January Pastors' Conference in Florida Expected to Attract Thousands
by Allie Martin
December 4, 2003
(AgapePress) - A ministry based in Florida is trying to stem the tide of pastors who are leaving their vocation.Next month in Winter Park, Florida, thousands of pastors and church leaders worldwide are expected to attend the Beyond All Limits 2 conference, sponsored by the Orlando-based Global Pastors Network. The three-day conference, aimed at inspiring and equipping Church leaders, will feature more than 70 Christian pastors and teachers who will share their experiences and insights with those gathered.
The GPN's president, Dr. James Davis, says pastors need to be encouraged, refreshed, and prepared for the challenges of leadership. He says the conference is designed so that every event highlights the things that pastors must learn for optimal success in service.
"Everyone who attends will learn what we consider to be the seven sacred steps to a maximized ministry," Davis says, "so that when every pastor and his wife leave, they'll know [how] to really reach maximum effectiveness in their ministry."
Davis says pastors today face more stress than ever before. Every month, 1,600 pastors in U.S. churches quit or resign from their jobs, and nearly 20% of clergy suffer from high stress or burnout. "The world has changed so rapidly, and pastors are called upon to do more than they were ever equipped to do. Therefore frustration sets in, and then failure becomes a reality," he says.
Davis believes there is a simple and essential way to address this problem. "Some leaders need to come alongside God's choicest men and really help them to get the training and the teaching that they long for and desire," he says.
Beyond All Limits 2 is designed to facilitate just this kind of teaching. The conference, scheduled to take place January 21-23, will feature more than 30 workshops, led by experienced pastors, authors, ministry leaders, and teachers.
Prominent Christian speakers to be featured at Beyond All Limits 2 include Dr. Adrian Rogers, Kay Arthur, John Maxwell, Gary Chapman, and Elmer Towns.
