The mission of the
Presbytery of Muskingum Valley (MVP) is to journey together
with Jesus to touch the world—empowered by the Spirit
to make disciples, nurture its faith, and serve the needs of
community. Its call is born of the intersection of the Great
Commission with Jesus’ mandate in Matthew 25 to shelter,
feed, clothe, and visit the sick, the poor, and those in prison.
Like many other presbyteries, Muskingum Valley has experienced
extended decline. Yet the pastors and leaders of its 94 congregations
are committed to accomplishing a mission shared by the 12,560
members. They know that there is no quick fix and that reconnecting
with their communities is not simply a matter of learning new
models for ministry. Jesus made it clear that he came so that
their churches and the communities “may have life and
have abundantly” (John 10:10). Simply put, the people
of MVP seek to become fully alive in and through the love of
Christ.
In order to accomplish this mission, two primary initiatives
have been launched. In the first, The Acts 16:5 Initiative under
the leadership of Stan Ott of Vital Churches, Inc., pastor-leader
teams from eighteen congregations have committed to an intentional
two-year process of congregational transformation. In addition,
forty-six congregations participated in the launch of the Small,
Strong Initiative with church consultant Kennon Callahan. A
small church network has been formed to better support and resource
pastor-leader teams in Muskingum Valley’s small membership
congregations.
The presbytery itself is working to realign structure to serve
its mission. Both staff and elected leadership are being trained
to lead systemic change. They have taken the first steps in
aligning their budget to accomplish their mission. On every
level, they seek to model accountability and to be fully alive
to the movement of the Holy Spirit in their midst as they make
disciples, nurture their faith, and serve the needs of community.
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