It is likely no secret to any Christian pastors, lay-leaders and many churches that our world and our culture has and continues to shift rapidly. For us the question is not how do we get back to the place where the church and Christian faith were central to society in general, but rather, in the midst of a changed world, how then do we, the church, re-engage our neighbourhoods, towns and cities as local missionaries called to be faithfully present to the people who live around us with the glorious story of God and his mission of shalom, salvation, reconciliation and restoration.
Coming out of the success of the CBWC January Webinar, Allowing the Spirit to Reorient us Around the Mission of God, staff at CBWC are excited to endorse three further opportunities for our churches and leadership teams to resource, strengthen and widen the ministry and mission of the local church in this rapidly changing world – both within the church and beyond into our neighbourhoods, towns, and cities in which we live, work, play and pray in.
Currently there are three pathways to learning and coaching available and being offered to our CBWC churches. Each has been developed, facilitated, and taught by long time CBWC pastors who love our denomination and family of churches. Joined by other gifted teachers and missional leaders they bring their decades of experience to teach and coach church leaders, pastors, and lay folk locally and far afield within cohorts. Their desire is to share with their family of churches from their wealth of knowledge and experience to equip our churches as we join God on his mission as local missionaries deeply rooted into our neighbourhoods.
If you are longing to learn and discover ways to re-engage your church with the community in which you are situated but are not sure where to begin, there is a Pathway for you!
THE DISCOVERY PROJECT
The Discovery Project is designed for those just putting their toes in the water and exploring what it means to join God on mission in their neighbourhood. Immersing ourselves in the text, we will explore what it means to bear witness to who God is through loving Him with all our hearts, minds, and strength, and by loving our neighbours as we love one another. Many leaders have gone through some missional training and are asking how they might help their people to “discover” some of the exciting opportunities presented to us as followers of Jesus in these difficult days. The Discovery Project is one response to this question. Facilitated by Cam Roxburgh, this Pathway will encourage a response and equip us for mission.
There are 2 types of delivery systems:
- Church Specific – a weekend seminar that covers all the same material as the online option plus the advantage of church specific input and consulting. The fee for this option is $1500.00 plus travel expense (we are working on possibly offsetting some of the travel costs for qualifying churches).
- Online offering of 6 sessions of 2 hours each. Cost is $59.00 per person or $300 per church. 6 weeks bi-weekly from mid September to end of November. This option is not church specific.
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PROJECT
The Neighbourhood Project is designed for staff and lay leaders of churches who have been serious about exploring what it is that God is doing in the midst of the crisis the church is facing. Covid is but one of the issues that is causing the rate of change to accelerate and shining a spotlight onto the reality that much is amiss, and God is doing a new thing. This is good news. TNP is for a select number of leaders and churches that get the conversation and are wanting to not go back, but forward into what God is doing. This is a cohort of leaders journeying together with Allan Roxburgh, Cam Roxburgh and facilitators from The Missional Network and Forge to:
- Learn to discern God’s activity in your neighbourhoods.
- Equip your people to join Jesus in your communities.
- Explore how to lead in disruptive times.
- Shape congregation life from Sunday-centric to neighbourhood-rooted. filling fast so register today!
This Pathway is an online offering including monthly sessions, one on one coaching with churches, and cluster cohorts. There are reading and experimentation expectations. Cost per church cohort is normally $3000 but with a generous grant we are offering it at $1500. An application process is required. Course begins September 2021 and runs through June 2022. This is filling fast so register today!
FORMING & REFORMING COMMUNITIES OF CHRIST IN A SECULAR AGE
Centre for Leadership Development – “Forming and Reforming Communities of Christ in a Secular Age: this three-year course in Missional Leadership is geared for congregational teams and individuals offering both onsite or online accessibility and will resource, strengthen and widen the ministry of the local church. With Tim Dickau, Darrell Guder & Ross Lockhart plus many practitioner guests. Cost includes lunch for onsite and a private team consultation with Tim. Cost: $250 per person ($200 online). $500 for a group up to 5 ($450 online) per year. This course is geared for teams that have already determined the need to rethink church and are beginning their own internal culture change. Year 1 begins September 2021.
We believe this is the right time for churches to begin pursuing one of these Pathways, especially as we emerge with all we have learned during the Covid-19 pandemic. Talk to us about which Pathway is best for your church and leaders! Contact us to assess which Pathway is right for you and your church.
Shannon Youell
CBWC Director of Church Planting
syouell@cbwc.ca
Cam Roxburgh
Facilitator/Leader of The Discovery Project & The Neighbourhood Project
cam@southside.ca
Tim Dickau
Facilitator/Leader CML course Forming & Reforming Communities of Christ in a Secular World
dickautim@gmail.com
Ken Nettleton
Facilitator & Lead Pastor New Life Church, Duncan BC
ken@newlifechurch.ca
CBWC Church Planting 