fall 2015
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president from the
Diversity makes us stronger
VOLUME 7 n NUMBER 5 EDITOR Bob Putman
DESIGNER, PRODUCTION MANAGER Pam Nelsen
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Fran Anderson Alllison Hurtado Point (issn/1546-3257) is published quarterly (with a special edition in December) by the Baptist General Conference, 2002 S. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, IL 60005. Printed in U.S.A. Nonprofit Standard postage paid at Arlington Heights, Ill., and at additional mailing offices. © 2015 Baptist General Conference.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Point, 2002 S. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, IL 60005-4193.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
Our country is changing in beautiful and wonderful ways. One of the most obvious blessings God has given us as a nation is a beautiful diversity of people. My family has certainly experienced this in our move to the Orlando area. So far Lisa and I have met neighbors from Puerto Rico, Brazil, Cuba, Italy and Iraq (yeah, we met one from Chicago too). My neighborhood experience is a reminder that the world is coming to us. With this changing dynamic in our country, the church needs to keep in step with the opportunities God has given us. Our movement stands on four values. We are spiritually dynamic. Our desire is to live in spiritual vitality, to be led by God in the power of his Spirit and in alignment with his will and his Word. We are missionally driven. Everything we do is for the sake of the gospel. Our minds are always on the advancement of the message of God’s redemption and reconciliation to all people. We are relationally devoted. We believe we are better together in order to accomplish our mission. We band together to support, encourage and challenge one another to move forward “united in spirit and intent on one purpose.” Our fourth value is that we are culturally diverse. Although we began as a Swedish immigrant movement, we value how God has blessed us to become a movement with a wonderful variety of heritages and backgrounds. Our diversity makes us stronger. Twenty-one percent of our churches are now non-Anglo, and that percentage is growing. One reason for this is our focus on Intercultural Ministries. God has raised up great leaders in our Filipino, Vietnamese and Haitian churches who intentionally focus on ministry expansion. Recently we’ve begun to focus on our Spanish-speaking churches as well. Our hope is to reach ever-expanding circles of those who don’t know Jesus, that one day, by God’s grace, will include all peoples and cultures. In this issue of Point we will introduce you to the work of God through these Intercultural leaders who start and strengthen churches worldwide. Your partner in this mission,
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
REPRINT PERMISSION: Permission is granted to photocopy articles in small quantities for personal, church or school use. Please protect our copyright by writing or typing before copying: “Reproduced from Point by permission.” This permission does not extend to articles reprinted from other publications, reports for another publication or large quantity reproductions. For such purposes, written permission must be obtained from Point or from the original source.
2 n point | fall 2015
Scott Ridout President, Converge
inside features
4 Heroin, coming to your church 14 Vibrant
BY ALLISON HURTADO
4
Beraca Baptist Church and the hmet BY BOB PUTMAN
20 Meet Twanna
Bridging women across districts BY THE EDITORS
14
extras
7 Introducing our Director of Diversity
8 United to evangelize: ConvergeViet and the vmet
20
12 One-by-One Haiti
18 Introducing the Spanish School of Church Leadership
19 From migrant to missionary
22 Connection
on the cover Trina Jenkins, Bruce Sumner (Converge Southwest executive minister) and pastor John Jenkins are by no means strangers, having served Converge in highlevel positions for many years. These strong-yethumble servants of Christ share a long and deep friendship. PHOTO: NOBOX FILMS
n $99K to Nepal earthquake relief n The Fagerstroms’ new adventure n Gene Selander appreciated n Converge helps develop new study Bible
online: The changing face of Grace
How to reach us n T o add/remove your name from our mailing list, call 800.323.4215, M-F, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. EST n E mail us at point@converge.org @convergeww Converge Worldwide converge.org fall 2015
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HEROIN coming to your church
Heroin addiction is reaching epidemic proportions across the USA. Even in small towns. Here’s an inside look at two former addicts breaking the cycle. BY ALLISON HURTADO
4 n point | fall 2015
Ben Hardy was addicted to crack cocaine. He was in and out of rehab in Mil-
waukee, Wisconsin, but nothing worked — he kept getting high. Rock bottom was a familiar place. But when he hit it this time, it was different. He was out of options. So he went back to rehab – to a Christian restoration home. Deanna Richardson was addicted to heroin. She started using drugs and alcohol when she was 12 years old. Rehab was a check-in, check-out process; she went back to drugs every time. She woke up one morning to find her fiancé dead in the basement. He had hung himself. She touched his rock-hard cold face in horror, but it still wasn’t enough to change her. She plunged even deeper into her hell. Eventually she wound up at the same Christian restoration home as Ben. At Milwaukee Victory Church, God restored them and brought them together. In time both recovered, with Ben eventually running the men’s rehab program for nine years and Deanna, the women’s for two years. After a stroke put Ben in the hospital, he felt God calling him to leave his position. He wasn’t sure where or why, but a friend found a welding job for him in Marshfield, a small city three hours away. A Bible and a backpack is all he took in February 2012. Deanna soon followed. They married that December, and Ben and Deanna Hardy later welcomed a son, now 2 years old, into the world. The first year in Marshfield was rough. Deanna went back to school, but Ben’s health deteriorated and he had to quit his job. One day Deanna noticed police in a standoff with an addict robbing a Walgreen’s. She told Ben, “They have a heroin problem here.” Ben told her not to worry — God would send someone to help. In Marshfield, as in most of the U.S., heroin is becoming an epidemic. It’s cheap. Easy to find. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 2002 and 2013 the use of heroin rose among a wide range of demographic groups. Among young adults 18-25, heroin use has more than doubled. It also has doubled among women of all ages. Use of the dangerous drug is soaring; overdose deaths have quadrupled. In 2013, 8200 people died of heroin overdoses. The rise is partially attributed to addiction to prescription opioid painkillers. Since moving to Marshfield, the Hardys had been looking for a church. Then one day, across the street from their apartment, Ben saw a Faith Fellowship sign announcing the September 2012 grand opening of its new ministry center. “I was the first one in the doors,” Ben said. “I started talking with some gentleman and told him the type of church I was looking for. Then I realized he was the pastor. I eventually shared my testimony, and pastor Larry Sheahan said I needed to meet the Lammars, a church couple who have a heart for addicts. So he set up a meeting for us.” Marshfield is a city of about 20,000. There are no detox or rehabilitation ELIZABETH OLSON centers for addicts. A single hospital in the area had a facility, but it closed due to lack of funds. Mark and Tammy Lammar knew about the addiction issues in Marshfield. They opened a barbecue restaurant and realized many of their employees were fighting the disease. The Lammars and Sheahans confirmed what Deanna already knew: heroin was rampant in the community. “We know from experience addicts often feel judged just walking into a church, so we decided to host meetings at the Lammars’ barbecue restaurant on Mondays, when they’re closed,” Ben said. “It was really just a vision.” Together with the Lammars, as a ministry of Faith Fellowship, in April 2014 the Hardys launched Crossroads to Recovery, which uses Celebrate Recovery’s faith-based curriculum. The meetings took off. Ben’s phone didn’t stop ringing for the first two months. He and Deanna opened their home to those in need. Some people even detoxed in the Hardy’s apartment. “I pick up people all over town. We take people in and go out on interventions at all hours of the night,” Ben said. “Many are young women. Heroin is kind of a new thing here. It just started rearing its ugly head five years ago. This is what happens.” fall 2015
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DONNA LAMMAR
One might find it strange to have addicts attend Sunday morning church. A dozen people from Crossroads are there each week, realizing their need for the Word of God, taking notes and understanding what it means to follow Jesus. Pastor Larry Sheahan says caring for them is built into the DNA of Faith Fellowship, a 56-year-old church with a heart for ‘lost, hurting and broken people.’ Recently it adopted a new vision statement: ‘Restoring this generation to reach the next.’ ‘The church is the only organization that exists for those who are not yet members. We are going to take people where they are and help them grow.’ — Larry Sheahan
Families call for advice, addicts call to find out how to detox. Ben and Deanna support as many people as they can, as best they can. They have a volunteer staff that helps. Crossroads to Recovery is just over a year old. In that time, six people have been baptized. Sheahan says what the Hardys provide is far more than a weekly meeting. “It’s life-on-life mentoring. They make themselves available 24 hours a day. Besides the Monday meetings, Ben leads Bible studies on Wednesdays in a Burger King, and they’ve just begun Saturday night prayer meetings. Crossroads is far beyond a recovery program.” Sheahan says the community didn’t know about the drug problem before the Hardys came to Marshfield. If they did, they ignored it. Heroin sounds like a big-city, inner-city problem, but studies show it’s a drug that’s moved to Middle America. It’s everywhere. There is heroin and lsd in the local high school. “I sensed our community turned a blind eye. People don’t realize the severity of the drug problem in small-town America,” Sheahan says. “They are slowly waking up. Meeting with our mayor was key, and now he’s on board. So is the school board.” Sheahan and the Hardys realize Crossroads is just one piece of the puzzle. They are trying to set up a home for recovering addicts. Realizing the church cannot take this step alone, they have formed a community steering committee, which is now looking for property. The goal is to establish a residential home in the next year. Deanna would act as its director. “We know this will work out,” Ben said. “We will still bring Jesus out to the streets and bring users into the church. I have faith that whatever we need, he will fulfill.” It helps that the hospital, emergency room doctors, pediatricians, local businesses, police and firefighters are behind them. Ironically, the Hardys almost left Marshfield. Had Deanna not received a grant for school, they would have been long gone, back to Milwaukee. “God put it on our hearts. I told Deanna, ‘God will send someone,’” Ben said. “But that someone was actually us. He kept us here in Marshfield for a reason. God had been preparing us our whole lives for this.” n Allison Hurtado is a Point contributing editor.
For more information visit crossroads2recovery.org, and read Deanna’s powerful testimony on her blog, crossroadstorecovery.blogspot.com.
6 n point | fall 2015
Introducing our director of Diversity Dr. Robin Holland began in this new position August 1. What led to creating the position, and how has God prepared him? BY THE EDITORS
At the close
of Converge’s Transform conference this January, president Scott Ridout responded to the growing racial tension in our country. He choked up as he apologized for anything Converge had done that might have made Christians of non-white ethnicity uncomfortable. “We’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen again, that we’re sensitive to it and that we focus on reconciliation,” he said. “I’m not sure what that looks like, but we’re going to work on it.” After consultations with a diversity task force, Ridout worked with National Ministries vice president Dr. Michael Henderson to craft a job description. It called for someone to facilitate understanding and to build bridges of reconciliation and cultural intelligence among Converge members. Ridout’s vision is that Converge will become a major voice for racial reconciliation across the nation. One voice — Holland’s — will lead the way. He assumes the new part-time Diversity position while he continues to pastor Living Hope Baptist Church, Aurora, Colorado.
Pastor profiled at traffic stop
Qualifications n Degrees in Education, Urban and Intercultural Studies, Leadership Management. n Retired from the U.S. Air Force after 25 years of service. n With his wife Nita Faye, founded Living Hope Baptist Church in 1992. n Aurora Community Police Department Chaplain and Chief of Chaplains, 19892001. n Serves on Denver Mayor’s Clergy Council for the Homeless and Senior Initiative. n Missions trips to Haiti, Grenada, South Africa, Zimbabwe. Taught at Kiev (Ukraine) Christian University.
A few years ago pastor Holland was pulled over in Aurora, Colorado. The officer asked why he was in that neighborhood, “as if I shouldn’t live here because of the color of my skin,” Holland said. A chaplain with the Aurora Police Department, Holland questioned her, having broken no laws. The officer went to her car and returned with tickets for speeding and an illegal lane change. “Those aren’t my tickets,” Holland told her. “I watched you as I drove by. You know I didn’t do anything wrong.” Two more police cars arrived, surrounding Holland’s car. Knowing he could be beaten or jailed, he accepted the tickets and drove straight to the police station. There he asked for the duty officer and explained the situation. The duty officer called in the officer who had stopped Holland, listened to her view of the incident and then tore up the tickets, saying, “We don’t do that” (racial profiling). Holland knew from experience not to handle the situation on the street, where it might escalate because he was black. So he kept calm and dealt with it in a safer location. “That’s the kind of situation that can open the eyes of those in our Converge movement,” he said. This April Holland spoke to Converge Rocky Mountain pastors about the racial problems in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore. One pastor said, “I don’t see color when I look at you.” Holland replied, “I need you to see color. I need you to see the difference and know the cultural differences and celebrate them with me. Or work on what those differences mean if they are not equality.” Holland’s message resonated with another crm pastor, who wanted his Loveland, Colorado, nonethnic church to get to know people from a black church. Says Holland, “So we took our Living Hope men’s group and male chorus to Loveland for a combined men’s prayer breakfast. I spoke, and we saw these folks interacting with a multicultural church for the first time. In Christianity we’re one in Christ. But we need to experience what we’re talking about, not just talk about it.”
A life built for reconciliation Holland grew up in the dangerous Kimmelbrook projects in Youngtown, Ohio, once listed as the housing project with the shortest life span for African American males ages 15 to 18. When he was 7, Holland’s family moved to an all-white neighborhood. There his skin color drew him into fights, and he was called many names. “I got my issues settled young,” he summarizes. “We hashed it out with fists and with our parents clashing.” The boys he fought became his lifelong friends. Holland served in the Air Force for 25 years, learning to become a voice of reconciliation among recruits who had never experienced close quarters with those of other ethnicities. When Promise Keepers launched in the late 1980s, its films on racial reconciliation featured Holland’s church, including his teaching the lhbc men’s group. Also, he contributed to the Promise Keepers book Power of a Promise Kept. Holland served as co-chairman of a faith-based coalition that helped process and place over 10,000 survivors of Hurricane Katrina, mostly blacks. And he was a first-responder after the July 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting. “God prepared me all my life for this position,” he said. We couldn’t agree more. n fall 2015
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VIET
United to evangelize BY ANDREW LE
Our ConvergeViet Renewal Conference
ConvergeViet church plants Atlanta, Georgia: Ban Nguyen, church planter Manassas, Virginia: Phiet Pham, church planter
8 n point | fall 2015
theme this year was “United to Evangelize,” based on Matthew 9:38: “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Unity Fellowship in Fountain Valley, California, the 2012 church plant I lead with Thien Van and Tang Nguyen, hosted the June 26-28 event. ConvergeViet aims to reach out to lay leaders, creating local strategic support teams for church strengthening and starting within our movement. One of ConvergeViet’s visions is to become the fastest-growing church planting movement for Vietnamese people worldwide. In an effort to be cost effective, we scheduled School of Church Leadership Training classes just prior to our conference. On June 25, leaders from ConvergeViet and various other leaders attended a six-hour class titled “Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Warfare.” The instructor
was Bruce Sumner, district executive minister of Converge Southwest. The course provided pivotal training to help inform, equip and empower lay leaders and students who attended. On June 26, I taught a class titled “Pastoral Epistles: Scripture and Practices for Today.” Both classes had about 30 attendees, as well as over 20 additional students via Internet extension courses. This year’s conference theme follows previous annual conference topics: United to Serve (Garden Grove, 2013) and United to Be Strong (Portland, 2014). Churches from across the U.S. sent nearly 200 people to attend this year’s three-day conference. Keynote speakers were Sumner and Steve Welling, district executive minister of Converge Northwest. Sumner opened the conference with a message emphasizing the “Power of Prayer.” Welling brought messages titled “Mission: A Baton-passing Type
Meet our Vietnamese leadership team
of Endeavor Requiring Teamwork” and “Prayer: Asking for Heavenly Dispatch of Workers.” As the conference finale, Welling closed with the message “Believe in the Power of God.” ConvergeViet has partnered with Converge to assist the project to build a facility for Hanoi Bible College in Vietnam. As a confirmation from God, our 50/50 collaborative effort resulted in Vietnam Church (North) becoming licensed and recognized by the Vietnam government. The church’s grand opening will take place September 15, 2015. The confirmation was delivered to me just prior to the conference, and participants were very encouraged to hear this positive report. With worship teams from San Diego and Portland, overwhelming tasty Asian food, a simultaneous youth event and excellent church hospitality, the conference was a blessing to many. Positive responses from attendees indicate promise for our 2016 ConvergeViet Renewal Conference, slated for summertime in Chicago. n Andrew Le is pastor of Unity Fellowship, Fountain Valley, California, and on the three-member Converge Vietnamese Ministry Expansion Team.
From the earliest days a recognized leadership principle has been that teams, and teamwork, accomplish more than rugged, raw, capable individualism. Jethro’s sage and timely advice to Moses to establish smaller groupings of Israelites illustrates this. Jesus’ sending out his disciples in teams gives accent to this reality, and the remainder of the New Testament is replete with illustrative examples. “Teaming” captures how our national Vietnamese leadership minister together for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom. Beginning in 2007, pastors Andrew Le, Tu Truong and Phu Pham (l. to r.) individually felt the call to serve the Vietnamese community of churches and leaders across Converge in the USA and in Vietnam. Following a nearly two-year national leadership hiatus from our Vietnamese churches, Le, Truong and Pham began teaming to address the unique concerns and opportunities ahead. Together they comprise the Vietnamese Ministry Expansion Team. Le lives in Orange County, California; Truong in the Los Angeles area, and Pham outside greater Chicago. Although separated by lack of proximity, these three forged the way to lead through connectivity and a collaborative spirit, united by their mutual love for Christ and the people he has called them to serve. The success in advancing a team’s mission is determined by several critical factors. Among these are having clear goals, capable and well-placed players, a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities, adequate support and coaching and the authority to carry out what it is purposed to accomplish. These components are well attested in the annals of team leadership theory. In our current and contextual ministry settings, advancing beyond simply “team” as a noun to “teaming”1 as a verb is essential for achieving greater ministry impact. Amy C. Edmondson, author and Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, champions the idea of teaming: “Teaming is a verb. It is a dynamic activity, not a bounded, static entity. It is largely determined by the mindset and practices of teamwork, not by the design and structures of effective teams. Teaming is teamwork on the fly. It involves coordinating and collaborating without the benefit of stable team structures… Fast-moving work environments need people who know how to team, people who have the skills and the flexibility to act in moments of potential collaboration when and where they appear. They must have the ability to move on, ready for the next such moments. Teaming still relies upon old-fashioned teamwork skills such as recognizing and clarifying interdependence, establishing trust and figuring out how to coordinate.” Individually, Le, Truong and Pham each are successful leaders. But teaming as leaders of the vmet, they embody the essence of what it means to be “better together.” By Bruce Sumner, executive minister of Converge Southwest district 1Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in a Knowledge Economy, by Amy C. Edmondson, JosseyBass, 2012. fall 2015
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Converge USA at a glance CONVERGE DISTRICTS HEARTLAND
CONVERGE DISTRICTS
convergeheartland.org Jim Capaldo
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
convergerockymountain.org
NORTH CENTRAL
convergenorthcentral.org
Dan Carlson
Paul Mitton
GREAT LAKES
NORTHWEST
convergegreatlakes.org
convergenw.org
Dr. Dwight Perry
Steve Welling
NORTHEAST convergenortheast.org
Dr. Brent Allen
MIDATLANTIC
convergemidatlantic.com Dan Peterson
PACWEST
convergepacwest.org David Yetter
SOUTHWEST
convergesouthwest.org Bruce Sumner
SOUTHEAST convergesoutheast.org
Steve Smith
MIDAMERICA convergemidamerica.org
Gary Rohrmayer
PACWEST
NORTHWEST
CHURCHES BY ETHNICITY: 221 1039 Nonethnic (includes 61 African American) 63
Latino
42
Multicultural
32 Filipino 32
Haitian
20 Vietnamese
6 Native American
5 Cruzan
4 Brazilian
4 Chinese
4 Japanese
2 Bahamian 2 Mien 1 Asian 1 Ethiopian 1 Hmong/Laotian 1 Jewish 1 Russian
10 n point | fall 2015
The blessing of biblical diversity Twenty-five representatives from influential Christian organizations convened for a first-ever Multiethnic Church Planting Leaders Summit at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte, N.C., March 18-19. It was my honor to represent Converge. American culture is changing in rapid and profound ways. It’s like sitting on a lawn chair on a beach as the tide comes in. We can no longer afford to make mere tactical adjustments; strategic changes and the courage to make them are required. The Millennial generation currently includes 43 percent people of color, and our nation will transition to a white minority by 2040. As we become a more pluralistic culture, we must change our metric of success from breadth of size to breadth of influence. In Corporate America, diversity and inclusion issues are already paramount; cultural intelligence is the new trade language for organizational health. Whether you live in a rural, small town, suburban or urban context, you will experience the effects of these changes. The Church lags behind not only the culture but, more important, in applying Scripture. God’s Word proclaims the Church is the place “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). We must strategically position ourselves to create bridges, build cultural intelligence for our diverse communities and expect Holy Spirit-fueled influence. This will require leaders, resources and training. It will not be a quick-fix, but a lifelong, sacred journey. Most evangelical church associations are doing little in the area of diversity and culture. Those who take the lead experience blessing and growth. Converge, this is our time. By Jim Eaton, pastor of Mosaic Church, a multicultural congregation in Frederick, Maryland.
OUR DOORS ARE OPEN
Investment Options Term Investments MINIMUM TERM RATE INVESTMENT
BONUS RATE!
6-month 0.875% $100 1.000% $100,000 1.125% $250,000 1-year 1.125% $100 1.250% $100,000 1.375% $250,000 2-year 1.250% $100 1.375% $100,000 1.500% $250,000 3-year 1.625% $100 1.750% $100,000 1.875% $250,000 4-year 1.875% $100 4-year 2.750% $100 2.000% $100,000 2.750% $100,000 2.125% $250,000 2.750% $250,000 5-year 2.375% $100 2.500% $30,000 2.625% $100,000 2.750% $250,000
Demand Investments MINIMUM RATE INVESTMENT
0.875% $100
Church Savings Investments MINIMUM RATE INVESTMENT
1.000% $5,000
IRAs MINIMUM RATE INVESTMENT
2.875% $10 3.000% $100,000+
Rates subject to change without notice.
We’re ready when you are... Currently 3,000+ investors have walked through our doors to join our mission. In turn they are earning a competitive rate on their investments. The MISSION of Converge Cornerstone Fund is to assist Converge churches by providing financial resources and services that enable them to expand their ministries, and to offer our Converge constituency a competitive rate on investments.
This shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such an offer, solicitation or sale is not authorized. The offering is made solely by the OFFERING CIRCULAR. The offering involves certain risks which are more fully disclosed in the Offering Circular under the heading “Risk Factors.” These investments are not FDIC or SIPC insured. In the event the Fund exercises its right to redeem a Certificate prior to maturity and upon 60 days notice to the holder thereof, payment of the outstanding principal and interest will be made to the holder to the date of redemption, rather than to the Certificate’s maturity date.
visit: cornerstonetoday.org email: csfund@converge.org call: 877.228.8810 fall 2015 point n 11
|
One by One Haiti is a child sponsorship program designed to develop a new generation of Christians who will transform Haitian communities through the power of the gospel.
Robenson Innocent
Jean Carlens Saint Flime
Catia Lorimarie
Attends Paradise of Children School 3rd GRADE Lives with his dad and younger brother. His father greatly values education
Attends Melchizedek Baptist School 3rd GRADE Almost completely deaf, but helped with hearing aids
Attends Melchizedek Baptist School 12th GRADE Member of the Oxygen English Club and 1st Baptist Church choir
Comment from Catia’s sponsor: “It was love at first sight when we saw the photo of a sweet 6-year-old little girl who needed a sponsor. Catia has been a special part of our lives for the past seven years.”
Quote: “I am so very happy to be helped by One by One. God does not bless you for yourself. When God blesses you, I think he blesses you to help some other people. That will be very, very important to me, to help some other people.”
Comment from Jean’s dad: “My first priority is to see that my kids are educated. One by One is very meaningful for me. Now I can smile. I have joy now with One by One.”
Basic One by One facts n Monthly sponsor donations of $35 per child. n Sponsor and child relationship developed through letters and pictures. n Donations cover costs of Christian school attendance for sponsored children. n Currently 385 students sponsored. n Directed by the (Converge) Haitian Ministries Expansion Team.
12 n point | fall 2015
Melchizedek Baptist School MAISSADE
Founded 1987 n 800+ students n Under the direction of First Baptist Church of Maissade n Located in rural town of 9000
Christian Institute of Salem PORT-AU-PRINCE
Founded in 1996 n 50+ students n Under the direction of Salem Baptist Church of Port-au-Prince n Located in capital of Haiti, population of 3.5 million
Paradise of Children School LEOGANE
Founded 2002 n 300+ students n Under the direction of Baptist Church of Flon n Located in community of 30,000
Find out more VISIT: convergeonebyone.org EMAIL: onebyone@converge.org fall 2015
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The ingredient that makes this Haitian Baptist Church in Brooklyn so effective also empowers Converge Haitian Ministries. BY BOB PUTMAN
The first thing Mullery Jean-Pierre did as pastor of Beraca Baptist Church, Brooklyn,
New York, was to ask the congregation of about 80 members, during the church business meeting, for a $6,000 missions line item in the budget. “I felt that if the church was going to be viable, they needed to get involved in missions,” he said. That was a bold request from a pastor’s kid who grew up in the church and was asked to become pastor in April 2000 after bbc had gone 15 years without a senior leader. Jean-Pierre’s father, the former pastor who founded Beraca, had died 15 years earlier and the congregation had stagnated without an official “shepherd.” Today bbc holds two services, attended by about 900 people. There are eight paid staff and many volunteers. Raised by Haitian church planting pioneers in the Northeast, Mullery (Pastor Willie) and his wife Cacheta lead a vibrant church known for its passionate worship, passion to lead people to faith in Jesus and profound community involvement and impact. Jean-Pierre earned a degree in Organizational Management at Nyack College and also studied at Bethel University and the Antioch School of Leadership Development and Church Planting. In addition, for the past three years he has directed Converge’s diverse Haitian ministries.
No small impact Jean-Pierre cited numerous examples showing how Beraca has become a community-minded church in recent years. The church was deeply involved in preparations for the Luis Palau Association’s July 11 CityServe/CityFest celebration in New York’s Central Park. As a warmup, in June they coordinated an event at neighborhood Canarsie Park, providing immigration and health services, a carnival with face painting and games, plus skateboarding and bmx bike tricks by Christian champion riders. Marching bands, rappers, musicians and artists performed for crowds. Afterwards, Andrew Palau, son of world evangelist Luis Palau, presented a gospel message.
14 n point | fall 2015
Over the summer Beraca youth handed out bottled water labeled with the church logo and John 13-14, along with Gospels of John, to kids on public transportation. Congregation members did prayer walks, stopping at every home in the church’s zip code to pray for residents. They met people on the streets and prayed for them. Beraca youth and young adults set up a prayer table at the local train station, praying with passersby. “So many were weeping openly on the street because they were going through difficult times,” Jean-Pierre observed. The youth invited them to visit the church and come there for counseling. In partnership with the Haitian American Caucus, Beraca hosted Dr. Jeff Gardere — known on Fox News, cnn and msnbc as “America’s Psychologist” — for three events. They sought to reduce the stigma of counseling and depict its benefits. On June 21, July 1 and July 29, the church put on drama productions depicting tense, distraught family situations, followed by Gardere speeches and a counselor panel fielding questions. Partnering with the District Attorney’s Office, over the past year Beraca hosted 60 Alternative Sentencing Program misdemeanor offenders as they performed community service at the church. Twelve gave their lives to the Lord and currently attend bbc. Jean-Pierre also serves as second vice president of the 69th Clergy Council, helping coordinate community projects. And he mentors new police officers as part of nypd’s effort to bridge the gap with the community. Mullery and Cacheta met when they worked in side-by-side cubicles at aig on Wall Street. They married in July 1987 and have two sets of twins, two other children and seven grandchildren. Cacheta serves as director of bbc’s women’s ministries.
Roots and hearts in Haiti Although predominantly Haitian, there are 17 nationalities represented in the bbc congregation. The church offers translation into Haitian Creole for recent immigrants. During the church’s first 10 years under Jean-Pierre’s leadership, they focused their missions efforts on reaching and helping Haitians in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. That changed after the massive Haiti earthquake of January 2010. “We focused on Leogane, the epicenter, where the Lord sent us,” Jean-Pierre said. The church initially sent medical teams and delivered relief supplies. They developed a Community Center, offered microloans to create jobs, opened a municipal credit union, trained pastors and led evangelistic outreaches. fall 2015
| point n 15
Beraca de Bire Church formed from 90 individuals who responded to the gospel when the Beraca medical team visited Leogane in July 2010. Converge World Relief funds assisted in food distribution and startup funds to begin One by One Haiti child sponsorship at Paradise of Children School, led by pastor Rosemond and Mimose Janvier. Pastor Janvier also recommends reliable church members — 85 to date — to receive motorcycles in order to begin their own moto-taxi businesses. Recipients repay the cost from their earnings.
Meet the Haitian Ministries Expansion Team Three years ago Converge leaders asked Jean-Pierre to assume overall leadership of Converge Haitian ministries, responsible to start and strengthen Haitian churches in the U.S. and ministries in Haiti. He serves with an executive board made up of leading Converge pastors Amos Eugene (North Miami, Florida), Withny Pierre (Brooklyn, New York), Mercidieu “Phil” Phillips (Fort Myers, Florida) and attorney Paul François (Brockton, Massachusetts). Their respective responsibilities include the following: n Amos Eugene: This well-known and articulate former director of the Haitian Baptist Mission in North Haiti helps Converge partner with hbm in church planting and leadership training there. n Withny Pierre: The longtime Haitian ministries leader is responsible for One by One Haiti support staff, the guest house in Port au Prince, coordinating with Converge PacWest and Converge Northeast missions trips to Maissade (Melchizidek Baptist School) and interfacing with Paradise of Children School in Leogane and Christian Institute of Salem in Port-au-Prince. n Mercidieu “Phil” Phillips: He carries responsibility for training in the 32 U.S. Haitian churches. Phillips will direct School of Church Leadership training in Converge Southeast, and Jean-Pierre will coordinate scl efforts in Haiti Converge Northeast. n Paul François: This lawyer and former Converge overseer serves as an advisor on the executive board. In addition, five other Converge leaders serve on the hmet board.
No small vision
Where are the 32 Converge Haitian churches? 0 New York 1 10 Florida 4 Massachusetts 2 Bahamas 2 Connecticut 2 Illinois 1 North Carolina 1 Rhode Island
16 n point | fall 2015
Jean-Pierre has a God-sized vision for Beraca Baptist Church and the hmet. Beraca has committed to plant four churches this year: One in Long Island, another in Queens, the third in New Jersey and the fourth in Pennsylvania. Presently hmet attendees commute up to 90 minutes from each of these locations to attend bbc services on Sundays. The church is training nearly 100 small groups with the intent of merging a few in multiple locations to create additional church plants. “The Lord laid on my heart that we ought to be peppering the city with churches,” Jean-Pierre said. The hmet is encouraging Haitian churches to work together to start more churches. About a dozen Northeast district pastors meet monthly in a lead Team toward this end. Jean-Pierre and Phillips hope to see this happen in Southeast district as well. And in Haiti the hmet is using the Antioch School curriculum to train pastors and leaders to plant churches, while seeking strong networks as partners to provide muscle for the effort. The ingredient that makes Beraca Baptist Church so effective is the same one that empowers Converge Haitian Ministries. They are vibrant — in the Word of God and worship, their commitment to evangelism and engagement with Haitians in the U.S. and their homeland. n Bob Putman is Point editor.
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| point n 17
INTRODUCING THE Carlos Diaz (l.), after being baptized by pastor Miguel Medina (c.), baptizes his son Brandon at CrossPointe Español, Orlando, Florida, June 21. CrossPointe — Lake Nona pastor Chan Kilgore (r.) looks on. Diaz is a 31-year friend of pastor Medina. Diaz and his wife began attending CrossPointe Español’s prelaunch services, though he was not yet following Christ. They jumped in, helping each Sunday with set up, welcoming and tear down. CrossPointe Español is a new Latino congregation launched April 5 (Easter) by Miguel and Carmen Medina. It’s one of 20 recipients of Converge ethnic church planting grants. Converge made 19 grants of $8,500 to $12,500 to 10 districts to fund multiple ethnic and black church starts proposed by the districts, which matched the Converge grants.
SPANISH SCHOOL OF CHURCH LEADERSHIP Converge Latino Ministries is led by pastors Luis Floriano, Jessy Padilla and Paul Root. Rather than organize a team with an appointed leader, they have chosen to work together to accomplish a pilot project prior to formalizing organization. From April 2016 through March 2017 they intend to pilot the Spanish School of Church Leadership Project, preparing participants for certification and a pathway to credentialing (precedes church ordination process). Seven courses will be offered in two locations (Tracy, California, and Arlington Heights, Illinois) as follows: Spiritual Foundations..............................Jessy Padilla, instructor...............April 2016 How to Study the Bible...........................Luis Floriano, instructor...............June 2016 Old Testament Survey............................Luis Floriano, instructor...............June 2016 New Testament Survey...........................To be determined.........................October 2016 Bible Doctrine Overview.........................To be determined.........................October 2016 Evangelism and Discipleship..................Paul Root, instructor....................March 2017 The Mission of the Church.....................To be determined.........................March 2017 Each course requires at least six hours of instruction in a classroom setting. Classes limited to 30 students. A nonrefundable enrollment fee of $100 will be paid before the first course, covering all Timothy Training Initiative books and handouts for all seven courses. An additional book, at student expense, may be recommended for each course. If your church is interested in expanding this scl training to your region, the best first step is to visit a pilot training group. To learn more and to register and view your attendance and assignment completion database, see the Latino scl page on the converge.org website. n
KEY LATINO LEADERS Jessy Padilla
Pastor of Iglesia Evangelica Bautista Emanuel (Emmanuel Evangelical Baptist Church), Waukegan, Illinois, since 1998. Forty-five IEBE adults helped plant Journey Church in 2007 in north Waukegan. In 2010 Padilla helped plant Casa de Vida, McHenry, Ill., and in March 2015, Casa de Oracion. He is Converge MidAmerica director of Hispanic Ministries. He has served on the Converge board of overseers since October 2014.
18 n point | fall 2015
Luis Floriano
Hispanic Ministries pastor at Grace Church, Tracy, California, and Converge PacWest Hispanic Ministries director. Earned three theological degrees and served as a church planter, pastor and seminary teacher in three Latino nations. In 2010 he started Hispanic services at Grace Church and has led PacWest Hispanic Ministries since 2013.
Paul Root
Serves as Converge PacWest Church Planting director, helping churches and church planters start new congregations. In full-time ministry since 1979 and fluent in Spanish, he has taught church planting and discipleship to Converge workers in Argentina and the Philippines. He has provided pastoral training in Northwest Mexico and led Grace Community Church, Garden Grove, California, through revitalization. He also planted a church in Burlingame, California.
From migrant to missionary Ric Doguiles, director of Converge’s Filipino Ministry Expansion Team, pastors the multiethnic CrossWind Community Church, Aurora, Colorado. How does this diverse ministry work? BY THE EDITORS
Did CrossWind begin with services in three languages? When I began at CrossWind in May 2011, the church had shrunk from 100-plus people to 35. I cast a vision and in September told the core group, “This time next year, we will break the century mark in attendance and have our own building.” In April 2012 we did this, moving into a 9600-square-foot industrial building. A seven-month-old Hispanic church plant occupied part of the building. The Hispanic pastor, Javier Mendoza, asked if they could continue to rent space, and I agreed. I believed the Lord had brought them here to reach the migrants from Mexico. I would oversee their ministry, but they would run it according to their culture and strategy. We would call it CrossWind Community Church — Nuevo de Renacer. Then 18 months after my arrival at CrossWind, I realized we weren’t fully effective in reaching Filipino immigrants. I told our leaders, “Let’s start a Tagalog (main Philippines dialect) service where worship and preaching will be in the native language.” God brought pastor Henry Serrano to be the Filipino Ministry pastor, and pastor Ramon Navarro became the executive pastor. Now we attract young families with kids, who are excited to connect with God through their language. The Intercultural service on the other hand has become more diverse. We have Anglos, Peruvians and African Americans. So we’re one church of 250 with three expressions — intercultural, Hispanic and Tagalog. Do you preach in all services? Pastor Serrano preaches at the Saturday night Tagalog service. I preach in other services occasionally. I preach in English at the intercultural service on Sunday mornings. Pastor Elia Mendoza (widow of pastor Javier Mendoza) leads the Hispanic services on Sunday afternoons. How are the three ‘expressions’ similar and different? Our missional focus runs through the expressions. We want every adult involved in a lifestyle of evangelism and discipleship, and we’re all contemporary in our approach. The Filipino and intercultural expressions are nearly identical. The Hispanic expression is charismatic in its worship expression. What are the great joys and benefits of leading a multicultural church? The realization of my calling. When I was 13 years old, I felt the Lord calling me to be a tribal missionary. I’m not teaching a jungle tribe, but I’m here in the middle of a very diverse community, reaching beyond my Filipino people group. That is the joy. I tell our people, “God allowed us to move here not just to seek the American Dream, but because he wants us to reach the lost among the migrant population.” Before coming to CrossWind, I pastored a Filipino church plant in Tampa, Florida. We merged with an innercity church start. Over the next three years pastor Sammy Ortiz trained me to minister beyond my cultural group, connecting with Latinos, African Americans and Anglos. It was my intercultural ministry training. What’s happening in the FilMET? We presently have 32 churches under the FilMET, but the movement hasn’t started any new ones in the past five years. A huge population of Filipinos live in New Jersey, so we plan to plant a church there. My former worship pastor in Tampa leads a house church and monthly nondenominational prayer meeting in New Jersey. We plan to send him and his wife to a Converge Assessment Center this year. Our Filipino pastors have pledged to give $1,400 per month to support this Filipino start-up. Churches in the Philippines have committed another $300 per month. Due to immigration issues, we can’t recruit pastors from the Philippines. So we launched the Filipino School of Church Leadership. Pastor Ernie Cabrera facilitated the first class of 25 students in Sacramento, California, June 27, teaching hermeneutics. He taught another 22 students at our scl in Miami July 11. The next classes are scheduled for September and October at the same locations. Students will study evangelism, discipleship and conflict resolution. fscl is our farm system to produce the next generation of Filipino leaders. n
Key Filipino leaders Ernie Cabrera has helped plant three churches since 1989, and in 2011 he and his wife Daisy began the process of replanting Ignite Community Church, Elk Grove, California. Senior pastor of Ignite, he is passionate about spreading the gospel in relevant, practical and simple ways. Ric Doguiles is lead pastor of CrossWind Community Church, Aurora, Colorado. Prior to his current position, he was church planter and pastor of Crossroads Community Church, Tampa, Florida, 2001-2011. He is national director of Converge’s Filipino Ministry Expansion Team (FilMET). Charlie (Efren) Carlos Jr. is pastor of The Seed of Faith Ministries, Kendall (greater Miami), Florida. He and his wife Rosa immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1990s. Fil-Am Christian Fellowship, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hired Rosa as their worship leader. FACF pastor Joseph Jimenez developed Carlos as a pastor, sending him to speak at The Seed of Faith, where he became pastor in 2005. fall 2015
| point n 19
Twanna Henderson is director of the new Converge Bridge Network, our national
women’s ministry. Married to Dr. Michael Henderson Jr., senior pastor of New Beginnings Church (Matthews, N.C.) and vice president of Converge Strengthening, she and Michael will celebrate their 18th anniversary this December. Twanna began as a dance major at the University of North Carolina — Greensboro until she realized her passion might not produce a realistic living. After her first year of college, she transferred to unc — Chapel Hill to major in communications. Following graduation, she worked in public relations for a couple of years before enrolling in law school and earning a Juris Doctor degree. After only two years in private practice, she was appointed a civil judge in her hometown of Charlotte, N.C., primarily adjudicating about 200 eviction cases per week. She met Michael when he moved to Charlotte. In 1997 they married, and she eventually tabled her career. When asked if she missed the bench, she answered an emphatic “No!” She continued, “But God allowed me [as a judge] to give people hope and speak to them in a way that he would speak to them.” In October 1999, she and Michael started nbc along with only 10 other believers. As the church grew, Twanna reached a point when she could no longer list everyone’s phone number in her Blackberry. “This is weird,” she thought. “It was a major adjustment. You want to keep the feeling of everybody knowing each other, but a church needs to grow.” The Hendersons stay connected to the heartbeat of their now-large congregation (2500 to 3000 attendees) by teaching a monthly, six-hour new member class, usually with 40 to 50 participants. Twanna lights up when asked about their “miracle son” MJ. He was born 15 weeks premature, weighing 1 lb., 1 oz. The church rallied around the Hendersons as MJ spent his first 193 days in Neonatal Intensive Care. “It was unbelievable,” Twanna said. Their home group listened to their struggles, brought meals and regularly visited the family at the hospital. “It was a pivotal time in our lives,” she says. Church members are still a major source of support to MJ, now 12.
Meet Twanna
Bridging women across districts Converge’s new women’s ministry director is a megachurch pastor’s wife overseeing 50 ministries while raising a special needs child. Why would this busy woman also take on a national leadership role? And where will she take it? BY THE EDITORS
20 n point | fall 2015
What makes Twanna tick? What motivates her? “I’ve always been a go-getter, task-oriented, a hard worker,” she says. “I’ve always had a creative side,” — hence the dance major. Twanna has a strong passion for the wives of pastors and church planters. “Usually they marry, thinking their husband will work in a certain profession. Then one day he tells her he has been called to ministry as a pastor or church planter. ‘What does this mean? What does it mean for me?’ the wife thinks. There’s no guide for how to be a pastor’s wife, no framework.” Part of Twanna’s passion rises from her father’s death when she was 14 and experiencing teen pregnancy and several bad relationships, described in her autobiography Dancing With the Scars. “Women go through life issues and challenges, but as mothers and wives we can’t just stop to deal with personal things,” she says. “We try to pull it together and just keep moving, often to our detriment. We need to know how to draw from the Lord. If we don’t, we find ourselves in a bad place. At that point, if we don’t have the habits of reading the Word of God and of prayer, it’s hard to develop them.” Published in 2013, Dancing With the Scars depicts struggles she dealt with that women experience but rarely discuss. The book tells how women can learn to encounter hard things in life by pressing on in God’s strength. Her full-time ministry at New Beginnings includes directing impactt women’s ministry. It offers Bible studies, retreats and conferences for hundreds of women and outreach to women beyond the church walls: domestic violence shelters, homes for unwed mothers, women inmates in halfway houses and others trapped in sex trafficking. The goal is that all women be transformed more and more into the image of Christ.
Vision: Converge Bridge Network What does Twanna envision for Converge women’s ministries? The Converge Bridge Network tagline explains its purpose: bridging women across districts. Converge women are spread across 11 districts (see page 10) but are disconnected from one another. They are of different ages and races and attend churches of differing size and location. “But we are more alike than we are different,” she says. “And we’re better together.” She describes five areas of focus: Build the leadership team. Twanna’s first objective was to build the Bridge Network Executive Leadership Team: 10 women from various districts and with different roles – wives of pastors and district executive ministers, women’s ministries leaders and Converge staff. They meet every other month via Zoom conferencing to help Twanna shape the voice and direction of Converge women’s ministries. They model “bridging” across barriers that could separate them. An annual vision. For the 2015-2016 year, the team is promoting a focus on women growing in the Word and in prayer. Their theme verse: “The Lord gives the word of power; the women who bear and publish the news are a great host” (Ps. 68:11, amp). Connect on social media. The team plans to connect, encourage and disseminate information via social media. Women can easily connect to these on their phone. Connect at Converge’s national events. At Transform 2016 in January, women participating in affinity groups will also come together for a breakout session with Bethel University campus pastor Laurel Bunker. Twanna also is exploring similar sessions for church planter wives at Converge church planter Assessment Centers. Call-in prayer line. She also initiated a call-in prayer line providing a weekly prayer of encouragement. Dial 407.563.6097. A feeling of connectedness to God and to other women, honestly dealing with life issues and seeking to grow in the image of Christ, that’s what Twanna Henderson is all about. It’s what Converge Bridge Network is about — a dream in its infancy. But like New Beginnings Church, small starts can lead to remarkable growth when God is the power behind it. Stay tuned to see what he brings to life through this talented team. n
The Bridge Network Executive Leadership Team n Twanna Henderson (director) n Lori Allen (Northeast) n Kim Anderson (Northwest) n Melanie Bernard (Southwest) n Cathy Doguiles (Rocky Mountain) n Natalie Eaton (MidAtlantic) n Christine Kolb (Converge office/ Southeast)
n Bethany Patterson (MidAmerica) n Dr. Cynthia Perry (Great Lakes) n Melissa Stephenson (Converge office/Southeast)
fall 2015
| point n 21
connection converge
NUMBERS
600+
MY GOOD IMAGES / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Number of people worshiping Sunday, June 28, when Valley Brook Community Church, Granby, Connecticut, opened the first phase of their new campus. The site was formerly an equestrian center, situated on 80-acres of land gifted by Rod and Janice Reynolds. Valley Brook previously held services in local schools for 15 years.
99,313
$
$
8,956
Amount Converge World Relief has disbursed to our ministry partner The Timothy Initiative. The funds continue to provide tents, food and clean water to Converge-supported church planters and members affected by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. TTI is helping rebuild churches and pastors’ homes and to assist people in church communities. In late August, Converge International Ministries executive director Ivan Veldhuizen and Converge World Relief co-director Bob Putman traveled to Nepal to visit those who received relief aid. Their report will appear in the Winter 2016 issue of Point.
Amount Converge worker Mike Johnson (name changed for security) distributed this summer when he visited five Iraqi refugee groups in Turkey. He gave $3,140 to Christian refugee leaders and $3,210 to other refugee families, according to their needs. He also spent $2,606 to hold outreach events (pictured) and provide meals for refugee families in cities with no Christian presence. He reports, “The Lord saved many souls during the trip and encouraged many new believers. At least 40 families were exposed to Christianity for the first time. Please keep the refugees in Turkey in your prayers.”
22 n point | fall 2015
1K
Number of Estonian-language Bibles or commentaries funded by supporting U.S. churches and delivered by Estonia missionaries Crick and Mindy Porier. Recipient of the 1000th book, a Bible, was a Sunday school teacher who needed one to use with her class. Since 2011 the Poriers have given adult Bibles, children’s Bibles and commentaries to youth camps, a public school library, Vacation Bible schools, Sunday school teachers, home groups, people attending Christmas and Easter events, youth pastors/leaders, church leadership teams and Christian organizations in Estonia.
MORE ONLINE... New books from Converge authors
The NIV Zondervan Study Bible, edited by D.A. Carson, includes the work of translation committee members Mark Strauss and Jeannine Brown, both Bethel Seminary faculty, and notes by Strauss (Acts), Bethel University professor David Howard (Psalms) and Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, scholars Jason DeRouchie (Minor Prophets), Andrew Naselli (notes and overall project coordination) and Brian Tabb (Revelation). Risking Crazy, by Jason Taylor. Read summaries online: cvrg.us/fall2015
Fagerstroms begin new adventure Converge senior vice president Doug Fagerstrom was named president and ceo of Marketplace Ministries, the leading workplace chaplaincy organization. On August 3, he began overseeing nearly 3000 chaplains serving 603,000 employees and family members in 3500 client companies. From January 2010 through this June, Doug’s wisdom, strong leadership skills and experience helped lead and strengthen the Converge movement. A graduate of Bethel Seminary, with his wife Donna he served in pastoral positions at Mission Hills Church, Littleton, Colorado; Wooddale Church, Eden Prairie, Minnesota; and Dalton Baptist Church, Muskegon, Michigan. His presidency of Grand Rapids Theological Seminary (2003-2009), leadership training and extensive publishing experience combine to make him an excellent match for Marketplace, based in Plano, Texas. A national executive search firm contacted Doug about the Marketplace position. The profile closely matched what he has been doing the past 30 years. “God made very clear our next adventure of grace and growth,” he said. He wrote to Converge staff, “Our lives have been fully immersed in Converge. It was an honor to have served with each of you. The best is yet to come. We wholeheartedly believe that and pray for the great days ahead. God has been good.” “I am so grateful for Doug and Donna Fagerstrom,” said president Scott Ridout. “They served the Converge movement well and made a significant impact in the lives of many. I think Doug is perfect for the needs of Marketplace Ministries and will lead them well. We wish them the very best in this next season of ministry and pray that many will be impacted with the gospel in their ministry.”
Selander completes A2:5 assignment Gene Selander, longtime Converge pastor, church planter and church planting coach and trainer, will be honored November 2-4 in Bratislava, Slovakia, at the annual meeting of the International Baptist Convention. Since winter 2009, Selander has assisted the IBC in learning and adopting Converge church planting systems to plant English-speaking international churches in major world cities. Selander completes his ministry as Converge’s A2:5 (Acts 2:5) international director in October, retiring from Converge staff. Selander began as A2:5 director by serving a three-month interim pastorate in Frankfurt, Germany, to better understand the international church. By 2012 the IBC had formed LEAD Teams (pastor and church planter groups) in northern Europe, the Nordic-Baltic region, southern Europe and Latin America. By 2013, Converge church planters had helped IBC start churches in Darmstadt, Germany, and Panama City, Panama. In 2014 IBC hired Converge’s Darryl Evetts as its church planting director. A third church has since been planted in Rome, Italy. Said Selander, “The main impact I am so thankful for is that the IBC came away with church planting rooted deeply in their DNA as an organization. To know that churches are planted all over the world that will be soul-winning, redemptive centers for years to come is a great legacy. I did not do this alone, nor would I have wanted to.” IBC general secretary Jimmy Martin wrote: “The International Baptist Convention cannot adequately express its appreciation to Converge for its partnership in church planting over the past eight years. Your generosity in providing Gene Selander as our main point of contact enabled the IBC to learn strategies of assessment, coaching, training and much more. Gene has coached us to a point we believe we are spawning a culture and movement of church planting among our churches to reach international English speakers.”
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Two conferences. Hundreds of leaders. Thousands of lessons. One movement.
JOIN US.
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Every year, Transform brings hundreds of pastors and leaders together to create ideas that transform ministries. One thing that unites us all is our passion for Christ. At Transform 2016, we will grow our passion for God, his church and our desire to reach the world. Join the discussion in one of over 25 breakout sessions, and set agendas on subjects that matter to you. Let’s celebrate our mission.
What if your church could go viral? If you could move from addition to multiplication? What if our movement could do the same? Stop adding churches and begin multiplying churches. Join us for Ignite 2016 as we discover how to take churches viral.
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Conference 䨀愀渀甀愀爀礀 ⴀ㐀Ⰰ ㈀ 㘀 䨀愀挀欀猀漀渀瘀椀氀氀攀Ⰰ 䘀氀漀爀椀搀愀 theme
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convergetransform.org 24 n point | fall 2015
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