Bishop Rayner C. Wharton, Sr.

Conference Coordinator 

Today’s churches need leaders with real-world experience to respond to rapidly changing environments, diverse cultures, and the increasing use of technology and multimedia. If you were to survey your church you would discover that there are people in your congregation who are currently working in business, health care, human services, education, and non-profit environments who feel the call to ministry. They feel a call to apply what they know to a new ministry or an existing one. Many of these people are used to state-of-the-art techniques, in-service training, and rapid turn-around time on projects.

The question is this: how do you train people who are already established in a career – either within the church or in the marketplace– and prepare them for Christian ministry? How do you take potential church leaders to the next level of ministry?

The Pastor and Church Leadership Summit 2007 is an excellent solution for this dilemma by offering a fast track to solid ministry training and continuing education.  The curriculum is specifically designed for both the emerging and established church leader, as well as the successful, second-career adult. The approach, with a heavy emphasis on state-of-the-art techniques, is more entrepreneurial than intellectual.  More ‘hands-on,’ than ivory tower.’

I’m convinced that being trained for ministry by those doing ministry gives us the best practical training.  Our workshop and seminar instructors are trailblazer in their ministries—leaders with innovative techniques who are not afraid of technology or multimedia or simply doing ministry outside-the-box.

What kinds of topics will the Pastor and Church Leadership Summit 2007 be covering?  The real life issues today’s ministries will face and the tools they will need to lead, such as: innovative techniques to reach and train young people, the use of multimedia in worship, creative stewardship programs, innovative celibacy groups, new personal ministry development plans, novel church planting programs, as well as workshops on developing ministries of excellence and building with respect and responsibility for God’s creation.  Instructors will discuss what has worked for them and what hasn’t.  This type of training you typically will not get at traditional church conferences, convocations, and annual meetings.

Bishop Rayner C. Wharton Sr., MA, MS, is the senior pastor of Mt. Olive Holy Evangelistic Church in Baltimore, Maryland.  He is an associate professor of sociology at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, Maryland.  Bishop Wharton serves on the Board of Directors of Leadership Anne Arundel (LAA) in Annapolis, Maryland and is the program coordinator for LAA’s Neighborhood Leadership Academy.