The Mennonite, Inc., invites your original submissions for our August 2018 print magazine issue and corresponding online content focusing on Church Planting.

Description of the theme:

Why is church planting important and what should it look like today? A news release describing this year’s SENT conference, sponsored by Mennonite Mission Network and Everence, noted that “there’s a movement building” that is “diverse, multicultural and energized to take the church to new places.” A 2014 survey conducted by church-planting staff showed that Mennonite Church USA conferences reported 85 church plants initiated between 2008 and 2013. In the Great Commission, the resurrected Jesus instructs his followers to spread the gospel to all people: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:16-20).

Submissions may consider one of the following prompts/questions, among others:

• Do you attend or lead a church plant? We want to hear the story of how your church plant began and what its ministry looks like today.
• Are you a bivocational pastor engaged in church planting? Tell us your story.
• What role do socioeconomics, racial/ethnic identity and/or gender identity play in church planting?
• What current trends in church planting do you find exciting? What concerns you?
• What are some of the challenges of church planting you have learned from?
• How are church planting, evangelism and/or social justice connected? How not?
• In your context, how would you say church planting today compares with previous decades?
• How do you address or challenge the legacy of colonialism within church planting?

Submissions are due to Editor@TheMennonite.org no later than June 22.

We welcome articles—personal stories, biblical or theological reflections, stories about your congregation, and more (800-1,200 words)—as well as original photography, videos and artwork on the theme. Please note we are committed to anti-oppression reviews as part of our editorial process. When developing your submission, please review our anti-oppression guidelines as well as our editorial guidelines.