Outreach North America Planting, Strengthening, and Evangelizing Alan J. Avera, D.Min., ONA Executive Director
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
he late Dr. Jay Adams once told me not to be too quick to pass over the original geographic orientation of this commission in Acts 1:8. He cautioned against making the leap to North America as our Jerusalem too abruptly. He said that from the perspective of
Understanding this connection helps us grasp the close connection between being witnesses at home, and then seeing that Gospel witness extended far beyond our home. We are indebted to those original witnesses in Jerusalem for being a key link in the chain that link in the chain that leads to World Witness’s work in Pakistan, Rwanda, Europe, and elsewhere. Outreach North America exists to help presbyteries plant and strengthen ARP churches undergirded by evangelism. Our mission of helping presbyteries can be summarized by three participles: planting, strengthening, and evangelizing.
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Planting. Did you know that for the ARP to be a growing denomination that is better able to extend our Gospel witness overseas, we need to organize more than seven new churches each year?
Strengthening. Did you know that we have more existing churches on a plateau or in decline than healthy churches? The healthier our churches become, the stronger our Gospel witness will be both here and abroad.
Evangelizing. How can we make disciples overseas unless we are gathering and making disciples here?
We invite you into this work of planting, strengthening, and evangelizing. Below and on the next page are examples of how three of your church plants are being Gospel witnesses and are gathering and making disciples.
Christ’s Community Church, Chuluota, FL. beginning has been for conversions. In May, Mark baptized Jacob Wren. Mark connected with Jacob at the Pete Alwinson men’s minis- try where Jacob came to faith about a month or so before the church plant kicked off. Jacob, his wife and 2-year-old have been coming
Redbud Church, Claremore, OK. Red- bud joined the ARP as a mission of Florida Presbytery in January 2022 under the lead- ership of Rev. Scott Mitchell. In June of had 12 baptisms. What started with a core group of 24 has grown to 85 members and attenders. They have grown out of their cur- rent meeting place and have already identi-
14 The Associate Reformed Presbyterian
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