Mobilizing the Kingdom

Recently, an impactful two-day pastoral training took place where 20 churches, 46 pastors, and representatives from 27 communities came together for the Cypress Training Project led by Pastor Matt Dawson, the pastor of Journey Church in Huntersville, NC.

The vision is to see a movement of Kingdom people sent out into the harvest as missionary disciples, with the ultimate goal that every man, woman, and child has repeated opportunities to see, hear, and respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Their mission is to equip leaders from churches, communities, and marketplaces to mobilize people as missionaries wherever they live, learn, work, and play. This practice empowers them to take ownership of their communities' spiritual needs and “lostness.”

The training explored four essential concepts: Movement, Kingdom, Harvest, and Disciple. Each of these is crucial to understanding and implementing a Gospel-centered mission.

1. Movement – Pastor Dawson emphasized that ministry is not about what we want for our churches, our families, or our ministries, but what God wants. He stressed the importance of focusing on God's glory, not just our own stories or desires.
2. Kingdom – The training highlighted the need for all dreams, visions, and goals to focus on building the Kingdom of God, rather than simply personal or organizational success.
3. Harvest – Attendees were encouraged to join God in His ongoing mission to declare the Good News wherever they live, learn, work, and play. The harvest is plentiful, and the call is for believers to step into the mission.
4. Disciple – Finally, the training focused on how God accomplishes His mission through the transformed lives of His people. This means being a true follower and imitator of Christ, fully embracing the responsibility to care for and reach out to the lost within their communities.

Pastor José Pérez from the Pinar Quemado community in Jarabacoa reflected on the profound impact of the event, saying:

“The training truly marked a before and after! Very strategic points for our work as pastors and leaders in ministry. We will always be grateful to the Lord for the unanimous work that the people of God are doing, and the instruments that He is using to reach the lost and for us to serve Him.”

The combination of teaching sessions and small group discussions gave participants the opportunity to reflect on the strategic points raised and envision how they could implement these ideas within their churches and communities.

This gathering was more than just another training session—it was a movement. The Cypress Training Project equipped leaders to embrace God’s mission, calling them to foster Kingdom collaboration and build a movement of missionary disciples. The message of unity, purpose, and service inspired attendees to mobilize their people for the harvest, transforming not just their own communities but the world for the glory of God.