Running with the Vision of Missions Education
In July, we teamed up with special guests and missionaries from Church of God World Missions for a special seminary class on Foundations for World Missions.
By Grant McClung
Over the course of the last 20 plus years, God has used that course – and the writings associated with it – to call missionaries, train overseas national leaders and mobilize pastors toward missional leadership in their local churches and beyond.
“Write the vision, and make it plain…so he may run that readeth it” (Habakkuk 2:2 KJV); “…so that a herald may run with it” (NIV); “…so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else” (NLT).
I enjoy the passion of writing on world missions and the role of the Pentecostal/ Charismatic Movement in God’s global work. Years ago the Lord commissioned me through the above referenced scripture in Habakkuk 2:2. It was meant in its original context for another time and audience but the Lord spoke to me through that passage to urge me on in missions writing.
I write, and my wife, Janice, writes her missions music and prayer resources because it is an extension of our teaching/missions mentoring and a means toward missions mobilization. We write so “a runner can read it and tell everyone else.” Writing and teaching are missions resources that multiply the vision so others can run with it (2 Timothy 2:2).
In July, we teamed up with special guests and missionaries from Church of God World Missions for a special seminary class on Foundations for World Missions. Over the course of the last 20 plus years, God has used that course— and the writings associated with it — to call missionaries, train overseas national leaders and mobilize pastors toward missional leadership in their local churches and beyond.
We experienced some special answers to prayer for this particular course in July. Here are some of the follow-up student testimonies:
From a budding youth pastor: “Through this course God has placed a special passion in my heart for evangelism. I will multiply that passion by teaching our youth group and preparing them for a short-term missions trip. My view of God has only become larger. I feel that I must obey my call to minister to other cultures.”
A leading pastor from Virginia stated, “I truly learned a great deal and was inspired to do a great deal more.” He now is on fire to support Church of God World Missions seminaries and Bible colleges overseas where leaders are trained and multiplied.
An African church leader was present from a fraternal Pentecostal movement. His mother church has grown to more than 300,000 members with 500 branches/missions across his country. Their view, however, has only been for evangelism in their own cultural/language group. He will use the Bible study/sermon series developed from the class to return home and spread vision for cross-cultural missions.
A young man just entering the ministry out of the business world said he will plan on at least one overseas ministry trip in 2010 and also wants, “…to learn more about our denomination’s activities throughout the globe. In short, I intend on making missions more of a priority in my life and ministry.” Missions education produced a new Church of God World Missions donor/activist!
A young evangelist working among a large community of ethnic immigrants in the United States stated, “God has spoken directly to my heart in this class. I have been challenged to change my priorities when it comes to ministry and evangelism.” Pray for this brother who has a powerful influence among the youth in the large, growing churches of this language group that, to this point, has not seriously focused on cross-cultural ministry beyond their immediate culture.
These — and the pastors, leaders, and students we train in our international missions teaching trips — are 21st century “heralds” who have read the vision and are running to multiply it in missions mobilization. Janice and I are grateful to God for the international expansion of our missions resourcing through training/mentoring at our seminaries and special conferences around the world and in local church Missions Conferences in the United States.
To God be all the glory— the missions vision is being multiplied through the partnership of the Pentecostal Theological Seminary and the international discipleship/training efforts of Church of God World Missions!
Grant and Janice McClung
Missionary Education
Project Number 0650853
© 2009 Church of God World Missions
