Sovereign Grace Ministries

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Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM) is a group of Christian churches primarily located in North America.[1] It also encompasses congregations in Bolivia, Ethiopia, Great Britain and Mexico.[2]

Contents

[edit] Previous Names

Sovereign Grace Ministries was known as People of Destiny International until 1998, when its name was shortened to PDI Ministries.[3]. British restorationist leader Terry Virgo claims that the change was a result of then-leaders Larry Tomczak and CJ Mahaney becoming "increasingly uncomfortable" with the "People of Destiny International" tag[4] A further name change came in the early 2000s when the group adopted its current name of "Sovereign Grace Ministries."

[edit] History

The organization of over 70 member churches grew out of the charismatic renewal of the 1970s under the leadership of Catholic Charismatic Larry Tomczak and has its roots in the Gathering of Believers (now Covenant Life Church) in Maryland.[5] It was formally established in 1982.[6] CJ Mahaney, whom Larry Tomczak had been asked to "take under [his] wing and help... grow in the faith" in 1972, was the co-founder of both Covenant Life and People of Destiny.[7] Both Mahaney and Tomczak quietly withdrew from the Charismatic Catholic scene shortly before the creation of Covenant Life Church.[8]

Tomczak and Mahaney were both close to the leaders of British restorationism - speaking at New Frontiers' Bible Weeks and Stoneleigh Conference - and were also associated with Maranatha Campus Ministries for a period.[9] Alister McGrath brackets PDI with the shepherding movement and describes it as having "informal links with Bryn Jones", the UK house church leader.[10] In the mid-1990s, religious anthropologist Dr Karla Poewe contrasted PDI with the Vineyard Church. She wrote: "Vineyard is particularly attractive to the young and intellectual... People of Destiny serves a Catholic constituency." [11]

Tomczak eventually left the leadership of PDI in 1998 and has subsequently suggested that the increasingly Calvinistic theology of PDI was a major factor in this division.[6][12] He has described the parting of ways with Sovereign Grace Ministries as "an unbelievable nightmare" during which his family "were threatened in various ways if [they] did not cooperate with [PDI/SGM]... A letter was circulated in an attempt to discredit me and to distort the events surrounding my departure."[13] Other notable charismatic figures, such as Lou Engle, founder of The Call prayer concerts, and Che Ahn, pastor of Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, also ceased to be formally associated with PDI during this period.[14]

[edit] Recent Developments

In recent years, Sovereign Grace has moved closer to the Reformed wing of the evangelical church. It has partnered with speakers such as John MacArthur, Mark Dever, RC Sproul and John Piper, who speak at the Together for the Gospel Conferences.[15]

SGM currently describes its theology as "evangelical, Reformed, and charismatic".[16] Sovereign Grace's apostolic leadership team is currently led by C.J. Mahaney and is based in Gaithersburg, Maryland where it shares a building with Covenant Life.[17][18]

CJ Mahaney's wife,Carolyn Mahaney, has taken leadership of the Titus 2 Women's ministry. She is also a popular author and conference speaker.

[edit] Church Planting

[edit] History

Church-planting was on the agenda from the earliest years of Covenant Life Church. The first church-planting team was sent out to Ohio.[1]. The commitment to church-planting is still alive, today a page of the official SGM website is devoted to the touting of upcoming church-plants worldwide.

For many years, PDI did not adopt pre-existing churches. It was this policy which led to the expansion of New Frontiers International into the United States.[19] PDI/SGM subsequently altered its stance and will accept established churches into the fold. Sovereign Grace now pursues an adoption methodology that begins primarily through the development of a relationship with leadership and continues towards strategic dialogue to evaluate the doctrinal and practical compatibility of Sovereign Grace with the church desiring adoption. [2]

[edit] Methodology

Church planter Fred Herron categorises PDI/SGM church-planting as "colonization". He writes: "a pastor or leader from a mother church gathers a core group of people to plant a new church, however, instead of planting the church in a bedroom community, the entire team relocates to a totally different city".[20]

[edit] Publishing Ventures

[edit] Magazine

PDI/SGM published a magazine for about twenty years. It was initially entitled "People of Destiny", with the title later changing to "Sovereign Grace".[21]. The first issue had the words "Are You A Pioneer - Or A Settler?" on the front cover.[22] Larry Tomczak was the founding editor of the magazine that was eventually discontinued in 2002. Also a New Attitude magazine was written by Joshua Harris.

[edit] Books

Larry Tomczak was a popular author with mainstream Christian publishers from the early 1970s onwards.[23][24][13][25] During the 1990s, SGM launched the self-published series of "Pursuit of Godliness" books, each penned by SGM authors.[26][27]

In recent years CJ Mahaney has also achieved mainstream Christian recognition as an author.[28] Joshua Harris, who was a published author prior to joining SGM, has authored several other books since arriving at Covenant Life Church.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sovereign Grace Churches. SGM Official Website. Retrieved on 2008-02-29.
  2. ^ Sovereign Grace Churches, by Country. SGM Official Website. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  3. ^ "News Briefs", Christianity Today, 1998-04-27. Retrieved on 2008-02-29. 
  4. ^ Virgo, Terry. No Well Worn Paths, p.145. 
  5. ^ Tomczak, Larry (1989). Clap Your Hands. Word Publishing, pp.179-196. ISBN 978-0850093155. 
  6. ^ a b "Gospel Bluesman Offers God's Love In Sin City", Charisma Magazine, 2000-07. Retrieved on 2008-02-09. 
  7. ^ Tomczak, Larry (1989). Clap Your Hands. Word Publishing, p.164. ISBN 978-0850093155. 
  8. ^ Tomczak, Larry (1989). Clap Your Hands. Word Publishing, p.185. ISBN 978-0850093155. 
  9. ^ Virgo, Terry. No Well Worn Paths, p.162. 
  10. ^ McGrath, Alister. The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Modern Christian Thought, p.432. 
  11. ^ Poewe, Karla O. (1994). Charismatic Christianity as a Global Culture, p.25. 
  12. ^ Tomczak, Larry (1998). What Do You Believe About How People get Saved?. 
  13. ^ a b Tomczak, Larry. Reckless Abandon, p.15. 
  14. ^ Poloma, Margaret M.. Main Street Mystics, p.177. 
  15. ^ T4G 2008 Conference. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  16. ^ SGM Official Website. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  17. ^ SGM Official Website. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  18. ^ SGM Official Website. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  19. ^ Virgo, Terry. No Well Worn Paths, p.206. 
  20. ^ Herron, Fred (2003). Expanding God's Kingdom Through Church-Planting, pp.73-74. 
  21. ^ "People of Destiny, Sovereign Grace" (1982-2002?). 
  22. ^ "People of Destiny, Issue One" (1982). 
  23. ^ Tomczak, Larry (1989). Clap Your Hands. Word Publishing. ISBN 978-0850093155. 
  24. ^ Tomczak, Larry. Divine Appointments. ISBN 978-1560433200. 
  25. ^ Tomczak, Larry. God, the Rod and Your Child's Bod. 
  26. ^ CJ Mahaney and Robin Boisvert. Why Small Groups. ISBN 978-1881039068. 
  27. ^ CJ Mahaney and Greg Somerville. How Can I Change?. ISBN 978-1881039037. 
  28. ^ CJ Mahaney. Living the Cross-Centred Life. ISBN 978-1590525784. 

[edit] External links