OPENING REMARKS
Two years ago, I stood on this platform and concluded the introductory remarks of my first Assembly Address by asking my wife, Kelly, to join me at this podium to pray. I remember mentioning that Kelly and I would soon be celebrating 45 years of marriage.
I was blessed to have her by my side for 45 years, five months, and one day.
On the morning of February 2, 2025, Kelly took her final breath. Absent from the body, she was in that very moment present with the Lord. I grieve deeply that she isn’t standing with me today, but I am so grateful for my children and grandchildren who are standing with me. These guys are amazing.
Let’s bow our heads.
Father, we come to You with grateful hearts this morning. Lord, my cup is full and running over, and I want to praise You, Jesus, for Your goodness to Your people. I’m so grateful they were able to come. I hope they have been renewed and revitalized to go back to their areas. Now, Lord, I pray for my husband. Lord, I know the many hours and days and weeks of preparation. He’s ready, Lord. Now use him. Speak to Your people this morning, Lord. Open our hearts and our minds, Lord, to hear Your word. And, God, we’ll give You all the glory. In Jesus name, Amen.
I give honor to our seven general presbyters, along with the two newly selected GPs for the Caribbean and Wider Europe and the Middle East, the International Presbytery, pastors, all credentialed bishops and ministers, leaders, members, friends, and guests.
This church is filled with faithful men and women who love the Lord and serve Him faithfully. We have some of the finest young people in the Church of God of Prophecy on the planet. And in this church, we have exceptional children who are being raised to become champions for Christ. Collectively, we are the Church of God of Prophecy.
To each of you, I echo the words of the apostle Paul:
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:3–6 KJV).
Above all, I give honor to the One who is highly exalted above every name—the One who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end; the One who said, “Before Abraham was, I AM”; the One on whose robe has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords; the One who is the King of glory. Scripture asked the question, “Who is the King of glory?” and then gives the answer: “The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle” (Psalm 24:8).
Lift up your head, Africa. Lift up your head, Asia. Lift up your head, Caribbean. Lift up your head, Central America. Lift up your head, North America. Lift up your head, South America. Lift up your head, Wider Europe and the Middle East. And the King of glory will come into this International Assembly. Amen. We want the King of glory in this moment.
INTRODUCTION
In the early years of this movement, the “testimony service” was an important part of our weekly gatherings. In that setting, a familiar Church of God of Prophecy testimony emerged. Perhaps some of you that are old enough can hear it echoing in your mind even now:
I thank the Lord that I’m saved, sanctified, filled with the Holy Ghost, a member of the great Church of God, and on my way to heaven. Pray for me that I’ll hold out to the end.
Some of the saints would then go on to share their most recent trouble or tribulation, while publicly declaring their faith and trust in the Lord. Others would tell of a particular victory and make their boast in the Lord, saying, “Look what the Lord has done!” These were often emotional moments marked by tears, laughter, lifted hands, and shouts of praise—all intermingled with songs declaring the goodness and faithfulness of God.
Testimonies were our way of announcing that in spite of every trial, every test, every sickness, every difficulty, we’re still standing! We fully embraced John’s words in Revelation 12:11, that we were overcomers—more than conquerors—“by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”
Testimonies hold a sacred place in our Church’s history, but they must never be put on the shelf as a relic of the past. Today, in this Address, you will hear a clarion call for the Church to once again reclaim its testimony.
As a thread woven through a piece of material, testimony is woven through the entire narrative of Scripture. God reveals Himself, acts redemptively, then calls His people to bear witness to what they have seen, heard, and experienced. To testify was to become a living witness to the reality, character, power, and purposes of God.
Scripture began with God testifying of Himself, bearing witness to His goodness—the order, the beauty, and purpose of His creation. Six times in creation, He testified, “It is good.” Then God looked over everything He had made and declared that it was “very good.” He is a testifying God.
In the fifth chapter of John’s Gospel, the Father testifies of the Son (John 5:37), Jesus testifies of the Father (John 5:19), and the Holy Spirit testifies of Christ (John 15:26). So, when we testify, we are participating in the ongoing witness of the Triune God.
Testimony in Scripture reaches its fullest expression in Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:5 described Him as “the faithful witness.”
Everything about His life was testimony:
His incarnation testified to the love of God.
His miracles testified that the kingdom of God had come.
His cross testifies of redemption.
His resurrection testifies of victory over death, sin, hell, and the grave.
This Jesus who testified has now commissioned and equipped us, His church, to join Him as faithful witnesses. “Ye shall receive power, [when] the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me . . .” (Acts 1:8). The Spirit was not given just for personal edification; it was given for missional proclamation: “You shall be witnesses.” You shall testify of Me.
Pentecost empowered the church to become a visible testimony of the risen Lord. The early church did not merely possess a doctrine; it possessed a testimony. Through the power of Pentecost, believers went everywhere testifying to what they had seen, heard, and experienced.
The psalmist declared, “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. . . . They shall [abundantly] utter the memory of Your great goodness, and shall sing of Your righteousness” (Psalm 145:4, 7 NKJV). So, the time is now for the church—this Church—to find its voice, to testify to what we have seen, heard, and experienced.
This world needs to hear the witness of those who are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is still the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). So, when we talk not only to one another, but when we engage in conversation with our neighbors and our friends, I know of no better way to begin a conversation than this: “Let me tell you about my Jesus.”
SECTION I – TESTIFY WITH SONG
This address will be divided into three sections. The first section I’ve entitled “The Testimony of Song.” The psalmist declared, “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 89:1).
In my Address to the 2024 Assembly, I called attention to the powerful moment in Acts chapter 2 when the Holy Spirit rushed into the upper room as a mighty, rushing wind and suggested that perhaps the most significant takeaway from that first outpouring was not the gift of tongues, but the gift of hearing, the reality that every person heard in their own language the wonderful works of God.
This was, and continues to be, the mission of Pentecost.
Reconciling the world to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit aligns us with the Pentecostal mission to carry the testimony of Christ to the uttermost corners of the earth, so that every person can hear, in their own language, the wonderful works of God.
The urgency of this mission led to the formation in the last Assembly of the Division of Global Communications. It was a step of faith intended to amplify our collective testimony as a church around the world. Before that Assembly concluded, the vision was already gaining momentum.
One of our credentialed bishops approached me, saying that he believed his local church would want to help fund this new initiative. A short time later, I welcomed him into my office in Cleveland. He had driven from South Carolina, and he came to present to me a check in the amount of $50,000 to support the newly launched Division of Global Communications.
I want to express my sincere appreciation to Bishop Ken Baker for catching the vision. He took that home with him and talked to the pastor and the mission board and the church. Pastor Gary Atkins and the Rock Hill, South Carolina, Church, thank you for responding with a resounding “yes” to that vision.
Today, under the leadership of Executive Director Bishop Dr. Shaun McKinley, the Division of Global Communications continues to expand rapidly.
What is unfolding is not the work of a single office, department, or ministry leader. It is a collective effort of a global church—leaders, pastors, volunteers, creatives, communicators, and believers around the world who have embraced the call to amplify the testimony of Jesus Christ. Our collective testimony is growing louder and it is reaching farther than ever before. Today, more people are hearing the wonderful works of God in their own language than at any other time in our Church’s history.
Turn your attention to the screens, and let’s testify to what the Lord has done.
From the earliest days of our movement, our forefathers and mothers were driven by a passionate call to share the gospel. They believed the message of Jesus Christ was too important to remain within the walls of a church. So, they embraced every available means to carry that message to the world. They were people of faith, but they were also people of vision. From the hand-folded pages of early publications to the enduring voice of the White Wing Messenger, from films projected in darkened rooms to broadcasts carried across continents, each generation discovered new ways to tell the old, old story. With every new tool and every new generation, God opened another door. What began as ink on paper became voices over the airwaves, images on screens, and messages carried farther than our pioneers could have imagined.
And just when we thought the story had reached its peak, God called us forward into a new era.
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from that first outpouring was not only the miracle of speaking, but it was the miracle of hearing as every man heard in their own language the wonderful works of God. As the Spirit empowered movement, I rejoice when the rushing mighty wind ushers in the manifestation of speaking in an unknown tongue. But greater still is the miracle of hearing when we effectively communicate the wonderful works of God in a way, in such a way that it is heard and understood both culturally and linguistically in every nation around the world.
To be on mission, reconciling this generation to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, we must embrace the passion our movement once had to use every available means to communicate the message of the gospel, so that everyone can hear it in their own language, in the context of their own culture. Our vision for this unique day should be filled with anticipation for the future. The Division of Global Communications will help us become fluent in the languages of today and tomorrow so that every man, woman, boy, and girl will hear in their own language, as it was in Acts 2, the wonderful works of God.
Since our last gathering, that challenge has been fully embraced and the vision is advancing. The Division of Global Communications is helping the Church share the wonderful works of God with the nations. The Church’s website has been fully redesigned, now mobile ready, user friendly, and available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Through the Bible app, reading plans developed by our team have now surpassed 2 million completions, placing biblical teaching directly into the hands of people around the world in English and Spanish. New podcasts now stream, regularly carrying teaching, testimony, and preaching to a global audience. Among them, the Sound Doctrine Podcast continues to deliver anointed voices from our past to thousands each week, while new initiatives like “On Mission” are telling the story of what God is presently doing across the nations.
We Are the Church of God of Prophecy, a simple yet powerful booklet for outreach, new member orientation, and discipleship programs, is now being translated into all the languages spoken by our global church family, with 27 languages completed since the last Assembly. The White Wing Messenger, once reaching fewer than 4,000 homes and operating at an annual loss of over $100,000, is now a fully digital publication, completely free, reaching more than 30,000 readers across 90 nations. Amplify trainings are now being offered across states, regions, and nations, equipping local churches and ministries to communicate effectively in today’s digital and media driven world. For the first time, unified branding resources are helping our global Church communicate with consistency and identity. Across the nations, a growing network of communications liaisons now serve as a bridge connecting global vision with local ministry.
In the spring of this year, the relaunch of the Majestic Studio recording label was announced, creating a home for musicians, singers, and songwriters as we reaffirm the unique sound of the Church of God of Prophecy. We now offer our own streaming channel, available on platforms such as Apple TV, Google TV, and Roku, delivering powerful teaching and preaching accessible around the world. And alongside it, a mobile app, available in multiple languages, now delivers dynamic content, news, and media to engage a new generation. Through the Legacy Preservation Project, we have digitally archived thousands of hours of historic footage and cataloged thousands of photos, preserving our story for generations to come and making them available online for research. And our greatest challenge, reaching the 139 languages spoken by our Church, is being intentionally pursued.
Our translation team has expanded, and the family of languages served from our International Offices has grown from just five languages to 48 languages and growing. In just a short time, thousands have engaged with content across our global platforms because when the church speaks clearly, the world can hear. We are just getting started. The tools may change, but the mission remains the same: to reconcile the world to Christ by ensuring that every man, every woman, every generation hears the wonderful works of God. And today, we prepare to step into what comes next.
So, what’s coming next?
The Church is learning to speak the language of this generation in fresh and relevant ways. Communication has never been limited to words and visuals alone. From the earliest pages of history, of Scripture, testimony has traveled on the wings of music and song.
Exodus 15 records an extraordinary miracle that occurred shortly after the children of Israel departed from Egypt. As Pharaoh’s army closed in behind them, God parted the Red Sea that was before them. Massive walls of water stood at attention while God’s people crossed safely on dry ground. Then, as Pharaoh’s army followed after them, the waters collapsed, swallowing the chariots, the horsemen, and the entire Egyptian army.
When that happened, God’s people couldn’t contain their joy and their relief. With song, with timbrel, and dance, they testified, saying, “I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and [my] song, and he is become my salvation” (Exodus 15:1–2 KJV).
And that song continued through Exodus chapter 15. The Song of Moses testified that: God saves. God fights for His people. God breaks the power of bondage. And God reigns forever.
Deborah and Barak sang their testimony of deliverance in Judges chapter five, and through music, their victory was etched into the memory of a nation.
David testified through song as well, saying, “He hath put a new song in my [heart], even praise to God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:3). His “new song” became an evangelistic testimony.
Israel not only sang their testimony; they sang their theology. Through the Psalms, they sang of repentance, covenant, kingship, Messiah, worship. They sang of suffering and hope and resurrection and future redemption.
The testimony of song continued into the New Testament:
Mary sang her testimony as she carried the Messiah in her womb.
The angels testified at Christ’s birth, singing, “Glory to God in the highest.”
Jesus and His disciples sang before He went to the cross.
Paul and Silas sang while in prison in Philippi.
The book of Revelation records the songs of the redeemed.
So, throughout history, the truth of the gospel has often found its place in hearts and lives through song. Within our own movement, music has played a significant role in shaping our identity and expressing who we are as a people of God.
In my younger years, the Church was intentional to create opportunities for singers and musicians to testify to the wonderful works of God through their God-given talents. At one time, we had our own state-of-the-art recording studio. We had our own recording label—Majestic Records. And we even had our own distribution network through the Broadcast Record Club. How many ever received an album through the Broadcast Record Club?
In recent years, that sound hasn’t been as prominent as it once was, but it’s making a comeback. There is a new generation of musicians, singers, songwriters, and worship leaders that have been called to testify. We have amazing talent in this church.
Some may be wondering whether there is still a platform in the Church of God of Prophecy for your voice, your creativity, your talents, and your gifts. The answer is a resounding “yes!” There is a place for anointed, God-honoring talent in the Church of God of Prophecy, and we want to provide a platform for your testimony.
As the Division of Global Communications continues to expand, we believe the time has come to add a new ministry under its broad umbrella. We’re calling it the International Music Department.
This department will serve the global Church by providing resources that strengthen worship in congregations of every size.
It will provide opportunities for training and development.
It will foster connection, collaboration, and encouragement among those serving in music ministry around the world.
And it will provide oversight and direction for the Majestic label that we will once again celebrate as we share the unique sound of the Church of God of Prophecy.
Amen. This is more than music; this is witness. This is testimony.
When the Philippian jailer heard Paul and Silas singing hymns to God at midnight and felt the prison shake beneath him, he cried out, “What must I do to be saved?”
I can only imagine how many people in this room were first drawn to Jesus through a song. Singers and musicians, God can use your voice. He wants to use your talent. You have a witness that can be used by the power of the Holy Spirit to reconcile the world to Christ.
Now, just as it was when we launched the Division of Global Communications, this initiative is another step of faith. In fact, the individual who has agreed to lead this new ministry is the director of our mass choir, Chad Lambert.
He is going to continue living where he lives now, and he’s agreed to do this without a salary. But I am confident that as vision continues to align with mission, God will continue to prove Himself faithful.
Perhaps some of you in this room will sense the gentle prompting of the Holy Spirit to help provide financial fuel for the launch of this new ministry. I assure you that if you feel that touch of the Spirit and if you respond, your giving will be greatly appreciated, and it will be stewarded very well.
SECTION II – TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
The number 40 appears throughout Scripture, marking significant moments of preparation, testing, transition, and divine purpose:
The Flood came upon the earth for 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12).
Moses remained on Mount Sinai 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 34:28).
Israel spied out the land of Canaan for 40 days (Numbers 13:25).
Goliath challenged the armies of Israel for 40 days (1 Samuel 17:16).
Nineveh was given 40 days to repent (Jonah 3:4).
Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days (Matthew 4:2).
Yet the most significant 40-day period perhaps in all of Scripture was the time between Christ’s resurrection and His ascension.
It is striking that His final 40 days were devoted almost entirely preparing the church to testify. The disciples entered those days fearful, confused, discouraged, and hiding behind locked doors. But they emerged convinced, commissioned, empowered, and ready to give their life for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Everything Jesus did between the resurrection and the Ascension was designed to prepare ordinary believers to live extraordinary lives by proclaiming a Spirit-empowered testimony.
First, Jesus gave them a commission.
In fact, we have a commission in all four of the Gospels.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19 NKJV).
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15 NKJV).
“Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47 RSV).
Jesus said to His disciples, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21 NKJV).
The commission has been given to us.
Second, Jesus gave them a promise.
In Acts 1, He said, “Wait for the promise of the Father . . . for you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days from now” (Acts 1:4–5).
That was in Acts chapter one.
Also in Acts 1, Jesus gave them a mission strategy.
“You shall receive power when the Holy Ghost has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem [here’s the strategy], and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NKJV).
Finally, Jesus gave them empowerment.
And then soon after His Ascension, Acts 1 turned the page to Acts 2, when a rushing mighty wind filled the house where they were gathered. Cloven tongues like fire rested upon each of them, “and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Let me just pause to say, at this moment, we still believe in tongues in the Church of God of Prophecy. We are a Pentecostal people. I hear rumblings here and there that maybe tongues aren’t where we need to be going in 21st century ministry, but let’s not get too far from our roots and the roots of this Word.
Moments later, after the outpouring of the Spirit, Peter stood and testified to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and about 3,000 souls were reconciled to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Soon afterward, Peter and John boldly testified again, and thousands more believed.
But something was happening here. From Acts 2 to the seventh chapter, Christianity, though it was expanding in number, was still for the most part, exclusively in Jerusalem.
But then something happened in Acts chapter eight. Within just a few years of Pentecost, believers were carrying their testimony into Judea and Samaria, exactly as Jesus had promised. Luke intentionally notes that they “were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Acts 8:1). It wasn’t the leadership that was expanding the testimony at that time. The leadership was still pretty much in Jerusalem.
It was every believer that was going and spreading the good news. I want you to know that you don’t need a credential to testify. Every member of this church should be carriers of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The disciples now had testified in Jerusalem and had carried their witness to Judea and Samaria. The only frontier remaining was “the ends of the earth.” The disciples did not think in terms of modern continents and nations. Their known world was largely defined by the Roman Empire and the extensive trade routes connected to it.
At its height, the Roman Empire covered approximately two million square miles and was home to an estimated 60 to 70 million people. So even then, the challenge was enormous. Yet they carried the gospel where it had never before been told. They traveled by foot. They traveled by horse. They traveled by boat. There were no airplanes. There were no automobiles, no printing presses, no radio, no internet. The first-century church didn’t have buildings. There was no denominational structure, no seminaries, no modern technology, and few resources. Yet they did it! They did it! They carried the testimony of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth in fulfillment of Acts 1:8.
Both Scripture and respected historical sources demonstrate just how far that testimony spread in the apostolic era. The book of Acts traces the expansion of the gospel through Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, and ultimately throughout Rome.
Within approximately 30 years of Pentecost, Jerusalem had been evangelized, churches had been planted in Judea and Samaria, Asia, Greece, and Rome, and Syria. In a single generation, the gospel had moved from the upper room, where 120 gathered, to the major population centers of the known world, so that by the end of Paul’s ministry, he could write in Colossians 1:23 that the gospel had been proclaimed “to every creature under heaven.”
The church was a Spirit-empowered witness. Their witness crossed borders. It was world-reaching. Their mission started at home, then extended outward until every possible frontier had been engaged. It remains one of the most remarkable missionary expansions in human history. As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:19, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.”
Now, much has changed since the first century, but the mission has not.
In many ways, we stand in that same stream, entrusted with the same gospel, empowered by the same Spirit, and commissioned to carry the same testimony to the ends of the earth. Testimony is missional. We testify so that people can be reconciled to Christ. A sermon may declare that Jesus saves, but testimony demonstrates in the evidence of a life that He has saved.
So, the question before us today is this: What are we doing with our promise, with our power, with our commission, and with our calling?
Well, let me start with some good news. I’ve got some good news and some bad news. We’ll do the good news first.
Over the years, our movement has intentionally embraced a hybrid missionary model of honoring and supporting men and women who have been called to serve cross-culturally, while at the same time raising up indigenous pastors and national leaders within their own nations.
Today, the overwhelming majority of Church of God of Prophecy pastors and national bishops are indigenous leaders or individuals who have deep roots in the regions they serve. They know the language. They understand the culture. They love the people. And they are deeply committed to testifying of the wonderful works of God within their own Jerusalem.
This is unique to the Church of God of Prophecy. We are not an American church reaching the world. We are a global church serving together in the mission of God.
That is becoming more and more obvious in our gatherings where you see the cultures, you hear the languages. This is not just a Southern Bible Belt church. We are global. We are the family of God around the world.
Mission giving has been part of our DNA from the very beginning. Minutes of the Sixth Assembly in 1911 record that a letter was read from a missionary of the Church to the Bahama Islands, and a prayer was offered. The Minutes record that amid tears and groans, an offering of $21.05 was placed in an open Bible. It wasn’t much money, but it was a powerful testimony.
Those early believers saw beyond their own communities and invested in taking the gospel to the nations. Over the next century, that commitment helped carry the witness of Jesus Christ around the world. From that $21.05 offering in 1911 to more than $25 million given during the last decade, this Church has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to the harvest. Missionaries have been sent.
Churches have been planted.
Leaders have been raised up and equipped.
We have given liberally to our Harvest Partners, orphanages, Helping Hands, and special projects around the world.
I know tomorrow Sister Cathy Payne will be recognizing some of our mission churches, but I wanted to draw attention to just a few of them today for their excellent mission giving. This is just in the last two years since the last Assembly. All of these churches that I’m going to recognize have given over $50,000 to missions in the last two years:
Breezewood – Fayetteville, NC $53,048.50
Keith Street – Cleveland, TN $54,104.50
Restoration Fellowship – Murfreesboro, TN $56,307.71
North Wilkesboro, NC $62,444.29
Lynn, Massachusetts – NE Hispanic $80,502.00
Marion, Ohio $193,159.77
This last one is close to my heart. The very first church Kelly and I pastored when we went into pastoral ministry was a small, little congregation in Marion, Ohio. At that time, we only had maybe 22 members, but we thought it was the greatest church in the Church of God of Prophecy. That church is still not considered a large church, but since the last Assembly, this church in Marion, Ohio, has given almost $200,000 to missions.
Together, we have carried the testimony of Jesus Christ into nations, cultures, languages, and communities around the world.
For this, we give thanks. But there is also a reason for concern, and I want you to listen to me carefully.
The most current trends across denominational lines are showing a shift away from international mission giving toward local community service. According to the Status of Global Christianity data from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 82 percent of all funds given to Christian causes are now being used for ministries within local congregations, and 12 percent is being used for domestic evangelism, leaving just 6 percent to go to the ends of the earth.
This isn’t just a Church of God of Prophecy issue. It’s across the board, but it’s impacting us. We’re starting to see some shifts. Allow me to speak candidly, if I may.
According to our records, and I’m referencing just the United States churches now because the majority of mission giving through the years has come from North America. According to our records of U.S. churches since the last Assembly, only 21 percent of our churches have given to Harvest Partners, only 16 percent have contributed to One Child Fund, and less than half of our churches are giving anything to General Missions.
I fear that we may be losing the clarity of vision that has previously taken our testimony to the ends of the earth. Our collective vision is showing signs of myopia—nearsightedness—in which close-up things are being seen in greater detail.
Now, please hear me carefully. I get it. Local ministry matters. That’s your Jerusalem. As a pastor of 28 years, I understand the sense of urgency amid the pressing needs of our own communities. But we must never lose sight of Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. This is our mission given by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Nearsightedness isn’t just affecting mission giving. It is also affecting mission going.
Current studies of global Christianity are revealing some sobering realities. The world’s population now exceeds eight billion people. Approximately 2.6 billion identify as Christian. Listen carefully. Yet less than two-hundredths of one percent of Christians are answering the call to cross borders into full-time missionary work. Less than two hundredths of one percent.
Now, we do have many that go on short-term mission trips. Humanitarian efforts and cross-cultural ministry opportunities are being availed, but lives committed to the mission field—it’s not happening. Most of us have never experienced the privilege of packing our bags, boarding a plane, and carrying the gospel beyond our own borders.
Yes, the language may be unfamiliar. The food may be different, and it is. The customs of another land may stretch us a bit, but there are people all around the world who need your smile, your encouragement, your service, and they need to hear your testimony. They need to know the reason for the hope that is within you. They need to learn that there is hope in this world, that Jesus loves them. They need to hear from you the wonderful works of God.
So, over the next two years, I will be asking our International Department of Global Missions to help renew our global vision for the ends of the earth—a passionate vision that will inspire both giving and going.
Global Missions will be asked to take the lead in a collaborative effort with other ministry departments to facilitate and coordinate strategic short-term mission opportunities around the world.
Pastor, imagine what it can do for your church to take some of your leaders on one of those trips.
Father, imagine taking your son on a mission trip to share the testimony.
Mother, imagine taking your daughter.
Young people, imagine investing a week or two of your summer serving in another state, another region, another country other than your own.
It will take a few months to get plans in place, but when it happens, please don’t delay. Don’t hesitate. Don’t procrastinate. Be among the first to say, I’ll go! I’ll serve! I’ll witness! I’ll testify!
We need to strike that match again and get the flame burning—for giving and going. Here’s what I know: When you pack your bags, and you board that plane, and you witness what God is doing around the world, and you go to share your testimony, it will change your life forever.
SECTION III – LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY JESUS
Psalms 89:1 (NKJV), “. . . With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.”
As the children of Israel journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land, God was intentional about preserving His testimony for future generations. He instructed Moses to build a tabernacle. At the heart of the tabernacle was the Most Holy Place—the Holy of Holies—separated from every other part of the sanctuary by a very thick veil. No one could enter that sacred place except the high priest, and he could enter only once each year on the Day of Atonement.
It was there that God said to Moses, “I will meet with you, and I will commune with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim” (Exodus 25:22).
This was the place where heaven and earth met. And it was in that sacred place that God chose to preserve the testimony.
The Ark of the Covenant, which is also known in Scripture as the Ark of Testimony, was constructed of acacia wood. It measured two and a half cubits in length, a cubit and a half in width, and a cubit and a half in height. It was overlaid inside and out with pure gold and adorned with a crown of gold around its top. Gold rings were placed in each corner, and poles of the same wood—constructed of this same wood—and overlaid with gold, were inserted through those rings so that the Ark could be carried without being touched, because no man could touch it and live.
Both physically and spiritually, everything revolved around the Ark of the Testimony. This was no ordinary piece of furniture. God instructed Moses to place within it the testimony that He would give, and what a testimony it was!
First, there were the tablets of stone upon which God had written with His own finger. This was the testimony of God’s covenant. It testified to who God was and what He required.
Second, there was the golden pot of manna. This was the testimony of God’s provision. Every morning in the wilderness, Israel was reminded that their daily bread came from the hand of God. In Him, they lived and moved and had their being.
And finally, there was Aaron’s rod that budded. This was the testimony of God’s authority. A dead stick came back to life in Numbers 17. Not only did it come back to life, it budded, it blossomed, and produced almonds overnight, and it stood as a testimony to God’s sovereignty and authority.
The Ark contained His Word, His provision, and His authority. It was the testimony of God’s faithfulness to His people.
In the wilderness, God had this testimony placed inside that Ark—that box that was built. Under the New Covenant, He has placed His testimony inside redeemed people.
We no longer carry a box; we carry a witness.
We no longer march with a piece of furniture; we march with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
We do not testify to an artifact; we testify to a risen Lord.
Paul wrote: “For we have this [testimony] in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7 KJV).
He has taken what was in an Ark of Testimony and placed it in His people. We are the carriers of His testimony. We have His Word written in our hearts, His provision bearing fruit in our life, and His authority being demonstrated through the power of the Holy Spirit.
So, testify! Men, get your voice. Testify!
Woman, your voice matters. So, testify!
Now, since we are talking about carrying the testimony of Jesus, allow me to say something that is important to this Church. Recent conversations in the broader Christian world have raised questions about the place of women in ministry. Our conviction has not changed. Since our earliest days, we have believed that ministry isn’t restricted to one gender. God promised that He would pour out His Spirit on all flesh—your sons and your daughters.
Long before it became fashionable or controversial, this movement recognized the spiritual gifts and callings of women to serve as preachers of the gospel, evangelists, teachers, pastors, church planters, ministry leaders, and missionaries. In this Church, women who have been called by God and have submitted themselves to the licensure process stand shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts as credentialed ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
For more than a century, faithful women have carried the testimony of Jesus. Women like
Elva Howard, whose vision shaped generations;
Palma Hutchinson, who faithfully served the Church and carried the gospel in power; and
Cathy Payne, who spent decades investing in the nations, encouraging missionaries, strengthening leaders, and proclaiming Christ in well over one hundred nations of the world.
We honor the legacy of Sylvia Staten, Kathryn Creasy, Pattie K. Scotton, Verna Seager, and countless others whose fingerprints are all over the kingdom of God.
Some of these women preached in brush arbors. Some pastored local congregations. Some taught children. Others crossed oceans. Some led ministry departments. Some discipled one person at a time. Different assignments, but the same Holy Spirit.
So, ladies, don’t you back up.
Their testimony reminds us that God has never limited participation in His work to one gender. Throughout Scripture and throughout history, the history of our movement, He has chosen, filled, and sent both men and women into the harvest with a powerful testimony.
At the resurrection of Jesus, it was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary who first heard the announcement of the risen Christ and became the first commissioned witnesses of the resurrection. Before Peter preached it, before John wrote about it, before the apostles proclaimed it to the nations, these women carried the first testimony that “He is risen.” And when Paul needed to send his defining theological masterpiece to Rome, it was Phoebe whom he entrusted to carry that sacred letter, and to explain it, perhaps, to the believers.
So, ladies, if God calls you, we will bless you.
If He anoints you, we will affirm you.
If God sends you, we will accept you.
Because this Church has always believed that every Spirit-filled minister, regardless of gender, has a testimony worth telling.
So, I say to all of us,
Carry His Word to a confused world.
Carry His provision to a broken world.
Carry His authority to a powerless world.
Carry His faithfulness to a generation that desperately needs hope.
When Israel camped in the wilderness, every tribe found its place around the tabernacle, and the tabernacle itself was organized around the Ark of the Testimony. So, the Testimony was at the center of everything.
When Israel traveled, the Testimony led the way.
When they crossed the Jordan River, the Testimony went in before them.
When Jericho fell, the Testimony was carried in the procession around the city.
Everything still revolves around the testimony.
The Church must keep God’s testimony at the center of its life and mission.
We must declare His Word.
We must tell of His provision.
We must advance His kingdom in His authority.
So, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” (Psalm 107:2 KJV).
Declare it.
Share it.
Make it known.
You don’t need a special calling to testify.
You don’t need a theological degree to testify.
