INDIGENOUS MINISTRIES HOSTS PASTORS’ CONFERENCE

By Craig Miller: This is the fourth conferenceI’ve been privileged to plan. With each one, we have seen significant growth and progress. This year, we reached full capacity and, for the first time, had to close registration. Clearly, this reflects our expanding influence. Eighty pastors traveled to be with us for a week of focused teaching and preaching from the book of Matthew.

Over time, we’ve developed a reputation for expository preaching. In addition, we focus on providing transferable resources that help pastors preach directly from the materials they receive. This year, our team of three expositors—Pastor Jeremy Cook, Pastor Magdi Salieb (our Egypt team coordinator), and Reda Khalil (Director of Child Sponsorship Programs)—each gave two sermons on key texts in Matthew. Every evening, I presented Matthew’s “big picture.” I explored seven interpretive keys and walked through the five sermons of Jesus found in this Gospel.

Meanwhile, during the day, we hosted seminars. These focused on how Child Sponsorship works as a tool for evangelism. Dee Cook, Reda Khalil, and our Egypt teams led these. Moreover, Dee presented a session on ministry to women in the church—a topic of great interest to many pastors.

Each pastor received notes on all six expositions. They also received over 40 pages of content on Matthew. These materials have a story of their own. Dr. William Philip, a pastor from Glasgow and a friend, presented a seminar on Matthew at a conference we both attended in Delhi, India. While planning this event, I remem

bered his notes and asked for permission to use them. Thankfully, he agreed. I adapted the material and sent it to my interpreter, Brother Hany Fawzy, for translation.

As a result, notes from Scotland passed through India, were edited in the USA, and printed in Egypt. The packet included dozens of potential sermon outlines from Matthew, now ready for pastors to use in their churches.

We invited feedback from all attending pastors. Their responses came in quickly and were overwhelmingly encouraging. This affirmed that we are meeting a significant need and gave us renewed confidence in the impact of this ministry.