CROSS-WAY CHURCH CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

CROSS-WAY CHURCH CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

BACKGROUND How it Began Arbin Pokharel is a pastor planting churches and developing church leaders in Nepal. Bimala Pokharel is founder and CEO of Higher Ground ministries. Arbin and Bimala live in Kathmandu with their children, Alyssa and Immanuel. Arbin grew up in a Christian orphanage in Nepal. Although he lived only a few blocks away from Bimala Shresthra in Kathmandu, they did not meet there. Arbin was sponsored for a student exchange program to come to Celeryville, Ohio in 1992 for high school. He began his college studies at Dordt College in Iowa and finished at Kuyper College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. While Arbin was a student at Kuyper he became friends with Bimala. Bimala grew up in Nepal, a daughter of a Nepali British military general. Bimala and her family were Hindu, so it is surprising that she chose to come to Calvin College in 1995. During an interim trip to Kenya, Bimala was given a vision to discontinue her pre-medicine studies and pursue micro-enterprise business studies instead. She had a desire to change the lives of the underprivileged. This was also a time of Jesus calling on her life, and she began following Christ in 1997. Arbin and Bimala both attended Calvin Seminary and married in 2001. They graduated in 2002 and felt a strong desire to return to their native country of Nepal to share God s love with their people. Alyssa, Arbin, Bimala, and Immanuel

The current Cross-Way Church building Cross-Way Church Cross-Way Church was planted in 2005 with a small group in Arbin and Bimala s living room in Kathmandu. Cross-Way has now grown to be a thriving and vibrant congregation of over 300 and has over 22 church plants in different towns and villages throughout Nepal. Higher Ground Higher Ground Nepal was started in 2006 out of Bimala s vision to share God s love with those at risk of exploitation. Their mission is to restore lives through awareness of human trafficking, counseling, and socio-economic empowerment. Higher Ground provides training and jobs in crafts, jewelry making, sewing and baking. Donations and proceeds from the sale of these products fund wages, counseling for victims, a safe home, scholarships, and micro-enterprise loans. One of the best parts about Arbin and Bimala s story is that they know the comfort of living in the U.S. but have chosen to live in their native country to serve the Lord. They know the language, culture and issues of the people they serve. They are gifted, talented and passionate about the work God has called them to do.

THE NEED 1 New Cross-Way Ministry Center in Kathmandu Cross-Way Church hosts Cross- Way Leadership Training (XLTI) in their building three times a year. XLTI was created to train leaders for current and future church plants. Evangelists and potential leaders leave their villages and families to take classes on church leadership for 4-5 week sessions. They sleep on the floors of Cross-Way Church and eat outdoors. The building was not designed for this use and is very congested at that time. Cross-Way also hosts conferences and training sessions for leaders of various ministries of the Nepali Reformed Church. During regular Saturday worship services there are over 90 children and only one hall to accommodate them. Youth and children lack creative space for their gatherings. Cross-Way Church children

Rendering of the New Building The church building sustained damage in the earthquakes of April and May 2015. The damage was temporarily repaired with steel beams, but is in need of a more permanent solution. Because of the earthquake damage, the growing needs of a larger congregation, the XLTI training program, and other new uses of the building, it is time to rebuild Cross-Way Church. The budget for this project is approximately $700,000. We currently have $225,000 saved and designated for this project. The church would like to begin rebuilding in Summer 2017, and the hope is to be completed within 18 months. New Ministry Center TOTAL BUDGET: $700,000

THE NEED 2Nepali Reformed Church Church Plants The Nepali church is one of the fastest growing churches in the world. The Holy Spirit is alive and active in Nepal and the field is ripe for harvest. Cross-Way Church has been responding effectively and efficiently to this rapid growth for nearly 12 years. Cross-Way planted its first church in 2008 and has planted 22 churches since then, creating a church planting network, now called the Nepali Reformed Church. One of the biggest challenges of the church in Nepal is to develop mature Christian leaders. Cross-Way has responded to that challenge by providing ongoing training for their leaders. Arbin is also actively involved as president of the Evangelical Presbyterian Theological Seminary (EPTS). The seminary trains church leaders by equipping them to comprehend theology, to passionately serve in the Nepali church, and to work with a reformed world-view. Graduates at Evangelical Presbyterian Theological Seminary

A Cross-Way church plant in Lamjung District, Nepal Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. Although the church members are generous, they don t have much to give. Cross-Way and Nepali Reformed Church s annual operating budget, which has never experienced a shortage, was still just $200,000 in 2016, and is projected to be about the same in 2017. Our new needs are less operating and more capital in nature. Each new church plant eventually needs a temporary building, which can cost $10,000 to $15,000. Once the church is established, growing, and under stable leadership, the temporary structure is replaced with a block building with a room for the pastor and his family to live. This building costs between $20,000 and $40,000, with the goal to garner as many local contributions as possible. BUDGET BREAKDOWN: Temporary Church Building: $10,000-$15,000 Permanent Church Building: $20,000-$40,000

There are three phases of the church plants so far. The first phase is a rented room inside a house. The second phase is a temporary structure, which almost all of the church plants are in right now. Churches can remain in this phase for a long time, and for some churches, that is all they need for over ten years, as long as the land belongs to them. The third phase is a permanent structure. Lamjung is the only church thus far with this structure. Temporary structure in Naagdhunga Permanent structure in Lamjung With plans to build 14 temporary and permanent church buildings in the next three years, the total cost of the church planting project is projected to be $346,500. As of May 2017, we have raised and designated $35,000 to support this effort. The Reach of the Nepali Reformed Church Note: There is more than one local church plant in some of the districts. Today, there are over 22 churches planted across the country. Church Plants TOTAL BUDGET: $346,500

The vision of Cross-Way Church is to be a well of God s grace to reach all of the 75 districts in Nepal. Cross-Way Church is eagerly responding to the Great Commission in Nepal. Would you be willing to encourage and partner with them in this effort? Building the Body of Christ in Nepal CAPITAL CAMPAIGN Cross-Way Ministry Center $700,000 14 Church Plants $346,500 TOTAL $1,046,500

BUILDING PLANS LOWER LEVEL FEATURES 2569.26 square feet Two apartments for pastors families Recording studio Classrooms Dorm room FIRST FLOOR FEATURES 3731.24 square feet Lobby with cafe Three classrooms Restrooms Library Dorm room

BALCONY FEATURES 2043.005 square feet Reception desk Six office spaces Conference room BASEMENT / PARKING 2967.04 square feet SANCTUARY FEATURES 3364.19 square feet Large platform stage Seating for 480 people Foyer

Facilitators International supports the work of accountable, dynamic, and growing Christian ministries in Nepal. Our vision is to glorify God through a healthy partnership of American and Nepali churches that promotes missions and evangelism that is spiritually motivated, scripturally based, contextually effective and culminates in Christ-centered churches and ministries that transform lives in their communities. For more information contact: Chris Bouwer, President chrisbouwer21@gmail.com (616) 450-2308 Checks can be mailed to: Facilitators International 2370 142nd Street Dorr, MI 49323 To make an online donation, visit facilitatorsnepal.org