The Kerusso – May | 2025
About Our Journey Meetings
By: Max Edwards
As you may recall, the EMC restructured things at the 2010 General Conference, dissolving our six District boundaries so that we could meet in larger regional clusters than before. So, for the last 15 years, we’ve been hosting annual district meetings of varying numbers and locations, trying to re-ignite the involvement of local church members. The EMC was founded as a movement whose strength ultimately lies in the laity - the men and women who make up the backbone of our churches.
Someone recently asked in a response survey about the purpose of our meetings – “[What is the] mission and vision for these journeys ... is it to encourage leaders? To train? To provide rest? To inform?”
What a great question! And there is a great answer … In the words of EMC Discipline paragraphs ¶401 and ¶421, the goal of our District structure is to “… endeavor to strengthen and unite the churches ” We do this regionally as “groupings of Evangelical Methodist churches, pastors, and credential holders in proximity to one another [meet] for the purpose of prayer, fellowship, encouragement, mutual accountability, unity, support, [and] group activities for renewal and enhanced ministry.”
Those wonderful words flow parallel to the many New Testament “one another” commands: We are to PRAY for one another; FELLOWSHIP with one another; ENCOURAGE one another; hold one another ACCOUNTABLE; be in UNITY and SUPPORT with one another; and work with one another in MINISTRY. Our Journey meetings intend to do all of those things in varying degrees depending on the yearly program. Sometimes they are more informational, while other times, they are more about fellowship, unity, and encouragement.
This year’s focus on “GOD ALONE” was intended to be more about corporate worship and unified fellowship. The four sessions in each location on Listening, Worshipping, Feasting, and Following presented by our own EMC people, were all received very well.
Samples of the kind of feedback we heard were these: “This year's Journey was transformative to me personally. It was life-giving. … the time spent with other pastors praying and ministering to one another was extremely special to me. I needed this time more than I realized.” Another person wrote: “I very much enjoy the diversity of speakers used in the sessions. Bringing in speakers from outside the EMC is fine, but personally I like to hear our [people].”
As the data in the chart demonstrates, our attendance and participation are growing, and we will continue to seek the Lord regarding how to encourage our pastors and people, and to challenge each other to greater things as we minister side-by-side.
Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
Journey – Crossroads EMC, Marshfield, MO
Submitted by, Rev. Wes Mackey, USA Conference Superintendent
The best way to describe the second Journey of the 2025 season, is by echoing the words describing the first Journey: fellowship, unity, refreshment, renewal, empowerment, challenge, and growth.
Eight different EMC churches joined together as one body of believers to worship our Lord and to fellowship with each other. The second of our four meetings found us at Crossroads EMC in Marshfield, MO.
All of our speakers challenged us to grow in our relationship with the Lord, being better listeners, worshippers, and followers . We were encouraged and empowered by our General and Conference Superintendents, and there was a joyful spirit of support and connection that saturated the sessions.
T he ordination of Rev. Tiffany Barber, pastor of New Beginnings Church in Farmersville, TX, was a special celebration. The church plant she is pastoring is healthy and blossoming. We are looking for great things there, northeast of Dallas.
The Crossroads family were wonderful hosts. Their preparation and service are greatly appreciated. The children’s ministry workers did a tremendous job of loving on and ministering to our youngest EMC’ers.
Journey – Estrella Community Church, Eloy, AZ
Submitted by, Rev. Kevin Brouillette, USA Conference Superintendent
The Journey in Arizona was full of great food, great fellowship, and awesome speakers. Our International General Superintendent, Rev. Max Edwards, challenged us during the very first session to open our hearts and truly listen to the heart of God.
The evening speaker for each o f our meetings has been Dr. Matt Freideman of Wesley Biblical Seminary . He challenged us to pursue personal holiness and to demonstrate our love for God through works of piety and service .
In our closing service, the call was to hear God’s voice and to respond to a hurting and lost world. Living in holiness involves working to remove distractions from our lives, and by endeavoring to reach out to the hurting, such as those in prisons, the homeless, and the needy.
Rev. Lisa Walker (EMC Board of World Missions) and Rev. Debbie Miller (Lead Pastor, Estrella Community), were tasked with teaching on the topics of ‘feasting’ on the Lord alone and ‘following’ the Lord alone.
The host church was amazing. The planning, the preparation, the warm welcome and the delicious meals, were so very appreciated.
It was wonderful to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. The sister EMC churches that came from far and wide, were moved and encouraged as they left for home.
These are challenging yet exciting times for our EMC families. Let’s continue in prayer and in encouragement for one another.
Idaho Journey Completes the Four-meeting Cycle
Submitted by, Rev. Max Edwards, IGS
Our fourth Journey meeting of the year brought folks together from California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho to worship, fellowship, learn, and sharpen one another. It truly was a marvelous gathering of EMC’ers.
As in the other three sessions, all of the speakers centered their thoughts around our 2025 theme of “ God Alone” taken from Psalm 81.
Conference Superintendent Kevin Brouillette gave a strong testimony of grace and faith, sharing about the God-centered path that his sweet bride Carolyn walked as she trusted the Lord through her last days before her heavenly promotion in February of this year. We love Rev. Brouillette very much , and he is so appreciative of the outpouring of kindness he and his family received over these last couple of months and years.
As our host church, Nampa Crossroads did a stellar job of welcoming and caring for all of us!! The worship team led us to the throne as we endeavored to “Worship the Lord Alone.” Founding P astor Jim Halbert guided us in holy communion, and Pastor Anna McGarrah asked the assembly to surround the Superintendents in a special prayer for leadership . It was also an invitation to share imagery and insights as we felt directed by the Holy Spirit.
The teachings on “Feast on the Lord Alone” by Pastor Todd Inman, and “Follow the Lord Alone” by Pastor Anna McGarrah were both so powerful and impacting.
All of our 2025 meetings were unique. We heard from a dozen different pastors, superintendents, missionaries, and evangelists. We were led in worship by many different teams and individuals, and three young, exciting pastors were ordained in full connection as Elders.
Next year, we will all gather in Indianapolis, IN in one meeting as the 34th General Conference convenes in July of 2026!
2025 Journey Conference Missions Offering
Submitted by, Bill Walker, GBWM Chairperson
THAT’S THE TOTAL DOLLAR FIGURE given in the four consecutive 2025 Journey Missions Offerings! Praise the LORD!
Lisa and I had a wonderful time attending all four Journey Conferences this year! What a privilege to hear from all of our speakers, and to worship the Lord together. Each time the Holy Spirit spoke in a fresh way and we came away encouraged and challenged! We love making our way around the USA Conference and reconnecting with all of you. It is truly wonderful to have friends in so many places around the country (and the world) .
This year, our International General Superintendent, Rev. Max Edwards, led us in collectively giving a mission offering at each of the Journey Conferences. This is a great EMC tradition, going back decades. We have not done this for several years, but we are now reviving it! The plan is to receive this “progressive” offering at Journey Conferences going forward, and receive the Resurrection Offering only during a n International General Conference year.
At the end of the fourth Journey Conference in Nampa, ID, the Missions Offering total stood at $17,130. The final total might be a bit higher because we counted any additional gifts received through the end of April. We praise God for all who contributed sacrificially and generously to this offering.
How will it be used? Normally, the Board of World Missions distributes the Resurrection and November Missions offerings equally among our five Global Conferences. The Missions Offering from the Journey Conferences will still be dedicated to world missions but may not be allocated in the same manner. Instead, the Board of World Missions will likely distribute the funds in a more targeted and focused way, consulting with our Global Conferences based on their ministerial needs and plans .
Keep praying for our EMC brothers and sisters around the world!
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