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November 2008
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Faithwalking e-Newsletter
Celebrating Vision Communities |
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| Faithwalking is rooted in a long conversation about personal, congregational, and community transformation. Born of clear, undisputed research indicating that the influence of the Church is diminishing significantly and dramatically in Houston and across the United States, Faithwalking focuses on the process of personal transformation that is tied to and directly accelerates community transformation. Launched in September 2007 with a group of eighteen people who made a trip to Cimarron, Colorado, for a four day retreat, the community has grown and developed. We have had three additional retreats and a total of 44 participants. As our work unfolded, our leadership team embraced the following purpose statement:
Faithwalking is creating a community of disciples of Jesus who are being personally transformed and becoming catalysts mobilizing Christians to become the functioning Body of Christ in their homes, neighborhoods, workplaces and third places
- to serve the poor, the marginalized, and those in need
- to work for the common good and to restore individuals, social systems, communities and nations to God's design.
This purpose statement drives everything we do. It drives the reason that we are here. And it expresses the hope that we have in Jesus' ability to redeem and restore the places in which we live and work.
Today we introduce the Faithwalking Newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to tell Faithwalking stories, to share Faithwalking info, and to invite others into this journey.
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Our Measure of Success: Vision Communities...
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by Jim
Herrington
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 This past year has been one of laying a solid foundation. We've been clarifying purpose, launching our training process, clarifying our curriculum, and developing our communications streams. It is our intention to honor God by succeeding at what God has put in our hearts to do, and we've worked diligently this year to listen to Him as we clarify success for this ministry.
For many of us, Faithwalking has provided a fellowship of like-minded people. Faithwalking is largely led by those who have a sense of urgency about the condition of our city and who are committed to working from a new mental model that guides our understanding of discipleship and service to the common good. While it is tempting to measure success from the sense of fellowship that is present or from the personal enrichment that we gain, we have resisted that temptation.
Ultimately our measure of success is the existence of functioning Vision Communities that serve the poor, the marginalized, and those in need, for the sake of the common good in our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces and third places. A Vision Community is...
... (read more)
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FaithWalking Expands to Meet Challenges & Opportunities...
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 Getting from an introductory Faithwalking (101) Retreat and the 12 week (201) follow up seminars to a functioning Vision Community is filled with many challenges. It is rare to get a Vision Community started right out of the 201 series. We have been interviewing, praying with, and listening to those who have and who have not yet launched a vision community, and we are discovering some additional resources (beyond the 101/201 experiences) that help Faithwalkers stay focused, get unstuck and begin to experience measurable progress.
- Coaching - a major obstacle to establishing a Vision Community is the auto-pilot that runs your daily life. A functioning Vision Community requires some interruption of that auto-pilot in concentrated time blocks so that you can establish actions for which you are willing to be accountable. Having a coach is an excellent way to achieve that interruption and accountability. We now offer coaching to all those who complete 101 and enroll in 201. The coaching process involves a weekly 30 minutes call that focuses on encouragement, problem solving, and resourcing. To take advantage of the weekly coaching process beyond the 201 seminar series, you must declare an intention to establish a vision community and request a coach. When you do, a coach - one who has a functioning vision community - will be designated to work with you.
... (read more)
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Contact & Information...
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| Jim Herrington
Mission Houston | P.O. Box 131074 | Houston TX 77219
713-651-1470 | 281-451-0335
www.faithwalkingonline.com
E-mail info@faithwalkingonline.com
Download FaithWalking Brochure
Dates FaithWalking 101 Retreat
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