[ Community Impact • Citywide Collaboration ]
The #ReimagineFORUM Coaching Session with David Gadoury
David is a former pastor and brings a strong prayer evangelism foundation as he leads the collaborative city gospel advance across Rhode Island and beyond...
WHY?
- Why is it important for Christian leaders to begin a journey of rethinking ministry?
Because times, environments, and cultures change, and while the message doesn’t change, the methods and communication of the truth do.
- Why will a "reimagine-journey" be difficult and potentially dangerous to the status quo?
Because once we rethink how to do things we are more likely to actually make changes, and thus change the status quo.
WHEN?
- Agree/Disagree ~ We live in an extraordinary world: Globalization (and a global pandemic). Immigration. #BlackLivesMatter. Gender reclassification. Marriage Redefined.. #MeToo. The rise of White Supremacy. Terrorism. Unpredictable Weather. The impact of the Industrial Revolution gives way to the Technological Age. . . . This a time of epic change that requires the Church to rethink how we apply biblical truth to the traditions-programs-models-systems that format everything we do.
Agree. Old approaches will not address new problems, properly understand our audience, nor frame our message in a relevant way.
WHAT?
- What does it actually mean to "reimagine?" Please unpack the word as you understand it and the components of a reimagining process.
Imagination is a thought process. Re-imagining is to think and rethink who we will be, how we will be, what we will prioritize, and to whom we will be ministering.
- What roadblocks or resistance, barriers and boundaries, inhibit or prevent leaders from pursuing a discerning assessment when they commence a journey to reimagine ministry?
- Leaders’ resistance to change
- The way we are threatened by rethinking what and how we do, which can imply we were wrong, uninformed, or resistant to not having changed earlier.
- The fear of upsetting (and thus losing the trust of) our constituencies, who are not rethinking as we are, who may be resistant to change, etc.
- The temptation of making change for change’s sake, or out of desperation, or from a thoughtless (or ego driven) quest for the “next new thing,”
- Our avoidance of conflict, which may be the price of seeking to make change.
WHERE?
- "Where do I begin? Where do you recommend a leader looks first to ensure they commence a truly Spirit-led, Scripture-fed journey?
At the core of life values and principles. I.e., what will be my touchstone, and what things are not negotiable and will not change, not matter what else changes.
WHO?
- Who are the thought leaders the Holy Spirit is using to help the Church reimagine?
- Mark Mittelberg (The Contagious Christian) is tops when it comes to equipping everyday Christians to live and communicate the gospel
- Kevin Palau’s speaking and writing (e.g., Unlikely) captures the heart of servant evangelism and being outwardly focused
- Larry Osborne (“Stick Teams”) will help you rethink the training and deployment of leaders in your ministry
- Justin Kendrick, Lead Pastor of Vox Church provides an excellent model for making the discipling ministry of every believer central to church life.
HOW?
- How does your ministry help Christian leaders equip those they serve to begin the reimagine-journey?
Through our partnership with churches through the Rhode Island area, we seek to foster an outwardly focused ministry for each Christian and each church while nurturing a mutually supportive, praying relationship among those pastors and churches. Along the way, we encourage and provide training for what we call the Prayer/Care/Share lifestyle. Learn more at Togetheratg.org or contact me at:
Dr. David Gadoury, Executive Director, TOGETHER
david.gadoury@togetheratg.org
30 Echo Lane, Cranston, RI 02921 / 401-330-0994
PRAY!
- Please write a prayer that sets us onto a reimagining journey . . .
”Lord, help your Church to see the world with your eyes, to have a restored confidence in the ability and gifts of your people to find and make disciples, and to seek your face as one for an awakening of your church."
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Here is an update example of "re-imagining", We had planned to have a series of community based, united prayer gatherings this fall to pray for the reviving of His church and the awakening of our communities. They were going to be in volunteer churches. Well, Covid put the clamps on that idea, UNTIL God gave us an even better "Plan B". We are now preparing for a series of nine nightly Solemn Prayer Assemblies in various communities, held in public places and led by groups of local pastors. These open air meetings will be completely compliant with our state's current guidelines. Not only that (Reimagine, Part 2) we will be live streaming each of them and making them available for simultaneous participating by intercessors all over the state of Rhode Island. Imagine THAT! A whole state engaged in prayer, in one accord, for spiritual awakening.
David, your team is leading the way ...flexibility...creativity...