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- Barna Group estimates that about 70 percent of students entering college as Christians will leave with little to no faith. I don’t know about you, but that stirs a desire in me to help my kids develop a deep faith now that they won’t be likely to abandon when they leave home. The big question […]
- The Evangelical Church of the Mennonite Brethren of Angola (Igreja Evangelica dos Irmaos em Angola, IEIMA) works for the transformation of the community in nine of the 18 provinces with headquarters in Luanda, the capital city of Angola. There are 118 churches, mostly in the central and northern parts of the country, with around 15,000 […]
- CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to Ridgepoint’s church plant prospectus. In March 1943, 19 charter members organized First MB Church—now Ridgepoint Church—in Wichita, Kansas. Today, the 1,000-member congregation is birthing a church plant, SouthLife Church, in South Wichita. “Very few churches beyond 15- or 20-years old plant a campus or launch […]
- WHAT WE DO
- Church Multiplication
- Church planting continues to be a crucial area of ministry for USMB. Studies show churches are the most effective way to bring more people into the family of God. Partnering with local churches, districts, USMB and Multiply to plant churches, is not just a good thing to do, we must do it.Read More
- Disciple-Making
- USMB is actively involved in helping provide our churches with dynamic ideas, resources and programs for encouraging people to become fully-devoted followers of Jesus. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples….” We strive to facilitate that profound command. READ MORE about Disciple-making.Read More
- Leadership Development
- USMB’s leadership development strategy stems from the real need to actively develop more leaders within the local church who are living on mission in the workplace and in their communities and to fulfill the demand for additional pastors, church planters and missionaries. READ MORE about Leadership Development opportunities.Read More
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Increasing Impact Together
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EP. 020 – Creating Space to Experience Jesus (Gavin Linderman & Micah Bentley)
DEC 03, 2020
Gavin and Micah are leaders on staff at Axiom Church in Peoria, Arizona. Their church plant has seen a lot of success in recent years because of their desire to remain authentic and reach out to people who may otherwise feel left out of the traditional church.
Gavin and Micah are artists, and that artistic soul reveals itself in the culture at Axiom. Your church may not look or sound like theirs, but we can all learn from their desire to lead from their true selves. Our communities sense that authenticity, and leading from that space will be an appealing way to display the love of Jesus.
EP. 021 – Singles in the Church (Lisa Anderson)
DEC 17, 2020
Singles often get overlooked in today's churches. Sometimes churches inadvertently do or say hurtful things to single (no pun intended) them out, and we would all be wise to do a little check-up to ensure we're ministering to and meeting the needs of this important demographic in our churches.
Main takeaway: Singles aren't weird or broken or misfits, and they need to be included and welcomed in our churches.
Lisa Anderson is the Director of Young Adults at Focus on the Family, and she's also the host of the Boundless Show, their prolific podcast with nearly 700 (!) episodes. Lisa is a ton of fun and a wealth of knowledge on this important topic.
EP. 019 – Realities of Church Planting (Christian Kohs & Phil Wiebe)
NOV 19, 2020
Church plants often lead to powerful spiritual growth and revival. Plus, Jesus called us to go out into the world and make more and more disciples. As successful and rewarding as church planting can be, actually starting a new church in the real world comes with a unique set of challenges.
In today's episode we talk with two young MB pastors who have completed the church plant process and are now working on launching second campuses. Join us as we hear from Christian Kohs in Minnesota and Phil Wiebe in Utah to hear more about their church planting journeys, their vision for their new campuses, and how we can all work together to most effectively share the good news of Jesus.
EP. 018 – COVID's Impact on Mental Health (Cheryl Dueck Smith & Carlin Buhrman)
NOV 05, 2020
2020 has been quite the year. The combination of COVID and politics and race issues and natural disasters has been hard on all of us, and most of us could probably do a better job of taking care of ourselves. Today we're joined by two MB therapists with tips on how to manage our mental health, care for each other, and even find ways to thrive--and not just survive--the messy world we find ourselves in.
Thanks to Cheryl Dueck Smith and Carlin Buhrman for sharing their insight and advice with us!
EP. 017 – Politics, Social Media and How to Be a "Good Christian" online (Sam Hoover)
OCT 22, 2020
The world of politics seems to just get messier and messier. This is a big week in America as we prepare for the upcoming election. The issues represented by our votes are big and important, and most of us feel compelled to share our thoughts and our convictions in various forms online. While there's nothing inherently wrong with that, you've probably seen Christian friends post things that maybe they shouldn't have, or maybe you've found YOURSELF in a heated Facebook debate you didn't intend to be in.
It's messy, and it's hard to know how Jesus would want us to act online--especially in divisive seasons like this one. Luckily, we chat with an expert today, and Sam Hoover has some excellent tips and advice we would all be wise to follow as we aim to be "good Christians" online--especially this week!
EP. 016 – ICOMB's Work Around the World (Rudi Plett & Ed Boschman)
OCT 08, 2020
The Mennonite Brethren family is much larger than just those of us living in the U.S. We have thousands of MB brothers and sisters around the world, and we all need each other to be most effective.
In this episode, Rudi Plett (the director of ICOMB) and Ed Boschman (USMB representative) share how God has been at work in these world conferences and how we can best work together to help spread the good news of Jesus and develop our church leaders around the world.
EP. 015 – Reaching Your Community Through Art (Cathy Beachy)
SEPT 24, 2020
The story of Jesus and the woman at the well is a well-known and favorite story from the Gospels, but how should that interaction affect our lives and our ministries today? Copper Hills Church in Peoria, Arizona used that story as a model of how they wanted to serve their community. After years of dreaming and hard work, they now oversee the Copper Hills Center for the Arts, which is an awesome and powerful outreach to their community.
Today we talk with Cathy Beachy, the director of the Center for the Arts. She shares not only details of how this works in their community, but she also shares ideas of how all of us in all of our churches can shift our mindset on "outreach" and how we can benefit our community, meeting common needs just like Jesus did for the woman at the well.
EP. 014 – Reaching Millennials & Gen Z (Kyle Goings)
SEPT 10, 2020
Your age and the culture you were raised in play a huge role in how you see God and how you view the church. On this week's episode we dive into a study on all current generations, with a special highlight on the emerging generations of Millennials and Gen Z. What characteristics define them, how are they different from those who came before them, and what should the church be doing to reach them more effectively?
Kyle Goings is an experienced youth pastor who has studied this topic more than just about anyone. And (shhh!) don't tell anyone: He actually is a millennial. This is a fast-paced episode that will greatly benefit your ministry, especially if you find yourself lacking in representation from these emerging young adults.
EP. 013 – Mennonite Brethren: The Rebellious Underdogs (Peggy Goertzen & Wendell Loewen)
AUG 27, 2020
Who exactly are the Mennonite Brethren? Where did we come from, and what makes us unique from the hundreds of other Christian denominations?
Don't miss this episode! Peggy Goertzen is the Director and Archivist of the Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies, and Wendell Loewen has been an MB pastor and professor for many years. Hear them blitz through our MB history and share practical handles you can use to explain this faith story to those who may be unfamiliar.
EP. 012 – Ethnic & Gender Diversity with MCC (Dina Gonzalez-Piña)
AUG 13, 2020
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) does important work around the world in the areas of relief, development, and peace in the name of Christ. In today's ever-changing culture, one way they do that is by providing resources, training, and intentional effort to support and build diversity. Dina Gonzalez-Pina specializes in the areas of gender and ethnic diversity, and she shares practical insight in today's episode for church leaders.
EP. 011 – Developing Female Leaders in the Church (Kadi Cole)
JULY 31, 2020
Wherever you land theologically about women in church leadership, your church likely has room for improvement in how you develop female leaders. In today's episode, author Kadi Cole encourages us to "be as effective as possible in the theology we believe," while also capitalizing on the leadership potential in women that often goes unnoticed. This is a crucial topic for today's church. Take advantage of the practical leadership and insight we can all learn from in today's LEAD Pod episode!
EP. 010 – Leading the Church in Congo (Nzuzi Mukawa)
JULY 23, 2020
The "capital C" Church is alive and well in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and you'll see why when you hear from USMB leader Nzuzi Mukawa. Nzuzi has a passion for evangelism, whether he finds himself in a church, in the marketplace, or taking advantage of the "diaspora" as the world becomes a smaller and more global community. Be encouraged and be challenged as you listen to this episode. The U.S. has a lot to learn from global leaders like Nzuzi!
EP. 009 – Soul Care (Dr. Rob Reimer)
JULY 16, 2020
How healthy is your soul? Do you have baggage you've been carrying that you need to deal with? Most of us have knowledge of Scripture and the promises of God, but do we have integration in our day-to-day lives? Dr. Reimer was scheduled to be one of our speakers at the USMB 2020 Convention. Today we dive into his book Soul Care and share ways church leaders can better care for their own souls so they can effectively lead and shepherd those around us.
EP. 008 – Fighting Human Trafficking (Christa Wiens)
JULY 09, 2020
The issues of labor and sex trafficking in the U.S. and around the world are heart-breaking. We believe all men and women are created in the image of God, and we all deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. These issues are big and systemic, so what can we do in our individual families and churches to help make a difference?
EP. 007 – Life on the Border (Aaron Hernandez)
JUNE 25, 2020
Not a day goes by with new headlines about racial injustice, and the topic of legal immigration will likely be an issue we'll face for years to come. Pastor Aaron Hernandez has a unique perspective as he leads a church literally on the border to Mexico. In this episode, Aaron explains what life is like for Hispanic church leaders today, and he shares several important messages for white Christian leaders.
EP. 006 – Relational Evangelism (Ed Boschman and Jameson White)
MAY 15, 2020
The Bible is pretty clear that all Christ-followers are called to evangelize. Beyond the threat of hell and cheesy Christian tracts, how can we build relationships in a way that leads others to Christ? Special guests Ed Boschman and Jameson White have great tips, personal examples, and practical encouragement for all of us to build--and share--our faith with those around us.
EP. 005 – How to Lead a Great Meeting (Paul Robie)
MAY 15, 2020
Every leader leads meetings. We've all been in great meetings, and we've all been in bad meetings. We want to help YOU lead them well, and this podcast offers great insight from Paul Robie of South Mountain Community Church in Draper, Utah. Grab a pen and get ready for some practical tools for you and your team!
EP. 004 – Living With Gospel Fluency (Ben Connelly)
MAY 15, 2020
Special guest Ben Connelly describes what a Gospel-fluent life looks like and steps we can take to grow in this area. Here's a hint: The Gospel isn't just something that happened 2,000 years ago. The good news of Jesus is as relevant and important today as it ever has been, and that should affect how we live our lives.
EP. 003 – Leading Well When No One Can See You (Ben Connelly)
MAY 2, 2020
How can we lead well when no one can see us? How should we be using this extra time we've been given to invest in our families? Do you have a tendency to over-work or under-work? This week we get tips on all this and much more from our guest, Ben Connelly.
EP. 002 – Becoming a House of Prayer (Esther Leonard)
APR 24, 2020
(Hopefully) all churches pray, and (hopefully) we all spend time in prayer in our personal faith journeys. However, there's a big difference between being a church who prays and becoming a "house of prayer." Guest: Esther Leonard.
EP. 001 – Praying During COVID-19 (Stephen Humber and Kelly Pankratz)
APR. 4, 2020
How should the Coronavirus affect our prayer life? How can we grow in prayer if we don't feel gifted or have a personality that easily lends itself to prayer? How can we stay encouraged in these crazy days of COVID-19? Guests: Stephen Humber and Kelly Pankratz of Multiply.
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