For the first time in the Church of the Nazarene’s history the Local Church Ministries — Nazarene Discipleship International (NDI), Nazarene Missions International (NMI), and Nazarene Youth International (NYI) will launch the 31st General Assembly and Conventions with a combined service on 25 June 2027.
Through the unity of the local church, the 31st General Assembly and Conventions will then commence in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. The service is scheduled for 8 a.m. Central Time, in the Grand Ballroom of the Kansas City Convention Center.
“The local church doesn’t experience NDI, NMI, and NYI as three disconnected organizations,” said Sam Barber, Global NDI director. “We are one church. We make disciples. We engage in God’s mission. We invest in the next generation. And we do all of it in Jesus’ name.”
The historic moment will highlight the Church of the Nazarene’s shared mission and unified commitment to the local church. The final plenary session for the NDI, NMI, and NYI Conventions will also be a joint service, on Sunday 27 June at 2:30 p.m.
“By celebrating together as one global family, we will have the opportunity to experience on a global level what happens every day in our local churches around the world: generations, cultures, and ministries serving side by side, united in one mission in Jesus’ Name,” said Global NYI Director David Gonzalez. “These combined sessions will remind us that the diversity of our cultures, ages, languages, ministries, and experiences is a gift from God—one that enriches and strengthens us and shows us how much we need one another to live out the mission God has entrusted to us.”
All three local church ministries will also share the same space for their respective conventions, alternating time slots for full plenary sessions. While sharing the same space could bring some logistical challenges, Global NMI Director Cheryl Crouch has found that to be the opposite.
“We started planning together, and I soon realized that what NMI will gain is so much greater than anything we’d ‘lose,'” said Crouch. “We’re benefiting from the energy of NYI and the creativity of NDI, and our pooled resources are allowing us to do things on a grander scale than ever before.
“It’s a beautiful example of what happens any time we stop protecting what is ‘ours’ to serve God together,” Crouch added. “He is pleased, and we are blessed!”
Registration is open for the 31st General Assembly and Conventions. To learn more, click here.