the vision

"Write the vision and make it clear…" Habakkuk 2:2

The world has now become a global marketplace. Modern technology via the Internet makes possible new levels of co-operation. Christians from any country can now connect with visionary apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers releasing new dynamics into their own ministry.

Here's how CRI can work for you:

1. To provide a global framework of co-operation and interactive contact, based on association and networking. Experience has taught us that for church planting and Christian leadership development networking to be effective longer term, there needs to be genuine commitment. This will involve a process of application leading to approval to associate with CRI. CRI reserves the right to decline an application. Before applying however, make sure you read on in this section and "The Belief Statement.

2. Christian leaders linked with CRI can lift the level of excellence in their ministry, no matter where they live in the world. Our aim is to strengthen Christian leaders and thereby strengthen local churches. This includes city churches, village churches, condominium churches, cell churches, house churches and believers who have to meet in secret due to persecution.

3. To assist those who know they have a call to be a Christian leader to get started and to encourage and train them. Basically stand up and stand out; get up and get going!

4. To encourage, mentor and train those leaders (men, women and youth leaders) who face difficult, hostile and dangerous situations in their place of ministry.

5. The harvest in the nations is plentiful. It is the labourers that are in short supply. Therefore we need to speed up the training of Christian leaders globally, using different approaches. The harvest must be reaped for our Lord Jesus Christ. It can be done.

6. To return to the New Testament pattern of training Christian leadership. Our Lord Jesus Christ as Head of the Church has given apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers as His gifts in Christian leadership to train and equip others. These were hands-on active Christian leaders. They were visionaries, not managers. Dynamic local church leaders should birth more Christian leaders. We want to refocus on local church training, rather than pursuit of academic degrees.

7. To assist local church leaders to fulfil this vision we will assist them to set up their own Bible Schools, Leadership Training Centres or Mission Training Schools. Networking in this way empowers Christian leaders of a nation to raise up many more leaders. This builds stronger local churches, increases evangelism and provides new leaders for church planting outreaches. This is indigenous missions, first nation missions, cross cultural missions and ethnic missions in action.

8. To equip and train existing Christian leaders and up and coming Christian leaders by training them where they live and serve the Lord. To bring quality training to them. There are many Christian leaders and prospective leaders who cannot afford to move away to a Bible College or Seminary. They cannot leave their family, or their local church or their employment if self supporting. Nor is it necessary to do so. It is less disruptive and less expensive to train by distance training with CRI.

9. To honour what God is doing worldwide in our time in restoring the role of the apostle. This restoration became obvious in the 1990's and is causing major strategy changes in world mission efforts. The apostolic gift is a senior gifting and heads the list of giftings in Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:28. Apostles are not better than other Christian leaders but the gifting of Christ in them provides senior leadership. Apostles are visionaries, leaders of leaders, fathers in ministry, church planters, operate in a revelationary and relationary way, rather than institutionally. The supernatural power of the Holy Spirit is clear to see in their ministry and they are keys to regional, national and international evangelism. They are also link ministries. CRI believes that all the Ephesians 4:11 ministry gifts are for the whole church age until Jesus returns. CRI is founded and led by an apostolic ministry. The CRI network allows other Christian leaders to tap into that ministry gift deposit. God's will is for other apostolic leaders to be released into that gifting, placed in that gifting and recognized as such in ministry function.

10. To assist Christians worldwide to evangelise and church plant in their towns, cities, rural areas, regions and nation. Where there are few churches operating we can strengthen leadership and local churches. Where there are few believers we can strengthen and mentor them.

11. To train Christian leaders to move in the power of the Holy Spirit, returning to the strategy of Jesus and the Early Church. They healed the sick, raised the dead on occasion, delivered the demonised, worked other signs and wonders. Result? Whole families, towns, cities and regions heard the gospel, left their idols and witchcraft and turned to the Lord. We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit and in the supernatural Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

12. To train men, women and youth of any race or culture for Christian Service.

13. To equip youth groups and youth churches to have vibrant, relevant youth outreach without compromise. Go to our youth website at www.renewalyouth.com for more information.

What this vision is not

1. CRI is not primarily a provider of financial aid. We receive many requests for this. As the old saying states "We will not keep giving you fish, we will teach you how to catch your own fish."

2. CRI networking is not about controlling your ministry or your local church. Many independent pastors fear networking thinking that they will lose control of their local church. Networking is all about helping you do a better job in what the Lord has called you to do!

3. CRI is not exclusive in spirit to the wider body of Christ. There is only one Kingdom that God is building and that is the Kingdom of His dear Son!

4. CRI is not about building a dominating attitude in Christian ministry. Jesus reproved James and John for their ambitious motives. He showed Himself as the true role model of a leader as one that serves.