“Transformed to Serve - Effectively Leading,” was the theme which united ministerial directors from conferences around the Caribbean Union (CARU), at a resource-rich Ministerial Advisory on St. Maarten, from April 16 to 19, 2017.

Teeming with spiritual insight for proactively positioning ministry, this advisory, which is hosted once every five years, highlighted key objectives for attaining set goals. Tips for pursuing excellence in ministry and reminders regarding the sacredness of ministerial responsibilities were in abundance.  Attention was given to three principal areas of ministerial development:  Spiritual revival in ministry; integration of the Lord Transform Me concepts in the life of the church; and, the accountability of pastors.

In his opening remarks, the Ministerial Director for the Caribbean Union, Pastor Andrew Farrel, observed: “The Caribbean Union cannot afford to allow ministry to not represent the Master. If that is to take place, we, as directors, must take the lead to develop ministry and lead the transformation we desire.  For us to lead a transformed ministry, we must be transformed.”  Words of welcome from Caribbean Union and inspiration were brought by the Executive Secretary, Pastor Johnson Frederick, and he was joined by Pastor Ashton O’Neil, Personal Ministries and Sabbath School Director.

Professional and spiritual development were also facilitated by Dr. Bertram Melbourne who is presently a lecturer at the Howard University’s School of Religion.  He challenged directors to strive for “best practices” in ministry and emphasized that the work of God will not have good leaders until pastors go back and do the job as it ought to be done. He outlined steps that should be taken to revitalize ministry and aid in enhancing the management of ministry.

Directors embraced the vision outlined during the advisory and prayed that God would continue to guide each into a transformed and efficient ministry – one that is driven by divine compulsion and spiritual identity.