25 Jun What is the true nature of spiritual authority?
Institutions and organisations today place much emphasis on leadership training. Could it be that this emphasis is misplaced as far as the church is concerned?
Of course there is a need for academic and theological formation in the Christian life. Moreover, no one would dispute that all of us need training in skills in leading groups and managing organisations, big or small. But does the Bible teach us to train leaders for the church, in the way that multinationals today consciously seek to produce corporate managers and CEOs?
A careful reading of Scriptures tells us that we are all first and foremost called to be servants of Christ and of each other. We are to train ourselves in godliness (1 Tim 4:7f) and to excel as servants (Mark 10:42-45). But to develop leaders for church and mission? It’s doubtful that much evidence can be found, at least not in the Bible.
There are great spiritual leaders in the Bible. But where did they come from? And if everyone is a servant, where can we find the leaders who are desperately needed today? What is the true nature of spiritual authority, and how do we come to be endowed with it? What is the role and place of spiritual formation and moral character in all these? How does God train and transform those who eventually emerge as spiritual leaders?
The course on ‘Servanthood — the Heart of Christian Ministry’ will seek to address some of these issues.
Speaker: Rev Dr Hwa Yung
Date: Sept 26, Saturday, 9am – 5pm
Venue: PJEFC
Address: 3, Jalan 13/6, Seksyen 13
46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Phone: 03-7957 4341
Cost for non-EFC members: RM40 per person (inclusive of tea, snacks and handouts).
For Registration: Download Form from www.asiagatewaytraining.net and Email: asiagatewaymissions@gmail.com
Payment could be made on the day of seminar.
Email above or Call: 011 1424 8475 for enquiries
Members of EFC Churches could register directly with: Pastor David Low: David Low davidlow05@gmail.com or Pastor Ben: Ben Skadiang <gefcsj@yahoo.com>
Closing Date: One week before course
About the Speaker:
Rev Dr Hwa Yung is the Bishop Emeritus of the Methodist Church in Malaysia and Chairman of Council of Trustees of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (OCMS).