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Midsouth Region Calls Developer/Superintendent
HOUSTON, TX (April, 2000) - In an attempt to further raise its status at the conference level, the Midsouth Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) has called a candidate to fill its new position as a conference developer/superintendent. The name will be announced in about a week.
The decision was made at the Midsouth annual meeting April 7-8 at Hope Community Evangelical Covenant Church, with delegates from 15 of the 16 conference churches represented. Guests included Gary Walter, executive director of the Department of Church Growth and Evangelism. Walter has played a major role in the growth of the region through leadership and consultation and was present to enjoy the fruits of a 23 percent growth in church attendance during the past year.
"We've taken a major turn in the road to call a full-time conference developer/superintendent to lead us to full conference status," said Richard Larson, director of Midsouth ministries. "It was a celebration, the affirmation to move in this direction and the call (of a candidate) was accepted unanimously. By developing this full-time position, we are strengthening our ability to coach church planters, to assist and strengthen existing churches, and to recruit gifted pastors for new church plants," Larson said.
The number of regular attendees in Midsouth churches during 1999 was 3,619, an increase of 849 people from 1998. Since 1991, attendance has gone up every year, according to conference statistics. In fact, Life Covenant Church in Edmond, Oklahoma, is the third largest ECC church
in attendance, according to Larson. But, the conference meetings also focused on the relational element in ministry, which Larson believes will ultimately be the catalyst for continued growth for conference churches, both numerically and spiritually.
"We're not called to build churches and regions, we're called to relationship with Christ," said Larson. "That theme came out very strongly in our meetings and our pastors were encouraged to prioritize their relationship with Christ, because out of that will come strong churches and a strong conference."
Guests also included Doreen Olson, executive director of the Department of Christian Education and Discipleship, who also served as a keynote speaker; Carol Lawson, director of staff ministry in the Department of the Ministry; and Mark Washington, admissions director of North Park Theological Seminary.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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