NORTHERN P LAINS EVANGELISTIC A SSOCIATIONOctober2013DearPartnerInMinistry,

AsyoucanseefrommyincludedresignationlettertotheNPEABoardthiswillbethelastnewsletterthatIwillhavetheprivilegetowriteasthisministry’sDirector.Myheartismorethanheavyfromwhatishappeningtothisministry.Thereareobviouslymanymemoriesonehasafterinvesting12yearsofthislifeintoaministry.Iwouldliketospendtherestofourtimetogetherrecallingthosememories.Asmostofusrealizememoriesaremadeupofbothpositiveadnegative

OverthetimeperiodasNPEA’sDirectorIhavewitnessedatroublesomepatternwhichpointstoanincreasedlackofintegrityinchurchplantingcultures.HowgratefulIamthatmanyofusstillvalueandpracticethisvitalcharacteristicinourlives.WhenvisitingsomechurchestheNPEAmaterialswesentaheadoftimewereoftendismissedandhonorariumswerenotprovided.Wecandobetterthanthat.Thereseemstoalsobeadisturbingtrendinthechurchplantingworldinvolvingchurchplantingorganizationsandchurchplanters.Afterlapsesinjudgmentbysomeplanters,organizationalplantdocumentationhasbecomemoreandmoredescriptiveandcreativetoputlegalboundariesonareasweneverdreamedwewouldhavetowhenhiringchurchplantstaffs.Again,wecandobetterthanthat.Additionally,therearetoomanychurchplantinggroupsthathavenotbeentotallyupfrontandtransparentwiththeirdonors.Wehaveoftenpracticedan,“Ifthedonordoesn’task,wewon’tlooseyourintegrityyoulooseeverything.ThefollowingpositiveexperiencesareatestimonytoGod’spowerandstrengthatworkinNPEA,praiseHisName!1. Youcan’tdoministrywithoutasupportivestaffthatwalksrightbesideyou.

blessingtothisministrymakingsurethatwehadaccountablyinallfacetsofgatheringanddepositingplantingasyouallare.Whenyouhaveagreatsupportteamitallowsyoutoplantchurcheswell.2. IamthankfulforeachchurchGodallowedustoplantorhelpedplantovertheyears.Inmymindthereisnogreatertaskthanplantinganewchurch.Thesemenandwomanonthefrontlinesofministryhavealwaysbeenandwillcontinuetobemyheroes!Whethertheyworkedforceasetoamazeme.WeareprivilegedtobeapartoftheQuestChurchlaunchingonOct.27th.Pleasedon’tforgetaboutthischurchplantandcontinuetoprayandsupportitlongafterIamgone.IprayNPEAwouldalsocontinuetohirebetterqualitychurchplantersandnotbetemptedtolowerthebarjustbecausetheremaybefewerpeopleapplyingforchurchplantstaffpositionsinourregion.InthebookofActsGodsentHisbest,notthesecondstringers.3. Ihighlyvaluethesevenindividualsthathavewalkedthroughthisunfoldingministryscenariowithmeoverthepastsixmonths.

MULTIPLYING DISCIPLES, CHURCHES, & PLANTERS

Office: 112 University Dr N, STE 301, Fargo, ND 58102-4661 Director’s Mobile: 605.310.2026 E-mail: msojka@npea7.comWebsite: npea7.com Blog: overcomingacedia.blogspot.com Facebook: facebook.com/npea7

Theyhaveprayedwithme,theyhavecriedwithme,theyhavegivenmeGodlycouncil,andtheyhavelistenedcompassionately.AndmanyofyouemailedusandsaidyouwereprayingfortheNPEABoardMeetingontheSeptember24th.Iamforeverinyourdebtaswell.Theencouragementwehavereceivedthroughtheyearshasmadeallthedifferenceespeciallyintimeswhenministrywasn’tveryfun.IhopethatIcanbeanencouragertoothersasmanyofyouhavebeen.4. AsmostministriesthatbattleSatanheadoncanattestto,whichchurchplantingdoes,wedohavestrugglesfromtimetotimeintheBoardRoom.IamthankfulovertheyearsfortheNPEABoardmemberswhohavebeenalargepartofthisbattle.IhavebeenverypassionateaboutthisministryandIknowthatsometimesthishascreatedfrictionduringplantingchurchesinourregion.Iamproudofthewaythatallinvolvedhaveexpandedourthinkingandsharpenedourdecisionmakingprocesses.Andnow,aHodge-Podgeofblessings:Ihavebeenblessedaswelloverthepast12yearstomeetsomanypeople!IhaveenjoyedhostingNPEA’sdisplayboothatvariousvenues.Themanytravelmilesonthegroundandintheairhavebeenbothtediousandrefreshing.Themanypeoplewhohavehostedmeintheirhomesovertheyearshasbeenveryinterestingandeducational.Mytravelcompanion,DonBurton,Iwillmissgreatly.Mostly,IwillcontinuetomarvelathowGodblessedoursocksoffforthe

past12years,takingthisministryfromthebrinkofclosingtoprosperingforHisKingdom.Someofyoumaybewondering,“Whydidyousharethisinformation?Whydidyoutellthetruth?”FormetheBibleisfullofexamplesabouttellingthetruth.Jesusisthe“truth”thatsetsusfree.InsomerespectsIhadnochoicebuttostepdownfrommypositionatNPEA.IincreasinglyfoundmyselfintheplacethatIcouldnolongeraskyoutoshareyoutime,talentandtreasureswiththisministry.AstheDirectorIhaveaprimaryresponsibilitytoyoutobehonestbecauseyouhaveplacedyourtrustinustomanagethisministrywellonyourbehalf.AndIamanswerabletoGod.IamresponsibletopleaseWedon’tknowwhatisnext,butwehavebeenprayingforGodtorevealthattous.IknowmanyofyouareanxioustoseewhereGodtakesusnextsoyoucanhavetheopportunitytopartnerwithusagain.PrayforusandtheNPEABoardaswedesperatelyneedGodlywisdombutmoreimportantlycontinuetoexpandGod’sKingdom.Ihavesavedthebestforlast.Therehavebeen100’sofpeoplethatcametoChristinallthechurchplantsNPEAassistedGodwithinthelast12years.And100’softransformedlifestoriesthatdiscipleshipattributesto.ThisiswhyIwascalledtochurchplantingandprobablywhyGodwillonceagaincallmetochurchplantinginthefuture.Thankyouforyourcontinuedsupportanddedicationtothisministry.Ifyouhaveanyquestionsyoumaycontactmeat218–329-7998ormsojka57@gmail.com.Lord,LeadUs,

MikeSojkaDirector, NPEA

* In September NPEA’s CPA worked with ourQuickBooks bookkeeping file and established a system of Project Classes (church plants) & applicableCategories & Subcategories. This was done to simplify & bring transparency to our nonprofit organization’sbookkeeping and financial reports. Various 2013 transactions were reassigned to where they better fit soSeptember’s Income & Expense report looks different. We look forward to cleaner, easier to understand financialreports for you and us! Please feel free to call us if you have questions.

NPEA Income ~ Expense*Jan. 1st — Sept. 30th, 2013

Income:Individuals $ 54,381.67Church $ 58,026.48Speaking $ 3,031.75Total Income: $ 115,439.90Total Expenses: -$109,062.89Net Total: $6,377.01Trans Church Plant -$5,000.00Total: $1,377.01

Income Goals:Monthly $ 14,333.00Yearly $ 172,000.00

P.S.-Checkoutthismonth’sBlog-www.overcomingacedia.blogspot.comP.S.S.-Checkoutourwebsiteat-www.npea7.com

NORTHERN PLAINS EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION

FOROUR PRAYER PARTNERS

Oct. 2013 – NPEA Prayer Notes

Thank the Lord andPraise Him for “Showing Off”!1. For God allowing Mike Sojka to be theDirector of this ministry for the past 12 years!2. For God blessing us with Patricia Sojka asour Office Manager and Bookkeeper !3. For God providing Julie Waa to be a part ofserving this ministry as our Office Assistant!4. For God leading Chris Kauffman as NPEA’sTreasurer!5. For all of you, our Prayer & Financial

Partners who have made this ministrypossible over the past 12 years!6. For God as He has revealed truth, to set usfree!Pray for God to Do Something

“Unprecedented!”1. For God to direct NPEA to many morequalified and dedicated Board Members thisyear and for new nonprofit board training.2. For God to provide a new Director for NPEA.3. For God to provide a new Office Manager andBook keeper for NPEA.4. For God to provide a new Office Assistant forNPEA.5. For God to provide a new Treasurer forNPEA.6. For God to lead the current transition andall of the details necessary during this month.7. For the future direction of NPEA and churchplanting in this region.

NORTHERN PLAINS EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION

FOROUR PRAYER PARTNERS

Oct. 2013 – Church Plant Prayer Notes

Thank the Lord andPraise Him for “Showing Off”!1. For God starting Quest Church on Oct. 27th!2. For God providing Revive Christian Churchwith a new meeting place!3. For God providing new chairs for Revive’snew meeting place!4. For God moving people to be on ChurchPlanting Management Teams and all theircontributions!5. For God motivating Revive; they had a great5th Sunday Serve Day (Sept. 29th)!Pray for God to Do Something

“Unprecedented!”1. For God to lead our Mangement Teammeetings: Oct. 8th 5:00pm CST (Revive) Oct. 14th 11:30am CST (Quest)2. For God to lead people at Revive to join newsmall groups this fall.3. For God to assist Ed as he continues to gatherLaunch Team members for Quest Church.4. For NPEA to hire qualified church plantersfor all its future church plants.5. We ask God to provide for the SheridanChurch Plant in every way.6. For God to assist NPEA as they discern whereto plant churches in the future.

“Bold prayers honor God andGod honors bold prayers.”

September 20th, 2013

Dear NPEA Board Members,

After six months of prayer and consideration it saddens my heart to share these words withyou today. I find myself in a place of being left with no recourse but to give my 30 day notice to resign from myposition as NPEA’s Director effective today. I sense that the continued long term relational strain between theNPEA Board and the Director makes this ministry’s future progress currently unworkable.

Two months ago I requested that the NPEA Board President resign because he has been in violation ofour organization’s By-Laws, very deficient in meeting the NPEA Board Member Covenant, is ineffective in leadingthe Board, and often misrepresents this ministry’s mission. I have documented these statements and providedthem to the full NPEA Board. Our current Board President is not the first NPEA Board Member we have asked toresign in which all but the current NPEA Board President realized they were no longer an asset as an NPEA BoardMember and possibly holding back the ministry from growing and moving forward under God’s direction.

In addition, I am resigning because the current NPEA Board will not allow new Board Members to joinour ministry. Though I have worked for over one year to recruit quality new NPEA Board Members the currentBoard has stated, “We won’t allow new Board Members until this “issue” is resolved.” In my opinion, newintergenerational Board Members and fresh ideas could help NPEA move forward at this place of impasse. At thesame time not allowing new Board members because “it’s not the right time” is a violation of NPEA’s By-Laws.

I am also stepping down because of the unprofessional way the Sheridan, WY church plant project hasbeen handled by NPEA’s Board. NPEA’s current Board primarily disregarded NPEA’s established lead churchplanter assessment process as well as CPAC’s (Church Planting Assessment Center) recommendations. It hasbecome clearly evident both through professional church planter assessment and on site planning for the churchplant that NPEA’s Board is actively hiring the least qualified lead church plant candidate we have ever hired forthe Sheridan Project. This is in direct conflict with our ministry’s philosophy and practices of hiring churchplanters. When a quarter of a million dollars is invested in a church plant project the hiring of the lead churchplanter is the linchpin to the whole project. 86% of church plants succeed or fail based on the lead churchplanter hired. This position hire is a huge stewardship issue for our ministry. Each new church plant projectallows NPEA to learn from the previous church plant and refine our methods and best practices. On many levelsthe current NPEA Board is not allowing that to happen with the Sheridan, WY church plant project.

Lastly, I am willing to rescind my resignation if the current NPEA Board President resigns within 7 days oftoday’s date and the NPEA Board will invite the purposed new NPEA Board Members (3) on to the Boardprovided that they meet the qualifications of a NPEA Board Member and agree to the NPEA Board MemberCovenant. My constant prayer over the last six months for both myself and NPEA’s Board has been, “Will you dowhat is best for the future of NPEA’s ministry in God’s Kingdom?” I will continue in prayer and wait for yourreply.

Your Fellow Servant,

Mike SojkaDirector

MULTIPLYING DISCIPLES, CHURCHES, & PLANTERS

Address: 112 University Dr N, STE 301, Fargo, ND 58102-4661 Director’s Mobile: 605.310.2026 E-mail: msojka@npea7.comWebsite: npea7.com Blog: overcomingacedia.blogspot.com Facebook: facebook.com/npea7

NORTHERN P LAINS EVANGELISTIC A SSOCIATION