The Mission & Ministry Team Looks Forward to Creating Partnerships in 2018

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A message from John Crowther, Director of Fresh Hope Mission & Ministry.

The Fresh Hope Mission and Ministry team are looking forward to creating partnerships with churches in the Fresh Hope family in 2018.

Over the Christmas break I read a series of devotions by Charles Ringma titled ‘Life in Full Stride.’ This quote helped me understand the question of where spiritual encounters fit with missional engagement. “Every spiritual experience is simply food for the journey. It is HOPE for the struggle; FIRE for the cold winds of disappointment; POWER for the fight, it is never an end in itself.”

Fresh Hope has planned a variety of spiritual leadership experiences in 2018 targeted specifically for those in mission and ministry.

• Navigate leadership program has 5 pathways that include students on their first season as a young adult who are wanting to learn to live a surrendered kingdom-centred life with spiritual practices that will open them up to an encounter with their Heavenly Father. We are also offering Navigate Recharge, which is designed for those over 50 who desire to recalibrate their call to mission in the second stage of life. More information here.   
• Fresh Hope Collective is the key event where spiritual leaders of our movement gather for 4 days to celebrate together as well as equip themselves to take another step towards transformation of their own lives, their churches and their communities. Early bird registrations are now open here. 
• UPRISING is a spiritual experience targeted at young leaders from Years 10-12. This is a powerful 4 days for potential leaders to be discipled and introduced to spiritual disciplines and leadership practices.
• DRASTIC, SYNC, & VERGE are programs designed to create a spiritual experience for children and high school students. These programs are some of the best in Australia! If you have children or high schoolers in your church these are incredible events to get them along to.
• Spiritual Mentoring includes 6 retreats that unpack your inner life and develop skills to connect with Christ and lead others to encounter the one who loves them no matter what life throws at them.
• Pioneering Training is for those wanting to establish Kingdom outposts and signposts in a variety of expressions, from ‘big’ church to ‘house’ church to ‘third spaces’. Seasoned planters and trainers will help equip you in the journey. Dates to be announced at Collective 2018.
• Day workshops at Rhodes The first for 2018, Companioning Others Pastorally and Spiritually in a Highly Sexualised World is being held on 5th February. Register here. More workshops will be announced throughout the year.

I’m aware that mission and ministry in churches is under increased pressure. I appreciate the spiritual leaders who continue to walk with God and engage in the war to transform our churches and culture.

I was provoked by this statement from OS Guinness: “The decisive power is always God’s, through his word and Spirit. But on her side the church contributes three distinct human factors to the equation; engagement, discernment and refusal.”  

If your world is like mine, I imagine the urgent is always knocking loudly on your door. In 2018, I need regular spiritual experiences to help me engage and discern what God’s priorities are. If not, the above statement will be a short lived new year’s resolution. I need to practice spiritual disciplines in word and Spirit to have the courage, to refuse to engage and say yes to some of the demands both the church and worlds asks of me.

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