Outreach North America Morrie Lawing My wife Lori and I have been married 36 years. During that time, the LORD has
seven grandchildren with two more on the way. I am particularly proud of our young- est, Joel, who is serving in the United States Marine Corp in Texas. The LORD has called our middle son Paul into gospel ministry, having recently earned his MDiv from RTS Charlotte. Oh, and I have become one of those pickleball-playing fanatics.
2. Describe your background in church planting. While in seminary at Erskine, I worked for Rev. Jim Corbitt at Devenger Road ARP in Greenville, SC. During this time, Jim became the Director of Outreach North America. Subsequently, he thought it would be good for Lori and me to go through the church planter assessment process. We were recommended with the provision of serving in an existing ARP church for a time. After serving at Bartow ARP as the associate pastor for three years, we moved in 1996 to North Carolina to begin the work of church planting. With no core group, only us and our two little kids, the LORD faithfully brought His people to be a part of Ballantyne ARP Church in south Charlotte. After this mission church was organized, we moved from Coddle Creek ARP who had been praying for several years about daughtering a church. Through their continued prayers and God’s sovereign purposes, Christ Church ARP was born, and I served there for the past 20 years. Our LORD has been gracious to allow us to be involved in these different starts.
3. Tell us about your calling to serve with ONA. This call was not in and of myself. It was an external call. I have a great appreciation for the ARP and have been in the
ARP for 35 years with 28 of them involved in church planting. So, when I was asked by a member of the search committee to consider leading ONA, I thought I really have no reason to leave my pastorate. These good people are growing in godli- ness, and I am blessed to be their pastor. Plus, I really couldn’t imagine being chosen to be in this leadership position. I applied anyway, and in the end the ONA Board revealed ultimately God’s call to serve as ONA’s director. I am humbled and excited to see what the LORD will do.
Well, I have two things: • It is presbyteries, not ONA, who start churches and ordain men who are seeking to a plant church. ONA is a ministry of support, helping presbyteries in this endeavor.
• Church planting men are not wholly different from any other pastor. We all are ordained ministers of the Word and
5. Any prayer request as you begin your new role as ONA Director in January 2025? As ONA Director, I endeavor to make the ARP known nationally, to speak of what the LORD is doing in our denomi-
nation. He has graciously brought us out of the ashes of liberalism decades ago, and we are poised to see His mighty hand at work again; not being content with the status quo, but growing in our commitment to confessional, reformed, vibrant churches. To this end, please pray • that our LORD would raise up many godly men who are interested in expanding the kingdom by starting an ARP church.
• that our LORD would incline the hearts of sessions and churches to become excited about starting and even daugh- tering an ARP church.
• and that our sovereign LORD would receive all the glory in what He will do in the ARP. more ONA on page 30
Planting, Strengthening, and Evangelizing 14 The Associate Reformed Presbyterian
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