[5 minute read]

Hi EMCC,

Welcome to Global Workers and Partners Week 2024! We are privileged to share stories from global workers and partners connected to the EMCC, and give you opportunities to connect with them throughout.

Our theme for this week centres on the various ways collaboration takes place in the midst of the collective witness of the EMCC. This week will focus on the ways global workers and partners contextualize this willingness to collaborate in different contexts.

During the Fourth Lausanne Congress, one of the largest gatherings of global evangelical church leaders, a major focus of conversation was on the importance of collaboration. Michael Oh, CEO of Lausanne Global, asked those in attendance what it is that we, who are God's strategy, called to do? He shared that we are called to declare and display Christ together. In order to do this, he also shared that "we need the whole body for the whole mission of God." Those of us reading this are part of that 'we'! How can we be in collaboration, not competition, with each other? We choose to live into Ephesians 4:11-12.

[We] were called to one hope when [we] were called; one Lord, "The gifts [Jesus] gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ."

We hope that you receive these stories and prayer requests this week, willing to extend your mind and heart to consider the ways collaboration can enrich us and be a powerful demonstration of Jesus and the characteristics of His Kingdom.

Be encouraged as you go about your day, listening to the Spirit of Jesus and obeying as he prompts, knowing He will continue to call us in collective ways.

Long Obedience With Co-working in Mind

with Ken & Carolyn Benson

MissionPREP (MP), has been training Global Workers for 35 years, since 1989. We have seen hundreds of people prepared for effective cross-cultural ministry and/or debriefed upon return. Over that time, we have worked with more than 30 Canadian and 30 American mission agencies. We give praise to God for the number of people who have been served through this work and the global impact they have made around the world. 

MP operates with minimal staff consisting of one full-time person and four part-time staff. However, some of our programs have as high as 17 people serving in various capacities from hospitality to facilitating programs – both adult and children. These servants come from various mission agencies and local churches, all with cross-cultural experience or a strong commitment to cross-cultural ministry. This collaboration has allowed us to achieve far more than any one ministry could on its own. God has used MP as a quarterback, working with many partners to serve a common goal.

Now, MP has sensed the Holy Spirit’s leading to merge with the MORE Network (a ministry of Outreach Canada) with the final stage of the merger planned for the end of 2024. MP and MORE have already been collaborating on the RE-VIEW debriefing program for the last few years. Initially, MORE supported the program financially and together scheduled it to complement their REBOOT program for college students. MP has since helped MORE establish a RE-VIEW program in Alberta, sharing curriculum and sending staff to assist. All these God inspired opportunities for collaboration and now a future merger are examples of courageous collaboration to the point of merger in order to maximize Kingdom impact. Praise the Lord!

Mark Your Calendars

We'll finish the week on Friday with an opportunity to pray with Global Workers and Partners.

#gwpweek2024

@emccwp