Desires three, four and five...continued...
Click to review goals for partnering here.
Click to review goals one and two here.
Desires three and four provide a way that will lead speakers and coordinators to efficiently undertake a challenge not only to teach others but also to learn from their new experiences. Speakers and coordinators can better learn how to lead and pass on knowledge (ideas) that will prayerfully help others feel comfortable to use in their areas. As far as the steps that are taken or the actual messages that were to be given, at first I had no insight in this matter of where to begin.
The fifth desire consisted of organizing a panel for discussion among coordinators, speakers, leaders, and missionaries wherein each person could learn from one another how to create an effective conference as well as a comfortable environment for one. If so, there should be some way that these participants could collaborate with one another regardless of geographical boundaries. Communication was necessary; therefore, I encouraged the interaction among the organizers on a regular basis.
Apart from the desire to implement effectively these ideas and goals, I hoped that all women involved, whether those organizing, speaking, or participating, would be fed spiritually during the preparation time and conference.
In the beginning I had a feeling that this task would be very hard to complete. But with much prayer and direction from the Lord, I knew that all things are possible with Him (Matthew 19:26). We may feel unqualified, but anyone who follows the will of the Lord will be given from Him the ability to succeed.
When I first contacted the Russian sister, she was skeptical for two reasons. She desired pastoral approval and did not know that we already had it. She did not personally know the volunteers that would be speaking at the conference and wanted to receive biographies to first understand their hearts. So, I knew that I must get busy, because the job was going to be difficult yet also pleasing. That is, I had to accomplish her desires and to help her understand that it was all possible if we worked together.
However, by the tone of her voice I noticed that she was especially skeptical of the idea of organizing a conference with volunteers. In the past some volunteers have come to accomplish their desires and have not been sensitive to the culture and desires of the people that they are coming to minister to and help.
When organizing a conference, it is a plus to have a veteran coordinator or missionary involved in the planning. It also helps to first have the approval of the national pastors and the trust of the brothers and sisters of the church in place before the women’s director (head national leader) is approached.
With these beginning desires and steps, I look forward to sharing more with you about the direction I took. I wanted the conference to allow its participants to grow spiritually and eventually learn how to build a women’s ministry of their own.
-The Chosen Path, L. Burch, "goals in ministry"
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