The offices of Disciples Church Extension Fund (DCEF) and New Church Ministry will be closed on Thursday, August 6 and Friday, August 7 to provide a period of rest and reflection for our staff. We want to give our employees the opportunity to step away from their work and unplug or volunteer with a non-profit, … Continue reading Office closure announcement
Who’s got your back?
If you're a new church planter or a member of a new faith community, you may have your friends, family, and colleagues in your corner. What if we told you that you could have 1,000 intercessors praying for you as well? That's what our new church-wide initiative, Water the Plants, is all about. Water the … Continue reading Who’s got your back?
What’s your type?
The Enneagram is a personality type theory that argues nine different personality types exist in the world. It's time to discover why it’s an effective tool to implement within organizations, ministries and workplaces. Bringing the Enneagram as a tool to use within your church increases the quality of communication among your team members. The Enneagram’s … Continue reading What’s your type?
New Church Ministry hosts first-ever virtual Coaching Academy
At New Church Ministry, a coach is a partner who comes alongside a pastor as they plant or start a new church here in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). They don’t tell pastors what to do and what not to do. Instead, they assist pastors in fulfilling their ministry’s vision, mission, and values. “A coach elicits from a … Continue reading New Church Ministry hosts first-ever virtual Coaching Academy
Will you use your voice for anti-racism?
People are suffering. How can the church show that it is listening? How do we exercise Biblical justice as Disciples of Christ? There are some practices that leaders, congregations, and organizations can adopt to eradicate systemic racism. The Bible is clear that all people are made in God’s image. Racism and oppression are against the … Continue reading Will you use your voice for anti-racism?
Doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly together in Des Moines
The New Church Ministry team met Rev. Debbie Griffin, the Senior Minister of Downtown Disciples, last summer at General Assembly (GA). Since the pastor’s congregation is based in Des Moines, IA, it offered worship services, hosted pre-assembly activities for general ministries, prepared a meal for regional ministers, and chaired the local GA mission committee. All of that as a … Continue reading Doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly together in Des Moines
“We walk with our community:” How new church planters are doing ministry
UrbanMission, a joint congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC) and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), lies at the intersection of White Avenue and Ninth Street in Pomona, CA. The city sits just north of a men's prison, and is one of the areas in which formerly incarcerated individuals are released. South Pomona struggles with … Continue reading “We walk with our community:” How new church planters are doing ministry
30 Hacks for Managing Change
Successfully managing a period of change takes art, intuition, skill, strong listening, effective communication, and spiritual discernment. When done correctly, change management can help a leader gain respect and loyalty. Done poorly, it can have adverse effects on the organization and its people. Managing change is often daunting to oversee, especially during challenging circumstances. The … Continue reading 30 Hacks for Managing Change
The LabOratory Church provides a safe space for health, healing, and hope in Indianapolis
Rev. Amie Vanderford has experienced trauma. She knows what it’s like to distrust others; how damaging isolation can be to recovery. That’s why she and her husband, Thaddeus Shelton, launched The LabOratory Church. This new Indianapolis church offers safe space for those with mental illness to worship, cultivate strong connections and seek healing. New Church Ministry spoke with Pastor … Continue reading The LabOratory Church provides a safe space for health, healing, and hope in Indianapolis
Celebrating 1,000 New Churches… and Counting!
In 2001 the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada embraced a bold vision: to start 1,000 new churches in 1,000 different ways by the year 2020. And we did it! We started 1,000 new churches... and counting! Today, we have welcomed more than 1,034 new faith communities into the Church. The … Continue reading Celebrating 1,000 New Churches… and Counting!