A Practicum for Urban Christian Leaders in a Fragmented World
An experiential journey that emphasizes the practice of adapting healthy rhythms and taking action steps on what God has placed on our hearts.
Slowing down and being quiet with the Lord:
A thousand voices clamor for your time and attention. One voice is whispering an invitation, “Come away with me.” Mark 6:31
The Practicum begins and ends with a day set aside to be quiet with the Lord. During two, two-day long retreats (one in September and one in the spring), you will be provided with a guide to use throughout the day. If you come knowing the Lord wants to take you in a different direction, that is perfectly fine. For some participants, the agenda for the day retreats may be nothing more than taking in God’s beauty and resting.
In September, the retreat takes place at Denver Botanic Gardens. In late April/early May, the retreat takes place at Mother Cabrini Shrine.
Reflecting on your calling:
Taking time to review God’s calling for your life.
All participants in this Practicum have been through the iSSACHAR Called to Govern (C2G) program. A review C2G exercise will be provided to help you as you reflect on your C2G experience. The practice of an annual review of your calling can serve as an anchor in your life, trusting the Lord and what He spoke to you during C2G. You will have the opportunity to share the outcomes with your accountability partners (APs) after your personal review exercise.
Focusing needed time on one (or two) areas of your life:
Taking the many things on your mind and heart and elevating one life practice or issue of focus for a season.
This Practicum element is the core of the experience. It is an opportunity for you to make decisions, design a plan, and take steps forward on one practice or issue in your life.
For example, you may consider:
Accountability:
Inviting others to walk with us for a season, providing support, prayer, encouragement and feedback, when appropriate.
Participants will recruit two people to walk with them during the Practicum. Although it is not a huge time commitment for those you select, this step is significant. Many times, when we attempt growth steps, we do it alone. When we don’t include others for accountability, prayer, or feedback, often, we go nowhere. If we do gain ground, it typically is short lived. The goal is that all who participate in the Practicum will experience how powerful and effective it is to invite others to invest in their journey during a specific season of their lives.
Your APs will make an agreement to meet with you (in person or by video call) on a monthly basis throughout the duration of the Practicum.
Reviewing your past year and the year ahead:
Not a strategic plan, but rather, taking time each year with the Lord to reflect on your life and ministry.
Looking back on your past year and seeking the Lord in the coming year is a practice that takes discipline. Most of us like the idea, but rarely practice it. During the Practicum, we use a practice called Re-visioning – a 13-step guide through the process of seeking the Lord for his clear vision for life and ministry. Think of this practice as an earnest search for the Lord and his will in your life, not a strategic plan.
This is the second anchoring element of the Practicum. It is a practice of dropping your anchor for a day or two, to earnestly seek the Lord for his guidance and vision before setting sail again.
You will choose one of four days in January to complete the Re-visioning process. If you are a person who might struggle focusing on a single topic over an entire day, you can select to split up the time into two half days.
The Practicum is centered around you, as an individual. However, as stated in 1 Timothy 4:15, our growth and maturing as a leader directly impacts others. Those closest to us, family, friends and those we lead and serve, will be encouraged as they see our progress. We expect that the Lord will also encourage us as leaders as we watch the “progress” in the lives of all participants and our Practicum accountability partners.
The people of Issachar understood the times and knew what God’s people should do
-from 1 Chronicles 12:32
