SOZO Core Values
History of the Organization
In 1990, DGI and SOZO Founder Randall Morgan began
traveling with a small music group in Eastern Europe.
As they traveled from city to city, nation to nation,
the reality of the oppression of the people was obvious
all around them. Randy found that the international language
of music brought smiles to the faces and joy to the hearts
of the downtrodden. There was a deep desire within him
to encourage people, and to accept and encourage their
particular ethnic cultures. He also saw the need to bring
these ethnic groups together so that they could learn
to trust each other and strengthen the body of Christ
through the unification of people groups. The idea of
a music and arts festival was born. The first festival
began in Hungary near the southern border city of Szeged
in 1998, under the name Rock for Life. In 1999 it moved
to its present home of Baja, Hungary, located near the
borders of Serbia, Croatia, and Romania. Renamed the SOZO
Festival in 2000 (Sozo is a Greek word meaning Healing,
Salvation and Deliverance), this became an annual event
that not only focused on training in music, arts and leadership,
but also on the reconciliation and unity of nations previously
in conflict.
The SOZO Foundation has also seen a number of ministries
born out of the festival. In 2000 Freedom Street Records
(FSR), a ministry of DGI and SOZO, recorded and released
projects on an Albanian artist, “Rudina.”
Rudina has taken her music to her people not only in
Albania but also in Kosovo, in southern Serbia. FSR
also released a project on the Serbian/Hungarian band
“SOS,” an evangelistic band geared to skaters.
Realizing the need for further training of Eastern
European nationals, in 2003 the SOZO Foundation began
an eight week internship for young leaders from former
communist nations (i.e., Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia,
Croatia, Bulgaria, Albania, Poland, etc.) This training
program is designed to maximize the unique gifts of
each of the interns. These young leaders will utilize
their training by providing leadership for the festival.
Each one will be fully equipped to make a positive impact
in their nations.
Each spring and summer, DGI and the SOZO Foundation
host a number of Worship Tours that not only encourage
the churches of the Eastern European nations, but also
positively affect the lives of westerners and easterners
alike as they worship together and learn about their
brothers and sisters in Christ from foreign lands.
Mission Statement
Destiny Group International is a globally active
non-profit organization committed to training individuals
to be agents of change in their unique cultures.
Vision Statement
Destiny Release, Nations Empowered
Core Values and Underlying Assumptions
- Jesus and His Teachings
- We live according to His example.
- We live in a manner that reflects our great value to God.
- We live in a manner that acknowledges the great value
of others.
- Integrity
- We do what we say we will do.
- We obey the laws of the land.
- We respect private and corporate property.
- Servant Leadership
- Our leaders participate in practical tasks.
- Our leaders prefer others above themselves.
- Our leaders are aware of the parameters of their authority
and do not abuse power or use it for personal gain.
- Empowerment
- We foster a climate of discovery and affirmation.
- We build a safe community where abilities can be explored.
- We seek to place servant leaders in appropriate positions
of responsibility.
- Diversity as Reflected in Cross-cultural Exchange,
and in the Giftings and Talents of Individuals and Cultures
- Our staff spends regular time outside of their home
culture.
- We intentionally place staff in cross-cultural housing
and working situations.
- We draw attention to and celebrate the unique facets
of individual cultures.
- Social Equality as Reflected in Gender, Economic, and
Racial Issues
- Pay is based on skill and regional cost of living, and
not on gender or nationality.
- Work duties are assigned based on ability, and not based
on gender or nationality.
- We seek to always be aware of and address social inequalities,
e.g. the treatment of Gypsies and women.
- Creativity
- We encourage new ways of doing things.
- We believe in and promote the ability of all cultures
to express their own worship creatively
- We creatively honor and incorporate diverse cultures
in our community life.
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