LEAD or Leading Enthusiastic Active Disciples, is a program to train pastors to change the culture of their local church. David Ripley, NSD Ministerial Secretary, and Lynn Ripley, NSD Associate Ministerial Secretary met with 24 pastors in two locations. Twelve pastors met in Taipei June 23-25, and twelve pastors met in Pingtung June 26-28. LEAD is voluntary program that the pastors have joined to grow the churches of God in Taiwan.
LEAD is very different from other training events. Too often from the higher, (or lower, foundational) levels of the church we come for a visit, share copious amounts of information, tell the pastors, “We hope this helps your ministry! We hope you find what to do with all this ‘expert’ information!” Then we leave thinking we have made a difference in the churches. Even if the pastor decides to try and apply what was presented back in the local church, when he/she gets back to their home church the local leaders are sure he/she is talking a foreign language. The pastor is working on their own unsuccessfully and they have to give up. As good as the training may have been, it is not being used in many cases.
The NSD Ministerial Department is determined to work in a different way. Our LEAD program is ongoing training plus ongoing support. We will walk with the pastors in their ministry bringing continued training and support. We meet once a quarter for training. We are developing the pastors into a supportive cohort; as a team of pastors seeking the same goals and using the same ministry tools, they can encourage and support each other in growing their churches.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Training sessions where the pastor brings their lay leaders for training are also being held. This will give lay leaders the same information as the pastors so they will know how to work together as a local team to change the culture of the local church and lead the church to success. A pastor cannot move the church to growth by himself/herself. The local leaders and then the whole church family must join as a community of disciples to fulfill what God has asked them to do.Then the local church will become a center of Revival, Reformation, Discipleship, and Evangelism.
This initiative is made up of several modules/training events and has an on going coaching component to equip pastors to lead a church to partner with God and become a discipleship community.
Module 1 – Personal Pastoral Focus
Module 2 – Tools for Leading a Discipleship Focused Church
Module 3 – The Journey to a discipleship church: Wins and Challenges
Ongoing Cohort Modules – On location: Implementation/Implantation of Discipleship Culture
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a people called to share a special message of hope with our world. Time is short because Jesus is coming soon! We must act quickly! And we must remember that God is eager to perform miracles on behalf of our church and its mission in our community. By becoming a culture of disciples in the local church we will be ready to recognize God’s call, His urgent mission for us, and be prepared for the miracles that will assist our churches to grow.
Article by David & Lynn Ripley