(Saturday, Feb 2, 2013) One of the many things Pastor Moses and I talk about when we drive, eat or are in the hotel room is how the ministry is going this trip and what changes we should make in the future. God always seems to give us both the same ideas at the same time. One of the things that is becoming clear as we look to the future is that we are moving more and more in the direction of training the leaders of pastors who can then train other pastors. For 3 years we’ve had multi-day leadership training sessions for key pastors who can influence and train other pastors. These have been our most expensive meetings for it requires renting a facility with rooms to meet, eat and sleep. All the food must be provided as well. Roman Catholic conference centers seem to be the best to meet these needs. Although it takes more money than the daily meeting in local churches, it is well worth it because we give in-depth training to the same men year after year who will go and train other pastors in their local area.
I have been able to mentor these men through the years they have been hearing me, in these meetings as well as in their churches. We are discovering that out of that group of about 50 there has emerged a dozen who have really risen to the top as far as leadership skills go. They organize the men in their area who come to the Leadership Conference, oversee the conferences in their areas and become in effect Moses’ deputies to whom he delegates large amounts of responsibility. These are mature, gifted, godly men, excellent men of God with whom I consider it a privilege and honor to work. Hey are called and burdened to mentor younger pastors. Starting next year we want to have a second multiday conference just for them and a few younger one who we see potential of becoming like them. This would enable us to give even more in depth training. They have many questions they would like to ask me and subjects they would like me to cover. I won’t be coming for 5 weeks every year, I do need to have Nancy come with me, and her time from work is very limited. So we must work smarter, not harder, and this is one way of doing so. These men are doing in their areas what I do overall, so to better help and equip them would be very practical. The ripples from the stone dropped in the pond will multiply and spread in more and more directions.
Local pastors’ conferences would still be the back-bone of our ministry, and we will continue the 2-day leadership conference for the 50 or so who have been coming. But in addition we’ll add this 2-day conference as well for the leaders of leaders, or Coordinator Leaders as Moses calling these men.
These ‘Coordinators Conferences’ are something we feel is a top priority for 2014. The men already are very familiar with my basic teachings and have my books about What God Expects of Pastors and Spiritual Warfare, and hopefully by then will have the new book on Marriage and Ministry to use as well. With these they can provide the exact same material I present, but do it multiple times over all year long and reach pastors I would need months and months to reach. CD’s and DVD’s of the sessions will also be available for those with the resources to use them. These men do desire mentoring and continued training themselves and would like me to work with them in this way. They are already doing these things on their own, in response to what I have been teaching them to do. Now they need more support and help. Clearly this is what God wants for He put the idea and desire in our hearts. Pray God will help us be sensitive to His will in carrying this out. Pray for these men, too, for stepping out like this is like holding up a metal pole during lightening – they will certainly draw more and more attacks from Satan. These are pastors we are helping to support financially and are in close contact with on a regular basis.
2 Timothy 2:1-3 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.
Pray for these pastors regularly. They are the very front line forces in the battle for India. Pastor Sudhakar, Pastor Solomon, Pastor Barnabas, Pastor Titus, Pastor Anadarao, Pastor Espadayam, Pastor Isaac, Pastor Krupaiah, Pastor Babu, Pastor Vijay Kumar, Pastor Vhyaskar and Pastor John Babu.