Your giving will be utilized in 4 ways:

THE DEVELOPMENT OFf HEALTHY CHURCHES:
It is one thing to plant churches; it is another thing to develop healthy, community-oriented congregations with a passion to reach lost people.  Significant to our future is the ability of the conference to encourage every congregation to pursue health.  Church health seeks to aid congregations in the ongoing development of leaders, functional structures and effective strategies to reach their community.

Significant to this effort is pastoral coaching.  To date, 15 pastors have participated in our new Pastoral Coaching initiative.  At the same time, their church boards are receiving coaching from trained coaches with expertise in coaching leadership teams.  This new pastor/church board coaching initiative is being sought out and asked for by an increasing number of churches.  It provides the support for pastors to take steps towards more intentional ministry, good leadership coaching, and development for Church Boards.

THE STARTING OF NEW CHURCHES
Christ has called and commanded us to be fruitful.  Opportunities for fruitfulness are  a privilege, and should be the natural outgrowth of Christ’s life-giving love in us.  It is not optional; it is essential to the vibrant expression of faith.  Church multiplication is at the heart of Christ’s loving call and passionate command for us as His followers!

Planting new churches through the Atlantic Conference is our strategic response to this loving call from the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are aiming to see new churches multiply throughout New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.  These new works will be creatively designed for impact, and purposefully built for the mission of making fully-devoted followers of Jesus!

We seek to plant fruitful new churches through the following core essentials:

THE NYC INITIATIVE
Over the next 12 months we will be moving forward with the vision of 10 churches in New York City over the next 5 years.   The calling of God to this initiative is clear and our commitment to it continues to grow and strengthen.   The urban core of New York City possesses great influence on our culture as a whole, but it is largely untouched by the gospel.   In response to this need we are beginning to develop a plan that brings the best of what we know in church planting to this mission field.

LEADERSHIP & PASTORAL DEVELOPMENT
A significant key to the success of the Atlantic Conference in church planting and the nurturing of healthy congregations resides in the ability to attract, develop and sustain pastors and church leaders who are growing and developing in both skill and a heart for God.  Psalm 78:72 speaks of David leading his people with a caring heart and skillful hands.  That is the desire of the conference for all of our leaders.

Over the next five years we will need to find, train, develop and sustain 25 church planters.  At the same time we need to be developing our current pastoral staff.  We will accomplish this with our pastoral coaching ministry, pastoral cluster groups and training days. 

Equally important to pastoral leadership development Is the training and development of lay leaders.  Whether it is children’s workers, youth workers, board members or deacons, each person who leads within one of the Atlantic Conference churches is significant to our impact as a conference. Through seminars, specific training events, encouragement and coaching, we plan to develop lay leaders.

For more information, please click one of the following links:
How can I give? / Frequently asked questions
Atlantic Conference Vision