Rev. Dr. Leon C. Moore, Jr.
General Secretary of Evangelism and Missions
Telephone: 678-362-7549
Email: cmegdem@gmail.com

Episcopal Chair: Bishop Ricky D. Helton

Purpose of the Department:
The Department of Evangelism and Missions develops and promotes programs that help local congregations become engaged in awareness and ministry of Evangelism and Missions in the local church. It shall be the purpose of the Department of Evangelism and Missions to keep before the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church its evangelistic and social ministries, as these concerns are expressive of the mission of the church.

Reference: Chapter 49, pg. 226 The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Book of Discipline.

Aims and Definitions:
1. Evangelism. The aim of evangelism is to bring all persons into living active fellowship with God through Jesus Christ as the Divine Savior and through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit; to gather them into the fellowship of the Church; to lead them to express their Christian discipleship in every area of human life that the kingdom of God may be realized.

2. Missions. The objective of the Missions ministry shall be evangelical and educational, designed to promote Christian missions, Church extension, Missionary education, and interest throughout the Connection in the United States and in other countries in which the CME Church conducts missionary activity.

3. Church Planting. The aim of church planting is to remain faithful to the aggressive church growth efforts of our founders and expanders in starting new congregations. The objective of the church planting ministry is to continue to fulfill our evangelism mission by reaching out and forming new Christian congregations, thus expanding the kingdom of God.

Brief History
The 1922 General Conference gave the authorization to establish an Evangelistic Department. The bishops recommended to the general conference of 1922 authorized the establishment of an evangelistic department for the CME Church, Rev. R.O. Langford a native of Huntsville Alabama while selected. Prior to the 1922 General Conference Pastors as they do now have the responsibility to lead Evangelism in the local Church. The evangelistic department offered the local church creative programs on the connectional level. As we look at the Missions aspect of the Department prior to the General Conference 1982 and 1986 restructure/strategic plan the General Secretary over the Missions work had full supervision. However, after the 1986 General Conference, the work of Missions was assigned to a Bishop and conducted in conjunction with the General Secretary.

The department directs workshops, seminars, and conferences, at annual, district, and local congregational levels under the leadership of the Bishop. The focus is on the meaning and strategies for evangelism and missions in the social ministry of the church. It also prepares position papers and statements on vital social, political, and moral issues before the church and the world and represents the CME Church, when necessary, at conferences and seminars when these issues are discussed and debated.

This department serves as the focal point of the ecumenical witness and involvement of the CME Church in evangelistic and missional settings.