MNA Online
September 2019
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Late summer already! Pray for teachers and students as they head back to school and for ministry leaders returning from much needed breaks who will be gearing up for new ministry steps in the fall. Please prayerfully consider a financial gift for the advancement of God's work through MNA
.
Please prayerfully consider a contribution toward the work of MNA, as we serve those who labor at the front lines of ministry.
Thank you for your prayers and gifts to Mission to North American as we share the love of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ through church planting, church renewal, and missional partnerships across the United States and Canada. Your generosity has been used by Jesus to further our many avenues of ministry.
MNA deducts no service fees from gifts designated to specific projects or designated to MNA staff members. The administrative cost of this service is supported by undesignated gifts to MNA, or gifts to the
MNA General Fund)
. Please consider
giving to the General Fund
, so that MNA may continue to make 100% of designated gifts available to their intended recipients.
Mission to North America
PO Box 890233
Charlotte NC 28289-0233
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MNA Engaging Disability Training Opportunities
This month we will host our online training for
ruling elders. We will resume our series of
online trainings
for churches and families in October.
To stay informed of all disability ministry trainings and events, please visit the
Events
section of our website anytime.
Monday, September 9, 2019
8 pm ET | 7 pm CT | 6 pm MT | 5 pm PT
Teacher: Ashley Belknap, Director of Engaging Disability With The Gospel
Ruling elders play a crucial part in effective disability ministry. In this online training, we will first explore what organic, gospel-centered disability ministry can look like in your church context. Then we will look at the strategic role elders have in shepherding families impacted by disability, particularly in supporting ministry initiatives.
Topics include:
- Understanding disability from a biblical perspective
- Understanding the effects of disability on discipleship and relationships
- Organic, gospel-centered disability ministry for every size church
- The impact elders can have on families living with disability
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Bent Tree Gathering
October 7-11, Allenspark CO.
Early bird pricing of $325 ends August 7!
After that the price goes up to $375. Come out to the mountains and spend a few days with Richard Pratt and your fellow ministers as we seek to be reminded of our callings and pursue them afresh
Click here
for more information and
here
to register. Bent Tree's goal is to remind church leaders of their callings through avenues of rest, wisdom, and fellowship
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Church Planting and Renewal Conferences
This three-day event features topics such as rural, suburban and urban church planting, mentoring, and the nuts and bolts of planting. This event is now being offered in multiple locations. Upcoming dates:
October 29-31, Denver CO. Plenary Speaker: Paul Hahn
November 5-7, Pittsburgh PA, Plenary Speaker: Mike Khandjian
November 12-14, Milwaukee WI, Plenary Speaker: Brian Fikkert
January 7-9, 2020, Chattanooga TN, Plenary Speaker: Thurman Williams
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World Street Experience
November 4-8, Vancouver CANADA. A training bootcamp to empower missional leaders to make disciples through kingdom prayer.
- Gather The World to Pray for the World
- Learn to Lead Prayer for Kingdom Advance
- Train Leaders & Grow Your Ministry
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LAMP Celebrates First Graduates from India
Solid Reformed education is sparse in India. Often, aspiring pastors are left to travel aboard for their educational needs. Five years ago, LAMP seminary and a church plant in Bangalore teamed up together to provide education to future pastors for the church in the city. On July 12, 2019 the Bangalore site hosted its first graduation. There were two graduates: Santhosh Kumar and Sudeep Muthyala.
Click here
to read their testimonies.
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MNA Engaging Disability Offers Teacher Training Video Series
Available for purchase from August 1 – Sept 13
You asked and we listened to your request for an online teacher training series for enfolding children with special needs into your mixed-ability classrooms. Available for six weeks, you will be able to purchase our online video series designed to equip you for teaching people with varying learning styles.
This license is available for individual use. Unlike our traditional live video trainings, this series will be recorded. You can watch the series anywhere, at your convenience, using a computer or tablet. You will receive a viewing link on August 1, 2019, or at the time of checkout between August 1 – September 13. After September 13, 2019, the teacher training series sales will end, but those who have purchased a license can continue to access the series for viewing. To get a full list of classes,
click here:
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God is at work through the PCA in seeing an average of a church planter going to the field every week. And God is calling his people to new commitments in advancing the gospel in communities where a PCA church is already established. Take a look at this picture of two local church settings, and contact MNA to explore further resources in developing ministry through your church.
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What Is Your Cultural Intelligence
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Cultural Intelligence is the ability to function effectively across various cultural contexts.
– Resilient Ministry
Is your ministry context one in which you interact with a wide variety of people and cultures? Or…do you feel like you don’t interact
enough
with people who are different than you? Finding out about your “cultural IQ” is a stepping stone to deepening and enriching relationships with others who are different than you. MNA is offering the opportunity to take the Intercultural Development Inventory followed by an individual debrief of the results, including a personalized development plan you can use going forward. There is a cost for this service, but it’s an investment well worth making if you want to grow in this crucial area of life and ministry. You can read
here
for more information, or contact Ann Powers at
idi@pcanet.org
.
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Register Now for Local & Virtual Parakaleo Groups!
Hello, ministry spouses! Don’t miss the opportunity to sign up for a Parakaleo local or online group. Local groups are available in several cities, and online groups meet various days and times. Groups resume in September, and the registration deadline is fast approaching!
Where else but Parakaleo can you find regular teaching and fellowship designed with the unique role of the ministry spouse in mind? Here’s what previous group members say:
- “Parakaleo addresses how I live IN a life of ministry. They help point me to Christ rather than to more things I need to do. They help me see that nothing I do in ministry adds to the perfection that has already been attained for me thru Christ.”
- “Parakaleo helps me see there isn’t something I must do to fix the confusion and pain I might face in ministry. Instead, they speak to how the gospel impacts these situations.”
- “For nearly 6 years, Parakaleo has been a constant source of encouragement in our church planting journey. I often come to meetings overwhelmed and burdened by the stress that ministry places on our day to day lives. I'm given space to be honest and be myself, but I'm not left in a place of despair. I always leave having the gospel applied to my heart like a balm. That is 'coming-alongside' in a powerful way. “
- Urbanistas has given me a place to feel like 'they get me'. I've found urban church planting to be isolating in many ways, a great burden but also full of unspeakable reward and joy. It's been so encouraging to have a group of women to relate to and to share the depths of my heart. God has used it to spur me on so that I can live faithfully and encourage my husband in this hard ministry.
- "I've so enjoyed being with you and the other women in our group .... These times of prayer, celebration and learning have been invaluable and I've felt so supported and lifted up by our group, especially as we were just starting our ministry together and learning about this whole new world of church planting."
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Metanoia Prison Ministries Is Looking for Someone Like You
Metanoia is always on the lookout for men and women who have a heart for helping others grow in Christ. We are always available and ready to come to speak to you and your church about the realities of prison ministry and the ways that you and your church can get involved.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
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The PCA Unity Fund
Out of 4,882 Teaching Elders in the PCA, only 1% are African American, .8% Hispanic American, and 10% Korean/Korean American.
The PCA Unity Fund aims to increase these numbers through training, mentoring and developing minority leadership in the PCA, primarily through providing tuition subsidies to support training at reformed institutions.
Because of the PCA’s Unity Fund, 41 seminary tuition subsidy recipients are currently getting financial and mentoring help to become Teaching Elders.
Click here
to learn more about The PCA Unity Fund and how you can help.
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West Chester, PA
20 months ago,
Iron Works West Chester started public worship and have grown into a worshiping community of approximately 85 people since launch. Recently they had a Community Outreach Booth at the YMCA family health day at the Y’s invitation and then at the Borough’s Summer Fun Thursday. With summer settling down, they are gearing up for a busy fall with community groups starting up and Discipleship Cohorts kicking off. Church planters Robbie and Jennifer Schmidtberger are expecting a new addition to the family this fall who will join big brother Liam.
Click here to read their latest update and see how you can pray for them.
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How can churches engage with the arts?
Creative partnerships between churches and outside organizations can be mutually beneficial. Cultivating space for the arts to flourish in communities can expand churches’ impact, strengthen neighborhoods, and even benefit churches financially. Come to the Convertible Conference to learn how the Harrison Center and Redeemer Presbyterian have successfully partnered for almost 20 years and how churches can engage with the arts in your own community.
March 6-7, 2020 | Pre Conference March 5
Indianapolis IN
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MNA SecondCareer Seeking Children’s Ministry Directors
MNA SecondCareer Ministry has both volunteer and paid service opportunities for adults of all ages. For example, several PCA church plants and established churches in various parts of the country are seeking Children’s Ministry Directors:
Reconcile Church Miami, Grace Meridian Hill DC, New Life Church Philadelphia, and Grace Church in Buckhannon, WV
. Needs are everywhere. Learn more about this and other opportunities at
www.pcamna.org/second-career or contact Barbara Campbell, MNA SecondCareer Facilitator, at
bcampbell@pcanet.org (phone 804-339-5005).
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Considering Church Planting?
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“I’m leaving feeling that this is one of the best things I’ve seen going on in the PCA.”…
Fantastic week of learning, growing, stretching, and fellowship…Appreciate all the encouragement. ”
Considering Church Planting?
Then the MNA Assessment Center is for you.
The cost of assessment is less than half of one month’s salary and operating expenses for a typical church plant, and a very wise investment that individuals, churches and presbyteries can make in starting a new church
.
The next open Assessment date is November 19-22 with an application deadline of September 23.
Please plan ahead! An absolute three-week lead time minimum is required prior to each application deadline in order to apply, and we often run at capacity. Not convinced? Here are a few more kudos for MNA Assessment:
“The assessors were the most valuable component of the AC… Loved the process, conversations, insight and the people. This is a life-long memory that I will certainly cherish…Getting the opportunity to learn from others in church planting and peers interested in serving the Lord in a similar way. It doesn’t happen often in the “real world” context and I felt supported and encouraged and challenged…. So much grace and love for those attending…I loved assessment, was encouraged and I’m leaving feeling that this is one of the best things I’ve seen going on in the PCA.”
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Know someone who's moving? Be sure to suggest they
check this list
of new church plants around North America as they look for a new church home. Don't see a new plant in a possible destination on the list? Contact us (678-825-1235) and we'll try to find out more information for you! You may also want to visit the
PCA Church Directory
for a list of established churches.
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Check Out Our Other Publications
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Pray for Our PCA Church Planters
The Intercessor is a quarterly letter with prayer requests from PCA church planters and MNA Ministry Leaders. The requests are organized by week, making it easy to follow along in individual or group devotions. They have expressed many times how grateful they are for prayer support.
Click here
to read online, where you will also see subscription options.
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Subscribe to Multiply and Learn More about MNA
Multiply, available as both a print or email newsletter, goes out three times a year and brings you news from the church planting field as well as special features on MNA ministries. Our Summer issue focuses on crosscultural gospel renewal and growth.
Click here
to read. Want to subscribe?
Click here
- it's free!
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