1977
Mike MacIntosh launched the Horizon School of Evangelism in 1977 after returning from an outreach trip to Burma, India. While sitting in a taxi in the congested city, God burdened Mike’s heart with how many of those in the city were without a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He sensed God’s call to start a school of evangelism that would have one purpose – to train and equip servant leaders to go and change the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The school would not require transcripts, nor grant degrees. The Bible would be the main textbook and a life of faith the final exam.
1996
In May of 1996 Diane Luna went with 14 other students on HSE practicum to Macau, China to serve with Horizon Missionary and HSE alumni, Rusty Birkeland at Horizon Macau. God did a radical work through the HSE team allowing them to put together outreaches in downtown Macau and to local prisons, teach weekly English classes at Horizon Macau, and serve at a heroin recovery facility. A few Macau residents accepted Jesus as their personal savior and began attending Horizon Macau as a result of the street outreach.
2003
The Spring semester class of 2003 had an amazing wilderness experience in Death Valley. We began as 3 groups but soon merged into one as our circumstances warranted us to work together to find the best route. Because of the heavy rains that winter, the terrain had changed so that the route that was planned was not passable. It was a physically draining and tough time, but spiritually uplifting as we became very close as a class and saw the Lord’s glory and provision throughout the week. It’s something none of us will ever forget.
2004
In spring of 2004, HSE served with the Festival of Life during their three week practicum in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The students went all throughout the community including the local dumps to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through music, dramas, children’s ministry, sports, clowns and preaching. HSE had extraordinary opportunities at the festival which included working alongside local Mexican pastors and missionaries, serving with the FOL administration team, serving on the musician and speaker security team, setting up and breaking down the event, visiting elementary schools, running the rides at the festival for the kids, and serving food to thousands of hungry people. In the fall of 2004, the HSE 2 class had the privilege of joining the relief efforts of the American Red Cross, as they responded to the hurricanes that devastated parts of Florida and Alabama. The HSE students flew to Washington DC, Alabama and Florida to serve the victims of the hurricanes by volunteering in the Red Cross headquarters, contacting victims of the hurricanes, visiting homes, and counseling those whose lives had been impacted by the tragedy.
2005
Eleven students went to the nation of Israel for four weeks for their final mission trip of their ten month discipleship training. The students engaged young adults in Tel Aviv in front of a gay night club and two years later, the night club was turned into a Christian church that aims to reach the Israelis with the hope of Jesus Christ. Since graduating, four out of the eleven students have gone back to Israel to serve as missionaries. 5 students joined the Horizon USA emergency response team to help with the relief efforts from hurricane Katrina. Some flew and others drove across the country with cooking supplies and eagerness to be used by the Lord. They served thousands of meals to firemen, police, and other emergency personnel.
2006
In September of 2006, 100 students from the Horizon School of Evangelism participated in the Festival of Life in Bucheon, South Korea. They participated in two major events called the English Village and a Loud and Clear youth concert. The main objective of the English Village was to create a non-threatening environment for Korean young adults to come and interact with believers using English and American culture as a platform to build relationships. HSE was also invited into the local schools to teach on the consequences of choices. God used this as an opportunity for HSE students to share their testimonies and invite the youth to the Loud and Clear concert and hear the gospel preached by HSE alumni, Phillip MacIntosh. In May of 2006, HSE traveled to Wisla, Poland for their 3 week international practicum. The HSE students built great relationships with the Polish people and 3 of the young adults that they met, Marek, Jola, and Vera, came to the Horizon School of Evangelism the following semester. They are now graduating and returning to Poland to ignite the Polish church for Jesus Christ.
2007
In March 2007, 105 students from the Horizon School of Evangelism served for 2 weeks in Chiapas, Mexico in preparation for the Festival de Vida. They stayed in the Casa Hogar Orphanage and ministered to kids who had been abandoned, abused and neglected. HSE also had extraordinary opportunities to share the gospel, feed 500 inmates at a youth prison, as well as drive into an indigenous village to share the gospel with people who had never heard of Jesus. The HSE team witnessed over ten thousand people make personal decisions to accept Christ as their Savior at the Festival of Life event at the Jaguar soccer stadium.
2008
In May 2008, 97 students from the Horizon School of Evangelism embarked on an adventure of a life time. They purchased 2 charter buses and drove from San Diego to Washington DC and back, spreading the love of Jesus everywhere they went on what is called the Love Out Loud Tour. In November 2008, 101 students from the Horizon School of Evangelism embarked on a 3 week Love Out Loud Road Trip up the West Coast. They visited places such as Montebello, Sacramento, Applegate, Portland, and Seattle. HSE also had the privilege of equipping Calvary Chapel Northbend by holding a Thanksgiving Outreach with them.