By Mike Feazell
By Mike Feazell
DALLAS, Texas—U.S. district superintendents met in Dallas July 23 to 27 to prepare for full implementation of the church’s new financial model and discuss strategies for leadership development and youth and children’s ministry.
CONFERENCE ATTENDEES—District
superintendents,
wives and Church Administration staff at Dallas conference.
[Photos by Mike Feazell]
Dan Rogers, director of U.S. Church Administration, opened the conference by discussing trends and developments within the denomination in the United States, and by considering the challenges the denomination will face in the coming year.
Ted Johnston, superintendent of the Northeast district and general editor of the church’s Financial Management Manual, examined details of the manual and the new financial model. He was joined by fellow U.S. youth ministry coordinator Jeb Egbert for a session on goals and administration of regional summer camps and developing new leaders within the WCG.
Ambassador College of Christian Ministry
The discussion on education focused primarily on the web-based Ambassador College of Christian Ministry (ACCM), which is the basic ministry training arm of the Worldwide Church of God.
Russell Duke, ACCM president, was joined by program administrators John McLean and Aub Warren. Mr. McLean is national director of the WCG in Australia, and serves as director of ACCM’s associate degree in Christian Ministry. Mr. Warren manages Pacific Training & Development (a corporate training company owned by the Australian church) and ACCM’s communication and development activities.
ACCM was originally developed by WCG Australia as a denominational ministry training and development resource, and the Australian Office continues to facilitate the online operation of the institution for the church worldwide. This program was transitioned into the associate’s program of ACCM.
DISCUSSION ON EDUCATION—From
left: Ken Williams,
Aub Warren, John McLean and Russell Duke.
The ACCM associate degree in Christian ministry provides online ministry preparation courses for those serving as volunteer pastors and ministry leaders, as well as anyone interested in quality education in Christian studies. ACCM’s classes are open to all, and classes can be taken for credit (assessed) or audit (not assessed). A master’s program provides advanced courses for pastors who already possess a relevant bachelors degree.
“ACCM courses are designed to be practical and immediately useful in a pastor’s or ministry leader’s work in the congregation,” Mr. McLean explained. “Knowledge is of little value unless it is put to use. ACCM combines information with opportunities for practical application.”
Mr. Rogers added: “ACCM training is a fundamental component of effective leadership preparation for our pastors and ministry leaders. The low cost of ACCM is a blessing for the church. Those who are serious about ministry will appreciate the opportunity to receive high quality formal education. This is a key part of any church budget.”
Keith Brittain, Mid-Atlantic district superintendent, said: “Pastoral education and shepherd-leader development will be so much more practical and feasible through ACCM’s online format. The college brings together the learning of knowledge with practical application and a mentoring relationship with WCG instructors and ministry supervisors.”
Lorenzo Arroyo, Spanish language superintendent, described the college as a practical and accessible online training venue for furthering the disciplemaking goals of the church—to win the lost, build the faithful and equip the worker.
“New pastors without seminary training will be directed toward ACCM for their in-service training,” Mr. Rogers said.
Enrollment details for Ambassador College of Christian Ministry are available at www.ambascol.org.
James Roberts, president of the Center for Church Based Training (CCBT), provided an update on the Discovery series, which many U.S. congregations use as a basis for growing in discipleship and spiritual formation in a small group setting.
In addition to leadership identification and training, another outcome of the conference was a commitment to emphasize children’s ministry in 2005.
According to Charles Albrecht, operations and budget manager of Church Administration: “As a denomination, we need to place a strong emphasis on children’s and youth ministry in order to effectively identify future leaders.”
The conference took place at the Omni Park West Hotel in Dallas. The Omni has hosted numerous WCG conferences over the years, including the annual South Central regional conference and conferences for new pastors.
“The Omni staff are a gracious and accommodating group of people, and they often comment on the fine example our members set,” said Arnold Clauson, conference coordinator and pastor of the Dallas North church. “ ‘Some people claim to be Christians, but you people live like it,’ they’ve told me. Our relationship with the hotel has only grown stronger through the years.”
YOUTH MINISTRY TALK—From
left: Randy Bloom,
Jeb Egbert, Ted Johnston, Curtis May and Allan Barr.
Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students
Ambassador College of Christian Ministry does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs and other school administered programs.
Copyright © Grace Communion International, 2004