wfn.org | New Church Training Event Signals a Spirit for Growth

["Communication Ministries" <wshuffit@cm.disciples.org>]

Date: November 20, 2001
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: Curt Miller
E-mail: cmiller@cm.disciples.org
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org

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	INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- The largest class of new church planters
ever in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) gathered in
Indianapolis, November 5-9 for a week of intensive training in
the art of starting new congregations.  Fifty seven individuals
representing 20 projects in 15 regions were trained by members
of the newly formed New Church Ministry team along with
successful new church planters and other staff consultants.

	"This large class of new church planters is further evidence
that we Disciples can meet the 2020 Vision goal of 1,000 new
congregations,"  said Rick Morse, director of New Church
Ministry. "For the first time since the 1950s, Disciples have
planted 38 new congregations just this year," he added.  Before
the New Church Summit in 2000, Disciples were starting only
11-15 new congregations per year.

	Participants learned effective methods for inviting and
attracting new people to their churches; learned skills for
developing leaders and cell groups and explored ways to
communicate and market to their constituency. They also received
information on trends in fund raising and developing stewardship.

	"This group was a picture of the church of the future," added
Gilberto Collazo, assistant director of New Church Ministry. "It
was an ethnically diverse, energetic, and deeply spiritual group
of people with lots of commitment. They also reflect the many
ways we will start churches in the future through regions,
congregations and individuals who step up to the plate and plan
new communities of faith."

	The training event included creative worship services led by
William Chaney, new church pastor of The Rock Christian Church,
Stone Mountain, Ga., and Dee Long, program administrator for New
Church Ministry. "New church planting requires deep spiritual
preparation for the long race each project will endure.  You
cannot start a new church on knowledge and sweat alone," Morse
observed. 

	Workshop leaders included: T. Garrott Benjamin, senior pastor,
Light of the World Christian Church, Indianapolis, Ind.; Mariano
Ayala, senior pastor, Iglesia Cristiana en Kissimmee, Fla.; Kyle
Ermoian, new church planter, Celebration Christian Church,
Hayes, Kan.; Neil Topliffe and Randy Updegraff Spleth, ministers
from Geist Christian Church, Indianapolis and Gary Kidwell, vice
president of Christian Church Foundation, Indianapolis. Several
Church Extension staff members also led workshops dealing with
stewardship, marketing, and finance. They were: Ed Taylor,
general consultant, Tim Mitchell, director of marketing and Bob
Fiers, controller.

	According to Judy Turner, assistant director of New Church
Ministry, "It was exciting to see all of the creativity in just
this one event.  I am confident that the new church planters
will be sharing the Gospel and reaching new people -- in a Tulsa
coffee house, in a multi-cultural ministry in Tacoma, in a
nesting Hispanic church in Enid, in an outreach-oriented new
church in New Jersey, in a Korean new church in Illinois or in a
Dallas bar where a new church meets -- just to name a few."

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