Discerning God's Leading, Discovering a Shared Future
I didn't realize when I signed up for this class just how much it was going to be of help in my current churches. There are difficult situations facing church congregations and we are going to need to figure out how to talk to one another. There have been so gifts given through this class, I now feel like I can handle what is next.
Kathy Levenhagen
Synodically Authorized Minister
Zion Lutheran Church, Lake Bronson, MN
Outcomes
Through this course, participants will:
-
Learn and practice participatory techniques and processes to guide congregations in discerning future options for their mission and ministry
-
Enhance their listening skills to nourish conversation that attends to concerns of individuals, the narrative of the faith community, and the leading of God
-
Better understand the nature of consensus and how to build it in the context of a discernment conversation
-
Gain proficiency and confidence in managing conflict, dealing with difficult personalities, and refocusing the energy of disagreement in healthy and helpful ways
-
Be introduced to additional tools and resources to assist them in the journey of discernment; and
-
Ultimately, become more competent and confident in leading congregations in discerning their future.
Course Schedule
We expect to offer this course in the Summer of 2023. Sign up to receive notice of when the course begins.
Overview
Participants will learn and develop skills for entering a congregation and leading a discernment process. Participants will become familiar with leadership tools, consensus building, and using disagreement to lead to a mutually preferred future.
Cost: $245
Dialog Works practices "graceconomics." You will be invoiced the full amount but asked to pay the amount you can afford.
CEUs
Those completing the course, including the final project, will be awarded 2.4 CEUs from Dialog Works and Wartburg Theological Seminary.
Video expert from the course
Instructors
The Rev. Dr. David Anderson-Hooker, , PhD, JD, MDiv
President and Principal Consultant - CounterStories Consulting, LLC
David's expertise is in narrative mediation. He will lead the units on loosening the grip of conflict.
The Rev. Dr. Mark Yackel-Juleen
Instructor
Mark is on faculty at Wartburg Seminary. Learn more about Mark here.
The Rev. Peter Soli
Project Director and Instructor
Peter is founder of Dialog Works and the Director of the Engaging God's Future training. Learn more about Peter here.