discipleship ministries · • learn to use the powerful vapàit strategic planning tool • take...

Discipleship Ministries www.TeamWorksUMC.org


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TeamWorksGuidebooksandTools• Use theSpiritual LifeTemplateto buildyourgroup• Discoveryourgroup’sSpiritualGifts

TWS:SpirituallifeoftheLeader

• Discover yourhomelandandlearnaboutdisplacement• Use theNICHEProcesstolearnaboutyourcommunity

TWS: ConnectingtoYourCommunity

• Learn abouttheLifecycleoftheChurch• DiscoveryourSettingforMinistry

TWS:CreatingaDiscipleshipSystem

• Learn tousethepowerfulVAPàITStrategicPlanningTool• TaketheTeamWorksChurchAssessmentTWS:Futurecasting


What’sinaTeamWorksGuidebook?

Two 2-HourSeminars

FourMyWorksDevotions

Two Toolsforcongregationallife

Support atwww.TeamWorksUMC.org

TeamWorks


InstructionsforSeminarLeadersTeamWorksSeminarsaredesignedtoencouragediscussion.Toprepareforeachseminardoasfollows:

• Setuparoomwithtableandchairsforyourseminar.

• YouwillneedanLCDprojectorandascreenoralargeTVthatcanbehooked uptoacomputertoshow thepresentations.

• DownloadthepresentationslidesforTW:ConnectingSeminar2:NICHEfromwww.TeamWorksUMC.org.YoumaygetthemasaPDForinPowerPoint. WhenusingPowerPointuseitinpresentationmodesoyoucanviewthenotesforeachslide.

• DownloadTWConnectingSeminar1HomelandwithNotesPDF.Hereyouwillfindeveryslidewithtipsandideasabout itscontent.

• Beforeleadingaseminar,gotowww.TeamWorksUMC.organdwatchtheSeminarLeadersWebinarfortheseminaryouareleading.Thewebinarwillgothrougheachslideandwilloffertipsandideasforhowtoleadtheseminar.

• Setdatesfortheseminarsorfortheone-dayexperience.

• RecruitagroupofparticipantswhowillagreetoattendbothseminarsandtodotheMyWorkdevotions.


ScheduleyourSeminarsSchedule for the TeamWorks: Connecting With Your Community seminars and MyWork devotionsUse the template below to schedule your sessions. TeamWorks Seminars are designed for 2-hours.

If you offer this as a one-day experience, make sure participants fill out the Demographics By Walking Around Surveys before they attend or take alunch break and give them time to visit as instructed.

Session Date

Seminar One: Looking for Homeland __________ MyWork – NICHE: Nexus __________MyWork – NICHE: Informed __________MyWork – NICHE: Context __________MyWork – NICHE: Hopes & Experiences __________Seminar Two: Finding your NICHE __________


Howtoleadtheseminars• TeamWorksSeminarsaredesignedtofosterdiscussionswithin

thegroup.Yourprimaryroleastheseminarleaderistofacilitatediscussions.

• Whenyoucometoadiscussionslidedividepeopleintogroupsofthreeorfourpeople.Havethemsharewithoneanother.Aftertheyarefinished,youcanaskindividualstosharewiththewidergroup.

• Avoidstartingwiththelargergroup.Why?Becausefewpeoplearewillingtotalkinfrontoflargergroups.Bydividingintosmallergroupsyouhelpeveryonehaveanopportunitytosharetheirideas.

• SpiritualLifeTemplate:IfyoudidTeamWorks:SpiritualLifeoftheLeadersandaredoingthewholeseries,starteachseminarwiththeSpiritualLifeTemplate.


Justafterdaybreak,Jesusstoodonthebeach;butthedisciplesdidnotknowthatitwasJesus.Jesussaidtothem,“Children,youhavenofish,haveyou?”Theyansweredhim,“No.”Hesaidtothem,“Castthenettotherightsideoftheboat,andyouwillfindsome.”Sotheycastit,andnowtheywerenotabletohaulitinbecausethereweresomanyfish.John21:4-6


Discussion1FishermenofJesus’timetrainedalltheirlivestothrowthefishingnettotheleft.Sotobeaskedtofishfromtherightsidewasacompletechallengetotheconventionalwisdomabouthowtocatchfish,nottomentionachallengetothemechanicsofhowyouthrewthenetintothewater.

• Whatdoesthistellusaboutwhat“works”?• Whatismostimportant,fishingorcatchingthefish?• Whatimplicationsdoesthishaveforyourministry?


DemographicsbyWalkingAround(45minutes)

• Haveteammemberstakeouttheir“DemographicsbyWalkingAround”surveyssotheycansharetheirexperienceswithoneanother.

• Onawhiteboard,chalkboard,oraneasel,copythechartonthenextpage.Haveeachpersonsharetheirexperiences.Makenotesaseachpersontalks.


Demographics ByWalkingAroundSummaryChart

Businessesvisited

Whomarethey

reaching?

Docustomersreflectthetarget

audience?

Dothestaffreflectthecustomers?

Service

Person 1

Person 2

Person 3

Person 4

Person 5


Discussion2(Breakupintogroupsof3or4)

Afterhearingallthereports,ask“Whataretheimplicationsforourchurch?”

Afterthebreakoutsconversations,useachalkboard,whiteboard,ornewsprinttocapturetheinsightsfromthewholegroup.


NicheNexus:What is the center of congregational life?

• the means of connection, tie, link• a connected series or group• the core or center


NicheInformed:What ways do you listen to the culture of the community in order to share the gospel in a way that connects?


NicheContext:How has your community changed in the last five years? How are retailers and restaurants connecting with new people? How does your church fit into the future of your neighborhood?


NicheHopes & Dreams:What are the hopes and dreams of the people who live in the community?


NicheExperience:What is unique about what you have to offer in the context of community life (sports, non-profits, businesses, etc.)?


NicheNexus: What is the center of congregational life?

Informed: What ways do you listen to the culture of the community in order to share the gospel in a way that connects?

Context: How has your community changed in the last five years? How are retailers and restaurants connecting with new people? How does your church fit into the future of your neighborhood?

Hopes & Dreams: What are the hopes and dreams of the people who live in the community?

Experience: What is unique about what you have to offer in the context of community life (sports, non-profits, businesses, etc.)?


DiscoveringyourCongregation’sNICHEOnawhiteboard,chalkboard,oraneaselmakethefollowingcolumns.Asagroupdiscusses eachelementoftheNICHE.

Foreachelement,firsttalkaboutYourCommunityandthenYourChurch.Keep notesforfuturereference.

NICHE YourCommunity YourChurch

Nexus:Whatbringspeople togetherinyourcommunity?(sportsteams,schools,shoppingareas,government

Whatisatthecenterofyourlifeasacongregation?

Informed:Whodopeople listento inyourcommunity?(media,cityleaders,residenthistorians,communityleaders, thechurch)

Howareyouactivelylisteningtowhatishappeninginthecommunity?

Context:Howhasyourcommunitychangedin thelastfiveyears?Howareretailersandrestaurantsconnecting withnewpeople?

Howdoesyourchurchfitintothefutureofyourneighborhood?

Hopes&Dreams:Whatarethehopesanddreamsofnewpeoplecomingtoourcommunity?

Whatarethehopesanddreamsofpeoplewhoareactiveinourchurch?

Experience:Whatexperiencesgatherpeople togetherinyourcommunity?(sports,concerts,communityevents,movies,etc.)

Whatisuniqueabout whatyouhavetoofferin thecontextofcommunitylife?


Discussion3

• Whatisthemostsignificantthingyouhavelearnedaboutyourcommunity’sNiche?

• Whatisthemostsignificantthingyouhavelearnedaboutyourcongregation’sNiche?

• Writedownthreeactionsyourchurchmustdotomakeaconnectionbetweenthepeoplewholiveinyourcommunityandthepeoplewhoareactiveinyourchurch.


NextSteps• Doamoredetailedlookatyourcommunity.Ifyouare

UnitedMethodist,contactyouconferenceofficeformoreresourcestolookatthedemographicsofyourcommunity.Youalsocangotowww.census.govandfindinfoonyourneighborhood.

• Usethisguidebookwithotherpeopleinyourchurchtohelpthemreflectonwaysyourchurchcanbetterconnectwithyourcommunity.

• Todevelopadiscipleshipsystem,useTeamWorks:CreatingaDiscipleshipSystem.


TeamWorksSeries

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discipleship ministries · • learn to use the powerful vapàit strategic planning tool • take...

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