NOTE from Dr. Samuel Logan: WRF member Dr. Manuel Ortiz has always had a heart for church planting. He and his family were part of a team in Chicago of four families that planted five churches, two elementary schools, and a number of other ministries during 14 years before they moved to Philadelphia in June of 1987.

The church of which Manny is now Senior Pastor, Spirit and Truth Fellowship, began as a church plant and was the first Christian Reformed Church (CRC) in the city of Philadelphia. In 2000, the team at Spirit and Truth began looking to planting other churches. The first church, Germantown Hope Community Church pastored by Kyuboem Lee, was launched in April 2002. The second one, African Christian Ministry pastored by Robert Wafula, was launched in July 2005. By Grace Alone, pastored by Gabriel Wang-Herrera, was the next one to go out and was launched in November 2005. Then came Eighth Street Community Church, pastored by Andy Kim, which was launched in November 2007. There is a fifth plant, Mt. Airy Community Church to be pastored by Allen Drew, that is projected to be launched on Easter Sunday 2009. Conversations are now being held with some of the other leaders in the church about future church plants. In addition to the church plants, Spirit and Truth has launched an elementary school and a community center that has an after school program, legal clinic, community art program, and a drop in center for almost any need for assistance. Below is a proposal which Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Sue Baker have developed for the denomination which they serve - the Christian Reformed Church of North America.

Philadelphia Church Planting Center:

A Proposal to the Christian Reformed Church of North America


The numbers of unchurched are rising, even among groups traditionally associated with a strong Christian (Catholic and Protestant) heritage, such as Hispanics and African Americans. Globalization is bringing in new immigrants, many of whom do not come from nations with strong links to Christianity. Churches from many denominations are closing down due to decreasing numbers of members and attendees. We are entering a post-Christian era which is alarming as we view the future of Christianity in the U.S. Denominations are looking for new life and new wineskins as they recognize the benefits of beginning new ministries. Church planting is a high priority on strategy agendas for many.

Although the effects of globalization and continuing immigration can be felt throughout the country, certainly the urban metropolises of the East and West coasts have felt these effects more acutely as they have become home for the majority of those entering our shoes. At the time of the 2000 census, New York City metropolitan area housed over 20,000 foreign-born residents from each of 25 different countries plus almost 50,000 from Western Africa and 300,000 island-born from Puerto Rico. Of the over 3 million foreign born in the New York area (not including Puerto Ricans), 42.2% (almost 1.5 million) have entered the U.S. from 1990 to 2000. This pattern is continuing and is being replicated along the entire Northeast Corridor, from Boston down to Washington, DC, and has spilled over into most of the smaller cities of the region as well.

We can indeed echo the words of our Lord, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” (Mt. 9:37b). We would add that not only are the workers few, but workers trained to meet the unique needs of all these different people groups are even more scarce. The specific need is to develop indigenous leaders as well as leaders gifted in cross-cultural ministry to be trained thoroughly in the Reformed faith but also trained in how to communicate these truths through contextually relevant means. This requires far more than simply translating Scripture and worship materials into different languages. Therefore, the entire training process needs critical contextualization if we are to effectively advance God’s kingdom and “make disciples of all nations” as God, in His sovereign will, brings the nations to us.

Philadelphia is situated in a strategic location in the middle of what has become known as the Northeast Corridor. Two hours from both New York and Washington, D.C., it has the potential of becoming a hub for advancing the kingdom of God throughout this corridor by developing church planting leadership for this unique type of ministry.

Proposal for the Philadelphia Church Planting Center (PCPC)

That a ministry tentatively named the Philadelphia Church Planting Center (PCPC) be established to provide teaching/training experiences for potential leadership for church planting efforts throughout the Northeast Corridor.
That PCPC coordinate the identification and training of emerging church planters, including internships in the Philadelphia tri-state metropolitan area.
That PCPC provide coaching, mentoring, and further training for existing church planters throughout the process of planting the church, organizing the church, and developing a strong ministry.
That PCPC be viewed as a model that can be contextually replicated in other strategic areas, such as Boston and New York City.
That Manny Ortiz and Sue Baker be the co-directors of PCPC as of July 1, 2008.
Mission

The mission of PCPC is to train, mentor, provide resources for, and support leadership for church plants in Philadelphia and other urban centers throughout the Northeast Corridor.

Methodology

Manny Ortiz and Sue Baker, along with others, have a long history of training men and women for ministry in our ethnically and racially changing urban areas. Their experience in planting churches both in Chicago and in Philadelphia has led them to understand that the context has much to do with the model to be employed and leadership selection and training. Therefore, multiple models are imperative to effectively reach our urban areas. One unique aspect of the process promoted by PCPC is that church plants have organic beginnings with leaders being identified, trained, and mentored through the existing local church. Another distinctive is that PCPC works toward developing reproducing churches as a natural outworking of every church plant.

PCPC believes that leadership training should be available to all members of the body of Christ. Therefore, PCPC will be a comprehensive training/mentoring ministry utilizing non-formal, informal, and formal methodologies.

For further information, contact WRF member Dr. Manuel Ortiz at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Dr. Sue Baker at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..