Northwest Christian Church, Oklahoma City, OK had reached a point where it needed to reimagine its ministry. The surrounding community had changed, the building was large and costly to maintain and the membership was aging and declining in numbers.
In 2008, First Christian Church in San Bernardino, Calif., whose sustainability challenges were becoming all too familiar for Disciples churches, signed on to do New Beginnings, a new service offered by then Church Extension and now by Hope Partnership.
In the past eight years, hundreds of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregations have participated in a process called New Beginnings, developed and offered initially by Church Extension and now by Hope Partnership, that helps congregations assess their current condition, strengths and opportunities as they seek to answer the question,
Thanks to Indiana Regional Minister Rick Spleth for this perspective on Hope Partnership’s New Beginnings Assessment Service, which has helped hundreds of congregations make courageous decisions about their future direction.