Mike has been in Izmir, Turkey attending MTW’s LEAD conference. LEAD is a worldwide leadership training for MTW’s mission Team Leaders and national patterns. Mike is now preparing to travel back to Honduras.

In attendance were 14 MTW office staff, 33 national partners and 87 MTW missionary Team Leaders. It was exciting to see 134 leader/servants from around the world serve each other.

Each day we put in nearly 12-hour days. The mornings began with our group spending one-hour in prayer, reading and singing in a myriad of different languages and styles. Dr. Paul Koistra, the Director of MTW, provided daily lectures on the topic of leadership. Dr. Richard Pratt also provided daily lectures of service and grace. Dr. Pratt is the President and Fonder of Third Millennium ministry.

Our afternoons were full with panel discussions and breakout groups. In the panels we received some very challenging input from the nationals we work with. In the breakout sessions we attempted to solve some of the problems we heard about.

While Turkey was a long way for Mike to travel it was very central for many other MTW Team Leaders (Europe, Asia, Africa & Enterprise). However, there is no other way to receive this diverse of an education and insight without a worldwide gathering. It would be impossible to hear this level of input any other way.

The worship and organization were top notch and the teaching will benefit our work in Honduras and the work of other missionaries around the world. It was wonderful for Mike to meet with and learn from missionaries with 30+ years of field experience.

All this week Mike is in Izmir, Turkey attending Mission To the World’s worldwide leadership training. Every Team Leader from each MTW mission team in the world will be in attendance. The conference is a time for training, evaluation and study to better prepare MTW’s Team Leaders for their mission work.

On Thursday MTW’s Director, Dr. Paul Koistra, blessed the group with two lectures on the biblical context of leadership. Dr. Koistra is challenging this group of worldwide leaders to direct their teams and ministries in a way that demonstrates a passion for the people we serve. True leadership is understanding that God has appointed leaders to administer God’s will because he loves all the servants, not simply the leader.

Dr. Richard Pratt, President and Founder of Third Millenniums ministries, is leading regular lectures on serving Christ as our mission. He is explaining how we all need to have passion for Christ in our service. We should serve others well with fervor because it glorifies God.

The 87 Team Leaders broke into our five geographic groups and had regional discussions about our vision. Our group talked about our charge in Latin America. How does this conference impact our work? Will we take serious the results of this conference? Why do we partner with national pastors? Our Latin American Team Leaders discussed some very constructive points.

All this week Mike is in Izmir, Turkey attending Mission To the World’s worldwide leadership training. Every Team Leader from each MTW mission team in the world will be in attendance. The conference is a time for training, evaluation and study to better prepare MTW’s Team Leaders for their mission work.

On Wednesday all of the missionaries and national partners divided into eight small groups and were asked to discuss and report on a few questions. We had discussions about very difficult topics – What is MTW doing right? What is MTW doing wrong? How can MTW improve? What has MTW done to benefit your work? These are difficult questions to discuss when your supervisors are around, but, the group came up with constructive input.

The entire group took several hours and toured the ruins of Ephesus. Ephesus was an important center for early Christianity. The Apostle Paul lived in Ephesus, working with the congregation and organized missionary activity into the hinterlands. He wrote the letter 1 Corinthians from Ephesus. Later Paul wrote the Epistle to the Ephesians while he was in prison in Rome. Ephesus was one of the seven cities addressed in Revelation (Revelation 2:1–7).

One of our most valuable exercises has been hearing from national partners. They were asked to give insight as to how MTW missionaries were doing in their countries. Through individual reports and panel discussions these nationals, who have experience working with North American missionaries, provided extremely helpful analyses of the work, attitudes and involvement of missionaries working in their countries. Some of their statements were critical and hard to listen to, but very useful guidelines for areas of improvement.

All this week Mike is in Izmir, Turkey attending Mission To the World’s worldwide leadership training. Every Team Leader from each MTW mission team in the world will be in attendance. The conference is a time for training, evaluation and study to better prepare MTW’s Team Leaders for their mission work.

This is an amazing opportunity with information, education and worship from around the world. In attendance are 14 MTW office staff, 33 national partners and 87 MTW missionary Team Leaders from all over the globe. The diversity of cultures is amazing and enriching as 134 leader servants from around the world serve each other.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday mornings we started the day with a very exciting form of multi-ethnic worship. During worship we are praying, singing and reading together in a very original and amazing way. We have sung old songs and new songs. We have sung in English, Spanish, German, African dialects, Hebrew and more. In the flavor of the local Islamic culture we have prayed and chanted in way reminiscent of the Muslim “call to prayer.” All has been to Christ and for His glory. It has been enjoyable.

Dr. Paul Koistra, the Director of MTW, provides a morning devotional on leadership each morning. It is always a joy to hear Dr. Koistra.

Twice a day we receive a lecture from Dr. Richard Pratt, the President and founder of Third Millennium Ministries. Dr. Pratt has provided theological education around the world and is responsible for providing free theological instruction materials in native languages.