This article is archived. Some links and details throughout the article may no longer be active or accurate.
/ News

This past year has been a year of surprises. A year of change. A year where we reunited with our past, while looking ahead to the future. A year where we helped people next door and around the world. Some people were in desperate need; others didn’t even know they were missing something.

Take a moment to reflect on how you, as a member of the Foursquare family, were a part of something bigger than yourself—a part of making a difference for the kingdom. Take a moment to learn, to grow, to mentor. And perhaps another moment to think how we can continue to work together to let the world know that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

 

Four Most Read Topics on Foursquare.org in 2011

Japan. In March, Japan was ravaged by a devastating tsunami triggered by a 9.0-magnitute quake, followed by many aftershocks. Local Foursquare missionaries were already on the scene to help provide comfort, hope and assistance to locals. 
Read More

Reading Through Acts. The Foursquare Church across the U.S. joined together to read through the book of Acts each month during 2011. The year kicked off with hundreds of pastors participating in a 21-day fast, and the weekly Foursquare Leader Prayer email brought insight to Acts from Foursquare leaders around the world.
Read More

District Supervisor Appointments. The Southern California area welcomed two new district supervisors this year. Tim Clark was appointed to the Greater Los Angeles District, and Dennis Easter took the reigns at Pacific Coast and Valleys.

Connection 2011. The Foursquare family joined together for our annual international convention in Columbus, Ohio, this year to worship, connect and learn more about where Foursquare is headed as a movement. During the event, Glenn Burris Jr. announced his five targets, Foursquare pastors pledged more than $1 million to Foursquare Missions International, and the convention body approved Foursquare Financial Solutions.

Top Relief Giving to Foursquare Missions International (FMI)

  • FMI General Relief: $120,036.43
  • FMI Haiti Relief: $123,885.49
  • FMI Japan Relief: $271,251.31
  • Other Relief: $20,080.42 (includes Colombia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and East Africa)
  • Total to Foursquare’s Relief and Compassion: $535,253.65

Four Most Read Resources

2011 Resources Not to Be Missed

Four Featured Foursquare Personalities of 2011

Tommy Green
After coming to Christ in 2003 through the influence of a friend in what he calls the “hardcore” community, Pastor Tommy Green, an assisting minister at Salt Lake City Foursquare Church in Utah, knows the importance of reaching out to young adults overlooked by traditional churches.

Rosalinda P. Vint
Growing up, Rosalinda P. Vint was a ward of the court in the Los Angeles County foster care system. Her broad smile, now radiant, wasn’t perceptible back then, if it existed at all. She endured horrific abuse. Now she’s an assisting minister at LightHouse Church in Newbury Park, Calif., and has dedicated her life to helping troubled youth who desperately need hope and healing.

Niki and Kelly Tshibaka
Just outside Washington, D.C., the center of politics, power and prestige—or, as Foursquare Pastor Niki Tshibaka calls it, “the schmoozing capital of the world”—Mount Vernon Foursquare Fellowship (MVFF) nestles in the picturesque city of Alexandria, Va. Niki and his wife, Kelly, co-pastor the church and are bringing the love of Christ to the nation’s capital and beyond.

Adam and Sarah Hartel 
Considered to be one of the most significant cultural centers in Europe, Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, is rich in heritage and diversity. Spiritually speaking, it’s also one of the world’s most challenging cities. FMI Missionaries Adam and Sarah Hartel came to Amsterdam in 2010 and are already seeing God do some amazing things.

Four Topics Foursquare Explored

Immigration. In “Welcoming the Stranger,” we examined immigration to the U.S. and the incredible opportunities for evangelism it affords. We covered the controversies involved, and looked at Foursquare churches that are effectively reaching out to the diverse groups of people coming to our shores.

Ministry Burnout. In this three-part series exclusive, we took a close look at the growing problem of pastoral burnout. Dissecting the statistics and exploring the topic with leaders in our denomination, we examined its signs, how to heal from it, and how to prevent it in the first place.

Standing the Test of Time. In “The DNA of Longevity,” we took a look at the values, traits and behaviors woven into the makeup of Foursquare churches that have remained relevant and effective in their mission through decades of ministry. What is it about these congregations that has caused them to endure over the long haul and make a lasting impact in their communities?

Reaching the Next Generation. The latest research reveals that most young people today are resistant to the church. It’s a disturbing trend, but Foursquare churches across the nation are tackling the issue head-on. It’s not too late, say the Foursquare NextGen leaders we interviewed, to develop a successful ministry that effectively reaches the “cradle to college” crowd.

Historic Foursquare Events of 2011

  • The Foursquare Foundation broke ground on Parkview Living, a senior living center located across the street from Angelus Temple. Move-in is scheduled for June 2012.
  • The convention voting body approved Foursquare Financial Solutions (FFS), which will manage planned and estate giving, the new FFS loan fund, retirement services, investment services and more.
  • Foursquare churches pledged to give more than $1 million over and above their normal giving to Foursquare Missions International. FMI is using the money to reach unreached nations and people groups, develop global leadership, and plant churches in world-class cities.
  • Emerging Leader Network dramatically expands.
  • Originally introduced in 1997 in John Amstutz book Disciples of All Nations, the Foursquare movement reignited The Four-Stage Development Model, which looks to evangelize, strengthen, multiply and make responsible, reproducing missionary-sending churches around the world.

By: Marcia Graham, editor of Foursquare Leader and Foursquare.org

is a freelance writer and editor. She lives in Orlando, Fla.
Advertisement

The Latest from Foursquare