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Resources for Pastoral Leaders

 

Do you want to see your church impact its ethnically diverse community,
while continuing to meet the needs of your existing congregation?

a personal note from
Executive Editor John Yoder

Learn more about
Immigrant Ministry Connections and our Executive Director

 

Dear fellow elders: Like most of you, I spent my early years in ministry among those who looked like me and enjoyed the same style of worship. Through years of experience in an international church (and making lots of mistakes!), I’ve learned to serve alongside pastors of diverse denominations and cultures. 

 

In the U.S., I’ve worshipped in over 80 immigrant churches. I’ve taken their pastors to lunch and listened to their life stories. From them, I’ve discovered that serving across generations requires as much change as serving across cultures.

 

 

I’ve also spoken with hundreds of American pastors about their partnerships with immigrant churches. These conversations revealed common practices that help or hurt the cultivation of cross-cultural partnerships.

 

 

Pastors of all cultures must balance meeting the needs of their existing congregations with reaching out to diverse ethnic groups in their communities. A few become multicultural churches.  More form partnerships with churches of other cultures. These may lead to the launching of new multicultural small groups, worship services, or churches.

a personal note from
Executive Editor John Yoder

Learn more about
Immigrant Ministry Connections and our Executive Director

 

Dear fellow elders: Like most of you, I spent my early years in ministry among those who looked like me and enjoyed the same style of worship. Through years of experience in an international church (and making lots of mistakes!), I’ve learned to serve alongside pastors of diverse denominations and cultures. 

 

In the U.S., I’ve worshipped in over 80 immigrant churches. I’ve taken their pastors to lunch and listened to their life stories. From them, I’ve discovered that serving across generations requires as much change as serving across cultures.

 

 

I’ve also spoken with hundreds of American pastors about their partnerships with immigrant churches. These conversations revealed common practices that help or hurt the cultivation of cross-cultural partnerships.

 

 

Pastors of all cultures must balance meeting the needs of their existing congregations with reaching out to diverse ethnic groups in their communities. A few become multicultural churches.  More form partnerships with churches of other cultures. These may lead to the launching of new multicultural small groups, worship services, or churches.

Most of you don’t have time to learn complex sociological principles.  If you prefer brief, jargon-free, immediately-actionable content, we designed our resources with you in mind.

 

We equip pastoral leaders to build healthy cross-cultural relationships and partnerships through
training, networking, and coaching.

 

Training

The 7 Day Cross-Cultural Challenge

An engaging series of daily multiple-choice quizzes and practical resources designed to walk your members through their first steps of understaning how to befriend and serve their immigrant neighbors

Explore the 7 Day Cross-Cultural Challenge

The Cross-Cultural Partnership Survival Guide

Our first book, focused on building healthy partnerships between churches of different cultures

Explore the Book

Online Courses

Cross-Cultural Friendships 101, Empowering the Second Generation, and Jumpstarting Church Momentum 

Explore our Online Courses

Blogs

From-the-trenches text and video blogs
by veteran practitioners

Explore our Blogs

Networking

 

Discover rich resources provided by your brothers and sisters in Christ, including Bibles and Christian videos in hundreds of languages, ministries in your area looking to serve together in partnership, and nationwide ministries training in specific skills.

Online Bibles
and Christian Videos

Bibles and disciple-making media in hundreds of languages
 
Explore
online disciple-making media

Training Agencies

Directories of ministry agencies training in teaching English, international student ministry
and more 
Explore
the agencies

American
Partnering Agencies

Directories of ministry agencies
in all 50 states

Explore
American partnering agencies

Canadian
Partnering Agencies

Directories of ministry agencies
in all 13 provinces and territories

Explore
Canadian partnering agencies

Best Websites
for Beginners

Our top picks of websites equipping those new to cross-cultural ministry

Explore
the websites

 

 

Coaching

Explore The Merging Streams Coalition

 

Our flagship platform to equip pastoral leaders for cross-cultural church partnerships is The Merging Streams Coalition. The Coalition is designed for ministry leaders desiring to enhance their capacity to launch or multiply healthy cross-cultural church partnerships. If you’re simply looking for a quick source of information, consider our book The Cross-Cultural Partnership Survival Guide.

 

The Merging Streams Coalition is not only a place where ministry leaders come together to receive training and coaching, but also to share their stories, resources, networks, and prayer support. It is an annual membership that provides 3-5 hours per month of fresh content, flexible around your busy schedule.

 

Coalition members begin with a 6-month Cohort,
providing small group and individual coaching.

On an ongoing basis, each month members receive:

 

 

  • Live practitioner interviews

  • Video-based lessons

  • Online prayer gatherings

  • Peer networking

 

Explore The Merging Streams Coalition

I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
1 Peter 5:1-4

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