I am grateful to share with you that nearly 850 international attendees representing more than 100 denominations and 60 countries gathered at the Synergize 2020 Pastors & Leaders Conference last week. Additionally, more than $2 million were committed to complete phase one of FINISH 2030, an initiative aimed at finishing the Great Commission on the 2000th anniversary of the founding of the global Church.
FINISH 2030 specifically seeks to find the remaining unreached people groups around the world, translate the Bible into every language, plant churches within walking distance of all individuals, including more than 57 million people without a church living in 20,000 villages high in the Himalaya Mountains, and create disciples for Christ.
The Synergize 2020 Pastors & Leaders Conference got underway with a celebration of
The Global Church Network (GCN) achieving its goal of reaching
1 billion souls for Christ and planting 5 billion churches in an effort to fulfill the Great Commission.This mission was started nearly 20 years ago by Dr. Bill Bright and myself, at First Baptist Church, in Orlando, at the Beyond All Limits Conference. We cast vision to more than 5,000 pastors and leaders from every state in the United States, every province in Canada and 20 nations. The Billion Soul goal was a huge goal but on November 7, 2019 we reached it. We got this job done because we all came together to reach it. It wasn’t about who got credit, it was about adopting God’s goal to save lives. We all have a role in God’s goal and a part in God’s heart.
Dr. Tommy Barnett, pastor of Dream City Church and co-founder of Dream Center, serves as honorary chairman of FINISH 2030 and was awarded GCN’s Global Statesmanship Award for the work he has done to expand the Kingdom.
I stated at the conference, “Tommy Barnett has inspired us. He is a visionary pacesetter who challenges people to believe more and stay on the path. He knows how to multiply himself and dream big,” said James O. Davis, president of Global Church Network. “He is truly a statesman, and we are grateful for him and his life.”
In addition to launching FINISH 2030, 850 Synergize attendees and thousands more watching via live stream were inspired by a vast group of speakers that tackled three themes: Begin, Believe and Belong.
Speaker Highlights Included (More to come in the next ezine):
- Dr. Douglas Beacham of International Pentecostal Holiness Church kicked off the day reminding attendees “Jesus didn’t call us to be relevant…we go into crowded cities, abandoned towns, translate the Bible; we patiently endure so we can do those things;”
- Rev. Lana Vasquez of Life Impact International encouraged pastors to “look up and lookout…we must see the harvest with urgency;”
- Dr. David Sobrepeña of Word of Hope Christian Church reminded leaders in the room and watching online that “without the Holy Spirit we are nothing” and encouraged them to keep eternity in mind;
- Dr. James Merritt of Cross Pointe Church spoke about how we as people “cannot be the person we want to be without the power of God;”
- Rev. Ana Ruth Diaz, principal pastor of the Church of God Oasis of Love in Honduras, challenged believers, saying, “your faith needs to be activated”…”your faith and my faith are necessary to obtain what God wants us to do.”
- Rev. Tony Yeo of Covenant Evangelical Free Church discussed the crisis facing the church and encouraged pastors to look at what type of church they are building while providing solutions;
- Dr. Randall Bach of Open Bible Churches reminded pastors and leaders that they “need to be intentional stage setters for Jesus and be faithful anticipation builders;”
- Dr. Carla Sunberg with the Church of Nazarene spoke about the importance of ministering to children, saying, “It is our responsibility to protect and care for children…we must be intentional in reaching the next generation;”
- Rev. Luke Barnett of Dream City Church shared his personal story of receiving a God-sized vision, after climbing a mountain for 40 Days like his father, Tommy Barnett used to do, in hopes of encouraging those who need a fresh vision from God.
- Rev. Doug Clay the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God, talked about establishing a cause and inspired those listening by reminding them that, “Jesus wants you to see the size of the opportunity and remember how big God actually is…He is big enough to exceed all our small expectations;”
- Dr. Timothy Hill the General Overseer of the Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee, brought a powerful message about being in the will of God, living one’s purpose and not giving up!
We were also fortunate to launch the Global Church Divinity School (
www.GCLC.tv). For the last 7 years, the Global Church Network (formerly Billion Soul Network) has been building the premiere online training platform for pastors and leaders worldwide. At the Synergize 2020 Pastors & Leaders Conference, its name was changed from Global Church Learning Center to Global Church Divinity School. The digital online campus was showcased worldwide. In the future, the online training will be more robust. Thus far, more than 60,000 leaders have been experience online training throughout the Global Church Network. Join the net that works!
Until The Last Person Has Heard,
