When Women Speak Podcast

Rev. Sally Lee, Mission Igniter Church Planter, had opportunity to share on the "When Women Preach" podcast of ISAAC (Innovative Space for Asian American Christianity) Fellowship.

Sally spoke about her experiences as a Chinese American faith leader. They discussed the importance of cultural identity in church leadership, the innovative Dinner Church Collective, and the significance of being present in ministry. Sally emphasized the need for community, the ministry of presence, and centering Jesus in church planting to create thriving congregations.

Sally is currently planting THE SHELTER CHURCH in West Seattle, Washington.

FULL PODCAST

THE FOLD: Doing Laundry and Life Together

What started as a simple idea to meet a practical need has become a powerful expression of God’s love in action. Since 2022, The Fold has been faithfully serving their community—offering free laundry services and lunch to people I their community in Central Point, Oregon.

It all began when Missy Getsinger felt a stirring from God to connect with her neighbors in a tangible way. Instead of waiting for people to come to church, she and her team decided to bring the church to them—right where they were, in laundromats. There, over the hum of washing machines and the sharing of meals, relationships began to form, stories were exchanged, and hearts were opened.

This unique ministry has become a fresh expression of church—a place where people do life together while experiencing the grace and presence of Jesus in everyday moments. Beyond laundry days, The Fold now also hosts Outdoor Church a couple of times a month, gathering under open skies for worship, prayer, and fellowship.

Now, The Fold is stepping into an exciting new chapter. They are in the process of purchasing the laundromat where this ministry first took root—an opportunity to deepen their roots and ensure long-term sustainability. Over the past 3 1/2 years, they've washed 7,042 loads of laundry and met incredible people along the way.  Their fundraising efforts to purchase the laundromat have just begun, and they’re inviting partners like you to help make this vision a reality.

To learn more or contribute to this special project, visit:
LAUNDROMAT PURCHASE PROJECT

In just a few short years, Missy and her team have reached countless individuals and families—showing what it truly means to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Their work reminds us that church isn’t confined to four walls. It’s wherever God’s people love and serve in His name.

Learn more

God's at Work Through CITY FREE

God Is Moving in Jackson, Michigan

In the heart of Jackson, Michigan, God is writing a new story of hope through CITY FREE Church Plant. Led by Pastor Tim Flickinger and his team, CITY FREE is stepping boldly into people’s everyday lives—meeting neighbors with compassion, walking alongside the hurting, and watching God transform hearts in unexpected places.

One powerful story began when a young woman, clearly searching for something more, felt prompted to seek out one of CITY FREE’s co-leaders. As they sat together talking, the young gal's phone rang.  It was her drug dealer. When the call ended, the conversation grew deeper. With tears streaming down her face, she listened as Courtlyn, the CITY FREE leader, gently shared the hope of Jesus. Right there, in the middle of brokenness, God’s love broke through—bringing light, peace, and the promise of new life.

In another moment of ministry, the CITY FREE team brought three neighborhood kids to a local Kid’s Entrepreneur Day, a bustling event with over 80 vendors. These young, aspiring artists proudly displayed and sold their paintings while sharing their creative vision. It was a day filled with lots of fun, encouragement, and the excitement of discovering their God-given potential.

Through simple obedience and a heart for people, CITY FREE is watching God build a community of hope and belonging. As they continue this faith adventure, lives are being touched and transformed by the love of Jesus, one conversation, one act of kindness, one step of faith at a time.

Please continue to pray for CITY FREE as they follow God’s leading in Jackson—for Jesus' presence to transform lives, changing the trajectory of families and neighborhoods.

The Only Way to Lead People to Jesus Who Don’t Care About Coming to Church

Church attendance isn’t the starting point for faith anymore—and it never was. Jesus’ model of discipleship begins with presence, relationship, and everyday mission.

“Go and make disciples…” — Jesus (Matthew 28:19)

He didn’t say, “Go and host a service.”
He said, “Go.”

For generations, churches have assumed that people would come to us. Come to our buildings. Come to our Sunday services. Come hear a sermon.

But that assumption is broken.

It’s not just that people don’t show up anymore—it’s that they don’t feel the need to. Church attendance is no longer the cultural norm. For many, Sunday morning is just another morning. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t spiritually hungry. It just means the starting point is different.

We Must Stop Outsourcing the Gospel to Sunday Mornings

Jesus never intended for buildings or programs to be the primary delivery mechanism of the gospel. His method was people. His model was relationships. His environment was everyday life.

That’s why we need to reimagine what discipleship looks like in this cultural moment. And it starts long before someone becomes a believer.

Discipleship Begins Before Conversion

Steve Pike puts it this way:

“The making of a disciple begins when a person who is not a converted disciple of Jesus makes contact with someone who is already following Jesus.”

Think about that: discipleship begins before someone believes. It’s not just about teaching new Christians. It’s about walking with people—long before they ever decide to follow Jesus.

Pike lays out a four-stage process that helps us see what pre-conversion discipleship can look like in real life:

1. Awareness

A person becomes aware of you in a positive way.

  • How can I live in such a way that my presence is a blessing in my neighborhood?

  • How can our church team add tangible value to our community?

2. Connection

You know their name, they know you know their name, and you’re praying for them.

  • How do I slow down and learn people’s names—and bring them before God in prayer?

  • How do we build this rhythm into our ministry events and outreach?

3. Relationship

You know their story. They know you know their story. And you connect at least once a month.

  • How can I make space for meaningful conversations and consistent connection?

  • How do we create environments where relationships naturally deepen?

4. Spiritual Conversation

They know you follow Jesus—and they know you want to help them follow him, too.

  • How can I naturally point to Jesus in our conversations?

  • How can we create safe spaces for spiritual exploration?

From Seed to Fruit: Building Gospel Gatherings

If you’re trying to start a church, missional community, or disciple-making movement, it’s important to recognize that a Sunday gathering is just the tip of the iceberg. Fruit only grows when there’s a root system beneath it.

Here’s a practical way to think about it:

For every one person who joins a gathering…
You need 3 meaningful relationships
You need to be praying by name for 6 people
You need 12 people who are positively aware of you

This is a funnel, not a formula. It reminds us that spiritual fruit is the outcome of relational faithfulness. If you want to see people come to Christ and gather in community, you have to start long before they’re ready to attend anything.

Changing the Scorecard

Most churches measure Sunday attendance. But if discipleship begins long before someone enters a worship service, we need a better scorecard—one that aligns with how people actually come to know and follow Jesus today.

Here are four key questions to ask yourself or your team each week:

Awareness:
How many people have become positively aware of us this week?

Connection:
How many people do we know by name—and are regularly praying for?

Relationship:
How many relationships have we formed where we know someone’s story and connect at least monthly?

Spiritual Conversations:
How many spiritual conversations have we had with friends who don’t yet follow Jesus?

These are the metrics of movement. This is what it looks like to make disciples in a culture where no one is looking for church—but they are still looking for hope.

Jesus’ Model Still Works

Jesus walked. He lingered. He listened. He told stories. He asked questions. He ate meals. He shared life.

And that’s still the model.

You don’t need a platform. You don’t need a program.
You just need to be a person who knows Jesus and loves others well.

Start with awareness.
Build a connection.
Nurture a relationship.
Have spiritual conversations.
Invite them to follow Jesus—and keep walking with them.

This is discipleship.
And it works—even for people who never step foot in a church building.

Want to Go Deeper?

Mission Igniter News

Samara is a Mission Igniter church plant that embodies Christ-compelled multiplication in the greater Lansing, Michigan, area. At Samara, the table is more than a place to share a meal, it’s where faith comes to life. Families gather weekly to enjoy delicious, sustainably sourced meals made with indigenous Mid-Michigan ingredients. Every dish is offered freely, with participants encouraged to contribute in their own way.

These meals aren’t just about food; they are about community. We share communion (optional), read Scripture together, and engage in meaningful conversation about how God’s Word applies to daily life.

A Story of Transformation

Pastor Justin recently shared:

“We are thanking God for our neighbors across the street, a married couple in their seventies, who just confessed faith in Christ and joined Samara Church. We helped them with yard cleanup years ago, prayed for them faithfully for 13 years, and today they are vibrant members of our community. They check in when they can’t attend worship, bring entrées to our meals, remind me to pass the offering basket when I forget, and are now coordinating service projects for other neighbors. Praise God!”

Stories like this remind us that God works powerfully through simple acts of hospitality and consistent prayer.

Life Together, Everywhere

Jesus spent time in the synagogue and temple, but much of His ministry happened at the table, in homes, along roadsides, and in the midst of community. At Samara, we embrace that same rhythm.

  • Our first baptism was in the Grand River.

  • Our first wedding took place on a golf course green.

  • Our first funeral was held at a farm and petting zoo, where a beloved wife and mother’s life in Christ was celebrated with joy.

These moments are reminders that God’s presence is not confined to stone buildings — He is with His people, wherever we live, love, and gather.

Seeds of Hope

Pastor Justin and his wife, Hannah, along with their children, run Sunistano Seed Co., a social enterprise that supports Samara’s ministries of creation care and racial reconciliation. Recently, they began conversations with Michigan tribal nations and indigenous food organizations to explore future collaboration.

This fall, tribal partners will survey communities about seed needs and work with the Fasts to rematriate rare and culturally significant seeds with Anishinaabe households statewide. It’s a beautiful picture of restoration, reconciliation, and shared abundance.

At Samara, God continues to weave stories of faith, friendship, and transformation. Whether at the dinner table, by the river, or in a neighbor’s yard, His Kingdom is growing — one seed, one meal, one story at a time.

Learn more

We celebrate with Union Church in Tacoma, Washington for their incredible Launch Sunday September 14th. God is moving, community is forming, and this is just the beginning.

Learn more

Next Gen Church Launched in Belding, Michigan

North Michigan Conference Church Plant

It has seemed like youth group as we know it has not been working in the last few years. Asking our students at Center Street what they wanted, they have come up with Next Gen Church. It is a church, in place of youth group, that is completely led by students. The worship, prayer, announcements, message, and call to action are all done by the students. The student team has met, planned, and prepared for this Church. Adults have been part of the discussion and planning for supervision and guidance. These kids have put in the work, and it all came to fruition with their LAUNCH on Sunday, September 7th!!!! There were 13 students (and 14 adults) on their first Sunday!!!! Students were engaged, participated, and experienced Jesus! If you would like to see it, you can watch it on our Facebook page listed below. We would love anyone to come check it out: Sundays at 1:00 at 311 E. Center Street, Belding, MI 48809 (Center St. Church).

We would love for everyone to go on Instagram and follow us: https://www.instagram.com/next... 
AND/OR please Like, Follow, and Share us on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profi...

We are thrilled to see how God continues to move through this ministry and these students!

Pastor Jennifer Lien

ReclaimedNW & Reclaimed Threads

Jessie Parker & Genesis Ueligitone-Parker

A Pacific Northwest Conference Church Plant

As pastors who would both consider ourselves “deconstructionists,” Genesis and I have been on a long journey of unlearning and relearning the Bible and the Gospel while reestablishing our faith on nothing but the solid rock of Jesus. Like most people who find themselves deconstructing (or demolishing), we were taught a faith belief system as children that did not stand up to the tests and realities of life as adults. 

Thank God for the Wesleyan Quadrilateral! When Genesis and I first came into the Free Methodist family and took Wesleyan Theology, Genesis famously declared, “wait, so I’ve been Free Methodist my whole life?!” And that continues to ring true. By adding lived experience to the methodology of understanding scripture, doctrine, and theology, Wesley and Free Methodism validated our questions and concerns and gave us tools with which to learn and grow.

As we did, we were both struck by the deep need for faith community that could provide safe space for this kind of questioning and searching so that people who have walked away from church or faith could find their way back. In a world where even the faithful have become disenchanted with the version/vision of Jesus and Christianity that we often present, we knew it would take a different kind of community to build the safety, encouragement, and relationship necessary for people to make that return journey.

After years spent in ministry searching for and trying to create pockets of this kind of community, God orchestrated events that pushed Genesis and me out of the comfort of full-time positions at Rainier Avenue Church and into the hard, scary, wonderful world of church planting. This Fall, we will be launching ReclaimedNW in the city of Renton!

ReclaimedNW’s mission is to walk together into hope by reclaiming truth, faith, and community. We’re reclaiming those prodigals that have left the church, though rarely their faith. We’re reclaiming the lost, hurting, and broken. We’re reclaiming the truth and hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We’re reclaiming the city of Renton, a place and people who have had our heart since our time at Living Hope; a city where no Free Methodist ministry currently exists.

We have strongly felt God lead us to build a faith community where space is made from top to bottom for people to truly grow into Jesus-reflecting disciples, not just in service of a Sunday gathering or a budget line, but in service of the Body of Christ and the Kingdom of God. If faith is like a flame, as the Bible often frames it, that flame needs oxygen to sustain and grow. At Reclaimed, our hope is to create decentralized leadership and deep discipleship that provides the space and air that each individual disciple needs to burn bright and long.

But as we all know, vision is one thing; making that vision a reality is another. Today’s financial realities of ministry, let alone church planting, often necessitates both creativity and co-vocational work. It was in this need that Reclaimed Threads NW was born.

Like a lot of millennials, it was hard to get excited about Christian apparel in my formative years. Shirts, hats, streetwear – when it came to the Christian versions, it was often cringy-bad. But that began to change 10-15 years ago with Christian brands like Art of Homage (AOH). That was when I became a “Christian shirt guy.” No, seriously, Pastor Peter literally introduced me to RAC using that descriptor!

I think part of the attraction for me was that I’m an introvert and starting conversations with people has always been hard to do. So, my shirts often do the talking for me. I can’t tell you how many faith conversations I’ve had over the years just because of my shirts.

Over time, I began to use my graphic design skills to come up with my own ideas and designs but had no real outlet to bring them to market. As I started thinking and praying about how we could support ourselves and ReclaimedNW in creative ways, God reminded me of all those shirt designs.

Reclaimed Threads NW seeks to provide clothing that you can be excited about wearing; not just because it looks good, but because it also helps spread the Good News of Jesus in real, meaningful, and inspiring ways. And here’s the best part: every cent of profit goes to supporting us, ReclaimedNW, and church planting work around the world through Mission Igniter.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to browse the current designs, order some, and be on the lookout for new drops monthly. We can also create custom designs and independent merchandise stores for your church, conference, or special event!

ReclaimedNW is looking forward to a Fall launch! Visit their website to stay informed.

RECLAIMEDNW WEBSITE
RECLAIMED THREADS

A Note from Executive Director Dustin Weber

When I look at the church in America today, I see a troubling reality:

  • Millions have no connection to a local church.

  • Entire communities lack a Gospel-centered presence.

  • Many churches have plateaued or declined.

  • Younger generations are growing up with little or no exposure to faith in Christ.

But I also see hope. God is still in the business of multiplying His Church. Around the world, church planting movements are spreading like wildfire. History shows that the Church grows when disciples are empowered to make disciples and churches are equipped to plant churches.

That’s why we started Mission Igniter—to train, coach, and resource church planters, while also helping local churches find fresh vision and multiply new expressions of the church.

We believe the American church is ripe for revival. But it won’t come through institutional maintenance. It will come when we reignite the apostolic mission of the Church to make disciples who multiply and plant churches that reproduce.

Will you join us? Will you help us equip and send church planters?

Will you come alongside established churches to rediscover their mission?

The time is now. The opportunity is great. Let’s ignite a movement—together.

MULTIPLIERS JOURNEY COHORTS COMING FALL 2025

SNOQUALMIE VALLEY HEALING CENTER

A Mobile Clinic and a Mission of Love: Healing in the Snoqualmie Valley 

A Ministry of Church of Living Waters, Mission Igniter Entities

“Wait—so the clinic is on wheels so it can go where the people are?” my eleven-year-old daughter asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

“That’s exactly right,” the medical provider replied with a warm smile.

We were standing at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Healing Center and its partner, Care Point—a celebration of a new chapter in holistic care for the Snoqualmie Valley. It was more than just an event. As a mom, it felt like a powerful moment to show our children what it truly means to love and serve others in Jesus’ name.

Local leaders, including King County Council Vice-Chair and other officials, took turns speaking. One by one, they emphasized the same urgent message: the community needs care that goes beyond physical wellness—care that touches the spiritual and emotional too. Real, holistic care.

As Pastor Patti Yetneberk, who receives coaching and training support from Mission Igniter, shared her God-given vision for a place where anyone and everyone could encounter healing and the tangible love of Christ, my eyes landed on the newly built wheelchair ramp. That word—everyone—was more than a sentiment. It was the very heartbeat of the evening.

Everything about the space seemed to proclaim: You matter. You belong.

I thought of the man who, after a simple conversation with Patti at the Healing Center, quietly shared that he hadn’t had a shower in eight months. Here, at last, he was able to take one. That single moment—restoring just a basic dignity—was profound.

When we draw close enough to truly listen, we begin to hear the deeper needs of those around us. Yes, people need Jesus. But when we speak their language—not just with words, but through compassion and tangible acts of love—the Gospel reaches the heart.

Patti and her team are listening. And they’re responding with Spirit-led action—creating sacred spaces where people are seen, known, and loved. This is more than one church’s mission; it’s a growing kingdom collaboration. A movement. Communities are coming together—joining hands in prayer and service—to expand the reach of God’s healing in the Valley.

At the Healing Center, transformation is happening in the most ordinary yet extraordinary ways:

  • Free medical care from the Care Point mobile clinic

  • Spiritual direction and sacred conversation

  • Lectio Divina gatherings where people encounter God's presence

  • Warm showers, clean laundry, and clothing for those without homes

Here, even those who sleep beside the river are finding dignity, welcome, and the unmistakable presence of Jesus.

Written by Megan Weber

The Multipliers Journey co::Lab: 

Igniting a Movement of Gospel Multiplication

For the past five months, eleven bold churches have embarked on a transformative path—the Multipliers Journey co::Lab. More than a training program, this five-month experience is a dynamic, collaborative environment where pastors and church leaders are equipped to reimagine their ministry and spark a culture of disciple-making and multiplication.

Each participating team, made up of Lead Pastors alongside key staff and lay leaders, is stepping beyond the walls of traditional church models. Together, they're moving from program-driven ministry to intentional disciple-making, from Sunday-focused gatherings to gospel-centered movements, and from simply growing churches to multiplying them.

The MJ co::Lab provides a unique setting where modeling, co-leadership, and hands-on training converge. Through shared insights, strategic planning, and Spirit-led innovation, every church team is developing a customized Multiplication Plan to fuel their local mission and expand the Kingdom impact far beyond their own congregation.

This is more than a journey—it's the beginning of a movement.

THE FOLD

You bring the laundry ... We'll bring the quarters! 

A fresh expression of church located in Central Point, Oregon where they offer a casual church service, lunch, and free quarters for laundry.

 “As a first time church planter, I was intimidated to begin the adventure of launching a non-traditional expression of church. Misson Igniter trained me, helped me focus on God's call on my life and the church, and gave me an awesome coach.  I can't imagine what this process would have been like without their help!”

 Missy Getsinger

UNION Church Tacoma

New Church Plant in Tacoma, Washington enjoying a New Venue in the heart of Tacoma!

Church Planters Annie & Adam Roberts love the people of Tacoma and see a city poised to experience Jesus. They long to see the burned out, broken, and bored transformed by Jesus, connected into an authentic community, and empowered to be a force for good.   The official launch is March, 2025.

Mission Igniter 2024 Highlights

PRAY WITH US IN 2025

From Megan Weber, Mission Igniter Prayer Mobilizer

I did a thing last month and I tried trapezing for the first time as a celebration to enter into my fourth decade.  There was divine invitation that put the desire in my heart in the first place. It was an invitation to practice letting go and being caught by the catcher.  That sums up our spiritual formation pretty well.

It was everything I wanted it to be and more.  In the beginning you have a five minute overview of the instructions and commands they will give.  You must get all the skills they give and do them in a certain flow before you can move on to the catch.  As a former gymnast, I had a decent amount of muscle memory and was getting the skills but was missing the flow. 

That was until the coach on the ladder reminded me that the coach at the bottom had a command for “legs up” and I needed to wait to hear his voice, not listen to the false momentum of my swing.  As soon as I started listening for his voice, I got the flow immediately and was able to move on to the catch.

Isn’t that how it can be in our prayer lives and our lives of ministry? What muscle memory are we relying on when the invitation is to listen God’s written and spoken word?

Jeremiah 33:3 says:  Call to me and I will show you great and unsearchable things which you do not yet know.

What if our ears become the womb of a movement of God?

What if we hear his leading and prompting to abandon all muscle memory and seek His voice? And in that secret place we hear… what a felt need is in our community, what will be the needed and encouraging word, who we are to be investing in even if it doesn’t make sense.  What if waiting and listening is obedience more than relying on false momentum?

Could this be the invitation for 2025?  To not depend on false momentum of “we have always done it that way” or muscle memory and going through the motions.  But what if in 2025 we were desperate enough to incline our ear in such a way that we make space and give time to hear what insights, instructions and revelation might be gifted to us from the Spirit of God who knows all things, knows the end from the beginning and can perceive from a perspective that we might not have. What if in the year of 2025 listening prayer is a form of groundbreaking prayer that the Lord is inviting us into: individually, as churches and church planters, and as a denomination? 

What if he wants to develop our hunger and transforms apathy?  What if hunger has no words but groans? Are we willing to carry, to steward the groans.  Maybe we need groan rooms and listening rooms.

Maybe God’s next outpouring is a groan room away.   As he breaks our heart for what breaks his, let us listen to whom He is calling us and how He is calling us to come alongside those where he is already at work.

It’s incredible to see what the Lord has done through Mission Igniter since its launch in 2017.  In partnering with four different annual conferences, we’ve helped plant 42 new churches collectively. We’ve trained hundreds of pastors and church leaders in the principles of church multiplication, and we’ve helped mobilize more $6 Million for church planting! What an incredible thing.  

With any growing movement, shifts and changes must be made to accommodate future growth and opportunities. Mission Igniter is no different.  As a Mission Igniter partner, I want to share with you some upcoming shifts and developments and invite you to join us in praying, working, and leaning in for greater kingdom multiplication in the months and years ahead. 

Expanding Partnerships

Over the past several years, Mission Igniter has expanded partnerships across the country throughout the FMC. The Pacific Northwest Conference is now an equal partner with the Southern Michigan Conference and provides critical funding for the development and delivery of our core services.  Oregon Conference and North Central Conference are also partners with whom we help facilitate the vision of multiplying churches. In addition to these four conferences, we are serving churches from multiple other FM conferences as well and we are in talks with two conferences/districts from two other sister denominations about how we may be able to serve them and help them foster a multiplying church planting movement.  Please be in prayer for how we can come alongside and help foster movement in these areas.  

This winter we entered into a formal partnership with Peyton Jones and his “New Breed” ministry to deliver the church plantology training to the FMC.  We have now replaced the DCPI Church Planting Essentials training track with our adapted material from Payton which we have branded “Planter’s Journey.”   It is a great step forward in resourcing emerging planters with basic tools for fulfilling their God-given visions.  

We also began partnering more closely with Church Development Network (CDN) to bring Encounter weekends to our partner conferences and integrate these weekends with our Mission Igniter Core Services.  Encounter weekends have proven to be a powerful tool in launching emerging lay leaders into multiplication, a great front door to helping people step into planting.  

Executive Director Relocation to the Pacific Northwest Region

With the added partnerships on the West Coast, the volume of Mission Igniter work in this region has grown significantly over the past several years.  As we have prayerfully discerned how best to serve and support this growing opportunity, Dustin Weber, Executive Director of Mission Igniter, has felt that relocation to the Northwest for the next couple of years could strategically help get the needed team in place to serve multiplication in this region.

Because of the transition of the Mission Igniter Executive Director Dustin Weber’s relocation to the Pacific Northwest, and the partnership expansion Mission Igniter is experiencing, staff changes were necessary so that the services to church planters can continue and grow.  Please pray for the staff transitions during this season.

 

CHURCH PLANTS ARE IGNITING

Ahava Java

Celebrates their Grand Opening

Led by Pastor Carlene Nisley, Ahava Java, A Coffee Shop with a Purpose in Hillsboro, Oregon, celebrated its grand opening on October 4th with a special ribbon cutting ceremony.  It's been a journey, but we celebrate with them for all that God has in store for this fresh expression of church.

EVERGREEN CHURCH

Evergreen Church was one of the first church plants to be planted through the help and support of Mission Igniter! We are now in our 7th year of ministry in the greater Ann Arbor, Michigan area! We just completed an 18 month discernment and sabbatical season as a missional community network. During this time we were seeking the Lord’s guidance around what He has for us next, as well as simplifying and clarifying who we are as a church.

The vision the Lord’s given us is summarized as, “Deeper Roots. Denser Forest. 817 Disciples.” The Lord gave us an exponential vision for gospel saturation and multiplicative disciplemaking which is utterly dependent on the Holy Spirit! As such, we have restructured ourselves to be more reproducible and movemental, which was in large part due to the Multiplier’s Journey Training that Mission Igniter now offers churches. We continue to disciple deeply, equip people to engage as everyday missionaries, develop new Local Ministerial Candidates, and create space for everyone to participate in the mission of God.

Currently, we are working on developing resources to equip Evergreen to fulfill the mission God’s given us, live out our values, and see our discipleship outcomes become a reality. One resource we’re developing is for “New Disciples” to be discipled through the Gospel of Mark utilizing the Discovery Bible Study method. This will be a 24 session guidebook through Mark with 12 sessions being done with a disciplemaker and 12 being done individually. Our goal is to have our first draft completed by January 2025! Another resource is our Everyday Evergreen Podcast which releases a new episode every Wednesday morning. It’s made primarily for those within our Evergreen Network but secondarily for friends who want to glean wisdom from our experiences as a missional community/micro-church network.

Lastly, we have always wanted to be a church known more for its sending capacity than its seating capacity. I stopped saying this for awhile because sending out workers and multiplying has pain involved with the transitions and change it brings. YET, this is the way the Kingdom of God is meant to work. To date, Evergreen has sent out 66 people (intentionally and unintentionally) to new harvest fields all across the world both within and outside the Free Methodist Church. We have planted in 5 distinct cities, replanting every 18-24 months in many cases as we’ve sent new people AND we have helped daughter The Harbor Network of Missional Communities in Buenos Aires, Argentina with Tanya and Rodrigo Rosado. With the help of the Lord we’ve been able to see much fruit and we’re currently only seating 45 people in 4 Missional Communities! Pray with us as we partner with the Spirit to press into our 2028 GOD-SIZED vision of “Deeper Roots. Denser Forest. 817 Disciples.”

Pastor Derik Heumann

MARKETPLACE MANNA

Marketplace Manna is a different kind of Missional Community than most church plants.  They engage in the marketplace to serve folks in need.  They started as a fair-trade shop selling items from Bulgaria where Al & Diane Mellinger were serving as missionaries to now partnering with 30 organizations working in 50 countries.

Located in Jackson, Michigan, they now also have programs locally, helping the poor, persecuted, disenfranchised and unemployed.  They work with the Interfaith Shelter (homeless shelter) and low-income elderly homes, paying a few of their residents to upcycle items that are then add to the stores inventory.

The store is in the lobby of an old Hotel – now converted into low-income elderly housing (70 units).  As the business was settling in, it noticed that many of the elderly come out and just sit on the sidewalk everyday with little to do. Al Mellinger had a dream to not only use the workshop space they have in the store for making things but also offer classes and lectures to these folks regularly.  The first such class was launched this month with a lap quilt class.  Additionally, the local Chamber has chosen Marketplace Manna as one of the non-profits that this year’s Young Leaders will be coming along side to help – for Marketplace Manna that will be promoting and recruiting people to come and share their crafts, hobbies or skills with the elderly, so that they will have weekly sessions for the residents to participate in.   The goal of offering the sessions is not just to keep them busy but to get to know them and serve them.  It is not uncommon for those of the streets to ask for prayer, which the Mellinger’s do on the spot.

Marketplace Manna is more than a store and is engaged in every and all possible ways in the community they live. (marketplacemanna.org – store marketplacemanna.biz – charity work)

SAM DILLA ACCEPTED INTO ASBURY MULTIPLICATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Sam Dilla, Pastor of South Sudanese Church, a church plant in the Portland Oregon area, has been accepted in to the Asbury Theological Seminary's Multiplication Fellowship program.  This program provides wonderful resources, opportunity to join a cohort of diverse church leaders, multiplication coaching, and an invitation to attend ATS Center for Church Multiplication Conference.  Congratulations to Pastor Sam!  What a wonderful opportunity for Sam in his church multiplication journey.

South Sudanese Bible Church - Portland, Oregon

The South Sudanese Bible Church is a church plant of the Oregon Conference of the Free Methodist Church.  The primary focus of this church is to reach out  with the Gospel of Jesus to the Sudanese refugees who have been settled in the Portland metro area including South West Washington.  Over the years many South Sudanese have attempted to join main American churches.  However, due to language and cultural differences in worship styles,  some of the people could not continue to attend churches.  They avoided going to church and kept their children home with them. In addition to those who don’t attend church because of cultural and language issues, there are muslims and animists South Sudanese who don’t have any relationship with Jesus.

Over the years, we started as a Bible Study group and met in various church buildings.  Just before the COVID-19,  we were meeting at a Presbyterian Church building.  We became a church Plant of the ORFMC towards the end of 2021.  Our first service was on Jan 16, 2022 at the current location;  East Side Collaboration Center in South East Portland.

We have been under the mentorship of the Mission Igniter from the start. Mission Igniter helped us greatly with the church plan, including budgeting and the launch which happened on 25-26, November 2023. 

Since we started the church we have seen God work in lives of those who came to our services.

One memorable story is a young lady that received Christ and dedicated her life to following Jesus.  The lady had escaped home at 18.  The parents never gave up searching for her. When they found her five years later, her life was completely messed up.  She was used as a stripper and completely numbed by the drugs she was taking.  She had a baby in that situation.  She couldn’t communicate well at all.   After our prayers over her on the third week, she testified of the goodness of God.  We assured her that God is a God of second chances and has received her back. She has improved, is working  and planning to go back to school.

This is worth the efforts we have put to launch the church for there is joy in heaven for a sinner who has repented and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal savior.  We have see her life transformed because of the Word of God.

Please pray for us to get a Youth Leader to guide our Youth and teach keyboard, drums and other musical instruments. Also, pray for us to host a Family Conference this year to commemorate our first year since launching the church.  Further, pray for our mission's vision that we could support a new church plan in the refuge camps of Uganda  where one of the leaders recently came from.

Pastor Sam Dilla

New Life Christian Church/Nueva Vida Comunidad Cristiana Michigan

A Spanish-speaking Church plant in the metro Detroit area, are dedicated to spreading the word of God and helping their community.  Led by Pastor Alan Muñiz, a Conference Ministerial Candidate, began meeting in January of this year.  Pastor Alan shares, "Nueva Vida is realizing the objective of connecting with the Hispanic community through different programs and thus achieving the mission that is to lay the foundations for building character, morality and Christian values in children and parents; using creative and innovative methods to motivate, inspire and capture children for Christ."  Nueva Vida and Mission Igniter recently sponsored a soccer tournament where many transformative relationships were made.

SAMARA CHURCH

A Mission Igniter Church Plant in the Greater Lansing, Michigan Area

Samara Church is ordinary people sharing extraordinary conversations at dinner tables throughout the Greater Lansing area.  They provide a place at the table unlike any other – a network of families bringing faith to life through cooperative living and Christian discipleship over delicious, sustainably-sourced meals made with indigenous Mid-Michigan ingredients.  Meeting weekly, all meals are free to participants, who are encouraged to contribute to the meal in some way. They share communion during or after the meal, followed by a scripture reading and facilitated discussion to apply the reading to daily life. Jesus said “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Gatherings are planned with them in mind. No childcare required - they dine and worship with the adults.

They hold quarterly gatherings which have become one of Samara Church’s core strategies to bless their neighbors, build strong networks, and form “nodes” in the Church as it spreads through the community.    A recent attender/neighbor shared that she was saved during the Jesus Movement but has since struggled to find a Christian community where her spiritual gifts are accepted and put to use. She said "What I'm seeing here is it! I'm so encouraged to see you have the Spirit and I can't believe God is doing this in my backyard." Both she and her family have since joined the church on mission.

Please pray for Pastor Justin Fast and Samara church as they reach their neighbors with the love of Christ in this fresh expression of church.

 

Iowa City Free Methodist Church

 A neighborhood church seeking to share Jesus with those in our community through intentional relationships and hospitality. 

Led by Jenna & Keith Battleson and Erin and Dustin Swarm.  

As they work through their church plant development plan, the Battleson's and Swarm's worship together weekly and take turns teaching through Paul's missionary journey.  

We praise God for these worship times!  The Free Methodist Church North Central Conference asked us to participate in a six-month coaching program through Mission Igniter which we started last February.  During this season, we are becoming more and more familiar with the context in which God placed us.  All around we see indicators that people in our neighborhood and city value peace, justice, love, and healing - all things Jesus offers.  We envision each of these values as a hook, ready for someone to attach Jesus to. 

Prayer Requests:

  1. For curious neighbors we have encountered, for discerning ways to deepen these relationships.

  2. For creative love and connection with our neighbors, especially all the neighborhood children.

  3. For neighbors to join us as we sit in our driveway, seeking connections with those that pass by.

  4. For receptivity as our children invite their school friends to the church plant.

  5. For strength as we are living co-vocationally.

  6. For a fruitful team coaching experience and collaboration over the next several months.

We praise God that Iowa City is primed and ready!

Erin Swarm for the The Iowa City Team 

 

Edificando Vidas....Westland Church Plant

We are thrilled to announce that a new church plant, Edificando Vidas, celebrated its launch service this past month at Westland Free Methodist Church, Westland, Michigan (Detroit area). The church plant is led by Pastor Danny Gomez. The launch was filled with joyous worship, heartfelt prayers, and a powerful message from Pastor Mark VanValin. Attendees also enjoyed delicious food and meaningful fellowship before the service began. Edificando Vidas, which translates to "Building Lives," aims to enrich the relationship with God, family, and the community. We look forward to what God has in store for Edificando Vidas, as lives are transformed, creating a lasting impact in Westland and beyond.

 

UNION Church

A new church plant launching in Tacoma, Washington

For years Annie and Adam Roberts have had a growing love and burden for the city of Tacoma, WA, and recently sensed a clear call to plant a church there.  UNION CHURCH held their first pre-launch worship gathering on June 10, 2024, with a great night of worship and prayer~

Once a place to be feared—torn apart by gang violence and poverty, Tacoma is now experiencing a renaissance and was recently ranked as the 3rd most desirable place to live. Tacoma is hopping with activity and life—full of new business development, education, vibey coffee shops, green spaces, and new housing.

Yet, despite its economic resurgence, the spiritual climate hasn’t followed suit. Fifty percent of the people in the city are under 40 and Tacoma ranks as the 10th most unchurched city (no faith) and the 3rd most dechurched city (left their faith or untethered from a church) in America. But these numbers are not intimidating to God. We believe that the city of Tacoma is ripe with Gospel opportunity and is poised for a spiritual renaissance and cultural renewal.

We long to see a generation of people who are burned out, broken and bored, transformed by Jesus, connected into authentic community, and empowered to be a force for good.

Pray for this new church plant as they seek to cross dividing lines to turn strangers into family through the power of the Gospel!

Annie and Adam Roberts

Learn more about the roberts story
 

THE BRIDGE

Mission Igniter Church Plant, launching April 28th!

After a season of church planter residency at Rainier Avenue Church, Pastor Fred and Aretha TenEyck are launching a new church plant on April 28th in Kent, Washington, to share God's love in this community.  Join us in praying for them as their continue to form their new team and raise funds.

 

As one of the newest additions to the Mission Igniter community, I have the honor of introducing myself and our vision to you.  My name is Matt Taylor.  For those who may not be acquainted with my story, I certainly do not have the usual “Free Methodist pedigree.”  I recently retired after 23 years with the Detroit Police Department, where virtually my whole career was spent in some sort of critical incident/emergency response role.  Most famously, I was in charge of the Bomb Squad for many years.  Yes, I wore the armored suit, drove the robot, cut the wires, all that jazz.  Alongside that, I was active for many years with the Detroit Free Methodist church as “the senior layman.”  You know the type: conference delegate, Sunday School teacher, tech support, snow shoveling, and lifting heavy things. 

The Lord orchestrated a big change in our family recently.  I retired from law enforcement, and we have moved to the historic small town of Marshall, Michigan, where my wife and her family have deep roots.  I have started a small computer business, and my beautiful first grandchild is now about nine months old and lives a few blocks away.  If you had tried to tell me in the summer of 2022 what 2023 and 2024 would look like for me, I would have laughed at you.

As there is no Free Methodist fellowship in our little town, we have begun the process of forming one, with a focus on healing prayer.  This is traditionally the part where I share the stories and statistics on the big things happening in my little town.  I’ve been seeking and finding opportunities to share the Kingdom through my small business and have even had some chances to speak of the Kingdom and a new fellowship with Marshall community leaders, but quite frankly there hasn’t been a whole lot going on externally as far as “souls saved and newsletter stories.” I am far from discouraged, however.  It’s been readily apparent that the work the Lord Jesus is doing here in this season has focused squarely on me.  I’ve been participating consistently in the coaching process as we flesh out our vision for the new fellowship.  More importantly, though, I have greatly deepened in my personal intimacy with our Lord and in my practice and understanding of prayer.  I don’t want to tell people Jesus Christ is Lord of Heaven, Earth, Time and Space; I want to show them.  We’re not just believing for “big things,” we’re believing for the miraculous here in Marshall, Michigan.      

We’re looking forward to a formal launch later this spring as we wind down the initial phase of the coaching process.  Our first steps will involve an online/social media launch with in-person meetings to follow as the fellowship grows. We will emphasize a non-traditional format with gatherings focused on healing prayer and candid discussion of spiritual things.  Think “Tuesday Evening Group Therapy” rather than “Sunday Morning Sing-Along.”  The long-term goal is to mature into a fully-formed Free Methodist Society.  I look forward to sharing the stories of God’s Mighty Hand at work here.  In the meantime, I ask you to pray for continued clarity and guidance for me and our tiny fellowship as I transition from sirens and explosions to prayer and healing.

 

City Free@ Chalet

A Fresh Expression of Church in Jackson Michigan

“City Free” brings the presence of Jesus into any Jackson community (harbor) where God leads us – beginning in the Chalet neighborhood. This is a low-income housing development. These harbors are transformed into safe communities where love and life flourish.  That’s a piece of our vision picture, and God has given us favor.

These are our friends, this is our kingdom community. We’ve baptized 5 people recently (yayyy!!) – one of those in a hot tub loaded on a truck. Kids have put on a play, we enjoyed a Chalet Big Table Thanksgiving, did Christmas kazoo caroling, and so much more! We have a blast together and are becoming a church together.

Please pray for us as we are launching a City Free@ Chalet youth group. Pray for fruit in changing the trajectory of individuals, families, and a neighborhood with the gospel!

Pastor Tim Flickinger, Jackson Free Methodist Church

 

THE GATHERING PLACE

A CHURCH PLANT JOURNEY IN NORTH SEATTLE

On November 4, 2018 a handful of former Lakeview Free Methodist members (Seattle, WA) joined together for the first meeting of The Gathering Place. We began with the mission to “offer Christ’s hospitality to the world;” and the long-term vision of opening a coffee shop.

With the arrival of COVID 19 all plans were re-imagined as we, along with the rest of the world, adjusted to life in the pandemic.  In 2022 we were struggling to move beyond the world of Zoom and back to meeting in person.  Our leadership began praying for discernment, part of the answer to that prayer came in the form of the Mission Igniter training offered in Longview Washington.  After attending the training, pastor Jodi began working with a Mission Igniter coach.  After spending the first months of 2023 focusing our Sunday gatherings on the series, “We Are A People Who…” God began moving mountains that had seems immovable.  Pastor Jodi asked our group to focus our prayer on God’s provision, discernment, and boldness. This prayer began to be answered immediately as we started meeting in the Maple Leaf Collaborative facility and were indefinitely loaned a mobile coffee trailer by Epic Life church (a Southern Baptist church that has opened a successful coffee shop).

After taking possession of the trailer, we began working to refurbish and set it up, but ran into a problem with electricity.  We continued to pray for provision, discernment, and boldness.  In October our leadership team met with the PNWC Grant board and presented our vision for both The Gathering Place and Gathering Grounds Coffee.  Once again God answered our prayers and we not only received the grant, but the conference agreed to take care of our electricity problem. 

As we begin 2024, we are excited to open Gathering Grounds Coffee and seeing how God is going to use us in the coming year.

Prayer requests:

1.     Leaders (especially leaders with business experience)

2.     Obtaining permits and necessary licenses to open for business.

3.     God to use this ministry to bring transformation to people and the community.

4.     God’s continued provision, discernment, and boldness.

 Jodi Gatlin, Lead Pastor and Teri Gent, Executive Pastor

 

LOVE DETROIT, A church planting initiative under Mission Igniter

Executive Director Mark VanValin

D. lives in an old RV in the driveway of an abandoned house less than a mile from where I live. Over the past year, he has been my main set-up and tear-down helper for our dinners at the park. He is always glad to help. He started attending our Detroit Redford Church last summer. He also attends my Friday Bible study at a nearby Wendy's. He suffers from alcohol abuse. He wants to be free and get his life in order. The mountain is steep. D. faces a myriad of choices that are needed to lift him out of his predicament. I encourage him one step at a time and pray with him. He needs the power of the Lord in his life and is growing close to surrendering his life to the Lordship and saving grace of Jesus.  I helped him apply for work and also loaned him a space heater for his van to help get him through the winter. His only close family was his aunt who recently died.

I think of all the ongoing support throughout my life that I too often have taken for granted. I am rich with family, friends, and extended church family around the world. I am so blessed, and yet there are times when I still feel alone and discouraged. I cannot imagine what it must be like to wake up every day alone in a cold RV.  

Psalm 68:6 says that the Lord sets the lonely in families. The church is His vehicle for doing this - the unremarkable bodies of believers in out of the way spaces who open their hearts and lives to the lonely, the strange, the awkward, the broken, and the addicted. The real cost of doing church is not in buildings or utility bills or staffing or programming. The real cost is to love - to enter the vulnerable spaces to do life with the most broken. 

Mark VanValin, Director, Detroit Initiative

The mission of the Detroit Initiative is to partner with what God is doing to bring His Shalom to Detroit by multiplying disciples through the multiplication of leaders and churches.

 

We celebrate a new church plant in Mallot, Washington , launched on October 22!  After attending a Mission Igniter Church Planting Essentials training in October, 2021, Pastor Mike McCune from Cornerstone Christian Fellowship in Omak, began praying about what it would look like to plant a church in their community.  After much prayer, many conversations, location considerations, the Lord miraculously brought about a team to plant.   The Lord led Pastor Mike to two other pastors in the community, Jaime Mesa and Max Meadows, who were excited about the opportunity to join Cornerstone in this planting endeavor.  

With the answered prayers of the two pastors, and a facility coming available, they still needed a target audience.  After looking through the families from Cornerstone, Pastor Mike noticed a number of them that drive out of their community because there is no church available to them in the Malott community which totaled between 25-30 families.  This was enough that could assist with the church plant.  While Cornerstone will miss these families, they are sending them out with their blessing to be a part of this exciting adventure.

Cornerstone was the last church to be planted in this community which was 80 years ago!  They were able to announce this new church plant at their 80th Anniversary celebration in September.  It was exactly two years from the time Pastor Mike and his team sought the Lord at the CPE training until the Lord moved them into this church plant opportunity. Please keep this Mallot Christian Fellowship in your prayers!

 

The first time I met Al was at the 4th Street Laundromat in Central Point, Oregon.  He had no idea that he had stumbled upon a free laundry day or a church plant that primarily functions out of a laundromat.  The Fold, a fresh expression of church, is demonstrating God’s love by offering a practical and meaningful service to our community.  It's a simple act — asking someone their name and loading their washing machine with quarters — but the impact is incredible.  

We often encounter people that are navigating many challenges, things like housing and food instability, addiction, unemployment, mental health issues, and lack of transportation to name a few.  Al was dealing with a variety of these problems on the day we met.  He was living in a tent, estranged from family, and wondering how he had gotten to this place in his life as a 72-year-old-man.  

We believe that one of the tasks God has given our church is to affirm and nurture a sense of belonging within the family of God.  In just a few short months Al has found his place in our community and is now using his gifts on our team. In the past month alone Al has shared his testimony at a Free Methodist Church in our conference, started having daily devotions with another houseless community member, is leading prayer time at the laundromat, and is offering insight to our leadership team that makes us more culturally competent.  

All of our stories are unique and sometimes that uniqueness can lead us to the erroneous conclusion that we don’t have much in common with the people around us. But it turns out that we all have laundry to do and every one of us is on the lifelong journey of becoming like Jesus, and these are beautiful ways we can relate to one another.

A laundry ministry located in Central Point, Oregon!

 

The Lord is at work in the Arab community in Dearborn, Michigan, through Jiran Collective, a Mission Igniter ministry seeking to make Jesus’ love tangible to Arab refugees and immigrants.  At one of their recent gatherings, after the story was told about Jesus healing the daughter of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15, a Muslim man stood up and asked, “Does Jesus still heal today or was that only for 2000 years ago?”    To answer him, Pastor Raouf asked the question to the congregation, “Is there anyone here who has been sick or known of anyone sick and you prayed to Jesus and Jesus healed?”  Several stood up and told personal stories about how they had prayed for Jesus to heal someone they loved who had a sickness or an injury and their loved ones were miraculously healed.  This was a powerful time when the presence of God was so wonderful.

Pastor Raouf shares, “It was like Jesus opened the door of the church that evening and just came in.  Everyone was on the edge of their seats, listening how Jesus still heals.” 

For the first time, many Arab seekers at the gathering heard about the healing power of Jesus! This has opened up amazing doors of opportunity for further conversations on healing and on prayer. 

Please keep Jiran in your prayers as the Lord opens doors to share about the love and hope of Jesus!  They offer opportunities to serve in various ways, especially in their kids ministries.  If your church would like to know more about ways to serve, contact Pastor Raouf.

Pastor Raouf and his family raise their complete support through donations.  We invite you to partner with them in their ministry in Dearborn, click on this link: Partner Financially with Pastor Raouf & Jiran Collective

Jiran Collective holds regular gatherings, worshipping and building community, in English and Arabic.  Praise God for the 75 who attended their last gathering!

A special prayer request:

Because of the Arab population in Dearborn, the unrest in the Middle East has caused much emotion and stress to this community. Would you join with us in prayer in the following ways:

  • Pray with Jiran as they connect regularly with the Arab community. 

  • Pray for Jesus love to be made tangible, for violence and killing to stop on both sides, for help for those who need it on both sides and for restoration and reconciliation to be a reality.  

  • Pray for God to silence and thwart aggressors and empower the oppressed on both sides. 

  • Pray for the Prince of Peace to manifest His peace in supernatural ways and for the Church to be a force in peacemaking. 

 

Movements Start with Prayer

Mission Igniter longs to see “an expression of church for all people in all places.” In short, we desire to participate in a church planting movement in America. In "Leading Church Multiplication," Tom Nebel and Steve Pike contend that church planting movements require the following “essential systems:” spiritual dependence, recruiting, assessment, coaching, training, funding, and helping churches plant churches. To that end, Mission Igniter has developed eight core systems to serve and support our planters. While each of our systems is important, spiritual dependence is most important. Nebel and Pike also identified a “greater interest in prayer and intercession” as a critical indicator of a movement’s spiritual condition.

As we look upon the landscape across our contexts, communities, and country, we recognize great brokenness and spiritual darkness. John Wesley referred to the pervasiveness of sin as “complicated wickedness.” 

Planting new expressions of church in hard times and hard places seems like a daunting task, and that is because it is. We must, therefore, recognize right from the start that we will never see transformation in our communities unless we are utterly dependent upon the redemptive work of Jesus, and one of the primary ways we express our dependence upon God is through prayer. In 2 Chronicles 7.14, we read, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” When we humble ourselves, seek the Lord in prayer, and turn from our wickedness, God brings forgiveness and healing. Prayer is essential to God’s mission of healing our communities and world. While personal intercessory prayer is important, it’s worth noting that these words, and much of the Bible’s teaching on prayer, are directed at a community. Let’s pray that God would use church planting movements to heal our world, but let’s do it corporately as well.

Mission Igniter hosts a virtual prayer call twice a month, where our planters bear witness to what they see God doing in their context, and then they share requests and pray with and for one another. These are simple yet sweet times of intercession together. We invite you to join us on the first and third Thursday of each month from 9:00-9:40 AM EDT. You can join us here: Mission Igniter Virtual Prayer Time. Let’s humble ourselves, pray, and seek the Lord’s face together, trusting Him to use our churches as agents of healing in our communities and our world.

 
 

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Partner Financially Here.