Pastors' and Church Leaders' Program at Urbana 03

An Invitation from Paul Borthwick, Pastors’ Program Director

Program Information

“Embracing the Future”

Perhaps the most important issue facing church and mission leaders in the United States and Canada pertains to our role in the world. Where do we fit? How do we respond? In a world where Christian leadership is truly global, how do we serve, partner, and mobilize for maximum Kingdom effectiveness?

If you are a pastor or a church leader attending Urbana 03, we have a program designed specifically for you.

From 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. each day, we'll hear different perspectives on the role of the Western church in the Global mission of the Church - including the challenges within our own local congregations and with the equipping of the emerging generations.

We'll also consider various case studies presenting us with potential responses, and we'll identify some key resources to assist us and our ministries in responding effectively.

The daily morning sessions will touch on the following issues:

DAY 1: Dr. David Zac Niringiye of Uganda will challenge us with his African, Theological Perspective. Zac has served in Uganda as a pastor, a leader in Student Ministry, and an innovator in challenging the Church in responding to HIV/AIDS. He now serves with the Church Mission Society overseeing their work throughout Africa. Zac spoke at Urbana 93, and he will be presenting two of the biblical expositions at Urbana 03.

On day 1, we’ll discuss a case study of a dynamic partnership between a Western church and an indigenous ministry. Bruce Camp will introduce the resource of DualReach, designed to help churches strategize for a balance between local and global ministry.

DAY 2: Dr. Peter Kuzmic of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Osijek [Croatia] Seminary will challenge us with his Eastern European, Historical Perspective. Peter has a global perspective based on his travels, his work with the Lausanne Committee and the World Evangelical Alliance’s Missions Commission, and the global impact of the Osijek Seminary (whose graduates serve in more than 50 nations). Peter will help us look to the future by integrating our understanding of God's hand in history with the "where-we-are-now" realities of the world.

On day 2, Peter Kuzmic will join with USA pastor John Rowell to present a case study on the partnership between John's suburban Atlanta church, Peter's Croatian seminary, and the refugee camps of Bosnia. The resource presented will be John’s book, Magnify Your Vision for the Small Church.

DAY 3: Author and resource-person Paul Borthwick will lead us to consider the future challenges of mobilizing the church in the West. Paul served more than 20 years on a local church staff as a youth pastor and then a missions pastor. He has written practical missions guides like A Mind For Missions and How To Be a World-Class Christian, and his burden is to help every North American Christian see their roles in God’s global purposes. Paul will speak to the challenges facing our north American churches as we seek to be partners with and servants to the non-Western world.

On day 3, Dr. Soong-Chan Rah will present a case study of building an effective multi-ethnic congregation. InterVarsity staff veteran Rich Lamb will present some resources on equipping leaders for local and global effectiveness.

DAY 4: Dr. Soong-Chan Rah will speak especially to North American leaders on understanding and mobilizing the Emerging Generations. Whether we’re talking of GenX or the “millenials,” there are awesome opportunities and unique challenges ahead for equipping these young people for God’s mission in the world.

The day 4 case study will feature Dr. Alec Hill, President of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA and Jim Tebbe, Director of Urbana 03. They will outline InterVarsity’s attempts to reach and disciple the emerging culture. They will introduce us to possible future scenarios for the Urbana Student Mission Convention and invite participant feedback.

Registration

The pastors’ program is for pastors, church leaders, youth leaders, lay leaders, or anyone else serving in a leadership role in your church.

To register for the program, simply sign up as a regular delegate. Mark “pastor” on your registration, and we will save space for you in the program. Be certain that, when you check in at the convention, you go through the pastors’ registration line. Register online here.

home | urbana 06 | know your world | next steps | past urbanas | blogs
privacy statement | copyright | urbana.org team | about urbana.org
 site map | contact urbana | help | email list