Dr. Clyde Rivers Wins Humanitarian of the Year Award

Dr. Clyde Rivers at Thomas Brown Christian College

The prestigious Thomas Brown Christian College of Dallas Texas, presents Dr. Clyde Rivers with the Humanitarian of the Year Award.

Thomas Brown Christian College has followed the work of Dr. Clyde Rivers this year as he worked establishing the Golden Rule International Award, a highly ethical global award that honors people whose lives exemplify honoring others. The Golden Rule ethic is “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” The President of Thomas Brown Christian College, Dr. Omega Brown, was very please to congratulate Dr. Rivers on his fine work around the world. Sharing that the college was very proud to present him with this award.

International Christian Life Coaching Program

Prof. Clyde Rivers & Prof. Donella Pitzl

IMEA Founders, Professor Clyde Rivers and Professor Donella Pitzl are very happy to introduce you to our International Christian Life Skills Training Program.

We have had great success around the globe with our Christian Life Skills Program. It is designed to equip you to help people discover their true identity in Christ, their destiny and a path to get there. This program truly equips us to help solve problems as you draw truth out of the people you have a desire to help. You and your clients will grow and gain strength to overcome.

In a world full of problems we must become problem solvers. This education is designed to give our students tools to help others. If you are interested in engaging in this online program, contact us at imea.drrivers.worldwide@gmail.com. Press on to reach the goal...   Changing the world one person at a time!

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Here are a few testimonies of our students:

Prof. Donella, I thank God to have the opportunity of doing this course since I have been learning a lot and my point of view in life is changing.

I believe that this program is taking me to a new step of understanding the purpose of God in my life. I am gaining greater discovery and clarification of my dreams and goals, and uncovering limited and negative thinking that is holding me back. It will help me strategize and appropriate course of action in all areas of my life, establish more meaningful relationships and communicate more effectively with clarity to values and purpose. Currently I have a deeper meaning and focus to ministry and my expectation is to see women experience break-though in their thinking and fulfill their God-Given purpose in life, leadership, business and ministry.

I also believe that this coaching program is changing my perspective and I am beginning focusing on my strengths and abilities and also I am overcoming obstacles and starting drawing attention to overlooking wins and victories since the Holy Spirit who is in me is greater than the one who is in the world, 1 John 4:4.

 Justina –  International Coaching Student – Mozambique, Africa 

Thank you Prof. Donella.

I’m excited. Thank you for the great encouragement. I will continue working hard. Since I started my course the people I lead have experienced change in their lives. I want to say that I’m enjoying the work. I’m definitely better than when I started. My eyes have been opened and my reasoning improved. I have learned that Christian life coaching works as it has worked for my life.  After this course I intend to go on with farther studies to complement this noble branch of knowledge.

Daniel – International Coaching Student – Nairobi, Kenya

Prof. Donella, I thank you so much for this powerful foundational training. Personally, I gained a lot. I definitely expect further encouragement from you, Prof. Donella; in fact, you have taught me through experience (your emails to me), about the power of encouragement and how it relates to performance or productivity. This great tool I certainly intend to use. You also confirmed that everything is indeed “doable” provided we have passion enough and profound dependence on God, our heavenly Father. So I will always keep you abreast of every plan and action I may take towards birthing this vision. I also hope to have you speak on some of these workshops. But, as we communicate, I will keep sending you details.

Mateus - International Coaching Student - Mozambique 

Education Founded on the Kingdom of God

Prof. Donella Pitzl

Prof. Donella is the Co-Founder and Director of IMEA. Prof. Pitzl has an International Professorship through Kayiwa International University and is an International Certified Master Life Coach. Prof. Donella’s doctorate work is in Biblical Counseling with an emphasis on Kingdom Character Building through United Graduate College and Seminary International. She has over 40 years of Christian education and ministry experience and has written several training materials and curriculum for children, youth, seminary students and ministry volunteers. 

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One of the goals of IMEA is to make a Kingdom Education available for pastors, ministers, laypersons, and life-coaches, anyone that has a desire to forward the kingdom message across the globe. You will find the articles we post are a testimony of, not only the Kingdom message, but also Kingdom leadership and mentorship. 

When I was working on my doctorate I knew that biblical counseling was part of the answer to helping people but I also had a sense that God's kingdom character development was of equal, if not greater importance. Without an understanding of what it looks like to exemplify the character of a citizen of God's kingdom, our efforts are futile. Religion has set standards, based on the bible, but God's kingdom standards and principles are not religious rules but rather an expression of a true kingdom foundation and understanding. When we understand our kingdom citizenship and the allegiance we are to have to our King, our attitudes and behavior - life culture - will reflect those convictions and understandings. A true representation of God's kingdom is a product of a relationship with our Father God.

Dr. Myles Munroe is, I believe, one of the strongest teachers of God's kingdom for this day. He brings such a convincing, true to God's Word message of God's kingdom. He was raised under the influence of an earthly kingdom, Great Britain in the Bahamas. He often addresses the fact that when you live under the rule of an earthly kingdom you don't have ownership of anything in that kingdom, but rather you are made a steward of the properties of the kingdom. The influence of that kingdom is everywhere you look and leaves it's imprint behind even when it is gone. This has been one of the concepts that most impacted my theology. Being raised in the church in America, and America being a republic with a democratic system in place, I realized how much my life is centered on ownership. Even when I was in ministry it was a "my ministry" mentality that was promoted. This does not work and has no place in God's kingdom understanding. We were created to represent the kingdom of heaven on earth, to be true kingdom citizen operating and bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth. As the Lord's Prayer says, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." (Matt 6:10 KJV) That is our job as kingdom citizen. 

The word "repent" means in essence to change your mind, to turn from going one direction and move in another direction. God is in the process of changing the minds of many of His children, joint heirs created in His likeness, those that are ready and willing to hear and comply. We are in a day and time when the message of the kingdom is resonating from heaven. This message offers hope in a time when hopelessness covers much of the world. The Word says, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Matt 24:14 KJV)

IMEA in cooperation with United Graduate College and Seminary International are working to aid in the spreading of the message of God's kingdom. What mankind is longing for is a return to what we were originally created for. No religion, occupation, earthly relationship, nothing can fill and satisfy the emptiness that existed when man lost God's kingdom calling and gave their authority over to the prince and the power of the air, satan. The King of Heaven, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, our Father God is busy calling the much loved creation to return to Their original intent for Their creation - To be joint heirs ruling and reigning with the King on earth as it is in heaven.

A UGCSI student in Mozambique Africa, gave us some comments regarding his education with this organization. He said, "I thank you so much for this powerful foundational training. Personally, I gained a lot . . . You also confirmed that everything is indeed doable provided we have passion enough and profound dependence on God, our heavenly Father." This man is one among many international students that are benefiting from a kingdom centered international education.

I hope IMEA can help lead you into a kingdom education that will return many to God's original intent, having a kingdom relationship with the King of the Ages and operating in dominion on the earth.

Respectfully Submitted,

Prof. Donella Pitzl

What is the Kingdom of God?

Dr. Robert Brayton

Dr. Robert Brayton is a graduate of United Graduate College and Seminary International.

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The Kingdom of God is all that encompasses who God is. God is sovereign, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and the Ruler over all of His creation. A kingdom is a place where a king rules and reigns over the lives of his subjects. The Kingdom of God is the rule of an eternal sovereign God over all creatures and things (NKJV, Psalm 103.19).

            The Kingdom of God is not visible because God is not visible. It is a spiritual Kingdom, not a visible one. Jesus Christ said, “The Kingdom of God is within you”(NKJV, Luke 17.21). The Kingdom of God embraces all created intelligence, both in Heaven and Earth that is willingly subject to the Lord and is in fellowship with Him. The Kingdom of God is, therefore, universal in that it includes created angels and man. It is eternal, as God is eternal, and it is spiritually found within all born again believers.

            The Kingdom of God is also the designation for the sphere of salvation entered into at the new birth (NKJV, John 3.5-7) and is synonymous with the Kingdom of Heaven. God’s Kingdom is filled with love because God is the essence of love, and He is loving. He is also a righteous judge, totally fair and just. These qualities are so great, and He loves us so much that Jesus died on the cross to take our place and pay the penalty for our sins. Now we are justified, sanctified and made righteous in His sight. We enter the Kingdom of God when we are born again, and we are then part of that Kingdom for eternity. It is a relationship “born of the spirit” (NKJV, John 3.5), and we have confident assurance that it is so because the Spirit bears witness with our spirits (NKJV, Romans 8.16). That is why Jesus gave us, in the Lord’s Prayer, a petition to God: “Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (NKJV, Matthew 6.10). This prayer shows the priority Jesus gave to the Kingdom of God.

            When the will of God is as respected here on Earth as it is in Heaven and when the visible world totally reflects the invisible world, then we will witness the Kingdom of God fully come to the Earth. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (NKJV). So, when man imitates and acts like God would here on the earth – as Jesus did and then died to bring us back to our original place of dominion on Earth (see Genesis 1:26) – then the Kingdom of God will be here on the earth. Everything is subject to God’s power, instantly and without question.

            Right now in the visible world there is a resistance to God’s will. However, the resistance to God’s will is in the process of change because wherever there are those who honor Jesus Christ, the King, and wherever the Spirit of the King is, there is the Kingdom of God. For it says in Acts 2:17, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh” (NKJV). This is why God, in His great love for His children, is pouring out His Spirit over the earth, to bring about His Kingdom here on the earth. We will see more of His Kingdom on the earth than ever before.

The Theology of Righteousness

Christine Lan

Christine Lan understands her role as an ambassador in God’s Kingdom. In her writing, she clearly communicates the Kingdom message and God’s original design for man. A proud graduate of United Graduate College and Seminary, she strongly supports education that inculcates a divine mind that transforms the world we live in.

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Last Friday, I attended a Christian concert/worship roadshow performed by a number of prominent artistes such as Mercy Me and Jeremy Camp. Bart Millard of Mercy Me spoke a very convincing message and I was thrilled that he was disseminating the message of righteousness through his sharing. He mentioned that he grew up in the Baptist church where as a youth leader, he would bash the people who attended church and when they left worse off than before, he and the church leaders would “high-five” one another and thought they had done a great service to Christendom. God’s revelatory grace through a renewed mind caused his songs and messages to point people to His love, righteousness and worth in Him.

“The cross is not the revealing of sin but the unveiling of your worth,” someone wrote anonymously on the first page of a prayer journal at a University chapel. I just had spent sometime playing on the chapel piano and was about to leave when the Holy Spirit spoke to me to write something on the journal, too. So, I wrote this,

“Father, I thank you that I can come boldly before the throne of grace. I am righteous

because you have redeemed me from the curse of the law. Thank you that once I have   embraced you as my Creator and Almighty Father, God and King, I am no longer a sinner but your son/daughter whom you are well-pleased. Amen.”

Throughout church history, men and women of God had to fight the supposed sacred truths upheld by the church of the day. Martin Luther through the revelation of the Holy Spirit opposed the holy church rites and propagandized the Scriptural Truth of Romans 1:17 which says, ‘For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith”’ (NIV).

Righteousness is the foundational theology or doctrine of God’s Kingdom. Simply stated, righteousness is synonymous with justification which most people understand is “just as if you have never sinned.”

Righteousness Consciousness

According to Funk & Wagnall’s New Standard Dictionary of the English Language, righteousness means “conformity to law or to right and justice; the state of acceptance and of harmony with God; specifically, the state of being justified and blessed because of the atonement of Christ and the faith that renders it available and effectual” or “the active and passive obedience of Christ regarded as the ground of the sinner’s justification.” The Greek word for “righteousness” is dikaiosune which means “equity (of character or act), specifically, justification, usually translated “righteousness” (Strong 1343).

In his book, The Two Kinds of Life, E. W. Kenyon noted that when Luther had limited revelation of one truth, justification by faith, he brought civilization to Germany. There was no “clear conception of a New Birth, of righteousness, of God as a Father, or of our place as sons and daughters of God.” (Kenyon 31). The church has been guilty of disseminating a gospel that is a blend of human philosophies and religions passed down from the Middle Ages. Galatians 4:4-7 specifically emphasizes our identity as God’s sons, ‘But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.’ (NKJV).

Noah and Abraham (the Father of Faith), were reckoned as righteous by God. They led morally virtuous lives powered from the realm of Heaven and were chosen by God to fulfill specific purposes. Noah helped save the remnant humankind from extinction. Abraham was reckoned righteous as he believed God and was made righteous by faith. “He believed the promise regarding the Heir (Christ) who was to come out of his bowels via Isaac who was as yet unborn; he believed that through this Heir, his (spiritual) seed would be in number like the stars of heaven” (Lenski 289).

When a person is born of the Spirit of God from above or Heaven, he is a new creation. He has the indwelt Holy Spirit of God and the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues empowers him to walk in His will as God’s son. Jesus, the Perfect God-Man is sinless and spotless but He became sin on our behalf “that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (NKJV, 2 Corinthians 5.21). There is a powerful exchange transacted at calvary. Observing a set of rules to do good is subjecting one to the bondage of legalism and works mentality. Jesus has already fulfilled the law. There is no necessity to sacrifice animals, burn candles and incense to make one righteous. Paul says it aptly, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (NKJV, Romans 6.14).

If you know your identity as righteous sons of God in His Kingdom, you will fulfill God’s purpose on Earth. You will proclaim His Name unashamedly everywhere you go. You know you bear God’s image and represent Him boldly. Righteousness, peace and joy, the fruit of the Holy Spirit will invariably be evident in your life. You will walk with integrity and purity before all man. You will display His glory as shining examples of supernatural creative kings, priests and sons.

“Works Cited”

Funk, Isaac K. Funk & Wagnall’s New Standard Dictionary of the English Language. New York:

       Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1952.

Kenyon, E. W. The Two Kinds of Life. Lynwood, Washington: Kenyon’s Gospel Publishing Society,

      2002. 

Lenski, R. C. H. Interpretation of Romans. Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ausburg Publishing House,

      1936.

Maxwell, John C., Elmore, Tim. The Maxwell Leadership Bible. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas

      Nelson, Inc., 2007.

Strong, James. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. McLean, Virginia: MacDonald Publishing

      Company, n.d.

WHAT IS EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP?

Gebru Abraha was born in 1968 in the northern part of Ethiopia, in the town of Axum. He is a graduate of Addis Ababa University where he earned a BSc degree in Chemistry. Mr. Abraha then worked as a secondary school teacher for several years. Some years ago he left teaching and took a leadership task and is now working in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia as government employee. Three years ago Mr. Abraha earned a Masters degree in Christian Leadership from United Graduate College and Seminary International.

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Even though leadership as a field of study has evolved recently, we find quite a lot of definitions of the term leadership in literature. Plainly these descriptions are more or less similar in connotation or spirit.  

Leadership is a process of influencing a group of people to accomplish a certain task. Leadership shows the direction towards the attainment of pre-destined goals. By its very nature leadership is influencing the behavior of others while fully respecting the liberty and dignity for each individual. This is so because individuality is sacred.

When it comes to effective leadership, it is the ability of moving a group of people or a society towards a vision by changing the way of thinking of the people about the future possibility. Effective leadership begins with having internally the compassion or love of the human kind. Love and concern are the most fundamental or imperative elements of effective leadership. Without love or compassion effective leadership is unthinkable. Thus the sole and everlasting foundation of effective leadership is Love of those we lead. Without love neither the physical nor the spiritual powers will develop.

There are also other issues that add value to leadership effectiveness. Characters such as enthusiasm, credibility, honesty, staying power, vision and courage do have contribution to effective leadership. Leadership success starts with creating vision. For a leader to be a direction indicator, he has to have a clear vision. Therefore a true leader is visionary. Honesty is also an integral component of a true leader because it invites others to follow your path. Courage is also important to utilize fully one’s own potential. An individual realizes his full potential in the absence of fear of making mistakes and fear of risk.  Thus effective leaders are not susceptible to criticism and admit their mistakes. This makes an effective leader always a learner.

Since effective leadership is all about stimulating people, it shows others that anything is possible. Effective leadership is capable of showing its followers a distant image of good health, prosperity, and a bright future soon to be reached.

The principle ‘‘lead by doing’’ is also another fundamental aspect of effective leadership. True leaders do not give command, nevertheless they lead by doing and this invites followers to shoulder their responsibility and others to come along and join the group.

In all levels of human relations, leaderships prevail. There is leadership in a family circle at a small scale. And leadership at larger scales are group or team leadership, organizational leadership, religious leadership, leadership at society level, etc. They all in common require the skill of leadership, even though the deal differs. Many of the leaderships in family circles are effective. The secret of leadership effectiveness at the household level is love and concern of leaders (parents) for their family members.

Leadership determines the success of an organization. An organization is exactly the mirror image of the leader. This means that a group, a team or an organization takes on the personality of its leader. That is why it is said that ‘‘the pace of a team is the pace of a leader’’.

Leaders are few and followers are many. Unfortunately we humans are followers. So we need someone to show us the way forward to reach our destinations. In periods when there is no leadership society stands still. Good leadership encourages people to go forward and that is why we say good leadership is the fuel of progress. This makes developing leaders of future times (legacy) an essential part of wise leadership.

                                                Let God be with all of us!!

A NEW GENERATION LEADERSHIP - HOW TO LEAD THE NEXT GENERATION

Currently, Dr. Daniel Munsami is the Senior Pastor of New Life Ministries, South Africa and two other churches in Richards Bay, South Africa. In the International arena he gives oversight as the President of New Life Ministries International Network to six churches in Swaziland and seven in India, with 21 Pastors and Evangelists just in India. Dr. Munsami studied at the University of Pretoria for Advanced Leadership. In April 2009 he received an Honorary Doctorate from United Graduate College & Seminary International. Dr. Munsami has a passion to impact individuals and develop leaders. He travels extensively to countries such as Swaziland, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, USA, Mexico, Canada, Mauritius and India. Dr. Munsami has been married to Shirley Munsami for 25 years and has two sons: Eugene 21 and Shaun 17.

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As we look back into the corridors of time and catch a glimpse of some of the major changes that have taken place within our globe, one can only stand in awe of where we are right now. Whatever the area of focus may be; be it politics, economy, religion, technology, mode of transport or anything that affects mankind; there certainly have been great strides of advancements. In all this, effective leadership becomes the key to success. Poor leadership is the greatest contributor to the collapse of many countries and organizations. It is in this respect that I would like to share some thoughts that will assist current and emerging leaders to lead the next generation effectively.

Currently there is a sense of leadership crisis throughout the world and this is not the case only in the cooperate world but also within the church circle. Even though various mechanisms such as gender equality, seminars, conferences, social media and various other means are used as tools to develop leaders, we are still far from where we ought to be in proportion to the advancement of the entire world. In my opinion this has much to do with easy access to readily available material which does not demand much effort. The internet has become the primary source of information and many of the 21^st century leaders are totally dependent on it. Whenever there is a need for information or a question to be answered, the world at large turns to the internet. It is quick, easy and no real effort required. This could be a great tool for a follower who is constantly guided or following someone else’s thought pattern and achievements. They seldom think for themselves, or even create new ideas.  This prevents such people from developing the champion or the hero that is within them. Untapped potential of great leaders and path creators lay dormant within such people.  The very same method is used within the church circle whereby the internet becomes the primary source instead of the Bible and dependence on the Holy Spirit. Many leaders and Pastors are so program driven that time is never enough. Waiting upon the Lord for new and fresh ideas and thoughts becomes virtually impossible. The internet has made leadership sound so simple that with a click of a button on the computer, information on anything or any subject can be made available. This information that has been uploaded by some people that have made the sacrifice and also could have paid the price as a leader. Yet those who just depend only on such information will remain followers and never aspire to become effective leaders. I am not advocating that leaders should not research or even read the material of other leaders but if that is all that one does to develop him or herself, then they will always remain as followers rather than becoming effective leaders. God has given each of us a measure of ability to think and create. In order to become a new generation leader and lead the next generation effectively, consider the following:

LEAD WITH THE FEAR OF GOD

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom: This fear comes by learning and understanding through the Bible who God really is. As we constantly read the scriptures and allow the Holy Spirit to speak into our lives, we will soon learn about His grace, mercy, His requirements and also how He deals with sin and rebellion. A leader who knows and understands the heart of God will lead the people of God accordingly. There will be difficulties and challenges and there will be times when leaders themselves will be tempted under pressure to disobey God’s word and apply worldly systems to achieve results. This could be detrimental, not only to the leader but also the people who he leads. In the past and to this day the cost of rebellion, sin and disobedience is great and the God that we serve never changes. His ways of love, grace, mercy and punishment never change. It is for that reason that leaders must lead with the fear of God and in so doing they transfer that spirit and energy to the people they lead.    

LEAD WITH THE WISDOM OF GOD

There is a distinct difference between intelligence and wisdom. Leaders might possess the intellect to plan, to build, and accumulate but if they don’t have the wisdom to use and maintain that which they have, it will all be in vain. Having the wisdom of God enables one to walk in the will of God and he will also understand and know the thoughts and plans of God. Leaders that possess the wisdom of God lead in an extraordinary manner.  The natural and carnal man will not understand or even comprehend that which will be accomplished by the one that has the wisdom of God. Leaders will constantly be faced with challenges and also be required to resolve conflicts, therefore in order to achieve the best result or outcome, the wisdom of God must prevail.

LEAD WITH INTERGRITY

There is a vast difference between character and integrity of a person. Character is what everyone sees and this sometimes could be very misleading but integrity is what happens in secret, which does not go unseen by God. I am amazed by the uprightness of Daniel’s integrity when faced with challenges and yet the governors found no fault or error in him.

LEAD WITH A PASSION

Passion is a fuel that drives a leader from an ordinary to extraordinary person. It is also an energy that refuses to be obstructed by challenges and circumstances. A person with a deep passion to lead will never sleep until dreams are transformed to reality. They are leaders that will look beyond the now and call into being that which is not as though they are. It will be in their nature to turn every obstacle into opportunities and every negative into positive.