This comment from Peg Batcheller is a great picture of our MRT Experiment functioning as a "community of practice". In this case, Peg in New Mexico is learning from Hobby Chapin in north Denver (see yesterday's post). I love it!Hobby,
Thanks for this great description of what you guys are doing. I'm invited to meet with a group of women leaders in Clovis, NM, this weekend, and I was praying about what to share with them. There are about 7-10 women who are hungry to get something started there, with lots of passion but have little direction. Your post about your new MRT gives definition to what I need to share, so this is very timely. I ask you all to pray with me that God will move in an amazing way to raise up many CO2s and simple churches in the NE area of New Mexico and into Texas.
Peg
We'll be praying for you Peg. Let us know how it goes.
John
Yes Peg! We will definitely be praying for you. I'm glad the example is helpful.
ReplyDeleteWe just launched a house church this past weekend. I have a single woman that I am holding up as the leader. I think she will grow into an apostolic leader. I have been wondering what I need to do in providing leadership for her. It seems like I need to set up different boundaries than I would in equipping other leaders? I have been wanting to pick your brain about it Peg. If I am not the one to equip our single ladies who have apostolic inclination, who is? I don't think our other strong females have the vision for equipping apostles yet.
Also, I will be in Farmington May 7-11. If there is a chance to meet up I am interested.
Hobby,
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if you would be able to invite your friend to some of your MRT meetings? One of the things that encouraged me the most was being welcomed into the discussions on the LK10.com website when it first came out, and participating in some of the activities in ABQ with the other male leaders. A few of us leading women met together recently at Felicity Dale's home, and we discussed the importance of Deborahs and Baraks warring together in the battle(Judges 4-5)and not separating ourselves to a male vs female leadership role. We were encouraged to ask God who our Baraks are, and how we can invite them to battle with us, as well as the Baraks (men leaders) to invite us to work with them. The passage in Judges seemed like an invitation to us, and even the singing together (in harmony) between Deborah & Barak in Chapter 5. I don't agree with meeting alone with the opposite sex, but being invited to times of planning, prayer, and strategizing with others allows for growth and encouragement from the men. Far too few women have recognized apostolic calls on their life (for now), and finding other women who are available to train and teach are difficult to find in the same regions. I'm believing that my trip to Clovis will be the first of possibly many that I will be making to do this type of encouragement. I'm hoping that it will! Consistent communication with other women, prayer and stategy with men in the same region, and developing CO2s -women with women- would be a good place to start.
Don't think I'll be able to make it to Farmington in May, but I'd really like a chance to get with you and your friend. Perhaps sometime in June some of us would like to come to Denver for a few days and meet you all, spend some time in prayer, etc. Can you guys arrange a weekend like that, and let us know? I'd be willing to come up and learn from you all, and see what God is doing. Keep us informed.
I sure enjoy laboring with you all. Thanks for your encouragement. I'll be praying for your friend, Hobby, and hope she & I can connect sometime.
Blessings!
One other comment regarding Chadd's question a few days ago re: women and CO2. I feel women naturally share their feelings with each other easier than men do with others, and would often get distracted if they commit to spending the time together daily. It seems family responsibilities interfere more often than not. But I also sense that with the men there is more of an intentional strategy that they are accustomed to having among themselves, and a CO2 fits into that well. Men have more often been the leaders, planners, pray-ers in missions and evangelism, and although women have participated, we haven't been the 'pace setters.' So men would naturally have the strategy and intentionality to meet together regularly. I am finding, however, that couples tend to be more regular in a CO2 together. The commitment to each other, husbands being more transparent with their wives, and women listening to their husbands is growing more and more. Perhaps women, instead of lightly sharing their day with each other on the phone or over coffee, could spend a bit more time to look deeper into their hearts and share more specifically what they are feeling with each other, and actually take a definitely part of their day to set aside household responsibilities and share and listen together. Do we have the time to meet together at the coffee shop for breakfast without the kids and without laundry, etc., and focus on the deeper things of our hearts? Hmmmm. I wonder.....
ReplyDeleteThanks Peg, that is helpful. Look forward to your visit in June :)
ReplyDeleteHobby and Peg,
ReplyDeleteWhat would you think about putting together a little informal conference in June in Denver? Maybe there would be others who would like to join in.
Peg - thanks for sharing your reflection on the CO2 experience between women.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right that many of us men (and perhaps especially the ones of us involved here) have been formed to think and act strategically. I also appreciate what I think you meant--that getting together over coffee to have spiritual conversation might be considered a luxury by some women (and men too maybe).
My wife Nancy and I have been talking about this. She feels like there is something in her, and perhaps in other women, that resists connecting this way when it feels too forced or formulaic. Somehow, for her, if it feels too much like a strategic plan that everyone is doing and getting others to do, she begins to resist or tire of it. These aren't exactly her words--but I think what I understand.
As I read all of this and what I just wrote, the idea of "training wheels" that we've talked about before comes to mind. The goal is to ride smoothly and fast without them; but they may be necessary in the beginning.
Chadd,
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of training wheels! My wife and I, and several in our network, have voiced similar concerns that Nancy mentioned. I think for some of us, a "soul friend" is so foreign to us Westerners that we need training wheels on how to be ourselves around another person - much more with God! We have given the idea of CO2 and LTG to folks in our network, and we encourage them to go with the formula for 6 weeks, then reevaluate. Anyone else doing something like this?
Thanks for your note, Chadd. What Nancy says is mostly what I hear from the women here as well. We do tend to resist what feels like formulas on a daily basis, and the desire to meet that frequently wanes. I'm asking God how to stir up and draw out the hearts of women who are growing into leadership, and if we don't do a CO2, how can we keep in close relationship and seek to listen to the Lord together? I'm also praying about how to encourage women to think more strategically, and get a 'big picture' of what God is doing in our cities and neighborhoods. Some of my friends here are already aware of God's work, but if I ask them to describe it, it doesn't sound strategic. Mona is inviting her young, discouraged hair dresser out for coffee, and hoping to start a "CO2" with her. Gayle has been meeting with unsaved women in a knitting circle for the past 3 years, and now a weekly bible study has grown out of that, and 2-3 women have become believers. The others are very close to knowing Christ. We all meet bi-weekly for prayer and intimacy, and God is really moving among us. I guess the goal is accomplished through different means.
ReplyDeleteI continue a very strong MRT with Miller, although not daily. Richard & I sashet and pray daily as our relationship grows, so we form a CO2 more than an MRT. As I spend the weekend with the women in Clovis, I desire to see who the facilitators and leaders are, and I'll encourage them to form some type of MRT, and listen to the Lord for direction, "strategy", and more definition to what they want to see there. I have no idea how it will turn out!!! It's a completely different setting than what I've experienced working with the men. But I also know God is establishing women as leaders in who they are, not as 'pseudo-men' leaders. Since we are definitely created differently than men, perhaps as we grow into more strategic church planters, we will add our own flavor. Not better than or less than the men,..... just different. I'm excited to be working among great women as we learn this new role in the church. Thank you to you men who are inviting us and welcoming us alongside you in the work. I appreciate your thoughts and dialog.