Diakonia 2025-1 PITH

Welcome Message

Sawatdee!  The word “Sawatdee” (สวัสดี) in Thai is a polite  and common way to  greet someone.  ‘Sawatdee’ is not just a way to say hello; it’s a  blessing  of  goodness,  fairness,  and  prosperity. By saying ‘Sawatdee’, you’re  wishing someone well in their life, reflecting  the deep-rooted Thai value of caring for  others’ well-being .

And this is exactly what the theme ‘Mission of  the Heart’ stands for in this conference. We  are acknowledging that the most important  commandment is to love God and our  neighbour as ourselves (Mk 12:28-34). What  are missions if it is not motivated by our love  for God and our neighbour? How is this  reflected in the way we do evangelism,  community outreach, and the way we disciple  others?

1  Plenary  Topics

   1. Heart Connection – The importance of the heart in ministry and mission.

   2. Soul Connection – Connecting with intention for wellbeing and growth  (includes discussion/modelling soul-to-soul  connection.

   3. Heart Care – The importance of self-care in ministry (includes discussion on how to care for self in ministry).

   4. Church Care – Pastoral Care in the Church (includes demonstration of how an elders’ meeting prioritising pastoral care looks like.

   5. Youth Care – How to connect and care for youth today?

   6. Care as Mission – Putting care at the heart  of mission (includes panel illustrating Care as  Mission).  

Workshop 1. How to Counsel Others (Ron Low)  

This workshop explores ways of counselling people in various seasons of life and at different stages of their faith. Participants will understand what goes into becoming a counsellor who can be a channel of God’s wisdom and comfort to people. Whether people are seeking support, direction, goal setting, coping strategies or working through  personal challenges to improve wellness and  life satisfaction, the Christian can learn to  counsel people effectively. Case studies and  discussions will facilitate learning while Q&A  sessions will address specific concerns of participants.

Workshop 2. Creating a Church Culture of Care (David Smith)

The church is called to  “build itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:16). Yet somehow in the frantic pace of church life the loving care of the heart is often overlooked.  Caring is at the very heart of God. Does your church have a culture of care? What is a culture of care? What does God require of us as shepherds and carers of his people? And how can a local church practically create such a culture and ministry of care that honours the caring heart of God.

We will consider these and other questions in the following three sessions:

Session 1. “God Cares” In this workshop we  look at how God cares for us and how we are  called to care for others.

Session 2. “Caring Conversations” In this  workshop we look specifically at creating  space for intentional pastoral conversations  and  the  listening  and  communication  techniques that are required.

Session 3. “Care Strategies” In this workshop  we look at how to create an effective care  strategy for the local church.

Workshop 3. Counselling Issues (Anne  Dryburgh)  

Caring for suffering people in our churches is  often complex. The things people go through  and how they experience them can be  complicated. To be able to help them well, it is  crucially important to be informed about the  issues that they face. In the counselling  issues track, we will explore three areas that  cause a lot of suffering and need a lot of  care: abuse, depression, and the influence of  social media. During each session we will  seek to come to a basic understanding of the  issue, how people respond, basics about what  the Bible says, and some suggestions about  how we can help.

Workshop 4. Caring as Mission (Ben  Matthew)  

Caring as a Mission within the context of  pastoral care and counselling emphasizes  the Gospel’s transformative power as a  reflection of God’s love in action. It involves  seeing the act of care not merely as a  response to individual needs but as a  missional endeavour that  embodies the  gospel’s call to heal, restore, and reconcile all  nations. This approach bridges the gap  between the church and the world, where the  caregiver becomes a vessel of divine  compassion, addressing emotional, spiritual,  and relational brokenness. This elective will  seek to help participants develop deep  empathy, active  listening, and culturally  sensitive interventions and appreciate how  ‘Caring as Mission’ fosters an environment  where individuals experience holistic healing,  and the church fulfils its role as God’s witness  of restoration and hope to the world.

Workshop 5. Youth Identity (Godly Koshy)  

Identity defines a person; it’s an amalgamation  of various things that create a sense of self.  As each person passes through life the  different encounters allow for the development  of one’s identity, like people, possessions,  achievements, social media, beliefs and so  on. Till adolescence the identity of a child is  usually that of the parents but during the  teenage years they start to explore and  develop their own identity. So, it is all the  more important for them to figure out their  identity early on otherwise they will be in a  place of identity confusion. The importance of  providing an environment, a safe space to  thrive and develop their identity is essential  during this life stage. As parents, siblings,  mentors and churches we have a very  important role in helping them form their  identity in Christ, not condemning them but  answering their questions and patiently  coaching them. We will look at some ways to  help them in this pursuit of forming their  identity