The Need

In the past 25-30 years, the scope of missions strategy has emphasized evangelization and the planting of churches. These plans have resulted in great advances, but many of these efforts concluded at the end of 2000. Unfortunately, during this same period of time we have not had a similar emphasis on equipping pastoral leaders. As a consequence, global missions is 25-30 years behind when it comes to pastoral leadership development.

In global terms, it is estimated that about 2 million pastoral leaders are lacking in some aspect of essential pastoral training. The number is growing exponentially and on a daily basis! Today, there are thousands of sheep without a shepherd and multitudes of churches without at least one equipped pastoral leader. Historically, missionaries and mission organizations have concentrated the training of ministerial leaders in Bible Institutes, Seminaries and other formal systems of "in-residence education". Even when these are effective and bring great blessings they do not meet the great need due to their high costs and the investment of time, money and geographic relocation of tose who are the most desperate to receive training.

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