The Power of Team

My wife Cathy and I recently traveled to Wichita, KS, to participate in The Urban Ministry Institute’s 2015 Summit, which was inspiring, motivating, and encouraging. With 284 registrants from across the globe, we had a packed house—filled with teaching, worship, and fellowship.

The theme this year was The Power of Team (using clips from the first “Avengers” movie), which provided a great springboard for the plenary sessions led by Dr. Don Davis (TUMI’s Founding Director), Rev. Efrem Smith (President, World Impact), and me. In the teaching and workshops, we answered the question: “How does an independent-minded and globally diversified group like the TUMI network act as a team?” The delegates were challenged to identify the things that divide us so we can stand together against a common enemy.

But the best part of the weekend was the hundreds of conversations among the delegates. They encouraged one another, offered ideas and resources to one another, prayed together, and laughed together. What a great time of refreshment it was!

For example, we heard about one dinner conversation between with two pastors, one from Mexico and the other from Liberia. Daniel (Mexico) has helped plant 25 churches in his country. He mentioned a U.S. sponsoring church in Southern California that has assisted him through the years, who is sending him to South Africa to assist in a church planting movement there. While they talked, Pastor David of Liberia invited Pastor Daniel to also come to Liberia to help plant churches. What an amazing picture of the Power of Team, to see a pastor from Mexico working with a U.S. church to plant churches in Africa! Only the Holy Spirit could move in such a way.

During our time together, the TUMI staff prepared a surprise presentation for Dr. Don and Beth Davis, who celebrated 40 years of ministry with World Impact and 20 years since the beginning of TUMI. It was a great joy to honor them and participate in marking these milestones. 

Don Allsman is the Executive Director of Satellite Ministries for TUMI.