Missions at St. James

In 2021, St. James changed our approach to the way we carried out our mission to the world.  These changes involved:

  • Adopting an Acts 1:8 model of outreach.
  • Our mission team was restructured to have specific focus on our community (Jerusalem), our region (Judea/Samaria), and everything beyond that was our Ends of the Earth.
  • No longer funding missions out of the general operating fund but moving to a Faith Promise model.
  • Conducting an annual Global Impact Celebration.


In adopting the approach above, God has blessed us with more funds to support His work, extended our outreach locally, regionally, and internationally, and raised the level of individual engagement in the mission of Jesus.

Where and How We Serve with our mission partners

Following the pattern indicated by our Lord in Acts 1:8, St. James seeks to impact persons with the Gospel in our immediate community, in our region, among the nearby marginalized, and to the ends of the earth where we discern God is calling us. We break that down in the following ways (click on the + to expand).

  • Local Missions encompasses the Five Points community roughly defined by us as the area bounded by Macon Highway to the south, Baxter Street to the north, East Campus Road/S Milledge Ave to the east and the Middle Oconee River to the west.


    Outreach in this area includes:

    • On church campus events such as Food Truck nights, outdoor concerts, block parties, and drive-thru prayer
    • Access to our playground for community children throughout the week
    • Classes/seminars that minister to the spiritual, physical, emotional, or psychological needs of individuals in our community.

  • Regional Missions encompasses the greater Athens area including Athens-Clark County and its five contiguous counties of Barrow, Jackson, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Madison. 


    Our Regional Mission Partners are:

  • Ends of the Earth Missions include any location or area outside our defined Local and Regional Mission areas. Currently we support the following ends of the earth missionaries/ministries:

    • Mike, Olga, and Valerie Cantrell, who are involved in advising and supporting mission efforts throughout eastern Europe and the Congo.
    • Dima and Elissa Bahtin, Directors of Camp Gideon in Estonia
    • Summer camping program in Montenegro.
    • The work of Salvtore Dafi and Raymond Munisi with the AOG in Tanzania where we have assisted in the building of 19 churches, provided clean water via new wells and personal water purifying devices, sanitation facilities, and ongoing support for the Village of Hope orphanage. 
    • David and Vicki Creel with Far East Broadcasting Company in Cambodia
    • Jeff and Sissie D'Jernes with Wycliffe Bible Translators in their work with the Arop-Lokep people of Papua New Guinea
    • TMS Global in placing Cross Cultural Workers among the least-reached and unreached peoples of the world.


Global Impact Celebration (GIC)

The Global Impact Celebration or GIC is an annual event in our church we often refer to as "the most exciting 44 hours in the life of the church." On the weekend of the first Sunday of February each year, we bring in mission partners and potential partners for the purpose of learning what God is doing in the world through various types and places of ministry.


Additionally, we celebrate how God has allowed St. James to join Jesus in His mission and we commit funds to allow that partnership with Him to continue the next year.

Faith Promise

Faith Promise giving is a way of supporting missions at St. James by making a commitment to give a certain amount of money, trusting that God will provide the means to fulfill that commitment. Some key components of Faith Promise giving are:

  • It is not a pledge, but an expression of faith and obedience.
  • It is giving above or beyond tithes and offerings.
  • The commitment is made each year at the Global Impact Celebration.
  • The commitment is between the giver and God. 
  • No record of the commitment is kept by the church.
  • If God does not provide, there is no obligation to give.


Faith Promise is the only means we use at St. James to finance our mission efforts locally, regionally, and around the world.


To make a 2024 Faith Promise Commitment, Click HERE.

(Note: Your commitment will be anonymous. We will only see the amount committed not your name or email.

We only need to know the amount for planning and budgeting purposes.)


Faith Promise Status Fiscal 2023

The information below provides information on Faith Promise Commitments, Receipts, and Disbursements in support of the Local, Regional, and International mission efforts of St. James Church.

  • 74 Faith Promise Commitments for 02/2023-01/2024

    $152,130 in Faith Promise Commitments for Fiscal 2023 (02/05/2023 -02/04/2024)

    $28,912 carried over from 2022

    $119,024 received since 02/05/2023

    $133,426 disbursed since 02/05/2023


    • Athens Prayer Network $900
    • Athens Pregnancy Center $6,000
    • Bigger Vision $6,000
    • Bigger Vision Bible Study (Bibles for Participants) $326
    • City of Refuge-Athens $4,000
    • Covenant Care Adoptions $6,000
    • College of Athens $3,500
    • Downtown Ministries $6,000
    • Kairos Prison Ministry $300
    • Mercy Center Health $3,500
    • Sideways Sunlight $8,000
    • Sleep in Heavenly Peace-Athens $8,000
    • St. James Local Outreach $2,800
    • Steve Pierce, Perspectives USA $3,000
    • Wesley Foundation $3,000


    • Cantrell Family Support- Russia (Mike, Olga, Valarie) $12,000
    • Cru- Romania (Tommy Dove) $3,000
    • Far East Broadcasting- Cambodia (Creels) $8,700
    • Stoneworks- Montenegro (Teen Camp) $2,000
    • Stoneworks- Estonia (Bahtins) $8,000
    • Stoneworks- Estonia (Camp Gideon Shower Project) $5,200
    • TMS Global- Peru (Iveys) $2,000
    • UGA Wesley Foundation Initiative- Cuba $4,000
    • Tanzania AoG- Church Construction, Water Well, Sanitary Facilities Project $10,200
    • Wycliffe Bible Translators- Papua New Guinea (DeJernes) $1,000
    • TMS Global- Train, Mobilize, & Send Missionaries to Unreached Peoples $10,000

Short-Term Mission trips

Short-Term Mission trips and projects are not ends in themselves but vehicles by which St. James Church can spread the gospel in the world, disciple church members, and develop long-term relationships.  


Specifically, Short-Term Missions trips:

  • further advance the ministries of St. James supported missionaries and ministries. 
  • strengthen discipleship within the congregation.
  • cultivate a heart for missions.
  • change the lives of participants forever.
  • influence the congregation in a positive manner.
  • are a vital part in fulfilling the strategic goals of the world-wide church.


upcoming-short-term-mission-trips