2023 Annual Report
Letter from Pastor Lee and Jane Cummings
This past year, we had the opportunity to examine our mission statement and received fresh vision from the Lord regarding the role Radiant Church plays in His eternal plan. The continuous pursuit of His vision for us as a church has always been important to us. So, in 2023, we set out to seek Him and His heart for Radiant. In His kindness, He gave us a clear mandate: to continue to thrive as a praying and worshiping church that is relentlessly leading people to become fully formed disciples of Jesus Christ, living on mission together.
Looking back through this annual report fills us with immense hope and joy because we see the evidence of God’s vision for us aligning with all that was accomplished for Him and His Kingdom in 2023. The believers of our community are engaging in prayer, worship, and discipleship out of an intimate relationship with the Lord, and it is so beautiful.
Our prayer is that this report serves as a testimony of the power and goodness of our God. We look forward to partnering with the Holy Spirit in 2024 as He leads us into even greater things than these for our city, nation, and world.
Locations
Total weekend attendance for the year across all locations: 140,173
Richland: 83,215
Portage: 50,924
Downtown: 6,034
Downtown attendance of 6,034 was doubled from last year!
Number of visitors across all locations: 1,505
Richland: 1,009
Portage: 399
Downtown: 97
Number of salvations across all locations:
803
Water Baptisms
Across all locations: 370
Prayer Room
Number of volunteers serving in the prayer room: 200
Hours of intercession in the prayer room: 1000 hours, including 12 days of 24/7 worship during a time of outpouring in February.
Number of local churches represented in the prayer room: 19
Worship
& Radiant City Music
184 worship volunteers
1.6 million streams across main streaming platforms (88% increase from 2022)
402,257 unique listeners (280% increase from 2022)
165 countries (over 80% of the world)
29 songs released in 2023
20 editorial playlist placements
13 featured singers/main artists & 16 contributing songwriters
Top streamed song of 2023: “Peace” at 230,000 streams
Team Radiant
Actively serving on Team Radiant: 1,092
Richland: 632
Portage: 388
Downtown: 72
We believe that every person is created by God on purpose, with purpose, and for a purpose.
Groups
A smaller expression of a larger church
Number of groups for the year: 165
Number of participants: 1,881
Number of new group leaders: 18
Number of couples attending marriage retreats: 56
Radiant Kids & Radiant Students
Weekend Kids Attendance for 2023 across all locations: 29,247
Weekly average across locations: 552 kids on average in classrooms each week
New visitors across locations: 962
Child Dedications: 97
Radiant Camp attendance: 203
Kids water baptized: 72
Kids/students sponsored to attend camp through Kingdom Builders: 18
Weekly High School attendance average across all locations: 141
Weekly Middle School attendance average across all locations: 108
Students in Student Leadership: 115
Students attending retreats: 156
Students attending Bold Conference: 64
Students water baptized: 79
Students salvations: 125
Radiant School of Ministry
Full-Time
Our Full-Time program is for every young adult who has a desire to follow Jesus, to live life differently than those around them and be equipped with practical ministry skills to make a difference in their generation.
Students: 43 (2023-2024 school year)
States: 5 (2023-2024 school year)
Hours of class: 270+ hours of class per student
Hours of outreach: 120+ hours of outreach per student
Short-term mission trips: 6
Nations visited by students on missions trips: 9
Part-Time
Our Part-Time program is designed for working adults who want to take the next step in practically walking out their faith! With a curriculum designed for once-a-week evening classes, students learn how to study the Bible, pray, fast, disciple, and evangelize from Radiant pastors and leaders. The four 8-week terms run September through May.
Teachers: 8
Table Leaders: 20
Students: 100+
Student investment into classes: 10,000+ hours
Weekend Intensives: 4
LAUNCH
Radiant School of Ministry LAUNCH exists to give working adults the training and practical ministry experience that they need to pursue God’s call to vocational ministry. This program partners with pastors all over the Radiant Network to equip the next generation of leaders within their local church.
Students: 33
States Represented: 8
Hours of Class Time: 56
Serving in local churches/ministries: Over 4,500 hours
Personal discipleship: 430 hours
Radiant School of Worship
Radiant School of Worship is focused on raising up worship leaders and musicians to lead the Church through passion and excellence. Students grow in leadership and character through discipleship and practical worship training in an immersive environment of worship and prayer, while also receiving in-depth teaching and hands-on discipleship from radiant church worship leaders and pastors
Students: 26 (14 Year One, 6 Year Two, 6 Online)
States Represented: 9
Hours of class time: 270
Hours leading and attending prayer meetings: AT LEAST 210 (many doing additional prayer meetings a week that are not in their schedule)
Kingdom Builders
What is Kingdom Builders?
Kingdom Builders is a Radiant Church strategic initiative focused on the local and global expansion of outreach, evangelism, and mercy ministry. Whether it be sending missionaries to the nations, planting new churches, or caring for the poor, we believe that as Christians we are called to participate actively in the Great Commission by impacting the world and building the Kingdom of God in every sphere of society.
Total Given to Kingdom Builders in 2023: $354,273
Total Given to Big Give: $1,243,660
Grand Total: $1,597,933
Local Outreach
List of local partners we supported in 2023:
Alongside Ministries
Alternatives
International Campus Ministry
Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes
Kalamazoo Gospel Ministries
Kindness Acts
PowerUp
Reach the Forgotten
Redeemed Lives | Redeemed Rides
Safe Families
Tree of Life/Path of Life Schools
Twelve Baskets
Urban Alliance
Youth for Christ
Warm Kids Project
Wayne Drain Ministries
Global Outreach
List of global partners we supported in 2023:
Jalyn Tran | Iglesia Radiante
Jay & Ashley
John & Karla Vereecken | Global Outreach Ministries
Justin & Joanne
Live Dead
Living Hope Myanmar
Mario & Emily
Marriage Today (XO)
Michael & Chrisi Shead | Reach Guatemala
New Roots Haiti
One for Israel
OneHope
Paraclete Ministries
Pioneers
Real Hope Program | Haiti
Rick & Denise Renner
Tito Musyoki Rural Development Ministry
Whispering Willow
Ask Dr. Brown Ministries
Benard Ondiak | Partners in Evangelism
Benson Family
BlackBox
Bolton Family
Brother Abraham | Christ for India
Chase & Megan
Children of the Promise
Church Multiplication Gospel Ministry
Edgar & Erika Gomez | Iglesia Radiante
Elim Fellowship
FIGHT Ministries
Frontier Alliance International
Global Catalytic Ministries
InterVarsity
(Please note that due to safety and security concerns, some individuals and organizations we support cannot be listed)
LOCAL PARTNER HIGHLIGHT
Alternatives Care Centers
Alternatives is a non-profit, pro-life, Christian organization dedicated to serving families in our communities. They help families live healthy lives by holistically focusing on emotional, physical, and spiritual support.
Pregnancy Tests: 318
Ultrasounds: 182
STI/STD Tests: 194
Clothing Items Given: 135,675
Clients Assisted: 2,995
Clients Who Accepted Christ: 21
Spiritual Discussions: 2,422
Post-Abortion Healing Clients: 8
Parenting 101 Students: 18
Willing-to-Wait Students: 54
Abortion-vulnerable clients who intend to carry their child: 81.2%
Impact Trips
Kingdom Builders Impact Teams volunteer and travel to various places around the world in an ongoing effort to help our long-term ministry partners meet the practical and spiritual needs of their communities and to share the love of Jesus.
Impact Trips: 10
Participated in Impact Trips: 70
IMPACT TRIP HIGHLIGHT
Nairobi, Kenya – August 2023
A Radiant Impact team was sent to serve two purposes with our partners in rural Kenya. One was to do medical and eyeglass screenings for people in Kambusu, and the other was to dedicate a well and preach the gospel in the village of Itheuni. The completed well project was completely funded through the Big Give!
We had a great team that included some doctors and medical professionals. From Monday through Thursday, the team did medical screenings on the villagers, where they were able to do blood sugar screenings, take their blood pressure, and take their vital signs. They also had eye doctors who did rudimentary eye exams and were able to give out prescription glasses and sunglasses to hundreds of people in great need! Over 400 people were medically screened, but more importantly, the Gospel was preached, and new believers were added to the Kingdom.
On Saturday, Pastor Joel and the team traveled to Itheuni to complete the second half of their trip. There was a large gathering to celebrate and to dedicate a new well. The well was needed in the village of Itheuni because one of the leading causes of death in Kenya is infections caused by a limited water supply and by water contaminated by sewage. This well that was funded through the Big Give serves 500-1,000 people DAILY who can now get safe drinking water as well as water that is safe for cooking and cleaning.
Through the Impact Team to Kenya, the team was able to witness the Kenyan people's physical needs being met, in addition to getting their spiritual needs met through the Living Water of Jesus.
“I love going on impact trips because they're just that. It makes an impact not only on the people in the country that you're going to serve but on you, as well.” - Tom Jones
Kingdom Builders: Big Give
2023 Big Give Offering Goal: $1,000,000
Total Given: $1,243,660
2023 Big Give Partners:
Safe Families for Children
Kalamazoo Gospel Ministries
Warm Kids Project
Kindness Acts
Alternatives of Kalamazoo
Radiant Apostolic Ministries
OneHope
Chase & Megan
BLACKBOX
Jesse & Lauren (FAI)
$243,660 overflow used to fund these additional projects:
Church Multiplication Gospel Ministry – Ethiopia
Donation of motorcycles for indigenous church planters working to see a church in every unreached village of Ethiopia.Living Hope – Myanmar
Donated funds to replace a badly damaged boys dormitory.New Roots – Haiti
Donated funding for vehicles and solar power system upgrade.TMR Ministry – Kenya
Donated funds for a borehole well in the in a community with no access to clean water.Zoe Ministry – Egypt
Provided funding and equipment to support growing indigenous ministry.Chase and Megan – Iraq
Increased giving towards current projects.Kindness Acts
Exists to create, facilitate and administer a Christian discipleship program for homeless adults and children in Kalamazoo as well as Malawi, Africa.Kalamazoo Gospel Ministries
Committed to serving those in our community who are homeless or in financial crisis.Youth For Christ
Reaching young people in our community, working with local churches and partners to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus.Alternatives
Helping families have healthy lives by holistically focusing on emotional, physical and spiritual support.Tree of Life School
Providing a transformative Biblical education to a broad range of children who may not normally have the opportunity, working with families to reach their full potential in Christ.Together for Israel
Partnering together with the Church for the salvation of Israel.
Past Big Give Offerings
Radiant City Vision
Totals include funds given across all years of the campaign (2021-2023)
Total Foundation Offering: $1,447,706.96
Total Given from Intent to Give Commitments: $4,122,322.82
Total Given from Non-Intent to Give Commitments: $1,753,862.02
Families that gave: 661
Grand Total Given: $7,323,891.80
Phased Project Status:
Phase 1: Radiant City Center - Complete
• Prayer Room
• Downtown location lobby
• Central office space
• Matchhead Coffee
• Radiant School of Ministry classrooms, and more
2022
Richland
Parking Lot
Sanctuary chairs
Portage
Large Metal Cross for Roof
Radiant City Center
Radiant Lobby
Worship Office Furniture
Basement Classroom #3 plus Office space
Prayer Room Upgrades
Creative Film Studio – Phase 1
Creative Film Studio – Phase 2
2023
Richland
Lobby Upgrades
Kids Area Praise Place (Phase)
Kids Classroom Upgrades
Outdoor Playground
Kids Indoor Playset and check in stations
Fire Panel
Green Room
Portage
Kids Area Praise Place (Phase 1)
Kids Classroom Upgrades
Kids Indoor Playset and check in stations
Outdoor Playground
HVAC Replacement
Radiant City Center
Creative office expansion
2024
Richland
Lobby door hardware replaced
Portage
No Activity
Radiant City Center
Worship Office renovation
Studio “C” renovation
Main Studio
Paint
In Process
Basement Classroom #4 plus Office space
Finance
Audited financials will release Summer 2024.
Digital Reach
YouTube
Total Impressions: 5,095,893
Total Views: 1,042,941
Hours of content watched: 263,126
Subscribers Added: 7,751
Instagram + Facebook
People Reached on Facebook: 1.7M
People Reached on Instagram: 2.1M
Followers on Facebook: 20,077 (+1.3K increase from 2022)
Followers on Instagram: 15,993 (+1.8K increase from 2022)
Website
Website Visitors: 246,581
Countries Reached: 99
Radiant Network & Arise Shine Conference
Radiant Network
The Radiant Network is a family of churches and leaders who share similar spiritual DNA and have aligned themselves together in a common vision for growing the Kingdom. The Network is designed to be an apostolic covering and relational connection for pastors, a support system and logistical resource center for organizations, a catalyst for relationships, and a developer of leaders.
Network churches: 56
Churches added in 2023: 12
Arise Shine Conference
The Arise Shine Conference is hosted at Radiant Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and is a two-day event for pastors and leaders passionate about seeing revival in the local church and building the Kingdom of God. During this time, leaders are able to connect, grow, and engage with a passionate prayer culture that they can take back to their communities!
Number of churches/ministries represented: 131
Number of states represented: 31
Number of countries represented: 7
Number of volunteers: 140
Number of attendees: 1,052
