GA 2022 LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

The EPC endeavors to create a culture that supports leadership development for all ministries of the church, and our seventh annual Leadership Institute is designed to encourage you and offer practical ways to further that mission. This year’s Leadership Institute features five areas of ministry interest and five plenary speakers who will speak to this year’s theme of “Recharge” as conveyed in Acts 1:8.

Plenary Speakers
Chaplains Workshop
Church Health and Church Planting
Trafficking In Our Backyards
Westminster Society
World Outreach

All Sanctuary sessions will be live streamed on the EPC website and GA smartphone app. All times are Eastern.

PLENARY SPEAKERS

VINCENT BACOTE

SANDY WILLSON

Tuesday, June 21
Time: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Location: Sanctuary

Our Tuesday morning keynote co-speakers are Vincent Bacote and Sandy Willson. Their topic is “Pursuit of Public Fidelity.” What might it mean for public and political life to be understood as an important dimension of following Jesus? Bacote and Willson will consider not only whether Christians have (or need) permission to engage the public square, but also what it means to reflect Christlikeness in our public practice, as well as what to make of the typically slow rate of social change and the tension between relative allegiance to a nation and/or a political party and ultimate allegiance to Christ. Their presentation will include a time of moderated question-and-answer.

Bacote is Professor of Theology and Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. He is the author of The Political Disciple: A Theology of Public Life and The Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the Legacy of Abraham Kuyper. His also has been published in Books and Culture, Christianity Today, Think Christian, re:generation quarterly, Christian Scholars Review, Urban Mission, and the Journal for Christian Theological Research.

Willson currently serves as Interim Senior Minister of Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Birmingham, Alabama. He served as Senior Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tennessee, from 1998-2017, when he was named Pastor Emeritus. He also is a Council Member Emeritus for the Gospel Coalition.

ANDREW BRUNSON

BRAD STRAIT

Tuesday, June 21
Time: 2:00–5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 22
Time: 1:30–3:00 p.m.
Location: Sanctuary

Our Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon keynote co-speakers are Andrew Brunson and Brad Strait. Their presentation is titled “Persecution: Building Effective Biblical Leadership through Global Movement Wisdom.”

Session 1 (Tuesday, 2:00–3:30 p.m.): “Situational Awareness: Is Persecution Coming for the American Church?”
Featuring Andrew Brunson and Brad Strait.

Session 2 (Tuesday, 3:45–5:00 p.m.): “Effective Shepherding: How Can We Help God’s People Through Tough Times?”
Featuring Andrew Brunson and Brad Strait.

Session 3 (Wednesday, 1:30–3:00 p.m.): “Panel Discussion: Real Lessons from Real Persecution.”
Featuring Andrew Brunson, Brad Strait, Erick Schenkel, Setan Lee, and Clay Jones.

Andrew and Norine Brunson were involved in starting churches, training, aid to refugees, and a house of prayer in Turkey for 23 years until being falsely accused of terrorism in October 2016—followed by two years of incarceration in Turkish prisons. Due to a worldwide prayer movement and significant political pressure from the U.S. government, he was finally sentenced and then dramatically released in October 2018. He has a PhD from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Andrew and Norine have three grown children.

WaveStarters was birthed as Andrew’s prayer in 2007 to “draw me so close to your heart that you will be able to trust me with the authority to start waves.” The Brunsons’ ministry is focused on the Muslim world, the persecuted church, and preparing the next generation to stand in difficult times. A video series produced in partnership with Samaritan’s Purse, “Prepare to Stand,” is scheduled for release in 2022.

Brad Strait, Moderator of the EPC’s 41st General Assembly, serves as Senior Pastor of Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church in Englewood, Colorado. He has more than 30 years of pastoral experience, and also teaches at Denver Theological Seminary in both Leadership and Spiritual Formation. His passion is to exhor t people toward a deeper relationship with the living, incarnational Jesus as it applies to prayer, missional living, and world Christianity. His doctoral work was in developing Intimacy with God and Others .

Erick Schenkel serves with Cru, and is the former Executive Director of The Jesus Film Project. He earned two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. from Harvard University in the Study of Religion. During this time he and his wife, Elizabeth, developed a desire to take God’s love to some part of the world that had few Christians and needed to know God’s love. They moved to Central Asia, where he served 13 years as director of a non-profit organization in education and economic development. He also worked alongside Jesus Film teams in Central Asia, started a Bible school, and served as director of a movement of nationally led churches. He also served for five years as strategy director for North Africa, Middle East, and Central Asia for Campus Crusade for Christ.

Setan Lee is an EPC Teaching Elder who survived the “killing fields” genocide in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge regime of Pol Pot in the 1970s. He and his wife, Randa, founded TransformAsia in 1995, a ministry that operates five orphanages and child development centers in Cambodia.

Clay Jones leads Second Glance Ministries, which focuses on sexual abuse, sexual trafficking, and pornography issues. A member of the EPC’s Cherry Hills Community Church in suburban Denver, he is the former Executive Administrator of The Power Team and has traveled the world preaching and teaching. He has been attacked numerous times for his faith, and now works with pastors and church leaders in Peru trying to combat sexual trafficking.

ED STETZER

Wednesday, June 22
Time: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Location: Sanctuary

Our Wednesday morning keynote speaker is Ed Stetzer, who will address the EPC’s Strategic Priority of Transformation in two sessions: “Evangelizing the ‘Nones'” and “Engaging Our Culture with the Gospel.”

Stetzer serves as Dean of the School of Mission, Ministry, and Leadership at Wheaton College, where he also serves as Executive Director of the Billy Graham Center. He has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches; and trained pastors and church planters on six continents. He holds two earned master’s degrees and two doctorates, and has written hundreds of articles and 12 books. He is Regional Director for Lausanne North America, is the editor-in-chief of Outreach Magazine, and is frequently cited in, interviewed by, and writes for news outlets such as USAToday and CNN. He is the Founding Editor of The Gospel Project, a curriculum used by more than 1.7 million individuals each week for Bible story. His national radio show, Ed Stetzer Live, airs Saturdays on Moody Radio and affiliates.

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CHAPLAINS WORKSHOP

Tuesday, June 21
Time: 8:15 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Location: Room 350

As in past years, the 2022 Chaplains Workshop is open to all GA Attendees. This year’s guest speaker is Jan McCormack, Associate Professor and Chair of the Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling Programs at Denver Seminary. She will lead our two morning segments and the first afternoon sessions:

Session 1: The Role of Spirituality and Religion in Crisis and Disasters.
Session 2: Religious Accommodations is the Boss’ Decision.
Session 3: Moral Injury Affects Everyone.

The second afternoon session will be led by Mark Ingles, EPC Chaplain Endorser:

Session 4: Soul Care/Self Care!

A final afternoon session will be facilitated by Ingles and Brad Yorton, Chairman of the Chaplains Work and Care Committee:

Session 5: Chaplain Sharing/Prayer. (This session is reserved for EPC Chaplains. Sessions 1-4 are open to all GA attendees.)

In addition, Jan McCormack will lead a Networking Lunch on Wednesday, June 22: “Guarding Your Soul While Caring for the Soul of Others.”

For more information about the Chaplains Workshop, see www.epc.org/ga2022chaplainsworkshop.

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CHURCH HEALTH / CHURCH PLANTING

Tuesday, June 21
Time: 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Session 1: Church Health Workshop (9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., Knox Hall)
Many of our church members do not know how to give a concise presentation of the gospel to those who don’t know Jesus. Jimmy Scroggins and Todd Thomas will present “Three Circles,” our recommended tool to share the gospel. Participants will learn how to share the gospel through the process of “turning everyday conversations into gospel conversations.” Scroggins and Thomas also will explain the process of developing an evangelistic culture in your church.

Session 2: The State of Evangelism (12:00–1:30 p.m. Lunch Gathering, Knox Hall)
Jimmy Scroggins will discuss “The state of evangelism in the nation and in our churches.” He will expand on how to develop an evangelistic culture in the local church, Presbytery, and denomination.

Session 3: Presbytery Church Health Coordinator Training (1:30–5:00 p.m., Room 401/403)
The National Church Health Team, led by Bob Stauffer and Jim Farrell, will continue the training of Presbytery Church Health Coordinators that was launched at the Office of the General Assembly in Orlando in February. This session will expand on subjects identified since that training.

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TRAFFICKING IN OUR BACKYARDS

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WESTMINSTER SOCIETY

Tuesday, June 21
Time: 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Location: Chapel

The Topic for this year’s Westminster Society workshop is “Understanding Evangelism: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Reflections on Evangelism in the Reformed Tradition.”

Session 1: Evangelism and Mission in the Old and New Testaments
Led by Scott Redd and Aaron White. Redd serves as President and Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary’s Washington D.C. campus. White serves as Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in South Charleston, Ohio, and serves as Steering Committee Member and Chair of the Luke-Acts Section for the Evangelical Theological Society.

Session 2: Evangelism in the Established Scottish Kirk and the Dissenting Irish Church
Led by Scott Sealy, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Covington, Tennessee.

Session 3: The Art of Manfishing
Led by Zach Hopkins, Pastor of Edgington Presbyterian Church in Taylor Ridge, Illinois, and current Chairman of the EPC Theology Committee.

Session 4: Evangelism in Colonial Presbyterianism
Led by Don Fortson, Professor of Church History and Pastoral Theology and Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Reformed Theological Seminary’s Charlotte (North Carolina) campus. Fortson is author of Liberty in Non-Essentials: The Story of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and five other books on Christian and Presbyterian history.

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WORLD OUTREACH

Tuesday, June 21
Time: 10:00–11:45 a.m.
Location: Chapel Suite 3

Join the leadership of EPC World Outreach for a discussion about the revised Master Plan for World Outreach that outlines our mission, values, and priorities. It will also include time to connect and fellowship with other missions leaders within the EPC.

Rick Dietzman serves as Associate Pastor to Adults for Sequim Community Church in Sequim, Washington, and is the current Chairman of the EPC World Outreach Committee. Gabriel de Guia serves as Executive Director of EPC World Outreach. Jason Dunn is Associate Director of EPC World Outreach.

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