Healthy, mature, missional consistories contribute to healthy, mature, missional churches. We cannot make the church grow, only God can do that. However, we can lead. God has called and placed ministers, elders, and deacons within his church. When they faithfully live out their calling, they are tilling the soil of the congregation. They cannot make it grow, but they are preparing the soil and taking the lead in following Christ in mission. The hope of this elder and deacon training is to help elders and deacons grow more deeply into their calling. It is designed with both first-time and seasoned consistory members in mind, so that “speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Eph. 4:15).