Church of God Missionaries Receive Orientation
Cleveland, TN–Fourteen missionary candidates met at the International Offices in Cleveland last week for orientation to their relationship to the Church of God World Missions office and their connection with donors. The concentrated program that instructed the future missionaries was conducted by field-experienced personnel and office administrators, under the direction of Assistant Director John Childers.
The candidates included interns, appointed missionaries with some field service, and short-term workers.
In the opening presentation, David Ramirez, Field Director for the Church of God in Latin America, challenged the missionaries to fulfill their calling within the structure of World Missions, remembering that their task was to be missionaries in a holistic setting—preaching the gospel to win souls, but also ministering in a broader context, understanding that the church is called to serve the needs of people.
Personnel from the administrative offices talked to the group about accounting practices, donor relationships, using technology in their work, and related areas. Veteran fund-raiser, Terrell Brinson, made helpful suggestions. The missionaries also reviewed the World Missions Policy Manual, learned about writing newsletters and other contact with donors, and were oriented to the use of video in support of their work.
The orientation included information about the work of local church mission representatives and the World Missions representatives who help raise money in support of missionaries and projects.
The sessions closed with a commissioning service led by Childers. He reminded the missionaries of the great heritage of the church’s missions work. They are “taking up the torch that has been carried by a century of Church of God missionaries, and you are challenged to carry it faithfully,” Childers emphasized. The service concluded with the commissioning charge and prayer over the missionaries by the staff and missions leaders.
(Source: Church of God World Missions)
