Why should I attend the Congress?

COMPELLING REASONS 

Relationships! Reflection! Resources! Results!


INTRODUCTION 

MOTIVATION: Why should pastor trainers attend Global Proclamation Congress II, a global gathering of pastor trainers to enhance pastoral health and advance church health in 200+ nations?[1]

BENEFITS: How will pastor trainers from every sector—practitioners and theorists, facilitators and strategists, funders and aspirants—benefit from investing six days of their time and expense in this catalytic, even seismic, event for the Christian Faith in human impact, non-Christian perception, and missions strategy?  

What makes the  GProCongress II different, historic, and unique?

  1. GProCongress II is different, because it is focused on the specific mandate of pastor training—to connect, unite, and strengthen up to 1000 pastor trainers ministering in 200+ countries of the world.
  2. It is historic, because more than ever before, formal, nonformal and informal pastor training sectors are uniting toward the vision of “all pastors trained and every pastor a trainer.” The GProCommission provides for sector-neutral pollination across pastoral training initiatives and pastor trainer hubs; a pipeline to supply human and curricular resources globally, nationally, and locally. 
  3. And it is unique, because the event is not the end, nor the cause in itself. GProCongress II builds on GProCongress I and its four-year follow-up. GProCongress I focused on increasing the number of pastoral leaders trained.  GProCongress II focuses on increasing the number of trainers of pastors. Every GPro event starts during the application process, unites delegates around a measurable goal and tracks the progress of pastor training for a set time frame. At the end of the follow-up period, a final report of compiled activities is made available to the pastor-trainer community specifically and to the whole Body of Christ.


Each GProCongress is an issue-focused and task-focused event, rather than a stage-driven or speaker-driven event. It is a giving, learning, and sharing event, rather than a sitting, watching, and note-taking event. 


MOTIVATION:

Pastor trainers and pastor-training organizations, regardless of primary sector of activity, will attend any Global Proclamation Congress because: 

  1. They know that no one person, organization, institution, or sector has a monopoly on good ideas in relation to the task at hand. 

  2. They want to know where to go to find what is effective and efficient in pastor training, organizational leadership, and project implementation.

  3. They don’t want to miss out on tried-and-true practices—they seek confirmation of best practices from those with a wealth of experience.

  4. They don’t want to pass up creative and transformative ideas about how to train pastors—they are energized and give birth to them in the context of community.

  5. They want to extend ministry and execute ongoing responsibilities with excellence.

  6. They meet unexpected ministry tests and trials, and want insights into how God turns challenges into better, specific, and more amazing opportunities for ministry.

  7. They need and want time to connect with like-minded, and like-burdened, leaders everywhere.

  8. They know they can’t do it all alone, need encouragement, and seek solidarity with others in their narrow, difficult, and critical work.

  9. They are convinced that pastor training in large numbers is the lifeblood of Christ’s Church that is growing in traditionally non-Christian areas in both speed and spread.

  10.  They see themselves as core agents and agencies to strengthen pastors in large numbers who will grow healthy churches to transform their communities, reach their cultures and influence large numbers of individuals for the Lord Jesus Christ.

  11. They want to belong to something that is bigger than, and will outlast, themselves—to spread Christian leadership across multiple centers of the Faith, including where it originated and developed.

  12. They claim a broad application of the promise to the barren woman of Israel: 

  • Enlarge the place of your tent, 

  • stretch your tent curtains wide,

  • do not hold back; 

  • lengthen your cords,

  • and strengthen your stakes. (Isa. 54:2, NIV) 



BENEFITS: Relationships, Reflection, Resources, Results!

Here are some compelling reasons for pastor trainers—with overlapping advantages and benefits across groups, sectors, and categories— to come, bring or send other pastor trainers to the GProCongress II.

Individuals 

Relationships: MEET

  • Connect with like-minded peers in our specific mandate of pastor training.

  • Relate to leaders who serve undertrained and isolated pastors everywhere.

  • Build new relationships with both current and emerging leaders in pastor training.

  • Unite around a vision to better train large numbers of pastors across the world. 

  • Strengthen mentor/mentee relationships in pastor training. 

Reflection:  LEARN 

  • Reinforce your ministry calling.

  • Envision the next level and season of your life and ministry.

  • Think strategically about implementation. 

  • Assess your ministry effectiveness.

  • Hear up-to-date information about our “industry.” 

  • Learn about priorities and policies of funders of pastor training.

Resources: FIND

  • Spiritual resources: Learn how other pastor trainers receive strength from their Lord Christ to continue their work. 

  • Human resources: Find committed people for mutual encouragement in coming years.

  • Idea/intellectual resources:  Gather proven ideas and new models in pastor training partnerships, support, and delivery.

  • Funding resources: Be exposed to generous givers as they seek more effective giving and investment opportunities.


Results: ACT

By the enablement of God’s Spirit, in the Name of Jesus, to the glory of God, for the health of the Church:    

  • Large numbers of pastor trainers multiplied: 1000 pastor trainers commit, on average, to raising 1 new pastor trainer each
    year toward 100,000 new pastor trainers by 2030.
  • New pastor trainers are from and toward 1 million (100,000 X10) better-trained pastoral leaders by 2030

  • Propelling the global pastor training industry, by means of cross-sector convergence, pollination and activity. (see below)


CROSS-SECTOR POLLINATION:

In addition to the numerous benefits each pastor trainer will experience, pastor-training sectors will see benefits during and after GProCongress II both within and across sectors.

During Congress

Proliferation within sectors to:

  • Build Community (through geography and expertise)

  • Multiply Opportunity

  • Discover Resources

  • Give & Receive Encouragement 

Collaboration across sectors in terms of:

  • Bridges

  • Affinities

  • Partnerships

  • Commitments

After Congress: 

Participation within sectors:

  • Value Recognized

  • Affinity Built

  • Opportunities Expanded

  • Resources Discovered

  • Partnerships Initiated

  • Activities Shared

  • Personally Encouraged

Participation across sectors:

  • Collaborative

  • Practices      

  • Strategies    

  • Activities for Follow-up in Multiplying Pastor Trainers 



ADDITIONAL BENEFITS:

Churches and Denominations

In addition to the numerous benefits each pastoral trainer will experience, churches (independent or affiliated) and denominations who attend can

  • Have a powerful platform to bring or send younger (under age 50) pastor trainers to GProCongress II.

  • Deepen current relationships with your own pastor trainers, who are already deployed around the world.

  • Grow new relationships with pastor trainers of similar biblical, theological and strategic convictions. 

  • Expand global connections with other pastor-training churches and denominations of like mind.

  • Learn best practices from other churches and denominations doing pastor training. 

  • Gain insight into what churches and denominations like yours are considering and planning.

  • Grow your own missions programs in the direction of pastor training. 

Organizations (Nonformal/Non-degree granting)

In addition to the numerous benefits each pastor trainer will experience, pastor-training organizations can…

  • Learn best practices in pastor training based on the presence, experience, and mistakes of hundreds of pastor training initiatives.

  • Conduct your own global sub-gatherings, for deepening relationship and strategic planning with new energy and understanding, while lodging, food, venue, and internal transportation costs are covered by the Congress hosts. (D.V.)

  • Innovation: Discover innovative and proven training models found around the globe.

  • Build community by interacting and forming new friendships with peer leaders. (Principals/CEOs/Directors) 

  • Facilitation: Find and/or facilitate opportunities to expand the scale of your pastor training ministry through strategic alliances.

  • Gain insight into what organizations like yours are considering and planning. 

  • Provide and/or receive informal coaching for better training of pastors. 

  • Resources: Find access to written material, facilitators, finances, and technologies related to pastor training to expand your organization’s impact. 

  • Discover almost endless opportunities for your organization to learn new practices, and make new partnerships, to advance pastor training efforts. 


Institutions (Formal/Degree granting)

In addition to the numerous benefits each pastor trainer will experience, pastor-training institutions can…

  • Multiply your investment by going to one gathering for recruitment of new students both at and beyond the Congress.

  • Curriculum Innovation: Re-build your curriculum by gaining a “frontlines” view of what skills and tools graduates (who will go on to be missionaries, pastors and pastor trainers) need to be effective in various contexts.

  • Gain exposure to the whole world of pastor training in one place at one time as an exhibitor.

  • Expansion: Find how the uniqueness of the institution contributes to non-formal training initiatives in your context as part of your institution’s “trimmed-down” offerings.

  • Benchmarking: Learn what other institutions are doing in adding non-formal complements to formal pastor training.

  • Host a global sub-gathering for alumni in the field of pastoral training while lodging, food, venue, and internal transportation costs are covered by hosts (D.V.). 

  • Faculty development: faculty delegates serve as a resource for the non-formal initiatives of colleagues, while developing global awareness and connections.

  • Find future ambassadors to advocate for and represent the institution in places and regions previously overlooked or neglected. 

  • Make connections with other institutions around the world to add diversity to your student body as the institution becomes an option for internships and placement after graduation. 

  • Contribute to international conversations between leaders in the formal and non-formal pastoral training community in a highly respectful, honoring way. 


Funders

If you serve as a funder (individual, church, business, or foundation) for pastoral training, you should come to the 2023 GProCongress to rejuvenate your commitments, sharpen your giving, and explore new opportunities. 

At the GProCongress, funders can:

  • Hear from multiple potential beneficiaries from diverse geographies and many demographics but all in the field of pastor training. 

  • Gain knowledge of the latest thinking and practices to better understand where to invest well into the future. 

  • See/meet your current beneficiaries in operation as leaders among leaders.

  • Speak face-to-face with potential partner organizations from various nations (translators will be available).  

  • Find partners in your focus geography or demographic who are already doing good work in pastor training. 

  • Encounter new opportunities to advance the purposes of your Foundation. 

  • Have opportunity to become an exhibitor—a really popular exhibitor!

  • Connect with other funders of pastor training in a sub-gathering to share insight and to think strategically about financing pastor training. 


Invitation

If you are an individual involved in pastoral training anywhere in the world, you should consider coming to GProCongress II: 

  • to learn and to receive, 

  • to connect and to reflect, 

  • to envision and to plan for the next level and season of your life and ministry.


If you serve as the leader of a pastor-training church, denomination, organization, or institution, you undoubtedly think often about how to build deeply into your next layers of leaders, program directors and front-line trainers. Let us help you! We hope you will consider bringing 5 to 10 of your younger (50% under age 50), front-line pastor trainers to GProCongress II, to rejuvenate their own commitment to you, to your team, and to their responsibilities.