In November, Loren and I traveled to Turkey for our first trip overseas sans kids. The trip was a combination of work and rest, and we’re thankful for all that happened. Here’s how God moved:
Reconnection & Restoration.
God provided a wonderful (and almost free!) opportunity for Loren and I to relax together for the first few days. We were able to be restored and reconnect with each other on a beautiful beach. Our conversations ebbed from the silly ("If you were to open up a restaurant...") to the serious ("How are we responding to the ages and stages of our kids?"). We are so thankful for this opportunity to build onto the foundation of our marriage.
Safety.
There was a bombing in a busy tourist area in city of Istanbul while we were in Turkey. Thankfully, we were on the other side of the sea at that time. Miraculously, none of the 450+ conference delegates were injured. It was a reminder that the enemy is seeking to destroy, but God is in control.
Conversations & Connections.
God provided numerous amazing connections in Turkey! The conference was run by the International Council of Evangelical Theological Education (ICETE), and 450+ pastor-trainers and theological educators came from 80+ countries representing 100+ training organizations. Check out the pictures and the captions below to hear about the connections and conversations God provided.
Discussion topic: How do we make effective, relevant training to the church’s emerging leaders?
“9 out of 10 churches around the world are led by pastors with little-to-no ministry training”
The global church has a dire need for trained pastors. 9 out of 10 churches around the world have a pastor with little to no ministry training. UWM’s mission is to equip leaders with the Church for the world. You can think of UWM like REI - we are ministry outfitters, supplying and supporting church leaders for every ministry need.
UWM is seeking to increase effectiveness of existing training programs led by missionaries, and to increase capacity in those programs by raising up nationals, and to recruit more missionaries to respond to the need. To do this, I (Jack) coordinate professional development webinars, strategic planning sessions, and mentoring for existing missionaries on the field. In addition, I am engaged in networking and partnering with like-minded organizations. This is why the ICETE conference in Ephesus, Turkey, was so crucial for us.
Here are some pictures from some of the connections we made.
The greatest need for more pastors who are well-trained is in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. And yet, I was most encouraged by brothers and sisters from these very same regions sharing stories about God at work, raising up His leaders for His church, from Uganda to India to Ukraine – even Cuba!
We are excited and hopeful to see how God will bless these connections with continuing conversations in the new year. We ask that you prayerfully consider an end of year gift to our ministry to help continue our efforts to train pastors where they are needed most. You can give online here, or click on the Give page in the top right for info on sending a check.