The Nazarene Communication Network News in Lenexa, Kansas, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene News for Wednesday, 21 June 2017: General Assembly Day 1

The Nazarene Communication Network News in Lenexa, Kansas, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene News for Wednesday, 21 June 2017: General Assembly Day 1

This week in the Church of the Nazarene... Indianapolis, Indiana Welcome to GA 2017 In the name of Jesus Christ, Lord of the Church, welcome to the 29th General Assembly and Conventions of the Church of the Nazarene. Our church is now active in 162 world areas. You are here both to represent your home districts and local congregations and to participate as a member of this global expression of the kingdom of God. May the unity of the Spirit mark each of us in powerful ways as we work and worship together. We thank you for the effort you have made to join us. We pray that His presence and power will be manifest among us.  Our time together at General Assembly 2017 will be unique. Never before and never again will this particular group of people gather in this particular place and time. The Author and Perfecter of our faith has brought us together for His own purposes. Your prayers, your stories, your ministries are all irreplaceable parts of this moment in His story. We hope you will participate fully in the opportunities for learning, growth, fellowship, and worship. In the Exhibit Hall, in the auxiliary conventions, in hotel lobbies, in worship services, or nearby restaurants, may you sense the joy of being part of God’s people uniting with the purpose of participating in the mission of God.  Check out all the exhibits, tell your story as part of the oral history project, visit the prayer rooms, attend workshops, laugh with friends, make new friends. Allow our Heavenly Father, and the family called by His name, to bless you as we present ourselves to more fully become One Body, in One Spirit, with One Hope, One Lord, and One Faith. Read more        Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis District welcomes you On behalf of the Indianapolis District, we welcome you back to Indianapolis. We are honored to host the 29th General Assembly and Conventions.  Indianapolis is the 15th largest city in the U.S. and is home to three Christian denominations: the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), The Wesleyan Church, and the Free Methodist Church. Indianapolis is home to the largest children’s museum in the world, as well as the largest sports venue in the world, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Indianapolis is a wonderful place to live and we are glad you have come to visit us again.  We have prayed for your safe arrival and are glad you are here! Throughout the convention center you will find volunteers from across the Indianapolis District. Their goal is to assist you as you visit our city. Our desire is that your visit will be comfortable and enjoyable. From the Nazarene family here in central Indiana, I want to welcome you to one of the largest family reunions in the world! All of us look forward to making new friends and catching up with old ones. Our goal is to make you feel at home while away from your home. Like all of you, we have committed to praying for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. There are many things that are needed in our world today, but nothing is more needed than a new touch from God. When it comes time for us all to leave and go back to our places of responsibility, may we all be able to say, “Surely the presence of the Lord has met with us, and we are more determined than ever to share the message that we have been entrusted to proclaim.”  God bless you and welcome to our home, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Read More                    Indianapolis, Indiana JESUS Film Harvest Partners celebrates 20th anniversary JESUS Film Harvest Partners celebrated the last 20 years of God’s work and launched into the next 20 Tuesday evening. The theme of the celebration was “You get the thanks – God gets the glory!” Nearly 500 Harvest Partners from all over the world – Alaska to Zambia – filled the room. Attendees witnessed ministry results through media and stories and celebrated the recent milestone of more than 15 million decisions for Christ. Numerous Harvest Partners were thanked for their sacrifice and faithfulness over the past two decades. Among them was retired Global Mission Director Louie E. Bustle.  In 1997, five Nazarene lay couples thought it would be a great idea for their denomination to work with the Jesus Film Project of Campus Crusade for Christ. Bustle signed the partnership agreement for the ministry with the original director of Jesus Film Project, Paul Eshleman, later that year.  Bustle and Eshleman recounted JFHP’s origin story through a video, where Bustle highlighted the JESUS film’s impact on the church.  “I think this is the greatest tool God has given the Church in these years, and I’m just glad the Church of the Nazarene was a part of using this tool to build the kingdom of God,” Bustle said. JFHP Executive Director Brian Helstrom shared the ministry’s future plans. “The strategy has not changed — evangelism, discipleship, and church planting,” he said. “How we do it will change because where we go is now more difficult. “The Church of the Nazarene is in 162 [areas]. There are about 80 left to be reached. Some of these are the most difficult places on the planet,” he said. Nazarene regions are currently laying plans for 33 of the 80. Helstrom said JFHP offers anything they can do to help the regions succeed. The celebration concluded as attendees were encouraged to further the work by leveraging the impact of their investment through a million dollar challenge gift. [JESUS Film Harvest Partners]  Read more                    Indianapolis, Indiana SDMI takes historic action In 2013, the General Assembly approved Resolution 332.6 enabling the Assembly to elect a Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International representative to the General Board. In the years that followed, each of the Church of the Nazarene’s regions met and provided names of SDMI leaders to be considered by the Global SDMI Council for one name to be nominated to the General Assembly. The General Board has never had a voting representative from SDMI until now. This new action will take place throughout the week.  Results will be posted as they are made available. [Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International] Read more                    Indianapolis, Indiana Preview of NYI Convention; 9 regional sites worldwide The 24th Global NYI Convention begins Wednesday, marking 94 years since the formal organization of youth ministry in the Church of the Nazarene. These three days will be an important time of celebration and vision-casting as NYI prepares for an even brighter future. For the third time in its history, the convention will take place in multiple sites around the world through two-way videoconferencing. NYI delegates in nine  regional sites will fully participate in the convention, even as they are separated by land and sea across multiple time zones. These regional sites help relieve the challenge that many delegates face obtaining a visa and necessary funds to travel to the U.S. Regional sites enable a greater diversity of delegates to have a voice in convention proceedings. The nine regional sites for the 2017 convention are: • Manila, Philippines (Asia-Pacific Region) • Hyderabad, India (Eurasia Region) • Johannesburg, South Africa (Africa Region) • Manchester, England (Eurasia Region) • Pilar, Argentina (South America Region) • Sam Boucaud, Trinidad (Mesoamerica Region) • Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Mesoamerica Region) • Indianapolis, USA (USA/Canada Region) • Guatemala City (Mesoamerica Region) Read more                    Subscribe Facebook Twitter Instagram Contact To view the complete Daily Summary as distributed at General Assembly, click here. Follow along through social media with #GA2017 or check out a curated feed of posts from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram by clicking here.   Copyright © 2017 NCN News, All rights reserved. Nazarene Communications Network | nazarene.org/news | news@nazarene.org | unsubscribe Material created and owned by NCN News may be used for church newsletters and bulletins. About Us The Church of the Nazarene is a Protestant Christian church in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. Organized in 1908, the denomination is now home to about 2.3 million members worshipping in more than 29,000 local congregations in 159 world areas. Address: Church of the Nazarene Global Ministry Center 17001 Prairie Star Parkway Lenexa, KS, USA 66220 Phone: 913-577-0500 Email: info@nazarene.org Department directory Terms of Use — ECFA Member