A new church planting organization has been organized to assist the development of new Grace Brethren congregations in North America. Go2 Church Planting Ministries intends to continue church growth efforts in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches (FGBC) in North America, filling a void left with the closing of Grace Brethren North American Missions.
Headquartered in Telford, Pa., Go2 Church Planting Ministries was affirmed by the Fellowship Council, the board of pastors who provide leadership to the FGBC, during the council’s January meeting in California. Pending presentation of a ministry plan in April 2008, the organization will be considered at the an upcoming conference (held in August 2008) for official recognition in the FGBC.
The new Go2 board of directors includes five Grace Brethren members (out of seven positions). This is intended to preserve the integrity of FGBC church planting, while taking advantage of the expertise of individuals outside the Fellowship who might help push the church planting vision forward, according to Dr. Timothy Boal, executive director. Board members include Bob Fetterhoff, pastor of the Wooster, Ohio, Grace Brethren Church, who serves as chairman; Mike Lee, pastor of Hope Community Church in Cary, N.C.; Jeff Gill, dean of Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Ind.; Kent Semple, a CPA and member of the Grace Brethren Church in Columbus, Ohio; and Mark Curtis, an attorney who is a member of the Grace Brethren Church in Long Beach, Calif.
Joining Boal on staff are experienced ministry leaders. They include: Musa Asake, African People Groups Church Planting Director, Jos, Nigeria; Arnold Betoney, American Indian Church Planting Director, Albuquerque, N. M.; Ron Boehm, Midwest U.S. Church Planting Director, Macedonia, Ohio; Oscar Chavez, Western U.S. Church Planting Director, Lancaster, Calif.; Clive Craigen, Church Planter Mobilization, Chicago, Ill.; Antonio Figueira, Lusophone Groups Church Planting Director, Porto, Portugal; Steve Galegor Jr., Albanophone Church Planting Director, New York, N. Y.; Jesus Munoz, Hispanic Church Planting Director, Tampa, Fla.; and Jim Snavely, Northeast U.S. Director of Church Planting, Bloomsburg, Pa. Kevin Marsico, Monrovia, Md., is Church Planting Network Coordinator.
Boal assured the Fellowship Council that all monies received from Grace Brethren churches and individuals would be used only for Grace Brethren church planting ministry projects. “No Grace Brethren money will ever be used for non-Grace Brethren church planting projects,” he said.
Boal noted that the new structure allows for several non-Grace Brethren board members, but never a majority. It’s a similar structure found in other recognized FGBC cooperating organizations, including Grace College and Theological Seminary.