Tuesday, June 3, 2008
An Incredible Opportunity!
I have been asked to speak and minister at two conferences for the Lutheran Renewal Denomination in Papua New Guinea this June 17 through July 6. The first is a National Youth Conference and the second is a District Church Leadership Conference that will coincide with the opening of long over due offices for the regional church leadership. Through the discussion of what is needed in the church there my Dad and Mom (Ron & Betty Cowley) were consequently invited as well and are going to play a major roll in the conferences and ministry. What a blessing for me to help fulfill my parent’s callings to be used of God outside the US!
The Challenge & The Vision
Papua New Guinea (or PNG) is directly North of Australia. PNG is a very tribal, diverse, and rugged country. With over 700 languages & people groups still to this day. It is not even considered "third world" but rather termed a "Least Developed Nation Status" by the UN. However there are seeds of something great about to sprout and come forth there. The Lutheran Renewal Denomination of PNG has grown by leaps and bounds over the last 20 or so years. It is a "spirit-filled" off shoot of the Evangelical Lutheran church and now has over 1,000 churches and hundreds of thousands of members!
However, it has reached a crossroads and that is where this first of multiple future trips comes in. Recently they have realized God was calling them to do more than just reach their own villages. They have desired to step up into greater ministry that has more influenece, effectiveness, and to answer the challenge of the Great Commission. One great step has been to form a Mission's Department with designs on reaching out to all of their country and being an influential force to all of the South Pacific Island Nations. However, with only a handful of the pastors having any real bible school training and very limited resources this vision needs some measurable steps of change to make it a reality!
However, it has reached a crossroads and that is where this first of multiple future trips comes in. Recently they have realized God was calling them to do more than just reach their own villages. They have desired to step up into greater ministry that has more influenece, effectiveness, and to answer the challenge of the Great Commission. One great step has been to form a Mission's Department with designs on reaching out to all of their country and being an influential force to all of the South Pacific Island Nations. However, with only a handful of the pastors having any real bible school training and very limited resources this vision needs some measurable steps of change to make it a reality!
The Goals & Making It Happen
Step 1 is a shift of thinking and faith in the youth. We are partnering with the church there to open up a world of possibilities for the PNG youth to pursue and believe God for. This National Youth Conference called "Days of Power" will be casting a big vision for what this generation can truly partner with God to accomplish. We desire to inspire the youth to seek God about their unique gifts, callings, and talents. Helping them to learn how they can cultivate them and use them for great and Godly purposes.
Step 2 is training the Leadership of the Church in Godly principles of ethics, leadership, stewardship, & being a people of vision with faith supporting it. This generation we seek to release into greatness needs Godly mentors, teachers, and authentic spiritual Fathers and Mothers. We must make deposits of spiritual significance in these leaders right now. Then they can be released into giving out these God watered and fertilized deposits to all the young ones in need of true discipleship.
Step 3 is physically equipping the church better. The church there is currently very isolated and desperately needs better communication with outside resources and ministries. So we will be providing the new church offices with laptop computers, printers, air conditioners, and digital cameras. This is just a start to help them be more organized and present themselves to future missions and ministry partners. These new partners coupled with God’s direction and provision will enable them to do things like start a Bible School, take short term missions trips, build safer permanent structures to meet in, and so much more.
Step 2 is training the Leadership of the Church in Godly principles of ethics, leadership, stewardship, & being a people of vision with faith supporting it. This generation we seek to release into greatness needs Godly mentors, teachers, and authentic spiritual Fathers and Mothers. We must make deposits of spiritual significance in these leaders right now. Then they can be released into giving out these God watered and fertilized deposits to all the young ones in need of true discipleship.
Step 3 is physically equipping the church better. The church there is currently very isolated and desperately needs better communication with outside resources and ministries. So we will be providing the new church offices with laptop computers, printers, air conditioners, and digital cameras. This is just a start to help them be more organized and present themselves to future missions and ministry partners. These new partners coupled with God’s direction and provision will enable them to do things like start a Bible School, take short term missions trips, build safer permanent structures to meet in, and so much more.
How to Get Involved
More than anything We greatly desire your prayers and intercession on our behalf. When the body of Christ is unified around common goals the potential for greatness exists. We desire to go to PNG in God’s Power and Authority, to see God work mightily through us and change lives forever!
Should you be led to help us financially provide for our expenses and the things we are equipping the Church there with, here are a couple of options:
1) If you would like your donation to be tax deductible write your checks to Ephrata Community Church and please leave the memo line blank. On a separate piece of paper please indicate the donation is for the Cowley family mission trip to PNG. The church address is 70 Clay School Rd, Ephrata, PA 17522.
2) If you do not desire tax deductible status for donation and participation you may simply make the check out to me, Scott Cowley. My address is 3434 Tribune Dr. Apt. # 410, Dallas, TX 75224.
Should you desire to donate to the trip some other way please contact me to make arrangements. (See email address above for contact info.)
Also there will be future trips and other ways to get involved that we will post here as it becomes available.
Should you be led to help us financially provide for our expenses and the things we are equipping the Church there with, here are a couple of options:
1) If you would like your donation to be tax deductible write your checks to Ephrata Community Church and please leave the memo line blank. On a separate piece of paper please indicate the donation is for the Cowley family mission trip to PNG. The church address is 70 Clay School Rd, Ephrata, PA 17522.
2) If you do not desire tax deductible status for donation and participation you may simply make the check out to me, Scott Cowley. My address is 3434 Tribune Dr. Apt. # 410, Dallas, TX 75224.
Should you desire to donate to the trip some other way please contact me to make arrangements. (See email address above for contact info.)
Also there will be future trips and other ways to get involved that we will post here as it becomes available.
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