MINNEAPOLIS, MN (June 22, 2018) – The first meeting of the 133rd Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church began with delegates praying over the names of 34,661 people whose names were collected earlier this year as part of the BLESS evangelistic outreach.
Michelle Sanchez, executive minister of Make and Deepen Disciples, told the gathering, “Each one of these names represents someone who is known and loved by us.”
BLESS is an acronym for five missional practices: begin with prayer, listen with care, eat together, serve in love, and share your story. Churches are encouraged to focus on one practice a week for five weeks.
At the end of the five-week series people are encouraged to bring forward a list of names they commit to pray for and share the gospel with. In turn, churches commit to pray for the names on those lists and then bring the lists to regional and denominational Annual Meetings for more prayer.
BLESS builds on past evangelism initiatives such as Bringing My World to Christ, One Step Closer, and Ask the Lord of the Harvest.
