Del Dunavant, director of church growth at the Northern California Conference, has recognized a need during his 25 years of ministry. “Our members want to reach out to their communities, but often don’t know what to do or how to get started,” said Dunavant. In collaboration with other pastors, Dunavant believes NCC churches would benefit from the vision and training of ChurchWorks 2006.

ChurchWorks 2006 is an official meeting designed for pastors and 10 to 20 of their church members which provides an opportunity for churches to develop their strategy and action steps to reach people in surrounding communities. Held March 24-26 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Sacramento, Calif., meetings begin at 6:45 p.m. Friday and end at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The seminar’s keynote speaker will be Jim Pedersen, the new NCC president. Other featured speakers include Don Schneider, president of the North American Division; Russell Burrill, director of the NAD Evangelism Institute; Eduard Schmidt, associate director of the NAD Evangelism Institute; and Rod and Donna Willey, lay ministers and church planters from Illinois.

Dunavant is excited to see ChurchWorks come to Northern California. “Our goal is to inspire our pastors and members to work together to reach every person in their community,” said Dunavant. “This is a very practical, hands-on seminar. We’re bringing pastors and members together to help them team up to hasten the coming of Jesus by reaching others.”

Approximately 650 people attended the ChurchWorks 2005 seminar held in Fresno, Calif., in November. “Church Works 2005 was filled with speakers giving powerful presentations and pastors and church members gathering together for frequent prayers and planning sessions,” said George Johnson, director of special projects and coordinator of ChurchWorks in the Central California Conference.

Johnson plans to attend ChurchWorks 2006 in Northern California. “When God’s people put self aside and throw themselves into God’s work as a group and begin to witness and pray for the salvation of others, that is when the Spirit is poured out and things get really exciting,” he said.

For more information about ChurchWorks 2006, talk to your pastor; brochures are available at the churches. For more information, go to www.nadei.org and follow the links to ChurchWorks 2006 Sacramento, call the NCC church growth department at 925-685-4300, or register online at www.plusline.org.