One Church ’ s Story of OMS Partnership
By Duane Brown , Director of Church Partners , OMS USA
In April 2020 , toward the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown , One Mission Society ( OMS ) USA made a strategic decision to launch the Church Partners Department . Its mission is to guide local churches into partnerships with OMS that hold mutual value , so that together , we can mobilize and multiply disciples , churches , leaders , and missionaries among all nations .
Church Partners intentionally continues OMS ’ 120-year history of working with local churches to advance Jesus ’ Great Commission . Here is a brief interview with Ken Baker , missions team leader of World Gospel Church ( WGC ) in Terre Haute , Indiana , about this church ’ s longterm relationship with OMS .
Duane : Tell us how WGC began partnering with OMS . What are some high points in this partnership ?
Ken : “ Throughout the book of Acts , the growth of the church through outreach to make disciples is identified by the phrase , ‘ And the Word of God spread .’ WGC was established in 1957 to spread the Word throughout the world . Early in WGC ’ s ministry , OMS became a strategic partner by providing opportunities to serve this purpose .
“ In 1963 , Pearl Akers of WGC moved to the OMS World Headquarters as an office administrator . In the late 1960s , Charles Lake , our second pastor , went
to work at the OMS headquarters . Our fifth pastor , Helmut Schultz , served as an OMS missionary in Japan . Foster Pilcher , a member of WGC for many years , works at the OMS headquarters as a graphic designer . Mike and Pat Dragon , also WGC members , are at OMS headquarters , leading and ministering with Every Community for Christ and Dynamic Women in Missions ministries .
“ There always seem to be internship and employment opportunities within OMS to work directly in sharing the Word of God . Over the last 60 years , we have supported , through finances and prayer , more than 30 western and indigenous OMS global work teams in Colombia , Hong Kong , Hungary , Brazil , India , Kenya , Mozambique , Ecuador , South Korea , and Haiti . Additionally , every year , we support at least five OMS pastors in training at seminaries in Colombia , India , the South Pacific , and Haiti . Each week , current prayer requests from these teams are communicated to the WGC family .”
12