GEMS is a ministry out of Calvary Baptist Church, Memphis, TN, started in January of 2012.
The purpose of GEMS is to get missionaries in the countries God has called them to reach. GEMS has a home base in Memphis, TN that is used to train and house those who are preparing to go to the field. Once on the field (e.g. Ghana), these missionaries work with GHANA EVANGELISM MINISTRIES (GEM 1 or main base) to train national pastors and plant churches. Initially all will become members of and work at the church of our main base. Some will stay and work with our home base in Ghana, and will be under the pastor of that local autonomous church. Others will be sent out of that church and start other bases, and be the pastor of that independent autonomous church that they start. Still other’s will be sent from “church 1” to go to some of the outposts and be under the Pastor of that church helping him teach nationals and start local, autonomous churches. (See graphic below)
From each of these bases we will be training national pastors to go start churches and train their men to go and start churches. GEM 1 will always be run by the director on the field, “Church 1” will always be run by its pastor(which may or may not be the field director), and the other churches will always be local autonomous churches. The graphic is only for an example that you might understand how GEMS works. There will be no hierarchy. Each church will be a local autonomous church and will work together with “church 1”, as they desire.
GEMS is a “by faith” missions program. Our missionaries do not raise a dollar amount of support before going to the field. They go to churches, present the work and leave at a pre-determined time, trusting God to supply their needs. GEMS does not seek to control the missionaries, where they go, what they do. GEMS desires to have a working relationship with all the churches started, but will always respect the autonomy of the local church.
GEMS understands that it will not last forever, but that the reproductive cycle it puts in place by starting local autonomous churches will cause the work to go on until our Savior’s return.