Introducing Our Community Development Cohort
Seemingly the only constant in life is change. Cities rise and fall. Cultures flourish, plateau, decline, and eventually drop way from the pages of history. Because of technology and globalization change is at a breakneck pace as we cross-pollinate across the globe. We exchange ideas and adapt. While this has always been the case it is simply happening all of the time now.
This has an effect on everything we're surrounded by from music to food to fashion and more. The same happens in ministry circles. On one hand we're continuously innovating and adapting (contextualization) and yet at the same time we're guided by changeless scriptural imperatives and guidelines. Even the life of a church, while there are commonalities found in the New Testament, continues to change right before our eyes. Trends and fads come and go.
This provides a good backdrop to introduce our Community Development cohort. From the very beginning we contend and point out that the church has always played an active role of being a blessing and seeking the betterment of the communities they were and are rooted in. We can trace this narrative throughout church history. With that said, there are ever-changing skills to acquire, conversations to engage in, and material to learn from. That's where the cohort plan comes in.
Beginning the week of June 11th we're kicking of our next Community Development cohort. What is it? This cohort focuses on concerned and caring neighbors, community developers, church planters, and church leaders who desire to seek the benefit, well-being, and blessing of their communities. We will also study and learn about community and economic development, a theology of justice, and a holistic approach to justice, development, and church planting.
This is built off a Master's level course (Community Development in Practice) I taught last fall at Multnomah University in the Global Development and Justice program. The cohort is a 6 month journey together of learning, planning, laughing, and diving deep into community development and see how it intersects with church planting and disciple-making. Here is what you can expect:
COHORT OUTCOMES (Community): After participating in a learning community, participants will have:
- developed a sense of belonging among cohort members and Intrepid.
- developed hope for the communities you’re loving and serving in.
- increased confidence to slow down, make disciples, and launch a new venture.
- experienced intentional support for community development, church planting, and disciple-making.
- cultivated deeper spiritual growth as part of a community and through intentional mentorship.
- developed a greater sense of purpose regarding understanding who they are, their ministry context, and what they are called to.
- transformed their mindset toward a living out and proclaiming a thick gospel for the blessing and benefit of those in whom they’re ministering among.
COHORT OUTCOMES (Content): Upon successful completion of this cohort, each participant will be able to:
- Communicate the purpose of community development.
- Understand her/his individual strengths, how they can best be developed and used, and how they fit with their ministry context.
- Read, analyze, and apply themes from a variety of texts and articles.
- Articulate the biblical foundation for justice and community development.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
In order to achieve the listed outcomes, the participant will:
- Engage in common reading of texts, online discourse, practices, question-asking, and experiences.
- Create authentic community through practicing attentive presence with one another and creating safe places to reveal our true selves.
- Research a particular social issue in your ministry context through interviews, periodicals, readings, and mediations for a final project and presentation.
- Meet with their cohort two times a month for an hour each time for 6 months.
If you'd like to sign up or if you have any questions drop us an email to sean@thetablenetwork.com.