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Welcome to
Issue Three of Equip to Disciple. We have been blessed at
Christian Education and Publications with a good summer. While
our income has slumped a bit during these months, our schedule
of events and projects has been full.
As announced in
the first edition of Equip to Disciple of 2007, we are
highlighting one of the major themes in each issue discussed by
the recent PCA’s Strategic Planning Committee. The first edition
dealt with the rising generation. The second edition
highlighted leadership, especially the eldership. In this
edition we will discuss the third, and probably most
controversial, topic of stewardship. Richard Aeschliman of
the CE&P staff has written many articles, inserts, and booklets on
the topic. He writes our lead article. Along with the lead
article, we have selected two representative churches from the
PCA, a large congregation and a small one, that demonstrate good
stewardship by their commitment to support the whole work of the
church.
So much has been
written on stewardship yet so little has been said. General
surveys continue to indicate that churches are neither training
nor instructing their people in the biblical concept of
stewardship. Robert Wuthnow, sociologist at Princeton University,
has concluded that the reason for this lack of training and
teaching stems from a lack of emphasis on the Lordship of Christ
in a manner that will help the people in the pew understand the
totality of that topic.
God has given the
PCA an unusual opportunity to make an impact for his Kingdom
today, but to do that effectively requires the commitment of the
churches and their members through support and prayer. Budgets are
carefully prepared by the committees and agencies each year,
processed by the Administrative Committee, and finally presented
to the General Assembly for approval. Following that action, the
“ministry ask,” that which is needed to support the programs, is
communicated to the local churches. For example, CE&P’s “ministry
ask” per member is $7.00.That amount will vary for the other
committees and agencies determined by their budgets.
The “In Case
You’re Asked” section in this issue is devoted to actions taken by
the 35th General Assembly in Memphis, TN, regarding the
discussions concerning the “New Perspectives of Paul” and the
“Federal Vision.” It is especially important for you to know the
declarations that were passed by the Assembly. A full detailed
report of the ad interim committee can be found in the
minutes of the 35th PCA Assembly.
You will also
appreciate Dennis Bennett’s “Equip Tip,” on the stewardship of
time, especially as it relates to scheduling and goal setting. His
opening statement should be used often, “God has not given us more
things to do in a day than He has given us time to get them done.”
You will want to
read about CE&P’s conference, in cooperation with Covenant
College, for high school leaders called Youth Excelling in
Leadership (YXL).The article and the pictures will highlight what
we believe to be one of the most significant ministries of CE&P.
Training our youth with a biblically Reformed world and life view
with the challenge to assume leadership roles in their churches
and communities could make a significant impact for the Kingdom.
There are other
articles relating to CE&P’s overall ministry and ministry needs,
including Women in the Church, men, and youth. We hope they will
be helpful, informative, and a means of praying for our ministry.
We have selected
several books for review. We receive so many books, many of them
are good and helpful books, but we lack the space in Equip to
Disciple to highlight them all; therefore, we invite you to a
broader listing on our website www.cepbookstore.com.
Our hope is that
Equip to Disciple will be helpful to you in your Christian
life and particularly for those of you in leadership/teaching
roles. If your church is not receiving multiple copies, encourage
your officers to do so by contacting our office. We intend this
publication to be a resource to you for training opportunities as
well as making you aware of good resources available for your
church’s ministry.
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