Really Upsetting News: The Alliance for Saturation Church Planting involved in 27 countries and based in Budapest has announced that it is closing next year. This is a real shock and cause for much grieving. Lee Behar is the team leader - a godly and enthusiastic [en-theos] man who has acheived remarkable things as head of ASCP. I emailed him over the weekend. . .
ME: "Lee I have been really upset the past few days, especially as i think of you guys going back. you have done so much good and i have enjoyed my times with you . .. . man. . . . so bummed. hope you guys are feeling like God is in control .. . because He always is, and always uses these times to redirect us or bring fresh resources to the situation."
Lee: "Thanks, bro. Yes, we're doing fine, fully committed to the goodness and sovereignty of our awesome God. Just because the ASCP is going away doesn't mean a lot of good people won't continue to do a lot of helpful things in this region. . ."
As you know, I go to Budapest every September to participate in their conference. I am really going to miss this team, and i hope there are ways to allow some of them to continue. I would expect this week, when the team has put their thoughts together a little more, that you might read some reports and thoughts and possible next steps from some of the bloggers on the team. You have possibly already met Scott Frederick (Budapest Scot) and Gabi from their visits to Suddenly Seminary.
We have been proud to work alongside ASCP. There have been many crossover events in our history and whenever we talked about doing more in Eastern/Central Europe, we normally felt that ASCP was filling that gap.
We hope and pray for the team for a healthy ending and a passing of the vision. And we pray for Central/Eastern Europe that He who has begun a good work will complete it. And for the workers who have sacrificed years of their lives, that they will return to USA to a hero's welcome. They deserve it.
Statement from ASCP:
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
After 13 years of God-given influence and ministry in many of the countries
of post-communist Eurasia, the Alliance for Saturation Church Planting (SCP)
will cease its corporate activities and dissolve its formal partnership no
later June 1, 2006.
The resolution adopted by the Board of Directors of the Alliance for SCP,
dated May 5, 2005, states . . . "The need for saturation church planting in
the countries of former communist Eurasia exists today as it did 15 years
ago. With great desire to affirm the vision and values of saturation church
planting, and with the sincere hope to see other appropriate vehicles emerge
to pursue that vision, the board of the Alliance resolves that the North
American legal entity of the Alliance be dissolved and cease its corporate
activities no later than June 1, 2006. An implementation plan will be
developed by the board which works toward the dissolution of the corpora
y of the Alliance and facilitates formation of new vehicles that cast
and implement the SCP vision."
A celebration of God's goodness to the Alliance and its partners will take
place as part of the Church Multiplication Leadership Community (CMLC)
scheduled for September 15-17, 2005 in Budapest, Hungary. More details
about this event will be available at www.alliancescp.org/events.html .
Despite the dissolution of the Alliance partnership, the board
wholeheartedly encourages those who have associated with the Alliance
(whether they be churches, agencies, national church planting leaders or
expatriate missionaries) to continue to pursue their SCP-focused efforts.
The Alliance has been effective at gathering and rallying Great Commission
Christians around the SCP vision. Now is the opportunity to leverage those
relationships and forge new ones to create new expressions of SCP
cooperation. Alliance materials (e.g. Omega Course) will continue to be
available for use and adaptation free of charge.
