Lawrenceville, GA – Mission to North America (MNA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Reverend Chris Vogel as the new Church Planting and Vitality Coordinator, effective January 1, 2023. Chris will be responsible for leading MNA’s efforts to serve the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) for Spirit-empowered, fruitful growth in church planting and vitality.
Chris brings a wealth of experience and a passion for the local church to this role. He has served MNA as the Ecosystem Development Director for the past three years and has been actively involved in church planting and credentialing in Northern Illinois Presbytery and, since 2005, in the Wisconsin Presbytery. As a church planter himself, Chris understands the complexities of planting and revitalizing churches and has a heart for developing pastors. He has also been instrumental in the development of NXTGEN Pastors, a program that provides presbyteries and networks the mechanism to create mentored cohorts for soft skills development, which is vital for pastoral health.
One of the key areas of focus for Chris in his new role will be uniting planting with pastoral health. The vitality of pastors, churches, and presbyteries is foundational for gospel growth, and Chris is committed to ensuring that MNA prioritizes the health and well-being of pastors and churches as they seek to advance the Kingdom. He also has a robust vision for kingdom advancement and is excited to lead MNA’s efforts to serve the PCA.
MNA Coordinator TE Irwyn Ince Jr. said, “Chris is a servant leader who has a robust vision for kingdom advancement. He will lead MNA’s efforts to serve the PCA for Spirit-empowered fruitful growth in church planting and vitality. Please join me in praying for Chris, the team of brothers and sisters he will help lead within MNA, and the flourishing of the PCA for the sake of Christ and his kingdom!”
MNA Assistant Coordinator Murray Lee also added, “Chris Vogel brings a wealth of experience and a passion for the local church to this role. He understands the complexities of planting and revitalizing churches and has a heart for developing pastors. We are thrilled to have him on our team, and I look forward to working with him to see the PCA grow through church planting and vitality.”
Chris is from Lancaster, PA, and settled in Wisconsin 35 years ago. After seminary (Columbia Graduate School, now CIU), he pursued a Ph.D. at Marquette University. While a graduate student, he assisted with a church plant on Milwaukee’s east side. In 1992, Chris set aside his dissertation and planted a church in Waukesha, a western suburb of Milwaukee. Chris served as the planter and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in Waukesha (later moved to Delafield, WI) for 26 years. Through the years, Chris has been actively involved in church planting and credentialing in Northern Illinois Presbytery and, since 2005, in the Wisconsin Presbytery. He serves the Presbytery as the chair of the Pastoral Development Committee and on its MNA Committee. In 2017 Chris became the Director of the On Wisconsin Network, and then in 2018, he transitioned from his senior pastor role to launch NXTGEN Pastors. NXTGEN Pastors has trained over 150 mentors with 40 cohorts in North America, with others beginning overseas.
In addition to his role as Church Planting and Vitality Coordinator, Chris is also on the board of The Midwest Alliance, working with its director, Ted Powers, to see a greater planting movement among the 15 Midwest Presbyteries. He is also on the board of Flourish Coaching, serving the director, Matt Bohling. Chris and his wife Janet have been married for 40 years and have three children, Jenny, John, and Michael.
“It is with great joy and some trepidation that I am called to serve MNA as the Church Planting and Vitality Coordinator,” said Chris Vogel. “For most of my adult life, church planting has been at the forefront of my ministry as a church planter and mentor. In my 35 years in Wisconsin, I witnessed the Lord’s hand through hard times of little growth and the joy of great expansion. I am thrilled about how the Lord has formed the current MNA team led by Irwyn Ince and Murray Lee, and I look forward to serving with them. Let us all continue to ask the Lord to use MNA to cultivate Kingdom advancement through the PCA in North America to the glory of his name!”
We at MNA are excited for Chris to begin this new role, and we are confident that he will be a great asset to the team. We ask that you join us in praying for Chris, his family, and the MNA team as they work to advance the Kingdom in North America.
