Our History

APMP was born from a collection of Presbyterian mission pastors meeting at the 1987 Urbana Conference, sponsored by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Each pastor wanted information about Presbyterian global mission and envisioned the benefits of associating with others who shared this specialized area of ministry. 

A group of those people arranged a meeting with representatives of the Global Mission Ministry Unit of the General Assembly in May 1989. They talked about the possibility of forming a network of Presbyterian mission pastors and directors of local church mission. The Rev. Bill Cunningham of La Canada Presbyterian Church in La Canada, California placed an announcement in the magazine Monday Morning calling for interested mission pastors and directors to meet together in Louisville in December 1989.

• December 1989, The first Louisville gathering was held. Bill Cunningham was elected president of the newly formed Mission Pastor Network. The mood of the early meetings was cautious, almost like a honeymoon. Red Carpet treatment was offered to the 35 mission pastors and directors in attendance. An outstanding welcome was extended from Clifton Kirkpatrick. Pastors were excited to meet staff and get to know the people directing Presbyterian mission efforts. Syngman Rhee shared a particular struggle for which he needed prayer - and a network tradition of laying on hands in prayer for Louisville staff began. There was a collection for a PCUSA display and booth at Urbana. An APMP task force was developed to work on the display.
   
• 1990: 40 pastors and directors were in attendance, plus GA staff. The organization changed its name from Mission Pastor Network to Association of Presbyterian Mission Pastors.
   
• 1991: 50 in attendance, plus GA. Adjustment and relational deepening. The Rev. Dave Hackett was elected president.
   
• 1992: 46 in attendance, plus GA. Beginnings of mission partnering.
   
• 1993: 33 in attendance, plus GA. The Rev. Mark Southard was elected president.
   
• 1994: APMP met in Chicago to look at urban mission needs. Ray Bakke organized tours of the city to help mission pastors examine urban mission issues.
   
• 1995: JD Ward was elected president
   
• 1996: Examined PCUSA missionary orientation. Tony Gittens was special speaker.
   
• 1997: APMP meets in St. Louis in connection with "Congregations in Global Mission" conference; The Rev. Rick Langeloh was elected president
   
• 1998: Preparing congregations for the challenges of mission in the new millennium was the focus for the meeting. Pittsburgh Theological Seminary Mission Professor Scott Sundquist was the special speaker.
   
• 1999: Motivating church members through preaching/teaching and hands-on mission experiences provided the foundation for discussion. One session also covered motivating other churches, both directly and through Presbytery. A highlight of the meeting was the participation of Marian McClure, the Director of the Worldwide Ministries Division, as she shared her vision for the PC(USA) and its mission program.  She also asked the members of APMP for help and feedback on a General Assembly directive to fund additional missionaries.  The Rev. Harry Slye was elected president.
   
• 2000: The Rev. Lynne Faris was elected president.
   
• 2001: Insights from the Past & Vision for the Future: Mission Challenges for the 21st Century was the theme, with Rev. Harold Kurtz of Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship as speaker.
   
• 2002: Partnership and Money - Wealth in the Missional Church was the topic, capably presented by the Rev. Dr. David Dawson, presbytery executive of Shenango Presbytery. The Rev. Keith Vandergrift was elected president.
  
  
• 2003: David Dawson, Executive Presbyter of Shenango Presbytery, spoke to the theme of Mission and Funding.
  
  
• 2004: Sherron George, who is a missionary, professor, and author of Partners in Christ's Service, spoke on forming Global Partnerships and the spiritual practices that lead to these partnerships.
  
  
• 2005: Dr. Darrell Guder, Professor at Princeton Seminary, spoke on the theme of "The Missional Church." Rev. Jim Milley was elected President.
  
  
• 2006: About 90 pastors and directors of mission came to the conference, an increase from about 60 in 2005. There were three speakers: Tim Dearborn from World Vision, Steve Hayner from Columbia Seminary, and Mark Labberton from First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley. They spoke on "Worship as Mission, and Mission as Worship." From their various pespectives of the ivory tower, the church, and a large non-profit, they helped APMP members envision the missional church in pracice in a time of change for our denomination.