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RENDEZVOUS

CI: Community Impact at RMSC

by Ed Pomelear, Christ's Bible Church

Next April we’re in for a real treat at the eighth annual Rocky Mountain Shepherds’ Conference (website).

What has been successful in impacting rural communities for Christ? What hasn’t worked? What can our churches do better? Our speakers will address these questions during the two-day conference, April 16 and 17.

We have two goals at these conferences. The first is to provide a time of spiritual uplifting. Did you know pastors and missionaries need spiritual uplifting regularly? Some might say they get all they need from preparing and delivering weekly messages, but the majority of pastors would say, "Refresh me!" To this end, we’ve invited Dr. Roy Anderson, Executive Director of the Association of North American Missions (ANAM).

Dr. Anderson has been a church planter both in the USA and Puerto Rico and has also pastored churches. Roy has also done pioneer evangelism

and administration with the Pocket Testament League both here and abroad, including time in Spain. Since 1997 Dr. Anderson has served as a consultant, counselor, liaison, and administrator with ANAM. He and his wife of 46 years, Delthea, have four grown boys and 12 grandchildren.

Dr. Anderson recently wrote, "The area of my ministry that is closest to my heart is wedging the Gospel into a community with no known believers. I am especially concerned for societies and communities which are non-Christian or anti-Christian. My personal experience is limited to developing an assembly of believers from zero to a viable handful of believers, including the first stages of discipleship, both personal and corporate."

Our second goal for the conference is to provide practical information and tools for pastors and other ministers of the Gospel. We’ve invited Dr. Gary A. Goreham, associate professor of sociology and chair of the Department of Sociology/Anthropology at North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota. He holds master’s degrees in psychology (Western Washington University) and theology (Bethel Theological Seminary), and a doctorate in sociology (South Dakota State University).

Gary teaches community development, sociology of religion, sociology of the family, social organization, and research methods. He edited the two-volume Encyclopedia of Rural America: The Land and People. Gary is also the new director of the Rural Social Science Education program and general editor of two of its sets of materials: Rural Church in Context and Ministries of the Rural Church.

His research interests include rural churches, community development, sustainable agriculture, agricultural cooperatives, and the social and ethical implications of agro-biotechnology. Gary is frequently sought as a speaker and consultant on rural communities, rural churches, and agricultural issues. He serves on the Commission for Town and Country Ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church and is a representative to the Rural Church Network of the U.S. and Canada.

Gary and his wife Jonna Goreham have two teenage daughters, Jessie and Julie Anne. The Goreham family also operates a farm and orchard near Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

Two excellent speakers; two spiritually refreshing days. We hope you will not just send your pastor but that you will come with him!