Church of God World Missions Gives SL2C Update
Church of God World Missions, led by Director David M. Griffis and Assistant Director M. Thomas Propes, has released an update on the two year-old initiative, Send the Light to the Cities (SL2C).
“Our vision to reach major cities of the world is summed up in the call, SEND THE LIGHT!” Griffis stated. “People are pouring daily into cities by the thousands and World Missions is focused on planting a church and training center in these cities, where congregations can worship, receive discipleship training, and then duplicate the process.”
In a recent gathering of leaders at the Church of God International Offices, Assistant Director M. Thomas Propes delivered a progress report on each of the 13 cities of the SL2C:
The vast international city of Amsterdam, The Netherlands is being saturated in prayer. As a result, two new house-church congregations have been formed. Pastors John and Shacela Olsen have mapped a strategy for growing these new outreaches and have rented a facility. Now a ministry and training HUB will see the gospel advance and leaders developed. This is truly one of the greatest harvest fields in all of Europe.
In Bangkok, Thailand, there is a sweeping revival taking place. Holy Spirit empowered ministers are now urgently carrying the gospel to a city where prostitutes outnumber Christians. Turning Point church hosted the Legacy Conference where leaders and pastors from Southeast Asia received training and ministry. The funds sent to Bangkok will be used to train church planters to saturate this huge city with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, is the most visited city in South America and one of the cities just recently added to the initiative. The city in general has been a major recipient of millions of immigrants from around the world in the last 150 years, making it one of the most diverse cities of the Americas. With that being said, Buenos Aires is an open mission field with increased possibilities for evangelization, discipleship, and education.
One of the recent additions to the SEND THE LIGHT TO THE CITIES project, Edinburgh, Scotland, is a harvest waiting to happen. More than half the population professes no religion. The increase in property prices prohibits buyers from purchasing new land and puts a demand on the market. Alcohol and drug usage are high. However, church growth is evident among Pentecostals. Evangelism, teaching, and church planting are a priority.
Earlier this week, World Missions approved the purchase of property in Georgetown, Guyana, and is now securing an engineering firm to begin planning this facility.
Last week, the World Missions Board approved a plan to expand a facility at St. Patrick’s School in Kigali, Rwanda, which will become a world class training center for church planters.
The Spirit of God is at work in the country of Togo with churches being planted at a rapid pace. The harvest in Togo’s capital city of Lomé is indeed ripe for the Gospel. World Missions believes this is a strategic place to take a stand for God.
A Central Training Center has been purchased and dedicated in Manila, Philippines. Training classes and small group worship are taking place now. Although the center is not yet fully funded, World Missions will continue to raise the funds necessary to see this strategic hub reach its full potential.
In Mexico City, Mexico, necessary funds were recently released for the inner-city church plant under the guidance of Field Director Angel Marcial. Although Mexico City is overwhelmingly Christian, it is resistant to Evangelicals establishing churches. The populace here is very young and the harvest field is fertile.
In Paris, France, a Training Center and Bible School have been established, where church planters are being trained. The funds donated for Paris are being used to equip and send new workers into this metropolitan harvest. Recently, sponsoring USA pastors in cooperation with World Missions hosted the Paris Grow Conference.
Life Church, located in Prague, Czech Republic and pastored by Jerry and Ulli Lillard, has moved from a small rented facility into the newly renovated Church Training Center. Outreach provided through counseling and English Camps for unchurched children are already showing promising results for the future.
As a result of missionary street outreaches, the first of several “Send Light to the Cities” church plants have been organized in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A search team is in the process of locating property for the works there.
Tokyo is a new city which was added this year to the SL2C inititiative. Plans are underway to make this another successful City of Light. Tokyo will host the 2020 Olympics, offering the Church of God a grand stage for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“Each of these CITIES OF LIGHT is an on-going project,” Propes told the International Offices leaders. “Pastors from across the United States have added our ‘Cities of Light’ for their local churches to sponsor. Also, each project has been identified, adopted and will receive World Missions funds.”
Propes concluded his remarks by announcing that the offering received during the World Missions service at the 2018 General Assembly raised $281,000. This brings the total funds raised to over $1.5 million for the SEND THE LIGHT initiative since its launch in 2016.
To learn more and support SL2C, visit cogwm.org.
