Dear CNC Pastors and Leaders,
We had an incredible biennial meeting at Wooddale this month. Attendance was very strong, the keynote speaker’s message resonated with many of our pastors, and the best part (based on survey feedback) was the relationships that were strengthened among pastors after 6 years of not having an in-person, all-CNC meeting. It was very good.
Throughout our time together, we reminded attendees that at every level the CNC team desires to help pastors become healthier so that their congregations become healthier. During the business portion of our event, we shared the challenging question our movement wrestles with, “what’s the value of CNC to the local pastor or church.” We answered it with an honest approach describing six value-added services. Also, we communicated CNC needs to do a better job articulating our impact with pastors so that churches appreciate their affiliation with CNC. We finished our time together with a gentle reminder – the more you put into CNC the more you get out of it.
Lastly, be watching for upcoming information about the regional president search process, get-to-know CNC webinars, and more interim leadership events.
Thankful for your partnership with CNC,
Wick
Interim Regional President
Camping
Spring is a busy season of getting ready for summer camp. Want to help?
Volunteer at Trout
Serve Teams kick off in April to help spruce up Trout before the summer camp season. There’s plenty of work to do for all skills and abilities. Plus you get to hang out at Trout for the week.
Serve at Trout:
https://troutlakecamps.org/retreats/serve-team
Summer Opportunity
Know any students looking for more than just a summer job? Tell them about working at Trout. We’re recruiting everywhere we can—including TikTok. Someone felt called to camp ministry after seeing one of our videos and applied!
Spread the Word:
https://jobs.troutlakecamps.org/summer-staff
Just the Beginning
Here’s what a leader at a recent retreat said about how the weekend impacted their students spiritually: “More than words can describe. And I feel like it’s only the start!”
Thank You
It’s incredible to see how Jesus is changing lives at Trout. Thanks for partnering with us and making this ministry possible.
Starting
Church Planting: By the Numbers
Church planting is a mix of art and science. The art side is all about the Holy Spirit—guiding, shaping, and leading the way. In between, there’s prayer, discernment, faithfulness, doctrine, discipleship, and everything else that makes a church thrive. Then, there’s the science side—best practices, trends, demographics, and the lessons learned from experience.
With that in mind, let’s look at some numbers that highlight both the art and science of church planting—because starting a church isn’t just about launching something new; it’s about reaching people, making disciples, and expanding God’s kingdom.
1. Evangelism Comes First
If planting a church just moves people from one congregation to another, something’s off. Jesus made it clear: we’re supposed to go and be His witnesses—“in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
That’s why evangelism has to be the foundation from day one. At the Church Planters Assessment Center, through training and coaching, new churches are encouraged to start strong with a focus on reaching people who don’t know Jesus yet.
Think of it like sports—practice matters. The way you prepare before launch sets the tone for what happens afterward. If no one is coming to Christ before the church starts, don’t expect that to change once the doors open. Evangelism isn’t an afterthought—it needs to be a priority from the start.
2. Your Launch Team Sets the Pace
Most new churches end up doubling their launch team when they officially start. That means if you have 30 adults in your core team, you can expect around 60 people to filling the seats after launch Sunday. If you start with 100 adults, you might settle at around 200.
Launch Sunday numbers are exciting, but the real story is told in the weeks that follow. Churches grow in stages—just like kids crawl before they walk and walk before they run.
That’s why most planters aim for a launch team of at least 40 committed adults before getting started. Once you factor in kids, that gives you a base of around 100 people—enough momentum to build a solid first year.
3. Multiple Income Streams Are the New Normal
Let’s be honest—the economy is changing, and church planters have to adapt. Most need at least three sources of income to make things work:
- Tithes & offerings – The goal is for this to grow over time.
- Outside fundraising – This includes personal support, financial help from parent churches or denominations, and donations for equipment and other church needs. But this usually decreases over time. The norm has been to ask for 3 years for support. Recent trends are to ask some to recommit for another year.
- Other work – Whether it’s painting, construction, Uber Eats, DoorDash, renting out a car on Turo, or working a side gig, many planters take on extra work for a season to keep things going.
Funding models are shifting. Thom Rainer and Ryan Burge have written about how church and church planting finances are evolving, and it’s becoming more common for planters to work bi-vocationally, at least at the start.
4. Don’t Skimp on Getting the Word Out
A church planting friend of mine shares this quote, “When you spend nickels and dimes on advertising, you get nickel-and-dime results.”
Here’s the deal: if no one knows your church exists, they won’t show up. Marketing isn’t a bad word—it’s just about making sure people hear about the church!
If you’ve got a church sign, a website, or a social media page, guess what? You’re already marketing. Even Jesus emphasized in the parable of the banquet the idea of going out into the highways and byways (Luke 14) to invite people in
The big question is—does your budget reflect this priority? A lot of church plants spend big on equipment but don’t set aside enough to actually spread the word. What if some of that budget went to reaching people instead? Many planters borrow or find second-hand equipment from other churches, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist. That frees up money to invest in outreach.
Bottom line: Be wise and make sure people know your church is there!
Thinking About Church Planting?
Whether you’re considering planting a church, supporting one, or partnering as a parent church, let’s talk! Joel Nelson at jnelson@convergenorthcentral.org.
Events & Opportunities
April 3-4, 2025 EBA Training Eagle Brook Apple Valley campus, MN. Training is free. Travel and lodging scholarships available, contact Joel Nelson
April 17, 2025 CNC – Under The Hood Webinar (Save the date)
April 24, 2025 Evangelism & Discipleship (Online) “Preview Event”
May 6-8 S2 East Conference Indianapolis, IN
May 14-15, 2025 EBA Training Bridge Cities Church Bettendorf, IA. Training is free. Travel and lodging scholarships available, contact Joel Nelson
October 23-24, 2025 Fix The Finances 2.0 St. Paul, MN (Save the date)
Lake Sarah Baptist Church Director of Family Life Ministries Slayton, MN (job opening)
Calvary Church High School Director White Bear Township, MN (job opening)
Westbrook Community Church Lead Pastor Chanhassen, MN (job opening)
City Church Pastor of Worship Arts & Formation Mpls, MN (job opening)
Converge International Ministries
Disciple the Nations Next Door. No Passport Required. Start Local Go Global.
In recent years, Converge International Ministries has recognized both the challenge and opportunity of engaging the growing number of people whom Acts 1:8 describes as being at the “end of the earth” are now living right here in North America. Every year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers are making their homes in gateway cities like the Twin Cities, where one in three residents is a first- or second-generation immigrant. Because of this, the U.S. and Canada now have the third- and fourth-largest numbers of unreached people groups in the world, just behind India and China.
To respond to this opportunity, Converge launched an initiative called From Scattered to Gathered (FS2G)—a movement focused on discipling least-reached people groups who are now our neighbors. The Twin Cities is an ideal place for this work, with its incredible diversity, large numbers of least-reached communities, and churches eager to live out the Great Commission. CNC is excited to partner with FS2G and help connect churches with this mission.
One key part of FS2G is the Thai Movement Partnership, led by John and Kathie Pederson. They’re working with Grace Fellowship in Brooklyn Park, MN, to launch a bilingual church for the 9,500 Thai people who now call the Twin Cities home—most of whom have never heard the gospel. John and Kathie are also on the board of The Hospitality Center, which helps churches engage with the thousands of international students from least-reached nations who are studying at the University of Minnesota and other local schools. If you want to be part of this cross-cultural disciple-making work, check out The hospitality Center for opportunities to get involved!
Bruce and Julie Adamson are also on the frontlines of this mission, working as part of a multi-agency team to disciple the thousands of Afghan nationals who have resettled in the Twin Cities since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in August 2021. There are so many ways to help—from teaching English and tutoring kids to helping people practice driving. Even more amazing, among the many Sunni- and Shia-background Afghans who have moved here, God has brought a handful of families who are already following Jesus. These believers were part of an underground church network in Afghanistan, and now, they’re continuing their faith journey in a brand-new place.
To support them, Azadi Living Imports was created—a cooperative that helps 15–20 Christian mothers and daughters craft and sell beautiful, handcrafted Afghan tapestries. Not only does this provide much-needed support for these families, but it also keeps Afghan cultural traditions alive. To learn more or support this project, visit Azadi Living Imports.
Want to equip your church to reach least-reached neighbors? FS2G has put together a web-based, four-lesson course called God’s Kingdom, My Neighbor, and Me. It’s designed to help churches step into disciple-making with more intentionality. If you’d like to form a small cohort of 6–10 people, reach out to Bruce Adamson—who would love to help you get started!
Questions about these opportunities for you and your church?
John and Kathie Pederson- 218.760.0027; 218.760.0029
Bruce and Julie Adamson- 952.204.9430; 763.220.2944
Prayer
Dear Jesus,
As we prepare for our teaching series leading up to Resurrection Sunday, we rejoice in the fact that you offer us victory over sin if we follow you. Thank you for the gift of salvation and the hope that your resurrection brings. Fill our hearts with joy, peace, and renewed faith. May we walk boldly in your love, reflecting your light in our words and actions. Strengthen us as pastors and leaders to share this good news in our communities in Minnesota and Iowa, that all may know you and ollow you. Thank you for the empty tomb. In your name we pray. Amen
