Welcome to the July/August issue of Equip for Ministry. It has been a joy to develop this particular issue, especially in light of numerous positive comments and encouragements at the recent PCA General Assembly. For your advanced information, the Christian Education Committee and staff are in the planning process to move from a bi-monthly publication, which we have followed for over ten years, to a full-color, quarterly edition. We trust that when the change takes place in January 2007, that Equip for Ministry, or its new title Equipping Kingdom Disciples, will continue to serve you as a helpful resource in your Christian life and the life of your church ministry.

Because CE&P understands its mission to be making kingdom disciples of God’s covenant people, this issue highlights a number of aspects of that ministry. For example, in the lead article, Brad Winsted, Director of Children’s Ministry International, and a friend of CE&P, writes on an extremely important topic of family devotions. Recent trends indicate that fewer and fewer families have regular family devotions. Time, priority, and commitment appear to the missing ingredients, all of which are necessary to have regular family devotions. Many are trying to live only on the spiritual diet provided by the church or in some cases the Christian schools while family tensions, pressures and fragmentation continue.

It is always exciting for us to be able to include in this publication a list of those who have memorized and recited both the Children’s and/or the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Standards. Teaching God’s truth early on pays great rewards and benefits to those who have been discipled in the truth.

CE&P as the training and resource agency of the PCA has many good resources and suggestions suitable for use in family settings. Our regional trainers are equipped to assist local churches in encouraging and developing family ministries both in the church and the home.

The “In Case You’re Asked” page continues to focus on that theme as it talks about the importance of catechizing our covenant children and discipling them with a Kingdom world and life view perspective. Teaching sound biblical doctrine is an exercise that must begin at the beginning of the child’s spiritual journey. The themes of the kingdom, world and life view, and covenant are mentioned in some way or another in each issue of this publication. They express who we are and what we are all about. We are not driven by felt needs nor “glitzy” market strategy. We are driven by a commitment to our Sovereign and Triune God to baptize and teach all things whatsoever our king has commanded.

In our “Equip Tip” section CE&P consultant Bob Edmiston talks about the necessity of the power of the Holy Spirit to make a difference in our teaching and preaching. Making kingdom disciples requires a denial of self and a complete trust in God to make our teaching and preaching effectual in the lives of the hearers. Without God’s working in our efforts, they will produce little or no fruit.

We have included several books, a section of EfM that brings many appreciative comments from readers, that are worth knowing about and reading. Following the “making kingdom disciples” theme, especially within the covenant framework, you will want to read Stephen Smallman’s book Spiritual Birthline in which he explains the process of salvation from the early birthing process to spiritual maturity. You will also want to read Word to the World, a series of articles written by William Barker.

We have also commented on Iain Duguid’s commentary of Ruth and Esther from the series developed by Presbyterian and Reformed publishers created to demonstrate how to understand, preach and teach the Bible from a “historic redemptive perspective.” Several other books are included in the review section and each reflects our effort to keep you aware of some of the best books from our selection.

Having completed another General Assembly, CE&P is continuing to bring together details for our September 15-17, 2006 Women in the Church International Conference in Atlanta. CE&P’s Women In the Church ministry is a major part of carrying out our purpose of making kingdom disciples by discipling God’s covenant women to have a kingdom perspective in all of life. The September conference is clearly set within that framework as it focuses on “passing on the faith the next generation.” This will mark the fifth such conference for CE&P and its WIC ministry as the 4,000 plus women and teen daughters gather in Atlanta. The CE&P website has the details for the conference.

You will want to read the article highlighting the most recent YXL (Youth Christian Leadership) conference held on the Covenant College campus and directed by CE&P. God is at work among our young people. The times have never been more challenging and the opportunities this great. CE&P is committed to training and equipping kingdom leaders, young and old, men and women, who are committed to making a difference.

In our efforts and commitment to seeking to understand the Word and to understand our World and be a part of helping Christians in that process, we are aware on a daily basis that as kingdom people, we are engaged in a spiritual warfare beyond our own ability to fight and win. However, as we are equipped to think God’s thoughts after him, to be armed with the whole armor of God, and to think with a transformed mind, we believe we can serve the King and make a difference in the world around us. As salt and light people, we cannot only make a difference in the area of salvation, but we can be a great counter balance to an unbalanced and fractured world.

God bless you as you read. And as you do, will you take the time to pray for CE&P. We need your prayer support and we need your financial support as well. We believe what we are attempting to do in the PCA can and will make a lasting difference specifically in Christ’s church and more broadly in his Kingdom.

Back to Equip