By David Empson and Bobby Harrington
“ICOM and Renew are like two wings of the same plane.”
Both Renew.org and ICOM are sounding the call to return to the core mission of the church: making disciples who make disciples.
In a significant move toward greater unity and impact within the Restoration Movement, Renew.org and the International Conference on Missions (ICOM) are launching a formal partnership aimed at strengthening disciple-making efforts both locally and globally.
We (David Empson, Executive Director of ICOM, and Bobby Harrington, Point Leader and CEO of Renew.org) are excited to lay out our vision for this collaboration and why now is the right time to come together.
How It Started
During ICOM, I (David) love walking around the exhibit hall floor, reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones. I caught that bug as a kid attending the NACC. It’s a thrill for me to chat with as many exhibitors as I can. So, at ICOM 2024 in Lexington, I saw Bobby Harrington at his booth and sat down to talk with him. Renew.org is doing great work helping Christian Churches articulate clear biblical theology and a disciple-making focus. I’ve attended their events and always enjoy them.
During our conversation, Bobby said something like, “Someone told me that we ought to collaborate and work together.” I was thrilled—and a little surprised—to hear that. I had no idea he was considering it. We had a great conversation, though we knew there were logistics to work out. Could it work? We needed to talk and pray further.
To me, a collaboration between ICOM and the Renew.org Network seems natural. I told Bobby that ICOM and Renew are like two wings of the same plane. Renew focuses on making disciples at home in North America while ICOM focuses on making disciples abroad. We both believe in making disciples who make disciples. I loved the idea.
A Shared Passion for the Mission
I (Bobby) also love attending ICOM. Like David, I enjoy walking the exhibit floor and meeting people. It’s inspiring to see so many humble, committed individuals who are passionate about reaching lost people around the world and meeting them at their point of need with Christian compassion. Before approaching David about the partnership, I thought, “These are our people. They truly believe that everyone needs the gospel of salvation in King Jesus.”
Renew.org Network was launched in 2018 as a renewal movement within Christian Churches to help us stay focused on the gospel, disciple making, and spiritual formation into the image of Christ, while avoiding the ditches of traditionalism on the right and progressivism on the left. Today, we have:
- A website full of resources
- A growing national gathering every April
- Over 430 lead pastors in our learning communities that meet every two months
- Church training initiatives that teach churches how to transition to a disciple-making focus
- An online Certificate in Theology
- A rapidly expanding Christian publishing arm
- A church-planting division (renew-movement.org)
This partnership with ICOM helps bring a united focus—disciple making both at home and abroad.
A Shared Commitment to the Gospel
Both Renew.org and ICOM are sounding the call to return to the core mission of the church: making disciples who make disciples. We see a growing trend within evangelical Christianity marked by softening convictions about salvation and eternal life as well as clarity on the hard teachings of Scripture.
We’re taking a different stand, emphasizing the centrality of the gospel and salvation in both North America and around the world. We believe people are lost without Jesus and we’re committed to making disciples grounded in strong theology—neither legalistic nor progressive but rooted in the best of the Restoration Movement.
As I (David) like to say, many churches have shifted their focus to surface-level concerns. You just don’t hear people talk about salvation the way they used to. This partnership is about putting first things first again—reaching lost people and discipling them to maturity—the two wings of the same plane.
ICOM: A History of Collaboration
ICOM has always valued collaboration. Here are a few examples:
- Kairos Benevolence Fund (KBF): We’ve tithed 10 percent of our conference offering to KBF for years. KBF serves missionaries and ministers in need. We also co-hosted the Pressing On Conference with them for three years.
- Waypoint Church Planters (formerly Virginia Evangelizing Fellowship): ICOM collaborated with Waypoint in 2015 and 2021 and will again in 2027 in Richmond, Virginia. Waypoint leveraged the momentum of ICOM to help plant over 30 churches.
- Mulberry International, IDES, FAME & Lifeline Christian Mission: This fall, we’re collaborating on a major relief effort—gathering clothes, bagged meals, medical supplies, and more to send to Ukraine. After Natasha Reimer, Executive Director of Mulberry, returned from Ukraine with a moving report, we asked, “What if we could send a whole container?” Everyone jumped on board right away.
These are just a few examples. To us, this is what the church should be doing.
Strengthening the Church Locally and Globally
A major motivation behind this partnership is to connect local disciple making with global missions. I (Bobby) describe Renew’s model as “discipling lost people to salvation and discipling saved people to the fullness of Christ’s likeness.” ICOM and Renew agree that a strong local church creates a strong global church. Our mission is the same.
This new partnership will be highlighted at ICOM 2025 in Atlanta, where Renew will lead a new track all day Thursday, called “Driven by Disciple Making.” Speakers will include Mark Moore (from Christ’s Church of the Valley, Phoenix, Arizona), Bobby Harrington (Renew.org), Orpheus Heyward (Renaissance Church of Christ, Atlanta, Georgia), and others, providing top-tier training for ministry leaders.
Collaboration in a Fragmented World
There is increasing fragmentation in our movement. This partnership is a much-needed sign of unity. Though decentralized, our movement can and must collaborate. We’re all trying to follow Jesus faithfully and together, we can do more than we ever could alone.
Looking Ahead
We don’t see this as a one-time event. We’re aiming for an ongoing partnership. Plans are already in motion for ICOM 2026 in St. Louis, with more developments to come.
Renew is also developing new material on Restoration Movement essentials: a new booklet on baptism, resources on the authority of Scripture, and relational disciple making, etc. All of these resources will be featured at ICOM and future Renew forums.
I (David) am also working on a new book that brings together intergenerational voices across the movement. It’s time to remember what we believe, why we believe it, and how it shapes our mission.
Separate While Collaborative
In case there may be questions, while we collaborate we will continue to serve as separate entities focused on our separate missions. We are also completely financially independent. We seek to represent the best of collaboration that is part of our Restoration Movement heritage.
A Call to Action
If you’re a local minister, elder, or disciple of Jesus, we hope you’ll see the value of attending ICOM where you’ll get the best of Renew teaching and ICOM’s global impact in one place.
Early registration for ICOM 2025 is encouraged so churches can attend in strength.
Join us for this special collaborative event November 20th, 2025, at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta—just across the interstate from the airport. Whether you join in person or online, you will experience two great events in one.
This partnership is a powerful reminder that when churches align around Jesus’ call to make disciples of all nations, the body of Christ moves forward—stronger, deeper, and more united than ever.
David Empson is Executive Director of ICOM, Clayton, Indiana. Bobby Harrington is Point Leader and CEO of Renew.org in Franklin, Tennessee.
Author: Christian Standard
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