Cleveland, TN–Due to recent growth and progress, the former USA Missions department of the Church of God has now become two separate entities.
The initiative formerly known as Church of God Church Planting has been re-launched as the Church of God Church Planting Network and will be part of the Church of God World Evangelization Division of the International Offices.
CPN will be directed by Mitchell Maloney, who was a church planter in the city of Detroit, and later went on to pastor the North Cleveland Church of God for 23 years. His heart is to develop strong, healthy, thriving churches through church planting and revitalization efforts.
According to Maloney, on June 1, 2019, important changes occurred with Church Planting and Revitalization.
“Almost three years ago we began a process to develop a strong church planting initiative and a process for revitalizing existing churches in the USA and Canada,” Maloney stated. “Since then, we have developed individual systems, one for church planting and another for revitalization. The Lord is blessing both of these important ministries.”
Maloney went on to say that the Church Planting Network, “is singularly focused completely on the engagement, development, and support of church planters.” CPN will continue to be in partnership with the Church Plant Bank Fund.
A second aspect of the re-launch is that church revitalization progress will now be coordinated through the Office of Church Health and Revitalization.
Mitchell Corder was recently appointed as director for this department and will continue the Church of God’s dedication to local church development, growth, leadership training, and coaching. Corder most recently served as executive administrator for the Division of Care and is a former administrative bishop for Michigan, Virginia, and Tennessee.
Another aspect of the ministries is the simultaneous launch in the last 10 days of two new websites dedicated to the aspects of the Church Planting Network and Church Health and Revitalization. The sites are cogcpn.com and churchhealthcog.com respectively.
Sean O’Neal, who serves as chairman of the Church Planting Task Force for the Church of God commented that the sites have basic information and contacts, however, “In the next few weeks these websites will further reflect the new strategies for church planting, and health & revitalization in the Church of God.”