It’s time to advance

Societal and cultural changes are creating a perfect storm to which we must respond, writes Chris Cartwright.

Speaking to Elim leaders recently, respected American author Ed Stetzer spoke of a wave of pandemics which are impacting our wider society and to which the church around the world will need to respond.

Wonderful to have @edstetzer with us at our Regional Day today sharing on the Mission Of God. It was great to hear such clear & powerful teaching as well as catching up with friends & colleagues. A great day for all. Massive thanks to @citychurchcdf for brilliant hosting. pic.twitter.com/9vKSJg7rjP
— Elim Pentecostal Churches Wales (@ElimWalesCymru) October 12, 2022

As well as the prolonged health pandemic, he identified significant signs that we are in a profound spiritual and moral decline – from global economic shaking, environmental crisis and war in Europe through to more personal and community challenges in mental health, racial tension, gender and sexual identity and increasing division and mistrust of authorities and institutions.

Together, these profound societal and cultural changes make up a perfect storm within which the church must respond with fresh faith and renewed courage as the carrier of God’s mission in the world.

For us in Elim, this will require a renewed commitment to our identity and calling as Pentecostal people. Our early pioneers took their place with other new Pentecostal movements to bring the full gospel of Jesus to every person, place, community and culture. With raw faith, bold and creative methods and a profound sense of urgency, they committed themselves to the re-evangelisation of our nation and to sending missionaries to people groups which had not yet been reached for Christ.

As we reflect on a new year, we do so recognising that God has already been speaking to the Elim movement. For the past few years, we have sensed God preparing us for a rapidly changing spiritual landscape where we would need to boldly and obediently follow the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit to reach this generation.

We have felt a growing urgency to shift from maintenance mode to fresh movement in renewed mission. We have identified four missional priorities which we believe are to be at the heart of every local church: making disciples, developing leaders, growing churches and reaching nations. We have also felt a growing challenge to advance.

We begin 2023 with a renewed call that every Elim member, leader and church community would step forward together to advance the gospel by giving themselves fully to Jesus and his will and calling and living for him in the everyday situations where he places us. This is a year for us to advance as a Spirit-empowered gospel movement, taking the words, works and wonders of Jesus as saviour, healer, baptiser and coming king to everyone, everywhere.

The good news is that Elim is not alone in that calling and commitment. This year, all over the world, Pentecostal, Charismatic and Evangelistic movements are beginning a fresh journey in worldwide evangelism and mission.

Partnering together, increasing numbers of denominations and streams are determined to use this decade to complete the unfinished task of reaching every unreached person with the gospel from 2023 to the 2,000-year anniversary of the Great Commission in 2033.

“Co-missioned” will be the theme for the Elim Leaders Summit in May. But it’s not just a conference theme; it’s a prophetic word calling us to fuller surrender, deeper encounters and further steps of obedience and faith.