DREAMS TO REALITY

Dreams have a funny way of captivating us. Though we often realize their distance from reality, something draws us back to them.  Hours, days, and perhaps even years are spent contemplating their meaning so we can understand where they stem from.   We try to relive them, or at the very least share them with others to re-experience if only through our words.  They become fuel, giving us a vision for things that never before seemed possible.

In November of 2005, five men gathered at a cabin in western Wisconsin to pray and seek the Lord’s wisdom about how to use a special gift given to the CCCC for church planting. This meeting proved to be a special encounter with God, providing the dream of a multiplication movement being birthed in the CCCC.

The bequest had come from the Phillips Church in south Boston that faced closure due to dwindling attendance and finances. After discussion with some of their key leaders in New England, the remaining members of that church caught a vision from God to donate the money from the sale of their facility to the CCCC.  Though divided amongst different areas, the majority of this gift was designated for church planting with a special concern for work in New England and other urban areas.

As they gathered at the cabin, the committee considered some typical uses for this funding, but the trustees of the Phillips Church bequest stated that they wanted the money to be spent and not saved for future ministry. While there were some planting projects in the CCCC, the committee knew that it would be wise not to support these projects at a rate that would make them become dependent on the Conference.

But God united their hearts and minds as they joined in prayer, giving them the vision of a new era of ministry for the Conference. They unanimously heard God’s call to recommend that these resources could be used to begin a church multiplication movement supported by healthy pastors and healthy churches. 

These men dreamed of hiring staff to lead ministries of church multiplication, church redevelopment and conference care. When brought together, these ministries would unite the Conference ministry to focus on expanding God’s kingdom and reach many people in this generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the years since this cabin meeting, the ministry of the CCCC has changed dramatically. Church multiplication centers—including the Northstar Church Multiplication Center—are being established across the country. A growing number of member churches have refocused their ministry through training around church redevelopment. Many pastors have been encouraged and strengthened in their service of the Lord. And through all of these, many lives have been transformed by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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