Moving the Mission Forward
What a journey through 2020 we’ve had! I’m so grateful for all who tuned in to our monthly Zoom partner calls as we dove deeper into The 5 Phases.
In our December call, General Superintendent Wayne Schmidt and I shared more about the vision of our global Wesleyan movement, especially as 2021 begins. We looked back on God’s faithfulness and looked forward together — to mobilizing a global Kingdom Force! One that’s multigenerational, multiethnic, multieconomic, women and men, lay and clergy — and multiplies disciples from everywhere to everywhere!
Wayne reflected, “We see an alignment happening globally — and it’s created a learning experience for North America to learn from the Global Church. We have the same priorities around the world: a heart to make disciples, to see churches multiplied, and new territory taken for the kingdom of God. We have these common priorities birthed out of the similar hunger for the Holy Spirit. For us in North America, we can learn so much about disciple making from the Global Church. And as we do, we see a greater unity and interdependence among us.”
I shared that there has been such a deep embracing of this strategic focus all around the world. Our Wesleyan national churches have already been thinking about the urgency of more disciples making disciples and have had a growing sense that this is becoming an “everywhere to everywhere” focus. All churches need to be sending to their neighboring communities. We all can be praying for a greater desire to be sending to the far places — which are very different. Sending to these places requires crossing cultures, crossing languages, and sometimes includes barriers that might keep North Americans out but are open for others.
As we listen to the Holy Spirit, he will always lead us to mission and to advance the Kingdom. We can lean in and humbly depend on him to take us to the places and people that need to hear the good news!
Every time you pray or give to Global Partners, you play your part in this global strategy to make disciples throughout the world. As we look to 2021, we eagerly seek the Holy Spirit’s filling and leading to help us amplify mission together. Thank you once again for your partnership in the mission that matters — forever.