As you read this today, please take time to pray for church planters and others who work at the front lines in ministry. Pray especially that they will be able to love people to Christ. Please prayerfully consider a gift to MNA as we serve those who proclaim the Good News.
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.
Mission to North America
PO Box 890233
Charlotte NC 28289-0233
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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 April 14-17, 2020 with an application deadline of February 17.
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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MNA Church Planter Assessment Centers
At MNA we know that you want to be sure that you have what it takes plant a healthy church.
In order to do that, you need clarity in your calling, assurance of your character, and affirmation of your competencies.
The problem is a lack of confidence which makes you feel doubt (Am I cut out for this?) and fear (Is my spouse with me in this? What will this do to my family? Will people follow and fund us?)
We believe God works in and through his redeemed people – as flawed and afraid as we are – to be courageous church planters.
We’ve been in your shoes having had similar doubts and fears, which is why we provide the best church planter assessment possible for you, staffed with grace-filled experienced church planters and their spouses.
The MNA Assessment Center will bring clarity and confidence to your fitness for church planting.
Read more
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Accepting PCA Unity Fund Applications Through March 30
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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. There are both ordained and non-ordained options
.
Click here
to learn more about The PCA Unity Fund and
here
to access the applications. Deadline is March 30, 2020.
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Parakaleo Basic Training
Susan, a pastor’s wife who had gone through a traumatic ministry season that resulted in her husband’s resignation, told another ministry spouse that her presbytery was paying for her to receive Parakaleo coaching as part of its care. Susan’s friend, whose husband pastors in another denomination, exclaimed, “Wow—a denomination that actually values women!”
The stresses of ministry –which often include long hours, high expectations, loneliness, church conflict, and the spiritual weight of caring for God’s church—can wear on pastoral couples. Parakaleo comes alongside women in their ministry roles by providing coaching and training.
Read more...
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BREAKING NEWS! The Lord Brought the PRCC the Largest Number of New Chaplains and/or Chaplain Candidates Ever in 2019!
We ended the year with the largest number of PRCC Chaplains ever (305). Praise the Lord with us! We have six brand new military chaplains that have NO churches signed up to pray for them, their families, their ministries, and for those they serve. Does your church sponsor a Chaplain with prayer support? See the list of Sponsoring Churches
here.
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God Is Using this LAMP Learning Site
LAMP Seminary would like to feature our current cohort, facilitated by Rev. Dr. Jason Hunt. They are ending their first year with the Doctrine of the Church course. The St. Andrews learning site is actively promoting the program throughout the Columbia SC area and is currently training men and women in all areas of ministry. One of their past LAMP graduates is now pursuing a Doctor of Ministries through Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia as well. Both LAMP and St. Andrews are excited about how God is using this program and we look forward to many more years of training Men for the Gospel Ministry!
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What Is Your Cultural Intelligence?
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While people may prefer sameness, “God apparently loves diversity; he created so much of it.” The abundance of human differences can become a source of difficulty because we have to navigate our differences in the context of relationships with others. Thus, our comfort with God’s preference can only occur when we desire to embrace and understand difference.”
Heal Us, Emmanuel
“All of us – newcomers as well as the people who are in the dominant culture or feel at home in it – can use Intercultural intelligence to understand one another better, to build relationships across cultural lines, and to benefit from the diversity that will characterize our twenty-first century realities.”
Understanding Us and Them
, Pennylyn Dykstra-Pruim
"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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Engaging Disability With The Gospel is offering a free, live, foundational training, helpful for families and churches who are considering how to offer sustainable, impactful, gospel-centered supports and ministry to families who are impacted by disability.
Click here to register today.
Ministering To Families With Special Needs: Where Do We Begin?
Speaker: Ashley Belknap, Director of Engaging Disability With The Gospel
February 18, 2020
8 pm ET • 7 pm CT • 6 pm MT • 5 pm PT
Interested in starting a disability ministry in your church but feel you are still a few steps from that? Would you like to know ways to encourage a family impacted by disability? This online training starts with some basics that you and your church can build on. Before changing any programs, let’s explore intentional steps your congregation can take to better love, enfold, disciple, and care for individuals and families living with disability.
We will focus on:
- Expanding your audience—there are more people in your congregation impacted by disability than you think!
- Getting to know your people and their needs deeply
- Goals for every individual and family affected by disability
- Small steps any congregation can take to encourage families
This training emphasizes starting where you are, with the families you already have, and growing ministry in organic, sustainable, gospel-centered ways.
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What if sharing your building & your resources meant your church could actually do more?
Every year, thousands of churches sit empty six days a week. And while congregations look for unique and effective community engagement methods, they don’t realize that sharing their building might be the first step. Renting space to outside organizations is financially beneficial, grows your neighborhood networks, and blesses your community.
For almost 20 years, Redeemer Presbyterian Church and the Harrison Center for the Arts, a secular arts non-profit, have shared a building, janitorial staff, and other valuable resources. And while sharing space and resources can be tricky, their model is immensely beneficial to both parties. Not to mention, sharing a property with an active arts organization means that the building is utilized by people of all backgrounds.
While their story is powerful, it doesn’t have to be unique. T
he Convertible Conference is here to show you how to convert your building into an active community hub
. Join us in Indianapolis on March 5th & 6th for non-denominational discussions on theology of place, talks about community engagement, and panels on the logistics of building sharing. Also, hear how the unique collaboration between churches and arts organizations can bring vitality to both your building and your neighborhood. Speakers include President of Wheaton College, Dr. Philip Ryken; Executive Director of the Harrison Center, Joanna Taft; Theologian Elisabeth Kincaid; and so many more!
Learn more at
convertibleconference.com
.
March 6-7, 2020 | Pre Conference March 5
Indianapolis IN
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Bent Tree Fellowship Gathering
April 20-23, Orkney Springs VA.
This gathering is for pastors who desire to sharpen and hone their gifts as servant leaders. God has entrusted each of us with many gifts, but how and when we use our gifts is a critical wisdom issue in ministry. Leadership in the local church is a foot washing exercise and motif (John 13) developed through brokenness and failure. Hence, the words of Jesus "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."
Click here
for more information.
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Do you live in the Chattanooga, TN or Greenville, SC area?
If you do, are you interested in mentoring a prisoner one on one, in person? If you are interested, please contact Mark Casson at
mcasson@pcanet.org
. We would love to have you join us in the community mentoring ministry. Learn more about MNA Metanoia Prison Ministries
here
.
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Are You Planning Your Summer Missions Trips?
MNA ShortTerm Missions can help connect you with a short term missions project.
Click here to learn about short term missions available for your ministry group. You can also visit the webpage at
pcamna.org/short-term/ for more information.
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Looking for a PCA Church?
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Spring Hill TN
Mike and Stephanie Fennema of
Spring Hill Presbyterian Church in Thompson’s Station, TN are rejoicing for their new church location that provides ample space for their needs as a growing church plant. In looking forward to 2020, they are praying that God will raise up local elders and deacons out of a new class on the Westminster Confession of Faith that will be offered and are asking for prayer as they take this next big step. Spring Hill PCA are excited about planning their first church wide mission trip for this summer.
Click here to read their latest update on their church and family and see how you can pray.
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Muncie IN
City Hope Fellowship officially launched as a church in September of 2017 and they continue to grow as a multicultural and multiethnic family of God in downtown Muncie. Some highlights of the past year and half have been the first wedding for City Hope, new staff, 8 new babies born, lots of opportunities for outreach to the community and a new place for worship, just to name a few.
Click here to read a great story of James who was homeless and what his life is like now after he became a Christian in the latest update from Pastor Josh Holowell.
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Looking for a PCA Church?
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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 to receive the Intercessor by mail or email.
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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.
Click here
to read. Want to subscribe?
Click here
- it's free! There is an email edition as well as print.
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