GProCongress II is not primarily a training event for pastor trainers, but a connecting, uniting, and strengthening of pastor trainers in personal commitment and strategic collaboration for multiplying the quality and quantity of trainers of pastors. This work begins at the Congress and continues for the following seven years till the end of the decade.

The program will continually be fine-tuned. In addition to sessions for free time, prayer and networking at the famous Westin Playa Bonita beach hotel, major building blocks include:

Devotional sessions
Sessions on the core needs of a pastoral leader: Preach, Live, Think and Serve Biblically, led by gifted, younger expositors serving in areas where church health is not keeping pace with church growth.

Morning Plenary sessions
Stewarded by leaders of umbrella bodies in nonformal, informal, and formal pastor training along with emerging co-laborers for faster delivery to more pastors of better training at lower costs.

Table sessions
Facilitated by skilled hosts to discuss relevant pastor training topics and models; prayerfully disclose and commit to raise new pastor trainers.

Affinity sessions
Dynamic, creative workshops with select and experienced hosts for 1) regional connections for post-Congress plans, 2) delivery methods for training effectiveness, and 3) core learning emphases for outputs for multiplying the quantity and quality of pastor training everywhere.

Processes & Tools workshops provide opportunities for learning about models and methods which better deliver pastoral training so more pastor trainers may be raised through pastoral training initiatives.

Pastor Training with:

Women Leaders

Host: Dr. Rachel Rajagopal, Faith Ablaze International Ministries

Half the world’s population is female; more than half of the Church population is female. While we see more women in the mission field with pastoring gifts and appointments to pastor and church planter, we have yet to see more women leaders being trained to be trainers of pastors. How can the church be an instrument of blessing and advancement in the kingdom of God as they equip women trainers of pastors? What are the unique challenges faced by the church and women trainers of pastors, and how can we overcome them? What might be the impact and influence of women trainers of pastors in the context of community, regional, national or global endeavors?

We seek to discover, connect, unite and strengthen each other through our engagements from experience and curiosity.

Contextualized Courses

Host: Dr. Graham Aylett, Increase Association

Different contexts and cultures are different! Pastors face different challenges as they lead churches. Pastor trainers and those being trained in and for those contexts have different strengths and weaknesses. One size does not fit all!

What process of course design can help to develop courses that meet today’s 21st-century training needs in the context? How can we develop courses that equip pastoral leaders to become God’s agents for change in their contexts? And if every pastor is to become a pastor trainer, how can we build skills to develop contextual courses into our pastor training?

Let’s learn from one another as we consider these questions that we all face.

Evaluation & Validation

Host: Pastor Paul Hemming, ReForma

Research indicates that 95% of pastors around the world are not formally qualified. Many of these pastors and church leaders are either untrained or undertrained. As the formal sector is able to meet only around 5% of this massive need for training, the nonformal sector has a critical role to play in addressing this desperate need. Standards in nonformal training programs, however, vary greatly, as each program does what seems best to them.

Is there a globally accepted standard for pastor training? How can trainers of pastors know if their nonformal program is effective and good enough? What tools and processes are available for evaluating pastor training programs? How can training programs be validated without being accredited?

Join us as we explore and answer these vital questions together.

Oral Learners

Host: Dr. Ray Neu, Spoken Worldwide

What does Theological Education look like when you don’t have books? When you don’t write papers? When you’re not part of a majority language?

We suggest that it looks very much like the strategy Jesus used with His disciples. Oral Theological Education is growing globally as the Church expands to equip pastors and workers in every dimension of society.

Come examine, experience and explore how your ministry can participate in the fascinating world of Visual Narrative Theological Education!

Socio-Economic Obstacles

Host: Dr. Vijonet Déméro, Université INUFOCAD

What are the major socio-economic obstacles pastor trainers have faced in their ministries during the last decade? How do they overcome these obstacles in raising and preparing more pastoral leaders? This workshop has its roots in Dr. Ramesh Richard’s assertion that “Pastoral health affects church health. Church health affects societal health.” Its aim is to enable participants to reflect on how pastor trainers can overcome socio-economic obstacles by reaching out to more pastor trainers to ensure church health in their communities. From this workshop, we seek to connect, unite and strengthen each other through our engagements from experience.

Digital Tools

Host: Jason Richard Tan, RREACH

The world is rapidly shrinking as access to information becomes increasingly accessible through digital technology. In this interconnected age, pastor trainers have an unprecedented opportunity to utilize digital tools to expand their reach and enhance the accessibility of theological education, particularly for those in remote areas.

This workshop has gathered experts and providers in pastor training resources, who will demonstrate a wide array of digital tools, resources, and Learning Management System (LMS) platforms. These offerings are designed to empower both trainers and students, facilitating more effective learning and teaching experiences. Furthermore, this workshop aims to delve into how these digital tools can be leveraged to promote culturally relevant, local training resources tailored to the needs of pastoral leaders within their respective communities.

Adult Learning

Host: Mr. Otto Kladensky, TOPIC

In MANY of our organizations, institutes or seminaries, consciously or unconsciously we use the Traditional Teaching Paradigm. This paradigm maintains that teaching is a unidirectional process where the teacher transmits knowledge and the student is a passive recipient. This can lead to the belief that only educators can provide knowledge and that the student must "be taught" rather than be an active part of the process.

Instead, ideally, we would use the Andragogy Paradigm, which recognizes the differences between adult education and child education; focusing on adapting teaching methods to meet the unique needs of adults. Andragogy is based on active participation, experiential learning, and personal relevance to promote effective and meaningful adult learning, with Jesus being the BEST example of this.

The General objective of this workshop is to encourage teachers to become facilitators, causing an impact and transformation in their audience. Facilitators support the development and process of training programs to help participants retain and apply new skills more effectively.

Content & Skills workshops focus on building community, exploring opportunity, and discovering resources around basic courses for pastoral leaders to also become pastor trainers in these subjects.

Pastor Training in

Church Planting & Growth

Host: Mr. Ricky Magno, Global Church Movements

Church Multiplication is anchored on both church health and effective church planting. True church growth, as we see in the scriptures, is much more focused on the individual Christian’s growth upward—their personal relationship with Christ; inward—their own personal maturity as a disciple of Christ, and outward—their growth and maturity in making the Great Commission a priority in their lives. Once these three areas operate in tandem, the Kingdom of God through the power of God will be expanded, resulting in local assemblies that will grow both in number and impact. Jesus is the foundation, owner, builder, and power of the church. The question is, How did Jesus start building his church? This session will also help you participate in Jesus’ mission of building his church by setting an expectation for you to start a new church/faith group that has the characteristics of Acts 2 using the four principles of a Kingdom growth process from Mark 4: 26-29.

Spiritual Life & Well-Being

Host: Dr. Daniel Fodorean, Baptist Theological Institute of Bucharest

Why is it that today we hear more and more often about church leaders who have failed miserably in their ministry? What is the cause of their failure? The answer lies in the most intimate and secret place of the leader’s being, his heart, the center of his personality. Knowledge is essential, and skills are necessary, but what is in the heart of the leader is crucial. The heart of the leader is the heart of leadership. This is where the spirituality of a leader begins. We will learn together how to cultivate an authentic spirituality as leaders, but also how to form other leaders from the inside out. We will also explore possible solutions for the mental and physical well-being of the leader at critical times, such as the mid-life crisis.

Leading and Serving a Congregation

Host: Rev. Paul Harbourne, LeaderFormation

A pastor is called to lead a local group of believers as they grow in their relationship with God.

How does a pastor lead a local church and still be a servant at the same time? Is it even possible?

Cultural influences can cause pastors to be autocrats, roadblocks to the gospel or even worse. This workshop is designed to talk through the challenges we face in helping pastors become truly servant leaders. Our presenters will let us see their successes and even failures, with the purpose of learning together how we can raise a generation of pastors who serve their congregations in a way that honors God.

Come prepared to participate in active conversations that will ultimately help all of us become better at communicating the heart of God as we develop servant pastors around the world.

Bible Study & Survey

Host: Mr. Dave Semmelbeck, BEE World

When pastors face the task of preaching the Word, they must understand it themselves. Yet many have not been taught how, or given the skills to study and understand the Bible. For this reason, many ministries exist to train pastors in the study of the Word. What characterizes effective Bible study/survey resources and pastor trainers? What are some challenges in training pastors in the study of the Bible? How can knowing the Word set pastors free to shepherd their congregations, resulting in healthy churches with mature Christ followers?

In this workshop, we will explore how to provide opportunities for pastors to access and grow in their understanding of the Word, share effective resources, and encourage participants to strengthen other pastors and leaders in the study and understanding of the Bible.

Essential Theology & Convictions

Host: Rev. Andrew Lamb, Thirdmill

Over 90% of the world's pastors and church leaders have less than one hour of formal biblical and theological training. If they don’t know the Scriptures, what are they teaching? Most pastors want to teach their congregations well, but many avoid difficult parts of Scripture because they're afraid of teaching the wrong things. Others unwittingly distort the gospel and spread harmful theology. How can we stand with the global church to help Christian leaders rightly handle God's Word? How do we train those in countries that are hostile to the gospel? And how do we provide training that can reach those with the least resources? Join us as we unite together, not just in this moment, in order to bring foundational biblical and theological training and materials throughout God's Kingdom.

Reaching & Evangelizing Unbelievers

Host: Mr. Byron Lopez, Haggai Institute

In one of Paul's letters we read the instruction given to Timothy to be prudent in everything, endure suffering, dedicate himself to evangelization and to fulfill the duties of the specific ministry to which he was called. It is important to recognize that evangelism is not a specific goal but a vital component of the entire work of the ministry of a servant of God who seeks to fully and effectively fulfill the instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ known as the great commission.

But what does the fulfillment of the great commission really consist of? Who are those called to fulfill it? What is the profile of who will be reached by the evangelistic work of a ministry and what requirements must be met by those who intend to fulfill the great commission? What is the role that a pastor and each member of a congregation must play in fulfilling the last command expressed by our Lord?

By the end of this workshop, the participant will be able to identify in their immediate environment the people who need the gospel of Jesus Christ to be demonstrated and presented to them in an inspiring way and will be able to draw up a basic action plan to share in a contextual, relevant and sensitive way, the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to those people in their immediate environment using the tools and qualities that their specific calling and mission require.

Pastoral Care and Counseling

Host: Dr. Alexandre Mendes, FOCO Seminary

Pastoral care and counseling are crucial ministries for caring for Jesus' church, purchased by the precious blood of Christ, and for fulfilling the Great Commission. Therefore, pastoral care and counseling must be evaluated based on the principles of the Word of God. This workshop will awaken your vision of the biblical convictions that shape the work of pastoral care and counseling of those who suffer. It is not about having the right techniques, but the confidence in the power of the Scriptures that give life to the dead and transform the saints. Based on convictions about the Scriptures and the power of the Holy Spirit, the workshop will give suggestions on how to turn beliefs into ministerial practices with the purpose of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ growing in maturity.

Community Service & Impact

Host: Tom Frommack, ICM

Healthy churches lead to healthy communities. This workshop will expand on how a healthy pastor, healthy congregation, and healthy systems help to promote healthy communities. The community outreach arm of a church is not only spiritual, but impacts the mind, body, and soul of the community that it ministers to. If you wish to learn how leaders worldwide are impacting their communities or want to share your strategies and/or testimonies, this is the workshop for you.

Discipling & Equipping Believers

Host: Dr. Fregy John, The TImothy Initiative

Discipling and equipping Believers is key for the advancement of the kingdom and health of the Church. Many times, the question is whose job it is? Elders, Pastors, Soul winners, or other disciples? How many churches are seriously involved in Discipling or equipping Believers? Is it only one of the programs of the handful of churches or a must-have in every church? Are malnourished believers causing Unhealthy churches? We will discuss the impact of Discipling and Equipping of believers in the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

Sector Tracks sessions are three-day immersive sessions facilitated by each sector, which build each day on a single issue contributing to raising new pastor trainers.

Developing Pastors into Trainers

Does your country need more pastor-trainers? Over three consecutive days, participants will learn how to recruit and develop future pastor-trainers from among the pastors that you are already equipping. Come and discover proven approaches and helpful tools so that you might help develop the next generation of pastor-trainers.

Seminaries & Bible Colleges: Producing Future Pastor Trainers

What role does Formal Theological Education play in raising new trainers of pastors? Over three sessions, participants will discuss opportunities and obstacles related to seminaries and Bible colleges producing future pastor trainers and will collaborate on important issues and best practices to that end.

Mentoring for Life and Ministry

This immersive experience is for any pastor-trainer desiring to be mentored or to become a fruitful mentor to others. Over three sessions, participants will learn how to set up and run multiplying peer mentoring groups for pastors and will be exposed to senior pastor mentors from around the world and to proven mentor materials for pastors. Participation in this track includes joining a mentor group of 4 to 6 people led by an experienced mentor. Groups will meet three times during the Congress and continue to meet virtually four times in 2024. Mentor groups will be language and gender-specific.

Regional Group sessions will explore opportunities and obstacles for more and better pastor training in that region and collaborate toward raising new pastor trainers in their areas.

Evening Plenary sessions
Biblically based inspiration around select themes for personal and ministry vitality.