Front Matters

Welcome Letter

Greetings in Christ, dear fellow laborers in the Gospel of Christ!

On behalf of all of us here at TUMI International, I welcome you in advance in your participation in the Evangel School of Urban Church Planting! Much thought, prayer, and preparation has been put into the School, in anticipation of your arrival, and we are truly excited about the potential this School gathering has for the planting of healthy new churches for Christ in untouched communities! Your involvement is both welcome and dear to us; we look forward to meeting you, and whether you act as dean, coach, or church planter, we know God will bless your efforts to contribute to planting a church in the place where God has called you. Regardless of your role in the church planting process. we believe that you will need to do some reading and reflecting beforehand on concepts we will consider once you are here. Therefore, in preparation for your training here at Evangel, please read through carefully the following key pages taken from the resources you’ll receive once you arrive at the Evangel School. These writings are targeted to help inform and orient you to the critical concepts, processes, assumptions, and overall vision and strategy of our Evangel training sessions. We are convinced that your careful and thoughtful consideration of these materials will readily outfit you for the rigorous and exciting times of reflection, prayer, and dialogue that await you, here at the School. Church planting is truly one of the most important acts that God’s people can engage in. The Church is central to the story and plan of God, and those privileged to plant congregations of the Lord are doubly blessed. Not only are we granted the grace to represent Christ in a community or neighborhood where he may not be known in any way, but also, and just as important, we get to bear witness to the amazing acts of grace and mercy God the Holy Spirit accomplishes through his servants – those faithful church planters who labor for him as he draws folk to the Lord. Whatever your role, you share in this honor and blessing. Yes, all of us who contribute to the process have the distinct opportunity to make our mark as we are used of the Lord to plant outposts of the Kingdom in new places for Christ. Thanks in advance for your thorough preparation for the School. We are truly grateful for your partnership in the Gospel. Our sincere prayer is that the Lord will provide you with all the grace and wisdom you

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