We devoted a major chunk of our time together to interacting around the topic of “incarnational ministry”, one of the 16 areas in which we provide practical help to local churches as they engage in their mission efforts. One of our staff taught a 3 part series tracing the theological underpinnings for incarnational ministry from both Old and New Testaments. Another staff member facilitated 3 interactive sessions around Robert Lewis’ book, The Church of Irresistible Influence (which we had all read prior to our gathering).
front row (Kelly & Connie McClelland, Pat Noble, Joe Steinitz)
middle row Dave Shive, Danny & Judy Armstrong, Kevin Bradford, Blake McDaniel, Frank Emrick)
back row (Sandy Good, Devon Mackey, Lee Christenson, William Griffin, Ken Baldarrama, Larry Walker)
One of the significant take aways from this gathering was a commitment to begin work on four new practical mission resources for local churches on missions strategy, short-term missions, prayer, and missions leadership team. I will be serving as the point on the new resource on developing an effective missions leadership team. I am passing the baton to another staff member in my role as point for our web site, and will take on a new role as point for new resource development.
On our last day together our staff met with Steve Richardson and Ted Esler, Pioneer’s U.S. president and executive VP. We interacted around a number of strategic and current issues impacting Pioneers. At the top of the list was the upcoming departure of Pioneers’ VP for church resources, Kelly McClelland. Kelly has led ACMC since we became a part of Pioneers in March 2007. To the person we will greatly miss Kelly’s godly and effective leadership of our staff team. We pray for God’s best and great fruitfulness as he follows a new course that he senses God leading him to pursue outside of Pioneers.
For the past year plus I have been interacting with Dr. Kevin Bradford about the possibility of our partnering together in the central U.S. region. Kevin was able join with us for this gathering. Lord willing, Kevin will relocate next summer to Norman, OK after 20 years of high impact leadership development and missions mobilization work among Latins near Sao Paulo, Brazil. I am delighted by God’s wonderful answer to my prayers for a strong partner and colleague in this region.
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