Evangelism and Church Growth’s 2012 conference

JULY 29 – AUGUST 2, 2012
ST. PETE BEACH, FLORIDA

Influence culture. Live out your mission. Develop disciples. Grow spiritually.

Join Evangelism and Church Growth for ECG 2012, an all area ministry conference, to discover how to become the church God intended us to be.

Learning tracks will be available for Evangelism, New Church Development, Transformation, Collegiate Ministries and Youth Workers.

LOCATION

Tradewinds Resort
5500 Gulf Blvd.
St. Pete Beach, Florida

RATES

Early Bird Registration $250

Housing: Private Room $115, Double $56, Triple $39

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Len Sweet
Highly influential in social media, best-selling author.

Linnea Nilsen Capshaw
Empowering leaders discern and live out mission.

Jo Saxton
Helping churches live into a discipling and missional way of being.

Mark Yaconelli
Exploring ground breaking spiritual direction and practice in Youth Ministry.

**Online registration will be open in early 2012.**

Go here to visit the official  ECG 2012 website.

Inspiring the Revolution of Second.

I am Second is a movement meant to inspire people of all kinds to live for God and for others. Actors. Athletes. Musicians. Business leaders. Drug addicts. Your next-door neighbor. People like you. The authentic stories on iamsecond.com provide insight into dealing with typical struggles of everyday living. These are stories that give hope to the lonely and the hurting, help from destructive lifestyles, and inspiration to the unfulfilled. You’ll discover people who’ve tried to go it alone and have failed. Find the hope, peace, and fulfillment they found. Be Second.

www.iamsecond.com

The Office of Church Growth is pleased to announce the arrival of our hotly anticipated Congregational Transformation discernment process.  Like the “Starting New Churches” resource for New Church Development, “Starting New Initiatives” is not designed as a “quick fix,” but rather, is a process of prayer, discernment, conversation, and reflection for congregations to decide how they can best minister in their particular context(s)

To download the booklet, click here.

Paper copies of the booklet are available from the Office of Church Growth by calling 1-888-728-7228, ext. 5088 or emailing at meredith.kemp-pappan@pcusa.org.

The mission of the Transforming Theology network is to tighten the bonds between theology and transformative action in the church and the world…The Transforming Theology project pursues a three-pronged approach for deepening the relationship between theology and transformative action. The “Transforming the Church” page describes steps being taken to strengthen the networks of Christians across the denominations who share with one another the passion for a transforming and transformative theology. The “Seminaries and Divinity Schools” page describes new initiatives in theological education that are helping to train future religious leaders according to these priorities and to disseminate them more broadly….Our task is not to establish strict criteria for what counts as acceptable or unacceptable theology. Instead, we join with all Christian thinkers who are involved in formulating, and living, transformative theologies. We are working to bring home the two-directional nature of the deep bonds between belief and action. Powerful theologies lead to powerful ministries in the church and in the world. But the feedback relationship is no less important: examining transformative ministries (and also those that fail to be transformative) helps us to understand how theologies should be extended, adapted — or radically revised.

www.transformingtheology.org/home

WCD is designed for young adults who are interested in discerning and preparing for Christian vocation, regardless of occupation (pastor, lawyer, teacher, church planter, aid worker, etc.). The program is non-traditional and experiential. Participants will live a simple life in community with others whole serving the East End neighborhood and select local churches. They will regularly reflect on Scripture and the great interpreters of the faith. The community of about 12 will be a diverse ethnic community from across the nation, committed to living according to a religious rule, remaining accountable to one another, while exploring the global needs of the Church.

Participants will work 15-20 hours per week in local business as a missional presence in the East End, and they will serve in an urban church plant or church in redevelopment.

Applications, Questions, and more info at:  www.worldmissioninitiative.org/wcd

The Presbyterian Mariners Family Ministry Grant is awarded on a funds available basis to eligible applicants through Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations, church organizations, or Presbyteries.

Eligibility Requirements
Applicant must be:

• Congregation, organization, or individual member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
• The project must propose an event, program, curriculum or book for developing family ministry opportunities.

For more information, click here.  Deadline for application is November 1.

According to the website:

“Coaching is about transformation, and transformation is at the heart of the Christian experience. Most transformation begins with a simple but well crafted question that rings true, deep within the heart and that brings about new action and lasting change.

Through a series of three coach training events you will learn to use coaching skills to help move people and churches forward in faith. The entire curriculum adheres to the International Coach Federation’s standards of competency, enabling you to have a clear understanding of what you are learning. Unlike many continuing education events, application is immediate in that you will experience coaching others and being coached yourself many times during the residential workshops, which serve to reinforce learning and transition the skills into real life practice.”

This program features an online introductory course, as well as residential worshops.

Click here for more information and to visit the website.