Implementing TOPIC

VISION

“Every church with equipped and maturing pastoral leadership.”

MISSION

TOPIC is an international coalition of pastoral training organizations accelerating pastoral training where the Church is growing, by:

• Equipping the trainers of pastoral leaders;
• Increasing the effectiveness of trainers of pastoral trainers;
• Building the capacity of pastoral training organizations;

Resulting in large numbers of pastoral leaders who, as Christ-like servants, biblically shepherd a congregation to fulfill the Great Commission to the glory of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Conviction. It is TOPIC if it is built on…

  1. The premise that an effective way to accomplish the vision is through non-formal training.
  2. The recognition that Scripture and the church set the training agenda for the development of God’s people.
  3. The strength of consistent and focused prayer initiatives.

Constituency. It is TOPIC if…

  1. It is a network of trainers of pastors and pastoral training organizations.
  2. There is respected leadership in a coordinating group committed to working with the whole body of Christ to equip pastoral leadership who lack essential ministry competencies.

Continuing Process. It is TOPIC if…

  1. The coordinating group steers the implementation and oversees the fulfillment of the commitments made.
  2. It is based on research that determines the extent of pastoral training needs, identifies existing pastoral training efforts, and measures effectiveness.
  3. TOPIC Best Practices for equipping pastoral leaders are researched and promoted on an on-going basis.
  4. It convenes consultations of pastoral trainers that lead to more and better training commitments that are S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound) with special focus on the year 2010.
[2nd International TOPIC Consultation
12-16 Sept. 2005, Manila, the Philippines]