Great Commission Ministries, Inc.

Summary

The goal of GCM has always been to be a part of reaching the entire world with the Gospel of Christ. GCM believes that God is using them specifically to reach young people, and their churches and programs are all aimed at winning the hearts of the emerging generation.

Each year GCM also mobilizes volunteers for Short Term Mission (STM) trips to Asia, Latin America, and Europe. These evangelistic efforts support our church plants that are underway overseas and broaden American members' vision for fulfilling the Great Commission.

GCM is reaching out with the love of God on four continents. Hundreds have been mobilized to minister in their chosen field, not only on college campuses, but in high schools, overseas, and in the GCM office in Orlando, Florida. The possibilities for future ministry are endless.

This organization is a nonprofit. Contributions to it are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).

Contact Information: [ Back to top ]

Organization Details [ Back to top ]

Purpose [ Back to top ]

Great Commission Ministries, Inc. ("GCM") is a Christian evangelical worldwide church planting, church growth and leadership development ministry with the objective of helping the church fulfill the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20).

GCM exist as a movement to create church communities through church plantings that reach the emerging generation with the message of Jesus Christ. Their second aspect is involvement in world missions. This stems from the realization of the need for young people all over the world to hear about Jesus and to be drawn into relationship with Him. The final phase of GCM ministry is developing quality leadership. There always seems to be a need for people in leadership roles that have a passion, vision and a desire to serve God and His body. Leadership development takes place in the church and through events that help believers grow into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

This organization is a nonprofit. Contributions to it are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).

Mission Statement [ Back to top ]

GCM uses the following to express its mission:

Great Commission Ministries mission is to help fulfill the great commission of Jesus Christ in this generation by training and mobilizing individuals and entire churches in the work of evangelism, church health/growth, leadership development, and church planting.

Program Accomplishments [ Back to top ]

• GCM serves churches through facilitating regional gatherings, providing coaching to pastors, helping equip leaders for church planting, and assisting local churches with fundraising projects.
• The local church started by the Amsterdam Project has recently been rechristened “Zolder 50”. The vision for the church has taken its cue from the city’s unique culture. People in Amsterdam are uncomfortable in large groups so social settings are intimate and small. Zolder 50, named for the location of the meeting space, reflects the desire to build multicultural neighborhood churches throughout the city. Already they see that happening at Zolder 50. In 2003, this new church began six home groups. People from at least 40 different countries have visited the church, and around 150 people now attend the weekly worship gathering.
• GCM, in partnership with Great Commission Association (GCA), began the Venezuela Relief Fund in February 2003. They contacted the churches in their association and their ministry partners about the situation and need. Through God’s provision by His compassionate people, GCM raised over $67,000 in financial aid. The Venezuelan churches used these funds to provide food and medical treatment to 130 families. In addition, 28 families received modest loans to begin home-based businesses.
• GCM provides resources, training, and opportunities for His people to be involved meaningfully in reaching the world with the Good News of Christ. Each year, GCM helps mobilize hundreds of people desiring to live out this calling and expand their hearts by experiencing a different culture through one to two-week mission projects in Latin America, Europe and Asia.
• Another way that GCM mobilizes workers is through the Staff and Intern Program. Each vocational missionary and intern employed by GCM develops a team of people committed to prayer and financial support. Their generous giving to GCM provides for the physical and practical needs of ministry.
• This past July, GCM launched TCS (Text, Context & Soul), a fresh approach to practically engaging in theology. TCS, formed in partnership with Excelsis – a new research, spiritual formation, and equipping initiative – gives GCM missionaries a unique opportunity to study under leading scholars. In 2004, TCS expanded to two locations, Orlando and Los Angeles.
• Born out of GCM’s vision for churches and ministries reaching today’s culture, IGNITE creates a space for leaders and the spiritually hungry to have life-changing encounters with God and be refreshed by a wider community of faith. Over 1,300 students and ministry leaders attended three regional gatherings this year. GCM also welcomed 170 people from 57 new churches who are just getting to know GCM.
• Each year, GCM’s summer Leadership Training (LT) programs equip college-aged students from across the country in practical leadership and relevant outreach skills. This past summer, 374 young people participated in intensive discipleship communities in Los Angeles, California; Estes Park, Colorado; Orlando, Florida; and Kiev, Ukraine.

  Statement of Faith [ Back to top ]

  GCM uses the following to express its values:
  
  THE SCRIPTURE:
  The sole basis of our beliefs is the Bible, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. It was uniquely, verbally, and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and was written without error in the original manuscripts. It is the supreme and final authority in faith and life in every age.
  
  GOD:
  There is but one God, infinite in power, wisdom, justice, goodness and love, the Creator of the universe, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit— each of whom possesses all the attributes of Deity and the characteristics of personality.
  
  MAN:
  God created man in His own image, and man, as he was origin-ally created, was innocent before God. But man chose to sin by disobeying God, and therefore was alienated from his Creator and came under divine condemnation. Thus all human beings are born with a corrupted nature and without spiritual life, and are totally incapable of pleasing God in and of themselves.
  
  JESUS CHRIST:
  God the Father, by His own choice and out of love for sinful men and women, sent Jesus Christ into the world to reconcile sinners to Himself. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He was God in the flesh, both true God and true man.
  
  Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and voluntarily suffered and died as our substitute to pay the penalty for our sins, thus satisfying God’s justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone. He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. He bodily ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, where He, the only mediator between God and man, makes intercession for His own. He will return to earth personally, visibly and bodily to judge all men and establish His kingdom.
  SALVATION:
  Men and women are freed from the penalty for their sins not as a result, in whole or in part of their own works, goodness or religious ceremony, but by the undeserved favor of God alone. God declares righteous all who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation.
  
  THE HOLY SPIRIT:
  The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ, to convict men and women of their sins, and to impart new life to all who place their faith in Christ. He indwells believers from the moment of spiritual birth, seals them until the day of redemption, allots spiritual gifts to them for ministry, and empowers them to live a life pleasing to God.
  
  ASSURANCE:
  All who are born again of the Spirit can, through the sure promises of God, be fully assured of eternal life from the very moment they put their faith in Christ. This assurance is not based upon any kind of human merit, but upon the finished work of Christ, who completely paid for their sins and upon the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who is the deposit guaranteeing their inheritance.
  
  THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD:
  At physical death, the believer enters immediately into eternal, conscious fellowship with the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his or her body to everlasting glory and blessing. At physical death, the unbeliever enters immediately into eternal, conscious separation from the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his or her body to everlasting suffering, judgment and condemnation.
  
  BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER:
  Jesus Christ has instructed those who believe in Him to be baptized in water as a symbol of their new birth in Christ. Baptism is only for those who have personally believed in Christ. Our practice is to baptize by immersion. The Lord also instituted the Lord’s Supper as a remembrance of His suffering, death and resurrection. Neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper have any merit in helping a person obtain eternal life.
  
  THE CHURCH:
  All true believers make up the church worldwide and should assemble together in local churches for worship, prayer, fellowship and teaching to become conformed to the image of Christ and to become equipped to carry our the "Great Commission" that Christ gave His followers in Matthew 28:19-20.

  History [ Back to top ]

  GCM began in 1989 with a vision to mobilize Christians into full-time campus ministry. Their focus is churches for the next generation. Their roots are in a church planting movement called Great Commission Association (GCA), which began in 1970. GCA is a fellowship of churches and ministries. Each church in the association is self-governing but accountable to GCA on doctrine, ministry, and ethics.
  
  In the 1990's, GCM became a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), the Interdenominational Foreign Missions Association (IFMA), as well as the Evangelical Fellowship of Mission Agencies (EFMA).
  
  

  Ministry Needs [ Back to top ]

  GCM has communicated the following needs:
  
  GCM has many on-going projects that are in need of funding. More information on these specific projects may be found on GCM's website under Support GCM.

  Research Analysis

  Transparency Grade [ Back to top ]

  Transparency Grade of : A
  Criteria category	Grade	Other Comments
  Timeliness:	100
  Financial Information:	100	8/8/2008 10:09:44 AM: Organization provided all financial information requested. Information was clear and thorough.
  Foundational Clarity:	100	8/8/2008 10:09:58 AM: Descriptive information was abundant and thorough.
  Level of Cooperation:	100	8/8/2008 10:10:08 AM: Answers to questions were thorough.

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  MinistryWatch.com 5 Star Financial Efficiency Ratings [ Back to top ]

  Ranking Category	Rating	Overall Rank	Foreign Missions Sector
  Overall Efficiency Rating		263 of 348	40 of 54
  Fund Acquisition Decision		263 of 348	40 of 54
  Resource Allocation Decision		of 348	32 of 54
  Asset Utilization Decision		of 348	32 of 54

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