Mid-America Union Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists

Ministerial

The Ministerial Department, led by Maurice R. Valentine, networks with local conference ministerial directors to enhance the ministry of pastors. It’s mission is to facilitate personal and professional growth of Mid-America leaders through enhanced access to the latest resources for development of the individual.

We envision strong pastors and pastoral families, healthy leadership and growing churches to accomplish a finished work in our lifetime through utilization of the following.

•    Redeployment of Focusing Leaders to advance mission driven spirit-filled pastors and churches of excellence.

•    Provide training in strategic planning and functional structures for congregations; made available upon request.

•    Offer onsite assessment to foment the development of healthy churches through the Natural Church Development process.

•    Foment greater participation in the InMinistry Master of Divinity and Pastoral Ministry program to refine and hone the skills of our pastoral ranks and establish professional parity across our field through field based education.

•    Development of an online community of church professionals via the Center for Church Life and Growth through utilization of podcast, weblogs and other articles of interest.

•    Provide an outlet for streaming of worship services from across our territory.

•    Host a collegial information sharing network for ministerial directors of our six constituent conferences.

Article: Church Growth in a Bottle?
The ability of something to gain life after lying dead in a container for thousands of years is mind boggling to the scientific world. But not so to us, in that we understand our Creator determined that seed must die and then come back to life again. . .

Article: New Member Retention for Smarties
McGavran found one thing growing churches must do to continue their growth trend: Keep their new believers! Its not hard to deduce that if you lose a member for every member you gain, your net increase is a bagel. . .

Article: Revitalization, Church Planting and NCDNew Programs or Old Principles?
I am learning that some of the best stuff on the planet is not new, just overlooked, underappreciated or possibly forgotten. Take for instance revitalization, church planting and Natural Church Development. Are these new ideas? If you would like the short answer just read Ecc. 1:9. Or, if you would like to sink your teeth into something a little more substantive, read on. . .

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Resources
Articles and other information about growing churches.