Frequently Asked Questions
What is Great Cities Missions' purpose?
We exist to insure the success of aspiring missionary teams.
We exist to provide depth of training through a staff with the combined experience of over 200 years in Latin American church planting.
We exist to nurture and support throughout the entire missionary life cycle rather than disengaging the mission team at the time of departure.
Why plant teams in urban areas?
For the first time in the history of the world, there are more people living in cities than in rural areas. The Latin world is consolidating into enormous cities, and many have over 1,000,000 inhabitants who need to hear the Good News of Jesus.
GCM uses the Biblical blueprint of first-century missions, heading to large urban centers to plant the gospel and allow it to spread throughout the world. The mobility of people and information in the twenty-first century makes this model even more effective.
Why plant teams among the Latin people of the world?
An article came out in the July 2002 edition of Veja, one of Brazil’s key magazines. The title was, “An Evangelical Nation.” It said, “the largest catholic nation in the world is becoming more and more evangelical and this is beginning to change many things in Brazil!” It stated that “15% of the Brazilians or 26 million people are now Protestants. That is five times greater than in 1940 and has doubled since 1980.”
The Christian movement has switched its focus to the Southern Hemisphere, where more lost people are receptive to the gospel. The fields in Latin America are ripe for harvest!
How is GCM's ministry funded?
GCM is funded 25% by churches, 10% by foundations, 35% by individuals and 30% by trustees.
What is the relationship of GCM, the missionary and their sponsoring church?
When a team is recruited each team member must find a sponsoring congregation for their work. When that occurs, we continue in a three-way relationship with the missionary, their sponsor, and GCM. The missionary carries out his/her work under the oversight of the elders of their sponsoring congregation. We continue to be involved through annual Sponsoring Church Workshops and through on-field nurture and support
How is GCM governed?
The elders of the Central Church of Christ in Amarillo, Texas sponsor the GCM Ministry. They oversee this ministry through a group of Trustees composed of Central Elders and Church leaders from both North and South America.
What are some of GCM's future goals?
In the future the goal is to raise up 10 teams for the capital cities of Portuguese-speaking Brazil. There is also a need for another 16 teams for the Spanish-speaking capital cities of South America. The Great Cities’ objective is to reach out to the 600 million Portuguese and Latin people of the world’s urban cities.
