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Title: Love and Friendship: Creating and Nurturing Relationships in Ministry Lee Spitzer |
Workshop Description:
Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Friendship and love lie at the heart of the Christian message and anchor all authentic Christian mission. Clergy share God’s love and friendship with others, and we need love and friendship as well. Do pastors have to be lonely? Can a pastor be a friend with church members? How do we maintain and nurture friendships from previous ministry settings? How can we manage friendships with people of the opposite sex? What are “friendship circles”? This workshop will present a ‘friendship circle” model for appreciating the people in our web of relationships, and for dealing with the relational gains and losses we experience.
Presenter:
Since accepting the call to serve as Executive Minister and Senior Regional Pastor of the American Baptist Churches of New Jersey in March 2003, Rev. Dr. Lee B. Spitzer has led the region in embracing a new vision, which calls ABCNJ to journey as a Christ-centered, mission focused and pastoral (loving) community of churches. From this vision, new ministries are emerging: the Health and Faithfulness Initiative, ABCNJ GoGlobal, ABCNJ Satellite Seminars, Inclusive Ministries for People with Disabilities, and the Pastor to Pastor ministry to name a few. Spitzer was previously pastor of First Baptist Church, Lincoln, Nebraska, the Seaview Baptist Church in Linwood, New Jersey, and the First Baptist Church in East Providence, Rhode Island. He was ordained as an American Baptist minister in 1981. His Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees are from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Dr. Spitzer has preached the gospel and taught on spiritual journeying worldwide. He has authored several books.