AMSTERDAM — As thousands of Christian leaders from around the world were arriving in Amsterdam recently for the Amsterdam2023 global conference, the Empowered21 (E21) Global Council gathered to prepare for the event that will promote a new era of evangelism. E21 work groups, Global Evangelist Alliance (GEA), Global Prayer Alliance and NextGen Network convened, developing strategies to accomplish the Great Commission, taking the good news of Jesus Christ to every person on earth.

The “Global Network of Spirit-Empowered Scholars” was launched on Monday, under the leadership of co-chairs Dr. Wonsuk Ma and Opoku Onyinah. This group’s focus will be on scholar consultation, resourcing and publishing books for the Spirit-Empowered movement and conducting academic research regarding its history and accomplishments. One of the group’s first resources produced will be a compendium of all the Amsterdam2023 plenaries and workshop sessions – more than 130 in total. Within 24 hours of the network’s launch, more than 160 global scholars had already registered to be a part.

The group will be hosted by Oral Roberts University’s Center for Spirit-Empowered Research, with Dr. Ma serving as director. In making this announcement, ORU President and Empowered21 Global Chair Dr. Billy Wilson said that this network brings to fruition a vision of Dr. Vinson Synan of the Society of Pentecostal Studies a need for a practical theology for the Spirit-Empowered movement. There will be an annual conference, which will serve as a place for scholars around the world to connect for consultation, fellowships and encouragement, and the network will build a deeper and wider knowledge base about the movement as well as better explain it to the world.

The Empowered21 Global Prayer Alliance shared an aspect of the EveryONE initiative, that believers worldwide commit to taking just 5 minutes each day to pray for 5 people by name who don’t yet know Christ. According to director Brian Alarid, through this effort, “Already over 500 million people have been prayed for by name. The alliance is leading the cause for everyone to be prayed for by name by 2033.”

The Global Council also launched the Global Worship Alliance, which will be chaired by renowned Australian worship leader Darlene Zschech. Dr. Wilson shared that it is her dream to bring worship leaders together from around the world, and through this effort, they hope to reclaim this industry as a ministry for the Kingdom, creating a model of excellence, integrity and family.

A report was given on the EveryONE Initiative Fund, which has been in “beta test” format for the past year. It provided two million dollars in funding toward 56 evangelistic projects in 50 countries, which saw nearly 500,000 people respond to the gospel. Ministries around the world who are employing creative and innovative strategies to reach people in the areas of digital evangelism, church planting and mass evangelism can apply for funding assistance through this initiative, which will officially launch at Amsterdam2023.

The Global Evangelist Alliance reported on its efforts to train every believer in evangelism as well as inspire new evangelists. The NextGen committee shared updates about its initiative mobilizing younger generations for evangelism, with emphasis in issues such as regional contextualization, digital saturation and uniting older and young generations together in sharing knowledge and strategy in the effort.

Amsterdam2023 officially gets underway Wednesday morning, June 21, with a plenary address by Dr. Wilson, guest speakers Rick Warren and Christine Caine in the evening session, and other speakers leading more than 130 workshops on topics related to evangelism throughout the course of the week. The conference concludes on Saturday with a time of local outreach throughout the city during the morning, and an extended, globally-focused worship time at the Olympic Stadium from afternoon until evening.

For more information or to register for in-person or virtual attendance, visit www.amsterdam2023.com.

About Empowered21

Empowered21 is a global Spirit-empowered movement working to connect the generations for blessing, impartation and a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the 21st century. Its U.S. office is on the campus of Oral Roberts University, of which Empowered21 Global Chair Dr. Billy Wilson is president. To learn more, visit www.empowered21.com.

CONTACT: Melany Ethridge, 214-912-8934, melany@alarryross.com

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