Bevins Named New Director of Church Planting at Asbury

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Canon Winfield Bevins

From Asbury Seminary press release Posted on October 13, 2014. 

We are delighted to welcome Winfield Bevins to the Asbury community as our new Director of Church Planting.  Central to our 2023 Strategic Plan is our commitment to unleash a new wave of Wesleyan church planting here in the U.S.A. and around the world.  Dr. Bevins comes to us with extensive church planting experience.

He has served as the founding pastor of the Church of the Outer Bank in North Carolina, where he also serves as the Canon of Church Planting. He is the co-founder of two church planting networks, Mission Carolina (http://missioncarolina.com) and Kardia (http://www.kardiaanglican.com), and has been responsible for dozens of new church planting networks.

“I am delighted that Dr. Bevins is joining the Asbury team,” said Dr. Timothy Tennent, President of Asbury Theological Seminary. “His arrival is strategic to the unfolding of our 2023 Strategic Plan to train 400 new church planters and give birth to new church planting networks. Please pray for Winfield, his wife Kay, and their three daughters as they make the transition to Asbury Theological Seminary.”

Asbury’s church planting initiative encompasses both curricular and co-curricular resources to prepare church planters and their teams. The initiative focuses on four areas: degree programs and academic certificates, church planting networks, field research and church planting practices.  

Dr. Bevins is well known for training of hundreds of church planters from different denominational backgrounds. He has developed innovative resources for planting and re-missioning churches. He frequently speaks at conferences and retreats on a variety of topics.

“Dr. Bevins brings to the Seminary a host of gifts to help us serve the global church, train church planters, equip pastors for missional engagement in diverse, strategic regions, and learn from our brothers and sisters around the world,” said Dr. Gregg Okesson, Dean of the E. Stanley Jones School of World Evangelism. “His own experience with church planting in North America, his extensive networks with the Anglican Church of North America and other associations, and his lively, theological mind will, we trust, be used by God to help Asbury deepen its influence in training leaders for the Church of Jesus Christ around the world. “

He has written several books including Our Common Prayer: A Field Guide to the Book of Common Prayer, Creed: Connect to the Essentials of the Historic Christian Faith, and Rediscovering John Wesley. He holds a doctorate from Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. He and his wife Kay, have three girls Elizabeth, Anna Belle, and Caroline. To find out more about him, visit his website at winfieldbevins.com. 

“We are grateful to attract such an accomplished scholar-practitioner,” said Dr. Tom Tumblin, Dean of the Beeson International Center. “Dr. Bevins brings over a decade of experience as a planter. His spiritual entrepreneurship gifts have gone viral across multiple networks. He and his family will add rich value to the Asbury community. “

Posted on October 13, 2014

http://asburyseminary.edu/news/winfield-bevins-director-of-church-planting/ … 

Remissioning Media

Missed Remissioning or want to hear the messages again? Here is the audio from the Recent Remissioning conference in Pawleys Island, SC! It was a dynamic two day event that is designed to help clergy, church planters, and lay leaders discover and fulfill God’s mission for the local church. Day one focused on remissioning and day two focused on church planting. 

1. “What is Remissioning and why we need it?” Canon Winfield Bevins, Kardia

1. “Leading Your Church on Mission” Rev. Scott McLucas, Orchard Hills Church 
2. “The Vision for Church Planting” Rev.  Jeff Shipman, Mission Carolinas 
3. “The Church Planter’s Personal Life”- Rev. Will Plitt, Mission Carolinas 

Click here to listen www.kardiaanglican.com/media 

Advice for Future Church Planters

We are living in an exciting time where God is raising up a new generation of church planters who have a bold vision and a sincere passion to plant culturally relevant and gospel centered churches.  Many planters are stepping out in faith to answer the call of God on their life to plant a church. Some are planting in the city, some in the suburbs, and some in rural and small towns. 

There are new churches waiting to be started by those who dare to step outside of the box. We need to encourage and equip this new generation of church planters to pursue the call of God on their lives to plant gospel entered churches that will reach this world for Christ. 

I would like to offer several points for young church planters who are answering the call to plant a church.  

Be Faithful 

Be faithful in a local church before you step out to plant. Faithfulness results in fruitfulness. When we are faithful over the small things God will entrust us with greater things. Despise not small beginnings. Serve somewhere and someone else first before you try to do it yourself. 

Make the most of every opportunity. You never know where a ministry connection will come from or when you will learn something that you can use later. Remember that God always rewards our faithfulness. 

As a new church planter you will have to do things that might seem insignificant like washing dishes, cleaning bathrooms, or set up chairs, but God will reward your faithfulness.

Be Humble 

One of the biggest problems in the church planting world right now is pride. There are guys who think they are rock stars or have elite status because they are in ministry. Baloney! See what the Bible says about pride. God hates it. Enough said. 

Find a Coach

Everybody needs a coach. Even the big guys have ministry coaches. There are a lot of seasoned ministers who would love to share their ministry experiences with a young church planter who is beginning their ministry journey.  One of the greatest benefits of being a part of a network or denomination is coaching and mentoring.  Don’t be discouraged if you have to look for a while because not all pastors have the heart to be a coach. 

Be willing to communicate your desire to sit under the ministry of an experienced pastor. You’d be surprised how many pastors would love to mentor a young minister.  I can think of many men who have taken the time to help instruct and direct me as I have sought direction for my life and ministry. 

Be Yourself

Don’t try to be something or someone that you are not. Some people think that they need to act, dress, or preach a certain way in order to make it in ministry. This is a false perception that leads many people down the wrong road. I see guys all the time who try to look or act like certain big name preachers and it’s just embarrassing. Don’t do it. 

Nobody likes it when a person is trying to be somebody or something that they are not, especially God.  The Lord wants to use your unique gifts, talents, and personality to minister to others. 

No two people are the same; therefore no two ministries are the same. There is a unique ministry that God has created just for you. Only when we are who God has created us to be can we truly make a difference for Him. I believe that when we are real others will perceive the genuineness of the call of God on our lives and doors of ministry will begin to open. Be yourself. 

Step Out In Faith

There comes a time in every planter’s life where they have to step out in faith and let God use them. We need to rise above our circumstances and realize that if God has called us He will make a way for us. We need to dare to dream big dreams for God. The Bible tells us that with man it might be impossible but with God all things are possible. He can make a way where there seems to be no way. 

Put your life in His hands and be willing to step out in faith to pursue the call of God on your life. Just like Abraham we need to step out in faith and go where He has called us to go. There is a Promise Land for every believer, but you need to be willing to go in and possess it. 

Don’t Give Up 

Finally, whatever you do, don’t give up. If God has really called you to plant a church He will make a way for you. You can’t escape the call of God. Hold on to the call of the Lord and know that He is with you and will never leave you or forsake you. Hang in there and your time of ministry will come. Remember to always be faithful no matter what your doing. 

Take advantage of every opportunity. Seek more experienced ministers who can help give you direction and guidance as you pursue the call of God. Consider the possibilities of ministry education. Always be real; never try to be somebody that you are not. Finally, dare to step out and let the Lord use you. There is a place for you among this exciting new world of church planting.