Church Development Rolls Along!

The Sandaun District Assembly

Field Church Development, what is that exactly?   Well, to be honest I even have some trouble at times trying to define what Church Development is.   It will look much different in the PNG context than it would in the States.   We just concluded two very busy months here on the Melanesia and South Pacific Fields.   It started with a trip to Bana (if you scroll down you can read about that adventure) Where I had an opportunity to meet with pastors who serve in some very remote churches.   Nineteen pastors came to Bana and I was able to share with them and teach them the Nazarene Articles of Faith.  Karla Deuel who works in the Field Office also and is all things stats related also taught the pastors who came to Bana.   The pastors were very appreciative.  

General Busic, RD Mark & FSC Harmon at the Sandaun
district assembly.  Gifts of appreciation hand around their
necks, they are "Bilums, woven bags."

Then came three weeks of non-stop administrative work.   Thanks to the help of Joani and Marsha who also work in the Field Office we made it through those weeks.   These weeks were filled with preparations for getting our eMerge Conference participants ready for the Regional Conference.   The conference was focused on young emerging leaders who have a passion for leading and raising up others.  Much good stuff took place at the conference and the Melanesian and South Pacific Fields had 28 National leaders attend.   Much went into helping to get our leaders there but it was worth the investment because we do not know how God will use that time in the development of these leaders!   Susan and I also attended and it was  a great time being with our Field leaders and seeing them being challenged.  During those three weeks I was also working to finalize all the arrangements for our district assemblies that were fast approaching.

A familiar sight on the district assemblies tour!

Church Development at its best!  Apa and Elijah,
traveled with us into the Jimi Valley for the Bromley district
assembly.  A great experience for these church leaders.

In PNG this year, for the second year, we were very blessed to have our General Dr. David Busic with us along with his wife Christie.   Also it was a privilege to have our Regional Director for the Asia Pacific Region, Mark Louw, with us along with his family.  In PNG, traveling to district assemblies is not as easy as saying we are going to go to this or that district assembly, hop in a car and go, no it is a carefully planned and orchestrated maneuver.  Also in the plans is a lot of faith in God to make it all work out right!  For instance, last year we tried for three days to go to the Middle Ramu District.  Due to the rain and clouds we never were able to fly in for the district assembly, even though one day we flew over Dusin but could not see it, and the 14 ordinands had to wait hoping that this year we would be able to make the trip in.   To get to Dusin requires a small plane landing on a short grass runway hanging on the side of a mountain, not something you want to do if you can't see it.   So this year we made it in on the first day and the 14 ordinands are now Ordained Elders in the Church of the Nazarene, praise God!   But, due to the weather we had to stay in Dusin an extra day longer than planned.  So, traveling in PNG requires good planning and a whole lot of faith and patients.   Because of our extra day's rest in Dusin we had to double up on the next days district assemblies.

The Jimi Valley road, its not just a ministry, its an adventure!

Also,  in those three weeks was preparation of and the actual holding of our Executive Board meetings followed by our Full National Board meetings.  This is a time when all of our District Superintendents come together along with our lay leaders from each district for three to four days of meetings.   At these annual meetings the different ministry arms of the church here in PNG come to report how God has been working in those ministries over the year.

God truly blessed us as we moved from those meetings into two weeks of district assemblies.  In those two weeks we visited nine of our 12 district here in PNG.  Four of those districts had ordinands this year and five districts had a DS vote.   God moved in these district assemblies and the people were greatly challenged by the messages of General Busic and our Regional Direct, Mark.   I ask you to pray for these districts this coming year that God would continue to move across them!

God is good! and through all of these travels, four of which were by planes of varying sizes, five which required vehicles ranging in duration from about 10 minutes to a little over four hours, God kept His hand of safety upon us, for that we say, thank you!

I hope this gives you a bit of a glimpse into Church Development here in PNG.
May the Lord richly bless you as you work to build up and train leaders in your area of service to the King!!