Videos

John closes out his summer series on “planned redundancy” this month, calling the Alliance family to own and engage in its calling as one of God’s end-times families raised up to complete the Great Commission. On a local level, this can mean getting to know someone in The Alliance from a different culture, pastors giving their people opportunities to give to the Great Commission Fund, and praying regularly for our 700 international workers. “This is about advancing the name of Jesus, from our neighborhoods to the nations, and the nations that have come to our neighborhoods,” he concludes.

In a follow-up to last month’s “planned redundancy” message on the unique Alliance identity—a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family—John shares what God would have us do. He unpacks how the Alliance family is called to love, proclaim, reach, and launch, which requires the Holy Spirit fully at work in our lives. “May we commit ourselves to these kinds of things,” John concludes. “For these are the kinds of things that the Church must be doing as we prepare for, and rejoice in, the return of Christ.”

John’s topic this month falls under the category of “planned redundancy.” During the early months of his presidency (he was elected five years ago this month), consensus was reached about the unique Alliance expression—a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family. John has heard a drift in that phrase, so reminds us that The Alliance isn’t just about mission but is a Jesus-centered denomination: “Focused on Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, sent to every segment of human society, and doing it together.”

“God is perfect. I am a sinner. How could He ever accept me now that I was so filthy and unlovable?” says a noodle shop owner in Thailand.

This month, John addresses eight of the most common leadership mistakes made in meetings. He offers a challenge to take seriously the key moments meetings offer to shape the culture of our teams, which often reflect the leaders they’re under. We have a model in Jesus, whose message and method—the content and tone—came from the Father (see John 12:49). “May all we do move us forward together with greater effectiveness and unity,” John concludes, “because we’re truly moving forward under the direction of our Lord.”

This month, John is joined by Tim Crouch, vice president for Alliance International Ministries (IM), and Mike Sohm, president of CAMA Services. The three discuss what God is doing to shape Alliance missions for the future, including organizational restructuring to more effectively lead, manage, and communicate our multi-specialization missions work. One of the first steps is the integration of CAMA with IM to create a more holistic missions ministry, which will also increase opportunities for more people in our churches with varied gifts and callings to serve in Alliance missions.

Here is a short historical timeline to bring more clarity to this discussion.