Tom Mauriello, Executive Director, has sent a letter to 20,000 donors announcing that "GCM is Becoming Reliant Mission."

"This change was God-led. Our recent history has seen more missionaries than ever before mobilized into urban, suburban, campus, and international spaces. After careful consideration and prayer, our board of directors has chosen to give us a new name that better speaks to who we are today," writes Mauriello.

The change comes just after the 25 year anniversary of ministry for the evangelical mission agency, which was founded in 1989. GCM has seen 8-10% increase in donor giving for each of the last six years. The growth follows an expanded mission by the board of directors (Chairman, Noel Heikkinen) to serve churches and non-profits outside the historic roots of the Great Commission movement.

"The name Reliant came after much work considering our future, and it feels exactly right for the mission God has called us to," says Chris Ridgeway, Communications Director.

"While we know that people will first think "reliable," for us it has a deeper meaning: it reminds us that we are reliant on God. Since this is remarkably true of the missionaries and church planters we support—who only live on the gifts of others—it feels like it fits us already. We're also proud of our new logo and look which displays themes of "building structure for mission.'"

The name is being rolled out over eight months in print, web, and social media. Missionaries have begun their own updates to supporters via their regular prayer letter in April and May. A formal announcement pack including a new Annual Ministry Report arrives in donor mailboxes in May. An announcement website has been posted at reliant.gcmweb.org, while a new website to be located at Reliant.org is completing development.

Donor notifications have already begun for donors who give by check or personal billpay. They will need to re-direct the Pay to the Order line of checks to "Reliant" by July 31, 2015. Donors who give via GCM's bank account or credit card programs ("LifeLink") will not need to take any action—gifts will continue automatically. 

Reliant missionaries have responded enthusiastically to the change.

"Donors need to know that nothing is changing in terms of the local missionaries and ministries they support," says Ridgeway. "Our full missionary support team is still working here at our Orlando office and we are receiving all gifts without interruption. Even more importantly, we remain committed to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ to "make disciples of all nations." Our goal is to communicate often so donors can be confident we are still committed to our core values."

Reliant missionaries have responded enthusiastically to the change.

"With GCM now becoming Reliant we feel a renewed vision and excitement to communicate how their partnership has made us even more effective in the gospel. GCM has brought an indescribable peace of mind to us over the last ten years. This has allowed us to focus on the Kingdom work of caring for Nigerian orphans and envisioning college students with God's desire to see all nations reached,” writes Jenni and Ade Olowo, who work in College Station, Texas as missionaries with Fellowship Church at Texas A&M University. Fellowship Church is part of the Collegiate Church Network.

Reliant partners with missional churches and gospel-centered non-profits who bring on missionary staff in contexts where fundraising is needed to support the work. Expanded partnerships have included many of the new "post-denominational" Evangelical networks such as the Ecclesia Network, Acts 29 Network and others. Reliant has found itself filling a critical gap as a mission agency who services churches without historic denominational structures.

A challenge for communication will be for those who met GCM 10-20 years ago through campus ministries that were identified as 'GCM ministries' or 'GCM churches.'

"Lots of folks still think of us as a campus ministry or a church network," says Ridgeway, "so a challenge is communicating how much we love our history, yet showing that toDAY we are an independent missionary mobilization agency for many groups."

Reliant currently partners with 131 churches or ministries to mobilize 450 employed missionaries working in the United States and 16 additional countries. The independent board of directors is chaired by Noel Heikkinen and includes nine pastors and Christian leaders.

Press Contact:
Chris Ridgeway
Communications Director
407.671.9700
info@gcmweb.org