McDowell County Pilot Project
Objective: to use public school teaching as a creative access into a difficult region of West Virginia with the intent of ministering to the practical needs of the community while planting a true expression of the body of Christ in this area.
Opportunity: there are currently 36 public school teaching positions open in McDowell county West Virginia. The school board is very open to help with recruiting teachers. The advantage to the teacher is that the state and federal governments are willing to forgive all national educations grants for those willing to commit to 3 years of school teaching in this area.
Strategy:
- to identify several individuals/couples, with a deep commitment to reaching those separated from Christ, who are willing to serve in a dual role of public school teacher and initial core group member of a church planting project.
- to relocate these teachers and church planting pastor to the area in time for the 10-11 school year.
- core group members begin contributing their time, talents, finances and gifts to the establishment of a new church body in the area.
- if this is a successful endeavor it will serve as a model for reaching other difficult areas around the United States.
Realities:
- the southern coal fields of West Virginia are in desperate need of experiencing the love and salvation found in Christ
- this area is in desperate need of qualified teachers in the school system
- this is a very impoverished area of the country
- there are Christians on the school board that are working with us
- this area of West Virginia is very suspicious and closed to outsiders, therefore we must be very creative in establishing a true evangelical church in the area
- it will take a special team of individuals partnering closely together for this to be effective
Southeast Ohio (SEO) Church Planting
SEO operates as an extension of Central District church planting in the counties that make up the Southeast Ohio region. The vision of Southeast Ohio (SEO) Church Planting is to strategically partner in order to plant a church in every county seat in Southeast Ohio with indigenous men and women and assist them in saturating their county with the gospel.
The general boundaries of the SEO region are I-70 on the north, SR-23 on the west, and the Ohio River on the south and east. The culture of Southeast Ohio is rich and unique, yet there are significant spiritual needs among the people that populate the area.
SEO also has a leadership training program.
Values:
- Reaching the lost
- Making disciple-making disciples
- Equipping, empowering and releasing indigenous men and women
- Kingdom partnerships for strategic advancement
