What is CCN? (past / present / future) - by Wim Codington, Executive Director

September 2020

  • Past - (dates are approximations!)

    • 2010 - 2013: Vision for reaching the nations that have come to Nashville and the ends of the earth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through a local church plant under the leadership of David Kaufmann (Wim and David met in March of 2011); chose name “City Church of Woodbine”

      • Held weekly services

      • Commissioned elder team

      • Encouraged each other in same-culture and cross-cultural disciple-making

      • Explored APEST gifts together

      • Enjoyed retreats and welcomed visitors such as Jeff Sundell (No Place Left coalition) who helped fuel the vision

    • 2013-2016: Same vision; new strategy.... Decentralized into a network of house churches with significant help from ministry partner James Harvey; changed name to City Church Network 

      • Recruited disciple-makers from other cities to move to Nashville to work with us

      • Under the leadership of Todd Greer, began hosting mission trips (“immersion tours”) to Nashville so that churches could experience the cultural and spiritual diversity in Nashville and get excited for local and foreign missions

      • Purchased 430 Bunkerhill Drive “missions house” or “refuge house” to be used for training, outreach, hospitality, rest, healing, fellowship

      • Experienced pastoral challenges (false beliefs, immorality, discouragement, disagreement and division)

      • Under the leadership of Todd Greer, consolidated many of the house churches again in a weekly gathering named “All Nations Fellowship”

    • 2016-2020: Same vision; new identity…. Entry-level missions agency for recruiting and training disciple-makers for long-term cross-cultural ministry

      • Kaufmanns moved into 430 Bunkerhill

      • Began holding Tuesday “team church” gatherings at 430 Bunkerhill for fellowship, prayer, training, and modeling

      • Began speaking of CCN as a missions agency; “family on mission”

      • Began actively helping disciple-makers raise support through online giving platforms, payroll, and other ways of distribution financial support

      • Deepened counseling and encouragement ministry for disciple-makers experiencing hardship

      • Embraced vision of “handing off” new missionaries to other missions agencies that have deeper skill sets in cultural and language acquisition, team development, and long-distance support

      • In 2020, David stepped down from active leadership; Wim became executive director 

    • Celebrating the Word of God that has deeply impacted CCN’s vision and culture:

      • Luke 10:2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

      • Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

      • John 15:5-8 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

      • Matthew 28:8-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

      • (Special mention: passages about unity and about spiritual gifts)

  • Present - CCN is an entry-level missions agency with a vision for training disciple-makers to reach the nations with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through relational disciple-making. Primary services offered:

    • Warm fellowship and friendship with Wim and Libby, David Kaufmann, and others in our relational network

    • Identity, purpose, gifting identification counseling - primarily Wim

    • Healing and deliverance prayer - primarily Libby

    • Networking and connecting with deeper resources in our missions relational network - Wim and David

    • Administrative support (ministry fundraising platform and training) - Wim

  • Future - I expect God to continue changing the ministers and ministry of CCN. I expect you to share your ideas with me. I do not have my heart set on a particular strategy or method. As long as I believe others are catching a vision of God’s missionary heart through my work and the ministry of CCN, I will be happy. 

Board of Directors

  • Current board members 

    • David Kaufmann 

    • Todd Greer 

    • Steve Stockholm 

    • Fady Al-Hagal 

    • Wim Codington 

    • Phil Dillingham 

  • Expectations of board members 

    • Pray about the future of CCN and share your ideas with me

    • Quarterly board meetings for fellowship, counsel, prayer, and updates