GREAT SEA COMMISSION

Ministry Name: 

GREAT SEA COMMISSION

Base Location:

Estero, Florida

Vessels Operated:

Types of Ministries:

Discipleship, Missions / Outreach, Missionary Support, Retreats

Areas of Operation:

Mediterranean

Key People:
Jonathan & Christie Swift

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Ministry overview

GREAT SEA COMMISSION

“Hold fast to the word”

 

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you…” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)

 

WHY: God’s heart is for the increase of His good word producing good works to spread the Good News among all peoples. (Mat 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42; 6:4-7; 12:24; 13:48-49; 19:20; Titus; Eph 2:1-22)

WHAT: Training leaders and churches to discover the heart of God in the word of God in the Mediterranean basin and beyond. The Bible often refers to the Mediterranean Sea as “the Great Sea.” Today the lands hugging the Great Sea are dominated by secularism, traditionalism, and Islam. Imagine a training ministry modeled after the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul and his “fellow workers,” Priscilla and Aquila, where they equipped, strengthened, and encouraged local churches and church plants “explaining the way of God more accurately,” (Acts 18:27) aligning the hearts of church leaders, church planters, and their people more closely to the gospel and the heart of God. This is the mission of GSC with a focus on the very same region today.

WHO: Jonathan & Christie Swift are new empty-nesters with over 30 years of diverse ministry experience in the USA, the Near East, and North Africa. We desire to serve God, his gospel, and his church in a way that is best fitted and most joyful for who we are, and most helpful and fruitful for those with whom we serve and partner in the time God has allotted us by his grace. In partnership with Equipt (a ministry that launches, equips, and supports other ministries) our focus is to equip churches through leadership discipleship, so that nationals themselves advance the training and content in creative and contextual ways in their churches, communities, and countries.

Jonathan’s heart:

• Guiding leaders to discover their fullness in the fullness of Christ through an encounter with God’s heart by His word (via training, teaching, writing, and preaching).

• Shepherding people as they process new environments or cultures, moving from misunderstanding to understanding, from discomfort to comfort through God’s word, relationships, and hospitality.

• Leading people in the discovery of how their stories fit in God’s big story through Biblical Theology personally applied.

• Encouraging God’s children toward greater heart-alignment with the heart of God according to the truths of the gospel by the grace and illumination of the Spirit.

• Ushering others into the enjoyment of God’s creation and rest through sailing (often a new uncomfortable environment where transformation happens with interpretation and shepherding).

Christie’s heart:

• Connecting people to God, gathering people into God’s family, and deepening relationships within God’s family.

• Helping everyone in the room feel loved, belonging, and at home through an open door, a place at the table, and a voice heard.

• Watching the “lightbulb turn on” as a young person learns and grows by discovering and applying a new idea or skill.

• Seeing an event or gathering come together where people are refreshed, renewed in the Lord, well-fed, and enjoying themselves.

HOW: Collaborating with multiple partnering ministries, GSC brings discipleship, Bible training, leadership development, coaching, and encouragement, from an “Antioch” base of operations (near Athens, Greece,home port of Broad Reach Maritime) to Mediterranean region local churches in Greece as well as Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, & Spain (so far). GSC Ministry models include:

Training for Transformation (T4T) Intensives: seasonal Bible study training modules using simple, easily transferable hermeneutical tools (Tools for Bible Navigation) in close fellowship with leaders and their churches with follow-up visits.

Titus Mandate Training (for Church Planters). In partnership with Hellenic Ministries/Broad Reach Maritime (Greece), Tyrannus Schools (Egypt – Lebanon), and Moving to the Right Ministries (M2R) our T4T is adapted for church planters preparing and giving ongoing coaching for church leadership development (Titus 1), life-long church-wide family-nurturing and disciple-making (Titus 2), and mission (Titus 3).

Gospel Communities on the Go. The Mediterranean has thousands of port towns in open and closed countries needing the gospel. In Greece alone there are 227 inhabited islands needing gospel-proclaiming churches. Many have no airstrip or ferry service. Turkey, Syria, Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia are closed to missionaries but open their ports to sailing cruisers. Small sailing vessels offer a unique way to bring the gospel to places like these. The Swifts have been invited to come serve alongside Broad Reach Maritime bringing discipleship for mission teams, training, and church-planting strategy for islands and ports in Greece and beyond through the use of sailing vessels.

Hold Fast Marriage Retreats. Learning to read key passages on marriage in the contexts of the author’s intent for the whole book, and God’s Big Story (Biblical Theology), couples are challenged to understand their covenant relationship in marriage as an intentional mission designed by God to be a living display of the gospel to their children, the church, community, and world.

Engage Training. In partnership with Horizons International we provide training for leaders and their churches in engaging Muslims with the Gospel at home and in the Muslim world.

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