Introducing The Hub Conference
For years now, far too many men and women in FIEC churches, who have a passion to serve the Lord in ministry, have discovered how hard it is to find help, advice and direction with regards to a possible route into gospel ministry. All that is about to change with the arrival of The Hub Conference!
Addressing a real need
Last year, a group of experienced pastors and trainers met together to discuss how we might create clear routes into ministry for gifted individuals within our family of churches. It was clear that we needed to think beyond identification and training in order to address how men and women can be sustained for the long-haul of a lifetime in gospel ministry. We must take the ‘cradle to glory’ approach.
Through FIEC Training we’re seeking to advise and assist with the whole scope of needs relating to training for, and sustaining in, ministry. This includes everything from helping with those initial exploratory stages, to recognition and support by and for the local church, to advice on training options, to financial assistance through the FIEC Training Fund, to partnership in the creation of match-funded ‘Assistant Pastor’ and other ministry posts, to ‘in service’ on-going training and nurturing to sustain long-term ministry.
This year the first steps have been taken with awards from our Training Fund to help those in training, as well as the creation of a handful of ‘Assistant’ posts as mentioned above. However, a key strategy in helping to deliver our ambitious plans is an annual event where individuals and church leaders can be brought together under one roof with the aim of making the journey through training into ministry much easier to navigate. This is what we’re calling The Hub Conference.
The details
The Hub Conference will take place for the first time from 18th to 20th January 2013 at the De Vere Hotel in Harben, near Milton Keynes. The conference is designed both for those ‘just looking’ at the possibility of going into Christian ministry as well as for those who have ‘just started’ training, whether at college or on a church-based course. Our main speaker will be Julian Hardyman, senior pastor at Eden Chapel in Cambridge, who will be joined by an experienced team running seminars on a range of key topics. The team will also be available for one-to-one consultations with attendees, helping individuals to consider the route into ministry that will be most suitable for them.
Our intention is that this will become an annual event to help churches take those the Lord is raising up among them and walk with them through training into ministry. We are excited at the potential The Hub Conference has to bless our family of churches in fulfilling our calling to mission in the UK and beyond.
A brochure and online booking for The Hub Conference will be available soon.
Trevor Archer - FIEC Training Director
Trevor is FIEC's Training Director & was previously Senior Pastor at Chessington Evangelical Church. He's married to Val and they have one daughter, three sons, two daughters-in-law and a grandson.
Follow Trevor Archer on Twitter – @TrevArcher