CG7 Announces Missionary Goals

In the July-August edition of its Bible Advocate, CG7-Denver’s General Conference President Whaid G. Rose wrote the following:

Missions, long a bright spot in the Church, has become brighter in recent years.

Expanding from Missions Abroad to include Home Missions and Church Planting, this ministry needed a leader with high energy, vision, and passion to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Such a person was found in Pastor Bill Hicks, who often describes the G. C. Missions department as “Working for you around the corner and around the world.” As a result, mission-mindedness at home and our global presence are on the rise. Opportunities to touch the world in the name of Christ are provided through managed projects like Pioneer Missionary Training, Medical Missions, and Disaster Relief.

Another managed project is Cristo Viene, Spanish for “Christ is coming.” This missionary fund now provides maintenance salary for indigenous evangelists in fifteen countries: Cuba, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Uruguay, Ecuador, Argentina, India, Kenya, United Kingdom, Philippines, Indonesia, and Italy. It solicits members in the U.S. and Canada to give twenty dollars per month toward this effort, with the goal of supporting five hundred missionaries through contributions from five thousand members.

This is an ambitious goal, but I’m not surprised, knowing the men behind the project. Immigrant leaders of our Haines City, Florida, congregation, Mario Mora (Costa Rica) and Rafael Parra (Colombia), conceived the idea and remain the human force behind it. Initially, they drove from church to church, personally soliciting funds. Motivated by a love for the whole world, they want to see the Church increase its commitment to missions. I spent time with these two brothers earlier this year and was refreshed to hear their hearts and observe their passion.

Historically, the U.S.-Canadian Church has not seen itself as a global administration but as one among many conferences of the Church of God (Seventh Day) around the world. It was only in 1978 that the International Ministerial Congress was formed to foster doctrinal harmony and to coordinate the evangelistic efforts of its members. But through G. C. Missions, the General Conference is becoming more and more a church with global vision and more at ease with the term “world church.” Therefore, Cristo Viene is apropos because it calls the whole Church to take the whole gospel to the whole world.

Historically, CG7 has been hesitant to take “the whole gospel to the whole world”. But perhaps some will truly be converted (c.f. Revelation 3:4). I have been told that some with that group have stated that COGwriter should not refer to them as a remnant of Sardis because they believe that their size demonstrates that they are not dead. However, the Bible indicates that there are only “a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments” (Revelation 3:4).

Two articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D.
Church of God, Seventh Day: History and Teachings Nearly all COG’s I am aware of trace their history through this group. Whaid Rose is the president of the largest CG7 group (Denver). Do you know much about them?