Central MN Movement Invitation

EFCA North Central District May 2013

CMCM Office Contact:

Harvest Community Church P.O. Box 64 Sauk Centre, MN 56378

ph: 320-351-4089 online: www.harvestcomchurch.org

Central MN Church Movement

“A Holy Spirit led, spontaneous expansion of His Church in central MN in the way of Jesus & His apostles.”

May 2013 CMCM Vision & Goals 2

“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you,

Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock…

…I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Jesus Christ, circa AD 30

The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 16 Verses 15-18

“This then is what I mean by spontaneous expansion. I mean the expansion which follows the unexhorted and unorganized activity of individual members of

the Church explaining to others the Gospel which they have found for themselves; I mean the expansion which follows the irresistible attraction of the

Christian Church for men who see its ordered life, and are drawn to it by desire to discover the secret of a life which they instinctively desire to share; I mean also

the expansion of the Church by the addition of new Churches…

…the spontaneous expansion of the Church involved not merely the multiplication of Christians but the multiplication of churches.”

Roland Allen, 1927

The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church and the Causes that Hinder it

May 2013 CMCM Vision & Goals 3

Dear Central MN Ministers: You are a vital part of what our Father God is doing in central MN. That is why we are asking you to consider this opportunity. It is a unique opportunity to come together, build an active network for the Great Commission, and seek the Lord for greater gospel-impact in central MN. The Central MN Church Movement is simply a desire laid on the hearts of several gospel-ministers in our area, to be led by His Holy Spirit together, encourage one another, and work to bring the gospel and build churches in our culture, in the way of Jesus and His apostles. Pastor Carlyn Cole and Church Planting Resident Jeff Pankratz of Sauk Centre, MN are networking ministers across central MN, and seeing gospel communities rise up where there is most need. In 2013, they will focus on Stearns County and the St. Cloud Metro, central MN’s most unreached region. What we are inviting you to consider: To impact greater central MN, we are focusing on raising funds for our Church Planting Residents, Jeff & Anna Pankratz and their family. Jeff’s goal is to be a bi-vocational ministry leader. Their passion is to share Jesus in relationships, grow believers in community, and train leaders to establish churches. He and his wife Anna, have led a local network of smaller gospel communities in Alexandria, with young adults and families turning to the Lord, becoming baptized disciples, and taught in the way of Jesus. He has a Masters of Ministry degree from Antioch School of Church Planting and Leadership Development. The Pankratz family is fundraising $1800/month from churches and individuals who would then help guide and direct the movement. They need 8 units to give $200-$500 for their monthly family budget and ministry cost. Jeff’s two main goals are; 1) Build a “Great Commission Team” for Stearns County/St. Cloud, and 2) Establish several disciple-making churches with servant-leaders. Please consider these commendations from area ministry leaders;

May 2013 CMCM Vision & Goals 4

From Ron Berget, Lake Community Church- Senior Pastor I have greatly enjoyed working with Jeff on our staff at Lake Community Church. He and I share many of the same values and vision. The Holy Spirit made clear to me over a year ago that Jeff was wired for church planting and that at some point He would be calling Jeff and Anna into that role. We are sending one of our own into a work chosen for Him by our Father. We rejoice in this privilege to send even as we grieve their going out from our church. Lake Community Church will be supporting them financially and in prayer and commend them to you as a great investment opportunity for the Kingdom of God. From Dan Moose, Evangelical Free Church of America- North Central District Church Planting Director The Church Planting Residency is custom designed for training in calling, character, competency, and sharing God's Word to prepare them to start missional communities that will reach their city. Being actively involved in the local church, they will raise up a team to reach the community God has placed on their heart. From the EFCA’s perspective, this is the most beneficial opportunity for leaders starting new churches. From Carlyn Cole, Harvest Community Church- Pastor and Elder As Jeff and Anna come on board we will be seeing our third Church Planting Residency in action. For us, our church is always blessed and has always seen growth as a result. It has been a blessing to our Residents and they have grown to thrive in a non-programmed, highly relational disciple-making atmosphere. It is a win for the Kingdom as these Residents have been able to experience confirmation in their gifting and calling and been released to move into the Kingdom building ‘next’ that God has for them as they have been released into that larger vision. Going along with that, the task of leadership development happens within the local context but is driven by maintaining a larger context view. When leaders are grown up in the local context, the larger one also grows and thrives. The Kingdom will grow as leaders are developed and encouraged to lead. That growth in the Kingdom is what we are inviting individuals and Churches to as we seek to faithfully live it out in our local context, in the middle of Minnesota, and to places beyond.

May 2013 CMCM Vision & Goals 5

From Jeff & Anna

We relate to the scene in Php 1:3-6; “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” The Philippian churches support the gospel going out to other cities, & God rewards them! Our goal is to do ‘church

biology’ as illustrated above, to keep making disciples the core of our mission.

When we plant disciples, churches grow! We will proclaim the gospel in

relationships, nourish believers together in community, and network leaders to

build a movement in central MN. St. Cloud is the spiritually darkest metro in MN

(only 8% evangelical). Join us to build a greater gospel effort in our own ‘Judea’!

Would you discuss the following decision with your elder/missions team? Please pray about these 3 options below. Wed like decisions by Jul 31 to plan;

Encourager:

50 supporters providing moral

support and ongoing prayer

for the movement.

Networker:

20 supporters helping direct and guide key decisions, and plans of the movement.

Partner:

8 supporters lnvesting

$200-500 per month to the

Pankratz family & movement.

May 2013 CMCM Vision & Goals 6

A Long-Term Vision for a Church Movement

May-Aug: Jeff & Anna will have their third baby boy due in July, and at the same time be selling their home in Alexandria to prepare for their move to Sauk Centre. Jeff will be securing work in the Sauk area, and finalizing fundraising for their bi-vocational ministry, helping to make disciples of young families and adults, leading gospel communities in the area, and building the CMCM vision.

Sep-Dec: The ministry in Sauk will begin in partnership with Pastor Carlyn Cole and Harvest Community Church, as they launch gospel communities and raise up servant-leaders to care for new believers. Jeff will continue to partner with ministry leaders in and around Stearns County to build the vision of CMCM, and work with a network that desires to impact the St Cloud metro region.

Jan-Apr: The ministry in Sauk will be transitioned over to key leaders who will continue leading those gospel communities, and the Pankratz family will be actively building up a specific ‘Great Commission Team’ for the St Cloud metro, looking to unite with other churches and ministry leaders who will partner together to proclaim the gospel, make disciples, and establish a church network.

What’s on your heart for a Central MN Church Movement? Can you help support the Pankratz’? Let’s ask His Spirit to lead His Church!

Carlyn Cole: 507-327-4341 Facebook: Carlyn Cole Jeff Pankratz: 320-760-5286 Facebook: Jeff Pankratz Twitter: @cmcmovement Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/cmchurchmovement CMCM Office- phone: 320-351-4089 web: harvestcomchurch.org

May-Aug

2013

Raise Funds

Grow Vision

Sep-Dec

2013

Sauk Ministry

Grow Network

Jan-Apr

2014

Sauk/ Grow

Team 4 Cloud