We extend an invitation for twelve courageous congregational ministry teams to participate in training toward vital and relevant ministry. Shift coaching was designed by Dr. Phil Maynard, Director of the Path 1 Coaching Network, Discipleship Ministries (formally GBOD) and is the author of “Shift – Helping Congregations Back into the Game of Effective Ministry” and “Membership to Discipleship – Growing Mature Disciples who Make Disciples.”
This exciting and relevant training will provide concrete steps and an immediately useful process that local churches can take, apply them to their context and Spirit-led creativity, then move to implementation. Past participating congregations are engaging in increasingly vital ministry that brings them into communion with Jesus, communion with one another, and communion to the world beyond their doors. As Pastor Jerry of a participating congregation noted, “Thank you for allowing us to participate in Shift. It was an amazing experience for us!” Anna-Marie, a lay woman in another congregation proclaimed, “This SHIFT concept is great and has such potential. I would encourage all to participate!”
The Shift process empowers us to move:
- From Membership to Discipleship
- From Fellowship to Hospitality
- From Worship as Event to Worship as Lifestyle
- From Self to Others – Service & Generosity
Congregational leadership teams, consisting of the pastor and 5 key lay persons, will meet one Saturday each month in a community setting over nine months for training. Coaches will then work pastors and leadership teams to begin the implication of learned skills and disciple-making processes in ways that are relevant in the local church’s setting. Coaches will also gather periodically with pastors for further tools specific training.
The schedule for training events will be:
• September 17: Orientation/Action Planning
• October 8: Membership to Discipleship Part 1
• November 5: Membership to Discipleship Part 2
• December 3: Fellowship to Hospitality
• January 7: Worship as Event to Worship as Lifestyle Part 1
• February 18: Worship as Event to Worship as Life-style Part 2
• March 11: From Self to Others Part 1
• April 8: From Self to Others Part 2
• May 13: Shift and Beyond – Putting it all Together
The cost for the full training, including manuals, all materials, and coaching is $350 per congregational team. Scholarships are Available.
Discipleship, Hospitality, Worship as Life, Serving and Generosity – these actions flow from communion with Jesus and form us more deeply as the Body of Christ where we can indeed engage in vital ministry that transforms the world. Come and be part of this incredible journey.
To register, please contact Linda Harris at leeharris@nccumc.org or 919-779-6115 ext. 247 before September 1. For more information, or if you would like someone to come and speak with your congregational team, contact Steve Taylor at staylor@nccumc.org or 919-349-1831.