Articles
A Look Back:
Celebrating 10 Years of Mission and Ministry
Cynthia P. Brust
Originally published in the Wave, Winter 2007 Edition.
Memory Stones
"These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever." - Joshua 4:7
This year [2007] marks the 10th anniversary of the First Promise Movement and seven years since formation of the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA). From a bold beginning in Singapore, which 
resulted in passionate responses, both positive and negative, the Anglican Mission quickly identified its purpose. Even as national and international reactions swirled, First Promise leaders participated in gatherings outlining their vision for a positive missionary focus and the work of church planting. While these leaders continued to work on the international stage and reached out to orthodox domestic entities seeking to reform the Episcopal Church from within, mission clearly formed the heart of the movement from its inception.
"We received the go ahead to move from an interim action to an Anglican missionary movement," explained Bishop Murphy. "We were authorized to plant churches and receive those that could not in good conscience remain within the Episcopal Church."
Missionary Expansion
"And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." - Acts 2:48, NIV
The growth since has indeed been remarkable. Bishop Murphy attributes this steady growth to a sovereign movement of the Holy Spirit. He notes that these congregations were built on a Biblical model (Acts 2:37-48) supported by leadership development and professional coaching.
"We have experienced growth as a byproduct of this model," explained Bishop Murphy.
It is significant to note that the Anglican Mission has maintained a 90% retention rate, compared to the national average of a 30% success rate for church plants.
Building the Mission
"Build up, build up the highway, remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples." - Isaiah 62:10b
Steered by Scripturally-based core values and commitments adopted early in its history, the Anglican Mission has kept first things first - reaching those who do not yet know Christ. The Anglican Mission reaches back to the first century Church for its message and much of its methodology and incorporates the best of a rich Anglican heritage. At the same time, it reaches out to connect an ever-changing culture with the changeless and eternal Word of God. An "ancient...future" model that affects structure, liturgy and the role of bishops offers a unique environment that clergy and laity alike find refreshing.
As the Anglican Mission transitioned from a small gathering of clergy to a missionary movement in North America, its leadership intentionally avoided a rush to structure that could stifle creativity and growth. The Anglican Mission established Mission Networks - affinity and geographically-based clusters of congregations that work together to plant new churches, strengthen existing congregations and develop new ministry initiatives.
To meet the challenges of "distance leadership," the Anglican Mission has consistently emphasized collaboration and cooperation, seeking the broadest possible participation, communication and consensus. The Mission has also called upon the best and the brightest in various areas of expertise such as worship, evangelism, church growth, spirituality, healing and leadership to offer resources and guidance to congregations during their annual Winter Conferences. In addition, the movement celebrates lay ministry and emphasizes identifying and equipping laity, "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up" (Ephesians 4:12).
Consistently committed to "enlarging their tents," the Anglican Mission expanded its structure in early 2007 at the request of Archbishop Kolini by creating the Anglican Mission in the Americas.
This umbrella organization includes the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA), the Anglican Coalition in Canada (ACiC) and the Anglican Coalition in America (ACiA) and embraces two countries (the U.S. and Canada), as well as two positions on the ordination of women. Both the ACiC and the ACiA ordain women to the priesthood, as does the Province of the Episcopal Church of Rwanda, while the AMiA maintains its policy of ordaining women only to the diaconate. The Anglican Mission in the Americas provides a way to maintain the integrity, and honor the consciences, of those with differing positions and policies on women's ordination.
The Future: Going Out
"Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame." - Luke 14:21
As the Anglican Mission looks to the future, the leadership remains focused on breaking into new territory as it seeks to fulfill the Great Commission and reach the 130 million unchurched in North America with the transforming love of Jesus Christ.
"We plan to go to the fishing holes where the fish are biting," Bishop Murphy said.
Several special ministry initiatives have been launched in the last two years, including Ministry Among Hispanics and Asian Ministry, and the Anglican Mission is using Percepts, a demographics service that assists in targeting high impact areas for church planting. In addition, Leadership Development, long a top priority, is being retooled for greater effectiveness as the Anglican Mission continues to grow.
Anglican Mission leaders are determined to "keep their hands to the plow," not resting on past success but looking to the new things to which God is calling them.
"We celebrate our past and all the ways in which God has blessed us, but we look to the future with renewed commitment to the vision He has given us," promised Bishop Murphy.
It Began with a Promise...
Originally published in the Wave, Winter 2007 Edition.
"Will you be ready, with all faithful diligence, to banish and drive away from the Church all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to God's Word...?"
In the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, this question was asked of those being ordained as priests in the Episcopal Church. This promise, however, was discarded as the Episcopal Church moved steadily away from the faith of the one holy catholic and apostolic church. 
It was deleted from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, and those being ordained were instead asked if they would "engage to conform to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Episcopal Church." (Book of Common Prayer, p.526).
Following the 1997 General Convention, which continued the downward spiral, [Bishop] Chuck Murphy invited 30 priests to meet at All Saint's, Pawleys Island, South Carolina, on September 9, 1997. Sensing a window of opportunity between General Convention and the 1998 Lambeth Conference, the group wrestled with defining a significant response. Their work resulted in a document called The First Promise.
These courageous leaders boldly declared the authority of the Episcopal Church to be "fundamentally impaired" because they no longer upheld the "truth of the gospel." The First Promise document addressed the crisis of faith and leadership in the Episcopal Church and affirmed the ordination vow, "To be loyal to the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ as this Church has received them."
Putting their commitment into action, the First Promise Roundtable sponsored major informational gatherings, and hundreds of clergy and laity affirmed the First Promise document. The First Promise principles were upheld by Global South leaders at Lambeth Conference 1998, illustrating that the Episcopal Church was outside the mainstream of Anglicanism and apostolic faith. Working with other orthodox entities, the First Promise Movement called the Episcopal Church to conform to the mind of Lambeth. Should their efforts toward reformation fail, First Promise leaders knew they would have to discern an alternative way forward. Rather than repent, the Episcopal Church grew more committed to a theology that was in contradiction to the clear teaching of Scripture and questioned the unique person of Jesus Christ and the mission of the church.
Archbishops Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda and Moses Tay of S. E. Asia grew increasingly disturbed about the crisis as well as those faithful Episcopalians who sought intervention from the wider Communion. They responded by consecrating Chuck Murphy and John Rodgers as bishops at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore, on January 29, 2000. At the time of the consecration, those orthodox leaders within the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion who strongly advocated an "inside" strategy (working within the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion's existing structures) were highly critical of the Anglican Mission and the Provinces of Rwanda and S. E. Asia. It has become clear to virtually everyone that the "outside" strategy of having clergy and bishops canonically resident offshore, but released to mission in the U.S., is the way forward, and such intervention is no longer considered "scandalous" and "irregular." In this last year alone, the Anglican Mission has welcomed similar missionary initiatives from three other African provinces as a confirmation of its pioneering work. What once seemed improper to some is now being seen by many to have been "prophetic."
From the Chairman
Bishop Chuck Murphy
Originally published in the Wave, Winter 2007 Edition.
As I reflect on the last 10 years, I am struck again and again with the evidence of God's sovereign hand at work in this Mission. From the early days of First Promise through seven years of the Anglican Mission, the Lord has led and blessed our efforts. During this remarkable journey, we have received a clear purpose, call and mission to seek and serve those who do not yet know the saving grace of Jesus Christ in North America. Beginning with a handful of churches in 2000, we now number 130 congregations with dozens more being developed. In January, we will consecrate three additional bishops as we continue to break into new territory throughout North America with the Gospel.
As we celebrate 10 years of work together, I want to acknowledge the courageous leadership of Archbishops Emmanuel Kolini and Moses Tay, and later Archbishop Yong Ping Chung, who responded to the crisis of faith and leadership in the Episcopal Church and launched the movement that became the Anglican Mission. These primates were joined by Bishop John Rucyahana of the Province of the Episcopal Church of Rwanda, Bishop David Pytches of the Church of England, as well as Bishops Fitzsimons Allison and Alex Dickson of the Episcopal Church, in defying the conventional wisdom of the day in order to take this stand for the Gospel.
I also want to thank those who partnered with me in the early days - TJ Johnston, Jon Shuler, Thad and Erilynne Barnum, Sandy Greene and John Rodgers. As the Anglican Mission has developed and grown, leaders like Harry Griffith, Jim Beard, Tim Smith, Susan Grayson, Tony Tripi and Jay Greener have helped establish and move our nascent organization from strength to strength. Numerous others have come alongside over the years, supporting the Anglican Mission through generous financial contributions, prayer and wise counsel. I am thankful for the Province of the Episcopal Church of Rwanda that provides faithful oversight, as well as for our current staff, board, Mission Network leaders and Council of Bishops who are taking us into this new season. Most of all, I celebrate those men and women, ordained and lay, who make up our congregations, offering their time, talent and treasure in order to fulfill the Great Commission.
The Anglican Mission has been given the great privilege of blazing a trail toward what I believe is actually an Anglican reformation. As I reflect on what has been, and what is yet to be, I am reminded of Joseph's experience recorded in the Old Testament. Like Joseph, the Anglican Mission has been driven by a dream, and I am convinced the Lord would have us maintain that dream for the next generation. Dreamers are often confronted with those without a dream, who attempt to kill the dreams of others by calling them "false;" but when we receive a dream from the Lord, I believe He expects us to stand firm and acknowledge it - in effect to see it, say it and seize it. If we do that, He will take us places we've never been and show us things we've never seen.
I have no doubt that our best and most effective days are still to come in the Anglican Mission as we remain committed and focused on our dream - to reach the 130 million. We are entering a new season, and I want us to continue to dream big as we break into new territory, launch new initiatives and expand mission and ministry of the Anglican Mission.
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