The Kerusso | 2023 July July

The Kerusso – July | 2023

Leadership Summit Results

General Superintendent Max Edwards

The feedback sessions we held at all four of our regional meetings have produced 127 pages of information for the Superintendents to pour over, analyzing and compiling your preferences and suggestions for the next four years regarding things like ministerial education, church planting, communication, and mentoring.

It will take a month or two for us to fully review all of the information you provided to us.

We cannot adequately express how appreciative we are to have so much feedback from our pastors and our lay people! The EMC deeply cares about your opinion. Our founders embraced the vision of a denomination that is wonderfully connectional: unified by our doctrine; cooperative in our polity; and led by servant-hearted elected Superintendents. They also treasured and embraced a fellowship that is deeply rooted in the local church and respectful of established congregational elements such as the calling of the pastor and the local ownership of church property.

Here is just one sample of the feedback we received at one of the Leadership Summit sessions.

As the Superintendents review the data, we will be making plans for future training and inspirational events, as well as working to improve our communication.

Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”

In the EMC our Pastors and Lay People will always have a “seat at the table!”

Your opinion and your voice matters!

District “Journey” Meetings 2023

Submitted by - Max Edwards, IGS, and US Conference Superintendents, Kevin Brouillette, Wes Mackey & Aaron Withrow

Grace Community Church - Memphis, TN - March 23-24

Our Journey meetings held in Memphis and North Carolina were such a blessing to all who attended. Our congregations were encouraged and strengthened. It was wonderful to see God’s people enjoying the fellowship of our EMC family. We really do appreciate all the churches who were there. I loved seeing all the laity from each of our churches. They are what the EMC is all about. We are grateful for each one. We are so blessed to have such a loving church family.

Lakeview Chapel - Lake Elsinore, CA - April 20-21

We had the opportunity to be hosted by the wonderful church family in Lake Elsinore, California. It was a special time of great worship and teaching as well as a brief concert by an amazing local choir. Rev. Dr. Jim Halbert and General Superintendent Max Edwards delivered great messages from the word and all in attendance left refreshed and renewed.

The meeting in California was so special as pastors and lay people gathered for fellowship, instruction, and inspiration! The Gospel Choir on Thursday night brought us to the throne in a sweet way.

District “Journey” Meetings 2023 (continued)

Peninsula Community Church - Moses Lake, WA - May 25-26

Then the Journey continued on to Moses Lake, Washington. The weather was perfect and the church went above and beyond in hosting. We were blessed with traditional worship and the laity of the church family filled the house. Rev. Russ Cochran and Rev. Max Edwards brought powerful messages, and again all in attendance were blessed and refreshed.

Crosslink Church - Rutherford College, NC - June 8-9

It was such a joy to connect with the eastern part of our EMC family at the final Journey of 2023 in Rutherford College, NC. As was the case for each of our Journeys, the host church went above and beyond. The worship times, teachings, meals, kids programs were all a blessing.

Thank you Crosslink Church for hosting and thank you to all who attended and made this Journey the blessing it was.

What an honor to have had the opportunity to be with each of these great congregations!

Bibles for New Believers in Myanmar

Submitted by, Revs. Bill & Lisa Walker, GBWM Co-Chairs

Psalm 119:11

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (ESV)

In a time when good news from Myanmar is rare, I have something exciting to share with you!! We routinely receive accounts of new conversions all over the country. Even though Myanmar is in complete governmental disarray, the gospel continues strongly. I am reminded of the words of Jesus when he said that the Kingdom of Heaven is forcefully advancing, and forceful people lay hold of it. We are never forceful against political regimes, circumstances of life, or even people. Rather we are forceful against the kingdom of darkness. Jesus said he would build his church, and the gates of hell would not prevail against it.

Despite the coup that continues to ravage the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (with no end in sight), God’s people in the EMC faithfully witness and are an evangelistic force against the spiritual darkness. The EMC of Myanmar has organized one mission field into a district and has started two new mission fields since February 2021, when the coup first began. (Remember, this was also at the height of the pandemic.) Many people are being converted from traditional Buddhism and animism to faith in Jesus Christ.

These new believers have many needs, but chief among them is Bibles! Thankfully, there are EMC members here in the United States, who are giving regularly to a fund for Bibles, designated for new believers in Myanmar. During the last fiscal year, EMC received about $1700 just for Bibles. What a blessing!

We are glad to report that recently we sent money to purchase 67 new Bibles. Inflation in Myanmar is out of control. Each of these simple Bibles costs approximately $24 each. It would be even more expensive if we acquired the Bibles elsewhere and shipped them. We are very thankful for those who have given, and will continue to do so, enabling us to supply Bibles to new believers in Myanmar.

Here in the United States, we know better, but often take the Bible for granted, and can hardly “find time” to read it. Yet for these new believers, it’s a great treasure.

Truly, the Bible is a great treasure for us, and we must not neglect being in the Word of God. There may come a time in our country when Bibles are rare and even outlawed.

You can conveniently donate online using this link https://emchurch.org/onlinegiving or mail your gift to:

EMC Headquarters

PO Box 17070

Indianapolis, IN 46217

EMC Myanmar Conference

From the Desk of the General Secretary-Treasurer

Rev. Brian Hammond

At the District Journey Gatherings, some of you may have noticed that Pastor Max had a different EMC Discipline style than the standard book-bound one you are used to seeing. His is a special-order, spiral-bound version. We had a pastor request one, so we ordered some extras, thinking others might be interested too. The 2022 EMC Discipline special-order, spiralbound version is available in limited supply for $15 each plus shipping. Please note that we won't be placing additional orders, so when they are gone, they are gone.

Click on this link 2022 EMC Discipline to order the EMC Discipline today in the standard or special spiral-bound versions.

Church Clippings

Excitement from around the EMC

Jonathan Mayo, EMC-Credentialed Missionary serving with World Gospel Mission (WGM)

Excerpts from Rev. Mayo’s 2022 Ministry Report:

“I serve with WGM, with my primary ministry being with University Discipleship Movement (UDM). In 2022 World Gospel Mission asked us to relocate from Uganda in order to expand, [reaching] students regionally as well as globally... I continue to minister alongside Kennedy Kirui as we lead UDM.

We thank God for many wonderful things He has done in and through UDM this year. Although we still feel the impact of COVID 19 in the operations and its effect to the ministry, we have seen growth both in the lives of the people impacted and also in expansion of the ministry. UDM is now actively involved in 32 universities and colleges. Through our outreach ministries, we have continued to see commitment from our staff and students sharing the gospel with others. This year alone we preached/ evangelized to thousands of people and of this 869 (recorded) gave their lives to Christ. A number of these were discipled and baptized. We also have continued to do high school, primary school and children outreaches in the communities through our Bible clubs. We reach an average of 4,800 students weekly.

We have had hundreds go through our different discipleship resources across our separate locations. We have disseminated hundreds of resources to empower many students. We also have students who are actively involved in our leadership development programs. Every leader in UDM has a team of leaders that they mentor and work with. We also have had several leadership seminars and trainings. This is critical for us because we know today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders. It is our desire to partner with WGM and other agencies to recruit, train, and send missionaries globally.

After two years of not having physical camp meeting, we were able to host one with nearly 200 people attending, most of these, students from different campuses, different nationalities and some even coming from UDM Kenya. God moved mightily. The theme was on missions. On Sunday morning, around 140 students came forward for a commissioning service to go to the nations. Pray that God will give us wisdom, resources and partners to help send these students.

We are planning to hold two camp meetings next year in Kenya and Uganda. We have a team of 17 dedicated staff and 4 interns. We have more work than the staff can do so most of them are stretched. Pray for strength and grace, even as we pray for more to join the team. We organized several sessions for our staff to help them walk closely with Jesus.

God is opening opportunities for expansion through former students. Pray for us as we look forward, that we will be sensitive to what God is saying and how He wants us to respond; that He will provide [laborers and] resources to finance programs, pay staff, and complete projects. UDM has been blessed with a new WGM missionary couple Matthew and Ally Cable and their two children. We ask that God will send more. Pray for the UDM team for God to help us to stay focused and united. [UDM is operating a hostel (The Safe Haven) ministering to those staying there and helping them find healing. They are operating some businesses to benefit the mission and provide opportunities to employ former students and mentor them to live well for Jesus in the marketplace.]