FACILITATED BREAKOUT #1: PERSONAL PREPARATION AND POWER: MISSIONARY ROLE EXPECTATIONS OF THE ADOM (Reported by Dr. Russell Cook)
QUESTIONS:
1. As an ADoM, what things have you found helpful in your personal journey of living a vibrant spiritual life?
Summary of Answers: Spiritual Disciplines: Prayer / Bible / Quiet Time / Accountability
2. In your role as an ADoM, how can you be a good example of missional living and personal involvement in fulfilling the Great Commission?
Summary of Answers: Spiritual Overflow – Ministry Engagement
3. What spiritual breakthroughs do you see taking place in your association, especially as they relate to the Great Commission?
Summary of Answers: People group engagement, Church Planting, Prayer, and Community Partnerships
4. How do you balance the concept of “finding where God is at work” with the challenges of planning strategies, organizing structures, and managing resources?
Summary of Answers: Spiritual sensitivity, discovery before development, prioritize Kingdom, balance
5. While praying for a movement of God, what can you do to help churches focus on new spiritual energy and the spiritual dynamics needed to fulfill the Great Commission?
Summary of Answers: Mentoring / Accountability for pastors, being before doing, celebrate success
FACILITATED BREAKOUT #2: PRIORITY OF PURPOSE: ADoM AS A MISSION STRATEGIST (Reported by Eddie Miller)
QUESTIONS:
1. What qualities and characteristics, skills and competencies will be needed by ADoM’s in the future?
Summary of Answers: Communication Excellence: Tech/Interpersonal; Lifelong learner, Developer of Leaders, Cross-cultural skills, Mobilizer
2. As you scan the horizon, what will be your greatest Great Commission opportunities in the coming days? Be specific.
Summary of Answers: People / Affinity Groups, World across the street, Revitalizing Churches, Starting Churches
3. In the future, how should we measure success in associational work? What will be on the scorecard?
Summary of Answers: Community / Cultural Transformation (needs more discussion), Church Health
4. If you had everything you needed, resources, time, and money, what could you do that no one else is doing to positively impact the work of your association?
Summary of Answers: Start more churches, Invest in Pastors and families, Train more leaders.
FACILITATED BREAKOUT #3: PERSISTENCE OF PLAN: MISSIONARY CHALLENGES FACING THE ADoM (Reported by Wesley Pitts)
QUESTIONS:
1. What are the possibilities for the future of associations? What are the possible scenarios you see for the next 10 years?
Summary of Answers: Diversity of Associational Types, Potential Resource Shifts, Technology Shifts
2. What should be “the takeaways” from this National Convocation? What “watchwords”, key thoughts, or phrases should emerge from this time and place?
Summary of Answers: Associations = Full Partners, Not Your Mother’s Association, Missionary Risk-Taker, Rebuild Trust / Transparency, Spiritual Vitality Needed, Value of this Type of Meeting
3. What can we do to prepare for a “bright future” for the Greatest Impact for the Great Commission?
Summary of Answers: Pursue Spiritual Excellence, Networking at All Levels, Flexible Structures
FINAL SESSION SUMMARY (Presented by Sid Hopkins)
TAKEAWAY 1
- We and our world have a spiritual problem that only God has the answer for in the Person of Jesus who can empower us through the Holy Spirit
SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS
- We must be spiritually empowered to do spiritual work or else we are in way over our heads: Our Key Problem
- J.C. Bradley said that the Holy Spirit is the “Cosmic Director”
- We receive the power of the Holy Spirit when He chooses to release it and He releases it to whom he chooses
- So our spiritual power is an act of grace on God’s part not anything that is “due” to us or merited by us
- Scripture teaches “To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Required” The reverse of that scripture passage might be true: Much is required before much is given…We have to be His before He gives Himself to us
TAKEAWAY 2
- God has a purpose for associations of churches cooperating and networking together for Kingdom results
PURPOSE IMPLICATIONS
- We need to be careful when we say our purpose is to serve, resource, churches, etc.
- Our purpose is to serve God based on our calling and it can be expressed in our ministry of serving, resourcing the church, etc.
- We must continually remind ourselves that all of our training, skill development and competencies must be “anointed by God” in order to be useful to God
- We can be visionary and competent without being having spiritual vision and spiritual competency…a difference
TAKEAWAY 3
- Ephesians 4 tells us it is God who has chosen to give Apostles, Pastors, Evangelists, Prophets & Teachers to the church for the equipping of the saints and the building up of the body of Christ
FUTURE IMPLICATIONS
- The diversity of these offices and roles given to the church means that associations will have a diversity of leadership styles
- That diversity of leadership styles will produce a diversity of models that will work in different contexts
TAKEAWAY 4
- Much thanks and appreciation are expressed by all DoMS, SBCADoM, NoBA and AIM for the partnership with NAMB in developing this convocation and to NAMB for hosting it.
FUTURE IMPLICATIONS
- Much appreciation has been expressed for the calling and hosting of this convocation because of the value it has brought to our lives & ministries…we want and need more opportunities of this sort…let’s do it!
- While talking about our partnership in ministry in the past, associations have not really been received as full partners
- It is our prayer that we can have such partnerships in the future
- Associations are ready to join hands with state conventions and national entities to strengthen our cooperative future as full partners in the harvest fields where associations live
- Come and work with us there!