Missions
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U.S. Cities
Long Island, New York, Jim & Sue Condon
The church is growing in Long Island, New York. They currently have a membership of more than one hundred. This is a solid church with elder leadership. The prospects for the future are very good. Jim and Sue Condon are former members of North Atlanta. They are natives of the New York area. When Jim and Sue decided to go back into full-time ministry, they chose to return home to strengthen the church in that area.
Atlanta, Georgia, Atlanta Inner-city Ministry (AIM)
The goal of AIM is to reach the community in the Lakewood Heights area of south Atlanta. Atlanta's Campus Church of Christ oversees this work. North Atlanta financially supports this work and several North Atlanta members work in this program by teaching and providing clothes and supplies.
Church Plantings
North Atlanta recognizes the need for additional congregations to meet the growth in the Atlanta metro area. In late 1999 we considered the population growth along Georgia highway 400 and two of our Sunday night small groups began meeting together in south Forsyth County under the oversight of the North Atlanta eldership. During 2000 the groups attracted other people living in the area. In April 2001 Grace Chapel Church of Christ in Cumming, Georgia, became a separate congregation with about 200 people with its own elders, deacons, and a full time minister.
In the near future North Atlanta will begin demographic studies to determine the next location for a church planting.
Former Soviet Union
Almaty, Kazakhstan - Sasha & Jenya Metso , Misha & Oxsana Shakooroff
About four years ago, a young Kazak student at David Lipscomb University asked why no one had taken true Christianity to her home of Kazakhstan. North Atlanta answered that challenge. In the ensuing years several trips and youth campaigns have been made to Almaty to preach and teach the Good News. The Kazaks are generally Muslim in background but are becoming interested in attending Bible studies and worship. People are responding to the Good News.
A centrally located facility has been acquired and renovated to provide an attractive meeting place. The families of Randy Green, Misha Shakooroff and Sasha Metso are doing an outstanding job in leading this work since their arrival in July 2001.
High school graduating seniors have assisted with a church camp for young people. Annually, the College/Singles Ministry conducts a mission trip to encourage young people in their Christian walk. Additionally, we have supported college student interns on a six- to eight-week term in recent summers.
Donetsk, Ukraine - Denny Kruse and Stan Bryan
The church was planted in 1994 in Petrovsky in the Donetsk Region and is a growing congregation with elders since 1997 and strong national evangelists and teachers.
From this church a regional TV program was initiated. Recognizing the receptivity of this program Denny Kruse, an attorney from Neosho, Missouri, and Stan Bryan, a cattleman from Welsh, Oklahoma, who have worked with the church on a part-time basis via several visits each year developed a plan to examine the potential for a national TV program. Their primary focus was on developing and using a television broadcast by a local evangelist.
The monthly average response to the TV program is approximately 2000 letters expressing interest in the program and requesting more study material. From these responses, selected persons are invited to a one-week spring and fall seminar seminars on church planting and how to conduct a small house church in their villages. Mature men are stepping forward to begin these house churches. More than 100 house churches have been started. These churches are active in outreach to others and to working with orphans in their community.
North Atlanta funds the development and TV production costs and the staffing of the Response Center. We also provide support to Stan and Denny. North Atlanta sponsors a senior high mission trip each year to work with the youth in the Petrovsky.
Baikalsk, Siberia, Russia - Alexei Lobashin
This is a relatively new work started by Alexei Lobashin. Alexei is a retired Russian Air Force major. He is very energetic and a self-starter. He began on his own initiative by teaching people in his area. He is building a small congregation of about 12 people. He conducts Bible classes every day. He has classes for all ages.
Biysk, Siberia, Russia - Alex and Tanya Pronskih, and Vitaly Morgunov,
Biysk is located approximately two hours from Barnaul. Barnaul graduates from the Sunset School of Preaching started this small congregation of 20 people.
Alex and Tanya Pronskih provide much of the administration for the church. Tanya is a very good English-Russian translator. Vitaly Morgunov is a very good speaker.
Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia - Stas Sushkov,
The church was planted in the early 1990 during a campaign. Jeff Matteson and family worked there for three years to establish the church. During their stay, they trained and developed three Russian nationals to continue the work when they returned home in December 2001. The church has about 30 members.
Response to national evangelists has been good. The congregation has established a Brothers' Council to deal with business matters and overall direction of the local church. Rather than relying upon an American missionary for decisions and responsibility, men are stepping forward with ideas and are accepting responsibility for church growth.
The evangelists have ongoing hospital and prison ministries, English Bible classes to attract university students, and several Bible classes each week for all ages.
Magadan, Russia
David and Galina Binkley formerly worked with the church full time. David is unable to get a visa to continue the work. Periodically Galina Binkley delivers study material and sermon tapes to continue the work until David and Galina Binkley can return. North Atlanta provides financial support for building rental and a small working fund.
Mexico
Cozumel
North Atlanta has been supporting the church in Cozumel for several years. When Phil and Donna Waldron went to Cozumel the congregation had fewer than ten members. There have been approximately 150 baptisms. The church is growing rapidly. A nice building was constructed and occupied but has now been expanded to support a leadership training school to mentor and equip local nationals to assume evangelist and leadership roles in their own villages. The church appointed elders in December 2002. The church being in capable hands, the Waldrons returned home in early 2003. Grace Chapel Church of Christ is the sponsoring congregation. North Atlanta continues to provide support to the leader training school and the church.
Mexico City
Annual youth missions trips work with evangelists in Mexico City area in an outreach to area children to include a Vacation Bible School type approach.
Nigeria
"Right Steps" - Chi Ekwenye
Right Steps is an evangelism/humanitarian approach to reaching abused women and children in remote parts of Nigeria. Chi Ekwenye is a highly educated lady with exceptional abilities. Following her education in the United States, she returned home to establish Susanah Homes to assist suffering women and children. She has been very effective in reaching people and changing their lives for good.
North Atlanta supports this work through the Chestnut Drive congregation in Atlanta who is the primary sponsor of this work.
