The Journey Towards Pastoral Leadership Development
The year 2008 marks Steve’s 30 years with ACTION International Ministries. During the late 70’s and 80’s he served as chaplain to missionary kids at Faith Academy, Manila, focusing on discipleship, outreach, and local church participation.
Having met in the Philippines, Steve and Rita were church planters and community developers amongst the urban poor throughout the ‘90s. Since handing over the ministry to Filipinos, the Lord called them to pastor and itinerate preaching in Michigan while serving on the Board of Trustees with ACTION for almost a decade.
The Lord has now led them to return to Manila and minister to poor pastors. It is estimated that up to 48,000 pastors (approximately 80%), most extremely poor, in the Philippines are under-equipped and undertrained.
The Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) has invited the Reads to return. Their mission is to develop leaders for its exploding church and mobilize missionaries - primarily to the 10/40 Window. The goal is to plant 50,000 churches and send out 200,000 missionaries, both in this decade. And they are doing it! Of course, with this exceptional growth comes the tremendous need for the training of national pastors.
A respected church planting leader exhorted us, “If you want to make the greatest impact for God’s Kingdom with the time you have left—train leaders.” Along with the Reads faithful prayer and support team, they pray that God will be glorified as they mentor ministers and mobilize missionaries among the Philippines’ poor churches. How exciting to have a team to work alongside to make the nations our inheritance!
The Reads have two wonderful gifts of God, Stephen (13) and Shannon (11).
Steve & Rita Read
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