Note from Bruce
The stories I hear and the ideas I see being implemented around the Synod of the Farwest are exciting! They create healthier congregations and start new churches. In this edition of the Farwest Harvest we want to introduce you to some of these stories and ideas. They need to be shared. We hope you’ll agree.
In 2009, you will begin receiving the Farwest Harvest e-newsletter to be encouraged, challenged and fed through the stories, resources and links. We want these ideas and stories to reach every elder and deacon in our churches to help pastors communicate the message and engage all their leaders in the mission. Please forward this on, you can opt out whenever you want.
DON’t FORGET… we want to share your stories too. Send them our way. Let us know how you are seeing the Holy Spirit move in your life and ministry!
Bruce Bugbee
Regional Executive
Far West Region / RCA
Our Call
We have all embarked on a ten-year journey as members of the RCA known as “Our Call.” The response to “Our Call” has been a leading of the Holy Spirit to revitalize congregations and multiply churches...400 new congregations by 2014. One fourth of those churches, 100 of them, or 25% of the denomination’s goal, are what the congregations and classes of the Far West Region felt God calling them to do.
So, how are we doing? God’s grace and pace is beyond our imagination. We are ahead of the anticipated schedule of new church plans. In the first five years we have we have seen an increase of over 40 new churches. In the next five years, some of them too will start churches. I see the movement of God overcoming our fears, ignorance and finances because we are seeking to be obedient to His call upon us. It is happening, not by our might or power or creativity or intelligence…but by His Spirit says the Lord Almighty (Zech 4:6).
Out of our Regional Vision and Mission, we have focused on four priorities as ways to assist the mission of the local church and classes:
Vision—Every church effectively transforming lives and communities
Mission—To strengthen and start churches by empowering and equipping leaders
Priorities—
Right People Right Places
We are committed to assisting pastors, consistories and church leaders in a biblical understanding of their spiritual gifts (I Cor. 12:1) and providing faithful, fruitful, and fulfilled ministry teams that are aligned to make God famous and reach the Harvest (I Cor. 12:7,11,18).
Mobilize Equipping Leaders
We are committed to equipping leaders (Eph. 4:11), identifying and training them to equip servers (Eph. 4:12) so that the body of Christ is build up for effective and meaningful ministry (Eph. 4:11-16).
Healthy Congregations
We are committed to the health and revitalization of all our leaders, congregations and missional ministries. Health is evident in a humble and teachable spirit, pervasive prayer, teaching the Word, modeling by example and intentional applications that are doing mercy and justice in and through the church that is transforming a lost and needy world.
Church Multiplication
We are committed to the great commission (Matt. 28:20-22) and the great commandment (XXX). Reaching the Harvest requires that our churches are equipping leaders and people to be sent out to reach the lost…creating new churches. We believe healthy church are to start churches!
We have made tremendous strides toward “Our Call,” but as you can imagine, we have so much more to learn and grow into. As a part of that effort, I am creating with Neil Tibbott (Editor) the Far West Harvest, as an attempt to engage more leaders and congregations of the broader work of the Spirit in and through our region. I have been primarily communicating to the pastors and some elders through the classes. I want to expand the leadership circle to now include church consistories and leaders.
Korean Church Plant Helps Families in Transition
Pastor Young Yoo moved from Rocky Mountain Classis to Cascades with the idea of starting a new church in the greater Seattle area. He started, however, without a core group or place to meet. He simply started to serve and bless people in the name of Jesus.
He funded his ministry initially from the severance he received from his former church and then later through his family and friends who believed in his vision to start a cell based church. Strategically he developed a ministry to serve Korean families caught in the throes of cultural transitions and emotional issues. He uses his expertise in Pastoral Counseling to teach people in groups and then funnels them into cell groups led by a growing number of trained leaders.
As a condition for the Classis Cascades to support the new plant, Pastor Yoo was asked to challenge his Core Group agree to a covenant of commitment to the new mission. On December 7th, twelve adults signed the follow set of agreement:
We will..
Gathering faithfully (joining the weekly communion of the church and meeting with their small group)
Giving regularly (Investing in the new church and their pastor)
Serving joyfully (Using their spiritual gifts to edify the body and represent Christ in the city)
Proclaiming Christ winsomely (Especially in ways that reach their friends and family through the ministry of Sungwha)
AND Support our pastor.
Since that time the church has continued to meet on Sundays and in three other locations during the week. Pastor Yoo has trained three cell group leaders who gather the people together for prayer and encouragement. The main function of these cell groups is outreach and spiritual encouragement. Teaching happens at their mid-week Bible Study led currently by Pastor Yoo and on the weekends. Sungwha Reformed Church currently has two cell leaders, but expects to multiply that number to 10 by the end of the year.
Training Dates
April 2-4: The Power and Presence of the Kingdom – Tim Vink
Good Shepherd Church – Lynnwood, WA
April 20-22: Leadership Retreat – Classis Cascades Pastors and Leaders
Camp Sambica – Issaquah, WA
City Church Spreads Grace in San Francisco
When Fred Harrell moved to San Francisco to plant a church in 1996, the only contacts he had were three Korean people who had once attended a Presbyterian church in New York.
"One was a solid Christian, one an unsure Christian, and one was an unbeliever. That's been the DNA of our church ever since!" Harrell says.
"We started with a Bible study in my apartment at 3:00 because that's when my two-year-old took a nap."
Twelve years later, City Church draws more than 900 people in worship, and it looks like a microcosm of San Francisco, with a diverse population of Asians, whites, African Americans, and Hispanics. More
Heart Shift for Leaders
Your heart matters more than anything else…. Take out your concordance and check it out. It would be a great error to throw your energy into ministry at the expense of, or to the neglect of, your heart for God.
Here are some key diagnostic questions relative to your heart.
1. What thoughts do you ruminate on?
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'" ….Matt.15:19
2. What are you likely to talk about when you are under stress?
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”
3. How often does your ministry (or otherwise) cause you to complain? I Thess 5:18
Heart disease is caused by unresolved wounds (Matt.1 or failure to recall God’s goodness (Mk. 6). Church planters…leaders…must pay attention to their heart condition lest we have a hard heart!
Publication Information
Editor: Neil Tibbott – Email Address
Office Manager: Bette Holderman – Data
Please sign up…
Request for articles/resources
Gifted to Lead
Gifted to Lead is a powerful, integrated one-day leadership forum that gives Christian women leaders an opportunity to sharpen and expand their leadership and influence in the company of other women. We’re excited to announce that in 2009, experienced leaders Nancy Beach and Nancy Ortberg will be speaking in a region near you! Because of the success and energy surrounding Gifted to Lead, new locations have been added, expanding the event and offering new opportunities.
Coming to your region in 2009:
San Francisco Bay Area, CA - April 22
San Diego, CA - May 7
Dallas, TX - May 12
Chicago, IL- September 22
Indianapolis, IN - October 27
For details on the schedule and speaker information or to register visit:willowcreek.com/women
Register early for best pricing!
“No mistake was made in heaven when God gave you the gift of leadership or teaching. Every gift you have came from the hand of a loving Father who crafted you” – Nancy Beach
Northwest Prayer and Healing Seminar
Palm Sunday Weekend (April 3-4 2009)
Tim Vink, a successful church planter and the leader of the Reformed Church in America’s church planting movement, is leading a three day weekend of prayer, healing and deliverance.
The Promise and Challenge of this weekend:
"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12).
More information is availible at on Facebook. Or… www.praynorthwest.com.
