Building Momentum

There are many exciting things happening in World Impact nationally and we'd like to share some of them with you.

On September 9, the World Impact Board of Directors announced the appointment of World Impact's new President and CEO, Efrem Smith. The following is an excerpt from World Impact's official announcement:

"Efrem’s personal and professional story paints a compelling picture of an urban church leader of deep faith who has managed leaders and budgets, transforming people and ministry wherever he has served. His track record in leading Christian Community Development efforts, serving as a Pastor, Church Planter and leader of the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church have prepared him for this moment. Throughout his career, Efrem has had a passion for the urban poor, theological education, and training indigenous leaders for service in the Kingdom.

Efrem Smith

As a preacher, motivational speaker and author, Efrem Smith is internationally recognized for his passion to see lasting life transformation, communities revitalized to reach the marginalized, and to further Kingdom advancement within our churches.

Serving as founding pastor of The Sanctuary Covenant Church, a multi-ethnic church in Minneapolis, MN, Efrem also co-founded and was president for The Sanctuary Community Development Corporation. Currently, he is the Superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, which provides leadership to 160 churches within California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii and Utah.

As an itinerant speaker and preacher with Kingdom Builder Ministries and the Evangelical Covenant Church, he’s been a keynote speaker for such events as Athletes in Action, Campus Crusade for Christ, Youth Specialties, Compassion International, Thrive and CHIC. The author of “Raising up Young Heroes,” “The Hip Hop Church,” and “Jump,” Efrem’s new book “The Post Black, Post White Church” was released August 1, 2012.

Efrem is a graduate of Saint John’s University and Luther Theological Seminary. He is currently seeking his doctorate in Church Leadership from Bethel Seminary in Minneapolis, MN. He and his wife Donecia, along with their two children, Jeada and Mireya, live in the San Francisco Bay Area, where they will continue to live during a period of healthy transition for the family."

This week we also heard some encouraging news from Luke Raughley, the director of our Fresno ministry:

"For us it's been a wild ride. Some very difficult and challenging things, but at the same time some great and amazing things. God has caused TUMI to open up in the prisons in the area. At the Chowchilla State prison 30 guys are attending with five to six who have already taken classes in other facilities. In addition we've expanded our local TUMI site and just started the next module with 35 new students on the outside. Out of the blue I got an e-mail to meet with a leader in the Russian speaking Baptist church and he asked for WI to partner with them to plant English speaking churches. He is going to speak to 500-600 mission leaders about church planting in California. In November, he wants me to share with a coalition of nine churches as there are apparently over 150,000 Russians in the Sacramento area."

These are just some of the exciting things that God is doing within World Impact. We look forward to seeing the amazing things that God will do in Chester and around the country in the coming months!