EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Thank you for the opportunity to provide a summary report from the Ministry of Evangelism for presentation to the International Executive Council (Church of God Minutes 2024, S11. Ministry of Evangelism. I. B. 4. 2024).

As director of Church of God Ministry of Evangelism, in addition to the tithe-of-tithe appropriation of $671,000 to launch and conduct the ministry of this new department for our movement, we are committed to raising $300,000 for the 2025-26 fiscal year to support the department’s million-dollar vision to reach the lost.

Embracing the adopted items of the 79th General Assembly, Six Multiplication Ministries and Ten Multiplication Systems have been established.

The Six Multiplication Ministries are personal evangelism, church planting, church health and revitalization, revivalists/evangelists, apologetics, and general evangelism strategies and ministries. These ministries fuel the multiplication movement to resonate through the Church of God globally and bring specific focus on North America (United States and Canada).

The following highlights include the past eight months of ministry development and implementation, as well as future projects within the framework adopted by the General Assembly. Several committees and task forces were created to support the ministry areas outlined. The primary board that encompasses all ministry efforts within the department is the Ministry of Evangelism Board.  Additional task forces include Church Planting, Church Health and Revitalization, Apologetics, and Evangelists/Revivalists. These entities support a three-cord driving force including 1) re-engaging the church with personal evangelism; 2) church planting, and 3) church health and revitalization.

Personal evangelism is supported by a new tool entitled QR-Tracts. QR-Tracts is a collection of small business cards targeting a simple method of reaching out to individuals. A QR Code on each card directs the reader to a detailed message of salvation, spiritual guidance, and encouragement. These are offered in English and in Spanish.

The Church Planting website incorporates the previously developed tools with additional features for individual church planters beginning the process and offering opportunities for support and guidance throughout the process within the Church of God system. Additional support material is being developed with special focus given  to seasoned church planters leading congregations to becoming organized churches.

Church Health and Revitalization is the home of the Consulting Certification Program. This is a newly created, four-week, on-line training program developed to teach experienced pastors to reach out to churches and congregations seeking guidance in church health. The initial cohort of fifty pastors completed the program at the end of March.  A second cohort will launch in May. The compilation of material is being finalized in a notebook for continued reference for those completing the program.

The collaboration of the historic Doctrine and Polity Committee with the new Apologetics Task Force resulted in a January in-person meeting titled “Contend for the Faith.”  A full-day of sessions that received presentations on Inspiration of the Bible; Deity and Authority of Jesus Christ; Pentecostal Theology; Missio Dei (Mission-ology); Practical Apologetics; and Our Present Reality. The meeting culminated with afternoon sessions of round-table discussions charting courses to address critical issues facing today’s church. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for May 2025.

The creation of a series of regional meetings titled Dunamis Conferences was launched in the Chicago region in November 2024. Collaboration with state and regional administrative bishops resulted in conferences in New York, Toronto, and Southern New England/New England Hispanic combined regions. Additional meetings are planned for other regions in 2025 and 2026. The emphasis of these meetings is to empower and equip the church to evangelize the world. Strong attendance and testimonies continue to be remarkable regarding the impact and value of the sessions.

These focused efforts including the healthy church initiative, along with planting life- giving churches, and proliferating personal evangelism, will bring life to the Church of God movement encouraging unprecedented growth in the kingdom of God. This is why the evangelism department exists as a tip of the vision spear pushing forward to inspire people to proclaim the saving power of Jesus Christ, facilitate church planting, and develop healthy life-giving churches that, in turn, will encourage other healthy life-giving churches.

Continued efforts to create and embrace the vision for taking the gospel to everyone remains the vision and focus of the Church of God Ministry of Evangelism.

 -Sean S. O’Neal, D.Min

Director