Evangelism

WHAT IS YEAR OF EVANGELISM?

WDC invites you to participate in a Year of Evangelism in 2018, to hone your skills in sharing your faith in Jesus, telling your story of God’s goodness, seeing your neighborhood with missional eyes! Year of Evangelism is sponsored by WDC’s Resource Commission, with a vision of:

  • Growing in willingness and capacity of share the gospel, which is the good news of God’s kingdom breaking into the world through Jesus (Matthew 4:23; Mark 16:15,20; Luke 4:18)
  • Equipping members with practical tools for sharing the gospel.
  • Reclaiming an authentic Anabaptist-Mennonite vocabulary and practice of evangelism.
  • Renewing our reliance on prayers as the energizing power for evangelism.

YEAR OF EVANGELISM RESOURCES:

Resources available in the WDC Resource Library:

Suggested Reading

Congregational Action Plan

An Uplifting Exercise in Becoming Even More Missional, prepared by Steve Schmidt for WDC churches in this Year of Evangelism, February 2018

YEAR OF EVANGELISM EVENTS:

“Good News for Broken Hearts: Evangelism in a Disincarnate Age” Webinar, January 11, 2019

Faith, Hope and the Mission of Rural and Small Town Churches

March 18-19, 2018 – 2 Mennonite churches of Beatrice, NE

Speaker: Brad Roth serves as pastor at West Zion Mennonite Church in Moundridge, KS. He grew up baling hay, tending sheep, and shearing Christmas trees on a farm in Illinois. He is a graduate of Augustana College, Harvard Divinity School, and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. Brad has a heart for serving God and God’s people in rural communities. He’s passionate about sharing faith in word and deed, and living out God’s love in the community. He and his wife, Lici, enjoy bicycling, tending a garden, keeping chickens, and playing with their two sons. His book, God’s Country: Faith, Hope, and the Future of the Rural Church was released by Herald Press in September 2017. Brad blogs on encountering God in the everyday at DoxologyProject.com.

Below are links to video recordings available on YouTube of all of the “Faith, Hope, and the Mission of Rural and Small Town Churches” sessions with Brad Roth.

Here’s a link to the entire playlist (4 sessions + the game show fun): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXM_Jp93BpDgyvkxXOi-RdrLPsc6fC3sV
Session 1: “Won’t You Be My Neighbor: Living Jesus-shaped Friendship in a Community”
https://youtu.be/vYH9UXdjsKk
Session 2: “More Than Tractor Crossings and Rusty Pickups: What is rural and why does it matter?”
https://youtu.be/tnBP3MaVQtoGame Show Fun: https://youtu.be/PweWbDv14T0
Session 3: Be Ready to Explain Your Hope in Christ: Keys for Rural Evangelism”https://youtu.be/phwVrgWrP30
Session 4: “Sword and Trowel: Developing a Prayerful Heartbeat to Rural Ministry”https://youtu.be/MasmNAZJqWY

Year of Evangelism Kick-Off: Anabaptist Witness

Jan 19 (7-9 pm), Jan 20, 2018 (9 am – 3 pm)

Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church, 1304 K-15 Hwy, Goessel, KS

Hone your skills in:

  • Sharing your faith in Jesus
  • Telling your story of God’s goodness
  • Seeing your neighborhood with missional eyes

Schedule:

Friday, January 19

  • 7 pm – Worship & Celebration of the Lord’s supper (Keynote speaker: Heidi Roland Unruh; Musicians: Bethany Amstutz and friends)
  • 8:30 pm – Meet & Greet (Refreshments and informal conversation with keynote speakers and other participants)

Saturday, January 20

  • 9:00 am – Gathering & Welcome
  • 9:10 – Morning Worship
  • 9:30 – Round Table Conversation (Where is your congregation at in terms of evangelism? What do you need most?)
  • 9:50 – Keynote Speaker: Marvin Lorenzana
  • 10:30 – Break
  • 10:45 – Break-out Session 1
  • 11:40 – Break-out Session 2
  • 12:30 pm – Lunch
  • 1:30 – Afternoon Prayers
  • 1:45 – Creative Strategizing Jam! (What can we learn from a gifted coach and others? Meet with a coach and another congregation in a “fish bowl” fashion where coach and Congregation A discuss evangelism ideas, while Congregation B listens and offers counsel. Then congregations trade roles.)
  • 3:00 – Commissioning and Annointing

Break-out Themes:

  • Discipleship Triads – Marvin Lorenzana
  • Whole Church, Whole Gospel, Whole City – Heidi Roland Unruh
  • Rural Mission & Evangelism – Brad Roth
  • Scripture as Testimony – Kathy Neufeld Dunn
  • Sharing Your Faith Without Fear – James Krabill
  • Church Planting & Mission – Byron Pellecer
  • Sharing Your Testimony & Your Faith – Byron Pellecer
  • Poverty of the Anabapist Vision – Joe Sawatzky
  • Prayer and Mission – Kay and Joel Schroeder
  • Women Sharing Faith – Aurora Parchmont, Lici Roth

Speaker Information:

Marvin Lorenzana is a church planter, discipleship coach, and pastor living in Harrisonburg, VA. Marvin was born in Honduras. In 1994, he became a missionary to Hispanic peoples in the USA. Marvin currently works for Mennonite Mission Network as Director of Discipleship Initiatives where he serves as a coach for church leaders seeking to develop a culture of intentional disciple-making within their local congregations. He challenges leaders and congregations to get back to the relational roots of the Great Commission. Marvin also works with Virginia Mennonite Missions developing Hispanic leaders and church planters. Marvin earned Bachelor’s and Master of Divinity degrees from Eastern Mennonite University. He is currently working on his dissertation for a Doctor of Ministry degree through Asbury Theological Seminary, where he is a Beeson Scholar. Marvin is married and has two children. LISTEN TO HIS PRESENTATION HERE.

Heidi Roland Unruh – As a consultant, trainer and writer, Heidi Unruh supports churches in living out their calling to love their neighbors. Her books include Hope for Children in Poverty; The Salt & Light Guidebook; and Churches That Make a Difference. With Ron Sider she co-authored the chapter, “Keeping Good News and Good Works Together” in Fully Engaged: Missional Church in an Anabaptist Voice. An alumni of Palmer Seminary, Heidi’s special focus is poverty, families and youth. She is the childcare coordinator for Circles of Hope Reno County, where her husband Jim is on staff. She worships at First Mennonite Church in Hutchinson, KS. LISTEN TO HER PRESENTATION HERE.

Sponsored by: Western District Conference Resource Commission (Mennonite Church USA)

Survey: Give your event feedback at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TWHCZH9

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2018 – El Año del Evangelismo

Evento Inicial: Testimonio Anabautista

19 de enero (7-9 PM), 20 de enero, 2018 (9 AM – 3 PM)

Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church, 1304 K-15 Hwy, Goessel, KS

Mejore sus habilidades en:

  • Compartir su fe en Jesús
  • Contar su testimonio personal
  • Mirar a su comunidad con ojos de misión

Horario

Viernes, 19 de enero

  • 7:00 PM Alabanza y celebración de la Cena del Señor (Conferencista: Heidi Rolland Unruh; Músicos: Bethany Amstutz y amigos)
  • 8:30 PM Compañerismo (Conversación informal con los participantes)

Sábado, 20 de enero

  • 9:00 AM Reunion y bienvenida
  • 9:10 AM Oración
  • 9:30 AM Conversación en mesas (¿Qué tal le va a su congregación en cuanto al evangelismo? ¿Qué es lo que más se necesita?)
  • 9:50 AM Conferencista: Marvin Lorenzana
  • 10:30 AM Descanso
  • 10:45 AM Taller #1
  • 11:40 AM Taller #2
  • 12:30 PM Almuerzo
  • 1:00 PM Oración
  • 1:15 PM Estableciendo estrategias (Nos reunimos con un coach para hablar de las estrategias de evangelismo. Compartimos las ideas de evangelismo de nuestra congregación y escuchamos las ideas de otra congregación.)
  • 2:30 PM Comisión y unción

Temas de los Talleres

  • Discipulado de a Tres – Marvin Lorenzana
  • Iglesia Entera, Evangelio Entero, Ciudad Entera – Heidi Roland Unruh
  • Misión y Evangelismo Rural – Brad Roth
  • Escritura como Testimonio – Kathy Neufeld Dunn
  • Compartir Su Fe Sin Medio – James Krabill
  • Misión y Plantación de Iglesias – Byron Pellecer
  • Compartir Su Testimonio y Su Fe – Byron Pellecer
  • La Pobreza de la Visión Anabautista – Joe Sawatzky
  • Oración y Misión – Kay and Joel Schroeder

Información de los Conferencistas

Marvin Lorenana es un plantador de iglesias, coach de discipulado, y pastor que vive en Harrisonburg, VA. Marvin nació en Honduras. En 1994, vino a los Estados Unidos para ser misionero entre el pueblo Hispano. Actualmente, Marvin trabaja para Mennonite Mission Network como Director de Iniciativas de Discipulado. En esta posición sirve como coach para líderes en las iglesias que buscan desarrollar una cultura de discipulado intencional en sus congregaciones. Marvin reta a los líderes y congregaciones a que regresen a las raíces de la Gran Comisión. Marvin también trabaja con Virginia Mennonite Missions desarrollando líderes Hispanos y plantadores de iglesia. Marvin obtuvo los títulos de Bachiller y Maestría de Divinidad de Eastern Mennonite University. Actualmente está trabajando en su disertación para un título de Doctorado de Ministerio de Asbury Theological Seminary. Marvin está casado y tiene dos hijos.

Heidi Roland Unruh – Como consultante, entrenadora, y escritora, Heidi Unruh apoya a las iglesias en vivir su llamado a amar a sus vecinos. Sus libros incluyen Hope for Children in Poverty; The Salt and Light Guidebook; y Churches that Make a Difference. Es co-autora con Ron Sider del capítulo “Keeping Good News and Good Works Together” en el libro Fully Engaged: Missional Church in an Anabaptist Voice. Heidi es ex alumna de Palmer Seminary. Su enfoque especial de Heidi incluye temas de pobreza, familias, y la juventud. Es la coordinadora de cuidado de niños para Circles of Hope Reno County, donde su esposo Jim es parte del personal. Heidi congrega con First Mennonite Church en Hutchinson, KS

Evento Auspiciado por: Western District Conference Resource Commission (Mennonite Church USA)

Habrá intérprete.