The International Luncheon at the 2018 FCA International Convergence in Winnipeg

The international guests at the 2018 Fellowship of Christian Assemblies International Convergence in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada from May 1 to 4 were honored at a special International Luncheon during the noon hour on Tuesday, May 1.

Duane Siemens, senior pastor of The Wave Church welcomed the international delegates and missionaries to the luncheon which was hosted in this church which also graciously provided the meal which was appreciated and enjoyed by all.  The above picture shows a portion of the guests which included nationals, missionaries and the members for the Fellowship of Christian Assemblies National Boards from both Canada and the United States, which added up to some 50 guests in all.

The website that is shared by the members of the Fellowship of Christian Assemblies for both Canada and the United States has a special page that explains both the Global Partners and Affiliates of the Fellowship of Christian Assemblies.  (You can find more information on this link).

The FCA has Global Partners in Liberia, Nigeria, Zambia and Kenya.  Three representatives from FCA Kenya were able to join us for the Convergence in Winnipeg, and met with the United States National Board prior to the International Luncheon on Tuesday, May 1.  In the picture above, they are seated to the right of the United States FCA National Board president, Sam Snyder.  They are (left to right), Bishop Robinson Matende and his wife Margaret Alinah Matende, along with Pastor Gilbert Kinglol Emonyi.  These three had just flown into Winnipeg the previous evening directly from Kenya.

Bishop Robinson Matende was given a portion of the time to share at the International Luncheon.  Prior to coming, he had graciously shared, "We will be very blessed to meet with some of our FCA family who are global partners and affiliates as we connect together to advance God's Kingdom in the nations of the earth!"  After the Convergence, he called these FCA partners a "holy connection" that is based upon the love of the Father!

Bishop Robinson Matende is the Presiding Bishop of the Injil (Gospel) Mission Church in Nairobi, Kenya, which is involved in Church Planting, Christian seminars, Conferences, Revival meetings and Leadership Development.

Jodi Bunn, missions co-ordinator for the FCA in the United States, as well as the vice president of the FCA National Board in the U. S., welcomed the internationals, and did an excellent job of giving each of those who attended the luncheon a voice.  Jodie clearly explained the difference between a Global Partner and a Global Affiliate of the FCA.

Global Affiliates are organizations and fellowships in other lands who are friends of the FCA, and who support the vision, beliefs and vision of the FCA while maintaining their own organizational identities.  Global Partnerships, on the other hand, are a national network of Fellowship of Christian Assemblies churches and ministers in other lands who identify with the FCA name, beliefs, ministries and ethical standards.

As mentioned, there are already FCA Partners in Liberia, Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia, and others are emerging in a relational manner.  These partnerships are being formed with churches and ministers in other nations who share the DNA of the FCA, and who want to see strong spiritual leaders of local churches rise up in cities and nations all over the earth.  While these national church leaders do not want to be controlled by a denominational hierarchy, they want relational connections that are mutual and which are a true, reciprocal partnership where each can share something that the other needs!

Jodi Bunn's counterpart in Canada as mission's co-ordinator is Dr. James Humphries who also serves on the National Board of the FCA in Canada.  James and his wife HkawWin (an indigenous believer from the nation of Myanmar) are the directors of Project L.A.M.B.S. International, which is a discipleship, equipping-based ministry, providing resources for pastors and leaders, and are currently holding Mobile Bible Schools in various locations around the world. James also helped to facilitate (along with videographer Dale Thielmann) in the production of several video clips on the ministries of some of those who attended the International Luncheon, and these powerful clips were shown throughout the Convergence sessions which followed.

John Sprecher, a true spiritual father within the Fellowship of Christian Assemblies, also shared at the International Luncheon.  He is the Lead Elder of the FCA in the United States, and has done much to build the relational connections with FCA Partners in other nations along with Jodi Bunn.  These partnerships are becoming a growing network of North American churches partnering with offshore churches and ministries who share the DNA, the passion and the missionary vision of the Fellowship of Christian Assemblies.

The vision is to see the local church in every nation become a base, not simply for people to attend church, but to raise up and to equip disciples and followers of Christ who will go out and make disciples who in turn will make other disciples of all nations.  This is the ministry of the local church!  

The vision is to raise up and to encourage leaders in every nation to lead out of Christ's example of servant-hood and of equipping others in a way that will see churches and ministries multiply as they take steps of faith, and trust Jesus to do as He promised, and that is to build His Church as a family structure, and not as an institutional structure that is disconnected from family and from relational authority.

Roger Armbruster, the director of Canada Awakening Ministries, also shared at the International Luncheon.  Roger had been working closely with Jodi Bunn and with John Sprecher in arranging for scholarships for invited international guests to be able to attend the 2018 FCA International Convergence in Winnipeg, and sent out the letters of invitation to some 20 internationals to come to Canada for May 1 to 4 in order to attend the Convergence.

While the Canadian Government was not very co-operative in turning down most of the visa applications to come to Canada, we are thankful for both the people from Kenya who did obtain Visas to come to Canada, and also the relational connections that were built between a representative from Canada and the FCA in other nations.  This will help to lay a foundation for the future in building bridges between the FCA in Canada and the FCA in third world countries in partnership with the FCA in the United States.

Another blessing was that some of the scholarship money was able to be used to support ministries such as Pastor Sun Sung (Danny) Jang, who was ordained by the Maranatha congregation of Niverville, Manitoba, into the FCA, in 2013.  Danny graduated from the Providence University College in 2013, and he together with his wife Deborah originate from South Korea, and are presently making disciples in a Middle Eastern nation where the church is being transformed, and are seeing people who used to come to church only to get a blessing to a church that wants to also be a blessing to all nations!

The substance of what Bishop Robinson Matende from Kenya shared at the International Luncheon can be seen in a short video clip that was produced during the Convergence, and that was shown to all of the Convergence delegates at a plenary session.  You can see this video for yourself by clicking on the link.

They are a church planting organization that is also a part of FCA Kenya.  They also have a Bible School which is teaching ministers to be mission's-minded, and how to teach and to preach sound doctrine.  They already have a missionary in South Sudan who is teaching the Bible in the local languages.  They really encourage believers to be a part of a local church, and to also be involved in missions with a global vision.

They are seeing a large number of young people who are being reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and their lives are changing, their lives are being transformed to become who God has called them to be as His sons and daughters, and as agents of transformation within their nation.

Prayer Huddles

The final part of the International Luncheon was taken up with the delegates breaking off into prayer huddles wherein delegates prayed for one another, realizing that God has called us to something that is bigger than ourselves, and that is to be a part of the Body of Christ as we partner with others from every tribe, every nation, every language, every people group.  By partnering together, we will see the light of the gospel increase, and disciples made within all nations.who in turn will make disciples of other nations.

His last command should be our first concern.  "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you all the days, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20).

Procession of the Nations

Tuesday evening, May 1, 7:00 p.m.

On that very evening of the day when the International Luncheon took place on Tuesday, May 1, a number of the international delegates came to the Opening Night of the 2018 FCA International Convergence dressed in their national dress in order to be a part of a Procession of the Nations, led by the First Nations of Manitoba, as a small foreshadowing of the people from every tribe and nation coming together in unity and in reconciliation to worship the one true and living God, the Creator of all, who is calling us to let our light shine brighter and brighter and to reflect His glory and honor in every nation and beyond!

One of the Convergence delegates, Bonnie Sookermany, from Niverville, Manitoba, was so moved by the Procession of the Nations on the opening night that she sketched this drawing that has the form of an eagle with flags from the 13 nations that were represented at the International Luncheon, and at the Procession of the Nations. These nations included the flags on the left of Canada, Kenya, India, Nigeria, Uganda, Mexico and Israel, and on the right side, the flags of the United States of America, Egypt, Pakistan, Thailand, Columbia and Jamaica.  The title of this drawing is, The Victorious Ones, representing the victorious ones and the redeemed from every tribe and nation who assemble around the Throne of God.

"After this I looked, and behold, right in front of me I saw a vast multitude so huge that no one could count--made up of VICTORIOUS ONES from EVERY NATION, TRIBE, PEOPLE GROUP and LANGUAGE.

"They were all in glistening white robes, standing before the Throne and before the Lamb with palm branches in their hands.  And they shouted with a passionate voice:  'Salvation belongs to our God seated on the Throne and to the Lamb!" (Revelation 7:9, 10, Passion Translation).

This is some of the traditional dress that the Kenyans came dressed in (Bishop Robinson Matende, Mrs. Margaret Alinah Matende and Pastor Gilbert Kinglol Emonyi) along with Dr. John W. Lucas, a missionary statesman from the FCA in Canada.

This is the group of First Nations from Manitoba who led the Procession of the Nations.  An article on the FCA website that promoted the Convergence in Winnipeg acknowledged that "God is Doing a New Thing!"  

"The Spirit of God is rising up from within the nations, and many church leaders from third world countries have much to teach us about raising up leaders who will reproduce disciples for the next generation.

"We also expect that the Winnipeg Convergence will witness the glory of the Lord arising from among the First Nations in Manitoba, right in the heart of the continent!
"Winnipeg has the largest urban native population of any city in Canada, and we are blessed to have some 25 First Nations ministers licensed and ordained with the FCA in Manitoba alone--people of history and destiny, showcasing God's Kingdom authority to release grace, forgiveness and the joy of God's presence to bring healing to our lands!              
"The native Cree word, Manitoba, refers to the place where the Creator sits and from where He speaks!  Many believe there is a prophetic mantle upon this province, flowing from the Father's heart through the hearts of First Nation believers in the heart of the Continent who have been healed of their deepest wounds."
The very official slogan of Travel and Tourism Manitoba is:  Manitoba:  Canada's Heart Beats!

Leading the First Nations of Manitoba who led the Procession of the Nations were members of the Father's Heart Worship Team from the First Nations Family Worship Centre in Winnipeg.  Among them are Alisa Tina Moose (centre) and her husband Fred Moose, who have recently been redeeming some of the sounds and instruments that are within their culture that can be redeemed to the glory and praise of God alone.  As the words on the screen behind them say, Redeemed.  They are the part of that company of redeemed from every tribe, nation and language who will praise God with their voice and in a way that will connect with the hearts of people and open them up to the truth of God's Word.

Here the First Nations from Manitoba are lining up to go in procession on the Opening Night of the 2018 FCA International Convergence in Winnipeg on Tuesday evening, May 1.  They are being followed by representatives from some 13 other nations in different parts of the earth, all of whom have been cleansed and redeemed through faith in the shed blood of Jesus that has made a way of access for every tribe and every nation directly into the Throne Room of God.                                  

As the Procession of the Nations came into the main auditorium of some 400 FCA delegates and local residents, Jacob McLean (a brother to Pastor Raymond McLean of the First Nations Family Worship Centre) prayed the Lord's Prayer in the Ojibway language while Marie from the Peguis First Nation did the sign language with the beat of the Father's Heart on the Native Drum by Fred and Alisa Moose.

Later in the service, Jacob McLean made reference to a word that Billy Graham had given to Native North Americans back in 1975 about the descendants of the original people of the land being like a sleeping giant which, when awakened, will stir this continent spiritually, and be greatly used of God!

Later in the service, Pastor Raymond McLean released a powerful prayer for reconciliation and healing for the people from every tribe and nation to become unified in Christ as many members, and yet representing One New Man, the Body of Christ, arising from the inside, from within every tribe and nation in a way that the glory of God will arise, and be seen upon our land!

"How good and how pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity!  It is like the precious oil upon the beard, running down on the beard, the bear of Aaron, running down to the edge of his garments" (Psalm 133:1, 2).  In this case, the anointing was flowing down from the Head, from Christ, the Head of the Church, down into the members of the Body, the Church from different tribes and nations, who were assembled together there that night!  This set the stage for three powerful days between Tuesday, May 1 to Friday morning of May 4, where the Presence of God was tangible and powerful!

At the end of the Convergence, Roger Armbruster received an email from Bishop Robinson Matende on Saturday morning of May 5 which read, "Shalom,  Thank you so much for the warm welcome and support we received from you and the brothers and sisters in Canada.

 "We do sense the holy connection and love of the Father.  May the Lord richly bless you."