An update from our DS

A message from District Superintendent, Rev. Randy Swink:

GREAT NEWS! The Missional Multiplication Movement (M3) is continuing to make tremendous progress in our district. Thank you for being a part of the district's missional multiplication movement. Our district goal is to have 100% of our local churches participating in 3 of the 5 "P's" by next year, 2010. Those first 3 "P's" being: PROMOTION, PUBLIC AFFIRMATION, and PRAYER. Another district goal is to have 20 of our local churches participating in all 5 "P's" by 2010 year. The additional "P's" are PROVISION and PERMISSION.

What a personal privilege it is for me to announce that Hyde Wesleyan will be daughtering a church in the Philipsburg area and have selected, Revs. Karen & Doug Rhone to serve as their church planters. PRAISE GOD! Congratulations to Sr. Pastor Bob Croft, the Rhones, the LBA, and the congregation for being obedient to the Holy Spirit's leading and exercising their faith. In the near future, Karen & Doug Rhone may be contacting you about visiting your Church to share their vision and passion for reaching lost people in the Philipsburg area for Jesus. I would encourage you to confirm a date with the Rhones to come and share their need for prayer and financial support with your congregation. This will be an opportunity for you and those you serve to be further informed and involved with the missional multiplication movement of our district.

MORE GREAT NEWS!

This past August, Rev. Rick & Eunice Cox and Rev. Jeremiah & Sarah Gomez attended our denominational Church Planters Assessment Center. After completing their assessment, the Coxes and Gomez’s were acknowledged has having the gifts and graces to be church planters and they were given the "green light" to proceed as church planters. In September, the District Board of Administration unanimously approved Rick and Jeremiah to serve as church planters in our district. PRAISE GOD! Please join the Coxes, the Gomezs, and district leadership in praying that the Holy Spirit will give clear direction for the WPA location that God desires them to plant. Pray that gives our planters a "heart felt passion" for the lost people in the designated harvest field to which God calls them.

If you desire additional information, you may contact our District Director of Evangelism & Church Growth, Rev. Shawn Cossin, who serves as the chairman of the District's Church Multiplication Task Force. Shawn can be reached at: 724.376.2233 or e-mail scossin@slwchurch.org. Also, contact me at the district office if I can be of assistance to you.

Partnering together in this evangelistic ministry of church multiplication will enable us to be obedient to the words of Christ communicated, to us, in the Great Commission and will set in motion our missional multiplication movement tag line, which states because, "THEY DID.....WE WILL!"

Harvesters & Partners Together,

Randy A. Swink

WPA District Superintendent

M3

Last week, I attended the Evangelism & Church Growth Director Summit. It was a 3-day event at Wesleyan World Headquarters with roughly 30 pastors & church leaders from across the country. We met to advance the Missional Multiplication Movement [M3], which seeks to fulfill the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment by multiplying believers, leaders and churches. I was with an incredible group of devoted Christ-followers who understand the importance and effectiveness of Church Planting as a means of reaching people with the good news of Jesus.

Over the next few weeks, I will seek to share a few of the key take-a-ways. Here’s some thoughts shared by Phil Stevenson about living on the EDGE:

E- Engage the future. Never be complacent in the present. We need to look toward what is to come and embrace the challenges.

D – Determine to believe God for the audacious: our dreams cost us nothing…the fulfillment of those dreams can cost us everything. Let’s catch the stuff of God. Let us step into the arenas where we will have to be desperately dependent on God.

G – Gather resources: We need to be willing to release what we have in partnership with God.

E – Enjoy the journey: The edge is both exhilarating and excruciating. It is full of exhilaration because it is such a rush. It is excruciating because of the fear of the first step.

Living on the “edge” with God is powerful, activating and life-altering. If we will simply believe God…hold on!

Something to "chew" on

11 Essential Steps for Planting a Church:

1. Cultivate and maintain church planter health.

2. Birth vision out of prayer.

3. Mobilize an initial launch team.

4. Understand your target group.

5. Create plans for start-up.

6. Serve and reach unbelievers.

7. Train and multiply disciples.

8. Establish reproducing communities.

9. Gather for inspiring worship.

10. Lead and manage as you grow.

11. Embrace a kingdom focus.

Wayne Schmidt Roundtable

Please pray for the Solo/Senior Pastors who will spend the day with Wayne Schmidt tomorrow.

It is going to be a great time of "iron sharpening iron."

New Steps for the Rhone's

“In his heart a man plans his course,

but the LORD determines his steps.”

Proverbs 16:9

That is one of my favorite Proverbs. It reminds me that although you and I may make plans, it is ultimately the Lord who decides where we go. He directs our steps. I share that with you not only because it is one of my favorites, but also because it is true of the journey Doug and Karen Rhone have been on.

Doug and Karen have been in a process of waiting on the Lord to determine their steps, and it is my pleasure to let you know that they have partnered with the Hyde Wesleyan Church [HWC] and are currently in the process of preparing to plant in Philipsburg, PA.

We are excited about this Parent-Daughter relationship, and we look forward to seeing what God is going to do in and through the Rhone’s and the HWC.

Please pray for the HWC and the Rhone’s as they continue to follow these next God-directed steps. Here are a couple specifics ways to pray:

- Pray that God will show them the keys to reaching the community of Philipsburg.

- Pray for the people God will raise up to go with them to the plant.

Thanks for your partnership in the Missional Multiplication Movement [M3].

E&CG Transition

Yesterday, I received an e-mail from Rev. Phil Stevenson indicating he had submitted his resignation from the position of General Director of Evangelism & Church Growth for the Wesleyan Church effective December 31, 2009.

He cited two key reasons for the transition. One is a desire to be with his family, and the other relates to his passion to be involved in advancing the missional multiplication movement [M3] from the grass roots level. As a result, he will be assuming a position as the Director of Multiplication and Leadership Development in the Pacific Southwest District starting January 1, 2010.

Although it is always momentous to transition leadership, it is exceptionally significant to lose a man of his caliber, vision and passion from leadership at the General Church level. I am grateful for the significant work he provided during his years of service; and I am excited for him to be back "home" with family and once again in the ranks of district leadership.

Phil - You will be missed; and on behalf of the WPA District, I say, "Thank you." We praise God for your investment in facilitating the M3 in western Pennsylvania. You made a significant difference here. May God continue to bless you as continue to fulfill the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment.