Looking to the Future, The Mission Society Releases New Book, Welcomes New Leader
Contact: Ty Mays, 770-256-8710, tmays@inchristcommunications.com
NORCROSS, GA, Sept. 8 /Christian Newswire/ -- For years, missions-minded, evangelical Christians from the Methodist and Wesleyan traditions yearned for a faith-based agency reflecting their priorities that would send missionaries to the largely unreached areas of the world to do evangelism, discipleship, church planting and leadership training. Critics said it couldn't be done, or that there was no need for such an agency. But the visionaries persisted, founding The Mission Society (www.themissionsociety.org) in 1984.
From that humble beginning 25 years ago, The Mission Society has grown like a mustard seed. Today the agency recruits, trains and sends Christian missionaries to minister around the world. The Mission Society has more than 200 missionaries in 36 countries. It develops diverse programs and ministries in accordance with its missionaries' unique callings and gifts, ranging from well drilling and the arts to more traditional ministries, such as teaching English and church planting. Its church ministry department provides seminars, workshops and mentoring for congregations in the United States and overseas, helping equip churches for strategic outreach in their communities and throughout the world.
Leaders and friends will celebrate The Mission Society's 25th anniversary on Sept, 11, 2009, in Norcross at the agency's headquarters and at the nearby First United Methodist Church. They will have much for which to give thanks, including 11 new Mission Society missionaries to be commissioned on the morning of the celebration at 11 a.m. at the Hilton Atlanta Northeast Hotel in Norcross.
"The Mission Society has become a global entity, responding to spiritual and material needs throughout the world," said Dr. Gerald H. Anderson, director emeritus of the Overseas Ministries Study Center in New Haven, Conn. and former United Methodist missionary. "While retaining its Wesleyan ethos and heritage, The Mission Society has expanded beyond its initial United Methodist orbit. Today it is working with 14 different denominations and independent churches, and its missionaries come from many different denominational traditions."
Anderson is co-editor (along with Darrell Whiteman, PhD., Mission Society resident missiologist) of a new book that will be released on Sept. 11, "World Mission in the Wesleyan Spirit," in which 31 scholars and Christian leaders examine how Wesleyan theological orientation has shaped the practice of world missions. Collectively, their essays examine the past, present and future directions of world missions and provide the most comprehensive account of Wesleyan influence on world missions and evangelism published in the past 50 years.
The Silver Anniversary celebration also will mark the changing of the guard at The Mission Society. The Rev. Dr. Phil Granger, who has served as president since 2001, will be succeeded by the Rev. Dick McClain, who has served in several key positions at The Mission Society since1986. Granger will continue on as Senior Counsel to the President until his retirement on Dec. 31.
"Dick brings to the position of president three essential gifts," Granger said. "First and foremost, he brings his total commitment to Christ and the mission entrusted to the church to be the vehicle to bring God's message of salvation and eternal life to the world. Second, he brings his love for The Mission Society as evidenced by more than 20 years of service to this fantastic ministry. Third, he brings a wealth of experience as a missionary kid, pastor and mission executive."
Keynote speaker at the celebration will be William R. O'Brien, an author, former missionary to Indonesia, past president of the American Society of Missiology, and director of BellMitra Associates, which trains leaders for transformative action.
"World Mission in the Wesleyan Spirit" (ISBN: 978-1-57736-424-5) is published by Providence House Publishers. To order, visit www.providencehouse.com or fax order requests to 615-771-2002. The price of the book is $24.95.
