Billion Soul Leaders Emphasize Church's Need for Strategic Partnering
''In order to achieve the Great Commission, we have to work harder and work together. If the Church continues not to synergize efforts, the Commission will not be fulfilled for more than 300 years.''
With the dream to win one billion souls to Christ, over 1,200 Church leaders on Tuesday attended the first of five regional events to be held nationwide through next year that aim to multiply existing church planting movements.
Many of the pastors, associate pastors, evangelists, deacons, missionaries, and community members that attended Tuesday’s Billion Soul Summit in Tampa, Fla., felt the need to partner in order to achieve the Great Commission.
“Today there are 1.74 billion people in the world who are unreached with the Gospel of Christ, and current global population growth is outpacing conversions,” said Dr. James O. Davis, co-founder, president and CEO of the Global Pastors Network, which sponsors the Billion Soul Summit. “In order to achieve the Great Commission, we have to work harder and work together. If the Church continues not to synergize efforts, the Commission will not be fulfilled for more than 300 years.”
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During the “fast-paced,” one-day regional event held in Tampa’s Victorious Life Church, church leaders were taught how to be more creative, to learn new evangelistic techniques, and to engage communities for Christ. Topics discussed Tuesday included "Engage Your Creativity," "Examine Your Communication," "Edify Your Community," and "Enlist your Comrades.”
Ed Russo, pastor of the hosting church, urged pastors to use things like illustrated sermons, video clips, PowerPoint presentations, and even water bottles to disciple church members.
"To me, it's the vision," said Russo. "The vision really surrounds the unity, and the fact that we can do more together than we can on our own."
With similar thoughts on the importance of working together, one of the speakers, John Sorensen of Evangelism Explosion Intl. said, "We’re going to continue to see accelerated unity in the Church today."
Though the Billion Soul Campaign began last year as a tribute to the late Dr. Bill Bright – the co-founder of the Global Pastors Network and founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International – it has since then seen participation from over 80 international ministries - including the Global Pastors Network, Youth With a Mission, Campus Crusade for Christ, God.tv, Assemblies of God, and the Southern Baptist Convention.
The goal of the Billion Soul campaign is to start five million new churches, train five million new leaders, and win one billion new converts within the next ten years. After only one year, the Billion Soul initiative has been launched on all the major continents in the world, except Australia and Antarctica.
"The vision is we'll reach a billion people and not just have them make decision, but give them a way to grow in the Christian faith," said John Ed Mathison, who spoke on the need to make converts into ministers during his talk on Tuesday.
Other speakers included Tom Mullins, Michael Coleman, Randy Valimont, Sam Rijfkogel, John Sorensen, Chuck Bentley from Crown Financial, Reinhard Bonnke, and James O. Davis, president of Global Pastors Network.
Following Tuesday’s event, Billion Soul will continue its campaign with visits to Baltimore on Nov. 1, 2005 at Trinity Assembly of God Church; Los Angeles on Feb. 7, 2006 at Faithful Central Bible Church; Chicago on June 20, 2006 at Calvary Church; Dallas on Oct. 10, 2006 at Calvary Church; and Minneapolis on Nov. 7, 2006 at Cedar Valley Church.
Internationally, Billion Soul will reach Prague in June 2006, Johannesburg in Nov. 2006, Singapore June 2007, and Buenos Aires Nov. 2007.
