World Missions Announces ‘Send the Light’ Project
Church of God World Missions Director David M. Griffis and Assistant Director M. Thomas Propes have announced the launch of the Send the Light to the Cities Strategic Initiative.
The formal announcement came last week during the biennial Leadership Conference for all state administrative bishops, state youth and discipleship directors and international offices leaders.
The foundational scripture for the initiative comes from Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world–like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” It ties in with the FINISH Commitment of the Church of God as announced by General Overseer Tim Hill at the recent International General Assembly.
In a presentation at the Leadership Conference, Griffis outlined the six World Missions commitments as follows:
FOCUS on the Light
We will focus on being bearers of the light of Christ, individually and corporately each moment, every day.
INVADE the Darkness
We will GO into darkened places of the world where God is leading us to invade with His light.
NAVIGATE the Needs
We will navigate the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of people who have gathered in 10 world-class cities, so Truth can be illuminated for them.
INTERCEDE for Souls
We will intentionally present the needs of these cities to God our Creator and Provider, each day.
SEND the Light
We will send materials, provide education, activate humanitarian efforts, and be zealous in our ministry to the people of these cities.
HEAL the Nations
We will provide prayer, the Word, the Living Water, and love for our fellow man, which will bring complete healing to the inhabitants of these cities.
Griffis and Propes have designated the vision and direction of Church of God World Missions to engage in the Great Commission by explaining, “Our mission is to transform 10 world-class cities, full of darkness, into cities of Light.” Send the Light to the Cities will establish “lighthouses” in these ten major cities around the globe which include Amsterdam, Bangkok, Georgetown (Guyana), Kigali, Lomé (Togo), Manila, Mexico City, Moscow, Paris and São Paulo.
“The cities have been strategically and prayerfully chosen for this project,” Griffis noted. “We don’t want to just target these cities, have a revival event and then leave … this is all about sustainability and raising up a lighthouse in a dark city.”
Director Griffis set this initiative into motion, declaring, “We will evangelize the cities, plant churches, provide an evangelism and training center in each one and then, like the Good Samaritan, stay alongside them until they are able to sustain their own commitment to FINISH.”
Send the Light to the Cities is Project Number 102-9435. Support of the project can be accomplished by visiting www.sendlight2cities.com, calling 1.800.535.9343, or mailing donations to Church of God World Missions, P.O. Box 8016, Cleveland, TN 37320-8016.
