Report of the
Executive Director of Church Extension
…but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit
has come upon you;
you shall be my witnesses both in
JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA…
Acts 1:8
On May 1, 2000, I embarked on my new calling as Executive Director of Church Extension. I stepped into this new ministry not unaware of the workings of the Department of Church Extension, nor unfamiliar with the dynamics of church planting, having served on the Board of Church Extension for six years and having earned a degree in Missiology, with a focus on church planting. Yet, neither the Board experience nor the degree could fully prepare me for the adjustments and magnitude of this mission of church planting.
For the first several months of my directorship, priority had to be given to the establishment of a new office and a new staff. Director Ziegler, along with Development Director Snyder, as well as the office secretary, Rachel Kistler, had all retired and along with their retirements came the closing of the Church Extension offices which were located in the Ziegler’s and Snyder’s homes. I also had to prioritize the search for a new residence for my family. We established a new office location in Allentown and we found a home in the Adamstown area of Northern Berks and Southern Lancaster Counties. I would like to thank Elder Mike Werley from the Cedar Crest Bible Fellowship Church, the landlord for our office, for all the assistance he offered in helping us settle into the new office. I would also like to thank the Board Of Church Extension Property Committee, particularly Robert Buckwalter, and the Board Of Directors for their help in securing a home.
At the same time that the office and my home were being arranged we were training a new Administrative Assistant, Mrs. Linnette Smith. Linnette did a very commendable job in setting up the office and getting us started on a new computer system as well as transitioning all the items necessary in caring for our church planting missionaries. I assume that many in the BFC are not aware of the extent of responsibility the Department has with regard to its missionaries. You might say we care for our men from birth to graduation. Unlike our foreign missionaries who usually have their care provided by their “sending” boards and our Board Of Missions, Church Extension has a comprehensive responsibility. We are concerned with the calling of a church planter, the establishment of his salary package, provisions for housing and hospitalization, and assist him in raising funds for his support and the needs of the mission. We also provide all the administrative record keeping, mailings, tax recording, retirement assistance, and the bookkeeping which goes along with all this. I am amazed at how all this comes together with only one person in the office and working approximately twenty-five hours a week. I thank Linnette for getting us started. Due to some personal concerns, Linnette had to leave her position, but the Lord had the right individual in the wings to take her place. Ruth Richards came on board as our Administrative Assistant and picked up where Linnette left off. Ruth has taken the efficiency of the office to the next level and has proved to be God’s person for this valuable ministry.
With the office and our home, moving in a reasonably good direction, the Lord placed some very serious matters at the forefront of my attention. Decisions had to be made concerning the Staten Island Mission. The Brooklyn Mission had called a new man to be their organizing pastor and was in need of housing, the Beacon Mission was going through some difficulty, and several property matters had to be addressed. All of these matters took significant time and energy. I praise God for the work of our Board in these matters and the support of the churches as we dealt with each situation. I also praise God for the encouragement I personally received from so many brothers and sisters in the BFC.
God had given me a vision for this work, at least a vision for these genesis years of my ministry in Church Extension. In light of all the initial organizing work and the attention which had to be given to issues needing decisions, I was able to fulfill some significant elements of that vision. I set as a goal to be in all the BFC churches and Missions by the end of the summer of 2001. I am right on target. I have been in or will be in by the time of Conference, thirty-seven churches with twenty-two churches still to visit. In thirty-five of the churches I have been in, I was able to present my vision and preach in the Sunday morning worship services. This has exposed this vital mission of church planting to the majority of the people in the BFC. My vision, as many of you have heard, is summed up with an acronym, titled, B.U.R.S.T.
Bridging – The work of Church Extension must be seen as missions and our church planters as God’s called missionaries to our Jerusalem and Judea. In last year’s report of the Board of Missions, our Director stated that the BFC has a passion for missions(foreign). I know that he will agree with my saying that when it comes to fulfilling the Great Commission in our Jerusalem and Judea through evangelism to make converts and church planting to make disciples, our corporate passion is lacking. A denomination might be able to do without its para agencies and survive. The closing of Pinebrook Jr. College is an example of this, but if a denomination loses its fervor and passion for church planting in its ministry target areas and beyond, it will corporately deteriorate. In every church I have visited, I have waved the banner of the vital importance of the mission of Church Extension and church planting. A number of our churches know this truth and have significantly supported our mission. But if we are going to bring glory to God through fulfilling that which was the last command on the lips of His Son, …make disciples, then not just a number but all the churches must have their hands firmly gripping the banner of church planting.
Uniting – Maybe a better word for this point in my vision statement might be Creating,. The Missions Task Force, made up of three members of the Board Of Missions ( Dana Weller, Ralph Soper, David Way), and three members of the Board Of Church Extension ( David Gundrum, David Armstrong, Richard Taylor) has been meeting for the past two years and has come to the point where we are convinced, along with our Boards, that God’s mission plan for the BFC would best be carried out by the creation of a new BFC mission’s entity, namely The Great Commission Ministries – BFC. This new Board will have as its focus the comprehensive fulfillment of Acts 1:8, Jerusalem to the Uttermost parts of the world. Church planting will be the crucible of this new Missions entity. A Report is being distributed from the Task Force to Conference and the Task Force will be available to answer questions or clarify its vision.
Recruiting – At the recent national church planting forum I attended, it was stated that the most significant ingredient to successful church planting is to establish intercessors who will pray for the targeted church planting effort. The second most important ingredient noted was the proper recruitment and assessment of church planting missionaries. My vision is to see the men, whom God is raising up in the BFC for ministry, consider church planting as one of the options to consider when evaluating their call. Church Planting is Pauline in every aspect of its nature. To enter into church planting is to walk in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul. It will take men who are ready for a challenge, with visionary skills, an evangelistic heartbeat and a personality and desire to be incarnational with the community in which they will minister. I hope to have someone, maybe a retired pastor, assist me in recruitment and go out to Bible Schools and Seminaries to share our vision and the opportunities which exist for church planting in the BFC. I also hope to encourage each BFC Pastor to speak to those men from their churches, whom God is calling to ministry, and encourage them to prayerfully consider becoming a church planter. God has raised up from our ranks overseas missionaries and pastors for our churches. I trust He will raise up gifted church planters.
Strategy – A visionary strategy to do church planting is necessary. But, policies and strategies have been difficult to formulate because of the anticipation of a new missions entity and the probability that a new Board for The Great Commission Ministries-BFC will need the freedom to create a new structure as well as new policies and strategies. Yet, I and our Policy and Strategy Committee believe that until this new missions entity is in position, a bridge strategy is necessary.
Training – Rounding out my vision is the need to institute the training necessary for our men to be equipped to plant churches. First, I believe a BFC Church Planters Manual is necessary in order for the church planter to know how to handle situations on the field and where to turn when questions arise. It will equip the planter with helpful tools and give him a clear understanding of what is expected of him. I have gathered a number of helpful contacts who are committed to training and Coaching/Mentoring church planters. I have also gathered some very good training materials. What I need now is the time to coordinate all these valuable training elements into a training manual and set up the right forum for putting the training into practice. I value your prayers with regard to this endeavor.
If you are not familiar with my weekly Antiochan Reports, please see me and allow me to add your E-mail to my list. I have had many good comments on how much our people appreciate receiving this weekly news on Church Extension. Finally, I would like to give some brief reports on the Churches and Missions in the Department. This past year the Personnel Committee from the Board of Church Extension held its bi-annual meetings with our men. Each of our men stated that they were encouraged in their ministry and looking forward to the Lord blessing them with reaching their goals and objectives for this coming year. This year, the Pleasant Valley Church was graduated from the Department and is now seeking to purchase its own meeting place. In this past year we also followed the Lord’s leading to close two of our works, the Staten Island and Beacon missions. These were very difficult decisions for the Board. We are praying for new church starts this year to compensate for these losses. Here is a listing of the Churches and Missions in the Department.
Aberdeen, NJ – Pastor John C. Vandegriff – John and this wonderful group of people work hard each week to hold their time of worship in the school where they are meeting. Recently, the listing of the church in the local Yellow Pages has been bringing visitors in on a regular basis. John and the church are on target with the church becoming fully self-supporting. This year, once again, the church was able to receive less in appropriations from the Department.
South Allentown, PA – Pastor Elliott H. Ramos – This year, the mission has taken some steps toward becoming a particular church. We assessed ten committed families for the mission and at this time Pastor Ramos is working with several men to be potential elders. The mission has also reduced its appropriation need from the Department and is setting aside money for the support of both foreign and home missions. At this Conference Pastor Ramos will be ordained into the gospel ministry.
Brooklyn, NY – Pastor Ralph E. Ritter – After six years of praying and seeking the Lord to call a pastor for this faithful and committed group of Christians in New York, the Department called Ralph Ritter to be the organizing pastor for the Brooklyn Mission. Ralph concluded his ministry at Staten Island and answered the call to Brooklyn. He and Carolyn and the children moved into a new parsonage in Brooklyn. At the time of the writing of this Report, an Assessment Committee was being approved to meet with ten committed families from the mission and the potential elders of the church.
Chesapeake VA – Pastor Willis I. Dowling – This mission is now two years old and after much evaluation and discussion with Pastor Dowling the Board decided to commit to Willis’ full support. As of Jan.1,2001, Willis is now full-time church planting in the Tidewater area. He will be securing a new meeting place for Sunday worship and starting up a new Bible Study in the Suffolk area where several key families in the church live. Pray that with these changes and modifications God will bless the work with growth this year.
Las Cruces, NM – Pastor Jack Becker – This year, the mission in New Mexico has grown from twenty to as high as in the forties. We have identified several men who are willing to serve as elders for the mission and it is now a matter of coordinating their schedules and have them begin their meetings with Jack. Jack is still very committed to the mission, but has a vision for reaching another area. Please pray the Lord would lead a man to come alongside Jack and become the Pastor of the church in the future.
Newark, NJ – Pastor Delbert R. Baker – Newark continues to be a strategic ministry in this vast metropolitan city. Its work of mercy and outreach with the Gospel are so valuable to the Lord’s plan for this city. Pastor Baker remains committed to the people of his congregation and the goal of reaching out with the Gospel. Plans for the new church building are still being held up by the need for an access property to the new church site. Please pray for two things: that the Lord would open up an access property and that God would raise up elders for the church.
Scranton, PA – Pastor Roger L. Reitz – This year Pastor Reitz and his Board, along with the members of the church, are seeking the Lord’s blessing upon this ministry and the goals they have set for the growth and development of the church. Brother Reitz will begin a Bible Study in the Pittston area, west of Scranton. A new family, formerly active participants in our Stroudsburg Church, moved into the Pittston area and are praying for God to reach this area with the Gospel. Pray for Pastor Reitz and the Church as they seek to reach their ministry goals and begin this outreach to Pittston.
Thompson, CT – Pastor Dennis W. Spinney – Pastor Spinney has a real heart for church planting and has been seeking the Lord’s leading for planting a sister church in one of his neighboring areas. He has also been meeting with potential elders for the mission. Pray that this year elders would be assessed. Dennis reported that this past year, the mission experienced its highest giving year since its inception. This will allow the church to move ahead in its goal to be self-supporting.
Toms River, NJ – Pastor Dean A. Stortz – This past summer Chris Merrick led a work team to Toms River and renovated the parsonage. This was a great encouragement to Dean and Donna, the church, and the community. The church is moving ahead and like a number of other works in the Department, the church is taking on more of the support for their Pastor. The opportunity to purchase a vacant church has surfaced. Pray for God’s leading in this purchase and that the church will continue to grow.
Walnutport, PA – Pastor Jonathan P. Tait – The church is in its last year of being fully self-supporting and Lord willing, by this time next year, the Walnutport Church will be graduated from the Department. Pastor Tait and the Elders of the Church have done a great job in developing the church and establishing a vision for growth. They have a burden to reach the greater community of the Northern Lehigh Valley and are now seeking a property to be located in a more strategic location. Pray that all goes well in reaching their goals for ministry.
Hellertown, PA – I praise God for the vision and work the Coopersburg Church has accomplished in laying the foundation for a church to be planted in Hellertown. A leadership group has been meeting and I have been working with the group to complete some necessary work before we launch worship services in the community. Stephen Mann, former WorldTeam missionary to Guadeloupe, is completing his credentials with the BFC in order to receive a call to Hellertown. Pray all goes well with the launching of this mission.
DELMARVA – In the next few weeks I will be meeting with a core group of people from the Sussex County DE, area and seeking to work with them in planting a church in or around Rehoboth, DE. Pastor Ken Barber will be helping where he can and Pastor Ray Dotts, Camden DE ,BFC, and Pastor Bill Schlonecker, Newark, DE, BFC, will also be supporting this Delaware sister church project. Pray for a good start to this plant.
Hispanic Church Plant – The Joint Committee on Ethnic Church planting had successfully facilitated the planting of an Hispanic Church in South Allentown and is now looking to do the same among the Hispanic Community in Lancaster. This year the joint Committee will be pursuing this project along with the assistance of Pastor Ramos and the support of the Capital Region Churches.
I praise God for the notes, E-mails and personal conversations of encouragement. But most of all I thank the Lord for the Churches of the BFC and the many individuals who support this work in prayer and financial giving. Please pray for me in this new year. Pray that I will be a servant to the BFC, the men of our Department, and the Board Of Church Extension. Pray that God will give me wisdom to assist our churches and missions develop into particular churches. Pray for Ruth Richards and the vast amount of work she has the responsibility of overseeing. Finally, pray that God will use me to encourage our Churches to see the importance of planting churches in our Jerusalem and Judea.
In His Love & Service, Respectfully Submitted,
David E. Gundrum, Executive Director Of Church Extension.