A glimpse into 2022

What a year it’s been!

The Lord has been faithful to the GNE team throughout 2022. We are deeply grateful for all He has seen us through, and for the strength He has given us to be able to go out to reach all peoples with the Gospel. We cannot forget the ones who have walked with us – our friends and collaborative partners. As the African proverb about community rightly says: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. We have walked hand in hand in partnership for the purposes of impacting the places where we live, and have gone out far and wide to impact cities and nations elsewhere. What a privilege!

For many, the end of 2022 brings about a time of reflection. Reflection brings about thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a precursor to peace and “is the will of God in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). When we look upon the horizon towards the dawn of the new year, we would like to pause and appreciate what we have achieved through Christ. You have been a part of it. You have been supportive through collaboration; through prayer; through your dedication to living out your calling as an evangelist.

From Pakistan to Kenya, from Guinea to Romania, the Gospel was shared. In Pakistan, we put together a committee for evangelists. We developed national and regional committees dedicated to the building up of unity and relationship within local churches. In Mombasa, we joined in as partners for Reach Mombasa 2022, an opportunity for impact through stratified evangelism. Throughout West Africa, evangelism conferences were held together with Advance training and the formation of dozens of new Advance Groups. To embody the truth of faith and works, our Director for Eastern Europe served the network while offering aid to his Ukrainian brothers and sisters across the border. From Latin America to the UK, many have responded and given their lives to Jesus through the efforts of incredible teams. Keep up to date with what GNE is doing in Latin America here, and the UK here.

Another great joy was found in creating and maintaining connections. Wherever we went, we found friends there. Many of our events involved the participation of GNE members & partners who have become like family to us. We do not take for granted the opportunities we had to break bread and share experiences. This year we held our first in-person Regional Connect gatherings since the pandemic hit and we reconnected with several of our North American members. The team also supported ministries where our members serve, and we drew inspiration from the younger generation of emerging evangelists.

In 2022, we made great strides. He who promised is indeed faithful! Of the many milestones we achieved, we were extremely proud to hit 1000 members in our network. 67 countries from every continent are represented in GNE. Almost half of the applicants approved in 2022 were under the age of 40.

Another milestone came about with the growth of Advance. Hot on the heels of the launch of the 3-year Advance Mentoring Guide in English came the Thai and Mandarin translations, in addition to the launch of the 3-year Advance Guide in Spanish. Advance is now available in 17 other languages.

As a team, we give ourselves to the service of the kingdom and we would not be able to meet our goals without the support of our families. Our spouses and children have been our backbone and the reason we find the strength to serve. This year, GNE staff witnessed the birth of beautiful babies, a new bond of marriage, and celebrations of anniversaries and birthdays (an 80th birthday too!). We are truly blessed to be made up of godly men and women from diverse backgrounds and cultures – a true representation of a global team serving a global network.

As we look ahead to 2023, we remain rooted in our focus to identify, affirm, equip, and mobilize evangelists from all around the world. You are integral to our mission. We are excited to see what we can achieve together so join us, in whatever capacity, to fulfill the Great Commission and advance God’s kingdom.

What are you committing to in 2023?

Join us for the GNE monthly prayer call – January 19 is the first one of the year. Partner with us. Become a member if you aren’t one yet. Participate in the members’ forum if you are. Be active… be present… be GNE! May the Spirit of God guide you and light your way in the new year.

Have a blessed 2023, friends!