Pizza and Phillip



Yesterday was the first day of the training program that a friend and I are now coordinating. It's a one year ministry training program for Turkish believers. A small group of students is chosen and sent from congregations around the country. This year we have five students who have come from several different cities. For the next year these students will be living in Ankara (one of them is living with us) and preparing for ministry. Teachers will come from around the country and give classes in Bible, theology, and various ministry-related topics. Later this month I will be teaching about Spiritual Formation. Our program is particularly interested in character formation, and much of our time together will be devoted to that. The program is named after Phillip from the New Testament, a man led by the Spirit and used by God to do impact the world.


As I write this entry from my kitchen table, the students are busy making pizza at my house. They are just now getting to know one another and the pizza-making is intended to get them to work together as a team. It seems to be working. And the pizza is looking good.


As with our own personal spiritual growth, we can't just decide to grow. We do our best to make space in our lives for growth, to cultivate the conditions in which God will cause the seeds of maturity to come to fruit in our lives. I think it's the same with a church or a nation. We can't make the Turkish church more mature. We can't make it grow. Our role is to create the conditions in which the seeds of maturity will come to fruit throughout the nation. One way to cultivate those conditions is to provide an opportunity for Turkish believers to be trained in community and equipped and mentored by men and women whose lives and ministries can be an example to the church.


The students will spend 8 months in Ankara, receiving classroom training, one-on-one mentoring with another believer, and ministry experience in one of the fellowships in the city. Then they will be sent to another city in Turkey for a 3 month internship where they will serve in another church. Finally, they will spend one month in another country where they will serve alongside long-term workers.

We're excited to be coordinating this program and we're off to a good start. Pray for us, for the students, and for the church in Turkey.

Comments

Doulos said…
Love it!!!! I think you may have given me an idea for our men's ministry.
November 12, 2007 at 6:56 PM
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