Holiness in the 21st Century is the theme of the discipleship conference to be held at the Grace Brethren Church of Columbus, OH, on February 17-18, 2006. Keynote speakers are Jerry Bridges and Mark Dever. Attendees will learn how to pursue holiness and live as authentic Christians in the culture where God places them.

Conference sessions will be held at the church’s Westerville campus, located at 8225 Worthington-Galena Road. They begin at 7 p.m., Friday, February 17 and conclude at 5 p.m., Saturday, February 18. The cost is $50, which includes lunch on Saturday. The fee for college students is $25.

Saturday afternoon workshops will provide practical ways to live a holy life in the midst of today’s culture. Among them are: How Do Women Pursue Holiness in the 21st Century?, Alexis McElhinney, coordinator, Women’s Ministries, Grace Brethren Church of Columbus; Wanted: Holy Men in the 21st Century, Mike Stanley, coach, Crusader Football; Being Relevant in the 21st Century Without Compromising Personal Holiness, John McCollum, owner, Element Design Group; Pursuing Holiness While Building A Career, Josh Hartzler, licensed counselor, Grace Brethren Church of Columbus.

Also Is Holiness Possible In The Midst Of An Emotional Crisis?, Dr. Glenn McElhinney, director of counseling and discipleship, Grace Brethren Church of Columbus; Is There Anything Holy in the Arts?, Randy Kettering, Director of Arts and Media, Grace Brethren Church of Columbus; Holiness In Ministry Leaders, Pastor Jim Custer, Senior Pastor, Columbus Grace Brethren Church; and The Armor of God: Effective Holy Living, Ed DeZago, pastoral staff, Grace Brethren Church of Columbus.

Dr. Jerry Bridges is best-known for his book, The Pursuit of Holiness. Bridges has been on the staff of The Navigators since 1955. He also wrote the foreword to BMH Books’ newest release, Walking Like Jesus Did by Dr. Larry E. McCall (see www.bmhbooks.com).

Mark Dever is senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. He has authored several books and articles, including four editions of a booklet entitled Nine Marks of a Healthy Church and a full-length book of the same title.

For information call (614) 410-3222, x3567, opt. 2 or see www.gracebrethren.org/holiness.

Ten Years Ago – January, 1996

• Chaplain John Schumacher (USA retired) taught a course in ethics in a university in Kiev, Ukraine, last September.
• Grace College and Seminary received a $1,500,000 donation from Robert & Frances Gordon of Springfield, OH. $500,000 was for the renovation of Westminster Hall, and the remainder for what is now the Gordon Student Recreation Center.
• Tim Kurtaneck joined the staff of C. E. National.
• The Grace College Lady Lancers won the NCCAA national championship in volleyball, Rebecca Wahlstrom was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Candace Moat was honored as the Coach of the Year, her first at Grace. 

Twenty-five Years Ago – January, 1981

• Frank Poland retired at the end of 1980 as the administrative coordinator at Grace Brethren Home Missions (now GBNAM).
• The Norwalk, CA, GBC burned its mortgage on Nov. 16. Nickolas Kurtaneck, pastor.
• The Temple Hills, MD, church (Jim Dixon, pastor) was overseeing two potential new churches in Waldorf and Frederick, MD.
• The Penn Valley GBC, Telford, PA, celebrated the 200th birthday of the Sunday School with the “world’s largest birthday cake”—112 feet long. Bill Tweeddale, pastor.
• On Nov. 16, 1980, “The Watchmen,” an 18-voice men’s chorus directed by Terry White with his wife, Sharon, as pianist, from Wooddale Baptist Church in Minneapolis, presented a program of sacred music and testimony at the Winona, MN, GBC. Larry Richeson, pastor.
• The GBC of Simi Valley, CA, pastor John Gillis, has outgrown its sanctuary with about 600 attendees, and is going to two services.

Fifty Years Ago – January, 1956

• The First Brethren Church of Ft. Wayne, IN, called Carl Miller, Grace Seminary first-year student to be assistant to Pastor Mark Malles. Tom Julien, seminary middler student, is assuming the pastorate of the new branch work in northeast Ft. Wayne.
• Homer Rodeheaver, trombonist and song leader with Billy Sunday for many years, died on December 18. He was a resident of Winona Lake, IN.
• Dean Fetterhoff held meetings in two Pennsylvania churches: Kittanning (Pastor William Schaffer) and Johnstown (Pastor W. A. Ogden), and in Peru, IN (Pastor Ev Caes).
• The Second Brethren Church of Mansfield, OH, changed its name to Woodville Grace Brethren Church, Gene Witzky, pastor.

By Ron Dorner
There is one job that few of us will hold; yet it is truly the job of a lifetime. That job is being executor, or trustee, of a loved one’s estate.

Perhaps you have been designated for this task by a loved one or you may be asked to accept this responsibility in the future. It is wise to understand the requirements before you accept the responsibility.

As executor you will be held legally responsible for following the expressed wishes of the deceased as well as abiding by the laws of the state in which the deceased lived. Upon the death of the individual, the executor becomes the person responsible for all assets and debts of the deceased. No individual other than the executor should have access to the estate assets until a full accounting is made. No assets should be distributed until the debts of the estate are known and you are assured there are adequate assets to pay the debts.

The executor must locate all assets and determine all debts of the deceased. To understand what the deceased has, and what he or she owes, it is best to have discussions with the testator (maker of the will) before his or her death.

Being an executor includes several phases--search, organize, pay, and distribute. The entire process usually is concluded within nine months to one year. The executor is entitled to fees for the work, with the fee schedule set by state law.

SEARCH -- In this phase your task is to find everything relating to the estate. This includes the most recent will (if there is one), all assets, all debts, and locating the heirs.

As soon as the will is found, you should open a probate case in court. Obtain certified copies of the death certificate from the funeral home. These will be needed by life insurance, mutual fund, and banking companies. Order twice as many as you think you will need.

Have the deceased’s mail forwarded to your address. Check for evidence of debts and accounts. Hold all bills and do not pay even a phone bill until the entire debt picture is known. State law determines which creditors have priority. Notify Social Security if benefits are being received. The check received in the month of death must be returned to Social Security.

Search the home of the deceased carefully to locate evidence of debt as well as assets. The law will require you to advertise notification of death so creditors can make claims. This is usually a 90-day process.

ORGANIZE -- You will be handling many details. Immediately buy a notebook and start writing down everything. When speaking to a party on the phone, be sure and get the person’s name, phone number, company name, address, and write down what was said.

Log each debt you find as well as each asset. Be specific with details. Open a bank account for the estate to accumulate life insurance proceeds, interest checks, etc. You will use this account to make debt distributions later.

Apply to the IRS for a taxpayer ID number. The estate is a separate taxpayer and forms may need to be filed within nine months of death.

PAY -- You will submit to the court a list of debts and the court will direct how and when to pay the creditors. Usually the final medical expenses and funeral expenses take first priority.

DISTRIBUTE -- After all obligations of the deceased are paid, distribution is made to the heirs. It is important to follow the provisions of the will carefully.

Most executors hire an attorney to help them through the maze of activity necessary to probate a will successfully. It can be done without legal advice, but remember the law holds you, the executor, responsible.

So the question is, “Do you want the job of a lifetime?” There can be great comfort and blessing in doing this service for a loved one. Now you have a glimpse of what is involved.

Ron Dorner has worked in Grace Brethren financial and estate planning for more than 17 years. For more information, or to schedule a Financial Planning Seminar in your church, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Events of general interest among Grace Brethren Churches. Details and registration information are available from sponsoring organizations or through www.fgbc.org.

Jan. 4-9 – National Institute Module (Church and Campus Youth) (CEN)
Jan. 29 – So. Cal. CE National Celebration, Bellflower, CA (CEN)
Jan. 30-Feb. 1 – SW Focus Retreat, San Juan Capistrano, CA (FGBC)
Feb. 27-March 1 – South Focus Retreat, Haines City, FL (FGBC)
March 4 – On-Mission Training Day (GBIM)
March 4-12 – Spring Break, Grace College & Seminary
March 17-19 – ReMix. LaPalma, CA (CEN)
April 20 – Day Away, North of 55, Mid-Atlantic District (CEN)
April 21 – Day Away, North of 55, Wooster, OH (CEN)
April 28 – Day Away, North of 55, Lancaster, PA (CEN)
May 6 – Grace College & Seminary Commencement
May 22-24 – Northwest Focus Retreat (FGBC)
June 13-July 21 – Operation Barnabas, West Coast (CEN)
June 12-16 – ACTS Training for Church Planters (GBIM)
June 22-25 – DRIVEN06, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH (CEN)
June 25-July 1 – Great Canadian Adventure Teen Week, Toronto (GBNAM)
July 2-8 – Great Canadian Adventure Teen Week, Vancouver, BC (GBNAM)
July 22-28 – BNYC, Biola University (CEN)
July 29–August 3 – Celebrate06 National Conference, Indian Wells, CA (FGBC)
August 23-September 4 – 4:12 Commission Orientation, Winona Lake, IN (CEN)

GBNAM = Grace Brethren North American Missions
GBIM = Grace Brethren International Missions
CEN = CE National
FGBC = Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches
 

By Theresa Clark
A powerful book dealing with ethical issues Christians face in business has just been released by BMH Books of Winona Lake, Indiana.

Minefields in the Marketplace: Ethical Issues Christians Face in the World of Business is written by Jim Pearson, senior pastor of Brookside Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Prior to entering the ministry, Pearson enjoyed a successful career in sales and marketing with corporations in metals and scrap iron in both Ohio and Indiana. He is a graduate of Grace Theological Seminary and pastored in Fargo, North Dakota, before taking the Fort Wayne church.

The 116-page paperback addresses six specific ethical minefields that many Christian businessmen and women encounter on a daily basis. They include ethical compromise, materialism, power, sexual temptation, neglected relationships, and spiritual stagnation.

Pearson says, “Again and again I have seen one or more of these bring a well-meaning Christian down—careers ruined, reputations lost, and marriages destroyed.”

In a world where Christians are constantly bombarded with temptations, Pearson offers hope and guidance through the Word of God as well as his own personal experiences.

“It is my prayer that this book will challenge businessmen and businesswomen to maintain an authentic walk with Christ,” writes Pearson. “You can stay close to the Savior while climbing the corporate ladder. God has called us to a high standard.”

In addition to its eight chapters, the book provides a section of reflective study questions, making it an effective tool for Sunday School classes and small-group discussions.

The book has received numerous strong endorsements from both business and ministry areas.

Steve Alford, men’s basketball coach at the University of Iowa, says, “Jim Pearson has been a successful leader in both the world of business and the world of ministry. His heart’s desire is to see Christians excel in the marketplace while achieving spiritual excellence.”

Ambassador Steel Corporation President Daryle Doden writes, “An excellent read for those of us in the marketplace who are committed to set a standard of ethical, moral, and spiritual excellence.”

Mark G. Holbrook, president of Evangelical Christian Credit Union, states, “Minefields is great reading that exposes insidious workplace threats to our character and offers biblically grounded, actionable answers.”

And Dr. William J. Hamel, president of the Evangelical Free Church of America, expresses, “Discussing Jim Pearson’s book in a group or pondering his insights in quiet moments before the Lord may save your Christian walk, witness, and family. Minefields is a refreshing approach to the issues that can derail our lives in a pressure-packed world.”

Minefields in the Marketplace: Ethical Issues Christians Face in the World of Business retails for $10.99. Its ISBN number is 0884693023 and it is available online through www.bmhbooks.com or by calling 1-800-348-2756. Call BMH Books Division Manager John Leonard at that toll-free number for quantity discounts to use as ABF or small-group texts.

Theresa Clark, a Grace College journalism major from Delaware, Ohio, was editorial intern with FGBC World during the fall, 2005 semester.