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Seminary Conference to Highlight 'Transformed Congregations'

"Dwelling in God’s Space and Time: Core Practices for Transforming Leaders" is the theme for the 76th annual School for Leadership Training conference for pastors and church leaders to be held Jan. 17-20, 2005, at Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

"Church leaders experience the real challenges today of leading God’s people in the midst of significant change," said Brenda Martin Hurst, assistant professor of practical theology at EMS and coordinator for the conference. "The goal for this year's training school is to equip today’s church leaders with concrete practices for producing mission-oriented congregations engaged in God’s transforming work," she said.

Key resource speaker Patrick Keifert will lead three sessions focusing on essential practices for becoming transforming leaders and congregations. Dr. Keifer is professor of systematic theology at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., and an ordained Lutheran minister.

Using Luke 10: 1-12 as a key text, Keifert will offer biblical teaching for increasing capacities for mission.

Church leaders from three congregations that have experienced significant transformation - Capital Christian Fellowship, Laurel, Md.; West Union Mennonite Church, Parnell, Iowa; and Calvary Community Church, Hampton, Va. - will share their stories and wisdom. Keifert will draw principles from these diverse congregational stories and offer practical processes for expanding mission vision that take seriously the particular realities of each congregation.

In addition, Richard Blackburn, executive director of the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center in suburban Chicago will give a plenary address on how transforming leaders can deal with resistance to change.

Participants will be able to select four of 17 special interest classes being offered on such topics as small group ministry, couples and teams in ministry, sermon preparation, ways of praying and a Bible study of the book of James.

Back by popular demand, Mennonite actors-playwrights .

— article by: Jim Bishop; posted November 24, 2004