ABOUT New Church Development Team

New Church Development Team 2.5 is a risk-taking arm of the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference. We serve to live into a vision that glorifies God; following a mission that focuses our faithfulness; and using values that guide our work and way of serving.

VISION:

The TWK unleashes, establishes, and generates faithful strategies for the fulfillment of the kingdom of God on earth.

Our MISSION is to establish new faith communities in the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference for the glory of the resurrected Christ; faithfully using what God has placed in our basket.

We are confident that God equips us for what we are invited to do for God’s glory in the Tennessee-Western Kentucky. That involves all the people in the TWK, and some who are particularly called to take these risks in collaborative, faithful and courageous ways. This is for God’s glory, not our own.

Our team holds shared VALUES that guide our work and that we believe are important when discerning and following the Spirit that is always making “all things new.”

  • Values

    • Process and strategy
    • Openness to new ideas
    • Courageous decision making
    • Integrity of our team members
    • High trust supports high risk for God
    • Being there in the ditch. Suffering and sacrifice are part of the redemptive process.
    • Honesty; acknowledge excellent mistakes
    • Collaboration with others for the fulfillment of the kingdom of God on earth.

  •  

    • Spirit driven; not economic driven
    • Diverse people and perspectives
    • Innovation
    • Willingness to share resources for the kingdom of God. We will model it.
    • The clear call of God on peoples’ lives
    • Belief that God is doing the work and we need to look for it. Join it.
    • Letting go without fear
Isaiah reminds us that God is often doing a “new thing.” Certainly, the 21st century is a season of that holy disruption in the body of Christ on earth (the “church”). The New Church Development Team 2.5 stands in the middle of that holy “innovation” and seeks to join what God is doing in, through and with the people of the TWK. That is our basket!

Frequently Asked Questions

TEAM MEMBERS

Rev. Dr. Erin Beasley
Team Leader of Commission on Religion & Race; Pastor at Burdette UMC

Rev. Melinda Young Britt
TWK Connectional Ministries Officer

Rev. Dr. Rob Martin
Assistant to the Bishop

Rev. Scott Aleridge
Cumberland River District Superintendent

Rev. Dr. Michelle Maldonado
United Methodist Communications

Sally Oglesby
Member at Murfreesboro FUMC Rev. Chris Thompson
Pastor at Selmer FUMC

Rev. Dr. Vona Wilson
NCD Team Leader; Senior Associate Pastor at Franklin FUMC

CURRENT PROJECTS

Bluff City in Memphis - Tom Fuerst, Pastor
https://bluffcitychurch.org

Circle of Grace - Sandy Shawhan, Pastor

Connection UMC in Nashville. Melisa Derseweh, Pastor
https://connectionumc.org

Cosecha Community Center - Carlos Uroza, Pastor connection
https://www.cosecha.community

Ebenezer Metodista Iglesia - Myriam Cortes, Pastor
https://www.facebook.com/iglesiametodista.ebenezer.1

Fresh START - Dedra Campbell, Executive Director
https://www.freshstartcolumbia.org/

Hamilton Egyptian Ministry

Hermitage UMC Celebrate Recovery
https://humc.org/celebraterecovery/

Home Church Nashville - Jason McAnally, Pastor
https://www.homechurchnashville.com

Jacobs Well in Memphis - Russell Morrow
https://jacobswellmemphis.org

Open Table Nashville, Outreach Coordinator
http://opentablenashville.org

Lighthouse Church - James Luvene, Pastor

Trinity Community Commons - Nate Paulk, Executive Director
https://www.trinitycommunitycommons.org

Collaborative Visioning
North-West Corridor Visioning Team – Red River District
Madison Corridor Visioning Team – Cumberland River District