Timeline

In 1968, a group of missionaries in Brazil began to lay the plans that would become the Great Cities Missions ministry.

1976

• Ellis and Doris Long begin Brazil Breakthrough ministry on the campus of Abilene Christian University.
• Central Church of Christ in Amarillo, Texas and the Golf Course Road Church of Christ in Midland, Texas agree to sponsor the ministry jointly.

1979

• Dan Coker joins the ministry. Coker renames the ministry Continent of Great Cities.

1980

• Gary Sorrells joins the ministry.
• The Recife, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
• Allen Dutton and Alaor Leite develop a standardized team settlement procedure.
• Long, Dutton, and Leite play a key role in reopening the doors for missionaries to serve in Brazil by helping to rewrite the Brazilian missionary visa process.

1981

• The Brasilia, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
• The Campo Grande, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
• The Fortaleza, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
• The Manaus, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
• Continent of Great Cities adopts a Missionary Screening Process.

1982

• The Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.

1984

• The Belo Horizonte, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
• The Salvador, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.

1986

• The Curitiba, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.

1987

• The Florianopolis, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.

1988

• Bob and Gina Waldron join the ministry.

1990

• The Buenos Aires, Argentina Mission Teams merge, assisted by CGC staff.

1991

• Ellis Long resigns as Director of Ministry.
• Gary Sorrells and Bob Waldron serve as Co-Directors of the ministry.
• Ministry moves from ACU campus to downtown Abilene, Texas.
• The Central Church of Christ in Amarillo, Texas accepts sole sponsorship of the ministry.

1992

• Dan Coker moves as a missionary to Montevideo, Uruguay.
• Vitoria, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.

1993

• Montevideo, Uruguay Mission Team arrives on the field.

1994

• Bryan Gibbs joins ministry.
• Medical campaign to Manaus, Brazil, jointly sponsored by the Central Church of Christ in Amarillo, Texas and the Westover Hills Church of Christ in Austin, Texas, completed.

1995

• Natal, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.

1996

• Howard Norton joins the ministry.
• Elders are appointed at the Downtown congregation in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
• The Central Church of Christ in Amarillo, Texas appoints the first Board of Trustees to oversee the ministry.

1998

• Bob and Gina Waldron leave ministry to begin Missions Resource Network.
• Gary Sorrells is named Executive Director of the ministry.
• Ken Lewis joins the ministry.
• Randy Halstead joins the ministry.
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
• Ellis and Doris Long return as missionaries to Brasilia, Brazil.

1999

• Santiago, Chile Mission Team arrives on the field.
• Elders are appointed at the Downtown congregation in Manaus, Brazil.
• Elders are appointed at the Central congregation in Campo Grande, Brazil.

2000

• First Continent of Great Cities Missionary Team Internship program completed.
• Church buildings are inaugurated in Curitiba and Brasilia, Brazil.

2001

• Ron Freitas joins ministry.
• Buenos Aires, Argentina Mission Team arrives on the field.

2002

• Porto Alegre, Brazil Mission Team arrives on the field.
• Georgia Freitas joins Ministry

2003

• Grant Boone joins ministry.
• Bogota, Colombia Team arrives on the field.
• Asuncion, Paraguay Team arrives on the field.
• Salvador, Brazil Team begins Great Cities Missionary Team Internship.

2004

• Venezuela Team recruited and trained.
• Calvin and Linda Henry join ministry.

2005

• Salvador, Brazil Team arrives on the field.
• Niteroi, Brazil Team recruiting begins.

2006

• Niteroi, Brazil Team formation continues.
• Dominican Republic Team (previously Venezuela Team) arrives to begin work January 17.
• Barranquilla, Colombia Team arrives on the field.

2007

• Continent of Great Cities moves office to Addison, DFW, Texas.
• Recruiting begins for Cusco, Peru.
• Recruiting for Niteroi, Brazil continues.
• Scott Reynolds joins ministry.

2008

• Cartagena, Colombia team arrives on the field.
• Niteroi, Brazil team completes training and arrives on field.
• Rosemont (Fort Worth), Texas team begins training.
• Mexico City, Mexico team #1 is recruited.
• The Victory Church of Christ in Rio de Janeiro appoints elders.
• First all-Brazilian team recruited for Brasilia, Brazil.

2009

• Rosemont (Fort Worth), Texas team finishes recruiting and holds inaugural service.
• Cartagena, Colombia team finishes recruiting.
• Cusco, Peru team completes training and arrives on field.
• Mexico City, Mexico team #1 completes training and arrives on field.
• Bryan and Becky Gibbs move to Brazil to open a Continent office.
• Brasilia, Brazil team arrives on the field.
• Becky Holton joins the ministry.
• Mexico City, Mexico team #2 is recruited.

2010

• Kelley Grant and Enoch Rinks join ministry.
• Mexico City, Mexico team #1 inaugural service.
• Recruiting begins for a team of North American Hispanics for Houston, Texas.
• Recruiting begins for the second all-Brazilian team.

2011

• Kelley Grant becomes Exective Director.
• Second Mexico City Team holds inagural service.
• Recruitment begins for Second Bogota, Colombia Team.
• Team recruited for Palmas, Brazil.
• Arlington, Texas Team formed.

2012

• Ministry officially renamed Great Cities Missions.
• The second Bogota, Colombia team arrives on the field.
• La Paz, Bolivia team begins training.

2013

• La Paz, Bolivia team arrives on the field.
• Third Mexico City team recruited.
• Metro Miami Mission team arrives on the field.