Transformational Church
Gods’ Church for God’s Mission
J-Term 2018
“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18, NIV).
We want our churches to be like that. We want our churches to effectively participate in God’s mission and to see our lives and others transformed by the gospel. How are we doing? How do we find out how we are doing? The theme for our 2018 J-Term is “Transformational Church: God’s Church in God’s Mission. In sessions 1-3, Dr. Ryan Nilsen gives us a glimpse of the state of the CLB in North America. Dr. Ed Stetzer leads us in looking at the challenges we face and learning what makes a church vital and transformational in sessions 4-7. Finally, Dr. Mark Sundby specifically speak to pastors and church leaders in sessions 8 and 9 on resilience in ministry. Please join with us in exploring these important topics together as co-laborers in God’s mission.
Dr. Ryan Nilsen D.Min.
Dr. Ryan Nilsen is Lead Pastor at Praise Christian Fellowship in Barkhamsted, Connecticut, where he preaches God’s Word, equips ministry leaders, and leads the church in its fulfillment of God’s mission. Ryan also serves as Executive Director of Fifth Act Church Planting. He has a B.A. in history and English from the University of Connecticut, a Masters of Divinity from Lutheran Brethren Seminary, Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and is an ordained pastor in the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. He graduated from Denver Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2017. His thesis, Mission Recovery: Finding Health and Purpose for the Church, centers on the themes of this year’s J-Term conference. He has served churches in Connecticut, Minnesota, and Iowa. Ryan and his wife Kjirsti have five children and live in Torrington, CT.
Session #1
The CLB Mission in North America
Session #2
Understanding God’s Mission
Session #3
Lessons from the New Testament Church
Dr. Mark Sundby Ph.D.
Dr. Sundby is a 1996 graduate of the University of Minnesota with over 20 years experience as a psychologist. He serves as Director of LeaderWise in New Brighton, Minnesota. LeaderWise develops leaders through coaching and consulting and offers a state-of-the-art assessment process.
Session #8
Resilience in Ministry, Part 1
Session #9
Resilience in Ministry, Part 2
CLB North American Mission
Session #10