Networking
- People-Specific Resource
Network
Guide to Network Function
The First Meeting: Preparations
Note: There are various structures successfully used
for networks. Some groups have a single facilitator who acts as a
hub, while others have a steering committee or team of non-residential
missionaries who keep up the momentum and facilitate information sharing.
Following is just one model from which you will hopefully find useful suggestions.
The following
preparations are usually made by the facilitator and/or a steering committee.
Steering committees are a small number of committed indivduals who take
responsibility for organization, oversight and leadership.
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Prepare an agenda
Make a preliminary
agenda and circulate this draft to as many of the planned participants
as possible requesting their feedback before the meeting. The first
meeting agenda will include drafting a network mission statement and a
membership covenant, and adopting a general doctrinal statement. Sample<>
Agenda.
-
Know where the meeting is going
Be as knowledgeable
as possible about the interests and concerns of the participants. Consider
who may be supportive or object to actions or expressions.
-
Know the participants
Know who may have
difficulties with other members because of philosophy, history, or personality.
Be prepared to handle differences, and be prepared to handle difficulties.
-
Acknowledge tensions
If everyone is going
to be distracted by some unspoken tension, then you will probably do best
to acknowledge it (except for personal issues which should be resolved
privately). Acknowledging it doesn’t mean that you have to resolve it.
-
Prepare spiritually
Pray for the wisdom
and guidance you will need to chair the meeting. Pray for all the participants
and every issue. Enlist others to pray with and for you, before and during
the meetings. Often these meetings are times of high spiritual warfare.
Contributors
to this material include:
Phill
Butler is International Director of Interdev, an organization serving
the Church in accelerating fulfillment of the Great Commission through
the development, formation and long-term effective operation of international
partnerships for evangelism among the world's unreached people. Interdev
is also the Partnership Development Track of the AD2000 and Beyond Movement.
Steve
Moore previously with Kingdom Building
Ministries is now Vice President of International Ministries for
Emerging<>
Young Leaders.
In addition to developing young leaders around the world, Steve consults
with local churches in the area of people group adoption and resource network
formation. Additionally, he assists churches and networks in developing
people specific prayer mobilization tools such as videos and prayer guides,
and provide training for survey and prayer journey teams.
WebMaster
1/21/99
