My Week with the Evangelical Covenant Church Denomination

Dear LCC,

This week I attended the Evangelical Covenant Church denomination’s Mid-Winter conference held at the Denver Sheraton Hotel. It was a gathering of over 2,000 pastors and church leaders in the denomination. I was tremendously blessed. As many of you know, we have been in discussion with the ECC for several months. If you want more information, please visit their website: www.covchurch.org.

What I gained from this experience is that this denomination is passionate about Jesus Christ and sharing the love of God with all people. I launched new relationships with many pastors around North America as well as reuniting with several Asian American pastor friends who are serving ECC churches around the country. As we discuss the possibility of joining the Covenant at the General Assembly this Sunday, I ask that you will partner with the entire church in praying for this potential merger with the denomination.

Some are asking what are the benefits of joining a denomination:

1. Being a part of something larger that God is doing. Just as individual Christians are not meant to be isolated from other Christians, churches are not meant to be independent from the larger body of Christ. If we join the ECC, we can partner in the many global and local missions and outreach activities that are being pursued through the denomination. The ECC is doing phenomenal work in the areas of missions, racial reconciliation, social justice, and local outreach. They value missional, incarnational living and being Christ to the many broken people in our world.

2. Accountability and encouragement. During this week I felt a tremendous burden lifted from my shoulders as I was able to share about my joys and challenges with other pastors. For the first time, I didn’t feel “alone” in the work of ministry that there are others fighting alongside of us for the cause of Christ. I developed some friendships with older pastors who will be able to mentor me and our entire pastoral staff.

3. Resources. The ECC has numerous resources that will benefit us as a congregation: help with children and youth ministries, leadership development, pastor training, financial assistance to obtain a loan to get our own building if the Lord should lead, local networking with Denver ECC churches, among others.

Pray diligently for God to lead us as we consider joining the ECC. All I can say is that the conference left me feeling refreshed and renewed to continue in this journey of being a disciple and making disciples. Pray with us that God will use LCC in remarkable ways for the furthering of His Kingdom. It’s all for God and His glory!

Serving with you,

Matt