J.D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Durham, N.C., shares how the gospel is the source for the church planting vision.

John Bisagno, retired pastor of First Baptist Church of Houston, talks with Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board.

Dispersing the wisdom of 60 years in the ministry, John Bisagno focused the 2012 Send North America Conference attendees on obtaining the proper balance to ensure a lasting ministry during a Tuesday lunchtime main session.

A panel discussion on urban church planting during the 2012 Send North America Conference included Dhati Lewis of Blueprint Church, Atlanta, Ellis Prince of Gallery Church in Baltimore, and Aaron Code, vice president of mobilization and equipping for NAMB.

Vance Pittman kicked off day two of the 2012 Send North America Conference by reminding conference attendees of the kingdom potential of new churches they’ll plant in North America. Pittman used the backdrop of his own story of being sent by First Baptist Church of Woodstock to start Hope Church in Las Vegas more than a decade ago as an illustration of the church’s kingdom potential.

Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, told more than 2,000 attendees at the Send North America Conference that in the last 10 years, the number of self-proclaiming Christians has declined by 10 percent. “I don’t have to tell you that the world is growing more hostile to the message we bring."