CREW

It is my responsibility to write the first blog of each month ... and so, even though it is 11:24pm, here goes! If I don't do it ... I cannot expect anyone to do it! But tonight, I want to let you know about a brand new Leadership Training Programme we have started at Cornerstone called CREW - Cornerstone Recognised & Equipped Worker.

CREW is a vision that the Lord has given me that will ensure that Cornerstone will always be able to recognize, train and release leaders and workers into the Vineyard. There is so much work to do … but there are very few workers to be found. Even Jesus had to admit, “The harvest in plentiful but the workers are so few.” (Luke 10:2)

At Cornerstone, we want to raise up wonderful leaders … men and women who are prepared to be trained and developed that they might become sharp and effective in the ministry. People who will not give up. Who will live by faith. Who will know the heart and call of God.

As I was praying 6 months ago, the Lord gave me the concept of CREW. It’s very simple really – we needed to develop a program where we could consistently develop leaders in a local church setting and yet be able to teach them principles of leadership and ministry as a group.

WHAT IS CREW ALL ABOUT?

CREW is basically a mentoring program to train leaders. The main bulk of the training will be done by your local Pastor in a local church. However, once a month we will all meet together where I will be the main teacher. I will be teaching on 12 areas of ministry that I feel is important for us to understand and learn, understand and apply to our lives and ministry.

The teaching nights will be exciting … we will show videos, play games, have discussions & debates, worship and prayer. Every teaching night there will be opportunity for our leaders to respond to the teaching and be prayed for. This is a ‘hands-on’ course! We believe in impartation by the laying on of hands.

Here are our training night Leadership Topics:

JAN 29 – ‘THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS’ (John Mosey)

FEB 26 – ‘WALKING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT’

MAR 26 – ‘KNOWING THE PRESENCE OF GOD’

APR 30 – ‘THE POWER OF TEAM’

MAY 28 - ‘THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY’

JUN 25 – ‘LIVING A LIFE OF FAITH’

JULY 30 - ‘GIVING GENEROUSLY’

AUG 27 - ‘PREACHING POWERFULLY’

SEP 24 - ‘THE BEAUTY OF WORSHIP’

OCT 22 - ‘LOYALTY, DEVOTION & ACCOUNTABILITY’

NOV 26 - ‘LIVING YOUR FATHERS DREAM’

DEC 10 - ‘STRATEGIES OF WAR’ & Graduation!

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF A CREW MEMBER?

* They will be under the guidance and authority of their senior Pastor.

* They will be given challenges to do in the ministry.

* They will be exposed to all the different Ministries of Cornerstone and will take part in each one at least once in 12 months – Hospital, Feeding, Jail, and Street Pastors etc.

* We will be sending teams on Weekend Exposure Trips to different churches to see how they run and what God is doing. They will be away at least one weekend in the year to Manila. Four times in the year they will go to other local Cornerstone Churches to see what God is doing!

* They will be expected to read a Christian Leadership Book every 2 months (6 books per year) and write a short resume of the book and how it applies to their life and Cornerstone.

* They will be asked to write two Assignments in the year – one from Jan to June and the other from July to Dec.

* They will preach at least once a quarter – even starting small at Youth Services, Cell Groups etc.

* They will have a ‘one-to one’ chat with your Senior Pastor every month to allow time for you to share your experiences, open your heart and plan ahead. They will have monthly development forms to submit.

* All of the CREW will be involved in planting a new church SOS style, led by Ptr. James Aquino. This will be in November. Exciting!

* They have to change the way you see Sundays! For this year, Sundays is a TRAINING DAY for you! It’s a time to be stretched and developed!

* We will present them with a CREW CERTIFICATE at the end of the course in December. They will only be given this if you have finished your assignments, attended every seminar and have the approval of your Pastor.

* After they receive your certificate, we will honor them as a Recognized Worker of Cornerstone. They will be able to help us in a greater way in the ministry – planting churches, helping in your local church, going to Bible School etc.

We have 14 churches now and we asked our pastors to recognise and choose the leaders in their churches that would form the first CREW Team. So on January 15th we had our orientation meeting and last Friday we had our first CREW Training Night. What a night! We had around 70 leaders there and you could feel the excitement!

The sense of God's presence was incredible and we were really led by the Holy Spirit. We prayed for each other and we just knew that the Lord was there. Amazing. Every one of us were touched by the glory of God. Pastor John Mosey spoke about 'The Power of Forgiveness' and at the end we ministered to one another. What a start!

If you would like to know more about CREW then please drop me an email or message. CREW is not perfect - it is a work in progress. I believe there is a huge gap in local churches in the area of training leaders ... and yet it is so necessary. Be blessed ... and pray for us!