FEEDING AND FORMING THE SOUL
on a Journey Together
Thought Leadership from Collaborate
Collaborate
CAFO Collaborate workshops initiate conversations about effective care for vulnerable children and families within local church and NGO networks around the world.
These workshops generate ideas to:
• creatively share information
• involve more churches and individuals,
• equip local churches for more effective care of vulnerable children in their communities.
In a January 2023, Virtual Collaborate DISCUSS session, global leaders brainstormed about spiritual disciplines and practices for feeding and forming the soul in community with others. This document is a summary of those discussions.
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A FORUM FOR GLOBAL LEADERS
FEEDING AND FORMING THE SOUL ON A JOURNEY TOGETHER
The essence of ministry is a pouring out from ourselves. To continue in effective ministry, leaders need rhythms of receiving so our wells do not run dry. While we offer many things to others in this field (best practices, resources, training, services, etc), the most important is the presence of Jesus. It is this presence that brings life to our ministry and sustainability to our souls. We cannot offer that presence if we’re not regularly receiving from Christ.
During this virtual Collaborate, global leaders explored rhythms of receiving and good practices for soul health. They considered what it looks like to live out spiritual disciplines in community with one another.
Following this virtual Collaborate, leaders were invited to an opportunity to join a cohort of peer global leaders on journey towards greater soul health.
You may view the LEARN session here.
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COLLABORATE OUTCOMES
Global leaders were divided by world region for the purpose of this discussion. Given the unique nature of each world region and the indigenous cultures native to each region, the feedback from regions varied. The groups were tasked with the following:
Identify the top 5 outcomes in your communities if your local leaders joined to participate in a monthly formation journey together with you.
In other words, how might your local communities become Better Together if your key leaders jointly committed to a spiritual formation calendar throughout 2023?
REGIONAL STRATEGIES
Africa: Eastern & Southern
1. Safe and supportive peer relationships will flourish.
2. The potential for collaboration and partnership amongst those serving vulnerable children and families will increase.
3. The monthly formation journey will foster closer relationships both with God and fellow believers.
4. Pausing and processing rest together, will help those serving vulnerable children and families to take a break from the daily demands and tasks of their work. Productivity will increase as individuals make time to rest.
5. Through a monthly formation calendar experience, leaders will have the opportunity to cooperate and form relationships across existing barriers. This will encourage congregations, organizations, tribes and denominations to engage with each other. Divisions among these groups have been a burden in Africa and across the globe for too long. Through increased collaboration, duplication of effort can be avoided. Through trusting relationships, leaders will begin to identify strengths and weaknesses and begging to compliment one another’s effort in order to impact children and families more deeply.
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Africa: Western & Central
1. The monthly formation calendar will foster unity among the networks and increase trust and collaboration between churches, NGO’s, and other serving vulnerable children and families.
2. Leaders will grow in their relationship with Christ and with one another.
3. Meeting together to discuss the monthly themes and pray together allows leaders to share their burdens and encourage one another. This will lead to less burnout amongst those serving vulnerable children and families.
4. The formation calendar experience provides an opportunity to engage others serving vulnerable children and families to engage with the network. In other words, it could serve as an “on-ramp” for organizations and who might be looking to join a network.
5. The experience will foster creativity amongst participants which will flow out through their work.
Europe, Asia, Middle East & North America
1. Joining in a monthly formation journey will unite the direction of networks. It will deepen individual and corporate relationships with God, and deepen a sense of community. This will impact the spiritual lives of teams serving vulnerable children and families, the lives of those they serve and the greater community.
2. The journey will have an impact on ministries as they unite spiritually and increase glory to God. Others will see the love expressed through these leaders and know that they are His disciples.
3. Hearing and seeing what God is doing in others spiritually as they serve vulnerable children and families will be an encouragement to others serving in the movement. There is a deep need for places/times of intentional corporate encouragement and the formation calendar experience can provide one avenue for that.
4. Global leaders will work from a place of rest, as opposed to resting as a reward for work. This practice will increase freedom, joy, capacity, and creativity.
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Latin America
1. Uniting together in a spiritual formation calendar will unify those participating and reflect the Body of Christ. Participants will know they do not strive alone, but that they walk together with shared goals of serving vulnerable children and families with the love of Christ.
2. The experience will testify of God’s inexhaustible love, power, and His heart for people, families, and children.
3. Journeying together will add more links to the chain of which networks are a part, by being united spiritually.
4. Participants will renew their strength and encourage each other, knowing they share experiences and learning opportunities. This community will be well positioned help others who have been in similar situations.
5. A monthly calendar experience will serve as a connection point to expand the support network and let others know what network members do and areas they serve.
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cafo.org/global
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