Updates to the Site

Users of the Grace Fellowship distance education program will notice some recent changes. Instead of the title GFI School, we are using the previous name: GFI Counseling Institute. This is an umbrella term for our distance ed program.

The Institute of Spirituotherapy had been available for a couple of years as Module 1 and Module 2. Now these are combined. The name has been changed back to Solomon School of Spirituotherapy (to distinguish it from the general program, Institute). The cost has been changed to reflect this editing. The Solomon School now features 21 online lectures.

Intro pages have been added under Conference Webinar and Workshop.

Note the new offer to conduct a local version of the GFI Workshop, facilitated by online videos and live Skype supervision over a span of days or weeks (as negotiated and as schedules permit).

And the “Basics” page has been renamed “Open Class” and are still available for public access.

Testimony from a GFI Counselor in Training

Our Heavenly Father once again blessed my dad and I with a wonderful little visit. God reveals more and more of His sweet transformation of my dad’s mind, heart, and spirit. His face has become softened, sweet, even peaceful. It’s now comforting and a delight to just be with him. His “body outwardly wasting, is inwardly renewed”. God is displaying who my dad has become as His child. My earthly father has now become my brother in Christ.

But it wasn’t always this way. A few years ago, the Lord led my dad to bring his anguish and guilt about the past, and to receive God’s forgiveness. He believed and accepted Jesus as His personal Savior. As he read his Bible with a new heart, his trust grew, and the Word went deeper and wider into my dad’s life. His attitude towards God, himself, and other’s changed. The topic of our visits has moved from surface talk to our relationship with God, reading verses, and what they mean to us. Now I know, it was the Holy Spirit within who was renewing my dad’s mind, and giving him New Life. And He was changing me!

Now my dad learns and grows in his faith, and shares that with me, and I with him. What a privilege, honor, and blessing to witness all of this and more. Each visit seems to show me more and more of my dad’s surrender, freedom, and joy, It “seemed” to happen so quickly. The man I used to “see” changed from a bundle of anxiety, rage, and endless need, to a loving father who encourages and prays for his family. The man who gave me life has become the earthly father I never knew. Now we are both praying and learning to see things God’s way. We have come to know more of the Heavenly Father who loves us like no one else can, or ever will.

Praise God, He is able. Now, I’m quicker to turn to pray and thank Him for everything, and trust Him with all my needs. He is sufficient!

In His love mercy grace patience peace joy

H.H.

P.S. Our view of God impacts everything! Our choices lead toward life or death, often for a lifetime. But God changes everything. In the twinkling of an eye, He changes us, and our lives are changed forever. It’s never too late. Pray always. Always have hope. His mercies are new every morning. Trust Him!

P.P.S. My dad’s favorite verses lately are Psalm 51 (create in me a clean heart); Psalm 23; and the beatitudes. He prays to God his Protector! The grace of God brings salvation to all (Titus 2:11-14). He will cover you with His feathers, under his wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness becomes your shield (Ps 91:4). Those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength (Isaiah 40:30-31).

 

 

People Helper Testimony

A Grace Fellowship student just sent in this testimony.

I used to work in a nursing home in the year 2000 for two and a half days a week. It was a blessing to be able to minister to the residents there and their families.
One day they brought a man who was in his nineties and was dying. He was under hospic care. I usually carry a pocket size Bible with me or Bible verses to share with them. The daughter of the man that was dying seemed to be without cares which puzzled me. One day I walked into the room by accident and apologized to her. I asked her if she was alright and she smiled an said ‘yes’. So, I turned around to walk out and suddenly she said ‘no’. I asked her if she would like for me to pray with her and said ‘yes’. The father’s name was Arnold. His mind was o.k. and could hear well and understand. I asked Arnold to squeeze my finger once for yes and twice for no, of which he understood. So with that in place I explained the Gospel to him and he received Christ as his Savior.

When I was about to leave I gave the daughter some verses to read. Verses concerning Christ when Jesus said : ” I WILL.” The following day I met the daughter in the elevator and she said to me… “My dad is ready and packed to go home.” I was shocked to hear that! And then she said to me… “I mean ready to go home to heaven to be with JESUS.” After passing away the daughter came looking for me. We talked for a bit and then she pulled out her check book to write me a check of which I refused. I told her that I was glad and happy that Jesus met a need in her life. But, she insisted to write me a check. So I told her that she could make it to the church and that if she could inform the director of nurses –which she did, and all was o.k. with that.

A few days later “her” daughter sent me a thank you card and was grateful that her mother was able to let go of her dad. The card came from Arnold’s granddaughter. With another check made to the church of which I also reported to the director of nurses, and that too was o.k. It was a blessing ministering to the people there…but there is something more to come!

One of my co-workers I had been ministering to for about two months also had quite a conversion. She was brought up in a works-based church and was faithful to it. She was a HARD NUT to crack. In God’s timing she gave her life to Christ. She reminded me of Dr. Solomon’s conversion.

One day she was coming towards me and I noticed that something was different about her. As she approached, she said to me… “R____, I met with Jesus! He was there with me,_______! ” I said to myself… ” What did I do wrong?” She insisted that Jesus was there with her. Red flags were waving in my head. But then she said to me… “That night Jesus was SO real to me as though He was there with me physically. He was not but, He might just as well have been.”

During Thanksgiving she was telling me that later there were about nine people around the table and she shared Christ with them, that a couple of the family began to cry. One family member was married to a Jewish man and he walked out. She has quite a ministry going. I have kept up with her through the years. And kept sending her websites to read. And just a few months ago she thank me for a website because she gave it to her husband and he also to gave his life to Christ. WHAT A GREAT AND AWSOME GOD WE HAVE!

Renovatus

GFI alumni, Pete and Beth Higgs announce
the opening of their ministry, “Renovatus.” renovatus
It is designed to help those struggling with
alcohol and drug addictions–and their
families–with Christ-centered counseling
and assistance. They now have 501c3 tax
exempt status for the ministry that is based
in east Tennessee. Their web site is
renovatusministry.com There is a huge need
for this and we pray for God’s blessing on the work and those who participate.

Knowing This…

Ken and Sherry Callaway came to Grace Fellowship for training in 2012. They have now formed “Knowing This Ministries” in Gonzales, Texas based on Romans 6:6: “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Christ…”

ken&sherry3

Our vision is to disciple, teach, coach, walk alongside people (spirit of Barnabas), to lead people to the only One that can “illuminate”(Eph 1:17-18) their minds, so they may “reckon/consider” (Rom 6:11; Col 2:6) the truth of Galatians 2:20 and Romans 6:6. THEN, “appropriate” this truth (John 15:4,5; Col. 1:27) so that God may be glorified! (Col. 3:17)

Our passion is centered on relationships. We have a passion to teach people who they really are! –what their “true identity” in Christ is! We are passionate to help missionaries and churches to be all Jesus wants them to be. We have a desire to watch in awe, as a person surrenders their heart to Christ and then be honored to be present as they learn the “Abundant Life” as Jesus taught us in John 10:10!

 

Their web site is here: http://knowingthisministries.org/

Ken and Sherry are seeing God lead struggling people out of the wilderness into the Promised Land of the Abiding Life. They are available locally to provide personal ministry and a one day seminar.

 

GFI Grad Doing Online Counseling

Deanna Bullock is a pastor’s wife, mom, and graduate of the GFI Counseling Institute.

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One way she is using what she’s learned is through her blog: http://deannebullock.com/.   She also has an online/telephone counseling ministry: “eCounsel Subscription Service – counseling you can receive at any time, in any place, for as long as you need it.”  Her site is titled “18 Inches Down” to address the need for a head-to-heart process of appropriating Christ as Savior, Lord, and Life. God bless your ministry, Deanne!

 

July 2013 Conference and Workshop

The next Grace Fellowship Exchanged Life Conference and Workshop is scheduled for July 19,20 (Conference), and 23-25, 2013 (Workshop) in Sevierville, Tennessee. This an important opportunity for leaders and other disciplers. For details and registration, see the Events Calendar or Conference and Workshop pages, or call GFI @ 1-888-66GRACE. It will be hosted by First Baptist Church in Wears Valley (Sevierville, TN). All who desire Christ-centered discipling and equipping are welcome!

New Format and Site

As 2013 begins, the distance education program of Grace Fellowship International will have a new format. The GFI School of Spirituotherapy will serve as an umbrella for online learning including the Exchanged Life Conference (by webinar), Spirituotherapy Workshop (online videos component), Institute in Spirituotherapy 1, 2, and other online courses.

Correspondence students in the GFI Counseling Institute will soon have their course work available in an online format.

A new equipping process will be announced soon with a track to attain an Exchanged Life Discipleship Certificate, Exchanged Life Counseling Certificate, and–ultimately–Certification in Spirituotherapy.