Church Planting, Evangelism and Transformation strengthens with the formation of New Alliance

Houston, Tex. - American Baptist leaders converged here to set the course for "NET-Works"-a new alliance of national, regional and local mission partners that will focus on new churches, evangelism and congregational transformation. The meeting was sponsored by National Ministries to explore more effective ways of working together.

The alliance combines the tasks of the former New Church Planting Vision Community, the American Baptist Churches Evangelism Council, and regions that were meeting with a specific focus on transformation.

The Rev. Dr. David Laubach, associate executive director for National Ministries' NET (New Churches, Evangelism and Transformation Ministries), said NET-Works is a natural progression, "since the ministries of new church planting, reaching new disciples and renewing churches are so intertwined."

"Seismic cultural and denominational shifts" explain the need for a new form of mission partnership, according to Laubach, who said, "Fewer regional and National Ministries staff are available to support these important core ministries, which are facing financial challenges. We believe that the NET-Works alliance will reenergize our American Baptist family commitment to the NEW LIFE 2010 goals of reaching 1,000,010 new disciples and planting 1,010 churches."

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