Tag / communication

by johnkking

Tips for Trainers

After our daughter and son moved out, they started calling their mom asking for recipes of their favorites dishes she cooks. Eventually she decided to give them each a set of recipes. But she began to realize that they need more than a list of the ingredients; she will also need to become aware of what they don’t know (e.g., one recently asked what could be used as a replacement for corn starch).

One of the church planters that I am coaching recently asked me to write out the things I intuitively do when I am training groups to facilitate Discovery Bible Studies (DBSs). It is a great request, but the challenge is me becoming aware of what I do intuitively. Thankfully I had another meeting right after the one where this request was made where I was able to process it more fully with another team member.

Here is the “Tips for Trainers” list that I prepared in response to the request. Maybe it will be helpful to someone else. If so, please comment below so I might learn more about what I do intuitively.

Tips for Trainers:

  1. Keep the groups small. (Five is the ideal number, but 4-6 is okay.)
    • Prevents the meeting from taking too long (45 minutes is ideal).
    • Draws quiet or shy people into the discussion.
    • Models the most readily available settings (e.g., a few people at work over lunch, a few soccer moms at the practice fields, or a handful of friends after a meal).
  2. Divide larger groups into sub-groups and have them work through the questions simultaneously.
    • You get to model how to handle a bigger group.
    • Involves more people in the facilitation role.
  3. Remind the facilitators of their responsibilities:
    • Keep the discussion moving and involve everyone.
    • Use the “Where is that in this passage?” question to keep the group on track.
    • Be sure to save time for questions 6, 7, and 8.
    • Make sure someone takes notes when the “top three” are selected.
  4. After they answer the questions, facilitate a debriefing exercise by having sub-groups list their “top three” insights into God and their “top three” ways to obey the passage.
    • The goal is to enable people to hear from God. The larger group review confirms the things each group heard and exposes them to something they might have missed that another sub-group heard.
    • Provides an interesting review process (the three “Rs” of education are “repetition, repetition, repetition,” but that cannot be boring or you lose them).
    • Exercises the participants in healthy group functions (your long-term goal is to disciple them in functioning as a healthy church).
    • You can “accentuate the positive” by highlighting the healthiest responses. (Rather than causing those with weak responses to lose face, you get to spotlight the ones that are strong and worthy of being imitated.)

What actually sparked the request for me to write out what I do intuitively was me sharing the training that I recently did with a women’s discipleship group. I told how I handled the fact that the group was so large that I had to create sub-groups. This disciple has experienced that kind of setting, but all of his earliest training was with a small group that was never subdivided. Though he is working with a larger group, he had kept them all together and now he anticipated there might be other things I needed to make more explicit.

If you are like me, you will probably need a new trainee to help you realize what you do intuitively. As they ask questions about things that you assume are givens, make notes. These “givens” are likely what you do intuitively.

by johnkking

Spiritual Warfare (continued)

Felicity Dale posted a link to my most recent blog on her Facebook page. One of her friends raised some good questions and we had the following dialogue:

[Question:] Enjoyed the article, John… thanks for (re-)posting it, Felicity. I too have had first-hand experience of spiritual opposition (and deliverance, for that matter), so I agree that a disciple must engage in spiritual warfare.

However, could I be (potentially) controversial? Ref. for example, “Mobilizing intercessors is essential for disciple makers.” Now, I may be showing my ignorance here, because I wouldn’t call myself an ‘intercessor’! But are there really certain gifted people with ‘special’ access to the Throne for the purpose of intercession? Don’t we all have access to the Father (i.e., Eph. 2:18)? Is not intercession just part-and-parcel of being a disciple, rather than an exclusive role in the Body (i.e. 1 Tim. 2)?

[Reply:] Great question! Jesus has given every single one of us special access to the throne. While there are not “certain gifted people” there are those who will pledge themselves to the role. There are people who will take up Paul’s request, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should” (Ephesians 6:18-20). Those who will storm the gates of hell need to know they are being lifted up to heaven by people who will persevere in the heavenly battle. Jesus wanted that in the garden.

[Question:] I see and respect your point, John. However, was Paul addressing Ephesian disciples, or Ephesian intercessors? I see no subtitle, ‘and to you intercessors in Ephesus I write…’. Again, all Jesus’ disciples were with Him at Gethsemane, not just a few intercessory ‘experts’.

My point is this: we’re all called to ‘make disciples’. I cannot say, “I am not called to make disciples… I’m an intercessor.” I would argue that we’re all both / and.

[Reply:] I am not speaking of roles in the sense of titles. I am speaking of those who take up the responsibility with diligence and perseverance. With you, I disciple people to pray—to plead God’s promises. I disciple them to intercede. While I encourage that in all of them, I learn which ones will persist in prayer. These are the inner circle (like the three that Jesus took deeper into the garden) upon whom I lean more heavily.

[Question:] Yes, I see now. Thanks John. May He bless your work in Him.

[Reply:] Have a great day. I love the dialogue!

I really do love the dialogue. One of the things I dislike about preaching is the absence of interaction. I allow questions and comments on my blog because I want dialogue. It is hard to know whether or not you are addressing the challenges and needs people have without giving them the opportunity to discuss.

Knowing that people are serious about interceding on my behalf is a tremendous blessing. Being confident that I can send out an email and the situations I raise will be lifted into the throne room is so meaningful. Paul noted, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:10-12). Satan is a schemer. We are in a battle in the heavenly realms. Our greatest resource there are our intercessions.

Be sure when you commit to pray for someone that you do. Discipline yourself to pray kingdom passages and promises for these people. It was in this vein that I wrote several articles about praying Scriptures a couple of years ago. Check them out:

https://johnkking.wordpress.com/2009/12/23/praying-luke-10/

https://johnkking.wordpress.com/2009/12/23/colossians-19-23/

https://johnkking.wordpress.com/2009/12/23/praying-galatians-5/

by johnkking

Insider Language

Recently a friend wisely pointed out that I use a lot of “insider language” in my writings. The problem with such is not everyone is an insider—they do not share the connotations I/we attach to the words, phrases and acronyms. For some that is a put-off. For others it is a challenge. For most it does not really matter, because they are not interested, yet.

I am going to take my friend’s observation to heart and attempt to do a better job defining the terms I use. When I wrote my thesis for my Masters Degree the first section had to be definitions of terms as I would use them in the paper. Beginning with this section allowed readers to grasp the meaning I intended. While they might not choose to use those words in exactly the same way, they at least had the opportunity to be aware of my perceptions.

When I am reading an article I try to assess what the author means when it appears s/he is using language in a specialized way. I remember hearing my dad and uncle talking insurance business lingo when I was a kid. It was obvious they had shared meanings they attached to their “code” words, phrases and acronyms. Most of the time I was glad they did not explain it to me because I was already hearing more than I wanted to know. Besides, I could always ask if I was curious.

But later in life I was appointed to serve on a community health task force because of my involvement with a local emergency shelter for homeless people. More than eighty-percent of the members were from the public health field and I really felt like a fish on dry land. They spread their “insider language” on thick. It appeared their assumption was that anyone on this task force would already speak the language. After hanging on several months I resigned because I realized I did not have any desire to learn a new culture or language.

I am thankful for readers of my blog who ask questions! Your boldness in speaking up reveals an interest in understanding. (The fact that you have to write them out and wait for my response is a high compliment.) It would be easier to “blow-off” the whole matter and say, “Much learning has driven you crazy, John!” Thanks for sticking with me (if you have wondered about some of my “insider language” I would love for you to let me know so I am more aware of what needs to be explained).

Insider language develops as a form of short-hand for people who work in the same field (just think about the computer lingo you have learned over the last twenty years). When you first encounter the new field it sounds like a foreign language. Once again you either take the plunge to learn the short-hand, or you do not. But ultimately, you learn enough to be functional if you must become proficient.

Are you focusing on the interested or the late adopters? Are you charged with rapidly training the early wave who ask lots of questions or are you responsible to educate those who are involved because of their support  and interest in you or another participant? Choices about the use of “insider language” should probably hinge on the audience. But it takes wisdom to make good decisions, and it often takes good friends who will point out your blind spots to you (thanks, Jerry).

Interestingly, the original disciples puzzled over some of Jesus’ choices in this matter. He deliberately used parables that restricted some people from grasping his meaning, while he explained these matters to the disciples— when they asked (Matthew 13:1ff). Maybe there are times when we should use “insider language.” What do you think?