Welcome to our first publication of 2007 of Equip for Ministry. As we announced in the last edition of 2006, this issue marks a change in frequency. There will be four issues instead of six. This will enable us to offer the same resources with a new format and full color. Our desire is to make this publication and our website more helpful to you in a variety of leadership roles in the local church.

What we intend to do during 2007 is take the points of emphasis from the PCA Strategic Planning Committee and feature them in each issue. Three of the four points are strongly oriented to Christian Education and Publications’ ministry of providing training and resources for local church leaders and teachers. These three areas mentioned by the General Assembly’s Strategic Planning Committee, which reported its work to the 2006 assembly, are: ministry to the rising generation, leadership training, and stewardship—all of which have been assigned to CE&P by the General Assembly. We will begin with the focus of our theme of discipling God’s covenant people or "making kingdom disciples" as it relates to the rising generation.

Results from a denominational survey conducted by the Strategic Planning Committee, indicated that many local churches were unaware of the resources available through the PCA committees and agencies. Because training and resources are the focus of CE&P, we want you to be familiar with those resources.

When we think about Christian education, we often think of Sunday school, which is an important element of education, but we want our churches to think more broadly about making kingdom disciples through all the ministries of the local church. We want to encourage churches to be intentionally focused on what their church is attempting to be and do. One of the books reviewed in this issue, Simple Church, will relate to that emphasis.

If we can encourage, assist, and work together with local church leaders in the PCA, I believe we can accomplish more together than we can working alone. If we can network our resources and people, we can "come along side and encourage one another," and better facilitate "each part doing its work," thus contributing to the growth of the church and the spiritual transformation of people’s lives.

The spring issue of EFM will feature the topic of leadership. The summer issue will focus on stewardship. We will highlight resources and training available in these areas. As is the case with CE&P--that it is not about us but about God, his kingdom, and church--so it is with Equip for Ministry. Without apology you are our target audience for our training and resources. Your role, as leaders and teachers, is to make kingdom disciples, using the preaching and teaching of the Word, the Sunday school, the Women In the Church ministry, the Men’s ministry, youth and children’s ministry, and Bible studies. That is the mission, ministry, and intentional focus of CE&P.