Collaboration in Arizona

History

The Phoenix-Tucson KEZ contains 14 churches, 10 of which are in the greater Phoenix area. In Phoenix 6 of the 10 churches are RCA. In Tucson the RCA and the CRC have two churches each, which either are now or are in the process of becoming RCA or CRC.

Both denominations have been suffering membership declines for years. In the valley the RCA possesses the stronger churches while the CRC in Phoenix is a breath away from total collapse.

By God’s grace this breath belongs to the Holy Spirit who is pumping new life into pastors and people alike. Led by pastors Jim Poit and Gary Jarvis (New Hope, Gilbert), Derek Van Dalen (Palm Lane CRC, Scottsdale) and Jonathon Gerstner (Christ Community CRC, Chandler), the two denominations have begun talking to each other locally about how to strengthen their communions and multiply churches. When the KEZ was set up, the co-leaders, Pastors Richard Caballero (Longview Community RCA, Phoenix) and Harry Weidenaar (Phoenix CRC interim), exhibited the good sense of piggy-backing on the discussion and facilitating plans that were already in the works.

Here’s what’s happening.

Common Effort

Training pastors has become a priority. Noting that commissioned pastors (RCA) and ministry associates (CRC) are defined similarly, the RCA and CRC in the valley have set up a web-based school to teach students who want to be ordained as either a c.p. or m.a. Currently, there are ten people who are enrolled.

In the same vein is the Hispanic Ministry Training Center. This is the brain-child of Jonathon Gerstner, Nick Beezhold, and Richard Caballero. The HMTC trains Hispanic pastors who feel the need for more learning. The HMTC has two locations: Chandler and Phoenix. 31 people enrolled for the first set of courses and the demand was so great that the Phoenix location is allowing 12 more students to attend. Although the training is for everyone who wants it and is willing to pay the cost, most of the students are CRC and RCA. Cast your vision forward two or three years and see how many Hispanic church planters will be prepared by the HMTC for church multiplication in the Phoenix area!

A third joint work of the RCA and CRC, shepherded by the KEZ, is the start-up of a new Hispanic ministry in Orangewood CRC. This ministry, led by Alberto and Sondra Correa, held its inaugural service on Sunday evening, September 4, at a celebration attended by neighborhood people, the Orangewood congregation, members from Longview Community, and representatives from the CRC and RCA. Rev Richard Caballero preached a stirring sermon to thank God and bless the worshipers. Without the leadership of Orangewood’s pastor, the Rev Larry Lobdell, this ministry would never have gotten off the ground. The Hispanic ministry is being paid for by money from the Classis of the Southwest and Classis Arizona, contributions from Orangewood CRC, and a matching grant from the KEZ.

Of great benefit to the KEZ are the regular meetings together of the local “Church Multiplication Team” from the RCA Classis of the Southwest and the local “Church Development Team” from the CRC Classis Arizona. These meetings, suggested by the KEZ leaders, allow pastors to talk church planting and also work on setting up a system to facilitate church multiplication. So, the joint sessions have tasked committees to write a brief vision and values statement on church multiplication, to name and equip an assessment team for church planters, and to develop a system of coaching for both planters and congregations interested in multiplying.

Following up a suggestion by the KEZ, the local pastors have begun to meet once a month to pray for the blessing of Christ on the task of church multiplication and development.

Extremely helpful to the local KEZ leaders and team has been the advice and encouragement that the Church Multiplication Initiative Implementation Team have given us. Meeting with the IT for dinner and discussion at a restaurant in downtown Phoenix revved us up for the job ahead. Bouncing ideas off Jerry Holleman has always been fruitful: Jerry dips into his reservoir of experience and common sense and ladles out another cup of fresh water beginning with the words “Have you guys considered….” Amy Navarro and the CMI website have provided us timely information. But by far the star here has been the coaching relationship the KEZ leaders enjoy with Gary Reinecke from InFocus. His coaching has proved invaluable. Consistently, he has pushed us to clarify our goals and walked us through the means and methods we need to adopt to meet those goals. Caballero and Weidenaar can attest that their jobs would be more difficult and less fun without the monthly coaching sessions with Gary (“Okay, tell me about your ‘wins’ this month?”).

So what’s the plan, Stan?

Using the “Evaluate-Equip-Empower-Expand” criteria of KEZ, the local KEZ team has developed a plan to create a church multiplication vision, recruit, assess and train church planters, coach them and the congregations of our classis in the fine art of church multiplication, and plant 6 new churches before the meter runs out on KEZ funding.

Underscoring these efforts are the need to strengthen spiritual dynamics by identifying a prayer coordinator who will mobilize the prayer warriors in the Phoenix-Tucson churches; and last but not least, the need to develop a fund-raising effort locally, solely for the purpose of church planting, so that the work here will be sustainable beyond 2012.

– Harry Weidenaar and Richard Caballero