Report of the Board of Church Extension

              The Board of Church Extension met five times during the past year to oversee the Lord’s work of planting churches. The Board is divided into sub-committees, which meet regularly during the year to facilitate the work of the Board. We express gratitude to the Lord for His gracious provision of direction, wisdom, resources, and enablement to accomplish His work. The opportunities that lie before us are great, however, with such opportunities come significant challenges as well. The Lord has provided the Department with fine men and supportive families, all who are to be commended for their sacrificial labor in bringing the Gospel to communities with little Gospel witness. The Board gratefully acknowledges the bi-vocational church planting endeavors by some in the Department. Such a situation can lead to weariness over time, and we must all continue to pray for these men and their families. The financial challenge lies before us. Financial restraints remain an obstacle to planting new churches and adequately providing for the men who serve in the Department. As this nation becomes increasingly “secularized”, the opportunities for ministry in this Country become very apparent. The Board has adopted the visionary five-year plan, “MISSION AMERICA”, to expand our vision of planting new churches and to confront the challenges of the next five years. Let us be willing to pray and give together that the Lord’s work would not be hindered in any way. The Board is grateful for the continuing work of Carol Snyder, Director of Development. Her consistent commitment to keeping people informed of what the Lord is doing in these developing churches demonstrates itself in the quality materials which regularly inform many.

              As mission churches develop, it is cause for great joy. One evidence of growth is the appointment of an Assessment Committee to evaluate a mission’s progress toward its committed family and leadership requirements. This year saw the formation of three Assessment Committees: for Thompson, Connecticut; for Pleasant Valley, New York; and for Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania. Other Assessment Committees for various missions continue to do their work of evaluation, interviewing, and encouragement. Other missions have experienced growth in attendance, spiritual depth, and leadership potential in the past year.

              The Board is pleased with the progress of efforts to plant “ethnic” Bible Fellowship Churches. A joint effort with the Board of Missions and International Missions, Inc. to plant a Chinese church in Brooklyn, New York, has seen significant development. Wayne and Lois (Gay) Pauley, Bible Fellowship missionaries serving with IMI, are presently working in Brooklyn. There is potential for “ethnic” ministry in communities like Edison and Newark, New Jersey, and Staten Island, New York. New missions are underway in Aberdeen, New Jersey, and Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania. At times, a step back is necessary. The difficult decision to terminate the Spencer, Massachusetts Mission was made recently. The New England area remains a strategic spiritual battleground. This present termination is a “setback”, not a “surrender.” The Somers Point, NJ Mission, Walnutport, Pennsylvania Mission, and the Upper Pocono, PA, Mission are presently without an organizing pastor. Pray that the Lord would provide His men for each of these ministries.

              During the past year, the Board of Church Extension completed the sale of the Englishtown, New Jersey, property (church building and parsonage), and was able to purchase a parsonage to be used by the organizing pastor of the Aberdeen, New Jersey, Mission.

              In appreciation for the men who serve in the Department, and to promote prayer for each of them, the following is a list of the ministries under the Board of Church Extension and the church planters serving each:

Aberdeen, New Jersey. . . . . . . . . . . . . .John C. Vandegriff, Jr.

Edison, New Jersey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dennis M. Cahill, Richard B. Ravis

Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania. . . . . . . . . . 

Holmes, New York. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Robert S. Commerford

Newark, New Jersey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Delbert R. Baker, II

Ocean County, New Jersey. . . . . . . . . . Dean A. Stortz

Pleasant Valley, New York. . . . . . . . . .David R. Way

Red Hill, Pennsylvania. . . . . . . . . . . . . Ronald K. Denlinger, D. Thomas Phillips

Scranton, Pennsylvania. . . . . . . . . . . . .Roger L. Reitz

Somers Point, New Jersey. . . . . . . . . . .

Staten Island, New York. . . . . . . . . . . .Ralph E. Ritter

Thompson, Connecticut. . . . . . . . . . . . .Dennis W. Spinney

Upper Pocono, Pennsylvania. . . . . . . . .

Walnutport, Pennsylvania. . . . . . . . . . .

Board of Church Extension: Dana E. Weller, Chairman; Robert W. Smock, Vice Chairman; Daniel G. Ziegler, Executive Director; William G. Schlonecker, Secretary; William R. Singletary, Treasurer; W. Robert Buckwalter, David S. Focht, Jr., David E. Gundrum, Clyde W. Snyder, Richard E. Taylor, Robert H. Zentz