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The GCM Reliant board of directors approves an organizational statement of faith that is designed to help locate the identity of Great Commission Ministries Reliant Mission as “broadly evangelical.”  The intent is to publicly declare GCM’s Reliant’s core beliefs so that donors, ministry partners, and missionaries have a clear understanding of our doctrine and its relationship to our mission.

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On November 9, 2012, the board of directors voted to replace the previous Statement previous Statement of Faith (old1989-2012). Our desire was to better reflect our value that GCM Reliant does not take the role of local spiritual leadership for churches or ministries we partner with.  The previous GCM Reliant statement of faith was adopted under Great Commission Churches since 1989.

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Reliant Missionaries Affirming the Statement of Faith

Affirmation of the GCM Reliant Statement of Faith is required for GCM Reliant missionaries and is seen as a necessary area of agreement for working in partnership with churches or ministries.

All GCM Reliant missionaries regardless of status (including associate and intern) show their affirmation by signing the statement of faith during their assessment and application process, which is kept on record in their personnel file.

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Please sign to indicate your full agreement with the Great Commission Ministries Reliant Mission statement of faith. Many of our missionaries and church and ministry partners affirm statements that are more specific than these but are not in contradiction.

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Potential missionaries or current missionaries who can affirm all but a few words or small portion of our statement of faith (potentially a "minor area of disagreement") should still speak with GCM Reliant about their specific question before signing the statement. GCM Reliant desires a "major on the majors and minor on the minors" mentality and greatly values integrity and candor.

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Current missionaries who experience a change of conscience and belief such that they are no longer able to affirm GCMReliant's statement of faith should discuss their position with local church and ministry leadership (including local GCM Reliant supervision). If the situation remains, the GCM Reliant missionary should declare their position to GCM Reliant within a reasonable period of time.

If a current missionary declares to us that they can no longer personally affirm our statement of faith, GCM Reliant may consider it justifiable reason to end employment or association, though only after careful process in conversation with local ministry leadership.

If a current missionary perceives a contradiction between the doctrinal beliefs of their local church or ministry statement of faith and GCM’s Reliant’s statement and their local church or ministry is already in ministry partnership with us, they should ask GCM Reliant to review the situation with local leadership to seek clarity. If the issue is decided to be truly in contradiction, see the section on Church and Ministry partnership below.

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Church and Ministry Partnership

GCM Reliant works in ministry partnership with a number of evangelical ministries and churches. In each case, GCM Reliant expects that the local church, church network, or ministry will have their own statement of faith or method of affirming Christian belief.

Faith Agreement for Voluntary Partnership

GCM Reliant chooses to partner at its own discretion with Christian churches and ministries who are "like-minded" and evangelical. A disagreement on our Statement of Faith is part of our evaluation of the appropriateness of any partnership. GCM Reliant may choose to request or review the statement of faith of a church or ministry who is establishing a potential ministry partnership.

GCM Reliant does not formally sign statements of faith of other church or ministries, and churches or ministries are not expected to formally sign the GCM Reliant statement of faith. Partnership with GCM Reliant is voluntary for both parties and does not constitute a contract or apostolic relationship.

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A local church or ministry may choose to require more specific affirmations from GCM Reliant missionaries working at their location, as long as there is no contradiction with the GCM Reliant statement of faith. The requirement should be fairly and consistently applied in the local context.

GCM Reliant will support the more specific requirement via the local portion of the assessmentthe Missionary Assessment Process. As well, GCM Reliant will support continued missionary employment for the GCM Reliant missionary with the church or ministry partner based on local specific requirements.

However, GCM Reliant may support the transfer of a missionary to a church or ministry who does not hold the same specific requirement, based on our guidelines for change in ministry assignment, which includes the blessing of the church.

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If a church or ministry partner perceives a contradiction between their locally held doctrinal beliefs and GCM’s Reliant’s statement of faith, GCM Reliant seeks careful conversation between the GCM Reliant Executive Director and local leadership to talk about whether the voluntary partnership makes sense to continue further. GCM Reliant Missionaries will not be "caught in the middle"—GCM —Reliant desires to come to understanding with the church or ministry partner first.

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Questions, requests, concerns, or potential disagreements regarding the statement of aith faith should be reviewed GCM Reliant Missionary Resources alongside local church or ministry leadership. Appeals or requests for exceptions may be made to the Executive Director, and at his discretion, by the sub-committee of the GCM Reliant board of directors designated to review doctrinal issues. The GCM Reliant Board of Directors holds the final say in doctrinal matters.