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Summer Reading Suggestions
by Amy Schenkel
Over the past few months, a number of books have come to my attention that help us ignite mission, both within ourselves and our congregations. As you’re heading to a pool or a beach, a cabin or a campground this summer, take one or more of these short reads with you!
A Jesus Shaped Life By Bob Rognlien (130 pages)
Suggested by Matt Yount, Pastor of Discipleship at Victory Point Ministries (Holland, MI), this book explains missional community postures and practices in a way that is simple enough for anybody to understand and try.
Surprise the World: the 5 Habits of Highly Missional People by Michael Frost (144 pages)
Suggested by Karen Wilk, pastor of Neighborhood Life in Edmonton, Alberta, this book will only take an hour to read, but a lifetime to practice. What would it look like if our Christian congregations surprised the world- in a good way- with our living?
The Isaiah Vision: An Ecumenical Strategy for Congregational Evangelism by Raymond Fung (66 pages)
Kevin Schutte, Home Missions Catalyst Leader for Starting and Strengthening Churches, suggests this short book as the turning point for his own church’s understanding in evangelism and being a “witness.”
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Hey Michigan area Coffee Break Leaders: we have an event you won't want to miss!
A team of Coffee Break workshop leaders have been revising the Coffee Break Bible Discovery leadership training and we've been testing bits and pieces of this training. One participant (who is also a long time educator) commented, “You taught us how you want us to lead!” The first opportunity to attend this brand-new workshop will be at Brookside CRC (Grand Rapids, MI) on August 16.
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Leadership Training Event
Tuesday, September 13
This is a widely popular event that provides training, networking, and inspiration for all area church leaders. It is our prayer the wide variety of workshops and conversations will richly bless and equip ministry leaders for the upcoming ministry year.
Descriptions of the Workshops |
Prayer Focus
by Mary Sterenberg
During the months of March and April 2016, The Growing the Church in the Power of the Holy Spirit teaching was piloted as a 6 week course held at Calvin Seminary.
The course was endorsed by seminary president Rev. Jul Medenblick, and sponsored by the Christian Reformed Church Home Missions Great Lakes Region. Of the 175 registrants, 27 were seminary students, and 30 were ordained pastors. Several nationalities were represented as well as a few denominations besides Christian Reformed, which was the majority.
Here are just a few of the many testimonies of changed lives and churches as a result of the course. Read More
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