Power translates to Dunamis in Greek.
So now you can speak Greek, a little!
The Dunamis Project is the central training of PRMI to help you cooperate with the Holy Spirit in whatever ministry you may have, in whatever part of the world you may live.
We cannot be very effective in any kind of ministry unless we have received the empowering work of the Holy Spirit.
Many of you have already been equipped through the Dunamis Project, others are in process and still others have not had that experience. We’d like to give you give a little of the history, development and impact of this powerful resource.
What is the Dunamis Project?
The Dunamis Project is a series of six conferences over four or five days where you will discover and learn how to use your spiritual gifts in whatever ministry you have.
Normally, the Dunamis Project takes place two times a year at the same location, over the course of three years.
The workshop environment embraces prayer, trust, mutual accountability and a full expression of the spiritual gifts for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
With the Dunamis Project, you discover:
- Solid biblical teaching about the person and work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.
- Teaching forged from the Scriptures, proven in ministry, and informed by 200 years of renewal and revival movements.
- Their spiritual gifts and how to use them effectively in the Kingdom of God.
- How to recognize God’s guidance for ministry in a given moment through the experience-based lab times and review debriefings.
How did the Dunamis Project Start?
Brad Long, who developed the materials, style and approach of the Dunamis Project, tells how it all started.
“The beginnings of the Dunamis Project go back to my formative experiences from 1966 – 1975 at Jesus Abbey, which is an intentional prayer community in South Korea.
Jesus Abbey is place of prayer and equipping for Christian living was founded by Archer Torrey, the grandson of R. A. Torrey. Archer founded the Abbey as a laboratory in which to grow in intimacy with Jesus Christ, delve into the Word of God, learn to pray and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
In this context, I grew in my faith, received teaching on the Holy Spirit, and experienced firsthand a highly effective model for developing spiritual leaders and for equipping ordinary Christians through practical discipleship.
The Dunamis Project seeks to utilize a number of the principles that I saw in operation at Jesus Abbey. The Dunamis Project teaching on the Holy Spirit is based on the biblical teaching of R.A. Torrey.
As a Presbyterian missionary in Taiwan in the 80’s, I taught a series of courses on various aspects of the work of the Holy Spirit. I also put in place a special intensive training event called the “Christian Soldiers Training Camp.” (The name sounds a lot better in Chinese!) It was in this very practical context of equipping leaders and intensive engagement in power ministry that I hammered out what have become the basic contents and form of the Dunamis Project.
In May 1990, I called together a team to pray for guidance on how PRMI was called to go about fulfilling the vision of leadership development. Together we conceived and developed the overall design and contents for the Dunamis Project.
Doug McMurry and I, with editorial help from Archer Torrey, wrote the basic Gateways to Empowered Ministry manual in 1990. We also started work on the other manuals. We conceived the design and some of the writing ourselves, but we also invited other authors to contribute their areas of expertise.
The first series of retreats was launched at the Silver Bay YMCA Conference Center at Lake George, New York in March 1991. My mentor and teacher on the Holy Spirit, Archer Torrey, shared with me and Doug McMurry in the teaching. At that first event, the Holy Spirit was poured out and this new equipping movement was launched.
Development of the Dunamis Project
From these small beginnings, the Dunamis Project has spread rapidly to a number of locations in around the world and in various countries. It is now the primary equipping process offered by PRMI and the Dunamis Fellowship International.
Over the years, hundreds of pastors and thousands of lay people have been through the six equipping events in various parts of the world.
In the fall of 2018, there are Dunamis Projects in process in locations in
- United States,
- United Kingdom,
- Canada,
- Indonesia,
- South Korea,
- Central Asia,
- Eastern Europe,
- Haiti, and
- Nicaragua.
Other PRMI events use the basic teaching of the Dunamis Project to present content in alternative ways to extend its reach.
- Ignite gives a taste of Dunamis to local congregations.
- The Dunamis Video Course provides videos, manuals and facilitator training to bring the equipping to small groups in various ministries and local congregations.
- Growing the Church events give foundational concepts to pastors and ministry leaders to help them bring this teaching into the life of the local church.
- Upward Challenge and With the Wind adapt the equipping for teens and young adults.
New in 2018 is Empowered: Christian Family Camp where families – children, youth, and adults – each receive age-appropriate teaching and experiences so that the whole family is being equipped together in the Dunamis Project principles.
The Outcomes of the Dunamis Project
The fundamental purpose of the Dunamis Project is to equip an extended fellowship of Christians, both clergy and laity, to share in the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the glory of Jesus Christ.
This intention to develop Holy Spirit-empowered leaders is rooted in Scripture and is the key not only to spiritual renewal, but also to effective evangelistic outreach and the worldwide advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thousands of Christians around the world have experienced a dynamic change in their ministry as they have learned how to cooperate with the Holy Spirit.
They have stepped into a deeper relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and found new life and joy in more effective ministry to others.
Please more information about your literature and Project.
Hi James, feel free to call the office during our regular business hours at 828-669-7373 or email prmi@prmi.org for more information! Blessings, Emily