by Jim Herrington
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
• A small group of people who spend a lot of their daily living together
• Who are living in New Testament community – transparently, authentically, practicing mutual submission under the Lordship of Jesus Christ
• Who are committed to a shared vision for serving the common good.
Our best information tells us that we currently have twenty-two (22) individuals participating in ten (10) Vision Communities.
1. 5th Street in Stafford – Todd and Denise McCombs have just launched a community that is committed to the transformation of one of Fort Bend County’s most poverty stricken communities.
2. 6th Ward House Church – Steve Capper is launching a community in his home in the 6th Ward that will address needs in that community.
3. Bellaire Southwest CSA – Bob Chenoweth serves as the team leader for a group that has taken on Mission Houston’s CSA designated Bellaire/Southwest and is giving leadership to the Whole and Healthy Children Initiative in that community.
4. The Caplin Street Project – Jovon Tyler is restoring his family home in the 5th Ward while also serving as a catalyst for the restoration of his family in that community.
5. CyFair CSA – Bob Newey, Guido Piggot, Mark Day, Judy Newey, Michele Caldwell serve as the team leaders for a group that has taken on Mission Houston’s CSA designated Mission CyFair and is giving leadership to the Whole and Healthy Children Initiative in that community.
6. Gregory Lincoln Education Center – Betty Herrington has launched the mobilization of followers of Jesus in this inner city public school. Initial efforts have focused around caring for a school teacher who became disabled.
7. Harbor Church – Jim Herrington, Betty Herrington, Josh Wood, Ryan Donovan, Jovon Tyler give leadership to a house church and drug/alcohol rehabilitation community in Montrose.
8. Kingdom Advisors – Randy Schroeder and Jim Munchbach have launched a work named Kingdom Advisors, a small group ministry that mobilizes and trains followers of Jesus who work in the field of “managing other people’s money.”
9. Kirby Corporation – Jerry Gallion, Bob Livingston, Julie Pilling, Nick Attathikhun have mobilized approximately 100 followers of Jesus in the Kirby Corporation, a publicly held maritime transportation company. They serve within the company and they have mobilized believers to do mission trips and to serve in the Whole and Healthy Children Initiative.
10. The Church in the Trailer Park, Tomball – Bob Baldwin has mobilized the body of Christ to serve in a mobile home park in Tomball. The residents are first generation Hispanics and Bob and his Vision Community have dramatically improved the living conditions in the park while also offering English as a second language classes and afterschool homework assistance for the children.
11. The Gathering of Men in Fort Bend County – Andy Ramos has launched a ministry to men in Fort Bend County that focuses on discipleship and service.
We celebrate the emergence of each of these communities that are in varying stages of functioning – from just getting started to having significant missional impact. We are committed to continue to nurture, pray for, encourage and problem solve with each community.
With this foundation in place, our goals for 2009 call for the foundation to be strengthened in a way the seeds have been planted for 50 vision communities to be functioning in homes, neighborhoods, workplaces and third places across the greater Houston area. Please join us in praying for God’s favor in each of these communities.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Our Measure of Success - Vision Communities...
FaithWalking expands to meet challenges and opportunities...
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.
• Missional Marriage – we recognize that the radical discipleship of Faithwalking challenges the comfort and assumptions of all participants’ marriages. We seek to support marriages and to strengthen practices of sacrificial love and healing between couples. We truly believe that as couples experience God’s ideal of “one flesh” intimacy, they will be powerfully released to channel their gifts and energies on mission toward a hurting world. Trisha Taylor will lead Missional Marriage and dates for 2009 will be forthcoming.
• The Pipeline – virtually every Vision Community that is making significant progress has more than one person who has completed Faithwalking. Beginning in 2009, we are working diligently to find ways to eliminate cost as a factor that detracts people from registering.
1. We encourage those who have completed 101 and 201 to pay the way for a new participant. Even when money is not an issue, potential participants can’t distinguish the distinctive nature of Faithwalking. Apart from actually attending the retreat, potential participants hear the invitation like another Bible study or enrichment retreat. So, in their thinking, “Why spend this money for another one of those.” By paying for another to attend, you communicate powerfully your value of the experience and your value of the one whose way you are paying.
2. We will establish a scholarship fund to be available beginning with the January 2009 Faithwalking retreat. Perhaps you cannot provide $650 (full tuition) for someone to attend but you could make a one-time gift or a small monthly contribution to contribute to providing a scholarship for someone. Please consider making that commitment.
The thing that is clear is that there is a direct relationship between you enrolling others from your Vision Community in the Faithwalking journey and in achieving success – in our individual Vision Communities and in our overall Faithwalking Community.
• Faithwalking 301 – the Faithwalking training and support has thus far focused on personal transformation that results in establishing a Vision Community in your home, neighborhood, workplace, or third place. There is a larger body of knowledge concerning community transformation, and we believe that community members need to master that knowledge base. In 2009 we will offer an additional retreat, open to all who have completed the 201 course (whether you have a Vision Community in place or not). This retreat is not 101 on steroids. It’s a different kind of content with a somewhat different format.
Faithwalking 301 will be offered on September 18-19, 2009, noon to noon, at a location and cost to be determined.
Movements: Move Ahead on Deep Commitment
Faithwalking is a movement, not a program. It is our hope and belief that there will come a day when hundreds, if not thousands, of homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, and third places will have a functioning Body of Christ who are unified in their commitment to the transformation of the city. Clearly, as a movement, we are still in our infancy. We will move ahead based on the commitment of those who really get this vision and are willing to sacrifice to see it move from infancy to the childhood level of its development.
On November 15, 2008, the Faithwalking Community gathered at the home of Jorge and Mary Martinez. We shared success stories and problem solved obstacles. At the conclusion, our leadership called us to make four commitments in 2009 that would accelerate the movement. In the language of our community, we urged each community to consider making at least four commitments to which you give your word for 2009.
1. Prayer and Fasting: Commit to join others in the Faithwalking Community who are praying and fasting around the retreat times in which new Faithwalkers join our movement. Real time updates will be sent as the retreat unfolds. This prayer support made a huge difference in our last retreat. Retreat dates for 2009 include: January 23-25, April 24-26, June 12-14, and October 2-4.
2. Focus on your vision community: If you don’t have a functioning Vision Community, take the necessary steps to give birth to one. If you do have one, get clear about the next stages of development for your Vision Community and commit to taking those steps.
3. Contribute financially: After giving at tithe to your local congregation, consider making a sacrificial financial contribution to Mission Houston, either to our general operational fund or to the Faithwalking scholarship fund. Also consider paying the way of at least one person in your Vision Community to attend a 101 retreat.
4. Sign up for the 301 retreat. The worship, prayer support, new information about community transformation, and encouragement will be very valuable to you and your Vision Community.
May the Lord bless you and keep you as we move forward under His provision and leadership. 2009 is filled with hope and possibility, in large measure due to your sacrifice and commitment.
