{"id":2296,"date":"2021-09-07T15:43:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-07T15:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/clone\/2021\/09\/07\/tallin-teaching-ministry-conference\/"},"modified":"2023-06-02T06:59:20","modified_gmt":"2023-06-02T04:59:20","slug":"tallin-teaching-ministry-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/tallin-teaching-ministry-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Tallinn Teaching Ministry Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Just as the many activities of summertime 2021 were reaching their crescendo, and in spite of constantly changing COVID-19 travel restrictions, the 130-member <\/span><\/span>Tallinna Kristlik Vabakogudus<\/a> (Tallinn Free Church of Christ, a member of the Eastern European regional family of churches in our worldwide Christian fellowship of the International Churches of Christ) hosted the first international disciples\u2019 conference dedicated to the development of the Teaching Ministry on the European\/Eurasian continent in our fellowship. This event was for any and all disciples who appreciate the importance of high-quality Bible study and teaching in our churches and had about 250 registered participants. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God\u2019s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. \u2013 <\/span><\/span> Ephesians 4:11-12 <\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n


Two years ago, the church in Tallinn officially recognized its Teaching Ministry, appointing Reto Zingg (originally from Zurich) and Mati Simm (Estonia) to the office of teacher for the congregation. Women\u2019s Minister Triin Leesmann (Estonia) is also recognized as an integral and influential member of the Teaching Ministry group. The establishment of the Tallinn Teaching Ministry was accomplished through years of prayer and dedication on the part of these individuals and the faithful and frequent visits of Boston teacher and elder Valdur Koha, who has made two trips a year to Tallinn from the USA for the past 20 years. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Tallinn Teachers Group meets monthly to discuss how best to address the current needs of the church through sound Biblical teaching. They create a plan for study and present it to the wider leadership of the church for further shaping of the plan and to agree upon how best to teach and mature the church. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eager to learn from the recent appointment of 15 congregational teachers in our African churches, Tallinn\u2019s conference planning committee invited Emmanuel Emeh (Lagos, Nigeria), Paul Smith (Johannesburg, South Africa), and Dr. Steve Kinnard (New York, USA) to instruct attendees about their own process of developing a continental Teaching Ministry. Due to COVID travel difficulties, Kinnard and Emeh appeared virtually and Paul Smith endured quarantining in Estonia before the conference began and then encountered further unexpected departure delays, which meant that Paul spent two full weeks in Estonia for a four-day conference \u2014 most of which were confined to the conference hotel! (The conference attendees and planners are especially grateful to him and his family for that sacrifice.) <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps the most-heard takeaway from the African story was a key concept from one of Dr. Kinnard\u2019s slides: \u201cFirst, realize that this is not a solo project.\u201d The emphasis on humility, the desire to actively seek input on one\u2019s own spirituality, and the commitment to the practice of community teaching (similar to a process of peer review) came up again and again as of prime importance in the successful development of the African Teachers\u2019 Group. The work of many years and various faithfully visiting teachers in Africa was acknowledged, including that of Douglas Jacoby and Dave Pocta, who were also in attendance in Tallinn. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n


Paul Smith contrasted the building of Solomon\u2019s temple with our efforts in building the church today, calling us to emulate the worshipful heart of David and to strive to build Christ-centered teams in our churches. He acknowledged the decades of involvement and prayer that has brought about the Teaching Ministry team in Africa that we see today. He shared that three women recently graduated at the top of their ministry training class in South Africa and an active women\u2019s training program has begun against the backdrop of a traditionally very patriarchal culture, indicating that the church seems committed to figuring out how to encourage and include their gifted women in the Teaching Ministry. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conference line-up included several other outstanding features. Andy Fleming (Kiev, Ukraine) delivered a memorable opening address on the crucial role of sound biblical teaching as part of God\u2019s plan for building the church. Conference attendees enjoyed an in-depth walk through the letter to the Colossians, each chapter taught by different presenters. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two interactive panel discussions fielded questions from the live audience as well as those participating online. The first, \u201cThe Bible and Gender,\u201d presented a case study from the Boston church, offering one example of how churches might engage in a discussion of the very important and sensitive topic of the role of women in public worship settings. Valdur Koha (Boston) presented with Ann King (Paris) and Andy and Tammy Fleming (Kyiv) as panel members. The second, \u201cBuilding Up the Church,\u201d was a practical discussion about the training and development of the role of Congregational Teacher, with Valdur Koha, Triin Leesmann and Mati Simm (Tallinn) and Douglas Jacoby (Edinburgh, Scotland). <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n


Board members and students affiliated with the <\/span><\/span>Disciples Center for Education<\/a> were also among those who traveled from abroad to be present. The DCE is a newly-formed charity whose goal is to provide assistance for qualified candidates around the world in our ICOC fellowship to achieve advanced degrees in theological study. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conducted simultaneously in two languages (English and Russian), the conference was broadcast live on YouTube so that virtual participants from 41 countries could take part. Sadly, no Russian Federation citizens were allowed to travel due to the worst spike to date in COVID cases in their country. The technical team of the Tallinn church \u2014 all volunteers \u2014 everyone agreed, was simply spectacular for a church of its size. Thanks to everyone\u2019s efforts, conference lessons are now available for anyone to enjoy <\/span><\/span>here in English and here in Russian<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vision of the organizers is for this conference to become an annual event. One of the goals of the ICOC Teachers Service Team is to inspire and assist the development of regionally-based Teaching Ministries throughout our fellowship. It seems that the seeds that have been lovingly and faithfully planted in Tallinn over the years are bearing fruit and ready to multiply! Please pray for qualified biblical teachers to be discovered and developed in all our regional church families around the world. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over 250 people attended this conference, which was the first international disciples\u2019 conference dedicated to the development of the teaching…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":2297,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7],"tags":[56],"post_folder":[151],"class_list":["post-2296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bible-study","tag-europe"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/28329RetoTeachingtree.jpeg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1","author_info":{"display_name":"dtadmin","author_link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/author\/dtadmin\/"},"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/phsvEw-B2","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10545,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/learning-to-teach-teaching-to-learn\/","url_meta":{"origin":2296,"position":0},"title":"Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn","author":"dtadmin","date":"July 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn is the inventive and descriptive title for the second annual International Teaching Ministry Conference coming up September 15-18, 2022 in Tallinn, Estonia.","rel":"","context":"In "Bible Study"","block_context":{"text":"Bible Study","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/bible-study\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/tallin_teaching_conference_2022.jpeg?fit=600%2C338&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/tallin_teaching_conference_2022.jpeg?fit=600%2C338&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/tallin_teaching_conference_2022.jpeg?fit=600%2C338&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14328,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/tallinn-teaching-conference-23\/","url_meta":{"origin":2296,"position":1},"title":"Pressing on to Maturity in Tallinn, Estonia in August 2023","author":"dtadmin","date":"June 8, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"All are invited to the Teaching Ministry Conference in Tallinn, Estonia, to raise up teachers, build healthy churches, and foster spiritual formation.","rel":"","context":"In "Bible Study"","block_context":{"text":"Bible Study","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/bible-study\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Tallin-Teachers-Conference.png?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Tallin-Teachers-Conference.png?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Tallin-Teachers-Conference.png?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Tallin-Teachers-Conference.png?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Tallin-Teachers-Conference.png?fit=1200%2C676&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":24451,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/growing-in-unity-2024-teaching-ministry-conference\/","url_meta":{"origin":2296,"position":2},"title":"Growing in Unity: 2024 Teaching Ministry Conference","author":"Lai-Yan Faller","date":"August 28, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"From August 15-18, the Tallinn church hosted the fourth annual Teaching Ministry Conference.","rel":"","context":"In "Bible Study"","block_context":{"text":"Bible Study","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/bible-study\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/TMC1.jpg?fit=1200%2C614&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/TMC1.jpg?fit=1200%2C614&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/TMC1.jpg?fit=1200%2C614&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/TMC1.jpg?fit=1200%2C614&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/TMC1.jpg?fit=1200%2C614&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":29507,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/halifax-dartmouth-church-seeks-evangelist\/","url_meta":{"origin":2296,"position":3},"title":"Halifax-Dartmouth Church Seeks Evangelist","author":"Lai-Yan Faller","date":"December 14, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Halifax-Dartmouth Church of Christ is prayerfully seeking a full-time evangelist to help lead and grow our church family, and to share the good news of Jesus.","rel":"","context":"In "Ministry Search"","block_context":{"text":"Ministry Search","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/ministry-search\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Halifax-Skyline3.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Halifax-Skyline3.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Halifax-Skyline3.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Halifax-Skyline3.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Halifax-Skyline3.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":24280,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/all-africa-build-conference-2024\/","url_meta":{"origin":2296,"position":4},"title":"All-Africa Build Conference 2024","author":"Vida Li Sik","date":"August 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The All-Africa Build conference gathered leaders and disciples from across the continent for prayer, teaching and fellowship.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Build-conference-Africa.png?fit=1200%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Build-conference-Africa.png?fit=1200%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Build-conference-Africa.png?fit=1200%2C680&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Build-conference-Africa.png?fit=1200%2C680&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Build-conference-Africa.png?fit=1200%2C680&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2128,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/icoc-teachers-service-team-report-2021\/","url_meta":{"origin":2296,"position":5},"title":"ICOC Teachers Service Team Report 2021","author":"dtadmin","date":"January 20, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The annual report from the Teachers Service Team includes the development of teaching ministries around the world, the launch of the Teleios Journal, an update from the Race Relations Task Force, and the growth of the Rocky Mountain School of Ministry and Theology.","rel":"","context":"In "Bible Study"","block_context":{"text":"Bible Study","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/bible-study\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/ICOCTeachersServiceTeam.png?fit=500%2C265&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/28329RetoTeachingtree.jpeg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2296"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2296\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2296"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=2296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}