World Methodist Convocation on Evangelism is held in Jerusalem. Over 3,000 Methodists gather in Shepherd’s Field near Bethlehem to commit themselves to spreading the same good news which the angels declared to the shepherds, “A Savior is born.”

Sir Alan Walker, a distinguished church and national leader from Sydney, Australia is named as the first World Director of WME. He serves in that capacity until 1988.

World Methodist Evangelism Institute is founded by Dr. George Morris. The Institute is a collaborative ministry of WME and Candler School of Theology at Emory University. Together, the Institute and WME will host regular, annual seminars all over the world, with the first held in Africa and attended by people from 32 different countries.

Sir Alan and Lady Winifred Walker receive the World Methodist Peace Prize
An Australian couple who shared a lifetime of ministry which emphasized moral and spiritual transformation and reconciliation, Sir Alan and Lady Winifred Walker worked as evangelists and emissaries of peace on six continents. Alan Walker believed that the greatest cause of the war was that people believed in war. He noted that until slavery as an institution was rejected, slavery remained. He preached that peace would not come as long as the world accepted war as a means of settling the human conflict. Sir Alan served as the First Director of World Methodist Evangelism from 1978 to 1989.

Regional Secretaries are selected to advance the work of WME throughout the world and gather for their first world meeting.

“Through Christ, Africa can have life in all its fullness and there can be healing of the land. This is our prayer in World Evangelism.” (Dr. H. Mvume Dandala, Regional Secretary, Africa-South, Presiding Bishop, Methodist Church in Southern Africa)

“We are seeing World Evangelism move with a clear vision for spreading the Gospel across our continent. We can change the world through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” (Bishop Lawi Imathiu, Regional Secretary, Africa-West, Presiding Bishop, Methodist Church Kenya)

Mexico – 4th International Christian Youth Conference on Evangelism

Prayer and Fasting Community is formed. Weekly messages encourage the Wesleyan Methodist family around the world as they fast and pray in the pattern of John Wesley. Members of WME’s Prayer and Fasting Community take no solid food from Thursday evening until Friday evening, praying that the Methodist movement might become a channel of Holy Spirit transformation around the world.

Regional Evangelism Seminar August – Lohusalu, Estonia – World Methodist Evangelism Institute and WME host seminar entitled “Proclaiming the Good News to All Creation”

Tallinn, Estonia – WME partners with the Methodist Church in Estonia to found the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary, and the World Methodist Council hosts its executive meeting in September.

Order of the FLAME (Faithful Leaders As Mission Evangelists) formed. This North American gathering of young clergy and their spouses has continued annually, training over 2500 leaders to be mission evangelists in their communities. FLAME communities have also been formed in Africa and Ireland.

“As a new pastor, the Order of the FLAME event was instrumental in shaping my approach to evangelism, Christian spiritual formation, and leadership. In four years, the membership of our church increased by over 25%, which I attribute to the practices and teachings I learned at the Order of the FLAME. In addition, the passion for Jesus Christ exhibited by the leaders at the Conference was sincere, enthusiastic and contagious.” (Rebecca Mincieli)

“The Order of the FLAME was a turning point in my ministry. I was challenged in the way I preached and how I viewed the church. It helped personalize the Great Commission. Since the FLAME, I’m very intentional about ‘offering them Christ.’ We expect and see new commitments to Christ every week at Harvest Church. I used to be surprised if someone did make a commitment to Christ, now I’m surprised if they don’t.” (Jim Cowart)

“The Order of the FLAME conference was a gift from God. As such, it came at just the right time in my life and ministry. The conference was informational, inspirational, and transformational. The anointing of the Holy Spirit was so heavy that my heart was completely open to receive God’s messages. The ministry God called me to has been reinvigorated. I did not leave on a spiritual high, inspired without knowing what to do next. I was given information and tools to execute these missions in my own ministry.” (Roderick Belin)

Dawning of the Millennium – Tonga
The whole Tongan royal family participated along with representatives from WME. Based on the international datelines, one of their islands is the very first place the sun hits when it rises. The event celebrated the “absolute beginning” of the new millennium there 1/1/2000. Then that afternoon, the group left Tonga and flew across the dateline to Samoa where it was still 12/31/1999. They then celebrated the new year there, too.

“God has raised up the Methodist Movement not for its own sake, but for the world’s sake. In this Dawning Millennium, let the people call ed Methodist ‘spread through all the earth abroad the honors of Jesus’ name.’” (Eddie Fox)

Newtown Abbey, Northern Ireland – 7th International Christian Youth Conference on Evangelism

Leadership Summits in Asia (Singapore) and the Americas (Cuba)
The gathering in Havana, Cuba included more than 120 leaders from 20 countries and 26 Wesleyan Methodist denominations in North America, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Leadership Summits

Fiji – Leadership Summit for the Pacific
Atlanta, Georgia, United States – Leadership Summit for North America
England – Leadership Summit for Europe

Teresopolis, Brazil – 8th International Christian Youth Conference on Evangelism

Korea – 9th International Christian Youth Conference on Evangelism

Rev Dr. Kimberly Reisman named the new World Director following the retirement of Dr. H Eddie Fox.

20th Anniversary – Order of the FLAME in North America.
Epworth by the Sea, St. Simons Island, GA USA

Costa Rica – The 10^th International Christian Youth Conference on Evangelism gathering was held in Alajuela, Costa Rica after an eight-year lapse.  The gathering is now called Metanoia, which means “transformation” and is translated as the same word in all languages

Residency in Mission (RIM) program launched with the first resident to New Zealand.