New Creation Initiative

Claimed by God's Vision

IMPACT -- Intentional Missional Process for Congregational Transform-ation

A Future Revealed: Discerning God's Call

Following the Fire into the New Century

Eastern District (Wisconsin Conf UMC)

The process has given the Conference a new language and tools for discernment, and has given them a sense of the "Spirit at work" that had been missing. Our local churches, particularly the Native Hawaiian churches, have especially benefited. I had several congregations tell me they now spend more time reading the Bible and less time arguing with each other at Council meetings. ...It was a new experience for so many people, not only on the local level, but also at the Conference level. The process has given them an organizational approach and theological frame- work that has served them well.

Joan Ishibashi, former Associate
Conference Minister

Our training introduced us to a systemic process of biblical reflection and organizational change. I have been given the encouragement, resources, and personal help necessary to actually attempt transformation in both the Conference and my local church. As a result, I have seen the most encouraging signs of change a pastor can see: long-time church people awakening to a clearer understanding of the church, and expressing a desire to be a different kind of church together.

Wayne Ibara, Pastor,
Makiki Christian Church, Honolulu, HI

Paul was able to listen to us and our stories and to begin learning about our native Hawaiian culture and our unique ecclesial history and practices. I felt that my gift was to teach Paul about our Hawaiian culture and churches as much as he was teaching me about the missional church model being used. He was able to listen to our struggles and joys as a colonized native church in the midst of trying to discern in new ways what God is saying to all of us through the Scriptures and other ways.

Kekapa Lee, Papa Makua of the Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches

We came at the process out of God's call to us to be the body of Christ....The greatest value to us has been the change process itself with its many concentric circles of being immersed in Scripture and theology, of training, of listening, of reflecting, of discerning the many gifts of people, of challenging ourselves.

Bishop Joseph Yeakel

The work we undertook in the transformation process was at times rigorous and challenging. We asked hard questions about the "nets" (Mark 1:17-18) we needed to leave behind. We experienced a spiritual awakening through Bible studies, adult education, congregational gatherings, small groups, worship, and teams. We began to recognize how insidiously the culture has entwined itself in our belief systems, understandings of church, and our polity. We discovered key theological and biblical understandings of our mission and practical and effective ways to express these.

Churches trying to become missional churches are looking for and discovering great collegiality with other churches struggling with some of the same things.... We discovered that working together as a 'body' (cluster of several congregations) we were stronger and healthier than individually we ever were.

Jill Fenske, Pastor,
Franklin Reformed Church, Nutley, NJ

Definitely our church has more of a servant attitude. There's a change in perception about what we're after as a church People are beginning to talk about vision not in terms of programs, but of what God is doing in the world. We are no longer rushing to solutions; we have a new appreciation of knowing the difference between operational band-aid applications and thinking strategically, with transformation in mind. Now we insist on listening to alternative voices, not using power plays. We are more patient in our decision-making, seeking further wisdom. In so many ways we are now learning to swim in these new waters that the world has cast us into.

David Ruisard, Pastor, Rockaway Reformed
Church, Whitehouse Station, NJ

Congregations change only as the people who are the congregation change. Some results we have seen include behaviors named in scripture: having the mind of Christ, desiring to be more obedient to God, asking the question "what is God calling us to do" and listening for a response, learning how to disagree without being disagreeable. We have not evaluated the process by measuring the level of "satisfaction" people feel (we used to get trapped in this way of measuring results). The guiding question for us has become, "what does God want out of us as the church?"

Paul Hayes, Pastor

Congregational priorities have gradually shifted from a concern for oiling the institutional machinery to an intentionality about seeking after the kind of work that God has in mind for us. There is a broader sense of ownership and responsibility for congregational life that reflects an essentially different understanding of what it means to "be church" as a reflection of identity, rather than voluntary association. Growing is an internalization of member-ship in the organic sense--as in a member of the body of Christ.

Tim Diebel, Pastor

"Who, or what is it that God is calling us, as the church, to be and do today?" This question was confronting me as I went about the churches of our district. I saw a restlessness in some of our pastors and laity--a restlessness to see the church more faithful to our calling as God's people, as the body of Christ, as a people proclaiming the coming Reign of God. Times change, and the Gospel must find new opportunities for expression. We needed to be aware of the changes in the world around us, but more than that, we needed to be in touch with God's vision, with God's will....As a result, there has been a general feeling of empowerment as people begin to find their identity in what it means to be "a people called by God."

Gerry Harrison, former District Superintendent, Eastern District UMC