Following his installation, General Superintendent Wayne Schmidt addressed the assembly, sharing his perspective on ministry in North America and the world today, the unique role of The Wesleyan Church in God’s plan and his hope for the future.
He called the Church to focused prayer, which must always be at the center of our missional imperatives.
He secondly stated that we cannot overstate the primacy of the Great Commission. We are called to go and make disciples of all nations (panta ta ethne), all the ethnic groups in the world. This is not optional, if we are his body, the Church.
Dr. Schmidt noted that discipleship programs do not always make disciples. They sometimes make Pharisees. Head knowledge is not enough. Discipleship is of the head and of the heart, and one is not truly a disciple until they are making other disciples.
Dr. Schmidt called for a gathering together of ideas about the Great Commission and discipleship from all across the Church. Let anyone who feels led to offer their voice, their concern, their passion, their creativity, please send their ideas to: Spiritualformation@wesleyan.org.
“Who we are” is who we have always been from our beginnings. But in this world, we must find new ways of re-imagining our apostolic mission, our Pentecostal mission, to embrace the Great Commission with fresh power, creativity, and commitment.
The delegates responded to General Schmidt with a standing ovation.
