USA (MNN/E3P) — As the end of 2017 nears, e3 Partners, a nonprofit organization that exists to make the local church accessible to everyone, everywhere, will complete its 30th year of ministry with record results, celebrating the planting of more than 36,000 churches around the globe this year.
“We rejoice in all that God has done in 2017 through His ministry and people at e3 Partners, and we press on toward completing His charge,” said Jarrell Prince, e3 Partners Chairman of the Board. “Our first 30 years have been fantastic, and we look forward to continued blessings and seeing the light of Jesus spread to reach to the ends of the earth.”
e3 Partners traces its roots to Global Missions Fellowship, which was founded by Pastor Mike Downey in 1987. The ministry quickly built a strong team of individuals who would pave the way for the spreading of the Gospel worldwide, including one of its first staff members, Curtis Hail, who eventually succeeded Downey as President and CEO and now serves as Chairman Emeritus.
In addition to Hail, several long-term staff members helped build e3 Partners into one of the leading missions organizations with world impact, including Dan Hitzhusen, vice president of e3 International overseeing field ministry; Mike Jorgensen, vice president over numerous areas including serving as I Am Second executive director for several years; Sam Ingrassia, country director and church planter in multiple countries, including Romania and Colombia; Claudia Adame, chief mission officer, who has served in numerous roles including managing director of e3 International and chief staff officer; Tom Doyle, vice president of Church and Ministry Partnerships and Middle East/North Africa director; and Casey See, who headed up e3’s resource division and now serves as president of I Am Second.
(Photo courtesy of e3 Partners)
It was through this leadership that e3 Partners has been able to effectively mobilize people to win others for Christ, plant new churches that are rapidly growing as well as multiply to train and disciple others to do the same.
Additionally, e3 Partners has created tools to equip individuals worldwide for evangelism such as the Evangecube, which was developed 20 years ago. Today, more than 5 million cubes have been used to share the Gospel message. The ministry also launched I Am Second, a multimedia platform sharing stories of hope, which will celebrate its ninth birthday on Dec. 2. Since beginning in 2008, I Am Second has filmed nearly 130 athletes, actors, models, musicians, cultural influencers and everyday people sharing their story of living Second, which have received more than 100 million views worldwide.
In 2009, e3 Partners began to see a significant increase in its international church planting as leaders emphasized the direct training of national partners. Curtis Sergeant joined e3 around that time and was instrumental in shaping the field ministry toward church multiplication. Jeff Sundell joined e3 in 2013 to lead U.S.-based evangelism and discipleship.
Recognizing a convergence between international and domestic missions as the world becomes more integrated through technology and the U.S. experiences an influx of refugees and immigrants, last month, e3 Partners elevated Sundell to Chief Field Strategy Officer through which he will expand on his U.S. efforts to replicate success in nations across the globe.
“Our nation is changing, and in the next 10 years, 187 cities will be majority-minority,” said Sundell. “No longer are the ends of the earth thousands of miles away; they may be our next-door neighbors. God has given us a vision to train people with some simple Gospeling and discipling tools that, if mixed with some loud loving, will have a huge impact on our nation.”
Additionally, Claudia Adame has been named Chief Mission Officer, overseeing the worldwide field ministry leaders to achieve the implementation of the strategy.
“The integration of our strategy and implementation teams will allow us to better serve the movement,” said Adame. “We are grateful to the Lord and to the leaders and staff that have invested their lives for so many years to advance the Gospel of Christ through e3 Partners. It is their faithfulness that allows us to lead into the future from a position of strength.”
For additional information, visit http://www.e3partners.org/.
“The growth and impact of e3 Partners is a testimony to God’s blessings on our ministry as well as our leadership and staff’s perseverance to spreading the gospel worldwide – always, to all people,” Prince said. “We thank God for our past and look forward to an even greater harvest in the years to come.”
If you’d like to support e3 Partners’ ministry, now is a great time to do so. Jennie Kessler, e3 Partners’ Vice President of Donor Engagement, shared, “e3 Partners has been blessed with a generous year-end matching gift. Donations made through December 31st to provide mission-critical resources and support the greatest needs in the ministry will be matched dollar-for-dollar, making twice the impact in his Kingdom!”
Click here to make a charitable donation to e3 Partners today!
(Header photo courtesy of e3 Partners)