This past fall, Sound City Bible Church donated money to the Armenia Mission, one of the international mission organizations we support as a church. The money was used to fund a pastors conference in Armenia. Sam and Shoushan Saliban, covenant members of Sound City, oversee this multi-church ministry in Armenia that is focused on making disciples, planting churches, caring for widows and orphans, and so much more. To read more about the work they’re doing, head over to our International Missions page.
Healthy pastors, healthy churches
The conference was a time for pastors and their wives to get together, be poured into, and encouraged. These leaders all work tirelessly serving the churches they oversee, often with very little rest or encouragement. Throughout the conference, the main topic of discussion was how healthy leadership leads to healthier churches.
Many of the attendees sent in encouraging notes of appreciation. One attendee wrote:
“This is the first time in our marriage we have been able to be alone as a couple without our four children.”
Another pastor said,
“This was the best conference I have ever attended.”
Sam and Shoushan said the conference was so impacting that the pastors are already asking to do it again next year. Now several weeks removed from the event, they continue to see the fruit from this time together and hear nothing but excitement and praise from those who attended.
There is no doubt that a conference like this is a great encouragement to church leaders. But one of the things I encouraged Sam and Shoushan to pass to the pastors is the importance of regularly making time to rest, to take care of themselves, and to spend time with their families. We want to pray that these pastors would make rest a regular routine in their lives and ministries.
Sound City, thank you for your faithful and generous giving that allows us to love, serve, and support the work God is doing both in our community and around the world. Join us in celebrating all that the Lord did—and continues to do!—through this pastors conference in Armenia.