2022 SUMMIT REPORT: Raising the Bar by Deepening Disciples

We have had very positive feedback from those who attended the Summits. We provided six sites for people to attend closer to home and had a total of 312 participants at our Summits. The Summit takeaway is for churches to help people not only make a salvation decision, but to make true disciples of Jesus Christ. I realize this is a two-way street in that the church can do everything right and have someone make a decision to follow Christ, but they may not return to another church service or even return a follow-up phone call. However, we are challenging churches to have a plan for every person who makes a decision to follow Christ, so they have a solid foundation as a disciple. Here are some important questions to answer:

• Do we have trained disciple makers prepared to follow-up with those who make a decision to follow Christ?
• Do we provide age-appropriate materials (children, youth, and adults) for discipleship?
• Do we have a next step process to help decision makers take their next step, e.g., water baptism, membership class, small group involvement, etc.?
• Are we providing encouragement and opportunities for people to continue on the road of discipleship by being lifelong learners?

Let’s do everything possible to create a system of follow-up with each decision maker so they have a higher potential of understanding their decision, their relationship with Christ and His Church, and that they become a disciple maker as well!

Our Future is FORWARD!

Bruce A. Pfadenhauer, Regional Director

CONGRATULATIONS

Pastor Joshua (Zia) Bingaman was elected to serve as senior pastor at First Church of the Open Bible in Des Moines, IA. Pastor Josh will begin serving April 11, 2022.

COMFORT

Pastor Scott Emerson’s father, R. Bruce Emerson, passed away on January 28, 2022. Here is a link to his obituary – obituary. Pastor Scott is Senior Pastor at New Life Open Bible Church in Chippewa Falls, WI.

Dale Bush’s mother, Nancy Evelyn (Bush) Greer, passed away on March 4, 2022. Here’s a link to her obituary – obituary. Dale is a credentialed minister with Open Bible Churches in Wapella, IL.