“All of Jesus for all the world takes all of the Alliance!”
No statement better underscores the spirit behind the changes announced during Alliance Council 2019 than this proclamation by international worker Cheryl Fugate at the Thursday morning President’s Report. She joined other international workers in reporting the progress of the Alliance advance into regions beyond.
Name changes, new structures, reworked funding models . . . all the change can seem overwhelming— if change were only for change sake. But in moving forward to places where the gospel has never been, change begins to look a lot like obedience to God’s leading.
Coming together is at the heart of much of the change. International Ministries (IM) now becomes Alliance Missions (AM). Formerly separate components for accomplishing our international work now come together as one ministry with four equally-valued specialized structures: CAMA; marketplace ministries; aXcess; and Envision. Alliance ministry here in the States and throughout the world is uniting under three common strategic themes—serving communities, multiplying church networks, and developing people. Vice President for Church Ministries (CM) Terry Smith affirms this united approach, saying, “CM is for AM. There are no ‘ors’ in Acts 1:8 and there is no competition in Acts 1:8.”
Great effort is also being poured into simplifying our funding structure. “Would anyone argue with me that giving to The Alliance has been a bit complicated over the years?” asks John, with rumbles of agreement from the audience.
Creating a funding structure that honors every gift reinforces the coming together of the Alliance family. “Any gift of any designation or no designation is important; it’s all part of the whole,” emphasizes Tim Crouch, vice president for Alliance Missions. In addressing these changes, Development Vice President Tim Meier best captures the why behind the what: “We’re doing this for breakthrough…People need access to the gospel—and we must mobilize more workers.”
The Day in Pictures
Seen and Heard
“If the church’s primary mission is to tear down the gates of hell and to set the people free from the bondage of sin and darkness, shouldn’t we be more concerned about how to send people out than how to keep them in the church?”
“It is our Father’s pleasure that the name of Jesus be exalted in every language and people of the world.”
Ted Kang, Pastor of San Jose (CA) Christian Alliance Church
Extras
Following are some additional items to remind you of today’s session.