Empower the Church stands as a transformative initiative aimed at equipping church leaders with the essential skills, knowledge and tools vital for excelling in their roles and fostering the growth of local churches.
Spearheaded by Elida Jerez, Washington Conference health ministries director, this program addresses a crucial need to help leaders identify a ministry they are passionate about and provide them with the necessary tools to begin. Jerez's realization stemmed from a genuine desire to catalyze action among church members passionate about initiating a health ministry. However, their enthusiasm often waned in the face of uncertainty regarding how to kick-start such a venture.
Recognizing this common obstacle, Jerez rallied Derek Lane, Washington Conference outreach director, and Jennifer Bullion, Washington Conference children’s ministries director. Together they took the initiative to develop a comprehensive training program aimed at guiding interested members through the process of establishing new ministries.
As the program developed, other departments were added to the training sessions. “Our role is to be influencers and to equip leaders to create disciples,” Jerez stated. Each Empower the Church training does just that. By strengthening the church at a local level, churches can grow.
Tyler Long, Washington Conference evangelism director, emphasized the necessity of reevaluating existing church structures to facilitate growth effectively. His insight underscores the program's overarching goal of instigating systemic change within local churches to provide better outreach.
Through innovative training seminars, participants are equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of starting new ministries at the local church level. A recent seminar at North Cascade Church in Burlington, which drew 36 attendees, exemplified the program's impact, with 14 individuals undergoing specialized training in grief support.
Local churches have recognized the impact the seminar has already had. “Thank you for this much-needed guidance,” said a Lighthouse Adventist Church attendee. With one-on-one guidance, Empower the Church has enabled people at the local level to create effective programs to spread the Word in areas that interest them.
Looking ahead, Empower the Church remains committed to facilitating the growth and success of local churches through a series of scheduled training sessions taking place all year. For those interested in learning more about this initiative, further details can be found at washingtonconference.org/empower. All members are encouraged to attend.
Teresa Nelson, NAD speaker, provided grief support training at the Bremerton Empower the Leader.
Credit: Khloe Bucknor
Empower the Church trainings will take place for the rest of the year.
Jennifer Bullion (pictured), children's ministries director, and Derek Lane, outreach ministries director, joined Elida Jerez to develop the comprehensive training program.
Credit: Khloe Bucknor
