right: Lisa Menendez, Marcela Nava,
Sofia Moguel and Laura García-Bengochea.
6
LA STORY
June 2000
COURTESY OF MELISSA CASTILLO
▲
Three Generations: After one year
of faithfulness to God, Melissa Castillo
(left), a disciple in the marrieds ministry of
LA’s Desert Cities Sector, baptized her teen
daughter Brittney Poist (center) in
1999. Then on February 26, 2000, at the
LA’s Sister’s Prayer Night, Melissa and
Brittney baptized mom and grandmother,
Peggy Leibman (right).
A
UR A
LA HE
F
O OC
G
SY
TE BEN
UR ÍACO ARC
G
TARA ROCHELLE OLSEN
MILLENNIUM WOMEN’S DAYS
ROGER LAMB
In the realm of
eternal impact, this
is the most significant
women’s movement
in our day
Barbara Wagner (played by San Francisco
disciple/actress Gina Gauny) has a serious
problem. She’s been dating for over 15 years.
She’s been a bridesmaid in a dozen weddings.
And she’s not married. Expecting long time
boyfriend, Chase (played by Los Angeles actor
John Romualdi), to propose, he asks her to
move in with him. Then her younger sister Ann
(played by New York disciple/actress Kristy
Graves) calls with news of her own engagement!
Ann’s dream wedding weekend turns into
a nightmare when her estranged father shows
up. Now as a disciple, Ann finds more fears
and secrets in her own heart. The story’s theme
scripture, 1 John 4:18, explains that, “perfect love
drives out fear.”
In March, the 2,400 women of the
Mexico City Church had 7,800 women in
attendance for their millennium Women’s
Day, “Mujeres que Dejan Huella.” Laura
García-Bengochea, Women’s Ministry
Leader for the Central & South America
World Sector, personally brought 18 women
that day. One month following the event,
175 women were baptized or restored to
God’s modern-day Kingdom.
Left to right:
Brenda Eterbeek,
Cecilia Moreno,
Tara Rochelle
Olsen and
Chinue Wells.
Producer Roger Lamb, Director Lance
Tracy and Writers Marcia Lamb and Walter
Doty III, have given us a powerful, relatable
dramatic comedy. But the production highlight
came when Tara Rochelle Olsen, the Set
Photographer, was baptized on May 4th.
The film was a big hit at LA’s Women’s Days.
One visitor was so inspired by the changed heart
of the character Barbara in the film that she
moved out of her long-time boyfriend’s house. She
is now considering God’s vision for relationships.
Elena García-McKean says the film is
“a great tool for relating God’s love one-onone, in small home gatherings, Bible Talks,
services, or special events.” Secrets of the
Heart is the first KNN film available for
sale through DPI book tables. See the movie
preview at www.kingdomnewsnet.org.
CURRENT RELEASES
nationals Josue & Veronica Ortega will lead the
great Mexico City Church, which now averages a
Sunday attendance of 5,712. www.icc-csa.org
KIEV, UKRAINE – After a three-month campaign
to bring the gospel to as many people as possible,
the Kiev Church had 207 people baptized on one
day. The church, led by Oleg & Alona Siroktin
now averages 3,218 in Sunday attendance.
H
PE
worldwide
www.hopeww.org
On April 15, Global Outreach Day 2000
kicked off the three-year Global Outreach program
aimed at serving the needy while spurring on
every disciple to hold to Jesus’ teaching: GO and
love your neighbor on a daily basis.
From Albuquerque, New Mexico to Zagreb,
Croatia, abandoned elderly, homeless children,
terminal patients and disadvantaged youth were
shown love and hope through the efforts of over
60,000 volunteers serving in 155 cities worldwide.
A director for the Red Cross in Arizona said,
“It’s incredible how willing your volunteers are to
donate blood . . . we have never had a turnout like
this before.” In Vancouver, a Senior Center
Director said, “Your people are incredible. They
know how to relate to seniors like family, and
they take direction so well. I’ve never seen a
group like this.”
www.dpibooks.org
9 to 5 and Spiritually Alive by Sheila Jones
You can work at your job and be spiritually alert
and alive. Sheila deals with such topics as daily
walk with God, relationships, integrity, sharing
your faith, being a team player, having an encouraging commute, and when to change jobs.
Drawing on the insight of many working women,
this book offers encouragement and camaraderie
for those in the work force.
www.kingdomnewsnet.org
Maryann Rose and Emily Bringardner
will be missed by the LA Story staff and its readers.
The first LA Story was produced and delivered on
January 2, 1994, through the efforts of Al Baird,
Kip McKean and Maryann Rose. Its purpose is to
inform, inspire and provide a printed record of
the history of the modern-day movement of God.
For the last six years, Maryann, a mother of two
children, served as a writer and Associate Editor
for LA Story. Now, she is moving on to oversee the
Los Angeles International Church of Christ website and to co-lead the Adult Ministry in the great
UCLA Sector with her husband Keith, the
Missions Finance World Sector Administrator.
Our Beginning by Kay McKean – Learn more
about how to be God’s modern woman by joining
Kay in her insightful study of characters from
the pages of Genesis. The book covers such topics
as being creative, ordered, content, truthful,
faithful, prayerful, sexually pure and many more.
Pat Gempel, HOPE worldwide World Sector Leader,
says, “To everyone I recommend Our Beginning.”
▲ Maryann Rose and Emily Bringardner
DALLAS, TEXAS – A celebration of some 80
baptisms occurred on the 50-yard-line of Texas
Stadium Sunday, May 7th, as 10,000 onlookers
celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Dallas-Fort
Worth Church. Nick and Debbie Young led a
group of 16 disciples to Dallas to start the Great
South family of churches in 1990. God has
grown that seed of faith to 20 different churches
in six different states. Nick commented, "the
most exciting thing about the day is seeing the
dream of evangelizing Dallas-Fort Worth spreading
to every member.” (see Dallas Morning News
article at – www.dallasnews.com/metro/75942_
CHURCHCHRIST.html)
BART MOYER
▲ Josue & Veronica Ortega
TIRANE, ALBANIA – Geographic Sector Leader
Bob Tranchell reports that after only four and a half
days of evangelism, the 10-person mission team and
12 church leaders from the Balkans had 430 people
at the first service in Albania. (This represents 1
out of 750 average for the city’s population.) The
next night they held a group Bible study with 85
people in attendance. Within three weeks, 13 people
were baptized in Christ. The church in Albania
marks the last church planting for the New
England/Europe World Sector in the Six-Year Plan.
RANDY GALLIGAN
LISA HOLMAN
MEXICO CITY – Recently, Kip McKean and the
Elders of the LA Church invited Peter & Laura
García-Bengochea, World Sector Leaders
for Central and South America, to move from
Mexico City to Los Angeles to lead the Orange
County Region and the Southland Super Region,
numbering close to 3,000 disciples. Mexican
Emily, wife of John Bringardner, General
Counsel for the ICOC, and mother to three
children, joined the LA Story staff in April 1994 as
Art Director. She is leaving the staff to serve with
her husband as Spiritual Recovery Leaders for the
Arts Media Sports Region.
Maryann and Emily have brought LA Story
to the high quality it is now. We will miss them
but are grateful God is calling them even higher.
June 2000
LA STORY
7
I NTERNATIONAL C HURCHES O F C HRIST
World Missions Evangelist & WML Central & South America
New England/Europe World Sector
Office Phone #: 781-937-3883
Kip & Elena McKean
World Sector (CSA)
Websites: www.bostoncoc.org
www.ecparis.org
Office Phone #: 561-738-1525
ACES World Sector (Africa,
Randy & Kay McKean......World Sector Leaders
Websites: www.icc-csa.org
www.icc-csa.org/southflorida
Caribbean, Empire States
Dan Bathon.............World Sector Administrator
Pedro & Laura
Gordon & Theresa
& Southeast)
García-Bengochea ...........World Sector Leaders
Office Phone #: 914-358-5416
Websites: www.acesonline.org
www.trianglechurch.org
Steve & Lisa Johnson ........World Sector Leaders
John & Vivian Hanes ...........General Counsel &
World Sector Administrator
Bud & Kitty Chiles ....Geographic HOPE Leaders
Samuel & Cynthia Powell .............Elder & WML
Sheridan & Debbie Wright...........Elder & WML
Steve & Leigh Kinnard..............Teacher & WML
Sam & Geri Laing ...................Teacher & WML
GEOGRAPHIC SECTOR LEADERS
Herve & Janet Fleurant .................French Africa
Damian & Karlene Jean-Baptiste .......Caribbean
Samuel & Cynthia Powell ..............Empire State
Steve & Kim Sapp .......................Southeast US
Mike & Anne-Brigitte Taliaferro................Africa
Randall & Rhonda Tinnin...................New York
Dan & Cinnamon Conner ....................Campus
Matthew & Stacy Fridley .........................Teens
Administration &
Teaching World Sector
Office Phone #: 213-385-5434
Andy & Tammy Fleming....World Sector Leaders
China World Sector
Office Phone #: 425-867-1986
Websites: www.seattle.icoc.org
www.hongkongcoc.org
Scott & Lynne Green ........World Sector Leaders
Don Lee..................World Sector Administrator
GEOGRAPHIC SECTOR LEADERS
KC & Margaret Chan ...........................Macau
Philip & Pandora Lam......................Hong Kong
Steve & Jane Chin................................Taiwan
Tom & Denise Snyder...................Northwest US
Commonwealth World Sector
Office Phone #: 703-760-9222
Websites: www.dc.icoc.org
www.icoc.org.uk/london
Doug & Joyce Arthur........World Sector Leaders
Jim & Donna
Blough..................World Sector Administrator/
Elder & WML
Mike & Terrie Fontenot.................Elder & WML
Douglas & Vicki Jacoby ...........Teacher & WML
GEOGRAPHIC SECTOR LEADERS
Geordie & Paula Barham ...................Australia
Dinesh & Caroline George.......................India
John & Karen Louis ....................Southeast Asia
Christopher & Jackie
McGrath...................American Commonwealth
Larry & Kim Reed.......American Commonwealth
Harliem & Vania Salim...............Southeast Asia
Fred & Emma Scott ..................United Kingdom
Mark & Nadine Templer...........United Kingdom
• www.icoc.org
• www.kingdomnewsnet.org
COVER.....................................Steven Kamifugi
ART DESIGN ..................Creative Vision Graphics
Kingdom News Network
Jaime & Mimi
De Anda ..................World Sector Administrator/
Elder & WML
GEOGRAPHIC SECTOR LEADERS
Andrew & Marianna Giambarba....Southern US
Othon & Gabriela Neves........................Brazil
Josue & Veronica Ortega .........Central America
John & Barbara
Porter..........................Southern South America
Flavio & Renee
Uribe..........................Northern South America
Los Angeles
Office Phone #: 213-385-5434
Website: www.losangeles.icoc.org
Kip & Elena McKean ....Lead Evangelist & WML
Keith Rose...............World Sector Administrator
Al & Gloria Baird .......................Elder & WML
Doug & Joanne Webber ..............Elder & WML
Bruce & Robyn Williams ..............Elder & WML
GEOGRAPHIC SECTOR LEADERS
Steve & Jackie Gansert .........................Singles
Rob & Connie Kosberg.........................East LA
Jonathan Perkins & Karla Escobar ............Teens
Ed & Karen Townsend .............Sierra Madre LA
Media/Law World Sector
Office Phone #: 213-385-5434
Websites: www.icoc.org
www.kingdomnewsnet.org
Ferguson .......................Teacher/Elder & WML
Wyndham & Jeannie Shaw ..........Elder & WML
GEOGRAPHIC SECTOR LEADERS
Franck & Fabienne Descotes .....Western Europe
Dean & Kim Farmer ..................Central Europe
Chip & Ruby Mitchell ..........................Campus
Jimmy & Maria Rogers ................New England
Bob & Laurie Tranchell ..............European Edge
Northern Federation World Sector
Office Phone #: 213-385-5434
Websites: www.chicago.icoc.org
www.online.ee/krist
Marty & Chris Fuqua ........World Sector Leaders
Tom McCurry ............World Sector Administrator
Marty & Cathy Wooten ............Teacher & WML
GEOGRAPHIC SECTOR LEADERS
Sasha & Louisa Kostenko ......................Eurasia
Mark & Connie Mancini......................Canada
Gregg & Cathy Marutzky..............Heartland US
Reese & Mary Kay Neyland....Nordic Countries
Byron & Lauri Parson......................Midwest US
Misha & Sasha Rakovshik......................Eurasia
Nick & Debbie Young................Great South US
Pacific Rim World Sector
Office Phone #: 813-3460-4414
(from the U.S. dial 011)
Websites: www.intlcc.com/tokyo
www.intlcc.com/manila
Frank & Erica Kim ............World Sector Leaders
Chris Jacobs ............World Sector Administrator
Greg & Shelley Metten ................Elder & WML
Al & Gloria Baird ............World Sector Leaders
John Bringardner ......World Sector Administrator,
General Counsel ICOC
Roger Lamb............World Sector Administrator,
Director of Media
David & Coleen Graham .........................AMS
GEOGRAPHIC SECTOR LEADERS
Middle East World Sector
HOPE worldwide
Office Phone #: 213-385-5434
Website: www.sandiego.icoc.org
Kip & Elena McKean........World Sector Leaders
Mike Mines.............World Sector Administrator
GEOGRAPHIC SECTOR LEADERS
Guillermo & Terry Adame.................San Diego
Anthony & Saun Galang .........Inland Empire LA
Mike & Dena Sanicola .......................South LA
The NET World Sector
Office Phone #: 650-259-0550
Website: www.upcyberdown.org
Russ & Gail Ewell ............World Sector Leaders
Vol. 7 Issue 4, June 2000
Copyright ©2000 by the Kingdom News Network.
All rights are reserved. No part of the publication may
be reproduced in any form or by any means without
the permission of the editor and publisher.
Published by the International Churches of Christ.
LA Story and Kingdom News Network are registered
trademarks of Kingdom News Network.
International Churches of Christ is a service mark
of the International Churches of Christ.
HOPE worldwide, ltd. is a registered trademark
of HOPE worldwide, ltd.
Jim & Karen Baisch ..................Korea/SE Asia
Russ & Gail Ewell ........US Pacific NW/Oceania
Cesar & Jennifer Lopez ....................Philippines
John & Barri Lusk................Rocky Mountain US
Michitaka & Hiromi Sawamura ................Japan
Office Phone #: 610-254-8800
Website: www.hopeww.org
Bob & Pat Gempel..........World Sector Leaders
Randy Jordan ........World Sector Administrator/
General Counsel
Gerry Fredrick........................................CFO
Michael Voligny....Vice-President of Development
GEOGRAPHIC HOPE LEADERS
Bud & Kitty Chiles ................................ACES
Javier & Kelly Amaya ..Central & South America
Dan & Elexa Liu......................................Asia
Mohan & Helen Nanjundan ....Commonwealth
Doug & Joanne Webber................Los Angeles
Henry & Lanna Cramer ................Middle East
Wyndham & Jeannie Shaw............NE/Europe
Shawn & Lena Wooten......Northern Federation
Mark & Patsy Remijan....................Pacific Rim
Discipleship Publications International
Office Phone #: 888-374-2665
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.dpibooks.org
Thomas Jones..............................Editor in Chief
Sheila Jones..........Women’s & Children’s Editor
Kelly Petre ..............................Associate Editor
Dede Petre ..............Associate Children’s Editor
Larry Wood ............................Manging Editor
• 3530 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1750 • Los Angeles, CA 90010 • Phone (213) 385-5434 • Fax (213) 251- 4123