BRIEF HISTORY

1997

  • World to Christ International was founded by June Sutton (1936-2009), a former Hong Kong missionary, to train and equip Christians in discipleship, evangelism, short-term cross-cultural outreach and children’s ministry.

1997 – 2005

  • Short-term mission teams sent to Eastern Europe, to the former communist nations of Slovakia, Ukraine and Russia.
  • These teams led seminars on discipleship, children’s ministry, evangelism, short-term cross-cultural out reach and pastoral care and led outreach teams into neighbouring countries for practical evangelistic experiences.
  • WTCI registered as a mission organisation in Slovakia with a Slovak Board established to oversee ministry.

2003 – 2005

  • Jesus’ Healing of the Whole Person [JHWP] training course commenced in Melbourne and Slovakia and established as the main focus of the ministry.
  • Opportunities in Asia opened, and teams were sent to Nagaland (NE India), India, Cambodia and Hong Kong, to train nationals in discipleship, evangelism and JHWP.

2006 – 2009

  • First Hong Kong [HK] Committee was established to oversee WTCI work in HK and beyond, becoming an official entity in 2007 as World to Christ International (HK) Limited.
  • JHWP seminars and ministry commenced in HK.
  • HK ministry became established and nationals took over the running of JHWP courses.
  • With the passing of June Sutton the mantle of Director of Ministry passed to Karen Seymour, June’s assistant for 10 years, with the blessing of the WTCI Board.

2010 – Present

  • WTCI became an Incorporated Association in Australia, registered as World to Christ International (Australia) Inc and WTCI (Australia) Inc.
  • Healing Prayer Ministry (HPM) Centre was established in Melbourne.
  • JHWP training and HPM Centre continue to be the primary ministry focus in Melbourne. and WTCI (Australia) Inc. continues to send ministry teams to HK to support the HK team and provide personal HPM sessions to HK course participants and others. JHWP continues to be taught in HK.
  • WTCI (HK) Limited sends JHWP teaching and ministry teams beyond HK, HPM Centre established in HK and trained Slovak leaders continue to minister and teach JHWP in their nation and beyond.

Founder

June Sutton - Australian Missionary

14/11/1936 – 08/09/2009

June has been a missionary since 1965, serving as an Australian Baptist Missionary with American Baptists in Hong Kong, where she trained hundreds of Chinese Christians in children’s and youth ministries, evangelism and discipleship.

After leaving Hong Kong in 1984 June founded Wholeness Through Christ Ministries Australia, through which hundreds have been equipped to minister Jesus’ healing to emotionally hurt and sick people.

At the same time she pioneered a ministry in China, visiting house churches and taking Hong Kong Christians with her to train house church leaders. Hong Kong Christians still continue this ministry, visiting China several times a year.

In 1995 June was led by God to visit Eastern Europe and here He showed her the need to equip Christians, now freed from behind the Iron Curtain. She established World to Christ International (WTCI), with a qualified Christian Board, to develop a ministry of training Christians in former communist countries in discipleship, evangelism, children’s ministry, Jesus’ Healing of the Whole Person and leadership development for the Church.

In 2005 the Lord directed a change in focus nations towards Asia, and we have now sent teams to Nagaland (NE India), India, Cambodia and Hong Kong, with many opportunities opening up in Asian countries. June served as International Field Director for WTCI and oversaw the ministry in each nation.

In 2005, June was led by the Lord to write her autobiography ‘To God be the Glory: Forty Years in Missions Ministry’.

In May 2009, June was diagnosed with blood and bone marrow cancer. During the short period of illness, June was never in despair; she was full of hope and believing for a miracle. Her prayers were filled with thanksgiving for the love and peace of the Lord. Those around her were lifted up by her great faith and devotion to our Lord. On commencement of chemotherapy treatment, June was rushed into hospital for intensive care. June died peacefully surrounded by loving family members and close friends on September 8, 2009. June was 73 years old.

The World To Christ International (WTCI) ministry continues to build upon the work that June has established in obedience to God’s leading, in Australia, Slovakia and Hong Kong. WTCI is the provider of “Jesus’ Healing of the Whole Person” (JHWP) training course and Prayer Ministry Centre.

WTCI Vision and Statement of Faith

Vision

The vision statement talks about WTCIʼs future, is about what the future can look like but is beyond our own capabilities to achieve, thus reliance on God.

WTCI’s Vision Statement 

To take the whole Gospel to the nations and see believers transformed, equipped and released into Kingdom service.

Luke 4:18-19 (NKLV)  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; Because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Mission

Our mission statement talks about the present, it is about what it takes to make the vision come about – what do we do, how do we do it, for whom we do it.

WTCI’s Mission Statement
To glorify God using every opportunity He presents to fulfil the vision in the nations by

  • sharing the whole Gospel,
  • using a multiplication model to train believers in Discipleship and Jesus’ Healing of the Whole Person ministry,
  • initiating opportunities to pray for healing [physical, spiritual, emotional]
  • releasing those trained into Kingdom service using their own unique gifts to fulfil their individual calling within the Body of Christ.

Values
Core values highlight our most important priorities:

  1. This ministry belongs to God. All credit and all glory for lives healed, set free and released belongs to Him and Him alone.
    [Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 3:17; Revelation 4:11]
  2. We value all people as created and loved by God. We respect and uphold the dignity and worth of every person.
    [Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:14-16; Romans 15:7]
  3. We value the Bible in its entirety as the infallible, divinely inspired Word of God.
    [2 Timothy 3:16-17]
  4. We value prayer as the means of knowing God’s will and seeking divine revelation for ministry.
    [Luke 22:41-42; Ephesians 1:17-18; Philippians 4:6-7]
  5. We value team ministry.
    [Mark 6:7]
  6. We value unity of team members.
    [Psalm 133:1; Romans 15:5-6; Ephesians 4:1-6; 1 Peter 3:8-9].

Statement of Faith

  1. We believe in one God, who has revealed Himself to be three eternal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
    • We believe God the Father is the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth and He so loves men and women that He sent Jesus Christ to save them from condemnation and eternal death.
      [Genesis 1:1- 2:25; John 3:16]
    • We believe in Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour.
      We affirm His deity, virgin birth, sinless life, divine miracles, substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, ascension to the right hand of the Father and His personal and visible return in power and glory.
      [Matthew 1:18-25; 4:23; John 1:1-5; 14:6; Acts 1:9-10; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17]
    • We believe in the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit.
      We believe He gives life, He sanctifies, He empowers and comforts all believers, enabling them to live holy lives, and to witness and work for the Lord Jesus.
      [John 14:15-21; 16:5-11]
  2. We believe that sin separates man from God.
    Salvation is a gift of God to those who repent and personally believe in Jesus Christ;  it is accomplished by God’s grace through faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and the regeneration by the Holy Spirit.
    [Acts 4:12; Romans 3:23; 6:23; Ephesians 1:7; Titus 3:1-8; Hebrews 7:25]
  3. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; the saved to the resurrection of eternal life with God and the lost to the resurrection of eternal separation from God.
    [1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4:16]
  4. We believe that the Word of God, prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit change the effects of the past, bringing about sanctification and transformation.
    People are set free to walk as God intended, so that all areas of their lives can be cherished and valued.
    [John 16:5-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; James 5:14-15]
  5. We believe the Bible is the divinely inspired, infallible Word of God and the only authority in matters of faith, doctrine and conduct, and is the basis for teaching
    [2 Timothy 3:16-17]
  6. We believe that Christ commanded believers to go into all the world and make disciples of all people, baptising them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching those who believe to obey all that Christ commanded
    [Matthew 28:19-20]
  7. We believe that the work of Christ needs to be accomplished in and through the love of Christ.
    [Romans 12:10; Colossians 3:17, 23; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13; 1 John 4:9-11]