“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 gang violence and drug abuse.

None of that was a deal-breaker for Rev. Al Lopez, the congregation’s Lead Pastor. He felt called to plant a new church where folks could be themselves and still belong. 

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 hacks we will share will help you adjust to change by working with your team to create and execute imaginative plans. Learn to:

  • Launch major transformation efforts to keep your members’ heads above water,
  • Make plans to overcome those who oppose the transformation,
  • Enable others within the ministry to drive change themselves,
  • Build the necessary skills to foster flexibility,
  • Contribute to an organizational culture of adaptability, and
  • Get your mind, emotions, and behavior in the same direction of the shift.

Featured guests

Joining us for our webinar were Carla Leon (Innovation & Special Projects lead for EDGE – A Network for Ministry Development of the United Church of Canada), Jennifer DeCoste (Community Host of Life.School.House), and Terry Crump (Mental Health Initiative Team of the National Benevolent Association, owner of Crump Wellness Services, and clinical psychologist).

And just like we did for our previous episode, we gathered with our guests, plus Associate Minister for New Church Strategies, Jose Martinez, for an after session, where we continued the conversation on Zoom. To watch this video, visit our Facebook Live link.


Hosted by Pastor Terrell L McTyer, Minister of New Church Strategies, New Church Hacks provides practical (and sometimes peculiar) prompts for churches from start to restart. Why only do something new or better when you can be both?! Our ministry’s free webinar series is jam-packed with clever solutions to tricky problems and empowers courageous leaders with the tools, tips and how-tos to start, sustain and strengthen congregations.

Amie Vanderford, the pastor of The LabOratory Church, a new faith community that provides healing for those with mental illness in Indianapolis.

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.

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 Table around which we gather has grown in language, diversity, and life experience. Our church has been transformed by the movement of the Holy Spirit and an audacious vision to start new churches.

Courageous leaders have answered the call to grow the Disciples family through the new church movement. They have given their hearts to reaching the underserved, welcoming new neighbors, and creating communities of love. And we, as a church, have committed to supporting those who have stepped out in faith to start new churches.

We celebrate these brave leaders and recommit to continuing to support their call. Because, together, we started 1,000 new churches… and counting!

Participate in the 2020 Pentecost Offering. Express your gratitude for what God has done and contribute to the continued work of starting more churches. Each year, half of what you give stays in your Region or Area to support and sustain new churches near you. The second half helps train, equip, assist, and nurture leaders across the U.S. and Canada through New Church Ministry programs. Your gift to this Special Day Offering will help the movement continue.

Celebrating 1,000 new churches… and counting!

What does it mean to “love your neighbor” in the midst of a pandemic?

Faith leaders have their hands full trying to figure out new ways of being church together in this season of social distancing. Congregations may also be looking for safe, innovative ways to respond to unprecedented needs in the community.

Create and Continue Community Connection from your Couch

This episode of New Church Hacks offers suggestions for how places of worship can foster a feeling of community and care for their neighbors when they literally can’t be close to them. Many of these ideas for reaching out beyond the congregation may help the church care for its own members more effectively as well. The discussion will help participants:

  • Learn to build a response team, identify assets in their congregation, assess community resources and needs
  • Explore options for community ministry
  • Inform and organize their congregations for their community care ministry
  • Conduct worship online but also connect the dots in between worship services

Featured guests

Heidi Unruh (Coauthor of Churches That Make a DifferenceHope for Children in Poverty; and The Salt & Light Guidebook), Joy Skjegstad (Author of Seven Creative Models for Community Ministry, Starting a Nonprofit at Your Church, and Winning Grants to Strengthen Your Ministry) and Katy E. Valentine (Coach at katyvalentine.com and founder of Creative Christian Spirituality, LLC).

In a New Church Hacks first, our guests, host, AND Associate Minister Jose got together and continued the conversation in an after-show.


Hosted by Terrell L. McTyer, Minister of New Church Strategies, New Church Hacks provides practical (and sometimes peculiar) prompts for churches from start to restart. This webinar series is jam-packed with clever solutions to tricky problems and empowers courageous leaders with the tools, tips and how-tos to start, sustain and strengthen congregations. Stay social with us using #NewChurchHacks!

Every episode is archived and available for viewing on the Webinar page.