The VITAL Initiative Continues Expansive Progress
The VITAL Initiative was organized around the core belief that says, “Small churches are vitally important to what God is doing in the earth today!” This conviction undergirds the stated mission: “To help the Church of God realize and utilize the power and place of small churches in 21st century Kingdom work.”
Since its inception, The VITAL Initiative has operated around three objectives: 1) Revalue Pastors, 2) Reclaim Mission and 3) Revitalize Small Churches.
According to founder and director Rev. Michael Nations, “God has blessed The VITAL Initiative by providing many Kingdom connections that have supplemented, strengthened, and enriched the ministry effort while remaining true to initial convictions and objectives.”
Nations recently reported the following seven developments which illustrate God’s blessing and reveal the importance and need for this ministry in the Church of God:
– Hundreds of pastors, across twenty-one states and regions, have been inspired and encouraged to take a fresh look at the work they are doing for the Lord. Many pastors serve in obscurity and on the margins of society and much of their work goes unnoticed on this earth, but it is certain that God knows and sees every effort made for the Kingdom of God in His name. Pastors are facing unprecedented challenges that are difficult to navigate; their stories are eye-opening and missing from most attempts at pastoral development. The privilege of meeting and talking with hundreds of pastors and spouses across the United States and listening to their heart and the ministry struggles they face has been a generative force for The VITAL Initiative.
-These discussions with pastors across the country provide the groundwork for producing a series of short videos called “Vital Issues”. The Church of God Communications Department worked with The VITAL Initiative to create ten short videos that address current matters pastors are facing today. A new video is released every month along with an accompanying blogpost that further explores the issue at hand. The videos and blogposts can be accessed at www.thevitalinitiative.com where interaction from pastors is encouraged to fully address these topics.
– Under the direction of Bishop Mitchell Corder, the newly established Church Health and Revitalization Department of the Church of God has made The VITAL Initiative a strategic partner in its determined effort to bring hope and health to small churches. Since over eighty percent of our churches are small, The VITAL Initiative offers the Church Health and Revitalization Department a vehicle expressly developed to serve this important and vast segment of the Church of God. As this partnership continues to develop, more details will be provided.
– The VITAL Initiative will serve as the theme for 2020 for the Full Gospel Church of God in South Africa. This is a great honor. The Moderator of our sister denomination, Dr. Stafford Peterson, along with the Secretary General, Renier Pelser made the official request due to the applicability of the precepts of The VITAL Initiative to their current situation and the agreement with their stated vision.
– James O. Davis of the Global Church Network and Billion Souls Network has offered a unique partnership with the Global Church Learning Center and The VITAL Initiative. This is an opportunity for pastors to access the substantial video training library to assist pastors in meeting the unusual challenges of ministry in the 21st century. The details of this exciting partnership is still being developed.
– A wonderful working relationship has been developed between Multiplication Network Ministries and The VITAL Initiative. Dr. John Wagenveld and the leadership team of Multiplication Network Ministries spent many hours in dialog and training with The VITAL Initiative at their offices in Zeeland, Michigan on two different visits. Cooperation and collaboration are integral to ensuring “Stronger Churches and More Churches” in the Church of God in the United States due to this Kingdom connection.
– Finally, using the proven and tested material and resources of Multiplication Network Ministries combined with the resources and structure of The VITAL Initiative an innovative approach to the challenge of revitalization in small churches has been developed called Change the Chip: “Restoring Missional Passion” and “Re-imagining Local Church Ministry”. This is a process of revitalization, but it starts with an event: a Change the Chip Pastors Symposium. The aim of this process is to create an ethos among pastors that prioritizes mission and values creativity, innovation, and risk to undertake it. The focus is Holy Spirit directed and pastor driven.
The first ever Change the Chip Pastors Symposium was held in Scarborough, Maine for pastors in the Northern New England Region on October 25-26, 2019. It was a great success and prepared the pastors and the region for a missional process. The second Change the Chip Pastors Symposium will be held in Western North Carolina at the Ridgecrest Conference Center at Black Mountain, North Carolina in March 2020. The VITAL Initiative is committed to helping the Church of God realize and utilize the place and power of small churches in 21st century Kingdom work, therefore the goal is to offer the Change the Chip process to all 5,260 small churches in every state and region of the Church of God throughout the United States.
Connect with The VITAL Initiative on the website www.thevitalinitiative.com or email Michael Nations at [email protected].
