March for Jesus, USA

Summary

March for Jesus, USA ("MFJ") encourages and assists Christian leaders throughout the Western hemisphere to organize public marches for the purpose of praising and honoring Jesus. MFJ is connected to Jesus Day, an all day Christian celebration reaching out to people in the community in the name of Christ. MFJ is also connected to Light the Night a program encouraging Christians to communicate a message during Halloween. MFJ is supported primarily through donor contributions, royalties from sales of products, direct sales of clothing and music, and registration fees. This ministry has chosen not to be open and transparent with MinistryWatch.com. As such it is difficult to understand all aspects of its ministry.

Contact Information: [ Back to top ]

Organization Details [ Back to top ]

Purpose [ Back to top ]

March for Jesus, USA ("MFJ") encourages and assists Christian leaders throughout the Western hemisphere to organize public marches for the purpose of praising and honoring Jesus. March for Jesus is a national and international event that unites churches of all denominations in cities across the world to share their common faith in Jesus Christ. Taking the Church to the streets breaks down barriers between churches and leads to greater unity and cooperation. MFJ is breaking down denominational walls, racial walls, and barriers that hinder the effectiveness and witness of the church. MFJ is held on Pentecost weekend each year and draws over one million participants in the United States.

PrayerWalk USA is a vision to see every neighborhood in the United States covered with prayer. MFJ’s goal is to see every ZIP code prayerwalked by the year 2000. National Concert of Prayer is set for a specific day in October to serve as a point of unity for cities planning Concerts of Prayer with MFJ. Worship celebrations and other events are coordinated to mobilize the body of Christ beyond its walls throughout the year.

MFJ is connected to Jesus Day, an all day Christian celebration reaching out to people in the community in the name of Christ. MFJ is also connected to Light the Night a program encouraging Christians to communicate a message during Halloween. MFJ is supported primarily through donor contributions, royalties from sales of products, direct sales of clothing and music, and registration fees.

This ministry has chosen not to be open and transparent with MinistryWatch.com. As such it is difficult to understand all aspects of its ministry.

Prudent donors want to understand what it is they are going to support. Some ministries claim they have no legal obligation to share financial or other information — but they do have a moral obligation to do so. Without access to comprehensive ministry information it is not possible for donors to make optimal giving decisions. Ministries that seek to obscure critical information from scrutiny undermine the faith and trust of donors and damage attitudes that have a long term negative impact. For those few ministries that state it has no legal obligation, it should be noted that donors are even less so obligated with any legalist obligation to give, but they do have a moral obligation to give in a prudent and wise fashion. Transparency is a consensus of practical sound wisdom. Many Christians are willing to live ethically without a governmental entity mandating that they do so. Transparency is the key component to a growing and prosperous donor — ministry relationship and fundamental to long-term ministry success. Information, however, must be timely, relevant, accurate and complete for it to be used effectively.

Christians should have nothing to fear by being open. All will be judged at a future date, and with this thought in mind, how are we to conduct ourselves before God today? Organizations described as “Christian Ministries” are at least giving people an image of God. Is God characterized as closed, impartial and hidden; or, open, personable and knowable? Scripture enjoins Christians to conduct themselves honestly (1 Thes. 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:2), with due candor (Jms. 5:12) and grace (Col. 4:6), without deliberate offense to Jew, Gentile or the Church of God (1 Cor. 10:32), with decency and orderliness (1 Cor. 14:40), blameless, giving no occasion for rebuke (Phil. 2:15), and offering no opportunity for false accusation (1 Pet. 3:16). Responsibility for the resources God has placed in the trust of His saints is called “stewardship” in the Bible (1 Pet. 4:10), the person responsible for the resources is called the “steward” (Lk. 12:42; 16:1-8). Most Christians would not argue with the principle that the chief aim of man is to ...”to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” However, how can a “Christian Ministry” “glorify God” if they are not open? Are not organizations that hide things characterized as cults? Should not Christian ministries lead by example? Besides being characterized as a steward, Christians can be characterized as ambassadors and as light because God is light. Just these few summary ideas indicate that Christian ministries should be open and transparent. In addition, responsibility to God is linked to responsibility to government and mankind.

MinistryWatch.com's hope is that Christian ministries are indeed an example to follow and not otherwise. It is one of our premises that Christians should be light in a world of darkness and as such, Christians should be setting the standard by their conduct.

It is not enough for ministries to live up to the minimum of any written law, or to give all men their due. Ministries ought to give them more than their due. Ministries should be concentrating on the good of others, seeking reward in self-denial and sacrifice, and not of personal advantage. Therefore ministries should treat others as they would want to be treated by them, regardless of unworthiness and ingratitude.

Donors should be seeking information before they give as well as after. Before in order to have an idea where the money is intended, as well as if it corresponds to the donors values. And then after to see if it really happened. Trust but verify, so that they know if they would desire to continue to give.

Mission Statement [ Back to top ]

March for Jesus communicates its mission as follows:

To provide leadership, coordination, and training for an emerging national and international network of Christians who build networks that mobilize the Body of Christ.

March for Jesus communicates its vision as follows:

To see the churches united in public worship of the Lord Jesus Christ and Christians working together to impact their city with praise, prayer, and proclamation.

Program Accomplishments [ Back to top ]

633 cities in the U.S. participated in the MFJ in 1998. The largest marches were FL Jacksonville - 31,000; OH Youngstown - 12,000; OH Toledo - 10,000; TN Nashville - 10,000; NE Omaha - 8,000; TX Austin - 8,000; WA Spokane Inland Empire - 6,500; TN Knoxville - 6,000; AL Cullman - 5,500; CO Denver - 5,500. The governors of Louisiana, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Texas all proclaimed May 22, 1998 as "March for Jesus Day." Thirty-eight mayors did the same in their cities.

Statement of Faith [ Back to top ]

March for Jesus expresses its core values as follows:

RESPECT
We use a consultative style of leadership that expressed respect for every people and our desire to include every part of the Body of Christ.

HUMILITY AND REPENTANCE
We embrace a life-style of repentance, agree with adversaries quickly, and confront pride and arrogance in the opposite spirit.

SERVANT LEADERSHIP
We lead by serving. It is intimidating to lead leaders, even presumptuous to take on that role. It puts everything in proper perspective when we commit to serve leaders.

QUALITY
We are committed to serving the vision with excellence. Quality is not a financial decision.

RELATIONSHIP
We are an expression of existing relationships and a growing network of people who recognize the value and significance of relationship.

WORSHIP
Worship is a worthwhile endeavor. You do not have to tag something on to make it worth the effort and expense. He is worth it!

INTEGRITY
We are committed to honest communication without falsehood or exaggeration. We submit to clear lines of accountability and open financial records.

INCLUSIVENESS
We celebrate diversity, seek inclusive leadership, and mourn the tragedy of any missing part.

PRAYER
Anything of eternal value is birthed in prayer. We are a prayer movement.

RESPONSIBILITY
We choose to endure the test of being faithful in little things and do not demand that we be entrusted with great things.
We are willing to earn trust rather than demand it.

SACRIFICAL GIVING
This movement is empowered by the sacrificial giving of God’s people. The story of March for Jesus is one of extravagant, sacrificial giving.

History [ Back to top ]

Marches for Jesus began in England in the 1980’s when some small churches decided to take what they were experiencing in the churches into the streets. On May 10, 1987, Icthus Fellowship in London joined with Youth with a Mission and Pioneer Ministries to organize a prayer and praise march through the streets of London. To their surprise, more than 15,000 people turned out, in spite of pouring rain.

Marching in the United States - The vision for March for Jesus USA began in 1989 when Tom Pelton, now the Coordinator for the Americas, began organizing praise marches in Austin, Texas. March for Jesus USA was established in 1991 and in less than a decade has expanded to over 650 cities in the United States and hundreds of other cities throughout the Americas.

May 23, 1992 marked the first Nationwide March for Jesus. The idea of the whole nation marching together for Jesus quickly grew. On May 23, 1992, Christians openly exalted Jesus in 142 U.S. cities and in 25 European countries. 300,000 marched for Jesus in the U.S., joining another 300,000 overseas.

On June 12, 1993, Joining Hands across the Nations occurred. After the phenomenal success of the first national March for Jesus, plans were soon afoot for the first international March, in which believers would "join hands across the nations." The 1993 March for Jesus brought 1.7 million Christians to the streets in 850 cities across the globe to glorify Christ.

June 25, 1994 saw A Day to Change the World. On June 25, 1994, Jesus received praise from 1.5 million believers, in 550 cities from every state, in the nation's third March for Jesus. All around the world that day, a total of 10 million people marched down the streets of more than a thousand cities in 178 nations.

On May 25, 1995, Together for the Gospel was held. At the 1995 March for Jesus, celebrated in 2,190 cities across the globe, millions of Christians marched to take the joy of knowing Jesus beyond their church walls and into the streets. In the U.S., an estimated one million Christians of all denominations marched in unity to show their love for God. May 27, 1996 witnessed A World to Win Together. The third Global March for Jesus was marked by 10-12 million people worldwide in more than 2,000 cities of 170 nations. In the United States, an estimated 1 million people marched for Jesus on the streets of 625 cities in all 50 States.

May 21, 1997 brought The Generations Together and more than 6 million people worldwide marched. In the United States, about 1 million people marched in more than 700 cities in all 50 States. This March was intergenerational with two, three, and sometimes four generations marching together.

On May 30, 1998, prayer for the suffering church took place. 700,000 people in 633 cities in the United States and more than 10 million people worldwide took to the streets to worship Jesus. Around the world prayers were offered up for those who are persecuted and suffer because of their Christian faith.

Ministry Needs [ Back to top ]

This organization has not offered MinistryWatch.com with specific needs to be posted on the profile. At such a time that MinistryWatch.com receives a response from the ministry, it will be posted immediately.

Research Analysis

Transparency Grade [ Back to top ]

MinistryWatch.com 5 Star Financial Efficiency Ratings [ Back to top ]

This ministry has not been rated

Donor Alert [ Back to top ]