Spring Ministry
We hosted family retreats and District Blitz. Here are a few stories:
- Mother & Son Retreat: We saw 21 spiritual decisions this weekend! The number one favorite thing on the camper surveys was “spending time with my mom”. Here’s what one parent said: “Thank you Trout Lake staff,
volunteers, and sponsors. This place has truly transformed our lives by getting to know and grow closer to Jesus Christ!”
- District Blitz: One youth pastor brought 30 students to District Blitz. Six of them were baptized in Lake Superior! Here’s what one youth pastor had to say: “As a first-time Blitz attendee, I am very thankful
our youth has this opportunity and exposure. The songs and preaching were very impactful for me. I’m excited to see what my group reflects on when we meet!”
Spring Spruce
We’re so grateful for the Serve Teams that worked hard and played hard last month to help us get camp ready.
They installed AC, replaced windows, refinished a deck, cleaned cabins, and so much more.
Thank You
Summer camp is just one month away. Thanks for making this ministry possible.
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Church Planting Goals and Updates
Almost five years ago, the ten regions that make up Converge National—including Converge North Central (CNC)—set a bold,
shared goal: to see 312 new congregations started over a five-year span. Now, just over four years into that journey, we’ve seen 255 churches planted—and 44 of those are from CNC!
We’re not done yet. With several candidates in the pipeline and a strong group of assessed planters preparing to launch,
we are on track to hit our 312-church goal by the end of this year.
Each new church has a unique story. Each one is actively reaching people who previously didn’t know Jesus. Each one
is committed to making more—and stronger—disciples, transforming lives, neighborhoods, and communities. Every church is like a stone tossed into a pond, sending ripples of gospel impact in every direction.
Recently, church planting directors from most Converge regions gathered to reflect on this final stretch toward 312—and
to begin discerning what God might be calling us to pursue in church multiplication over the next five years.
A pastor from a Converge church in Arizona led us through a StratOp (Strategic Operations) process. With prayerful dependence,
strategic thinking, and honest conversation, we asked God to show us what’s next for our movement in church planting—and how we can best pursue that vision together.
Fifteen hours later, the walls of our meeting room were covered with more than 30 sheets of ideas, reflections, and
next steps.
It was a powerful experience that gave us clarity and a pathway forward. We recommitted to things already bearing fruit,
mapped out some bold new initiatives, and covered everything in prayer. Here are a few highlights:
Our Core Values:
- Health – Caring for the whole being of the whole person
- Kingdom Minded – It’s not about one church or one leader; it’s about something greater
- Community – We are truly better together
- Growth – We hold ourselves accountable to agreed-upon outcomes
- Calling – Where gifting and conviction intersect
Our Shared Mission:
To start and strengthen churches—together.
Our Core Strategies:
- Discover – Connecting with potential planters
- Develop – Equipping church planters
- Deploy – Launching planters and new churches
Our strategic vision flows like a funnel: starting with how many new inquiries come in, then tracking how many go through
pre-assessment, complete the assessment center, receive coaching, get deployed, celebrate five years of ministry, and eventually become parent churches themselves.
As a national movement, Converge church planting has gained real momentum—even during the tail end of COVID, we saw
some of our highest numbers attending assessment centers!
That momentum is strong locally as well. Within CNC:
- Five church planters assessed in recent years have recently launched or are launching this fall
- Another new church is ramping up now
- Three CNC churches have hired church planting residents—two of them for the first time!
- The next three national assessment centers will feature multiple CNC candidates
If you’d like to learn more about church planting in CNC—what it looks like to be a church planter, how your church
might dip its toes into church planting parenting, or what we discovered on those 30+ sheets in a classroom in Indianapolis—I’d love to talk!
Joel Nelson
jNelson@ConvergeNorthCentral.org
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Pace, Purpose, and Pivot
While listening to a basketball game on the radio, I heard the announcer paint a verbal picture of the point guard bringing
the ball up the court “with pace and a purpose.” That phrase stuck with me. I liked what it captured. I’ve borrowed it many times since.
As we transition into the rhythm of a Midwestern summer, every pastor and church leader knows it brings a change of
season in ministry. Attendance patterns shift. Programs slow down.
The
pace changes. The purpose remains.
Summer is not a pause—it’s a pivot.
This slower pace opens up fresh, strategic opportunities: to deepen relationships, experiment with creative ideas, prepare
for a renewed push in the fall, and—ideally—find time for rest and renewal.
I remember the first church I served in. At first, I tried to resist the laid-back summer vibe. But I quickly learned
to lean into it. Informal gatherings became part of the rhythm—church barbecues, patio meetings at cafés, and more unhurried conversations. The purpose was the same. Connection, relationship, and even discipling in fresh ways.
Use this season for more one-on-one meetings. See pastoral care from a new angle. People may be more available—and more
open—than usual.
Summer also offers clarity for vision casting. Early mornings on the patio with coffee or walks around a lake can become
sacred spaces for prayer, reflection, and planning for the season ahead.
And don’t overlook rest—yours and your church’s. Learn from Jesus. He often withdrew to quiet places. When we rest well,
we lead well.
This summer, as the pace shifts, pivot with purpose. You won’t just maintain momentum—you’ll build it.
Blessings on your summer,
Joel
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Converge International Ministries partners with Converge North Central to bring the Gospel to unreached people groups. The Great Sea Initiative is, “Asking God for a Gospel Movement among every least reached people group in
the countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea.”
Hope
Fellowship in Ramsey, MN has partnered with the Great Sea Initiative and are sending a group of 20+ senior-high students and adults to serve Converge missionaries
Andy & Irida Morisseau as they reach out to the Albanian Muslim minority of Macedonia, a population that numbers more than 500,000 people with less than 20 known believers.
This group has been doing training with
The Great Sea Initiative leader to prepare for this cross-cultural missions’ experience. They have learned about the history of this region and what brought them to the point of desperate need of the Gospel. They have been equipped to engage in spiritual
conversations with people of Muslim backgrounds. Skills they will be able to use overseas and in their community in MN.
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Dear Jesus,
As we approach the summer, would you pour out your spirit of refreshment and renewal on us. May this be a season where you rekindle our desire to minister to those in our communities. Fill us with joy and remind us our worth
is found in you. Give us quiet moments of peace as we dive deep into scripture this summer. Protect us and our families. May we return to ministry this fall with a clear and energized passion to communicate your truth to a world that desparately needs it.
We pray all of this in your name.
Amen.
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