General Superintendent Nina G. Gunter opened the third worship service of the 27th General Assembly with a warm welcome to all Nazarenes - the 18,886 in the confines of the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, and the thousands joining via internet connection.

Scott Kelley led the audience in spirited singing of a missional song, "Till the Work is Done" and the foot-tapping rhythms of "Cover the Earth." As the camera panned across the stage, how moving it was to see Anbessu Tolla Feyissa - NCM coordinator for the Horn of Africa, engaged in the worship of the Lord with Nazarenes far from his native home in Ethiopia.

The service featured a mass children's choir who processed up the long aisle to the stage while thousands of proud Nazarenes watched the future of the church march in to take their places as instruments of praise and worship.

The powerful affirmation of Christ the Mighty Savior as one who is both mighty to save and who can move the mountains struck the chords of deepest praise all across the audience.

Anbessu Tolla Feyissa began his prayer in English, exhorting the crowd to worship by reminding them that Jesus is truly Lord. His passion could be felt as all were reminded his testimony came from an area where Christians are often the targets of intense persecution.

The sobering story of poverty and the faithful witness of Nazarenes engaged in compassionate ministry in Haiti were vividly portrayed in a video featuring Wallierre Pierre, recipient of the Heroes Among Us award.

Singing from 450 children made everyone realize that all the business of General Assembly is really a prelude to the main focus, which is making Christlike disciples in the nations - and that begins with our children, right in our own homes.

A clever video showed the tremendous power of Nazarenes with their capacity to make a difference. Volunteers numbering 1,600 cheered as they saw the video tribute to the One Heart-Many Hands project in Orlando. Gary Morsch, founder and president of One Heart-Many Hands, welcomed George Sisler, who directed the Orlando project.

General Superintendent and speaker Jerry D. Porter opened his message with two questions: "Who is intentionally discipling you?" and "Whom are you intentionally discipling?"

"Tonight," Porter said, "we will look at seven steps in Paul's discipleship pilgrimage. We will represent each step of discipleship with a note in the musical scale: Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do. Let's make some discipleship music!"

As he continued his message, he said:

"Do we really need each other in order to grow in Christlikeness? Some of us may not be comfortable with this high-accountability, high-vulnerability discipleship. John Wesley insisted that there was no holiness but social holiness. We really do need each other to live and grow in the Spirit! In response to God's grace and love in our lives we humbly choose to join and lead a discipleship band. You may not feel that you need others, but let me remind you that others need you!"