CMF has a big presence at the International Society on Urban Missions (ISUM) Summit in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, this week. Executive Director Doug Priest and other staff members, a missionary, a board member and a volunteer, plus partner Ash Barker of Urban Neighbors of Hope, are in attendance, along with about 220 other urban mission practitioners and activists. ISUM promotes an urban mission focus in the world’s largest cities and publishes the New Urban World Journal, the  leading journal on that mission focus.

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A capital campaign held in a Tennessee church will provide the start-up funds for the launch of a brand new campus ministry in Valencia, Spain, according to Globalscope Director Phil Tatum.

While most capital campaigns are designed to raise funds for new buildings or debt reduction, Boone’s Creek Christian Church in Johnson City, Tenn., took a different approach.

“Boone’s Creek had a capital campaign called the 50:50 Challenge,” said Phil. “Half of the money they raised was to go to building debt reduction and the other half to special mission projects.”

The successful campaign raised $1.4 million, so about $700,000 will go straight to various mission projects, according to John Payne, who serves as chairman of Boone’s Creek’s Missions Ministry Team and also as the committee chair of the 50:50 Challenge. Jesse and Sophie Bentley, the long-time leaders of the campus ministry in Salamanca, Spain, applied for and received a grant of $30,000 from the church.

Part of the funds will be used for a scouting trip to Valencia, and the rest will be used the rent a campus house, purchase furnishings and provide for other start-up costs, explained Phil Tatum.

“We’re recruiting the team of campus ministers now,” he says. “It will be made up of both Spaniards and Americans. We hope to launch the ministry in September 2015.”

Phil and the Bentleys were delighted with the Boone’s Creek continuing commitment to Globalscope.

“We hope this will be a model for partnership with other supporting churches,” said Phil. “We have a vision of planting five new campus ministries by 2018, so we plan to begin developing relationships with more core churches like BCCC, who sign on to support the ministry, not just the missionary.”

From BCCC’s perspective, it was an easy decision to add the Globalscope project to the list of grant recipients, says John Payne.

“Jesse and Sophie moved to Johnson City in 2002 to attend Emmanuel Christian Seminary and quickly became part of the church,” he said. “They consider BCCC to be their home church so we decided to become a major supporter of their campus mission in Spain. So we were already excited about the work they’ve been doing.”

“Success builds upon success,” he added. “Seeing another campus ministry established is the next logical step for the ministry.”

Boone’s Creek is very committed to Globalscope’s mission of reaching international college students with the gospel.

“Colleges influence young people in positive or negative ways and so help shape the future of any culture and country,” said John. “If we can influence young people to give their lives to Christ, they will carry those values into their work place, community and culture. Campus ministry provides that opportunity. We believe it can make a real impact.”