After some weeks of preparation and anticipation, on Sept. 27 more than 60 elders from across Arkansas and Louisiana gathered at the conference office in Shreveport for the fifth-ever Elder Certification Training. This session focused on discipleship and provided a refreshing opportunity to equip lay leaders to serve and strengthen their congregations.
The sessions were provided in both English and Spanish. Speakers included Kojo Tsumani, evangelism director for the Ohio Conference; Daniel Hall, compassion ministry for the South Atlantic Regional Conference; Tony Anobile, vice president of the Southwestern Union; and Leonardo Melendez, church ministries and evangelism director of the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference. Every message was discipleship-centered and well received by the participants.
With the unveiling of the General Conference’s OneVoice27 movement and the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference’s United Through Mission initiative, everyone was encouraged to make 2027 a year that purposefully unites our churches for discipleship, evangelism, and mission.
May God bless our elders upon their return to their local congregations. We pray that they will lead faithfully and help others grow in Christ. We look forward to more elders’ training sessions in the coming year.