Conferences

The great need facing the Chinese Churches around the world is a crisis of leadership. Not only are there many churches without pastors and teachers who can teach then the Word of God, sadly there are also many pastors who are serving in the church but who are ill equipped or unprepared for pastoral ministry. Because of this, the church often struggles against so many problems and is unable to fulfill the Great Commission. The vision of the CCOWE-ETF sees that the key to fulfilling the Great Commission is to raise up more pastors and teachers who will be able to grow the church, equip her for service and mobilize her for mission.

However finding our future leaders lies in equipping today’s leaders. This is true for all disciplines in life, whether it is in sports, business, or the arts. It is equally true for ministry. As we train the current lay leaders it will be clear over time who will be the future leaders who will go on to lead the church and grow God’s Kingdom. Unfortunately in many churches, training for lay leaders is noticeably very lacking. Churches are often desperately in need for more helpers. Because of this, people are often thrust in to fill the ministry vacancy, and often with little or no preparation. Not surprisingly many of these leaders struggle to know what to do and how to do it. Unfortunately drop out of ministry and out of church altogether.

In the training of present and future leaders, our concern is to raise up leaders who are not modeled after the world but after the Lord Jesus. For this reason we feel that today’s leaders and tomorrow leaders are to be biblically solid, Gospel centred, Spiritually humble, mission minded, Culturally sensitive, ministry competent and marked by Courageous endurance.

It is our hope and prayer that ETF Conferences will be a strategically significant ministry for the whole of the Philippines as well as for South East Asia through which a whole new generation of leaders have been raised up more full time ministry.

God willing, our hope and prayer is to see a mighty movement of God flooding the Philippines and beyond with a mighty army of men and women who will pastor God’s sheep and grow His kingdom. For this reason we see the goal of this conference as follows.

GOALS

To grow people in the knowledge of God’s word and its implications for life and ministry. Much leadership training focuses on developing leadership skills such as vision casting, strategizing, etc. While these are important, we believe that the heart of developing Godly faithful leaders for God’s work lies in helping them grow in the knowledge of the Scriptures. For this reason we want train the lay leaders in the basics of the Scriptures.
To provide encouragement and refreshment for those who often struggle alone. Ministry is hard and very tiring. Many struggle with little encouragement and support. For this reason the conference aims to be an opportunity to refresh God’s worker.
To equip delegates with some basic tools to help them serve the church. More often than not, most people serving are thrust into serving with little or no help. Many are not sure what to do and how to do it. The conference aims to provide them with basic tools to be able do their work within the church.
To provide opportunities for people to build networks with people from other churches and thus lay the foundations for future working relationships. If we want to see the whole of the Philippines brought to the Lord Jesus Christ, no one church can do it alone. Churches need to learn to support and encourage each other, as well as work together. Sadly many churches are suspicious of working with other churches. For this reason it will be important to build networks that can lay the foundations for future partnerships.
To cast a vision to all delegates to work towards bring the gospel to all of the Philippines and beyond.
To identify and challenge those who are spiritually mature and suitably gifted to consider God’s call to full time pastoral ministry.