here, there, &
everywhere
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Acts 1:8
Where is our Jerusalem, our Judea, our Samaria, & the Ends of the Earth?
It depends on where you are.
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Where is our Jerusalem?
In your local community.
The church has a local ministry that reaches out beyond the walls of the church building which includes bringing the gospel to the unreached within the community (it evangelizes and makes disciples of Jesus).
Examples of Jerusalem ministries:
1. An evangelistic visitation program.
2. A ‘van ministry’ to bring children & adults who would otherwise not be in church.
3. Members host the Alpha Course off campus – in members’ homes, a coffee shop, etc.
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Where is our Judea?
In your region.
The church supports (and optimally participates in) a regional ministry that includes evangelizing and making disciples of Jesus. Judea ministries often involve the collaborative efforts of multiple churches/denominations to bring the gospel to unreached people. When church planting, a ‘region’ may extend to include a very large territory of culturally similar people.
Examples of Judea ministries:
1. Lead/partner with other GMC congregations to plant a new GMC church within your conference or nation;
2. Participate in missional ministry with a homeless shelter, mission center, crisis pregnancy center, or domestic violence shelter;
3. Participate with Kairos or REC (Residents Encounter Christ).
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Where is our Samaria?
Across culture & language barriers.
The church is engaged in or partnering to bring the gospel (evangelizing and disciple-making) cross-culturally. This can include reaching a people/language group for Christ that is different from one’s own (a people group that is perhaps overlooked, or ‘passed by’), or partnering in another nation where there may already be a solid Christian presence.
Examples of Samaria ministries:
1. Help to plant a GMC congregation within your community or nation that reaches people who speak a different language than your own, or are of a different ethnic/people group.
2. Partner with an approved Missional Partner serving cross-culturally within a nation outside of the 10/40 Window.
3. Support a GMC commissioned Missionary or Evangelist serving cross-culturally outside of the 10/40 Window.
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The church is partnering to help bring the gospel to nations and people groups that are most unreached and lacking access to the gospel of Jesus Christ:
a ‘10 /40 window’ nation, or among a people group where less than 2% of the population is evangelical Christian.
Examples of Ends of the Earth ministries:
1. Support a GMC missional ministry within the 10/40 Window.
2. Partner with an approved Missional Partner (found on the GMC ‘Wesleyan Network for Global Missions’) serving a 10/40 Window nation/Unreached People Group (UPG) or an Unreached, Unengaged People Group (UUPG).
3. Dig in deep: identify and ‘adopt’ a UPG; commit to pray, strategize, and collaborate with recommended effective multipliers to help bring the good news of Jesus to a group that is unreached, or unreached and unengaged.
4. Support a GMC commissioned Missionary or Evangelist serving among these people groups.
How can our church deepen our missional impact?
The Global Methodist Church invites every congregation to boldly embrace its God-given mission and celebrate God’s work among them while prayerfully pursuing fresh vision, deeper faith, and transformed lives. This annual missions health check will help you assess your church’s mission involvement and equip you with practical next steps to deepen and strengthen your impact.
Acts 1:8 Certification for your local church.
The Purpose of this Certificate is:
1. To glorify God, and extend Christ’s Kingdom through the power of the Holy Spirit;
2. To encourage all GMC congregations to become obedient to Jesus’ command: to be His witnesses, evangelizing and making disciples, locally and around the world;
3. To strengthen GMC ministries and pan-Wesleyan partnerships where possible;
4. To promote missional prayer, and facilitate collaboration in bringing the gospel to the most unreached people groups of the world.
All Global Methodist churches are encouraged to become “Acts 1:8 Missional Congregations.”
This is based on Jesus’ instructions to the disciples prior to His ascension:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
While this verse has been understood in slightly varied ways, the GMC Acts 1:8 Missional Congregation Certificate is based on the included descriptions of Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and ‘Ends of the Earth.” Examples of qualifying ministry options for each of the four categories are also provided.
What is the significance of the certificate and of becoming an Acts 1:8 Missional Congregation?
First, let us say, the Acts 1:8 Missional Certificate is not about ‘checking off boxes’ for the sake of receiving an award!
This certificate is to promote growth in missional awareness, knowledge, obedience, generosity, and fruitfulness. Churches that receive this certificate can take joy in knowing they are actively participating in sharing the gospel of Jesus “at home” and “around the world.” The other important part of becoming an Acts 1:8 missional congregation is that your example can be a light to other local churches – inspiring and encouraging them to awaken, become motivated, obedient, and missionally engaged!
How does a church qualify for the Acts 1:8 Missional Congregation Certificate?
1. Partner with/support a missional ministry or missionary in each category: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and Ends of the Earth. There is no ‘required’ or ‘recommended’ amount of financial support being suggested; you are encouraged to pray and seek the Lord’s leading as to how your congregation will be Christ’s witnesses locally, and help bring the gospel to the nations. For Samaria and Ends of the Earth, explore the GMC Wesleyan Network for Global Missions to discover partnership opportunities with vetted GMC & pan-Wesleyan ministries for your congregation.
2. Have a monthly meeting to pray for missions; (intercede for missionaries, partners, and the persecuted church). Of course, churches are not limited to only one such prayer meeting per month!
3. Apply annually to receive the Acts 1:8 Missional Congregation Certificate through your annual conference.
Contact your Annual Conference Mission Committee to learn more.