March/April 2025

THE MAGAZINE OF U.S. MENNONITE BRETHREN

MARCH / APRIL 2025

Finding the PURPOSE in PLANTING

Honoring the past blessing the future 10

More than parking cars 18

LEAD Coaching offers perspective 24

■ from the editor

He lives within my heart Renewing our commitment to encountering Jesus

I

t was Easter Sunday in 1932 and Alfred Ackley, a Presbyterian minister, evangelist and musician living in Escondido, Calif., was bothered by a recent conversation he’d had with a young Jewish man at an evangelistic rally. The man challenged Ackley with the question: “Why should I worship a dead Jew?” Ackley was also distressed—and energized— by the casual skepticism and even doubt regarding the resurrection he had heard over the radio, eliciting such an emotional response—some say Ackley threw the radio across the room—that his wife reportedly pushed him to work through his feelings by writing a hymn.

“I see his hand of As Ackley re-read the resurrection account in Mark’s gospel, the words began to flow.

Then, within minutes, he had put music to the words that answered the young mercy, I hear his man’s question and challenged the skeptic radio preacher. “The thought of voice of cheer…

[Christ’s] ever-living presence brought the music promptly and easily,” Ackley said later.

In all the world “He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!” Ackley wrote. “He walks with me around me I see his and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, he lives, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart.” loving care…”

Ackley’s hymn speaks to his world, a tumultuous time in U.S. history when the stock market crash of 1929 prompted an economic downfall that led to widespread unemployment and poverty worldwide. Ackley found joy and comfort in serving a resurrected Savior, and each time the chorus is sung, we echo the phrase, “He lives” six times (eight, if you count the echo in the men’s voices), for a total of 18 (24 with the echo) statements that Christ lives.

While critics of this hymn point out that Ackley is giving voice to just one component of the Christian experience, personal experience, others point out that the hymn does not negate the importance of Scripture and the testimonies of history.

Earlier this year I heard testimonies from a variety of individuals who were joining the church I attend. Several described a very personal encounter with God that was pivotal in their faith journey. And it felt like a reminder, a prompting to renew that sense of personal encounter.

So, how do we cultivate that renewal? Ackley gives us some suggestions. “I see his hand of mercy, I hear his voice of cheer… In all the world around me I see his loving care…” He reminds us that we need to look for the hand of God and listen for the voice of God. The psalmist reminds us: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Ps. 34:8).

As you prepare for Easter Sunday, I invite you to look, listen and celebrate the hope we have thanks to the resurrection and Connie Faber, proclaim your faith in a risen Savior.

Vol. 88, No. 2 — Mar/Apr 2025

Editor

Publisher: United States Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches/ISSN 0009-5149 Editorial Committee: Matt Ehresman, Michele Fiester, Aaron Garza, Ryan Loewen, Shelly Spencer, Tony Petersen.

Review Committee: Aaron Box, Jordan Ringhofer, Brent Warkentin, Daniel Rodriguez Disclaimer: The content and viewpoints expressed do not necessarily reflect the views, beliefs and/or viewpoints of USMB as a whole.

Copyright: Articles are owned by the Christian Leader or the author and may not be reprinted without permission.

Unless noted, Scripture quotations are from the New International Version.

Subscriptions: $10 for six issues and $20 for 12 issues ($15, $30 in Canada, all other countries $25 for six issues); $2 per copy.

Correspondence: Christian Leader, Box 155, 107 N. Main, Hillsboro, KS 67063-0155. Phone: 620.947.5543.

Email: editor@usmb.org Membership: Evangelical Press Association and Meetinghouse Postmaster: Send address changes to Christian Leader, Box 155, Hillsboro, KS 67063. Periodical postage paid at Hillsboro, KS

2 christian leader | march / april 2025

■ Connie Faber, EDITOR ■ Janae Rempel Shafer, ASSOCIATE EDITOR ■ Shelley Kallsen, GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Table of Contents Since I surrendered my life, the Lord has taken me on the adventure of a lifetime.

FEATURES

10 Honoring the past,

blessing the future Both innovation and heritage play a role in planting churches

By Gavin Linderman

COLUMNS

2 Editorial Connie Faber

4 From the

National Director Aaron Box

12 Beyond show and tell

Plaza Iglesia Cristiana shows the community how much it cares

By Maria Salazar

5 Radical reformers Margret Hottinger

By Angela Vix

9 Around the world

DEPARTMENTS

6 News in Brief 8 5 Minutes With...

David Tatum

20 BodyLife • Ambitious church growth goals • When bidding is serving • LEAD coaching offers perspective, accountability • Premier prom dining at On The Rock Cafe

Thailand MB Church

14 Is church planting worth it?

A reflection on the challenges of following Jesus’ call

By Jon Fiester

Online • Live the mission

By Fred Leonard • The story of three church plants

By Matt Ehresman

17 Testimony

27 Church spotlight

18 Frontlines

28 Church Life

Our Redeemer lives

By Kevin Friedberg

Cornerstone Community Church Harvey, N.D.

More than parking cars

By Jeff Turner

19 Got Questions

Partnership and prayer

By Caitlin Friesen

christianleadermag.com 3

■ from the national director

Why plant churches?

Reasons why church plants effectively reach the unchurched

I Participating directly in planting new churches is an incredibly effective means to bring renewal.

was recently asked why USMB invests sizable resources into planting new churches rather than using those resources to support existing churches. This is not an either/or question, as it was suggested. USMB and our partner agencies invest significantly in resourcing existing churches. However, it is worth addressing the reason planting new churches is essential and critical to following Jesus’ command to go and make disciples.

Numerous studies show that new churches gain the majority of their people from unchurched populations, while churches over 10 years old primarily gain members through transfer from other congregations. Planting new churches is shown to be more effective at reaching the lost than crusades, outreach programs, parachurch ministries or even church renewal.

What is different about church plants that makes them so effective? One key difference is this: For many existing churches, if no new visitors attended in the coming months and not a single person came to faith, the church would still be able to continue. Sadly, many churches continue for years in this state. Hopefully, leadership would be concerned enough to make changes, but in all likelihood, the staff would still have their jobs, bills would be paid and business might continue as usual.

For church plants however, if no visitors came, if leaders weren’t pounding the pavement to find neighbors to share the gospel with and to invite to services, their existence would immediately be in jeopardy. A natural outcome is that church planters tend to have a laser focus on reaching their community.

But the difference goes deeper. A new church doesn’t have a building to maintain or existing programs to manage internally. There are not yet sacred cows to navigate or long-unsettled conflicts brewing under the surface as there can be at existing churches. Church plants initially have virtually nothing to lose. Existing churches often have plenty to be concerned with losing, and this can change the focus and take away energy otherwise directed toward outreach.

Additionally, almost everyone has to serve in order for a new church to function, which creates a different mindset among their members. As a result, church plants are incredibly outward focused. Because new churches are often filled with new believers, there is an energy and excitement for the gospel that is hard to replicate elsewhere. New believers tend to be bolder in sharing their faith.

Does any of this diminish the value of existing churches? Certainly not. But an effective strategy to continually plant new churches is paramount to our ability to faithfully make disciples as Jesus calls us to.

Church plants serve another critical role for existing churches.

Participating directly in planting new churches is an incredibly effective means to bring renewal.

I believe we have the capacity to plant five to 10 new churches each year. But this requires all of our churches and individuals like you to participate. What would USMB look like in 10 years with 50 to 100 new churches? Let’s work together to find out.

Aaron Box aaron@usmb.org

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Radical reformers ■ 500 years of Anabaptism

Martyr for truth Margret Hottinger was a “loved and respected” influence

I

n the village of Zollikon, near Zurich, Switzerland, a young woman watched as her father, Jakob Hottinger, spoke to the group gathered in their home.

He passionately discussed the importance of a chosen faith, not one motivated by fear of persecution.

Together, the group studied Scripture and decided to be re-baptized as adults, a controversial choice. As Jakob’s daughter observed this gathering, she resolutely vowed to speak truth as her father was. Years later, she would become a martyr for this truth.

Margret Hottinger knew what it was to experience prolonged suffering for following what the Bible says is true. To be worn down to the point of desperation.

To long for relief from persecution. She was asked numerous times to recant her belief in adult baptism.

Her answer was not always the same.

During the early years of the Anabaptist movement, the Hottingers spoke against infant baptism and the mistreatment of lower-class citizens, of which they were themselves. Jakob and Claus Hottinger, Margret’s uncle, would also become martyrs for their rejection of state religion.

In November 1525, Margret was part of a group arrested for practicing adult baptism. For months they were kept in deplorable conditions in New Tower prison, given little to eat or drink and interrogated often. Authorities demanded that, should they refuse to recant their belief in re-baptism, the Anabaptists were to be left to die in New Tower.

Margret held firm during repeated questioning, saying, “If you can prove to me that infant baptism is legitimate, then I will recant. Then and only then. I stand by my baptism, which I hold to be right and good.” And so, the suffering continued.

Norita Yoder, in writing about Hottinger, says that Margret gave in after 10 months of imprisonment; she “allowed that she ‘had erred’ on the question of rebaptism and asked for leniency.”

Little is known about Margret’s life following her release from prison. One thing is clear—she did not abandon her outspoken teaching of Anabaptist beliefs. Yoder writes that “her adult decision to follow Christ proved stronger after her release.” Additionally, a 1526 court record for the city of St. Gall reads, “Margret Hottinger…lived a disciplined way of life, so that she was deeply loved and respected

by the Anabaptists.”

“I cannot say who On May 26, 1530, records exactly induced me to show Margret be baptized. Conrad and Jakob Hottinger were arGrebel and Felix Manz rested near came to Zollikon and Ravensburg alongside other read from the Bible. No Anabaptists. one had been baptized Again, the choice was to reuntil George Blaurock cant or face cercame; he was the first. tain death.

Margret nor her So, I too asked to be father backed baptized.” down this time.

—Margret Hottinger Margret was sentenced to death by drowning. Jakob was to be beheaded.

Written records report that while the drowning was being carried out, Margret was asked one final time if she would recant. Her last words were this: “What are you doing pulling me out? The flesh was almost overcome.”

Margret Hottinger was not ready to die in New Tower prison. She was overwhelmed by the torment of persecution after standing firm for months. Like many of us, she experienced doubts and intense fear.

Margret’s story is not one of inadequate faith, but a faith that grew stronger throughout her life. In the end, she was deeply rooted in the certainty of Christ.

That day in Ravensburg, she held fast, making peace with the release of her earthly self in the name of following biblical truth.

Angela Vix has a bachelor of arts in history from Tabor College and a masters in Museum Studies from the University of Oklahoma. She has served as the archival assistant and assistant director at the Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies in Hillsboro, Kan. She attends Ebenfeld MB Church, Hillsboro, where she is a children's Sunday school teacher.

christianleadermag.com 5

News in Brief Compiled by Janae Rempel Shafer

Faber to retire

Leadership Pipeline accepting applications

Connie Faber will retire as Christian Leader editor this spring.

Faber joined the USMB denominational magazine staff in 1994 and was appointed editor in 2004.

She anticipates May 30, 2025, will be her final day.

“Connie has faithfully served the USMB Conference for over three decades,” says Aaron Box, USMB national director. “Under her leadership, the Christian Leader has won numerous awards and has faithfully told the story of our churches. Connie leaves giant shoes to fill in both her dedication and skill and will be dearly missed. I am grateful for Connie’s work and friendship, and I wish her nothing but the best as she seeks what Jesus has ahead for her in retirement.”

As editor, Faber coordinated several magazine redesigns, including the award-winning 2010 redesign that saw the magazine published in full color for the first time. This redesign also marked a shift from publishing monthly to bimonthly.

Under her leadership, the Christian Leader won 16 awards from the Evangelical Press Association. As associate editor, Faber won a second-place award in 2002 in the reporting category of the EPA Higher Goals contest.

Prior to serving as editor, Faber was the CL assistant/associate editor for 10 years, working with editors Don Ratzlaff and Carmen Andres. In 1999 she was promoted to associate editor.

Faber served as interim editor following Ratzlaff’s resignation and then again when Andres resigned.

She lives in Hillsboro, Kan., with her husband, David.—CL

The Leadership Pipeline is accepting applications from churches and individuals interested in pursuing summer internships. Church applications are accepted anytime. Intern applications are due April 30.

The Pipeline is the church’s gateway to identifying, investing in and empowering emerging leaders for vocational ministry.

Churches who join the Pipeline receive help finding ministry-minded interns and ongoing training resources, ministry insights and support.

Visit leaderpipeline.net to get started.—USMB NextGen

6 christian leader | march / april 2025

ASCENT speakers announced USMB NextGen has announced speakers for ASCENT, USMB’s annual summer camp for high school youth, scheduled for June 7-11, 2025, at Camp W.O.W. in Stuart, Okla.

Aaron Box, USMB national director, and Amy Ratzlaff, associate professor at Tabor College, will serve as speakers addressing the theme, “Anchored.”

Generation Worship from Portland, Tenn., will lead students in singing.

Dinner themes include school spirit, Hawaiian luau, thrift shop formal and wild safari.

ASCENT is an annual five-day gathering including worship sessions, activities and interactive tracks.

Participants are encouraged to register by the end of April to take advantage of the early bird cost of $345 per student and $200 per adult. A $50 per person travel subsidy is available for any church more than a seven-hour drive from Camp W.O.W. All churches part of the Youth Worker Network get one free ticket.—USMB NextGen

news in brief ■

Missions rally coming to Oregon

Multiply hosts SOAR Wichita

Multiply, in partnership with the Pacific District Conference, is hosting a Living Your Life on Mission rally March 22 at Kingwood Bible Church in Salem, Ore. The event is intended for students in junior high through college and is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free rally includes food, games, training and worship.

For more information, contact Multiply Mission Training Team Coordinator Silvia Lopez at silvial@multiply.net.

—Multiply

Multiply will host SOAR Wichita, an immersive mission program for high school students, March 15-20 at Ridgepoint Church in Wichita, Kan. Participants will gain a mission trip experience in an urban setting by doing work projects and helping ministries serve kids and families in Wichita. Attendees will also do prayer walks, tour a mosque or Buddhist temple and attend a non-English speaking church service. For more information, visit multiply.net/soar/wichita—Multiply

Congo Mennonite Brethren impacted as rebels seize Goma In late January, Tutsi-led, Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized Goma in the Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, an area with 10 Mennonite Brethren churches.

“Local people tell us they are hunkered down in their homes without food, water or electricity while gunshots are heard nearby,” says Garry Prieb, a retired Multiply employee who grew up in DRC. “We are told that thousands have left the area already, fleeing for their lives.

The city is paralyzed.”

The death toll has reached 700, and more than 2,800 have been injured since Jan. 26, according to the United Nations. Goma, a city of 2 million people, has gold,

coltan and tin ore mines. The advance prompted fears of escalated conflict as rebels moved south toward Bukavu.

Eastern Congo is an area torn by conflict, as various groups clash over minerals, territory and revenge. M23 is rooted in ethnic conflict stemming from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

Prieb has been in contact with the MB church leaders in Congo, who are requesting humanitarian assistance to purchase food and water.

Tax-deductible donations for Goma relief may be made through the 501(c)3 Lumeya International Ministries, 5868 E. Balch Ave., Fresno, Calif. 93727.—CL

SDJHYC held in Hesston

MCC supports Ukrainian relief efforts

The Southern District junior high youth conference (SDJHYC) welcomed 188 students and 51 adults from 15 churches to Hesston (Kan.) MB Church, Feb. 1. The theme was “Anchored.”

The day-long event for sixth-eighth grade students featured sessions with speaker Dustin Galyon, worship, games and workshops. Free-time activities included ninesquare, mini golf, crafts, games and more.

“We had a great day at JHYC,” says District Youth Minister Russ Claassen. “The people of Hesston MB were wonderful hosts. We had a lot of fun, amazing workshops and worship-filled sessions. We are extremely thankful for all of the adult leaders that brought their groups and are guiding, teaching and caring for all of these middle schoolers.”—CL

As the Russian military’s invasion of Ukraine drags on into another year, Ukrainians are increasingly tired, hungry and traumatized, says Roman, the executive director of the Association of Mennonite Brethren Churches of Ukraine An AMBCU volunteer distributes canned meat.

(AMBCU).

AMBCU continues to provide canned meat, food parcels, hygiene supplies and trauma healing activities to thousands of Ukrainians. Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) supports their efforts with supplies and funding as the church works between the front lines and the western region.—MCC

| Read longer versions of these and other articles at christianleadermag.com | christianleadermag.com 7

■ news in brief

Leadership Fuel to release resources twice a month The Leadership Fuel website will feature fresh leadership development resources, including books, articles, videos or podcasts, twice a month, according to a Feb. 5 USMB email.

Leadership Fuel offers curated resources for leaders who are passionate about developing new leaders for ministry. Visit leadershipfuel.org to learn more.—USMB

Central District hosts events The Central District held several events this winter.

A men’s retreat hosted by Stony Brook Church, Omaha, Neb., for all district men is planned for March 7-9 at Camp Rivercrest in Fremont, Neb. The theme is “Refined.” Saturday’s speaker will be former NFL athlete Adam Carriker The district offered an online six-week class, “When church conflict happens,” beginning Feb. 6. Author Michael Hare led the class, designed to introduce people to a biblical approach to church conflict resolution.

A free youth leader training was held Feb. 14-16 at Stony Brook Church in Omaha, Neb., with a livestream option online. Kyle Goings, director of USMB NextGen, served as speaker.—CDC

MDS plans response to Southern California fires Southern California fires have claimed the lives of 29 people, destroyed thousands of homes and structures, and forced evacuations of more than 300,000 people.

Pacific District Minister Jordan Ringhofer reports that as of Feb. 3, none of USMB’s 12 churches in the Los Angeles area sustained loss of personal or church property.

While Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) is focusing on planning for a long-term recovery, MDS regional and state leaders have been contacting the area Anabaptist churches and conferences to determine the extent of loss, if any, and to offer encouragement and prayers.

Donations to MDS California Wildfires may be made at mds.org/donate-usa and will enable MDS to build homes and bring hope when rebuilding begins.—CL/MDS

5 minutes with...

DAVID TATUM

David Tatum might seem the more academic type, having recently finished his doctorate in philosophy and theology from The University of Birmingham in the UK and teaching a biblical studies course at Fresno Pacific University. Others might note his musical talents as the worship pastor at North Fresno Church in California. But those gifts were virtually irrelevant as Tatum swam, biked and ran his way through the New Zealand countryside in his fifth Ironman 70.3 World Championship triathlon this past December. On a recent afternoon, he laid aside his guitar and academic books to talk about what it takes to be an ironman triathlete.

What does 70.3 mean?

70.3 refers to the number of miles you are racing. In a 70.3 Ironman race, you swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles and run 13.1 miles.

How do you qualify for the World Championship?

Anybody can sign up to race at a qualifying event. 70.3 Ironman races are held all around the world. To qualify, you typically have to place in the top three to five in your age group to earn a spot at the World Championship race, which is held in a different location every year. I’ve competed in five World Championships, three in the U.S. and the other two in Finland and New Zealand.

What are some of your accomplishments along the way?

I’ve placed top five in my age group at several 70.3 Ironman races. At the world level, my goal is always to improve my age group placement. Last year I was about 197 in my age group in the world. In New Zealand this year I moved up to 154. One accomplishment I am still aiming for is to do 50 70.3 Ironman races by age 50.

How do you prepare?

I work out six days a week, at least an hour on workdays and three or four hours on my days off. It’s challenging to balance getting better at all three sports.

Typically, you can improve at two of them, but it’s hard to excel at all three disciplines at the same time.

What can go wrong when you’re racing?

People often struggle when they are running low on fluids, sodium or carbohydrates. When you hit the state of running out of fuel, we call it bonking. Even in this state, though, people often finish. Sometimes you’ll see people cross the finish line and they all of a sudden collapse. It’s a strong testament to the power of your mind.

What could Christians learn from Ironman triathletes?

All sorts of lessons carry over.

Here are four: Humans have an immense ability to overcome pain and suffering. Good habits and patterns are essential to success. Goals are achieved bythinking long term instead of the short term. Repetition, despite how you are feeling, is essential in achieving long term goals.

Interview by Kathy Heinrichs Wiest

8 christian leader | march / april 2025

around the world ■ Introducing ICOMB

Thailand MB Church In 2002, Naat was a young mother abandoned by her husband, struggling to feed her two young children. Our missionary team was new to Thailand and needing to learn Thai, but we felt burdened to help this desperate young mother. So, we hired her as a Thai language tutor. Despite being busy and a new believer in Jesus, she came to teach us every day. When tutoring didn’t provide enough income, we invited her to be our housekeeper. But it soon became clear that cleaning was not her calling.

Every evening, Naat would leave our home to share the gospel with her neighbors. Her heart burned not for housework but for souls. Though untrained, she became our Thai cultural guide, teaching us to speak Thai, how to navigate Thai customs, understand Buddhism and pray in a language with difficult tonal nuances.

In 2009, God called Naat to Chachoengsao Province to disciple a large group of Buddhists in an unreached village that she had led to Christ. She resisted, citing her gender, lack of education and status as a divorced woman. But the hours she spent immersed in Scripture, prayer and fasting shaped her into a bold evangelist. Yielding to God, Naat courageously moved her family and planted her first church. Then she planted another and another.

Though fruitful in ministry, Naat’s heart never stopped longing for her Buddhist family in Kalasin to know Jesus. “One day I will return,” she said, “and by God’s grace, start a church there.”

In 2022, God answered her prayer. She handed over leadership to her disciples in the Chachoerngsao churches and moved to Kalasin.

She began sharing Christ with her family and neighbors. In just two years, 15 relatives, including her sister, embraced Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and were baptized. Hallelujah!

Now Pastor Naat is a disciple maker, teacher, church planting coach and board member of the Thailand MB Church. But no matter her status in the church, Naat never forgets to “stop for the one” and share her testimony. Through her humility and courage, many Buddhist men and women are experiencing the joy of having their sins forgiven by Jesus Christ. —Louise Sinclair-Peters with Multiply PRAYER REQUESTS: • Pray for divine wisdom as Pastor Naat serves the church and makes many important decisions on the board of the Thailand MB Church.

• Pray for many workers to the unreached villages in Kalasin so that Buddhist people will hear the good news of Jesus Christ and believe.

Did You Know?

• In Thailand, smiles are a subtle form of communication.

• The capital of Bangkok was the most visited city in the world in 2021.

• About 93 percent of Thailand’s population is Buddhist.

christianleadermag.com 9

By Gavin Linderman

Honoring the past,

blessing the future

Both innovation and heritage play a role in planting churches

H

ow do we church planters honor our past while simultaneously blessing our future? This inquiry isn’t just a qualifying exercise. It’s a deeply personal one that shapes the way we approach the church’s mission in a rapidly changing world. The culture that unfolds before us is as ripe as the reformation that preceded us.

This question also carries personal weight for me.

Twelve years after planting Axiom Church, I still feel the fruit of our father and mother, Cooper Hills Community Church, and my Mennonite Brethren family. This tension is one for the optimist and the brave.

Recently, I had an experience that underscored the weight of this question. On a flight back to Phoenix from a church planting conference, of all things, I was seated next to five priests in the exit aisle—perhaps a curious twist of divine humor.

These were not ordinary priests but a dedicated group committed to the Latin Vulgate. They dress in traditional robes and conduct masses strictly in Latin, adhering to the "Quo Primum." This papal bull, decreed

by Pope St. Pius V on July 14, 1570, states, "It shall be unlawful henceforth and forever throughout the Christian world to sing or to read Masses according to any formula other than that of this Missal."

As we conversed, the young priest to my right shared a thought that struck me profoundly: “The Devil sits on the throne at the heart of man's innovation.” This statement caused me pause, especially after attending a

10 christian leader | march / april 2025

conference that celebrated the "new" and "brightest" ways of church planting amidst the chaos of modern society. It made me ponder the inherent tension and weight we face as we consider how to engage with the future of the church. What role does innovation play in a time that requires such agility?

Past and future As a church planter, I wrestle deeply with my loyalty to the Mennonite Brethren tradition, which wraps its arms so wonderfully around me. Yet, I also notice a shift in my perspective, moving from having a heart for “a” church to embracing “the” church.

This transformation leads me back to my initial question: How do we honor the past while blessing the future? The answer, I believe, lies in taking with us the

best of our heritage. A future that abandons the past is no future; it is but driftwood lost at sea or a boat without a harbor.

As I venture into planting churches beyond the boundaries of my district and denomination, I’ve discovered that the soil is ready for the confident humility and gentle strength that characterize the Mennonite Brethren spirit.

Pastors must become guides whose listening is as good as their speaking and their posture as holy as their preaching. We must carry forward the best gifts our spiritual forebears have given us.

I’m not talking about our biggest or even most charismatic leaders but the gentle and lowly, the everyday Mennonite Brethren. The power must shift from the center to the margins. The future church cannot be entrusted to tight-fisted hands that prioritize models over the genuine scattering of the good news. For that, I believe the Mennonite Brethren are positioned well.

Time to reimagine As we embrace a generosity that surpasses what our fiscal resources can provide and a confidence that transcends our current capabilities, we will be forced to reframe our understanding of church planting and enter into the not yet but will be. The can, can no longer be kicked down the field. It’s time to make a play. To reimagine.

For instance, what if I told you that serving in kids' ministry is a form of church planting? Does that help us see things differently? What if planting a church next door instead of across town became our new vision?

That sounds odd, but we live in a world where what’s next door is unknown to us.

Or what if we invited every MB church in our family to send out pairs tomorrow? Can you imagine, tapping two individuals and telling them to gather some friends next week and commissioning them on the spot. I know it sounds wild, but the world is ready. We need more shelters for the storm, more medics for the battlefield, more conscientious objectors for the culture wars to create spiritual community where they already are.

Moreover, I propose that the future of church planting will likely be more convergent than divergent. Instead of

battle-ready game plans and crystal-clear vision, what if blurry is better? Church planters can have a destination in mind without knowing precisely how to get there.

Movement killers are not leaders without vision, its leaders with tunnel vision.

People often connect best when they discover alongside you rather than merely learning from you. True confidence can let go of outcomes and embrace the present. This idea may not conform to traditional expectations, but what if the conventional pattern of plug-andplay models have handicapped us or worse, stifled the Spirit?

Party and prayer We often find ourselves on autopilot, forgetting that our very own church history offers us better guidance than merely reacting to past models. Planting has felt too much like a response to our predecessors’ generation, including my own beloved Axiom. Tomorrow’s church plant will need to prioritize getting people out of the church rather than getting them in.

This attitude embodies Jesus’ sentiment, “Just as the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” The church today is only the body of Christ if it is engaged in the mission of Christ. The mission demands that we say yes to what God is doing in others, rather than only trying to get others to affirm what God is doing in us. If we are to find a voice again, we must first find an audience.

For the Mennonite Brethren tradition to endure much longer, we must embrace a spirit of generosity, openness and freedom—because that reflects Christ, and those who appreciate the aroma of Christ will also be drawn to the King.

In this evolving landscape, corporate prayer will emerge as a silent catalyst for the future church, while communal gatherings around banquet tables will serve as a foretaste of a kingdom movement within our communities. I sincerely believe the churches that prioritize party and prayer are the way forward.

For prayer breeds in us the imagination and guts to say yes to whatever Jesus asks of us, while party opens the door for non-believers and people not like us to have a seat at the table. It literally connects us around the table. The banquet that Jesus is creating breaks the spell of consumerism by empowering sharing, listening, contribution and kindness while making room for more than us.

Gavin Linderman serves as the lead pastor of Axiom Church of the Mennonite Brethren. He is owner/shepherd of Banquet, a marketplace developer for Kingdom Ecosystems, and serves as the executive director of discernment and movement for Surge Network, a cross-city movement for churches in the greater Phoenix Valley.

Additional reflections are included in the online version of this essay.

christianleadermag.com 11

Beyond show and tell Plaza Iglesia Cristiana shows the community how much it cares

I

n 2010, my husband, Cesar Salazar, and I moved to Bakersfield, Calif., to plant Plaza Iglesia Cristiana. We had never been to Bakersfield, but we sensed a clear calling from God to begin a Hispanic church in Southeast Bakersfield, or as my husband calls it, “the very best part of the city.”

Everyone laughs when he says this because Southeast Bako has some of the most violent and challenging neighborhoods where you find the majority of homeless, drug addicts and alcoholics. There are also many broken and dysfunctional families, young teenage mothers, single parents and grandparents raising their grandkids. I could go on.

Neighborhoods we call community These are the neighbors we began reaching, the neighborhoods we now call our community. This community holds the families that we have visited

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and shared meals with, the people we have baptized, the babies we have presented, the Quinceañeras and the weddings and funerals we have officiated. It’s this community that we pray for day after day. It’s this community that God sent us to minister to.

We knew that ministering to the community would mean more than just holding church services, so we created programs that address the needs of the people: school programs that help students with their homework and learning to read; back-to-school and Christmas programs to help families in need; outreach programs where families can have fun together in a safe environment, summer programs, movie nights and a fall festival. Located right in the heart of Southeast Bakersfield, Plaza Iglesia quickly became a welcoming place for the community.

We focused on getting to know the people, to serve them unconditionally, to offer them support and encouragement. Someone once said: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

So, we set out to show how much we care, and, more importantly, how much God cares.

Not typical We are not your typical Hispanic church. We consider ourselves “Una Iglesia Hispana Diferente” (a different Hispanic church). Our services are bilingual because we know how important family is to the Hispanic culture. We also know that Hispanic families do pretty much everything together.

Families shop together, go to the doctor together, go out to eat together, watch TV together—you get the idea. We believe church should be a place where families come together. Often, Abuela and Dad only speak Spanish while Mom and the kids prefer English. Plaza Iglesia is a church for the whole family, targeting first-, second- and third-generation Hispanic families. Plus, we have the best coffee. And people can drink it in their seats and wear jeans and T-shirts to church.

By Maria Salazar

The partnership blessing A pivotal moment in the church’s journey came in 2011, when The Bridge Bible Church partnered with us to put on our summer program. Nate Coleman was an intern at The Bridge when that happened but later became a pastor.

This helped our connection grow deeper.

The collaboration with The Bridge Bible Church has been instrumental in helping Plaza Iglesia continue its mission to reach the lost and make disciples. The two churches have partnered on several outreaches, summer camps, community meals, jacket giveaways and the annual Hope for Christmas event.

Although The Bridge has been a generous financial supporter for many years, our partnership goes beyond that. They are family to us and our Bridge family has gone into the trenches with us as we serve our community.

We have been able to do more because of our partnership with The Bridge.

For the past three years, we have been able to give away jackets to our community, thanks to The Bridge. The women’s ministry at The Bridge partnered with us in several events last year, and together we started the food pantry during COVID-19.

Just this past December we held a pancake breakfast where Pastor Nate and some of the church elders joined us to cook and serve. We distributed 135 jackets donated by The Bridge. We also participated in The Bridge’s Merry Christmas Bakersfield event, selling drinks. Someone at the Christmas event remarked how wonderful it is that we always serve together.

Love one another John 13:35 says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Our partnership opens the door for more diverse and inclusive ministry efforts, enriching the spiritual experiences and out-

reach capabilities of both congregations. We love working together!

The start of this partnership predates Plaza Iglesia’s affiliation with USMB. The exemplary way The Bridge Bible Church showed the love of Jesus through their care for people drew Plaza Iglesia into the Mennonite Brethren family. The close relationship we have with The Bridge played a crucial role in facilitating our transition into the Mennonite Brethren community.

One of the challenges we’ve faced since we first planted the church is our finances. Serving an impoverished community makes it difficult to have a stable economy. Most of our members are field workers or packers, both seasonal occupations. People may be out of work for months at a time.

But God has been faithful in providing for every need through tithes and offerings, ministry partners and miraculous gifts. We have learned over these 14 years that when God guides, he also provides.

Today, Plaza Iglesia continues to thrive, dedicated to serving the people of Southeast Bakersfield just like it has from the start.

Maria Salazar serves Plaza Iglesia Cristiana in Bakersfield, Calif., with her husband.

Photos L-R: Tracy Growing of The Bridge Bible Church and Maria Salazar pray for one another. Growling’s husband is lead pastor at The Bridge.

Pastor Cesar Salazar (red hoodie) prepares to pray before the Plaza Iglesia Cristiana pancake breakfast. He is surrounded by volunteers from The Bridge Bible Church and Plaza.

The Plaza congregation enjoys Sunday Loncherito together at noon. christianleadermag.com 13

“I

Is church planting

s church planting even worth it?” This question often races through my mind when I lay my head down at night. At the risk of being too honest, the raw truth of the church planting battles I face is full of pain and discouragement.

I know the “theological” answers about how I shouldn’t feel this way—just cast all my burdens on Jesus. That I should take the words of a promising future to Israel in Jeremiah 29:11 out of context and repeat them to myself to boost my morale. But at this moment, the lament of Psalm 13 feels more applicable.

Of all the incredibly difficult and painful things I have done in life, nothing has been harder than the

worth it?

A reflection on the challenges of following Jesus’ call

By Jon Fiester

14 christian leader | march / april 2025

light yoke and easy burden of serving the bride of Christ. When I talk to other pastors who are willing to risk being vulnerable, they share the same pain hidden behind their masks. The closest thing to rose-colored glasses are the lenses flowing streams of blood. And generally, I am not sure where it is coming from, but it is there. And I hear a voice whisper, “Is it even worth it?”

And when you throw in the added strain of church planting in a

high crime neighborhood on top of all the normal “church things,” it sucks. You bleed in the trenches. You have waves—scratch that, tsunamis—of loneliness. You never know if this will be the month the funds run out and the doors close. You struggle to find enough people who are willing and able to help carry the load when they realize the level of pain that accompanies the joy.

While Jesus has always come through in his timing and way, it is never fun to be standing on the shore of the Sea of Reeds with death as a real option if YHWH doesn’t do a miracle. And God has done countless miracles in our church. But the experience is not fun in the moment. Only when I look back on the pain can I marvel at the beauty. But in the moment, all I can think is, “Is this even worth it?”

Imagine putting in countless hours that are never enough for those who “encourage” you to do more for them. (Those voices include leadership from outside our church). Imagine pouring your heart and soul into people while seeing little fruit, if there is any fruit at all. Feeling obligated to put on a shiny face for those around you because they are fighting even harder battles, and they need your strength.

Spending countless hours discipling someone just to have them back in the clutches of meth. Explaining to my daughters why I missed our family dinner again because a devastated mom unexpectedly stopped by the church, looking for hope. Her son is heading to prison for life for murdering another guy as they fought over a girl. And by the way, the family of the man who was killed also stopped by the church a couple of hours earlier to see me for the same reason.

My phone chimes, and I’m afraid to open text messages because I don’t know whose name I will see that died from gang violence, suicide or overdose. When we first started our church plant, I lost track of how many homicides were within a few blocks of our front doors.

And while it feels like people are dying faster than I can give them an introduction to the Author of Life, all that runs through my mind is, “Is it even worth it?”

A neighborhood apartment manager told me, “Your God may be fast, but he is not faster than a bullet.” She couldn’t understand why I felt compelled to walk the streets at night praying that the trafficking would stop and people would meet Jesus. I know she was legitimately concerned for my safety, but how are the drug dealers going to meet Jesus if I don’t go introduce myself to them where they are? They aren’t coming to us.

“This path is hard and painful, and many days I don’t like that Jesus has called me to it. Believe me, I have tried getting out of it several times and Jesus sends some form of a “great fish” to make sure I get back on the path laid before me.”

So, a few warriors in our church joined me as I turned on my Apple watch “Fall Detection,” and we took nothing but IDs, flashlights and the Holy Spirit. We walked, we prayed and we sang praises to God while on the drug trails. But deep inside I struggle, wondering if it’s worth it.

Yes, Jesus is setting captives free. People are coming to faith and being baptized. But it is such a slow, painful and messy journey that people with good intentions who lack understanding of our context question why things aren’t going faster. I wonder about this too. What is taking so long?

I will be the first to admit it feels like forever. The amount of effort and resources going into the mission aren’t hitting the “normal metrics”—whatever those are.

(Probably something with buildings, budget and bodies).

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We might not be on track with these, but I do see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control taking root. How do we measure these?

We see a 1-year-old kid who is now off the streets and able to spend the night in a home with his mom because we are walking with this woman in her discipleship journey as she turns to Jesus and comes clean from meth. And I start to ponder, “Maybe… it is worth it?”

The only reason I get up and walk into what feels like a massacre day after day is because I am confident Jesus has laid out this path of the cross before me. I am not a church planter because it is a path filled with rainbows raining Skittles. Maybe someday my journey will have that, but it is not like that currently.

This path is hard and painful and many days I don’t like that Jesus has called me to it. Believe me, I have tried getting out of it several times and Jesus sends some form of a “great fish” to make sure I get back on the path laid before me. There are glimpses of hope at times, but during the battle it still sucks. However, as I see captives become

free in Jesus, he slowly opens my eyes to realize It is worth it.

So, every morning I ask the Holy Spirit for strength and direction for just one more day. I ask Jesus to provide the daily resources for just one more day. I am eternally thankful for those who step into battle with me for the sake of the King as we storm the gates of hell. I am confident we are following our commander into a battle that he cares about far more than we do.

I encourage us to lock our eyes on the Author and Finisher of our faith and to block out all the snares so rampant in the church world that can so easily distract us. We do this in confidence because all power and authority belong to our Master and his command to go and make disciples is not optional.

And so, we pledge our allegiance to the King as we flood the battlefield while inviting others to join us through prayer and physical and financial support because it is totally worth it.

Jon Fiester and his wife, Michele, planted Renewal MB Church in Rapid City, S.D., in 2018.

Read more: Church planting Church multiplication is a USMB core commitment and is a natural consequence of our other core commitments: discipleship and leadership development. This issue challenges U.S. Mennonite Brethren to renew our commitment as individuals and a faith community to planting churches. Visit our website to read more about why and how we plant churches.

Read online at www.christianleadermag.com Live the mission by Fred Leonard Followers of Jesus are in the business of evangelism and discipleship. One of the best ways to see evangelism and discipleship in action is in the context of church planting. Fred Leonard is senior pastor at Mountain View Church, and he invites anyone interested in being involved in God’s mission to reach our neighborhoods and every nation through evangelism and church planting to attend MVC’s third annual Live the Mission Conference, Sept. 21-23 in Fresno, Calif.

The story of three church plants by Matt Ehresman As we dream and pray for more new churches to be planted, it’s helpful to look at three current, thriving MB church plants to see how they differ and where we can find common threads of success. All three demonstrate God’s faithfulness in unique communities and individualized strategies.

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testimony ■

Our Redeemer lives God gave me purpose, meaning and hope

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od rescued and redeemed my story so I could help bring redemption to others.

I grew up with a mom who was pursuing Jesus and a dad who was running from him. My dad struggled with mental health and drugs, which led to instability in our home.

My parents loved me and did the best they could, but I often felt lonely and confused. I found my identity in sports and escaped through video games. I lacked purpose, meaning and hope.

When I went to college, I defined a purpose, meaning and hope for myself and started pursuing the world and success. The success I achieved became like a drug that always left me empty and wanting more. I had money, good friends, the “perfect” girlfriend and a kickstarted career, yet I felt lost and empty.

I found myself gripped with a pornography addiction and longing for the next party or next big thing I could set my heart on. I knew God existed and even called myself a Christian, but I didn’t know what it was like to follow or truly rely on Jesus. He felt elusive and unattainable to me.

After I finished college, the Lord began to pursue me and invite me to follow him. I vividly remember the things of this world—money,

partying, worldly achievements— starting to lose their appeal. After a hard breakup shook my identity, I came to the end of myself. That night, I got on my knees and said, “Lord, I am done doing this my way; I want your way. I have no idea what it looks like, but I am giving you the keys to my life.”

I asked for two things: that God would make his Word alive to me, and that God would deliver me from pornography.

The next day, everything shifted. I started reading the Bible, and it came alive. For the first time, I felt God was speaking to me directly from his Word. He also set me free from a desire for pornography.

Praise God for grace!

Since I surrendered my life, the Lord has taken me on the adventure of a lifetime. He transformed me from a person looking for meaning and hope to someone who knows the Author of all meaning and hope. He has been gentle and faithful in giving me the grace to take each next step.

At first, I sensed God was asking me to seek him as I continued my corporate accounting career. Next, I pursued vocational ministry and started a church, which I would have never imagined or dreamed of doing. He has blessed me with a beautiful, godly wife and three wonderful children.

Most importantly, God’s Word is still as alive to me as it was the day after I surrendered my life to God. He has redeemed my life and

shown me that I am never alone.

He is my purpose, meaning and hope.

When God called me to plant SouthLife Church, he invited me to be a witness to our Redeemer, Jesus, who has the power to redeem all things and all people. I am living proof that our Redeemer lives!

Since I surrendered my life, the Lord has taken me on the adventure of a lifetime.

Kevin Friedberg and his family recently embraced God’s call to be missionaries in South Wichita, Kan., where, by the grace of God and in partnership with others, they planted SouthLife Church in 2023.

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■ frontlines A pastor’s perspective

More than parking cars The benefits of bi-vocational pastoral ministry

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ailure. That is how I felt twoplus years ago when I was forced to take a job outside the church to supplement my income. Furthermore, the church had to reduce my salary to make ends meet.

The feelings of failure came mainly from my disappointment that the church had not grown enough to support their pastor.

True or not, it felt like a direct reflection on me. I took a part-time job as a valet at a large hospital.

The only plus I saw was that walking 10 miles a day provided great exercise.

Sometime in my first month a woman whose car I parked came to the valet shack in tears because she forgot something in her car. I asked what else was going on.

After she told me, I asked if I could pray for her. She said yes, and we stood inside the hospital as I prayed for her.

Another time a woman drove up having a panic attack. I asked her if she believed in prayer. She did, so I prayed with her while she sat in her car. There was a husband with cancer, and his family asked me to come to his room and pray for them, which I did. He later died, and I was able to connect with them again.

Co-workers asked spiritual questions and sought advice on things going on in their lives. I didn’t always have the answers, but I was

18 christian leader | march / april 2025

able to help them think through the situations they faced.

I came to understand that God had placed me in a strategic place. When people used valet to park their cars, I was the first person they saw—not the chaplain, nurse, doctor or customer-service people. I was meeting people who were in immediate crisis, and it provided an opportunity for ministry that I would not have had otherwise. I recently left the valet position to become a part-time hospice chaplain in the same hospital, but I continue to be thankful for the time I spent as a valet.

Being “trapped” in a church office has the potential to insulate and rob pastors of important opportunities to connect with non-believers. I don’t begrudge those who serve in churches that can adequately support them on a fulltime basis. However, I learned that in my own case I had become a bit insulated and out of touch.

When I was hired as a valet, I asked my supervisor not to announce that I was a pastor. I wanted my co-workers to know me first and not my title.

Jesus provides us with many great examples in his own ministry. He meets people where they are: the woman at the well, the lepers, the woman caught in adultery and many others. In fact, the Great Commission in Matthew 28 tells us that in our everyday

going, we are to make disciples.

I no longer see bi-vocational ministry as a failure. Do I think all pastors should become bi-vocational? No. But I do think we need to recognize that full-time ministry has its blind spots.

I came to understand that God had placed me in a strategic place.

Jeff Turner is pastor at Christ Community Church, Harrisburg, S.D., and a hospice chaplain. He and his wife, Angela, who works for the Sioux Falls school district, have two grown children.

got questions ■ standing column

Partnership and prayer How do we support missionaries?

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ore than 2,000 years ago, Jesus gave instructions to his followers to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20a). Christians are still committed to sharing the good news and supporting ministries locally and globally. Many of us ask: What do our missionaries need?

How can churches support them well? I spoke with missionaries around the world to hear their thoughts.

Stephen Humber, a Multiply regional mobilizer, believes that we should first recognize the calling of the global church. “It's not just about how can a church have missionaries or serve missionaries, but [asking] how can the church submit to God in the work of global mission?” he says. Starting from a posture of partnership with God and others, we can move in shared Spirit-led direction and recognize each other’s needs. “Let some good, open conversation and question asking bring those mutual needs to the surface,” Humber advises.

One of the biggest mutual needs is financial support. Kyle and Danae Schmidt serve in Uganda and know “missionaries rely not only on church support, but also on hundreds of individuals to meet their monthly budgets.” Everyone I spoke to is raising funds to help cover costs for everyday needs, like hous-

ing and transportation, so they can follow God’s call. Danae invites us to “consider personally partnering financially and engaging with your missionary and their ministry.”

Good communication is another important aspect of partnership.

Workers write newsletters, send emails and create videos to help people better understand their experiences. It is vital for churches to engage with missionaries’ news and provide space for them to share with congregations in person or online. Karis, who doesn’t share her full name for security reasons, encourages churches to be curious about all aspects of ministry life, asking questions about “the ‘what’ and the ‘why’” of someone’s calling and not “just asking for yearly stats and updates.”

Whether on-site or while traveling, missionaries desire quality time with their partners. Every worker I connected with loves when people visit to meet their community and experience what God is doing. The Chavez family, who serves in rural Peru, says that receiving teams reminds them “that we are not alone; there are many people walking this journey with us.” For churches that aren’t able to venture far, inviting missionaries to their town and hosting them well is another meaningful way to connect.

Lastly, missionaries need us to pray for them and those they serve.

“Intentional and consistent prayer support is so, so encouraging…especially when they let me know they

are doing so,” Karis says. Workers often share specific requests and ways to celebrate with their communities, sharing family updates and neighborhood needs.

Maricela Chavez says, “As a mom, when our supporters acknowledge our boys, that is very meaningful. When they show their love and care for them, that is very touching.”

Our churches can and should lift up the ministries we partner with and trust God is working in and through them.

In all of this, Humber reminds churches, “Missionaries have a whole life and ministry going on. Be careful not to burden them with unnecessary (and sometimes unreasonable) demands and requests.”

Instead, we are invited to give what they need every day: encouragement and support.

Caitlin Friesen , a graduate of Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary, is married to Ben Friesen and is part of Cornerstone Community Church in Topeka, Kan.

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■ bodylife stories that connect us

Ambitious church growth goals USMB employs various church planting strategies over the years

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hurch planting has long been a stated priority of the U.S. Conference of MB Churches.Over the years, USMB has set ambitious church growth goals using various strategies. Some of these goals have been met and others have not, including the most recent goal set in 2016 which aimed to see USMB’s 198 churches grow to 300 by 2025.

While growth has happened, it hasn’t happened as exponentially as leaders hoped. Today, USMB has 219 churches.

National Director Aaron Box believes that churches focused on evangelism and discipleship will by nature grow and expand. By 2030, he would like to have the pieces in place to sustain five to 10 new USMB churches per year, provided local churches commit to the mission and consistently identify leaders.

“One of the things we can see looking back at the seasons where we've had success is we need to not be afraid to lean into those ambitious places that feel beyond us, because that's actually exactly where we're supposed to be,” Box says.

Mission USA takes new approach Today’s emphasis on planting churches is rooted in a national U.S. Mennonite Brethren vision adopted in the late 1980s that focused the work of evangelism on planting new churches “within and across cultural lines.” The intent was to reach beyond traditional boundaries and backgrounds in national church planting efforts and to grow from 125 to 180 churches by the year 2000.

In 1994, the formation of Mission USA, USMB’s church planting and renewal ministry, ramped up the church planting focus. Thanks to Mission USA and an initiative known as Integrated Ministries, which focused on planting and integrating immigrant congregations, by 2000, the conference numbered 172 churches, just eight shy of the goal.

In 2000, MetroNet 2005 was introduced, with a goal of planting 20 new MB congregations in metropolitan areas in five years. But funding challenges leading to the resignation of Mission USA executive director Ed Boschman in 2002 derailed this plan.

In 2004, with Don Morris as director, Mission USA resumed an aggressive church planting strategy. In 2012, Morris met his goal of planting six new churches that year.

20 christian leader | march / april 2025

Stony Brook Church in Omaha, Neb., was planted in 2010, the result of a series of church plant efforts in the greater Omaha area. Stony Brook's tagline—Belong, Believe, Become—was featured on a T-shirt worn by the congregation for a 2012 outreach event. Photo from CL archives

This success prompted a dream to plant 60 churches in the next 10 years. As a new USMB vision, known as the Future Story, materialized, that dream grew even bigger.

bodylife ■ stories that connect us

A new vision, organization While conversations surrounding a new national vision for church planting were happening, leaders shifted the responsibility for carrying out the Future Story’s church growth goals from Mission USA to a new organization, Multiply. This mission agency, supported by U.S. and Canadian Mennonite Brethren, would facilitate church planting locally, nationally and globally.

Mission USA had served as USMB’s church planting arm for 20 years when it was closed in 2016. That year, Morris reported 29 new churches were in existence because of Mission USA. “It was pretty ambitious that we would grow to 300 churches, but the whole Future Story was pretty ambitious,” says Morris, who also served as USMB national director. “Some of that was the realization of, ‘Let's have a big, audacious goal.’”

Unfortunately, within five months of the new organization’s launch, the plan proved unsuccessful, and by September 2019, USMB’s national church planting partnership with Multiply had ended.

The COVID-19 pandemic did nothing to aid USMB’s church planting efforts.

Although church planting has continued, in part through the Church Planting Council, USMB has not experienced the exponential growth dreamed of in the Future Story.

to be driven by the local church. I'll do everything I can in my role to resource it.”

When it comes to church planting, Box prefers to talk about church multiplication.

While not every church will plant another independent congregation, every church can be involved in the multiplication effort, Box says. This can include engaging people who don’t yet know Jesus, sending someone to the mission field, adding a second worship service or planting a campus. The term also encompasses immigrant congregations added to the national faith community.

“I think if we are grabbing onto that church multiplication mindset with both hands and holding tightly, inevitably it leads to planting churches because it changes an ethos and a DNA of a church,” Box says.

Box gathered veteran church planters and other stakeholders in February to

Creating momentum Today, Box has an opportunity to reevaluate and focus a national church planting vision. He says the local church is key.

“USMB as an organization is only going to be as effective in (church planting) as our local churches are passionate about it,” he says. “It really has

christianleadermag.com 21

■ bodylife stories that connect us

identify needs pertaining to church multiplication, including coaching, project management, support and resources in all languages spoken in USMB churches. The goal is for plants to be local church driven and contextualized to the location.

“I think one of the questions is, ‘How do you both have a unified effort but also have enough diversity in the way you're doing things that it meets the needs of all the folks?’” Box says, referencing the work at the district level among Congolese, Ethiopian and Spanish-speaking congregations.

“There's some really good work happening that we probably need to do a better job of recognizing,” Box says. “It doesn't take away from the challenges—we have to get some momentum again—but I do think that's important to note. Church planting has always been changing, in a sense, as far as models and approaches.

But the more we become demographically diverse in the U.S., I think we need a broader picture of what it means to plant churches.”

In the short term, Box hopes to focus on getting a few projects off the ground to create momentum.

“I don't think funding is an issue for us,” he says. “We have a number of people not only who are already giving but who are waiting in the wings (saying), ‘Show me a project that I can invest in.’

“I'm hopeful because we have expertise, we have people with passion (and) we have resources. The challenge is to get to a place that we have the people and the vision and the projects.”—Janae Rempel Shafer

To read more about USMB’s church planting history, read our companion article online.

Current church plants There are currently 16 U.S. Mennonite Brethren church plants, as reported by the five district conferences.

This list represents what each district reports as their current church plants, given their definition of a church plant. Districts have planted churches in conjunction with the national conference and on their own.

Church multiplication also includes welcoming established congregations into the USMB faith community, and this article does not reflect USMB’s growth as a result of the congregations, including many immigrant congregations, that have joined USMB during the past 30 years.

Central District • Renewal MB Church, Rapid City, S.D. (2018) •Redemption Church, Owatonna, Minn.(2018) Pacific District • Iglesia una Nueva Esperanza, Riverdale, Calif. (2024) • Iglesia Un Nuevo Comienzo MB, Bakersfield, Calif. (2023) • La Paz, Orosi, Calif. (2023) • KCulture Church, San Jose, Calif. (2021) • Lakeview Church, Grantsville, Utah (2021) • Mountain View Church East, Fresno, Calif. (2021) • Plaza Iglesia, Bakersfield, Calif. (2019) • Centro Cristiano a Las Naciones, Fresno, Calif. (2018) • Lakeview Church, Stansbury Park, Utah (2018) • Prodigal Church, Fresno, Calif.

(2017)

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Southern District • Christ Salvation Church, Kansas City, Mo. • New Creation Church of Denver, Aurora, Colo. (2023) • SouthLife Church, Wichita, Kan. (2023) • Ethiopian Christian Fellowship Church, Kansas City, Mo. (2022)

bodylife ■ stories that connect us

When bidding is serving Prodigal Church auction funds ministry in Malawi

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rodigal Church in Fresno, Calif., seeks to meet people’s needs where they are, whether down the street or in Africa. Since the church began in 2017, it seeks to welcome people from multiple backgrounds through its doors and for the last three years sends the same love and assistance through its Love the World auction to ministries in Malawi, Africa.

Lead pastor John Richardson first became involved with ministry in Malawi at age 19 while serving with Youth With A Mission (YWAM). Since then, he’s returned eight times and spread the passion for the ministry to Prodigal Church to help fund local YWAM missionaries and ministries within orphanages, schools and towns.

“Prodigal has given to the ministries in Malawi for as long as it has existed, but a few years ago we realized we needed a new way to make sure we could consistently give generously to the needs there even when our church budget was tight,” Richardson says. “We came up with the Love the World auction where the event is designed solely to raise funds for the ministry in Malawi.”

The auction is a church-wide event, open to the public and planned by a committee. The event includes a theme, meal and live and silent auctions. Items to auction are often made by church members or donated by local businesses. This year’s safari theme auction is set for March 7.

“The committee does a lot of work, but it gives a lot of impact both globally and locally,” Richardson says. “Typically, over 100 people come to our auction; 60-70 percent of those being from our church. It’s been really incredible to see how more than a few people who came to the auction started coming to church also, so it is encouraging to see that two-fold benefit of the auction.”

In addition to providing funding, Prodigal Church will serve in a hands-on way this summer by taking its first mission team to Malawi, led by children’s pastor Brittney Howard.

“This will bring more context to the ministry there,” Howard says. “It’s one thing to support a ministry financially, but to see, touch and listen to lives there is a whole new world. We are excited to go with a heart of mission that isn’t focused on numbers, but one that genuinely loves the people there and shows them the love of Jesus by listening, serving and doing.”

Howard says that the work the team will be doing in Malawi will likely be in the orphanages, schools, churches and local outreach that Prodigal’s auction supports.

Both locally and abroad, Prodigal Church’s mission is the same.

“The heart of Prodigal Church is to be like in the story of the prodigal son and realize we can miss Jesus with a rebellious or religious heart,” Richardson says. “Jesus invites everyone to the party, and we seek to model that by inviting everyone, calling out the rebellious and religious and ultimately showing them the love of Jesus.”—Caitlyn Decker

Attendees of Prodigal Church’s second annual Love the World auction in 2024 enjoy dinner together. Photo by Prodigal Church. christianleadermag.com 23

■ bodylife stories that connect us

LEAD Coaching offers perspective, accountability Participants appreciate holistic help they receive from coach

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or the last 15 years, the USMB initiative LEAD Coaching has offered a holistic approach to personal and professional development.

Nearly 40 people have completed coaching, according to the head of the program, Ed Boschman. He says that while most of the coachees have been pastors and other church staff members, he has also coached others not directly involved in ministry as their career.

“We’re trying to help people develop a godly sense of peace and purpose and confidence, and expertise in serving the local church,” Boschman says.

At the beginning of the program, coachees are asked to fill out two in-depth inventories related to personality and emotional intelligence, as well as go on a personal retreat to have a time of introspection and goal setting. Then, coach and coachee “meet” for their first coaching phone call to discern the coachee’s needs, goals and areas of struggle.

“We talk about what the individual’s core values are (and) what they would like the coaching focus to be,” Boschman says. “If you feel stuck or stressed, we want to identify what those things are and work through them.”

Coachees read books, listen to podcasts and work on action steps between twice monthly calls with their coach.

The value of an outside perspective Two pastors in Kansas who have completed LEAD Coaching cite wanting an objective, outside perspective on their ministry as part of what prompted them to sign up for the program.

Aaron Halvorsen, pastor of Community Bible Church in Olathe, was nearing the 10-year mark of serving in his position, as well as his 40th birthday, in the fall of 2023 when he began coaching.

“You hear often from more seasoned pastors that your forties and fifties are your most productive years in ministry,” Halvorsen says. “As I was heading into that, I wanted to be prepared and think through, ‘What do I really want to focus my time on, and where do I want direction?’”

Halvorsen says the coaching helped him in practical ways with things like organization and time management, as well as in more big picture ways such as developing vision for his church congregation.

“Basically, every pastor has an unorthodox schedule; very often you don’t know if you’re either being too lax on yourself or too demanding on yourself, so having someone else to look at that was really valuable,” he says.

Kyle Goings was prompted to begin coaching about

People involved in LEAD Coaching share the stage at USMB Gathering 2024 to talk about their experiences with coaching, including Aaron Halvorsen (second from left) and Kyle Goings (far right). Photo by Connie Faber.

24 christian leader | march / april 2025

bodylife ■ stories that connect us

five years ago, and the experience helped him expand his ministry at Ridgepoint Church in Wichita, where he had been serving in youth ministry since 2014. After starting as a middle and high school pastor, he expanded to include young adults as well.

“I was really frustrated with several of our high schoolers every year leaving the involvement of the church in general, so I got into studying generations and working with college students and now young adults,” says Goings, whose position is now called NextGen pastor.

“Coaching kind of kickstarted all of that.”

Goings says that having a coach with an unbiased perspective helped him slow down and evaluate what was working and what wasn’t. He also gained valuable insights into his own identity and became better at developing other leaders.

“What helped me expand my leadership was that I had the chance to see how God created me, both strengths and weaknesses, and then use those for God’s glory,” Goings says.

A worthy investment The cost for LEAD Coaching comes to about $2,000, and while the financial commitment may seem intimidating on its front, Boschman says they’ve never had to turn anyone away because of a lack of funds.

“We don’t want the cost to be a reason why someone wouldn’t do coaching, and so we have often pulled together a partnership to cover the cost,” Boschman says.

He says a combination of resources from the national level to the district and church levels have often been used if the coachee doesn’t have the personal capacity to cover the cost.

In recent years, the option of doing a six-month program was also added for

those whose situation may not warrant a full year of coaching.

Vivian Wheeler is the director of church operations at Birch Bay Bible Community Church in Birch Bay, Wash. She participated in the shorter version of the program from August 2024 through February of this year.

“I really felt I needed to gain a balance between home and work and church,” Wheeler says. “It caused me to do some introspection and look at what my personal goals were and what my work goals were, and how to get there.”

Wheeler adds that the accountability provided by the coaching calls was especially helpful.

Halvorsen, Goings and Wheeler all agree that the benefits of the coaching outweigh the sacrifice of time and energy required.

“If you implement the things you are coached on, you are able to find the time to do what you need to do,” Wheeler says.

Goings adds: “If something helps you become a better leader, pastor, missionary, doctor, whatever, I don’t know any excuse that’s good enough not to do it.”—Jessica Vix Allen

WILL PLANNING NN YOU FOR Y OU AND A YOUR FAMILY Y OUR F AM AMI - PR PROVIDE OVIDE FOR F FAMILY AMIL LY INTEGRATE - INTE GRA AT TE FAITH FA AITH MINISTRY - FUEL MINISTR Y

“Putting your house in order is the best thing you can do for you and your family. MB Foundation was very helpful in guiding us through the process of setting up our plan.”

BRENT AND JOAN WARKENTIN

Get started today at www.mbfoundation.com/willplanning www.mbfoundation.com/willplanning 620.947.3151 800.551.1547 Toll Free info@mbfoundation.com w.. m b f o u n d a t i o n . c o m www

christianleadermag.com 25

■ bodylife stories that connect us

Premier prom dining at On the Rock Cafe Ulysses congregation serves formal dinner for high school students

I

In the rural, western-Kansas town of Ulysses, fine dining restaurants are hard to come by, meaning high school students lack local options for their pre-prom dinner.

So each year, New Beginnings Community Fellowship provides prom-goers with a formal dining experience at On the Rock Cafe, which offers valet parking, a promenade, photo opportunities and a homemade meal on prom night.

Cathy Cavasos, New Beginnings church secretary and retired teacher, has been involved since the start.

“We would see kids in all of their prom finery at McDonald's—there's nothing wrong with McDonald's—but it's not the nicest place to take your date for prom,” Cavasos says. “We were trying to provide something close, nice and affordable.”

A partnership for prom Today, New Beginnings hosts On the Rock Cafe at a local coffee shop. But the event began 20 years before New Beginnings came to be.

New Beginnings formed in 2019 when New Life Church (NLC), a USMB congregation, merged with Patterson Avenue Church of God. Patterson Avenue began On the Rock Cafe in 1999. It was the brainchild of Margie McDaniel and Kelly Warren.

Prior to the merger, NLC pastor Nathan Engleman and church youth helped with On the Rock Cafe, an experience he credits with sparking an idea for partnership. So, after the merger, Engleman wanted to continue On the Rock Cafe.

“I was pretty excited about joining together and continuing (On the Rock Cafe),” says Engleman, who today copastors New Beginnings with former Patterson Avenue pastor Larry Borthwick. “I'm so grateful to carry on the tradition.”

Pouring into the community In the early years, Patterson Avenue organizers spent days transforming the church to match that year’s prom theme, whether Arabian Nights, Sea of Love or A Night in Paris.

“Back in the day, it took us a whole week to decorate,” Cavasos says. “My family knew that during prom week they wouldn’t see their mom.”

After the merger and a one-year pandemic-induced hiatus in 2020, for two years the congregation hosted the dinner at New Beginnings, which meets in the former NLC facility. Then the event moved to Bear Creek Coffee.

26 christian leader | march / april 2025

These days, organizers focus on table decorations and one backdrop.

“We've decided that the service and the food is more important than what it looks like,” Cavasos says. “We focus more on making it simple and elegant instead of over the top.”

On the Rock Cafe has served anywhere from around 50 to 100 students, who pay for reservations, including dinner and sometimes a T-shirt.

Congregation members, including Engleman, prepare the meal. Others donate food or help cover expenses.

“We have some amazing folks that cook here,” Cavasos says. “Nearly everything’s homemade.”

Between cooking, setup, servers and valet parkers, the event involves between 15-30 volunteers.

“I have to give a lot of credit to our church people,” Engleman says. “They show up and serve. They are fantastic folks.”

This year, On the Rock Cafe will open on prom night April 12.

“Our heart for On the Rock ministry has never been to get something from the community,” Engleman says. “It's always been to pour back into it.”—Janae Rempel Shafer

Since 1999, On the Rock Cafe has provide prom-goers with a formal dining experience (pictured here in 2021), including valet parking, a promenade, photo opportunities and a homemade meal on prom night. Photo by Seth Shapland.

■ church spotlight

★

Cornerstone Community Church Harvey, N.D. Established: 2016 Attendance: 45 Lead Pastor: Jeffrey Blomquist

Our congregation in three words:

An eclectic mix Connect with us!

www.facebook.com/cornerstoneharvey

How can you pray for us?

We are starting a renewal phase to encourage church growth.

CCC is a merger nine years ago of two 100-plus-year-old congregations and is half Mennonite Brethren and half North American Baptist. During the merger there were some hiccups, but it was overall positive for both the community and the people of Cornerstone, says Pastor Jeffrey Blomquist.

Top Photo: Blomquist preached from the back of a pickup during CCC’s drive-in church held during the COVID-19 outbreak in April 2020. They had a larger attendance during these drive-in church services than when CCC resumed indoor services.

Middle: CCC has a large Awana program with around 85 children coming every Wednesday and a youth group that averages more than 20 students.

Bottom: CCC has a very active quilting ministry and donates more than 100 quilts/comforters to MCC every year.

Photos by CCC christianleadermag.com 27

Church Life Compiled by Janae Rempel Shafer

MILESTONES

Baptism/Memberships Hannah Enns and Marcy Sommerfeld were received Feb. 2 as members at Zoar MB Church, Inman, Kan. Lee Keele and Ginger Keele were received Jan. 26 as members at Buhler (Kan.) MB Church.

Rick Eshbaugh, Esther Eshbaugh, William Thompson, Mike Jamieson, Briana Jamieson, Dan Smith, Tim Schoeneberg and Lauren Schoeneberg were received as members at Ebenfeld MB Church, Hillsboro, Kan. Cameron Jamieson, Kailee Jamieson, Franklin Jost, Kirsten Kluver, Elias McCleary and Colby Suderman were baptized Dec. 8 and received as members.

Griffin Day, Mike Jensen, Hailey Morris, Harper Perkins, Kash Wall and Whitley Wall were baptized Jan. 19 at Pine Acres Church, Weatherford, Okla.

John Horton, Sr., was baptized Jan. 19 at Renewal MB Church, Rapid City, S.D. Rose Piper was baptized Jan. 12. Levi Apple was baptized Dec. 22.

Nick Cummins and Jennifer Cummins were received Jan. 12 as members at Good News Fellowship, Ferndale, Wash. Claire Donalson was baptized Dec. 22.

Lane Russell, Ellie Schmidt and Kale Flaming were baptized Dec. 15 and received as members at Corn (Okla.) MB Church.

Mike Allen, Matt Oehler, Gabrial Verdesoto, Kathrine Verdesoto, Lindi Parker and Chelsi

28 christian leader | march / april 2025

Jacobsen were baptized Dec. 15 at South Mountain Community Church, Draper (Utah) Campus.

Aubryanna Darlington began serving as administrative assistant at Heritage Bible Church, Bakersfield, Calif.

Kasey Royal, Nora Schoenhals, Clint Scott, Presli Scott, Dax Scott, River Lubbers, Asher Green, Pazlie Green, Lily Parker, Kadley Blatnick, Timber Akin and Ella Miller were baptized at Pine Acres Church, Weatherford, Okla., Dec. 15.

Tony and Karla Contreras are serving as lead pastoral couple at Iglesia Agua Viva, Omaha, Neb.

Jennifer Johnson was received Dec. 8 as a member at Shafter (Calif.) MB Church.

Melissa Higley was baptized Dec. 8 at Ridgepoint Church, Wichita, Kan. Emma Gilliland, Zion Wahlgren, Ruby Wahlgren, Laurel Fondren and Mary Anne Austin were baptized at Cross Timbers Church, Edmond, Okla., Dec. 8.

Gary Hilliard, Abbi Williams and Kekoa Vincent were baptized Nov. 17 and received as members at Hillsboro (Kan.) MB Church. Brenda Hilliard, Jon Funk, Mary Funk and Lauren Ediger were also received as members.

Sam Liles was baptized at Lakeview Church, Stansbury Park (Utah) Campus, Aug. 18.

Seven people were baptized at Bethel Fellowship Church, Sioux Falls, S.D. Three people were baptized at Lake Region Mennonite Church, Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Workers Brad Isaak began serving as lead pastor at New Life Community, Dinuba, Calif., Feb. 2.

Deaths Becker, Lynford Jay, Hillsboro, Kan., Hillsboro MB Church, July 6, 1930—Jan. 9, 2025. Parents: Edward and Anna (Fast) Becker. Spouse: Ruby Nickel. Children: Marlin, Debra Ehardt, Marla Rempel, Rhonda Ediger, Gary (deceased); 10 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren.

Boese, Annemarie, Corn, Okla., member of Corn MB Church, April 22, 1927—Dec. 11, 2024. Parents: Otto and Anna (Nickel) Neufeld.

Spouse: David Boese (deceased). Children: Bill, Robert, Doris Kimball; nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren.

Friesen, Mary Ann, Buhler, Kan., member of Buhler MB Church, Sept. 2, 1923—July 18, 2024. Parents: David T. and Marie (Claassen) Loewen.

Spouse: Abe L. Friesen (deceased). Children: Carol Graber, Willard, Genevie Schmidt, Bob, Rita Loewen; 10 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild.

Gross, Vernel E., Platte, S.D., member of Bethesda Church, Huron, S.D., Oct. 29, 1926— Jan. 11, 2025. Parents: Sam D. and Elizabeth (Kleinsasser) Gross. Spouse: Ruth Hofer (deceased). Children: Eileen Ludens, Curtis (deceased); three grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren.

Hougen, Carolyn Ann, Everson, Wash., member of Good

News Fellowship, Ferndale, Wash., Sept. 16, 1943—Nov. 24, 2024. Parents: Albert and Anna McCutchan. Spouse: Gary Hougen. Children: Julie Jahns, Christy Brevik; four grandchildren.

Nightengale, Carolyn Faye, Fairview, Okla., member of New Hopedale Mennonite Church, Meno, Okla., Oct. 6, 1939—Sept. 30, 2024.

Parents: Fred and Annabelle (Wedel) Schmidt. Spouse: Floyd Nightengale (deceased). Children: Kimberly Defeo, Doug, Meloni Barkley, Jason; five grandchildren.

Regier, Deborah Jane, Ringwood, Okla., member of New Hopedale Mennonite Church, Meno, Okla., Jan.1, 1956— Oct. 16, 2024. Parents: Bob and Dorothy Richert.

Spouse: John Regier. Children: Emily, Maggie Baker, Jake, Libby Deitrick; nine grandchildren.

Thiessen, Dorothy Ann, Reedley, Calif., member of North Fresno (Calif.) Church, Oct. 12, 1932—Dec. 5, 2024. Parents: Andy and Anna Nachtigall. Spouse: Melvin Thiessen (deceased). Children: Steve, Glenn, Tim, Julie; 12 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren.

Voth, Sharon Lorene, Shafter, Calif., member of Shafter MB Church, Oct. 22, 1951—Jan. 23, 2025. Parents: Donald and Loyce Corcoran. Spouse: Stanley Voth.

Children: Amy Bloemhof, Sara Paul; seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild.

Wedel, Donald “Gene,” Meno, Okla., member of New Hopedale Mennonite Church, Meno, Sept. 2, 1945—May 18, 2024.

Parents: Irvin and Hilda (Nightengale) Wedel. Spouse: Dori Wedel.

Children: Lugenia Haffner (de-

ceased), Andy, Randy, Michelle Ratzlaff, Michael Kampstra; 11 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren.

Wiens, Mariana, Salem, Ore., member of Kingwood Bible Church, Salem, April 4, 1928—Nov. 17, 2024. Parents: John D. and Mary (Hooge) Wiens.

Willems, Lorelei “Lollie” Ann, Fresno, Calif., member of North Fresno Church, Dec. 27, 1940—Dec. 2, 2024. Parents: John G. and Ella (Dreidger) Klippenstein. Spouse: Norman “Norm” Donald Willems. Children: Russel Flaming, Ron Flaming, Cathy Mayer, Don, Tony, Bob; 19 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren.

REACHING IN

Discipleship North Fresno (Calif.)

Church hosted a lecture by worship pastor David Tatum Dec. 1.

Community Bible Church, Olathe, Kan., hosted Bible boot camp Nov. 2.

Bible Fellowship Church, Minot, N.D., hosted a “Strengthening the Church” conference, Nov. 2.

Fellowship Koerner Heights Church, Newton, Kan., women had a Bunko night Jan. 23.

Hesston (Kan.) MB Church held its annual Soup or Roll Sunday fundraiser meal Feb. 9.

Neighborhood Church, Visalia, Calif., held a Super Sunday Tailgate Party Feb. 9.

Buhler (Kan.) MB Church women had a retreat Feb. 7-8.

North Fresno (Calif.)

Church moms gathered for insights for navigating “middle adulthood” Feb. 2.

SouthLife Church, Wichita, Kan., women had drinks and goodies Jan. 11.

Community Bible Church, Olathe, Kan., young adults had a game night Jan. 16. Seniors had a New Year’s Eve party Dec. 31.

Pine Acres Church, Weatherford, Okla., men held an “Ironmen” event Jan. 19.

Bethany Church, Fresno, Calif., held a couples event Jan. 12.

Faith Bible Church and Iglesia Manantial de Agua Viva, Omaha, Neb., gathered for worship and prayer on New Year’s Eve. Corn (Okla.) MB Church women gathered for a meal, Bingo and devotional Jan. 13.

Axiom Church, Peoria, Ariz., men had breakfast Feb. 15. Fathers and daughters had a dance Feb. 7. Women had dessert Jan. 10.

Cross Timbers Church, Edmond, Okla., held a chili cook-off and cornhole tournament Jan. 1.

Celebrations Butler Church, Fresno, Calif., celebrated 15 years since its four congregations held their first worship services.

Iglesia Manantial de Agua Viva, Omaha, Neb., celebrated 15 years Feb. 8-9.

Cornerstone Community Church, Harvey, N.D., celebrated 40 years of its Awana ministry, Jan. 1.

Butler Church, Fresno, Calif., gave Christmas gifts to students meeting with a literacy mentor from the church and to school staff.

REACHING OUT

Zoar MB Church, Inman, Kan., women decorated cookies and caroled at a nursing home Dec. 15.

Locally Cross Timbers Church, Edmond, Okla., held a souper bowl soup drive for the church food pantry and Hope Center of Edmond and collected gifts for a local pregnancy center.

North Oak Community Church, Hays, Kan., hosted a “Super Buck” dinner Feb. 1 to share the gospel with people who enjoy hunting and sponsored a gift-wrapping party for foster care kids through St. Francis of Hays.

Cornerstone Community Church, Topeka, Kan., collected soup for a rescue mission.

Parkview MB Church, Hillsboro, Kan., gave an Advent offering for two ministries. Men gathered for breakfast and service projects Jan. 4.

Hillsboro (Kan.) MB Church began offering college student hang out nights.

Bethany Church, Fresno, Calif., donated new baby shower gifts to a local pregnancy care center. The church held its Journey to Bethlehem drive-thru Dec. 13-15 with 3,945 guests.

Neighborhood Church, Fresno, Calif., prayed for students and teachers Jan. 27 and delivered hand-decorated ornaments to senior living residents Dec. 22.

Salem MB Church, Freeman, S.D., collected an offering of $668 for the Bridgewater Food Pantry, Dec. 15.

Pine Acres Church, Weatherford, Okla., gave food for the police department Dec. 16 and with other churches gave gifts to underprivileged children.

Neighborhood Church, Visalia, Calif., had a Christmas Store for parents.

North Fresno (Calif.)

Church purchased Christmas gifts for neighborhood families.

Ebenfeld MB Church, Hillsboro, Kan., collected donations for a local food bank.

Community Bible Church, Olathe, Kan., donated items for a Christmas Store.

Axiom Church, Peoria, Ariz., filled a Christmas tree with gift cards for neighbors.

Neighborhood Church, Fresno, Calif., youth put together bags for unhoused people.

Faith Bible Church, Omaha, Neb., gave gifts toward Good Neighbor Ministry’s outreach to 99 homes in the neighborhood.

Salem MB Church, Freeman, S.D., gave $324.89 to provide caps and mittens to people on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

christianleadermag.com 29

Globally Correction: North Fresno (Calif.) Church assembled 35 MCC Relief Kits, not school kits as reported in the Jan/Feb issue.

Parkview MB Church, Hillsboro, Kan., collected 176 boxes for Operation Christmas Child.

Ridgepoint Church, Wichita, Kan., gave $231,325 toward its Big Offering for projects in Wichita, across the U.S. and around the world.

Classifieds LOCAL CHURCH Senior Pastor: North Park Community Church, Eugene, Ore., is seeking a senior pastor. NPCC is a small faith community that finds meaning in living out the gospel of Jesus through service and meaningful relationships. Eugene is a college town offering year-round natural beauty. NPCC has a history of knowing and loving our neighbors well.

Throughout the years, NPCC has bonded with the neighborhood association where our church resides, made meaningful connections with non-profits, churches and ministries in the community, and have made ourselves known as those who love our neighborhood school. If you have a heart for others, service, Scripture and developing disciples, consider learning more about our Senior Pastor position: https://www.northpark.cc/senior-pastor/

to work with churches in developing and executing strategies for healthy and growing senior adult ministries. They will also work directly with seniors in the MB community to help them activate God’s meaning and purpose in their retirement years. This is a remote, hourly position, working 10 to 15 Worship Director: Ridgepoint Church in Wi- hours per week. If interested, visit www.mbfoundachita, Kan., is seeking a full-time worship director tion.com/employment. to oversee its worship ministry, primarily providing leadership to our contemporary services. Ridge- Planned Giving Advisor: MB Foundation is point is a mid-size church (1,000 in attendance) seeking a planned giving advisor. This is a relationwith three Sunday morning services. Experience as ship-building position for someone who has a heart a worship leader is a requirement. Visit ridge- for people and stewardship and loves the Lord. pointwichita.com/employment for more informa- The position is full-time with a generous benefits package. Salary commensurate with experience. tion or to apply.

Training is available. If interested, visit www.mbfoundation.com/employment.

AGENCY Senior Adult Ministry Coordinator: MB Lead Pastor: Ebenfeld MB Church, Hillsboro, Foundation is seeking an individual with a passion Kan., is seeking a full-time teaching pastor who will be responsible for providing sound biblical teaching, leading and equipping the congregation in its mission to “Gather, Grow, Go,” with a relational and engaging spirit through personal connections • Faith-based with the congregation. His role and responsibilities also include pastoral care of members and atten• Online ders and active involvement in the local community.

Ebenfeld is committed to an Anabaptist-evangelical • Business theology as articulated in the MB Confession of Degree Faith. https://usmb.org/confession-of-faith-4/ For more information or to submit resume, email tabor.edu/online to ebenfeldsearch@gmail.com (620) 947-3121 Associate Pastor: Hope Kingsburg, a family-orilearn@tabor.edu ented church located in Kingsburg, Calif., between Fresno and Visalia, is seeking a full-time associate pastor of worship and discipleship. In addition to overseeing worship for our Sunday morning worship gatherings, this role will support the lead pastor in strategic development and implementation for next gen and adult discipleship ministries of Hope Kingsburg. For a job description, more information or to apply, email pastorsearch@hopekingsburg.org Youth Pastor: North Fresno Church, Fresno, Calif., is seeking a youth pastor to oversee the spiritual development and discipleship of youth, including youth group gatherings, midweek programs and outreach to the broader community.

A bachelor’s degree in ministry, education, social sciences or a related field is preferred. For a de-

30 christian leader | march / april 2025

tailed job description, please visit our website https://www.northfresnochurch.org If you want to join our team, please send your resume to ChurchStaffing.com. For further inquiries, email ypsearch@northfresnochurch.org.

Fullll Program:

$13,000

Master of Business Administration in

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ʿ ʸ ʴ ʷ ʸ ˅ ˃ ʼ ˃ ʸ ʿ ʼ ˁ ʸ ʡ ˁ ʸ ˇ

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