Jeffery Singletary, Regional Catalyst for the Central Region of the Florida Baptist Convention, is excited to announce the Central Florida Region’s multicultural initiative to share ME Essentials. The training is already taking place throughout the Central Florida Region and is expected to reach ethnicities including Hispanics, Haitians, African Americans and the Caribbean.
Through a partnership with the Florida Baptist Convention and LifeWay Church Resources, the ME Essentials educational conferences and bootcamps provide the attendees with the ability to learn the basic principles of group ministry, disciple-making, how to enlist leaders, staff relations, evangelism strategy, time management, leadership, and more. Through this training, educators are equipped to take the first steps toward healthy discipleship.
Pastor Allan Taylor, Director of Sunday School and Church Education Ministry at Lifeway Christian Resources, recently led a three-day ME Essentials bootcamp beginning January 14ththrough January 16that Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz. Among those in attendance was Ralph Alderman, Jr., a volunteer staff member at Exciting Central Tampa Baptist Church in Tampa.
When asked about how he heard about the conference, Alderman said, “Our Senior Pastor, Lennox Zamore, encouraged me to register for ME Essentials. By faith, I registered, not knowing my time demands at my employment would soon increase and/or what the training entailed. The blessing is that what I heard has blessed my role at church and my work for my employer. This was exactly what I needed!”
Within the LifeWay ME Essentials training and development opportunities for Christian Educators, there are four levels. All four of these are tailored to teaching and guiding the respective Christian Educator, no matter their spiritual maturity or tenure.
“I was inspired to grow in my journey with Jesus Christ and to allow His Holy Spirit, through me, to lead His people to do the same. Pastor Taylor’s passion for God and teaching His people resonated well with me. His passion as a subject matter expert with tested tactics was similar to my college coach’s team talk before a game against our archrival,” Alderman said.
Prior to “surrendering to full-time Christian service,” Pastor Taylor was previously a high school football coach.Taylor is also the Founder of Ember to Blaze Ministries and writes Sunday School, leadership, and training materials.
The Central Florida Region’s first Hispanic Pastors Essentials conference took place on February 1st and February 2nd at Primera Iglesia Bautista Casa De Bendicion in Saint Cloud. The event was sponsored by the Florida Baptist Convention and Mark Croston, National Director of Black Church Partnerships at LifeWay Christian Resources. The collective groups are very excited to see their multicultural initiative come to fruition.
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By Brandi Radella, Contributor, FBC Writers’ Network, March 11, 2019