wfn.org | ABCUSA: National Ministries Receives Grants for Evangelism and

["BROWN, Matthew" <Matthew.Brown@abc-usa.org>]

VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS)- The Frank E. Clark Charitable Trust awarded
National Ministries $75,000 to support small American Baptist
congregations in small communities.

The second grant of this kind to National Ministries, the Clark Trust
funding will assist congregations become healthier and vibrant, enabling
greater ability to impact their surrounding communities. As these
renewed churches live out faith commitments, they bring American Baptist
Churches USA closer to its NEW LIFE 2010 goal of reaching 1,000,010 new
disciples by 2010.

"We are leveraging these funds by making grants to a group or cluster of
churches who are geographically close and can do this work together in
what we call learning communities," said Dr. David Laubach, associate
executive director for New Churches, Evangelism and Transformation.

Grants from the previous Clark Trust funding helped about 140 churches
in seven regions achieve goals for strong mission engagement. "Our
region was able to increase ministry to our leadership transformation
groups, which helped about 17 churches with stewardship, and with vision
and mission planning," said Ed Merrill, coordinator of Leadership
Transformation Groups for American Baptist Churches of Maine.

Other regions implemented the Natural Church Development (NCD) program
recommended by National Ministries. This gave them an opportunity to
assess their congregational life and take steps to improve in areas such
as discipleship, use of gifts for ministry, community involvement and
youth ministry.

Additionally, the Palmer Trust, administered by the American Baptist
Foundation, granted $10,000 to the National Evangelism Team (NET) for
enhanced Got Style?(tm) training. That funding aims at promoting further
excellence where regional partners - called "NET associates," already
competent in presenting the Got Style?(tm) strategy - help churches
identify personality styles in their congregations for reaching others
with the gospel.

Funding will enable selected NET associates to train new associates, who
in turn teach churches the Got Style?(tm) approach. Close to 20 percent
of American Baptist churches throughout the United States will receive
training in the next five years, helping them move closer to the NEW
LIFE 2010 disciple-making goal.

NET associates are a diverse group of lay and clergy church leaders, as
well as regional American Baptist staff and ministers. Regional and
national workshops broaden their reach for evangelism coaching and
training.

For information about the application process for small church grants,
contact Dr. David Laubach, who coordinates National Ministries'
congregational transformation strategies, at 800-ABC-3USA, ext. 2417, or
David.Laubach@abc-usa.org . If your church is interested in having an
individualized Got Style?(tm) consultation, or if you want to become a
NET associate, contact Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, NET strategist and
specialist for evangelism at 800-ABC-3USA, ext. 2406, or
Jeffrey.Johnson@abc-usa.org.

Matthew Brown
Webmaster
Office of the General Secretary
American Baptist Churches USA
610-768-2159 Phone
610.768.2309 Fax
www.abcusamissions.org