The Ohio Conference Missional Network is beginning this summer. Ohio Conference Missional Consultant Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg is conducting an initial training session for participating congregations.

This training session will be offered on four dates in June and July. Participants are encouraged to choose the date which best fits their schedule:

• June 24 — 6-9 p.m., First Mennonite Church, Canton
• June 26 — 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Zion Mennonite Church, Archbold
• June 28 — 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Salem Mennonite Church, Elida
• July 8 — 6-9 p.m., Zion Mennonite Church, Archbold

Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg said, “For those unable to attend one of these initial training sessions, we highly recommend you send someone from your congregational leadership team to represent your congregation. We will also videotape the training, but the training will be interactive and best experienced in person.”

RSVP to Jessica Schock-Ringenberg by June 15 to participate: jsringenberg@gmail.com.

Interested in learning more about the Ohio Conference Missional Network? Check the Missional Network Plan for more information.

Missional Consultant outlines training topics to be studied

Training One

Moving Toward Missional: Progression Chart on Change Process

Dates: June 24, 26, 28, July 8

• Changing the Scorecard: attendance, budget, programs vs. biblical understanding of success (discipleship that produces disciple-makers)
• Understanding Discipleship: Missional Discipleship Initiatives
• Planning for the Change (and what you can be doing in the meantime)
  • Step-by-step process on moving congregational leadership, discipleship, and eventually the entire congregation on the road to missional
  • This session will include the definitions and nuances between small groups, discipleship groups, missional communities, micro-church, house churches, church plants, and movement making.

Training Two

Developing Leadership by Raising the Bar of Discipleship and Lowering the Bar of Sunday Morning

Dates: TBD during September

• Becoming Good News people who testify to the Good News: sharing your faith and learning to whom you can share it and how
• Identifying your teachables and then teaching them: Leaders are made through an apprenticeship learning process, not necessarily in a classroom
• How to go from missional to Bible study to church to church planting-churches

Training Three

Growing Missional Communities: CHOOSING A MULTIPLICATION CULTURE

Dates: TBD October

• Establishing a culture that favors discipleship multiplication
  • How to purposefully develop a particular culture. Values + Narratives (stories) = culture.
• Starting with WHO. Unreached people, and people of peace (gatekeepers of the community)
• Identifying your church’s Third Spaces: Relationship Gardens. Planting missional communities who grow around the people who will never go to your church.

Questions?

If you have questions about these training topics or other matters related to the Ohio Conference Missional Network, please contact Missional Consultant Jessica Schrock-Ringenberg at jsringenberg@gmail.com.