To Equip God’s People

Next Wednesday May 17 at 7PM, we will host our first “Equip” seminar. This inaugural seminar will focus on mental health, equipping us to better love our neighbors who struggle with their own mental health issues – so that we can be a voice of hope in our community. It will educate, destigmatize, and open up this important conversation for us. So many people struggle with such issues, and for too long a time, the church was guilty of sweeping it under the rug or worse. This seminar will be an important step towards changing that reality. Central is blessed to have been gifted with wonderful people in this field who can help guide us in this topic, through sharing their knowledge, and professional and personal experience.

My hope, in the coming months, is to put on more of these kind of one-off seminars in order to better ‘equip God’s people’, as Paul talks about in Ephesians 4:

So Christ himself gave (to us – the Church) the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service (ministry), so that the body of Christ may be built up…

[When Paul says that we have pastors and teachers to equip his people for the work of ‘service’, the word he uses there should actually be translated as ‘ministry’. Most people think it’s the pastor’s job to do ministry…and it is, but only partially.  My real job (ministry) is to equip YOU to do the real ministry – because YOU are the ones ‘out there’ in the world, working and living alongside people who are in need of Jesus.] 

The purpose of these seminars will be to equip us to learn, in a new way, how to live by faith, be known by love, and be a voice of hope. I’m really excited about the possibilities. 

In order to equip us to live by faith, imagine a seminar on how to read the bible or on personal spiritual practices. In order to equip us to be known by love, imagine a seminar in cross-generational understanding or learning empathy. In order to equip us to be a voice of hope, imagine a seminar on caring for those struggling with addiction or with suicide.  There’s so much to learn, and so much to grow in – so that we all can do the work of ministry in our world. 

So I want to encourage you to come to next week’s “Mental Health Matters” Equip seminar – because mental health does matter. Come with an open heart and mind – and learn, and most importantly, be equipped to love those in your life who are impacted by such issues. 7:00-8:30PM.

And I’d also love to hear from you: what other “Equip” seminars should we consider having? Please let me know, I’d love to hear your ideas!