OCEF church planters
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Past Newsletters
April 2011
God’s business is not just busyness!
Many businesses start out very intent on accomplishing their main
purpose. They have an outcome in mind and all parts of the business
focus towards that end. Unfortunately for some businesses they lose
sight of the original purpose of their business, get caught up with
other priorities, and ultimately close.
The church cannot be closely compared to a business in that the
church is the body of Christ – a living, breathing, organism. However
the church, like a business, has an owner and He has clearly stated
the purpose of His church. Unfortunately many churches, like many
businesses, have gotten side tracked with the busyness of doing
church rather than the original business of being the church.
Christ’s church (His body) exists to fulfill the purpose of the head
(which is Christ). That purpose is to “seek and to save that which is
lost” and for those of us who are His disciples to “Go and make
disciples” who will do the same.
So what business are you in? One cannot determine if they are a
success until their purpose is clearly defined. Our challenge (given
directly from our Lord and Savior) is to be in the business of loving
God and loving others. This is God’s plan for seeking and saving the
lost and making disciples of all the nations.
Who are you purposefully loving in your community so they will see
Jesus in you? As you go throughout your week are you looking for
opportunities to “make disciples” and to rescue those who are lost
without Jesus?
Only when we see the purpose or business of the church to be our
purpose and business will our church actually succeed in the
business it has been called to fulfill. Remember – The purpose of
everything living is to reproduce. As Christians we are to reproduce
Jesus in others and as churches we are to reproduce by being
actively involved in the planting of new churches that will do the same.
For the success of the mission of Christ,
Bob Wood
March 2010
The Resonate Christian Church team has landed in Sherwood!
Kevin and Amanda Bates and Keith and Lisa Jaroslow, along
with their 3 boys, have made the move to Sherwood. The full
team includes 12 adults and 3 children who have pulled up
stakes and relocated there to start Resonate Christian Church.
They are a church planting church and will be planting many
churches in the future.
God has certainly been there ahead of their team, paving the
way and preparing the hearts of the people for this evangelistic
and discipleship movement. Many of the needed missional
pieces are taking shape as the team develops relationships in
the community through strategic partnerships.
Relationships for Jesus’ sake are quickly being made. The
Resonate team has been fully trained for small groups through
internal training and outside sources. They are calling their
small groups “Resonate Communities”. These communities will
set the DNA and culture of Resonate Christian Church. Already
they have two communities established and two more on the
way.
These groups are filling up and connecting the disconnected
and not-yet Christ ones. The team is inviting people daily into
these groups and the interest is growing. The prayer of the
OCEF and Resonate team is that the foundation of Resonate
will be based on small groups. We are praying for and planning
on having 10–12 groups in place by the Worship Gathering
launch on October 10, 2010 (10.10.10).
Please continue to lift this team up in prayer and with your
financial support as they take this community head-on for
Jesus. God is truly doing something special in Sherwood,
Oregon!
For the success of the mission of Christ,
Bob Wood
OCEF Executive Director
January 2010
Three times a year the OCEF board has the privilege of getting
together to review what God is doing and cast vision for where
He is taking us. At last week’s meeting I came prepared with an
agenda but God’s agenda was the only one on the table.
We listened as our church planters told of the miracles God has
been working in their lives and of the people whose lives have
been changed. Following those great testimonies of God’s
greatness, the OCEF Executive Team introduced Todd and
Tara Luce from Emmett, Idaho as our newest church planters.
The Luces will be moving to the Shady Cove area this spring.
We are excited knowing they will be leading people to Christ
and are looking forward to launching a new church in the fall of
2010.
It was also announced that the Sisters Christian Church family
has asked the OCEF to assume their property and assets and
plant a new church there as soon as possible. We agreed and
are excited to see where God leads in the hiring of the right
church planter, getting him on the field, and praying for another
launch in the fall of 2010.
With the Lord’s leading we will be actively planting five (5)
churches in 2010. These churches are: Ascent Christian Church
in Prineville, one year old and still under the OCEF’s oversight;
Renovate Springfield Christian Church, still forming their small
groups and awaiting weekly services; Resonate Christian
Church in Sherwood, our planter and team have hit the ground
running and start their first 2 small groups this month; Shady
Cove/Eagle Point, with planter on the field by spring; Sisters
with planter on the field, with God’s leading, also by the spring
of this year.
HOW CAN YOU HELP ALL OF THIS BECOME REALITY?
We definitely need your help right now in several areas. If you
follow our newsletter articles you know we are budgeted for one
new church plant every 14 to 18 months. But God has made it
clear we are to do everything possible to bring more people to
Jesus. We have set a goal of raising an additional $150,000
over this next year to take care of the church plants we are now
doing and the ones to come.
Here are some immediate ways we could use your help:
• Pray! We need you to join us in prayer for God to help us
raise up the right church planters for the right locations, and for
the resources to be there at the right times;
• Participate in giving financially. If you are currently giving
to the ministry and mission of the OCEF – THANK YOU! We
would not be here if it was not for you. As a current giver may I
challenge you in a couple of areas? 1) Would you be willing to
increase your current level of giving and 2) would you ask others
to join you in your support of evangelizing the communities of
Oregon through church planting?
• Join the OCEF team. If you are not currently giving to the
ministry of the OCEF would you consider joining us at whatever
amount you are able? Many of our supporters have been able
to give monthly, as their income allows, some with $10 or $25
or $100 a month. Some even give more!
• Give a one-time gift. Perhaps God has given you the
ability to provide a large one-time gift. Please listen to His call
on your heart. If you are able to meet our entire budget need for
the new year, please don’t hesitate. Your gift may be the
resource needed to literally see thousands of people come to
Christ in the next few years.
• Provide us with potential names, of families and friends
who need Jesus, in the new communities we are planting the
new churches in. We would love to follow up for you and with
you so your friends and families in these communities will have
the opportunity to join us on this great adventure.
Thank you for letting me share with you what God has placed on
my heart. Six years ago, when Sheri and I said “Yes” to God
and the OCEF we only had a glimpse of what He would want to
do through us. Today we are getting to see a bit more of the
picture. With your help and God’s continued leading we all will
get to see much more of this grand vision by the end of this next
year. We love and appreciate you all.
For the success of the mission of Christ,
Bob Wood
OCEF Executive Director
November 2009
It’s never about money but a question of faith
John Coleman, Pastor of The Point in Eugene, Oregon
Over the last couple of years our country has gone through an
economic tidal wave that has rocked not only the financial
institutions and businesses of our society but has also greatly
affected churches around the country. This is especially true in
Oregon. In difficult financial times, one of the reasons churches
struggle is that the members often scale back on their giving.
When this occurs, the church’s leaders often wonder, “Where is
the people’s faith? Don’t they know that God has promised to
bless those who bless Him through their giving and tithes? Then
as the church’s finances shrink, the leadership often is tempted
to do the very same thing the people are doing – cut back on
the very things they have promised God they would never cut
back on – giving and/or tithing to the mission of Christ, i.e.
evangelism through the planting of new churches. This scenario
is exactly where we, The Point in Eugene, were at.
The Point is made up of predominantly low income people,
many of whom have lost their jobs in this economic crisis. As
we faced an extremely difficult financial time yet ahead of us,
we did what many other churches have done; we cut our
missional giving and commitment to be a church planting
church. We reasoned that we needed the money to be able to
pay our rent, salary, and other basic expenses.
Recently we have been focusing our teaching series on the
issue of surviving the economic tidal wave. We came to the
realization that while we are challenging our people to have faith
in the promises of God (that He promises to provide if we are
faithful in our giving), we have failed to bank on those same
promises as a church family or faith community. Because of the
epiphany (or “word from the Lord”) we are committed to restart
our giving to the OCEF Church Planters and trust God will
provide as He has promised.
Why do I write this? We are making this change because we
desire to be honest in our giving and be held accountable for
what we have promised. We also want to challenge others to
trust God with their giving to the mission of Christ through the
planting of new churches. Jesus said that we must first plant the
seed that we may reap the harvest. Perhaps you and/or your
church have been like us and have cut back on your giving. If so,
let me challenge you, as I have been challenged myself, to look
at the promises of God, recognize that if you want God to bless
you, and/or your church, you first need to be a blessing to Him
by being fully committed to the mission of Christ.
God promises to meet our needs. Let’s trust Him in this and
give. For where our money is, there will our heart be also.
October 2009
From: Mike Gaffney, Pastor
Ascent Christian Church
God is truly doing amazing things and continues to impress and
humble Kelly and me. So far, church planting is truly everything
we hoped it would be. It is very hard work, but very meaningful
work. On August 30, we had a record attendance with 139 and
are averaging about 117 since then. Since moving to
Prineville, we have had 24 baptisms, the most recent being last
Sunday, and a handful more on the radar for the near future.
One highlight has been the “Tough Questions” small group I’ve
been leading. Last Sunday, we baptized the last unsaved
member of the group. So far, that’s 100% conversion rate from
this group. I highly recommend other churches considering this
approach. What’s really beautiful about the story behind this
group is that we were meeting in Redmond (18 miles away) so
as to accommodate two unsaved men in the group who live
there. Since then, both men have accepted Christ and both
families have moved to Prineville to be closer to the church,
even though they all work in Redmond. Crazy! Just crazy!
What’s more, last week when I prayed with one of the men to
receive Christ, he told me he wants to be the next guy to lead a
“Tough Questions” group! That’s way exciting! I’m also
mentoring the other guy to be a small group leader.
Another highlight is our upcoming First Birthday and you are
invited!! It is as follows:
Ascent Christian Church
One-Year celebration!
Sunday, November 1, 2009 10:30 AM
Crook Co High School
1100 SE Lynn Blvd
Prineville, OR 97754
This will be an inspiring time as we hear the stories of several
folks who are absolutely thrilled that God sent us to Prineville.
Would love to see as many of our OCEF friends there as
possible! We are also trusting God to provide as we partner
with Kevin Bates in the planting of Resonate Christian Church in
Sherwood (January 2010), by praying faithfully and committing
$10,000 over the next three years.
I’m stressed and overwhelmed most of the time, but I’m having
fun and loving every minute of it. I’m surrounded by fantastic
mentors (Bob Wood, Terry O’Casey, & Tom Moyers, to name a
few) and I’m trying to take good care of my family. I continue to
be extremely thankful to Bob and the OCEF for giving us the
opportunity to serve God in the way we feel called. For quite
some time, I felt as though my thoughts about the church’s role
in the mission of God were dismissed as nonsense. Then I
met Bob Wood and made an earth-shattering discovery: There
are others out there as naïve as I! You people are such an
encouragement to me.
I continue to ask God to organize a partnership of many, many
years with the OCEF through which I’ll be able to give back
prayerfully and financially—giving back through the planting of
additional churches, as well as coaching and encouraging other
church planters and pastors. I love the OCEF and am thrilled to
be a part of the team.
Thank you for continuing to pray for, support, and encourage
us! Mike and Kelly Gaffney
God’s business is not just busyness!
Many businesses start out very intent on accomplishing their main
purpose. They have an outcome in mind and all parts of the business
focus towards that end. Unfortunately for some businesses they lose
sight of the original purpose of their business, get caught up with
other priorities, and ultimately close.
The church cannot be closely compared to a business in that the
church is the body of Christ – a living, breathing, organism. However
the church, like a business, has an owner and He has clearly stated
the purpose of His church. Unfortunately many churches, like many
businesses, have gotten side tracked with the busyness of doing
church rather than the original business of being the church.
Christ’s church (His body) exists to fulfill the purpose of the head
(which is Christ). That purpose is to “seek and to save that which is
lost” and for those of us who are His disciples to “Go and make
disciples” who will do the same.
So what business are you in? One cannot determine if they are a
success until their purpose is clearly defined. Our challenge (given
directly from our Lord and Savior) is to be in the business of loving
God and loving others. This is God’s plan for seeking and saving the
lost and making disciples of all the nations.
Who are you purposefully loving in your community so they will see
Jesus in you? As you go throughout your week are you looking for
opportunities to “make disciples” and to rescue those who are lost
without Jesus?
Only when we see the purpose or business of the church to be our
purpose and business will our church actually succeed in the
business it has been called to fulfill. Remember – The purpose of
everything living is to reproduce. As Christians we are to reproduce
Jesus in others and as churches we are to reproduce by being
actively involved in the planting of new churches that will do the same.
For the success of the mission of Christ,
Bob Wood
March 2010
The Resonate Christian Church team has landed in Sherwood!
Kevin and Amanda Bates and Keith and Lisa Jaroslow, along
with their 3 boys, have made the move to Sherwood. The full
team includes 12 adults and 3 children who have pulled up
stakes and relocated there to start Resonate Christian Church.
They are a church planting church and will be planting many
churches in the future.
God has certainly been there ahead of their team, paving the
way and preparing the hearts of the people for this evangelistic
and discipleship movement. Many of the needed missional
pieces are taking shape as the team develops relationships in
the community through strategic partnerships.
- They have established an agreement with the YMCA for
facility use and program development and will be using
the YMCA facility for youth programming. There will be
adult module classes such as marriage mentoring,
financial peace, parenting, and leadership training. The
church will be volunteering in the Y’s facility, connecting
youth and adults to Resonate’s programming which leads
to spiritual exploration. - Kevin Bates, our lead planter, has been asked to be the
keynote speaker for the YMCA regional leadership
conference. Regional CEO’s, Executive Directors, and
key-staff from Seattle to Salem will be there for Kevin’s
messages and breakout sessions on “Renewed Focus”. - The team has also been able to partner with the School
District in their event program and 20/20 educational
plan. They are working towards a strong symbiotic
partnership as they will be using the school’s facility on a
regular basis for worship gatherings. Keith (associate
church planter) and Lisa have been meeting with various
administrators to develop an involvement plan. The first
event was a fundraiser that benefits the Laurel Ridge
Middle School. This is the facility Resonate will be using
for worship gatherings. Lisa has been meeting with the S.
H.A.R.E. program team. This community action group is
closely connected to the School District to handle
benevolent needs and child programming for this region. - Resonate is already connected to community events.
Their team is establishing a close partnership with the
Chamber of Commerce community events coordinator.
Amanda has been asked to serve in a significant role
within the chamber events. Resonate’s team will be
sponsoring the Kid’s Zone at Cruisin’ Sherwood, the
largest car show in the Northwest. It has an attendance
average of 20,000 people and 600 cars and Resonate
will be advertised to 40,000 homes in the area!
Relationships for Jesus’ sake are quickly being made. The
Resonate team has been fully trained for small groups through
internal training and outside sources. They are calling their
small groups “Resonate Communities”. These communities will
set the DNA and culture of Resonate Christian Church. Already
they have two communities established and two more on the
way.
These groups are filling up and connecting the disconnected
and not-yet Christ ones. The team is inviting people daily into
these groups and the interest is growing. The prayer of the
OCEF and Resonate team is that the foundation of Resonate
will be based on small groups. We are praying for and planning
on having 10–12 groups in place by the Worship Gathering
launch on October 10, 2010 (10.10.10).
Please continue to lift this team up in prayer and with your
financial support as they take this community head-on for
Jesus. God is truly doing something special in Sherwood,
Oregon!
For the success of the mission of Christ,
Bob Wood
OCEF Executive Director
January 2010
Three times a year the OCEF board has the privilege of getting
together to review what God is doing and cast vision for where
He is taking us. At last week’s meeting I came prepared with an
agenda but God’s agenda was the only one on the table.
We listened as our church planters told of the miracles God has
been working in their lives and of the people whose lives have
been changed. Following those great testimonies of God’s
greatness, the OCEF Executive Team introduced Todd and
Tara Luce from Emmett, Idaho as our newest church planters.
The Luces will be moving to the Shady Cove area this spring.
We are excited knowing they will be leading people to Christ
and are looking forward to launching a new church in the fall of
2010.
It was also announced that the Sisters Christian Church family
has asked the OCEF to assume their property and assets and
plant a new church there as soon as possible. We agreed and
are excited to see where God leads in the hiring of the right
church planter, getting him on the field, and praying for another
launch in the fall of 2010.
With the Lord’s leading we will be actively planting five (5)
churches in 2010. These churches are: Ascent Christian Church
in Prineville, one year old and still under the OCEF’s oversight;
Renovate Springfield Christian Church, still forming their small
groups and awaiting weekly services; Resonate Christian
Church in Sherwood, our planter and team have hit the ground
running and start their first 2 small groups this month; Shady
Cove/Eagle Point, with planter on the field by spring; Sisters
with planter on the field, with God’s leading, also by the spring
of this year.
HOW CAN YOU HELP ALL OF THIS BECOME REALITY?
We definitely need your help right now in several areas. If you
follow our newsletter articles you know we are budgeted for one
new church plant every 14 to 18 months. But God has made it
clear we are to do everything possible to bring more people to
Jesus. We have set a goal of raising an additional $150,000
over this next year to take care of the church plants we are now
doing and the ones to come.
Here are some immediate ways we could use your help:
• Pray! We need you to join us in prayer for God to help us
raise up the right church planters for the right locations, and for
the resources to be there at the right times;
• Participate in giving financially. If you are currently giving
to the ministry and mission of the OCEF – THANK YOU! We
would not be here if it was not for you. As a current giver may I
challenge you in a couple of areas? 1) Would you be willing to
increase your current level of giving and 2) would you ask others
to join you in your support of evangelizing the communities of
Oregon through church planting?
• Join the OCEF team. If you are not currently giving to the
ministry of the OCEF would you consider joining us at whatever
amount you are able? Many of our supporters have been able
to give monthly, as their income allows, some with $10 or $25
or $100 a month. Some even give more!
• Give a one-time gift. Perhaps God has given you the
ability to provide a large one-time gift. Please listen to His call
on your heart. If you are able to meet our entire budget need for
the new year, please don’t hesitate. Your gift may be the
resource needed to literally see thousands of people come to
Christ in the next few years.
• Provide us with potential names, of families and friends
who need Jesus, in the new communities we are planting the
new churches in. We would love to follow up for you and with
you so your friends and families in these communities will have
the opportunity to join us on this great adventure.
Thank you for letting me share with you what God has placed on
my heart. Six years ago, when Sheri and I said “Yes” to God
and the OCEF we only had a glimpse of what He would want to
do through us. Today we are getting to see a bit more of the
picture. With your help and God’s continued leading we all will
get to see much more of this grand vision by the end of this next
year. We love and appreciate you all.
For the success of the mission of Christ,
Bob Wood
OCEF Executive Director
November 2009
It’s never about money but a question of faith
John Coleman, Pastor of The Point in Eugene, Oregon
Over the last couple of years our country has gone through an
economic tidal wave that has rocked not only the financial
institutions and businesses of our society but has also greatly
affected churches around the country. This is especially true in
Oregon. In difficult financial times, one of the reasons churches
struggle is that the members often scale back on their giving.
When this occurs, the church’s leaders often wonder, “Where is
the people’s faith? Don’t they know that God has promised to
bless those who bless Him through their giving and tithes? Then
as the church’s finances shrink, the leadership often is tempted
to do the very same thing the people are doing – cut back on
the very things they have promised God they would never cut
back on – giving and/or tithing to the mission of Christ, i.e.
evangelism through the planting of new churches. This scenario
is exactly where we, The Point in Eugene, were at.
The Point is made up of predominantly low income people,
many of whom have lost their jobs in this economic crisis. As
we faced an extremely difficult financial time yet ahead of us,
we did what many other churches have done; we cut our
missional giving and commitment to be a church planting
church. We reasoned that we needed the money to be able to
pay our rent, salary, and other basic expenses.
Recently we have been focusing our teaching series on the
issue of surviving the economic tidal wave. We came to the
realization that while we are challenging our people to have faith
in the promises of God (that He promises to provide if we are
faithful in our giving), we have failed to bank on those same
promises as a church family or faith community. Because of the
epiphany (or “word from the Lord”) we are committed to restart
our giving to the OCEF Church Planters and trust God will
provide as He has promised.
Why do I write this? We are making this change because we
desire to be honest in our giving and be held accountable for
what we have promised. We also want to challenge others to
trust God with their giving to the mission of Christ through the
planting of new churches. Jesus said that we must first plant the
seed that we may reap the harvest. Perhaps you and/or your
church have been like us and have cut back on your giving. If so,
let me challenge you, as I have been challenged myself, to look
at the promises of God, recognize that if you want God to bless
you, and/or your church, you first need to be a blessing to Him
by being fully committed to the mission of Christ.
God promises to meet our needs. Let’s trust Him in this and
give. For where our money is, there will our heart be also.
October 2009
From: Mike Gaffney, Pastor
Ascent Christian Church
God is truly doing amazing things and continues to impress and
humble Kelly and me. So far, church planting is truly everything
we hoped it would be. It is very hard work, but very meaningful
work. On August 30, we had a record attendance with 139 and
are averaging about 117 since then. Since moving to
Prineville, we have had 24 baptisms, the most recent being last
Sunday, and a handful more on the radar for the near future.
One highlight has been the “Tough Questions” small group I’ve
been leading. Last Sunday, we baptized the last unsaved
member of the group. So far, that’s 100% conversion rate from
this group. I highly recommend other churches considering this
approach. What’s really beautiful about the story behind this
group is that we were meeting in Redmond (18 miles away) so
as to accommodate two unsaved men in the group who live
there. Since then, both men have accepted Christ and both
families have moved to Prineville to be closer to the church,
even though they all work in Redmond. Crazy! Just crazy!
What’s more, last week when I prayed with one of the men to
receive Christ, he told me he wants to be the next guy to lead a
“Tough Questions” group! That’s way exciting! I’m also
mentoring the other guy to be a small group leader.
Another highlight is our upcoming First Birthday and you are
invited!! It is as follows:
Ascent Christian Church
One-Year celebration!
Sunday, November 1, 2009 10:30 AM
Crook Co High School
1100 SE Lynn Blvd
Prineville, OR 97754
This will be an inspiring time as we hear the stories of several
folks who are absolutely thrilled that God sent us to Prineville.
Would love to see as many of our OCEF friends there as
possible! We are also trusting God to provide as we partner
with Kevin Bates in the planting of Resonate Christian Church in
Sherwood (January 2010), by praying faithfully and committing
$10,000 over the next three years.
I’m stressed and overwhelmed most of the time, but I’m having
fun and loving every minute of it. I’m surrounded by fantastic
mentors (Bob Wood, Terry O’Casey, & Tom Moyers, to name a
few) and I’m trying to take good care of my family. I continue to
be extremely thankful to Bob and the OCEF for giving us the
opportunity to serve God in the way we feel called. For quite
some time, I felt as though my thoughts about the church’s role
in the mission of God were dismissed as nonsense. Then I
met Bob Wood and made an earth-shattering discovery: There
are others out there as naïve as I! You people are such an
encouragement to me.
I continue to ask God to organize a partnership of many, many
years with the OCEF through which I’ll be able to give back
prayerfully and financially—giving back through the planting of
additional churches, as well as coaching and encouraging other
church planters and pastors. I love the OCEF and am thrilled to
be a part of the team.
Thank you for continuing to pray for, support, and encourage
us! Mike and Kelly Gaffney
| OCEF Church Planters P.O. Box 2489 Grants Pass, OR 97528 (tel)541.660.1790 ocef@charter.net |
 |  |  |  |  |