Our Mission and Creeds

Our Mission (By Steve Murrell)

Little did I know that after that night, in February of 1994, my life and ministry would never be the same! I expected a good meeting with some old friends. I did not expect God to show up; at least not the way He did. Rice Broocks, the master of nicknames, now calls that night the “Manila Miracle”. Rice and Phil Bonasso were checking our church planting opportunities in Singapore and Malaysia.

Since they were in the neighbourhood, they decided to drop by Manila for a quick visit. Phil and I discussed our common vision for missions and church planting in Asia and the world. We discussed our common passion for campus ministry. We discussed our shared commitments to biblical standards of purity, holiness, and courtship. We discussed our emphasis on discipleship and leadership training. As we talked, we were both amazed at the similarities in our ministries. Our histories, foundations, core values, and visions were almost mirror images of each other. Plus, there was the “Rice factor”. Rice was an integral part of the foundation and ongoing apostolic leadership in both our ministries. At some point, Phil asked if there was any way we could work together in Singapore and Malaysia.

As we discussed this possibility, we all felt there was much more on the Lord’s agenda than those two nations. As the night progressed, we realised God was merging our ministries into one. Phil and I both looked at Rice and said we would merge our ministries only if Rice would agree to be the leaders (president). Rice eventually agreed and Every Nation was born late that night in my home in Manila.

It was as if God stepped into my house that night and said to the three of us: “Your mission, Mr. Broocks, Mr. Bonasso, and Mr. Murrell – shoud you choose to obey – is to honour God and advance His Kingdom through church planting, campus ministry, and world missions.” The next few years, as we faithfully, made disciples, planted churches, trained leaders, God joined several other ministers and ministries to us. These three common every Nation sayings concerning our three top ministry priorities not only explain our past, but also point the way for our future.

Every Nation in Our Generation

This is the motto of our church planting plan, the “2010 Initiative”. The basic strategy is for each Every Nation church to plant a church every three years. We do not have the option of merely being local churches. We must be church-planting churches. We hope to have at least one church in every nation in our generation.

Change the Campus, Change the World

Because we have a vision to reach the future leaders of society, we focus on the campus, where future business, political, and education leaders are now studying. We firmly believe that if we change the campus, we will eventually change the family, the nation, and the world.

A Bible and a Passport

During our original outreach in Manila in 1984, we told every new convert to get a Bible and a passport. The Bible is essential if we are serious about knowing God. The passport is essential if we are serious about knowing God. The passport is essential if we are serious about obeying God. There is no way we can obey the Apostolic Mandate and go into all the world without a passport! We believe every church and every disciple must be involved in missions and evangelism. Creeds Every Nation adheres to the following historical creeds and covenants.

Creeds

The Apostles Creed (A.D. 215) I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

The Nicene Creed (A.D. 325) I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Chalcedonian Creed (A.D. 451) Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognised in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of nature’s being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and substance, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.