Timeline

Rio de Janeiro

In 1968, a group of missionaries in Brazil began to lay the plans that would become the Great Cities Missions ministry.

1976

  • Ellis and Doris Long begin Brazil Breakthrough ministry on the campus of Abilene Christian University.
  • Central Church of Christ in Amarillo, Texas and the Golf Course Road Church of Christ in Midland, Texas agree to sponsor the ministry jointly.

1979

  • Dan Coker joins the ministry. Coker renames the ministry Continent of Great Cities.

1980

  • Gary Sorrells joins the ministry.
  • The Recife, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
  • Allen Dutton and Alaor Leite develop a standardized team settlement procedure.
  • Long, Dutton, and Leite play a key role in reopening the doors for missionaries to serve in Brazil by helping to rewrite the Brazilian missionary visa process.

1981

  • The Brasilia, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
  • The Campo Grande, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
  • The Fortaleza, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
  • The Manaus, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
  • Continent of Great Cities adopts a Missionary Screening Process.

1982

  • The Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.

1984

  • The Belo Horizonte, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
  • The Salvador, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.

1986

  • The Curitiba, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.

1987

  • The Florianopolis, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.

1988

  • Bob and Gina Waldron join the ministry.

1990

  • The Buenos Aires, Argentina Mission Teams merge, assisted by CGC staff.

1991

  • Ellis Long resigns as Director of Ministry.
  • Gary Sorrells and Bob Waldron serve as Co-Directors of the ministry.
  • Ministry moves from ACU campus to downtown Abilene, Texas.
  • The Central Church of Christ in Amarillo, Texas accepts sole sponsorship of the ministry.

1992

  • Dan Coker moves as a missionary to Montevideo, Uruguay.
  • Vitoria, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.

1993

  • Montevideo, Uruguay Mission Team arrives on the field.

1994

  • Bryan Gibbs joins ministry.
  • Medical campaign to Manaus, Brazil, jointly sponsored by the Central Church of Christ in Amarillo, Texas and the Westover Hills Church of Christ in Austin, Texas, completed.

1995

  • Natal, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.

1996

  • Howard Norton joins the ministry.
  • Elders are appointed at the Downtown congregation in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
  • The Central Church of Christ in Amarillo, Texas appoints the first Board of Trustees to oversee the ministry.

1998

  • Bob and Gina Waldron leave ministry to begin Missions Resource Network.
  • Gary Sorrells is named Executive Director of the ministry.
  • Ken Lewis joins the ministry.
  • Randy Halstead joins the ministry.
  • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
  • Ellis and Doris Long return as missionaries to Brasilia, Brazil.

1999

  • Santiago, Chile Mission Team arrives on the field.
  • Elders are appointed at the Downtown congregation in Manaus, Brazil.
  • Elders are appointed at the Central congregation in Campo Grande, Brazil.

2000

  • First Continent of Great Cities Missionary Team Internship program completed.
  • Church buildings are inaugurated in Curitiba and Brasilia, Brazil.

2001

  • Ron Freitas joins ministry.
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina Mission Team arrives on the field.

2002

  • Porto Alegre, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
  • Georgia Freitas joins Ministry

2003

  • Grant Boone joins ministry.
  • Bogota, Colombia Team arrives on the field.
  • Asuncion, Paraguay Team arrives on the field.
  • Salvador, Brazil Team begins Great Cities Missionary Team Internship.

2004

  • Venezuela Team recruited and trained.
  • Calvin and Linda Henry join ministry.

2005

  • Salvador, Brazil Team arrives on the field.
  • Niteroi, Brazil Team recruiting begins.

2006

  • Niteroi, Brazil Team formation continues.
  • Dominican Republic Team (previously Venezuela Team) arrives to begin work January 17.

2007

  • Continent of Great Cities moves office to Addison, DFW, Texas.
  • Recruiting begins for Cusco, Peru.
  • Recruiting for Niteroi, Brazil continues.
  • Scott Reynolds joins ministry.

2008

  • Cartagena, Colombia team arrives on the field.
  • Niteroi, Brazil team completes training and arrives on field.
  • Rosemont (Fort Worth), Texas team begins training.
  • Mexico City, Mexico team #1 is recruited.
  • The Victory Church of Christ in Rio de Janeiro appoints elders.
  • First all-Brazilian team recruited for Brasilia, Brazil.

2009

  • Rosemont (Fort Worth), Texas team finishes recruiting and holds inaugural service.
  • Cartagena, Colombia team finishes recruiting.
  • Cusco, Peru team completes training and arrives on field.
  • Mexico City, Mexico team #1 completes training and arrives on field.
  • Bryan and Becky Gibbs move to Brazil to open a Continent office.
  • Brasilia, Brazil team arrives on the field.
  • Becky Holton joins the ministry.
  • Mexico City, Mexico team #2 is recruited.

2010

  • Kelley Grant and Enoch Rinks join ministry.
  • Mexico City, Mexico team #1 inaugural service.
  • Recruiting begins for a team of North American Hispanics for Houston, Texas.
  • Recruiting begins for the second all-Brazilian team.

2011

  • Kelley Grant becomes Exective Director.
  • Second Mexico City Team holds inagural service.
  • Recruitment begins for Second Bogota, Colombia Team.
  • Team recruited for Palmas, Brazil.
  • Arlington, Texas Team formed.

2012

  • Ministry officially renamed Great Cities Missions.