A few days ago, the WPA District announced the development of a new leadership position within the Missional Multiplication Movement: M3 Manager (you can read a copy of that announcement here). I am honored and excited to step into this tactical leadership role in support of the M3 in WPA by serving our church planters, Church Multiplication Task Force, parent & partner churches, District leaders and the many other groups, organizations, and individuals who are part of this growing movement.
I can't be certain of what questions there may be regarding this exciting move by our District Leadership to make greater investments to see believers, leaders, and churches multiplied, but as we pursue a missional movement with an even greater footprint, there are a couple of answers to questions you might be asking:
Is this just a 'church planting' thing?
The short answer is: no.
The longer answer is:
The M3 Manager will be responsible for many things which includes working closely with church planters. As the M3 Manager, it will be my privilege to help different parties engage in productive dialogue, creating consistent channels for communication.
More than this, the Manager will help make sure high-quality training events are provided for a wide spectrum of our pastors and leaders, including our planters. In order for a Missional Multiplication Movement to have sustainability, providing opportunities for leaders of established and new churches to learn, grow, be impassioned by God's Spirit and engage with different ideas is essential.
For the Movement, it is our belief that this role will help bring us to new levels of efficacy in how we do what we do. Not only by helping to provide learning opportunities and exposure to best-practices, but by streamlining process, procedure, and communication.
How does this effect our church planters?
One of the greatest benefits for our church planters will be having a dedicated point-of-contact as they work through the planting process and engage with the CMTF and our District & General Church leaders. Additionally, I will be implementing various strategic initiatives as the CMTF and DBA move and develop them. Having an M3 Manager means our planters will be able to progress by engaging with our process early and often; by having someone dedicated to helping them step through the exciting and work-intensive process of church planting in WPA, we all have a clearer sense of how, when, and where to move.
I will also get to check in on our planters and discover ways they can be better served and specific ways we can pray for them. Church planting can sometimes feel very, very isolated for planters and partner churches, even in the midst of seeing God do the impossible; having someone like the M3 manager who is able to give dedicated chunks of time and energy to our planters and their partners means the potential for healthier community.
What this doesn't mean:
- An extra layer of insulation: The M3 Manager doesn't serve to distance anyone from our strategic leaders or the District--I'm not a red-tape dispenser, but someone to help people navigate our processes and engage with the M3 in Western PA at an increased level of activity and efficiency.
- Anyone is leaving their current role: Rev. Shawn Cossin will still be the chairperson of our CMTF and our District Evangelism & Church Growth Director; our Church Multiplication Task Force will still function in much the same way it has thus far; and I will report directly to Rev. Cossin, the Task Force, and the District Superintendent. The desire for the M3 Manager position is that by implementing something like this, each element in our M3 can play to its strengths resulting in greater momentum and reach.
If you have questions about any of this, you're invited to connect with me, Rev. Cossin, or Rev. Swink.
Thanks for your continued partnership in seeing many come to know Jesus and grow to maturity in him!Grace & Peace,
Jeremiah X. Gomez
WPA M3 Manager
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