The Denver-metro area Adventist churches of the Rocky Mountain Conference gathered for two days last November at the Aurora First Seventh-day Adventist Church both to enhance both the spiritual and training components of fulfilling the great commission.
Beginning with the commission in Matt. 28: 18- 20, discipleship has been the modus operandi of God’s church. Throughout the gospels, we see Jesus inviting His followers to join His movement of making disciples. As part of Jesus’ calling, the empowerment of Jesus’ followers is an essential component.
The spiritual and training components of this endeavor aimed to enhance some essential marks of a biblical disciple. Our conference needs church members who are connected and identified with Jesus and end up integrated and committed in His service, but who also reproduce numerically and spiritually as Seventh-day Adventists.
Around 80 people gathered on Nov. 4 to hear the motivating encouragement brought to us by Mic Thurber, RMC president. The next day, around 80 members came to be enhanced by the training. The facilitators, a combination of RMC staff and local pastors, met with attendees to supply the much-needed information about each ministry.
The training component was made up of three 55-minute sessions where participants had a chance to meet with ministry leaders. The training was followed by a prayer of consecration at the main sanctuary. Participants gathered around in a circle as Mic Thurber dedicated each participant and church.
Following the training sessions, participants partook in a delicious lunch prepared by local church members. It was an enjoyable first experience, one which Aurora First Church looks forward to continuing in following years.
The training and equipping of church members shows that there is a willingness to serve God in the conference and a desire to strive forward in completing our main responsibility as a church, which is to become disciples who make disciples. God’s Master Plan as expressed in 2 Cor. 5: 17-21 is twofold: first, to save us, and, second, to save others through us, which it is why God has shared with us the “ministry of reconciliation.”
Many attendees expressed their thankfulness for this kind of event and their willingness to participate in next year’s event as well. One attendee stated, “This is my first experience with such an event, and I am thankful for the tools provided here to further spread the gospel in an appropriate context.” The Aurora First Church also extends a special thank you to all the conference staff and local pastors who were involved in the event.
Jose R. Alarcon is the lead pastor at the Aurora First Seventh-day Adventist Church.
