Metanoia Ministries Consultant Visit to NPC
What?
All-Church Training in Making Peace
The congregational phase began on January 12 with a one-day training seminar on Making Peace:
how to be reconciled in your home, at work and in the church.
Assessment Data Gathering
NPC completed a church profile of quantitative and qualitative data for the Metanoia Ministries team
to review prior to their arrival in January. Then, Metanoia brought a team to NPC to conduct personal
interviews and group forums with staff, leadership boards, and members.
Who?
Metanoia Ministries is led by Jim and Sharon Van Yperen.
Since 1993, Metanoia Ministries has provided church assessment and in-depth conflict reconciliation services
to more than 75 churches in 27 different denominations across the US and Canada.
They have conducted more than 8,000 personal interviews with members in those churches.
Both graduates of Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, Jim earned a BA in Theology and
Interpersonal Communications and a MA in Cross-Cultural Communications.
Sharon earned a BA in Christian Education.
Jim has served seven churches as Interim Pastor, leading each out of conflict and into a living community of Christ. He has also written two books, Making Peace: A Guide to Overcoming Church Conflict and The Shepherd Leader, which are available in the NPC bookstore, and numerous resources on Christian leadership and biblical community.
The assessment is conducted by a team of trained volunteers - brothers and sisters in Christ - who have been selected for their spiritual maturity and trained to use their gifts as part of an interdependent team. Jim and Sharon lead each team.
The result?
At the conclusion of the week of interviews, Jim Van Yperen preached in our services on Sunday, January 20,
and led a Town Hall Meeting presenting Metanoia’s initial report to the congregation. CDs of that meeting are
available at NPC Moehrle Bookstore.
A comprehensive written report with recommendations will be presented on February 24 at another Town Hall
Meeting at NPC.
At the completion of the assessment process, NPC will know what strengths need to be affirmed and encouraged, what weaknesses need to be corrected, what issues need to be addressed, what sins need to be reconciled and what specific steps the church needs to take in the next six to twelve months. It will then be up to NPC’s leaders to determine which recommendations to implement, when and how.
If you have further questions about Metanoia's work with NPC, please contatct the Clerk of Session,
Janice Feather, at
Learn more about Metanoia here: