Southwest Indian Ministies Consultant:

Bill Thompson, pastor of Poston Community Church, Poston, AZ is the consultant for the 12 different ministries described above. He serves as liaison between the churches, Indian Ministries and national Ministries of ABCUSA and cooperates with the Transformation Ministries.

You can contact him via email or phone (928) 662-4157 or 575-6892.

Sister Church Relationship

• Purpose Statement:
  To unite various Transformation Ministries churches to our Indian Ministries churches and other rural churches for edification, support, encouragement and resource sharing. Churches Helping Churches is the theme, seeing cross cultural experience and drawing our Transformation Ministries family closer together, and for the local church to better understand its mission extension in the world.
  
  This is not to take the place of or become a requirement of those churches that send one-time or occasional tour and work groups. This is meant to encourage deeper relationships for your church and for their church.
  
• Participation (Who is this for?):
  Indian Ministries Churches linking with other churches who are open and ready to maintain relationships and foster edifying progress. This would be open to any Transformation Ministries church as long as they can fulfill the minimum requirements of commitment.
  
• Timeframe (How long will this last?):
  Sister Churches would make at least a three year commitment to grow the relationships because it takes at least one year to master the linkage.
  
• Rewards (What do you gain?):
  Lasting Relationships, mentoring, model leadership, increased sense of mission, and prayer partners.
  
• Type of Liaison Leader needed:
  Someone comfortable with cross-cultural involvement, who is self-motivated, self-started, and not so busy with other commitments.
  
• Expectations: 
  A. Sponsoring Church 
  1. This will require support and agreement from the senior pastor
  2. At least five other persons to act as team (Sunday school class, youth group leaders, adult sponsors,    mission committee, etc.)
  3. Take a love offering once a year for a specific project (discipleship materials, etc.)
  B. Indian Ministry Church
  1. Provide housing for visiting leaders
  2. Willingness to open homes
  C. From both Sponsoring and Indian Ministry Church:
  1. three year commitment
  2. Appoint/elect a key leader to act as liaison. (Someone comfortable with cross-cultural involvement, self-motivated, self-starter, and not too busy with other commitments.)
  D. Consistent Contact
  1. at least one actual visit a year
  2. Send letters, church newsletters, email etc.
  Other Possibilities:
  Youth exchange program for one month during the summer. In some areas there are so few youth it may be a one way exchange of city youth (at least 3) who live on the rez or minister during a four week period.
  
• Next Step: How do I start? 
  By contacting the Southwest Indian Ministries Consultant, William Thompson, or our Steve Roblee, Minister of Mission Advancement or Bruce Schipul, Church Resoruce Minister. For more information click on our guest page on this website and provide us information that we may send you materials

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