Home | About ERI | Statement of Faith | News | Contact Us | Mission Links

ERI Seminar Schedule

Prepare For Battle!

Nine hours; a good weekend retreat!
Six hours: a good Saturday investment!

Many studies in Spiritual Warfare deal with one specific area or with very advanced topics. This seminar follows a basic and practical progression of thought through seven topics:

•Spiritual Armor •Spiritual Weapons •Attitude toward War •Tactics of satan •Spiritual Authority •Principles of War •Battlefield Living

Six hours; a good Saturday investment of time!

The challenges and concepts presented in this seminar are intended to help prospective cross-cultural workers look beyond the "romanticism" of missions and grapple with the real issues of counting the cost of personal involvement. In a fast-paced, interactive six hours, the following topics are considered:

• The Challenge
• The Motivation
• How I View Myself as a Cross-Cultural Worker
• How I View the Organization I am Going With
• How I View the People I Plan to Minister Among
• Culture Stress in Reverse
• A "Painter's Palette" of Opportunity

Serving As Senders

Six hours; a good Saturday!

This seminar is the book, live! • The Need for Senders • Moral Support • Logistics Support • Financial Support • Prayer Support • Communication Support • Reentry Support

This seminar can stand alone; however, it also provides a good two-months-later follow through for the For Those Who Go participants. A goer can bring those who are considering being on his team. This training can help them to make a knowledgeable decision and teach them how to function well as a sender.

Six hours; a good Saturday!

Paring down the seminars, For Those Who Go and Serving As Senders, we are able to offer the basics of both in a one-day seminar. For three hours each, we address the GOERS and the SENDERS. Somewhere in the goal of world evangelization a serious seeker can find a fruitful place of ministry. Review the previous two seminar listings to see the basic content of this one.

"What's the BIG DEAL? They're JUST coming home!" Three hours; a good Saturday morning (or afternoon)   Even with the clearly documented statistics of the book, "Too Valuable To Lose;" even with the increasing number of books and articles giving insight on the subject of reentry; even with the efforts of a few churches and mission agencies to address the issues of missionary reentry, the subject still remains "in the closet!" "Too little; too late!" comes the heart cry from many returning missionaries.

Steps to the Field
Two-Three hours; a good evening

It was Neal Pirolo's privilege to view the famed city of Paris from the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower-the Seine River; the flying buttresses of the Notre Dame Cathedral. He took it all in. Fabulous! But to get to that vantage point, he had to climb 762 steel steps-one at a time! For missionaries to arrive safely at the "regions beyond" requires many careful steps. Unfortunately, not like Neal's adventure in Paris where he could not avoid any of the steps, one preparing to go to the field can skip many of the steps-to their own (and their church's and agency's) peril! Caught up in the emotion of a missions conference or from the quiet recesses of his prayer closet, one can emerge with a sense that God wants him to be a missionary. But, what next?

Using a round-table discussion format, Neal Pirolo elicits questions that would not likely be asked in another context. Though very free-flowing in its structure (so as to be able to deal with the "real" questions), an outline of five major areas of steps is followed:
•  Motivation
•  Confirmation
•  Destination
•  Preparation
•  Ordination

Eight Possible "NEXT Steps"
Two hours; a good evening

Having been challenged to consider personal involvement in cross-cultural ministry through the Perspectives Class, a good missions book, a missions conference, a visiting missionary, or a "new" reading of the Bible, one may still wonder, "What next?" With such an emphasis on going, one may not even know of or be able to consider other aspects of the missions endeavor.

Using vivid, real illustrations, Neal Pirolo offers a rainbow of opportunities for personal involvement in cross-cultural ministry; some involve going, some sending and some mobilizing. There are (at least) eight avenues-paths-roads on which one may embark to find fulfillment in cross-cultural ministry.

Speaker's Bureau

Any segment of these seminars as well as any of the topics of the Critical Issues Bulletins can be adapted to any speaking engagement, and for any group.

The financial policy for the above Emmaus Road Seminars is: We request round-trip transportation costs, room and board while we are with you and an honorarium as the Lord leads.

This seminar is offered regionally by request.

About Hosting a Nothing G O O D Just Happens! Seminar

Hosting a NGJH! Seminar is a tremendous, privileged responsibility. It involves coordinating the following aspects.

1) Participants: A minimum of five churches with two-four participants from each church is necessary for good interaction. Because this seminar has proven valuable for churches with already established programs as well as for beginners, you should be able to find the minimum of five churches within your network. But if not, we may be able to send you names of churches in your area who have indicated an interest.

2) Schedule: We need a full 21 hours. The most convenient time seems to be Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. We are open to other time frames. One who makes a commitment to the seminar must attend all the sessions.

3) Seminar location and housing: The most natural location would be your home church. If you wish to schedule the seminar at a nearby retreat center, that would be great. The distinct advantage is the people have "come away" for a special time. It also keeps "home distractions" from taking participants away from the seminar. The disadvantage, of course, would be the cost. If people in your church are willing to house visiting participants, the room and board costs can be quite minimal. Participants from local churches could stay at their own home.

4) Food: A noon meal and a morning and afternoon snack break must be considered. Local restaurants or food brought in...be creative! Breakfast or evening meals at host homes or on their own as you determine!

5) Costs to consider:

• Promotional costs depend on how aggressively you promote the event.

• Facility costs depend on your church policy or your renting a retreat center.

• Room and board costs for visiting participants depend on where you house them.

•  Our costs are round trip transportation for two (We can do our own booking.) and room and board while we are with you. (Staying in a home is fine.)

• Tuition is $80 per participant. That includes the 230-page Manual and it being mailed to the participants with them receiving it a minimum of a month ahead of the scheduled seminar. There is a reasonable amount of reading and a Church Missions Evaluation to complete.

If you are interested in hosting a Nothing G O O D Just Happens! Seminar, please contact Neal Pirolo and he will get you started! A financial consideration is offered to the host church for their coordination work.