New Church Launch

This month I have encouraging news to share. Together, as part of the North Central District, we are pursuing 30 new Kingdom advancing environments in 10 years. These environments will bring light to dark places and the hope of Jesus to hurting people. Zion Evangelical Fellowship in St. Paul has felt called to take up our district direction and they are launching Sunday services at a new 2nd location in Minneapolis. The first Sunday for this location is on February 2nd. Pastor Alhoubele Mamo has been leading prayer and worship gatherings each Wednesday and he has been actively pulling together a launch team in order to bring this second campus to fruition.

Why is Zion Minneapolis launching as a second campus and not a traditional autonomous church plant? As we discerned the call of Zion to plant churches, their leadership capabilities present in their elder board and the cultural and language distinctions present, we came to the decision that the church plant would grow best and strongest if the elder board and leadership of Zion own this second campus as if it were their own – providing accountability and structure for the new location, and helping raise up leaders to make the church autonomous once it has its footing. We will get to the same place – an autonomous CMA church in Minneapolis called Zion Minneapolis – but the way we will get there is through the local church having direct authority over the campus and the District functioning as a coach and supporter. I have been walking with Pastor Mamo for the past year, training him through our church planter BASICS training, and coaching him in the steps of the process. The partnership has been wonderful, and God has blessed everyone’s open-handedness.

So, in these days, I ask you to pray for Zion Minneapolis. Add them to your prayer list. Give these requests to the prayer warriors at your church. Take a moment during your service this Sunday to pray for this new endeavor. Pray for Pastor Mamo and the team he has put together. Pray for Pastor Taye and those that are staying at Zion St. Paul. Pray that lost would be found and light would be shone in the darkness. Pray that leaders would be raised up well in this new location. Pray for the neighboring Somali community that Zion Minneapolis would create fruitful relationships for sharing Jesus across ethnic and religious lines. Pray for their ongoing partnership with Envision Twin Cities. Pray that this launch would be one of many I get to write to tell you about in the new decade ahead.

Kyle Magstadt

Associate Superintendent for Church Multiplication
North Central District of The C&MA