History

Throughout Christian history, God has led his people to employ various means to take His Good News to the lost world. As the church of the 21st century, we are emerging out of the most fruitful period of mission history, the Modern Mission Movement. Beginning in the late 18th century, the organized efforts of mission-minded leaders resulted in the development of mission societies, agencies and other para-church organizations that have assisted churches in sending people with a cross-cultural calling to serve around the world. These efforts were enhanced by modern developments in travel, communication, printing and development. But the world has not stood still. The world continues to change. As the believer’s church of the 21st century, many have paused to look at the backdrop of the stage upon which we live. What is the backdrop of our kairos? Is the church understanding its kairos time?

2006

In 2006, a group of pastors and missions leaders gathered in Dallas, Texas, to discuss the changing world and the church’s response to those changes. With conversations led by a Texas pastor, Dr. Dennis Wiles, and Dr. Michael Stroope, Professor of Christian Missions at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary, a core group of missional thinkers emerged to take the lead in seeking to explore the current means by which local churches could be encouraged toward greater involvement and investment in strategic missions. There were new realities that needed to be considered by the church of the 21st century. While it is good to maintain effective strategies, the core leaders were convinced that the church also needed to consider new options available to the church in this era.

Some of the new realities are:

• The 21st-century church, like a sleeping giant, has experienced a reawakening by God to its role as the formative and catalytic agent for Kingdom mission.
• Hints of post-denominational thinking have altered the missional landscape for 21st-century churches.
• Due to globalization, the emerging flat world is providing many entry points for believers to enter cultures that have historically been inaccessible.
• The church of the 21st century has exhibited a strong desire to be practically and personally connected to the Great Commission.
• Pastors and missions leaders are no longer content to lead congregations that are paralyzed by old mission methodologies that prevent members of the congregation from being formed, trained and sent to serve as witnesses of Christ across the world.
• Effective organizations and movements of the 21st century are leaning away from high organizational structure and heavy bureaucratic processes.
• Due to the diaspora (immigrant and refugee people migrations), crossing cultures with the gospel is not an “overseas” endeavor for trained missionaries. But rather it is a daily reality for local churches submerged in ever-changing communities.

The core leadership team agreed that simply mobilizing the church was not enough. Churches needed to be led to embrace their role in spiritual/missional formation and the development of sound missiological principles. The leadership team was not seeking Nike churches that just do it. The leadership team desired to see churches do mission well.

The core team hosted a second meeting of pastors and church mission leaders in the summer of 2006 and determined to launch a network with a central catalytic office that served to stimulate a
nd assist churches in their missional development. By December 2006, Global Connection Partnership Network was formed as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. In dialogue with pastors and church mission leaders. The network focused on addressing three primary concerns:

• Producing a formation process and resources for local churches to train their people for cross-cultural witness;
• Providing consultation and resources to churches that promoted strategic mission thinking, and;
• Working toward a collaborative model of mission for churches that involved the sharing of resources and people.

Over the next five years, Global Connection Partnership Network (GCPN) produced a training resource for churches called, Panorama. Panorama is a web-based, multi-media mission formation resource for churches which is constantly being upgraded and adapted to meet the needs of churches. Promoting the autonomy of the local church, the network worked to identify services that could assist churches in mission sending through a centralized office but that did not possess a centralized authority. Additionally, GCPN began to engage local churches through invitation to a missional community.

Since its formation in 2006, GCPN has assisted churches in training and sending workers into Europe, West Africa, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, East Africa, North Africa, Middle East, Central America, South America, Japan and Australia.

2011

In July 2011, pastors in the GCPN Network gathered to assess the progress and future of the network. It was determined on July 21, 2011 that the name of the network was too laborious and should be changed. In September 2011, GCPN received permission from the state of Texas to operate under the assumed name, KINEXXUS. This name was selected by pastors within the network to capture the spirit of the network. The name KINEXXUS suggests connection, nexus, us, kin, and kinetic – all words descriptive of the nature of the network. The Kinexxus logo also possessed a red moon as a symbol of our kairos time. Rooted in the prophecy of Joel and proclaimed by Peter as he preached at Pentecost, Kinexxus believed we live in the age of the church, ordained by Christ and prophesied by Joel as follows:

". . . this is what was spoken to you by the prophet, Joel:

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

                                                                 Acts 2:16-21

2014

On July 1, 2014, Kinexxus merged with PRH - Restore Hope after several years of close collaboration.

PRH - Restore Hope, founded in 2009, was working to bring lasting hope and health to the nations through sustainable development resulting in transformed lives, reliable infrastructure, social responsibility and capacity for continued development. Its holistic development work has been largely concentrated in Sierra Leone with disaster relief efforts serving Niger and Japan.

The new organization, Restore Hope, now offers an expanded array of services to its partner churches and communities across the world.

Restore Hope combines these services into three divisions: Church Engagement, Business Services and International Operations. Our mission is to restore hope to individuals and communities through Christ-centered, church-based proclamation and service. We still aim to see the physical, spiritual, social and economic needs of vulnerable communities met through collaborative efforts with churches, community leaders and other organizations. We are now better equipped to help North American and global churches engage to go to the ends of the earth among the poor, the hurting and the hopeless.

God is good! He is working all over the world and we are blessed to join Him in His purposes.