Every year at the General Assembly (GA), Covenant College and the Administrative Committee coordinate opportunities for attendees to learn from brothers and sisters on a wide range of issues, from training new leaders to serving the poor. Through seminars and panel discussions, the General Assembly has become a concentrated time for elders and their families to be encouraged and learn firsthand from ministry leaders across the country on topics facing the church today.
This year, seminar topics include “Disciple Your Congregation for All of Life,” “Building Cultures of Evangelism,” and “Lift Your Eyes to See the Children Worship.” Commissioners and visitors can learn about church planting, equipping believers to be Christ’s disciples in the workplace, engaging young people with the gospel, developing outreach initiatives, incorporating children into the church’s worship services, and much more. Attendees have the opportunity to enjoy a free learning experience to help them consider ways to further the mission of Christ where they serve.
Andy Andrews, an attorney in North Carolina who represents PCA churches, shares that, “attending and teaching seminars at GA has been a blessing to me. It’s a great opportunity to serve and be served, and train our souls and minds for our mission”.
After General Assembly adjourns, this teaching is made available all year long through our “Gifts and Graces” podcast. The name of the podcast comes from the Westminster Confession, reminding listeners that all Christians “have communion in each other’s gifts and graces.” Each episode features content recorded at previous General Assemblies, making it available to a wider audience all year long.
Of course, encouragement also takes place in less formal moments as commissioners and their families share meals and conversations, where friendships are formed and renewed. It’s one of the reasons why time for fellowship is built into the docket. It’s designed to provide long breaks, including the recent addition of an entire evening free of official business.
Seminaries and other ministries host their own gatherings for friends and alumni throughout the week of GA. And women, youth and children benefit from additional fellowship and teaching offered through the host committee’s programming.
The Administrative Committee coordinates General Assembly and provides encouraging resources in order to help support our branch of Christ’s Church in fulfilling its mission according to the character of Jesus. Our hope is that through fellowship and access to gifted teachers, the church can “grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Eph. 4:15).