Global Mapping International

History of GMI

The Beginning

GMI was founded by Bob Waymire in 1983 on the campus of the U. S. Center for World Mission in Pasadena, California. Coming out of the strategy, research and planning department of Overseas Crusades (now OC International), Bob had a vision for helping the whole Body of Christ get an accurate, up-to-date picture of the "harvest field" and the "harvest force". GMI began as a "task force" to develop global databases of strategic church and mission information around the world, to develop a global computer mapping system, and to provide the resulting information back to national church and mission leaders.

1983 - 1991

During its first few years, GMI:

• developed a major "Research Data Guide" - for national church research efforts
• developed our own mapping software (which we later abandoned for an improved product from a commercial vendor)
• developed the Global Research Database (GRDb), a software and database system for sharing global missions data
• was instrumental in developing SHARE Fellowship and the SHARE Data Dictionary - to encourage and facilitate the sharing of mission data between organizations
• created the People Profile system which many others has since adopted and adapted
• produced maps for the COMIBAM Atlas, produced Target Earth, and published the PeoplesFile Index - all strategic mission books.

1991 - 1999

In 1991, GMI moved to Colorado Springs and Mike O'Rear became GMI's president and CEO. Our emphases during the '90s included:

• publishing major collections of mission information, especially on CD-ROM: Global Ministry Mapping System, 20:21 Library of Mission & Evangelism Resources, Operation World Plus, and Wisdom of African Proverbs.
• publishing missions maps: wall maps, overhead transparency sets, and custom maps for church and mission needs
• training and consulting others around the world in research, publishing and information technology for missions

21st Century

During the first decade of the 21st Century, GMI's work has focused on:

• conducting mission research projects (Churches' Response to AIDS, Agency Web Review, FlightPlan, Healing Waters, Engage, Impact and Urbana) and coaching others in conducting their own field research projects (see Breakthrough Coaching)
• providing GIS (geographic information system) services for international mission work (providing GIS software, databases, training, support and custom mapping) and developing key global geographic databases (see the World Language Mapping System and the Global Ministry Mapping System)
• publishing mission data on the Web and CD-ROM (The World of Islam, Peoples of the Buddhist World, WorldVue, Operation World and Operation China) and writing key books (see Breakthrough, A Reader's Guide to Transforming Mission and American Cultural Baggage).