The gathering was focused and joyful. Pastors and leaders from the Northern and Southern areas of Taiwan Conference met for the LEAD cohort to refocus on mission in their communities. The first group met May 26-27 at the Taipei Hospital Church. And the next one met at Pingtung Central Church May 28-29.
The schedule included leadership training with pastors and their leaders on the first day. The second day only the pastors met. It was a time of reporting on church growth activities, honest sharing on challenges that were being faced, and shared problem solving.
In both areas the time together concluded with a season of prayer asking that God bless each church, their pastor and leaders. Strong petitions were made that each church would be anointed for great strength and fruitfulness in its mission. TWC Ministerial directors Raymond Ke and Peter Lin coordinated the meetings.
LEAD or Leading Enthusiastic Active Disciples cohort is focused toward ongoing training support for pastors and their leaders as they use the tools they learned from the three LEAD modules. The first LEAD module helped the pastoral reclaim God’s calling to courageous pastoral ministry. The second LEAD module defined Mission & Vision and what it means to have a discipleship culture in the church. The third LEAD module was a seminar on worship ministry and practical skills for organizing for effective Sabbath morning ministry.
The goal of LEAD is to encourage pastors as they lead change in their church culture to one of active witness by all the members. David Ripley, NSD Ministerial Secretary, and Lynn Ripley, NSD Associate Ministerial Secretary facilitate this group time. 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. The next LEAD Cohort meeting will be in early October 2014.
by Lynn Ripley, Assistant Ministerial Director