Report of the
Executive Director of Church Extension Ministries
…For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost
…as the Father has sent me I send you.
Luke 19:10; John 20:21
2008 A Year of Salvation ➔ Planting the Word In 2009
Our theme for 2008 focused on evangelism and witnessing the Gospel. We attempted to encourage our pastors, churches and supporters to prioritize the Gospel in their lives and networking in 2008. We praise God that we received many reports of the Gospel being shared and people coming to know Christ. Each week in our Antiochan Report we were blessed to be able to include salvation reports in the Salvation Watch section we inserted into the weekly report.
It is a natural progression to now focus on the Word of God in 2009. When people come to know Christ the most important next step is to introduce them to the Word and all it has for them in their quest to know God. This year we want to emphasize the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. This encouragement is not meant to produce a Christian academia in the BFC, but rather to have our people excited about the truths of Scripture and desirous to live out eternal truth in a world straying from absolutes and confused about God’s Word. There is another reason to promote the preaching and teaching of the Word. It seems that American Christianity trusts more in its efforts to utilize the right marketing tools, be culturally relevant and be astute students of trends and shifts in society. It is profitable to pay attention to our context of ministry, but not at the cost of downgrading the preaching and teaching of the Word of God and its ability to change the minds and hearts of people. I am always reminded of the Lord’s instructions to Ezekiel, when he directed Ezekiel to merely speak to the dry dead bones and in so doing God would blow His Spirit over the bones to bring life (Ezekiel 37).
In church planting, both the witnessing of the Word and the emphasis of good strong Bible teaching and preaching are necessary to grow the church. This focus may not always produce the numbers we like, but the quality will be evident. I am blessed to say that our church planters have this view of the power of the Gospel and prioritize the study of God’s Word along with preaching and teaching.
Moving to Plant
In 2005, the Policy & Strategy Committee of the Board of Church Extension met and began working on a plan and methodology to plant BFC churches. The first assignment the committee tackled was to investigate the various models for church planting that existed. The committee settled on the Dynamic Church Planting Institute’s (DCPI) model because it fit well with our BFC structure and distinctives. The committee then spent the next two years working through the DCPI plan and developed a BFC Guide For Church Planting to accompany the DCPI Handbook. Together they form our plan and methodology for planting. Here are some highlights of the plan and method:
• A Five Stage Plan – Identification and Approval Stage / Cultivating and Gathering Stage / Growth to Maturity Stage / Graduation Stage
• A Frontloaded Plan – The plan calls for a frontloading of people and financial resources. Finances to support the planter and the mission, along with a critical mass of people gifted in areas such as music, evangelism, Christian education, and administration.
• A Planter Centered Plan – The key to any successful church plant is the Lord’s anointing and a Spirit-filled church planter. The plan calls for a proper assessment vehicle to call gifted church planters.
• A Cooperative Plan – The plan calls for the rallying of the denomination around church planting.
• A Monitored Plan – With evaluation points set into the plan we can determine growth, stagnancy and how to assist.
• A Prayer Plan – Each stage of the plan calls for significant time in prayer on the part of the planter and his core group.
• A Strategic Plan -The plan calls for a step-by-step strategy to be followed, encompassing the little things like a logo to planning for a launch.
The entire Guide is at our web site, <www.churchplantingbfc.org>.
When we were developing our Five-Year Plan methodology for planting, we realized that certain things needed to be addressed before we could implement such a plan:
A Streamlining Strategy
1. To graduate “churches” remaining in Church Extension Ministries and focus on developing the Mission Churches.
Note: One church was graduated in 2008 and the last church will graduate in 2009.
2. To close Mission Churches that have not shown progress for a significant amount of time. We had to disengage from and close two works and another Mission Church is presently under evaluation.
3. To evaluate which Mission Churches were viable and direct our resources to these works in order to complete their development.
4. To graduate Mission Churches that met the criteria for graduation (qualified elders, a significant core group and self-supporting). This past year, two Mission Churches were received into Annual Conference (Las Cruces, NM and Merida, Mexico). Two more are developing and should be candidates for graduation in 2010.
A Partnership Strategy
Church Extension Ministries knows it cannot be successful at church planting without the support of the BFC. Therefore, we continue our efforts to build relationships and encourage each church and region to reproduce by means of church planting. We also want to be good listeners and learn from the churches, making some adjustments in response to items that are brought to our attention by the churches.
The BFC was blessed this past year to witness the Harrisburg BFC sending out 50 people under the leadership of Pastor Mark E. Barninger to plant a daughter church in Hanover Township. Discussions are now taking place with another BFC church about plans for a daughter church.
A Financing Strategy
If you look at our “BFC Church Planting Guide” you will take notice of our estimated cost per church plant. The five-year cost is approximately $300,000.00 per plant. We know that many BFC churches are facing financial struggles. In our Forward Plan, Missions Here and Now, we proposed the development of an “Endowment Development Committee” (EDC). Board member Robert W. Davies has taken on the responsibility to head this committee. Its sole purpose is to raise the funds needed to plant the churches we are projecting in our plan (an estimated $3,000,000.00). Our desire is to raise the funds to plant BFC churches without over-burdening or pressuring the BFC.
As Assistant Director, Mark L. Morrison, says, “…we want to be lean.” We want to concentrate on one plant at a time, provide the necessary resources for God’s blessings of success, and produce strong, mature and viable new BFC churches. We are nearing this goal of being lean. It took some time but we wanted to be careful with the churches and pastors we graduated, sensitive to the missions we closed, and fair with our evaluation of our current Mission Churches and what they will need to complete their goals of being BFC churches. We are primed to move out and plant. We need the BFC to rally around a church planting movement and see this wonderful denomination reach its growth potential.
“To be an expanding fellowship of churches
united to make disciples of Jesus Christ.”
YOUR New Corps of BFC Church Planters
Several years ago, Church Extension Ministries asked you to pray for God to send us young men with the energy and passion to plant churches. Over the last year, God has answered our prayers. Church Extension Ministries introduces its team of new planters that God assembled to plant Bible Fellowship Churches. Please consider partnering with one of these men and commit your prayers and financial gifts to their ministry.
• Pastor Dan Williams – Woodbury Heights, NJ Mission Church (New Beginnings BFC)
Dan came to Church Extension Ministries several years ago and we talked about church planting. At that time he sensed God leading him to serve and learn at our Wallingford, BFC. This past year Dan saw the opportunity to plant the church in Woodbury Heights, NJ, and answered the call to go and work with the fine core group of people at New Beginnings BFC. Dan is married to Laurie and they have two children.
Contact: <newbeginningsbfc@gmail.com> or 856-686-0555
• Tim Zuck – Hellertown, PA Mission Church (Saucon Community BFC)
Tim has been involved with Church Extension Ministries for several years. He recently graduated from Biblical Seminary. Tim served two Internships with Church Extension Ministries before being called to serve as the team leader to complete the planting at Saucon. Tim was asked to begin his duties October 1, 2008. Tim brings with him a passion to plant churches and the relational and organizational skills needed for planting. Tim is married to Tori and they are expecting their first child.
Contact: <timzuck@yahoo.com> or 610-838-3111
• Aaron Susek – Adams County, PA Mission Church (BFC of Adams County)
Aaron had been meeting with Church Extension Ministries for the past year in order to determine God’s will for him to plant churches. Aaron is a graduate of Westminster Seminary and has served as Youth Pastor at our Royersford BFC. He is a wise and gifted young man with the desire to see the Kingdom expand through God’s means of evangelistic church planting. We believe Aaron and his family are a good fit for the core group at Adams County and will lead this group to grow and form a particular BFC church. Aaron is married to Amy and they have two children.
Contact: <aaronsusek@gmail.com> 610-329-2979
• Mark Barninger – Hanover Township, PA Mission Church
Mark caught the church planting itch this past year and we discussed several opportunities. After considering the growth of the Harrisburg BFC church, where he served as Assistant Pastor, he sensed God leading him to plant a daughter church from Harrisburg. The elders agreed and he is now meeting at the new site with a significant core group of families from the Harrisburg church. This is an exciting project. Mark brings to church planting, his energy and musical abilities, along with his gifts in teaching and administration. He is married to Ruth and they have four children.
Contact: <mbarninger@freedombfc.com> 717-541-5099
REVIEW OF 2008 IN CHURCH EXTENSION MINISTRIES
• We recorded thirty-one people making professions of faith and the Mission Churches held numerous baptisms.
• Financial Giving from churches plateaued with several churches decreasing their pledges in 2008.
• We increased our donor list and donor giving.
• Two Training Days were held for our men including guest presenters and case studies from former BFC church planters.
• Mark Barninger and Dan Williams attended CMTC Church Planter’s Boot Camp Training in York, PA and were sponsored by Church Extension Ministries.
• Numerous new contacts were made, door-to door surveys took place in new target sites, networking in community events, four VBS programs were organized along with other community outreaches, and several thousand Gospel tracts were distributed.
• Church Extension Ministries, with the assistance of several churches, made needed renovations and maintenance repairs on the BFC properties we occupy at Allentown, PA and Cape May Court House, NJ. The costs for these jobs were paid for by the Mission Churches, BFC churches and Church Extension Ministries.
• The DELMARVA Team was active in Milford, doing community surveying in Milford, DE with plans to target this site for a new church plant. Our Aquila & Priscilla Team in DELMARVA, Harry & Sandra Workman, continued their assistance at New Life BFC and working on our demographic studies and community surveys.
• Jason and Joanne Englehart, our Aquila & Priscilla team from Blandon BFC, continued serving alongside Carlos Rodriguez at the La Roca Mission Church. Doug and Kashie Boyd from the Holmes, NY BFC came to assist us at the Cape May Mission Church. Lisa and Neil Christensen presented themselves as A&P Candidates for the El Faro Mission Church in Allentown. Russ and Nell Ruch serve as an Acquila and Priscilla team at the Hellertown Mission Church.
• Ray Bertolet assisted at several Mission Churches this past year with both ministry responsibilities and work projects. Ray has been actively targeting new church planting sites by completing detailed demographic surveys in DELMARVA. Ray and wife Louise help at New Life BFC in Delaware and Ray travels to Cape May Court House, NJ to assist Mark Morrison.
• The Hellertown Mission is now averaging over fifty people. Tim Zuck assumed leadership of the Mission in October 2008. A number of new families from the Coopersburg and Bethlehem churches are now assisting Tim and the Mission. Pastor Al Dommel resigned his duties in October 2008. We are grateful for Brother Dommel’s efforts to bring the small group at Hellertown to a point of viability.
• Pastor Mark Morrison serves full-time as Assistant Director. He is assisting at Cape May, NJ, Hellertown, PA, and South Allentown, PA. Brother Morrison has not raised his full support and we ask that you consider supporting our Brother.
• Six ministry and work teams were sent out to assist our plants in DELMARVA, Cape May Court House, NJ, Brooklyn, NY, South Allentown, PA, Reading, PA, Adams County, PA, and Hellertown, PA.
• The Cape May County Mission Church has not grown. We are seeking the Lord’s will for its future and a new man to develop the plant in Cape May.
• The Board of Church Extension approved the resignation of Pastor David Way and called Aaron Susek to plant the Adams County, PA Mission Church.
• Administrative Assistant, Lisa Christensen, is a tremendous help to the Mission. Fellowship Community, where our offices are located, has been very gracious and helpful to Church Extension Ministries. Lisa has a very active volunteer force that assists with numerous mailings and work around the office. We especially thank Pastor David and Lena Thomann for their assistance.
• We praise God for blessing our two major fund raising projects: Summer Ten and Christmas Gift Month. A total of over $130,000.00 came in through these fundraisers.
• The Board of Church Extension closed the Chesapeake Mission in June 2008. We want to thank Pastor Willis Dowling for his efforts to plant the church in Virginia. The Mission reached many people with the Gospel and showed mercy to numerous others.
• The Board of Church Extension opened a new Mission Church in Hanover Township, PA and called Pastor Mark Barninger to be the Church Planter at this daughter-church plant.
• New Beginnings Bible Fellowship Church in Woodbury Heights, NJ moved into a new meeting place and received Pastor Dan Williams as its new church planter. Since Dan’s calling, the Mission has experienced both numerical and financial growth.
• The Strategic Planning Committee of the Board revised our Faith & Order legislation that was approved at Annual Conference and discussed various strategies for church planting.
• A number of meetings were held with prospective church planters.
• More than 56 churches were visited this year by the Church Extension Ministries staff. We presented our Mission and vision.
• The Las Cruces, NM Mission Church, and the La Roca, Merida, Mexico Mission Church were presented and received as Particular Churches into the 125th Annual Conference. Planning continues regarding how we will maintain relationships with these two BFC churches.
• Our Hispanic Church Plants in Reading (La Roca) and in Allentown, (El Faro) are under the leadership of Pastor Carlos Rodriguez (Reading) and Pastor Elliot Ramos (Allentown). La Roca experienced significant growth in 2008, averaging over 100 people, along with many challenges. Carlos acquired his visa extension and is now seeking his residency permit – pray for this. El Faro overcame its financial struggles and ended the year with a balance in its account, as well as an increase in attendance. Pastor Ramos lost a significant supporter – pray for his personal financial support to increase.
• I chaired the Joint Committee on Ethnic Church Planting. The Committee focuses its efforts on Hispanic church planting. Much effort was made to work with Merida, Mexico BFC and discuss a plan for this partnership in Mexico. We are seeking ways to develop our partnership with CAM. We are translating the Biblical Principles for Living into Spanish.
• I served this past year on the Ministerial Candidate Committee and have enjoyed working with the new men coming into the BFC.
I believe that God’s call in my life is to serve Him and His Kingdom through the preaching and teaching of the Gospel and, at this time, lead this vital Mission to complete its vision and Forward Plan. I have the great privilege of serving a powerful God who can do all things according to His will. I believe the BFC is a Godly fellowship of churches. I am concerned about the struggles we go through as a body of churches and the challenges our agencies face. We can rejoice in how the Lord blesses us; however I believe the Lord has more for us, as a denomination, to accomplish. We must be unified in our doctrinal commitment to the Articles of Faith, engaged in trust and love for each other, and mobilized to accomplish our vision of being an expanding fellowship of churches.
I believe the Lord will empower us to accomplish His will as we commit to such doctrinal unity, love and trust for each other, and a missional approach to accomplish our vision through a church planting movement.
Please pray for Church Extension Ministries in 2009. Pray for God to give us wisdom and grace in all our affairs. Missions is increasingly challenging, yet God is more than able to have us accomplish the ministry He gives us and to do it to His glory.
Pray for Mark Morrison and for God to empower him to provide assistance to our planters. Pray for our team: Lisa Christensen – Administrative Assistant, Carol Snyder – Special Projects Coordinator, Ray Bertolet – Assistant Church Planter, and our growing list of Aquila & Priscilla teams and volunteers. Pray for your church planters and their families who serve the Bible Fellowship Church through Church Extension Ministries. Finally, pray for me as I direct this vital Mission.
In His Love & Service, Respectfully Submitted,
David E. Gundrum, Executive Director of Church Extension Ministries.
Resources for Churches & Regions Seeking to Plant and Prospective Church Planters
Churches/Regions
• Churches Planting Churches – A guide designed to walk your church through the process of planting a daughter church.
• The Dynamic Daughter Church Planting Handbook (DCPI) – The Biblical basis for planting a daughter church. Answers to common questions: (e.g. can we afford to plant a daughter church? What size do we need to be to daughter? What is in it for us as a mother church? Won’t a daughter church destroy the fellowship in the mother church?) The six-step process for planting a daughter congregation.
• Demographic Workbook – A tool to assist you with understanding your ministry target area. It includes educational, ecclesiastical, community, and population surveys.
• Visitation Follow- up Training – A helpful seminar to assist the church with encouraging and training visitation teams.
• First Impressions – What do your guests say about your church after they visit. We have materials that will help you make positive first impressions with your guests.
Prospective Planters
• DCPI – Pre-Assessment and the BFC Comprehensive Assessment – The DCPI booklet is an inductive and introductory assessment for those looking into church planting. The BFC Assessment is a complete assessment process to determine whether a man has the gifts, abilities and competencies to plant churches.
• BFC Church Planting Guide & DCPI Handbook – The BFC plan and approach to church planting. A complete systematic process for the planter and his team to move from the initial Identification Stage to the Graduation Stage.
• Church Planter’s Toolkit – The Church Planter’s Toolkit includes 12 audio CD’s as well as detailed checklists and action-planning worksheets to form a comprehensive package for church planters and their TEAM.