2 0 2 4 Vision Repor t (833)285-8488|
VISION UPDATE Growing Together
In a day and age of increasing individualism and autonomy, it is important to understand why the Converge Heartland District exists. In short, our district exists by the will of her member churches. The charter of our district did not begin from a centralized denominational o ce, but rather our early church leaders came together and determined to appoint a ministerial o ce that would serve to help start new churches, strengthen existing churches, advance the cause of global missions, and facilitate cooperation among regional churches. Praise God that we have been granted to pursue these aims, together, as the Converge Heartland family of churches, for over 150 years!
To pursue these missional aims, the work of the district o ce focuses on the following four objectives:
◦ Next-Gen Churches: We plant and promote Next-Gen Churches. We do this in a variety of ways including the placement of gospel-centered pastors, ministry planning e orts, church board development, ministry conferences, workshops, church planter coaching, ministry assessments, prayer gatherings, and the development of next-gen church leaders through ministry residencies and our youth camps.
◦ Pastors and Their Families: We cultivate e ective pastors and healthy pastoral families. We do this through our Pastoral LEAD Teams, our annual RENEW retreat, ministry wife prayer gatherings, sabbatical grants, benevolence, counseling partnerships, and site visits.
◦ Donor Generosity: We promote generosity to fund our district’s mission of starting and strengthening churches together worldwide. We encourage each church to give 2% of their due general fund o erings to help fund district operations and 1% to help fund new church
plants. Besides this, we encourage churches to individually support district church planters, ministry residents, global mission e orts, incarcerated ministry and emergency service chaplains, as well as regional disaster relief e orts. Due to district generosity, our annual budget has grown from $250,000 to over $1,000,000, and annual donors have increased from 100 to more than 500 during the past ten years. Praise the Lord!
◦ Collaboration: We cultivate mission-focused ministry partnerships. We see church cooperation as a doctrinal value that is clearly found in scripture. This objective takes shape as our regional LEAD Teams partner to see new churches planted in their respective regions, as our district partners with global partners (such as our sister district of churches in the Odesa Oblast of Ukraine), as we address regional disaster relief issues, and as we band together to accomplish other scripturally-sound and mission-aligned ministry projects.
What a joy it has been to serve among such a gospel-centered family of churches! As I conclude my second term as the Converge Heartland Regional President and pass the baton to my successor, I am deeply encouraged by the strength of the district and her Great Commission resolve. Over the years, the Converge Heartland District has gone by a variety of names, but her work and mission endure to this day. I look forward to what God will do through the Converge Heartland family in the future. He is worthy!
Rev. James Capaldo
Converge Heartland Regional President (2014-2024)
I am deeply encouraged by the strength of the district and her Great Commission resolve.
11 Donor- Supported Sta Members
1 Church Planter in the Pipeline
60 Converge Heartland Churches
17 District Sta Members (10 FT and 7 PT)
3 Converge National Board and Ministry Trips
Our Budget
651 Unique Donors in FY23
75 Churches Giving 576 Individual Donors
64,000 District Ministry Miles Driven
68 Visits To Churches
245 SD Camp Participants in 2024
1 Church Planting Candidate Assessed
$211,000 available for church planting e orts $
$49k given for Ukraine relief (Total since war began around 2022: $373,000)
STARTING
STEVE KRIER , DIRECTOR OF CHURCH PLANTING
The Church Planting work of Converge Heartland this year would best be described as qualitative over quantitative. While some years will show big numbers to report, this year saw foundations laid, building hope and excitement for the future of God’s Kingdom in the Heartland.
Let me give you some highlights:
◦ Converge National Surge Goal is 312 churches. Heartland is committed to 7 churches from 2020-2026. So far, we have planted three thriving churches, and a fourth church is coming soon!
◦ The Lord has greatly blessed the work of Gospel Life Church in Wichita, KS; Arrows Church in Omaha, NE; and Risen Hope Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, SD. These congregations are growing and blessing their communities with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
◦ Our fourth church plant will be led by Scott Lograsso, who is preparing to launch Dayspring Church in Pleasant Hill, MO. The timeline is still being established, but he is laying the foundation.
◦ Recruitment was a big goal this year. To that end, we spoke on several college campuses: Oak Hills Christian College in MN, Calvary University in MO, and The Master's Seminary in CA.
◦ We plan to grow our recruitment base and began conversations with Manhattan Christian College in KS, Bethlehem College and Seminary in MN, and The Alliance for Transatlantic Theological Training in the UK.
◦ We started cohorts for Pastoral Residents and Pastoral Resident Host Churches. We have a cohort for our Residents and for our Host Churches. Each cohort meets regularly over Zoom to discuss best practices, address challenges, build community, and find ways to maximize Pastoral Residency. Cohorts provide another way to ensure a positive experience for both our Residents and Host Churches, building on a solid foundation for future ministry in the Heartland and beyond.
MEET OUR CATALYSTS:
Our Catalysts are focused on generating leads for people interested in church planting, pastoral residencies, and church a liations.
Cody Weckerly
◦ Planted Harvest Plains Church in 2019
◦ Leads the ND LEAD Team
◦ Visited The Master’s Seminary as a Catalyst
Chase Hill
◦ Planted Gospel Life Church in 2021
◦ Leads the Kansas LEAD Team
◦ Making inroads at Manhattan Christian College among others
C H U R C H
JIM CAPALDO, REGIONAL PRESIDENT
Church strengthening takes shape in a variety of forms. Perhaps the most enduring e ort is how pastors collaborate, strengthen, encourage, and challenge one another through our six regional LEAD Teams that meet monthly. These teams are geographically based in the following areas:
Kansas LEAD Team: Meets in Wichita, KS
Eastern Nebraska LEAD Team: Meets in Omaha, NE
Central Nebraska LEAD Team: Meets in Cairo, NE (near Grand Island)
Western Nebraska LEAD Team: Meets in North Platte, NE
Eastern SD/Northwestern IA LEAD Team: Meets in Sioux Falls, SD
North Dakota LEAD Team: Meets in Casselton, ND
Over the past year, our district field sta have driven over 60,000 miles to participate in and facilitate a number of church-strengthening activities. These field sta primarily include Dana Olson, our Prayer Coordinator; Steve Krier, our Church Planting Director; Chase Hill, our southern tier Church Planting Catalyst; Cody Weckerly, our northern-t ier Church Planting Catalyst; Angela Myers, our Student
Ministries Coordinator; and Regional President, Jim Capaldo. Their church-strengthening e orts include pastoral searches, strategic ministry planning, church revitalization, ministerial recruitment, board development, conflict resolution, church mergers and consolidations, pulpit supply, representing our district at national Converge meetings, pastoral gatherings, conferences, retreats, capital campaigns, and other church strengthening work.
Converge Heartland’s vision is to see a gospelcentered church bringing transformation to every Heartland community. Because of our broad vision, we are willing to o er church-strengthening services to regional gospel-centered churches that are not members of our district. Along the way, some of these churches choose to formally a liate with us. Over the past 12 months, we have seen the following four churches a liate into the district, bringing our family up to 60 member churches.
◦ First Baptist Church of Hawarden, IA
◦ First Baptist Church of Sibley, IA
◦ Beth-El Community Church of Milford, NE
◦ Ignite Church of Moorhead, MN
MEET THE RESIDENTS:
CAIDEN CAPALDO
Sun Prairie Baptist Church Salem, SD
TREVOR BITTNER
Center Baptist Church Omaha, NE
SIDNEY FRY
Ignite Church
Moorhead, MN
PHILIP REEVES
Harvest Plains Church
Casselton, ND
NATE HILL
Bethel Baptist Church
Brookings, SD
Church Residency means that I can pursue my discerned calling of becoming an equipped pastor without forsaking my first ministry to my wife and kids. Being a Church Resident will equip me for, Lord willing, a lifetime of pastoral ministry. Sidney Fry, Ignite Church
SUPPORTING
Converge Heartland is blessed with faithful churches committed to the spread of the gospel and the vision of a gospel-centered church bringing transformation to every Heartland community. For this vision to be accomplished, ministers of the gospel must be trained and sent out to continue the faithful work of our district churches. Traditional education is vital to the robust spiritual development of these future ministers, but important growth happens in the day-to-day ministry that churches can provide through our Resident Program. As one Resident put it, “I get to learn things that aren’t able to be learned in a classroom. I will be far more equipped to steward the gifts God has given me in service to his church.” Philip Reeves, Harvest Plains Church.
LOCAL CHURCH MINISTERS PLACED IN FY24 5
This year, Converge Heartland has five Church Residents — a 150% increase! A handful of churches throughout the district have established their own internal resident programs as well. This ministry training may vary from resident to resident and church to church, but the overarching goal is the successful completion of a vigorous ordination process and commissioning by the local church with the assistance of the Converge Heartland District.
Over the course of the last year, cohorts have also been established to help support the host churches and the residents themselves to make this experience as successful as possible, not only for the individuals and churches involved, but also for the spreading of the gospel!
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2 SABBATICAL GRANTS GIVEN PASTORS IN COACHING RELATIONSHIPS
6 MINISTRY RESIDENTS SERVING 10
NEW CHURCHES SINCE 2020 4 ACTIVE LEAD TEAMS
49 PASTORS PARTICIPATING IN REGIONAL LEAD TEAMS
PRAYER FIRST
DANA OLSON , DIRECTOR OF PRAYER FIRST HEARTLAND
“Pray without ceasing.”
“Be devoted to prayer.”
“Ask and it will be given to you.”
It is a great privilege to once again have the banner of “Prayer First” flying in our Heartland district and beyond. We know the Bible is a “Prayer First” book from Genesis to Revelation, and these times shout to us: “It’s time to really PRAY!” Christ set the example by getting alone to pray all night, giving his disciples a model prayer, and interceding for the church (John 17).
In January, a Prayer First Weekend at Dalesburg Baptist impacted four churches, with three Saturday seminars and a full Sunday of teaching, preaching, and intercessory prayer. A similar weekend was hosted by First Baptist of Pillager, MN.
In March, the annual Prayer First Gathering for pastors, missionaries, and chaplains convened at Converge Church in Omaha, home to the inaugural gathering thirty-plus years ago. Fifteen people gathered for focused worship, prayer, and interpersonal ministry. A marvelous Prayer First Gathering was also facilitated at Trout Lake Camp in Minnesota.
I am writing a series on praying Scripture for the magazine Prayer Connect. The most recent submitted copy is on praying the book of Revelation, which is so relevant for these current latter days. How can we make a di erence in your church and community? Prayer First is here to serve you by calling the churches to a movement of e ectual, fervent prayer.
Ministry in the jails and prisons of South Dakota brings many challenges, but not only in the way that you might think. The prison system of SD has undergone some major administrative changes, with more on the horizon. Our chaplains have not had the ease of access to inmates that we have had in the past. For example, in May, prison administration asked our chaplains to relocate from our longstanding Chaplain’s O ce at the prison to a much smaller space. But praise God, he is not limited by space or prison regulations! On the day we needed to relocate, our hearts could have been discouraged and frustrated, but on that very day, Prison Lighthouse Fellowship gathered for a time of fellowship and worship. We enjoyed over two hours of songs, testimonies, and hearing from the Word. Hearing those testimonies, including those of two former Satanists, reminded us of the transformative power of God’s work!
We have celebrated multiple conversions and baptisms in the prison this year, and we praise God for the freeing work of the gospel of Jesus Christ!
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.” Luke 4:18
Our chaplains and volunteers minister to an estimated 200 inmates each week through services, Bible studies, and personal interactions.
Sioux Falls- Minnehaha County Jail
Jameson Annex
The Hill
Unit C
Mike Durfee State Prison
Elk Point-Union County Jail
Yankton- Federal Prison Camp
Incarcerated Ministries Team
Greg Friesner
DIRECTOR OF INCARCERATED MINISTRIES
Harlan Moss
INCARCERATED MINISTRIES CHAPLAIN
John Morrison
INCARCERATED MINISTRIES CHAPLAIN
When I felt lost & alone, it was the chaplain who helped me find my way back. Their presence reminded me that even in the darkest of times, there is still light to be found. –Inmate
UKRAINE
JIM CAPALDO, REGIONAL PRESIDENT
Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine shocked the world in early 2022. Because of our longstanding relationships with Ukrainian churches, Converge Heartland not only wanted to participate but also expected to materially share in the su erings of our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. After an initial response of generosity began, it became clear that we needed a strategy for sustained involvement. During my Summer 2022 visit, I met with Pastor and Odesa Seminary Board Chair Vechyaslav Sherbikov, of Chernomorsk (Black Sea City). During this meeting, an initial list of Odesa Oblast pastors in dire need began to form. The list and monthly support needs were vetted and finalized by Regional Presbyter Aleksander Dimov just in time for our 2022 Annual Meeting & Cultivate Conference in Omaha, NE. During that meeting, we distributed support cards for specific Ukrainian pastoral families in need. Shortly thereafter, our district churches committed to no less than two years of financial support for more than 20 Ukrainian pastors.
After two years, the end of the war still seems nowhere in sight. Ukrainians have now become accustomed to wartime living. According to Dr. Alexsander Geychenko of Odesa Theological Seminary, 50% of Ukraine’s electricity generating capacity has been destroyed, and there is no hope of rebuilding it until at least 2028. This winter is shaping up to be a longer and colder reality than previous years. Beyond this, young pastors are now being conscripted into military service. There is still a need for ongoing support of Ukrainian pastors and ministries. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Converge Heartland has raised nearly $400,000. Though we are positioned well to fulfill our two-year support commitments, we humbly ask Converge Heartland churches to consider extending their Ukraine support for up to two more years.
UKRAINIAN PASTORS PARTNERED WITH CONVERGE HEARTLAND
ALEKSANDER DIMOV
ANATOLY EVGRAFOV
MAXIM FTOMOVICH
VASILY GALUSHKO
ALEKSANDER GANYEV
VICTOR KISTOL
PLATON KOLOSOV
VLADIMIR KORBUT
ALEKSEI KRASKO
PETER NAKONYECHNI
DIMITRY PISHALA
VOLODIMIR POMAZKOV
SERGEI ROSHIOR
VECHYESLAV SCHERBIKOV
VITALY STAWNKEVICH
VICTOR TIMOFEYEV
SASHA YAKOMENKO
OLEG ZADORIN
We humbly ask Converge Heartland churches to consider extending their Ukraine support for up to two more years.
To donate to Ukraine Relief, visit www.convergeheartland.org/donate or scan this code.
YOUTH
S U M M ER C A M PS BY THE NUMBERS
193 Campers
40 Volunteer Counselors & Sta
2 Engaging Speakers
Many Hearts changed for God
HIGH SCHOO L- CAMP JUDSON KEYSTONE, SOUTH DAKOTA
Every summer, our students look forward to going to Camp Judson for a time of fun activities, building friendships, and spiritual growth. Judson Games is just one of the highlights of this fun-filled week, during which the students compete against each other for bragging rights and a traveling trophy. This year, we had the most campers we’ve had in over ten years! The 123 students couldn’t even fit in the temporary chapel space, so we held worship in the dining hall.
Speaker: Zach Perry – The Story of Redemption through Scripture
MIDDLE SCHOO L- SWAN LAKE VIBORG, SOUTH DAKOTA
Muddy Gaga, canoeing, campfires, archery, and team games keep our campers busy during the days, building friendships and experiencing Christian disciplines through daily activities. During the chapel services, they worship God through singing and delving into Scripture under good teaching. They are encouraged to grow as they spend personal time with the Lord each day, learning personal habits of Bible study.
Speaker: Dave Johnston – Identity in Christ
For our annual RENEW Retreat, we returned to Lincoln, NE, and the gracious hospitality of the Hyatt Place in the Haymarket. Dr. Tim Adrian blessed those gathered with messages from the Word and Converge Heartland’s own Chris Atkins of Center Baptist Church
Each year, this retreat provides a time of rest and refreshment for those able to attend, and this year was no di erent for the 26 couples able to attend! However, added to the weekend was a time of prayer over Jim and Kari Capaldo, as they had recently announced their new path for ministry with Christar. It was a bittersweet time of thankfulness for their years of service, recognizing the change their absence will bring, and prayers for the continuation of the growth of Converge Heartland that God has brought during Jim’s years ministering to our district churches.
We look forward to continuing this traditional retreat next year the weekend after Easter – April 25-27, 2025. Please encourage your pastor to join us!
APRIL 25-27, 2025
WH O IS C ON V ERGE HEARTLAND ?
Converge is a missional network of gospel-d riven churches, and we at Converge Heartland are one of 10 regional missional arms of our partner churches. For 149 years, we have served as ‘state missionaries’ who coordinated regional church planting and ethnic work. Today we are not only active in starting new churches but are fully engaged in strengthening our partner churches through consulting, training and coaching. We are committed to starting and strengthening churches that will impact the world with the message of Jesus. We are fully engaged in supporting pastors’ families as well as facilitating mission e orts to help our churches touch the world.
H O W DO E S FUNDING W ORK ?
We live at the will and the funding of our partner churches, making us financially dependent on our churches to assist with the sta ng and ministry programs we provide. Because of this, we recommend the following funding structures for our churches:
• 2% of church budget for Converge Heartland
• 1% of church budget for Converge Heartland Church Planting
• 1% of church budget supporting Converge National and/or International Ministries
The rationale for these percentages is that Converge National has access to all of the churches in Converge, while Converge Heartland only has access to the churches in our region. It is our hope that our churches will also generously support regional church planters, international missionaries, benevolence and world relief projects.
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONVERGE NATIONAL AND C O NVERGE HEARTLAND ?
Converge National provides international and national disaster relief programs, national chaplaincy program, Converge Retirement Plan and Wesleyan Investment Foundation for church loans and investments.
Converge Heartland has a local and regional focus, deploying regional missionaries and church planters and establishing regional partnerships. Converge Heartland provides pastoral care, regional fundraising, pastoral placement and interim services, local church consulting and coaching and global vision trips for pastors and key leaders.
WHAT A YEAR WE HAD!
CONVERGE HEARTLAND BOARD MEMBERS
Pastor Jon Vinter – Chairman
Overland Hills Church, Papillion, NE
Pastor Tim Buzan – Vice Chair
Heartland Church, Blue Springs, MO
Brian Fite – Secretary
Calvary Baptist Church, Platte, SD
Pastor Curtis Tschetter
GracePoint Church, Ogallala, NE
Jon Frick
The River of Life Community Church, Canton, SD
Bruce Watley, PH.D.
Faith Baptist Fellowship, Sioux Falls, SD
Pastor Mark Dickson
Sun Prairie Baptist Church, Salem, SD
Rev. Jim Capaldo
Regional President, Converge Heartland (Completing term)
Pastor Steve Krier – Candidate Regional President
Converge Heartland, Ignite Church, Moorhead, MN
District Treasurer - Molly Okerlund of ATY Solutions, Sioux Falls, SD
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Hebrews 10:24-25
www.convergeheartland.org (833) 285-8488 o ce@convergeheartland.org
601 W 57th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57108