February 6, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Cynthia P. Brust
843-237-0318
The Anglican Mission in the Americas has unveiled a new initiative designed
to plant well over 100 new churches over the next 10 years.? Launched in
early January, Churches for the Sake of Others is led by the Rev. Dr. Todd
Hunter and creates a church planting movement.? This movement is designed to
develop churches and leaders committed to beginning new congregations
located primarily, but not exclusively, on the west coast.? These churches
will emphasize multiplication as each congregation plants daughter churches
at the rate of at least two every five years.
According to Pew and Gallup?s research in 2008, Younger adults and those
Americans who live in the western part of the United States are much less
likely to believe in God than are those living elsewhere. The highest number
of atheists and agnostics live in the western USA. One quarter of western
U.S. adults claim no religious affiliation. This is the context which
serves as the mission field for this new West Coast initiative.
The Gospel spread in Acts and throughout history via church planting "you
and I are Christians today because someone planted a church," explained Dr.
Hunter. "My team is committed to engaging the post-modern culture and
drawing the unchurched to Christ by going where they are."
"Todd Hunter is uniquely gifted and equipped for this ministry," said the
Rt. Rev. Charles H. Murphy, III, Anglican Mission Chairman. "Todd's
tremendous passion for, and experience with, planting churches shaped around
Kingdom-based, missional encounters with contemporary culture is just what
we need for our West Coast Initiative," he concluded.
Churches for the Sake of Others is intentionally starting in several cities
at one time. "We are not trying to start individual churches; we are trying
to start church planting movements that are based in local churches,? Dr.
Hunter emphasized."
Response to the new initiative has been extremely positive, individuals and
groups across America have expressed interest in planting a church with the
Anglican Mission through Churches for the Sake of Others. The budget for
2009 has been fully funded, and Dr. Hunter is now planting new congregations
simultaneously in Boise, Idaho and Costa Mesa, California. Other church
planters or potential core groups are currently identified in five locations
in the greater Seattle area; Portland, Oregon; Reno, Nevada; Salt Lake City,
Utah; as well as San Diego, Sierra Madre and Azusa, California. Dr. Hunter
has assembled a staff of church planting coaches and mentors to work closely
with the nascent congregations.
"We are currently working on 15 church plants with a dozen more
possibilities in the pipeline," Dr. Hunter said. "If we can begin the
multiplication phase in the next five years, while continuing to add new
church plants, we will, by God?s grace and power reach our goal of launching
a church planting movement that includes hundreds of new churches that
express the Gospel of the Kingdom on behalf of the least, the last and the
left out," he continued.
Dr. Hunter describes the key characteristics of these new churches as
"Gospel and Scripture focused congregations that depend on God's Holy
Spirit, manifest the Kingdom of God in their midst and raise up sold-out
followers of Jesus." In addition, he emphasizes the importance of the
components of liturgy, the Sacraments and an order of daily life contained
within the fabric of these congregations.
Bringing to this new work over 30 years experience as a church planter and
church planting consultant, Dr. Hunter says he has found new life and fresh
expression in his current work with the Anglican Mission. Most recently, he
served as President of Alpha USA and previously held the position of
National Director for the As sociation of Vineyard Churches (1994-2001)
following John Wimber's death. Dr. Hunter's book, Christianity Beyond
Belief: Following Jesus for the Sake of Others, was published in early
February and another book is planned for publication later this year.
Ordained to the diaconate last fall, Dr. Hunter will be ordained to the
priesthood on March 24, 2009.
"We praise God for continuing to raise up and draw to the Mission leaders
like Todd to help us both plant new churches and carry the message of the
Gospel throughout North America," Bishop Murphy said.
The Anglican Mission is a missionary movement of the Province of the
Anglican Church of Rwanda established in 2000 and is driven by a compelling
vision of reaching the 130 million unchurched in North America by building
communities of faith and transforming lives. With a focus on evangelism
through church planting, the Anglican Mission exists to glorify God and to
serve, grow and multiply local churches that love Jesus Christ. Currently
there are 143 congregations affiliated with the Anglican Mission with
another 45 emerging works in process.
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Cynthia P. Brust
Director of Communications
Chair of Winter Conference
Anglican Mission in the Americas
PO Box 3427
Pawleys Island, SC 29585
843-237-0318 Office
843-325-1071 Cell
843-237-4008 Fax
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