theexpandingshrink

Eight Anabaptist-associated networks of churches have joined together to boost their church-planting and leadership-training efforts.

“KLN is grateful to Lancaster Mennonite Conference and Eastern Mennonite Missions for nurturing the faith of many of the persons now in leadership in KLN,” said E. Daniel Martin of Elizabethtown, Pa., the organization’s secretary.

About 300 congregations worldwide are part of the movement.

KLN’s president, Bishop Lawrence Chiles of Philadelphia, described the organization as a “network of networks … focused on community transformation through church planting and leadership development.”

Bishop Henry Buckwalter of Lancaster, Pa., the vice president, said the goal is to plant churches that are “biblically faithful, Christ-centered and Spirit-directed. In addition, there is an Anabaptist emphasis on discipleship and the importance of being a faith community.”

Leonard Burkholder of Bowmansville, Pa., the treasurer, said the leaders “discerned that more could be accomplished for the kingdom by working together than by working separately.”

KLN incorporated in February 2009 with six charter members:

1. Anabaptist Native Fellowship, led by Burkholder;
2. Happy Church Ministries International, led by Bishop Joseph Kamau of Nakuru, Kenya

1. Harvest Fellowship of Churches, led by Buckwalter;
2. Koinonia Fellowship of Churches, led by Chiles;
3. New Testament Fellowship of Churches, led by Martin and Steve Haupert of Williamsport, Pa.; and
4. PTL-India, led by P.C. Alexander of New Delhi.

Anabaptist Native Fellowship is a network representing several First Nation groups in the U.S. and Canada.

Happy Church Ministries, based in Nakuru, Kenya, was founded by Kamau in 1983. He had trained at Rosedale Bible College in Ohio and graduated from Messiah College in Grantham, Pa., before returning to Kenya. This network is largely urban, multicultural and charismatic in worship style.

Harvest Fellowship is a multicultural network initially located in New England but now with churches in various parts of the U.S. Buckwalter and his wife, Millie, lead this growing network.

Koinonia Fellowship is a growing network of churches in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. It was started by Bishop Leon Schnupp. Chiles, the current bishop, and his wife, Nereida, have pastored several urban churches.

New Testament Fellowship, founded by Martin, Haupert and the late Lindsey Robinson, is focused on developing models of character transformation and release from the bondage of addiction in congregations.

PTL-India is a network of churches founded by Alexander 25 years ago. Its ministries include a Bible college, four primary and secondary schools and a national training school. It has a prayer team of six women who pray five hours a day, five days a week, for the needs of the ministry and for the global church.

Since 2009, two more networks have joined:

1. Cambodian Churches Association, a rapidly growing network led by Pastor Ouk Bunthoeun; and
2. Destiny Ministries International, led by Lou and Thelma Goszleth of Kissimmee, Fla. It includes churches in Pennsylvania, New York, Florida and Iowa, as well as orphanages and a broadcast ministry to the Middle East.

KLN’s purpose is to provide fellowship and counsel for leaders of networks and to share resources to raise up, train and release leaders to plant churches worldwide.

“KLN has provided much-needed support and encouragement to me in the demands of leading a ministry in an environment very hostile to Christianity,” Alexander said.