Following Jesus’ ministry style — don’t work alone! That’s what ChurchWorks was all about.
“The genius of ChurchWorks was in bringing pastors and members together in groups,” says Bakersfield Pastor Marlan Knittel.
“Like meeting Christ all over again,” says Fresno member Harry Van Pelt.
“It almost felt like Pentecost in this room,” says Seaside Pastor Fred Anderson.
“The most productive church meeting for lay members and pastors I’ve ever attended,” says Clovis Pastor Dale Leamon.
More than 650 people from 65 churches attended the Nov. 11-13 weekend event at Fresno Adventist Academy. Co-hosted by Central California Conference and the North American Division, the training conference provided a unique opportunity for pastors and members to learn how to become a real team to work together on the assignment Jesus gave us.
“The months of planning were bathed in prayer,” says George Johnson, director of special outreach projects and conference ChurchWorks coordinator. Johnson and a conference team of administrators and department directors worked with Marti Schneider, an associate in the World Church’s Global Missions department.
“The ministry of your laity led by your pastors and resourced and encouraged by conference administration and leaders casts a vision for the rest of the North American Division,” says Schneider.
Developing a Plan
Russell Burrill, director of the North American Division Evangelism Institute (NADEI); Edward Schmidt, associate director of NADEI; and Rod and Donna Willey, lay pastors and church planters of two new Illinois churches, taught practical training sessions. Church team prayer times and discussions, led by their pastor, were interspersed between presentations.
Friday evening, each team studied a map of their territory with demographic data. Seated around tables, they prayed and dreamed together. And asked each other some tough questions. “How does Jesus want us to reach every person in our territory?”
During numerous breakout sessions, church teams had one ambitious assignment — to seek God’s vision for their local church, create an evangelism strategy, develop a plan, and determine action steps. Then, take home the beginnings of an action plan for mobilizing their church family.
“It was so inspiring to see the pastors and members working together around the tables,” says Schneider, ChurchWorks coordinator. “A team approach to ministry is the only way to sustain outreach and evangelism.”
Participants were also inspired as pastors and members shared successful team approaches and ideas. “Making hobbies a connection point with people really spoke to me,” says Dan Moore from Porterville.
Taking It Back Home
The action plans were as diverse as each church team. Pray together more. Debrief. Meet with the church board. Develop task forces for each targeted territory area. Establish a ministry development team to train and mobilize members. Begin small group studies in each neighborhood.
“This has given us some specific steps, how to start, how to strategize, what the next steps are,” says Campbell Pastor Gary Jensen. “We’ll have a whole team out there on the battlefield together.”
“We prayed together, we were taught together, we planned together. Back at home I’ll keep my church members accountable and they, in turn, will keep me accountable,” says Knittel.
The conference leaders are equally committed. “Our conference team will keep praying and working with our local church leadership,” says President Jerry Page. “We’ll keep in touch to see how we can further help and resource the vision God is giving each local church.”
“We’re leaving with renewed energy and enthusiasm,” says Santa Cruz member Shirley Ruckle. “We’re going back and tell our Westside members that we’re not in this alone. The whole conference is going in this direction,” says Mayra Thompson from Fresno.
