Wow – I just finished looking over the Arkansas Conference’s “New Church Initiative (pdf file),” and I am extremely impressed! After proposing a new initiative in 2003, Arkansas has adopted six “strategic initiatives” that they hope will eventually lead to 55 new faith communities by the year 2013.
Our bishop has expressed interest in starting new faith communities in our conference as well, in line with the current emphasis from the Council of Bishops, so I look forward to seeing something like this for our conference in the years ahead.
Matt – I am currently attending the New Church Leadership Institute at Mount Sequoyah in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is open to the entire South Central Jurisdiction. It has been a great process for me to continue discernment and learn more about what new congregations mean for the leader, the community and the denomination. If you are interested, feel free to send me an email or you can find more information here – http://www.arumc.org/ncli.asp?PKValue=1033.