At a ceremony on February 9, Avant Ministries recognized the growth of the Union of Evangelical Churches of Belize by officially turning over all ministry work to the national church association.  After 53 years of active missionary service, Avant will transition into a facilitative relationship with the church association and is officially closing the Belize field. Missionaries Kent and Marion Fuller will remain in Belize as Avant liaisons to the evangelical church.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Soon they'll go to Argentina, Brazil, the Czech Republic and France to spread the gospel and plant churches. But right now they're gathered around tables in Kansas City listening to lectures and developing strategies.  Team training is currently underway at Avant's International Service Center, and 23 missionaries headed to four different fields are spending three weeks between February 20 and March 7 preparing for their ministries.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Avant Ministries welcomed new missionary candidates to the International Service Center for two weeks in January for training and commissioning.  The candidates attended seminars on church planting, team building and support raising.

Avant welcomed William Dillon of People Raising in Chicago, Ill. to the ISC to facilitate two days of support raising training.  Current Avant members attended the sessions alongside the new candidates.  Dillon said working directly with missionaries and conducting these training sessions is at the heart of his People Raising operation.  "I feel like a part of me is going to these mission fields," he said. "These past two days I've seen a light turned on, and that's felt good."

The two weeks of training culminated in an appointment service.  Candidates planned the evening and board members and ISC staff attended.