Founded in 1883, Board of Church Extension was the ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada that helped congregations with capital project planning and financing. We have come to realize that for your congregation to be strong in the 21st century, you need more than just a building and financial plan to carry out God’s mission in your local community.
In 2012, Board of Church Extension (dba Church Extension) created a new organizational model to better serve the needs of contemporary Disciples congregations through two independent, but related ministries:
Hope Partnership for Missional Transformation, in partnership with Higher Education Leadership Ministries, Disciples Home Missions, regions, seminaries and ecumenical partners, provides leader development and congregational ministry planning.
Disciples Church Extension Fund (DCEF) provides building and capital planning services, fundraising consultations, and makes loans for capital projects.
Church Extension Financial and Missional Resources, Inc. (Church Extension Resources) provides administrative support to both Hope Partnership and Disciples Church Extension Fund, which report to the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) through Church Extension Resources.
This new model seeks to achieve the outcome of thriving communities of faith who bear witness to God’s love. The design is based on the premise that implementation of clear and vital congregational mission will be achieved most effectively when DCEF focuses on helping congregational leaders generate and leverage capital assets and resources for this mission.
Likewise, strong congregational mission requires the calling, forming and support of leaders, who, with the help of Hope Partnership for Missional Transformation (now Hope Partnership Services), can effectively use these assets and resources to help their congregations live out God’s mission how and where they feel called to do so.
