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    New study helps re-imagine ministry in changing contexts

    How do we answer God’s call when everything around us is changing so rapidly? This seven-week journey offers a step-by-step framework.

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    Seismic shifts since 2020 have left us wrestling with the same core question: How do we answer God's call when everything around us is changing so rapidly?

    In The Faithful Path…for Now, Rev. Beth Crissman offers a framework to help churches navigate cultural and institutional change. While the love of God remains constant, Beth writes, how we extend that love to others through the ministries of the church might be different.

    The Foundation is pleased to present this opportunity to churches and ministry groups.

    The Faithful Path…for Now isn’t about crafting a ten-year vision that would likely be outdated before it is implemented. Instead, this seven-week journey, rooted in Wesley’s means of grace, provides a repeatable, step-by-step guide to help participants:

    • Assess current realities;
    • Re-imagine ministry in changing contexts;
    • Develop sustainable strategies for growth and impact.

    The study is accompanied by chapter videos, weekly worship resources and worksheets so that by the completion, you have a plan that can be implemented in your local ministry setting.

    Access The Faithful Path...for Now
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    About the Author

    Rev. Beth M. Crissman, an ordained elder in the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, currently serves as a District Superintendent and as Director of Peace Building Ministries for the Conference.

    In addition to serving as lead pastor for multiple congregations, Beth and her husband, Rev. Kelly Crissman, served as founders and executive directors of Plowpoint, a non-profit organization which trained teams of clergy and laity throughout the United Methodist Church for the transformation of leaders, churches, and communities.

    Beth is the author of four previous books: Longing to Belong, Feeding and Leading of Shepherds, Stepping in the Stream, and Choosing the Faithful Path (along with co-author Rev. Dr. Nancy Rankin).

    Following an appointment as Uwharrie District Superintendent, Beth will transition in 2025 to serve as Smoky Mountain District Superintendent. In announcing the move, Bishop Ken Carter said Beth’s innovative, collaborative leadership inspires both clergy and laity and has defined her ministry.

    Beth, a native of Graham, N.C. is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (BS Nursing), University of California-Los Angeles (Masters in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner), and Emory University (MDiv). She and Kelly have two grown children.

    Elements of the study

    Through seven interconnected sessions, The Faithful Path…for Now unpacks Jesus’ threefold commission: loving God and neighbor (Matthew 22), meeting real community needs (Matthew 25), and making disciples (Matthew 28).

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    Key themes include transitioning from scarcity to abundance thinking, fostering strategic partnerships, and embracing generative disciple-making.

    Grounded in Wesleyan theology and contemporary ministry experience, each chapter moves from theological foundation to practical application, helping faith leaders:

    • Evaluate their ministry effectiveness;
    • Identify community needs and opportunities;
    • Assess resources and capabilities;
    • Build collaborative partnerships;
    • Develop actionable implementation plans.

    The framework emphasizes incremental steps rather than long-term plans, equipping participants to adapt quickly while maintaining mission focus. Through spiritual disciplines and practical tools, congregations can discover their faithful path forward… for now.

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    Asking the right questions, listening in new ways

    To develop the kind of relationships that reflect the love and grace of God, we are called to be in ministry with our communities, instead of ministering “to” them.

    Yet if recent studies are any indication, many of our churches struggle to understand and faithfully address the needs of neighbors. This was true even before a global pandemic, political tensions, racial reckonings, and the pain of disaffiliation in the United Methodist Church.

    “In the last few decades, we’ve just lived through a dramatic pace of change,” Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said in a recent interview with NPR. “We move more, we change jobs more often, we are living with technology that has profoundly changed how we interact with each other and how we talk to each other.”

    So how do we move forward faithfully? It starts with asking the right questions and listening in new ways – with our ears, our eyes, our hearts, and our minds wide open. The Foundation invites you into this journey, trusting that God’s will can and will be made known to us, one faithful step at a time.

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    What to Expect

    • 01Introduction
    • 02Chapter 1: Our Unchanging Call in a Shifting Landscape
    • 03Chapter 2: For the Love of God and Others
    • 04Chapter 3: For the Love of Our Neighbors
    • 05Chapter 4: Generative Disciple-Making
    • 06Chapter 5: Being Wise and Faithful Stewards
    • 07Chapter 6: Partnering in Collaboration, Not Competition
    • 08Chapter 7: Determining the Path Forward…for Now
    • 09Finding Our Burning Bush: Spiritual Gifts
    • 10Sermon Series and Worship Planning
    • 11Closing in Communion with God and One Another
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    About the Foundation

    The Foundation’s partnership on The Faithful Path…for Now reflects a commitment to adaptive leadership in a season of change. It also flows from a newly crafted strategic vision informed by the needs and aspirations of those we serve.

    In a world that grows more complex by the day, how do followers of Christ rise to the moment? This question is at the heart of the journey you are invited to begin.

    We pray your experience will be a time of renewal and innovation, and that you will find clarity around your mission in a changing landscape.

    “After everything our denomination has endured, many are asking, “Who are we now?” and “What does the future look like?” said Anne Martin, chair of the Board of Directors. “The Foundation stands with you in taking on these questions with courage and conviction.”

    Discover your faithful path forward

    A seven-week journey to reimagine ministry and inspire sustainable growth.

    Access The Faithful Path...for Now

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