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.

A coffee house that’s a church?

A worshiping community that draws young artists?

A ministry that focuses on Houston’s growing Vietnamese population?

These are some of Dynamic New Churches in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).  Click on the link below to learn these and other  PC(U.S.A.) new church developments are serving their contexts in unique and inspired ways.

Go here to learn more.

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.

Click here for more information.

We are grateful that the Presbytery of Charlotte has allowed us to post their Strategic Plan for Building Healthy Churches that was adopted May 19, 2009.  This document has been two years in developmen and is to be followed by a “first 18 month implementation plan” to be presented for adoption at their September, 2009 Presbytery meeting.

You are welcome to adapt/use/print etc., any and all of this document.  Warren Lesane, Charlotte Presbytery’s Associate for Church Development and the Charlotte Presbytery Church Development Team, are the primary researchers, thinkers, and writers; however, it  has been a holistic process involving the entire infrastructure and staff of the Presbytery.

Click here to download the document  (.pdf file)

(from the website)

“This web site is sponsored by the Valparaiso Project on the Education and Formation of People in Faith, a project whose purpose is to develop resources to help contemporary people live the Christian faith with vitality and integrity in changing times. The Project is ecumenical in orientation and appreciative of the legacies of a range of Christian traditions. We sponsor seminars, books, conferences and web sites for adults and youth.”

www.practicingourfaith.org

Their mission statement is:

“Our starting place is God’s mission, which helps us see opportunity instead of peril in the world outside our doorsteps. Action flows from a sense of mission (purpose). Consulting provides a framework and accountability to intentionally design purpose, and effectively live into it.”

www.cultivatemission.com