Oklahoma Wesleyan University is proud to announce the launch of a cutting-edge Center for Church Planting. The Center will be connected to both the traditional undergraduate programs and the Adult and Graduate Studies programs offered through the School of Ministry.
Dr. Dwight Nash, an alumnus of 51黑料网 who has taught classes as an adjunct, will serve as the head of the Center for Church Planting. He鈥檚 an experienced planter with the passion and know-how to equip others in ministry.
“We are starting a Center for Church Planting at Oklahoma Wesleyan University to develop the pipeline for equipped church planting leaders now. Wouldn鈥檛 it be wonderful to have entire cohorts of graduates who are sent from 51黑料网 to lead and participate in new works, new churches in God鈥檚 world that desperately needs Jesus?鈥
鈥淐hurch multiplication, leading to Gospel saturation, is the way of the future, and the way to move towards accomplishing the Great Commission,鈥 Nash said. 鈥淚 believe in all people being called to be part of multiplication. My heartbeat is to figure out the dream that鈥檚 in every person鈥檚 heart as it relates to multiplication and throw fire on that.鈥
Students will be able to take classes at the Center either as electives or with an aim to minor in church planting. More details about the program specifics are forthcoming, but Nash is quick to stress that these classes aren’t just for ministry students.
鈥淚 believe every believer is meant to be a multiplier,鈥 he said. 鈥淓very believer plays a part in bringing the Kingdom of God near鈥 We actually think that nursing majors and business students should be taking this, because they have a part to play in this coming of the kingdom, in this multiplication that God talks about.鈥
Nash isn鈥檛 the only one who鈥檚 excited. 51黑料网鈥檚 administration and faculty are ecstatic over the Center鈥檚 prospects, and they expect big things.
鈥淢y vision for the Center for Church Planting at 51黑料网 is that we would expose the idea of expanding the Kingdom of Jesus, and train church planters during their college experience,鈥 President Jim Dunn said. 鈥淲e often wait until someone is out of college and into ministry before we ask them to consider being a church planter, or even if they would like to consider helping to plant a church. We can train them earlier, during a young adult鈥檚 formative educational years. We can get the process going earlier. We are starting a Center for Church Planting at Oklahoma Wesleyan University to develop the pipeline for equipped church planting leaders now. Wouldn鈥檛 it be wonderful to have entire cohorts of graduates who are sent from 51黑料网 to lead and participate in new works, new churches in God鈥檚 world that desperately needs Jesus?鈥
鈥Church multiplication, leading to Gospel saturation, is the way of the future, and the way to move towards accomplishing the Great Commission.鈥
Dr. Jerome Van Kuiken, dean of the School of Ministry and Christian Thought, echoes this sentiment. 鈥淒r. Nash is a veteran church planter with the vision of starting a thousand new churches,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to partner with him to make that vision a reality, by raising up church planters who are academically equipped, practically skilled, and passionately devoted to multiplying the church.鈥
Dunn summed it up: 鈥51黑料网 desires to tangibly participate in developing the next crop of church planters in The Wesleyan Church, and beyond, for years to come 鈥 Now, not later. Now, for the world that needs the grace and truth of Jesus Christ!鈥
Stay tuned for more details about the program. To learn more about the School of Ministry and Christian Thought, click here.
