The other day I saw an incoming phone call from someone I love. But I was too exhausted to want to answer it, so I let it just go to voicemail. Just to be clear, this wasn’t someone I was trying to avoid…it’s someone I cherish and enjoy. But in that moment, I just didn’t have the capacity to take the call.
Now that’s fine from time to time.
But it’s a problem if I never take the call.
And it’s a problem if I never make a call.
You see, if we never connect, our relationship will become more and more distant. I will miss out on so many of the things that enrich my life and make me more of who God wants me to be.
Pioneers are those leaders who step out to experiment with forming fresh expressions of church. This trailblazing work can be a daunting task—maybe even exhausting sometimes. There are conversations to have, and tasks to do, and planning to accomplish. All of these take time. In the midst of this cycle, it’s easy for the insidious creep of attending to the urgent draw us away from attending to God.
In Fresh Expressions, we talk a lot about “listening.” Often, we are encouraging leaders to listen deeply to the neighborhood or network among which they are looking to engage in ministry and mission. However, it is just as important to be attentive to God’s leading. So often, we come up with grandiose plans and ideas…but do they align with who God is and what God desires for the community? How do we hear God amidst all the noise of tasks and, if we’re honest, our ambitions?
Meet together with others regularly for prayer and conversation
“And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”—Hebrews 10:25
I once worked with a group in which each individual committed to being in the neighborhood around the church once a week, reading Scripture and praying every day, and regularly meeting with the group to share what they’ve been hearing and noticing in their personal prayer time and community listening time.
In those weekly group sessions, it was uncanny how often similar stories and themes came up as each individual shared. Those emerging themes helped to confirm what God was revealing to them about possibilities for mission, helped them identify persons of peace, and helped deepen their trust that God was at work opening doors and possibilities.
- If you are a permission giver: How are you fostering opportunities for your pioneers and fresh expression teams to regularly connect and share and reflect together?
- If you are a pioneer: How are you committing to regular sharing and reflection with others who can help you discern and follow God’s leading?
Become curious and ask good questions
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”—Matthew 6:33
Jewish rabbis often “teach” by asking questions. Then, they don’t necessarily wrap it up with a final “now let me tell you what it all means.” Instead, they model a posture of ongoing curiosity. This is a posture that we can all learn from, including pioneer leaders. What if we began to ask more questions rather than merely come to God with our list of demands? What might we hear by being curious?
Consider asking questions like:
God, what do you want to see happen here?
God, what is your dream for this community?
God, where are you inviting me to trust more?
- If you are a permission giver: How are you helping your pioneers and fresh expression leaders take on a posture of curiosity, not just in the community but in their life with God?
- If you are a pioneer: Try this exercise…for the next 7 days don’t just bring your prayer requests to God, bring a robust list of questions to God. And then be attentive and curious to see how God shows up in the questions.
Commit to a rhythm of spiritual practices
“The sheep follow him because they know His voice.”—John 10:4
Remember back when you were kindergarten? Your teacher probably had a regular rhythm of life in the classroom. Perhaps it started with group time on the carpet, where together you looked at the calendar and considered the weather. Then you shared a story together. Perhaps your teacher reminded you of some common practices you were committed to…like sharing and kindness. Then it was on to the tasks and work of the day, with some free play time. Maybe your class had a routine of handwashing before lunch. Or a routine around naptime. There was something reassuring about the framework that built a sense of connectedness, community, and cohesion. There can be power in developing meaningful rhythms in our lives.
Monastic orders often have “Rules of Life.” But rule of life is not relegated only to monks and nuns. It is also an opportunity for everyday followers of Jesus to develop a pattern of being present and attentive to God. A rule of life is a commitment to live life in a particular way, typically a schedule and set of practices and relational rhythms that help us create space in our busy world for us to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did. These spiritual practices often include prayer, gratitude, simplicity, hospitality, acts of compassion, etc.
Intentional spiritual practices shape us more and more into the image of God and to recognizing and living the Way. These rhythms give God room in our restless souls to speak into our lives and leadership.
Think of it this way: My teenager doesn’t often share important nuggets of her life on schedule. If I make a 4:00 appointment to have a meaningful conversation with my teenager, I’m probably not going to hear much except grumbling. But as I live out our rhythms together of dinnertime and carpools and group-texts and walks together, I give her space to share what’s on her heart and mind. Every once in a while, in those spaces, I encounter something profound. In the same way, when we put regular spiritual practices in our lives, we make ourselves present to God’s voice such that sometimes the profound breaks into the mundane.
In the same way, when we put regular spiritual practices in our lives, we make ourselves present to God’s voice such that sometimes the profound breaks into the mundane.
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- If you are a permission giver, how can you help your pioneers develop and embed spiritual rhythms into their everyday lives?
- If you are a pioneer, how might you develop a “rule of life” that helps you be attentive to God in an intentional, ongoing way?
Coaching or Spiritual Direction
“Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”—Romans 12:2
Sometimes, you really need someone else to help you see something or hear something. A friend of mine has been meeting with a spiritual director for decades, and often that spiritual director is able to help him to see something redemptive in the midst of pain, or to acknowledge something in himself that is transformative. Sometimes, in my coaching sessions with ministry leaders, I will ask a question that leads to a deep silence. Sometimes maybe even an uncomfortable silence. But usually, it’s the moment that opens up possibilities or connects dots in a way that wasn’t accessible before.
In pioneering ministry, it’s not uncommon to have times when you are unsure what to do next. Perhaps even for fear and anxiety to rise, because there are no easy or obvious answers. Sometimes you’ve been banging your head against a wall for so long, you can’t see anything but a hurdle. This is when a coach or a spiritual director can be invaluable. I believe that God often speaks through a simple question, a vulnerable conversation, a reframe, or just in the encouragement of a fellow traveler.
If you are a permission giver, consider whether your pioneers could be blessed with the gift of a spiritual director or a coach. How could you help them to access that resource?
If you are a pioneer, would you benefit from a spiritual director or coach? Who could you go to if you wanted to pursue such an opportunity?
Recruit a prayer team to surround the pioneer and the mission
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”—Romans 12:12
You don’t have to be the only one listening to God in this mission. There is power in drawing together a team to pray with you and for you. A prayer team works best if there is a regular loop of sharing. Often we think that it is the pioneer’s job to brief the prayer team on what is going on in the ministry, or to send a prayer request list, so the team knows how to pray. But the sharing is even more profound if it is a two-way street. What if you were to ask your prayer team: “What are you hearing from God that you need to share with me?” “What Scripture comes to mind when you think about this mission?” “What is one word, phrase, or image that keeps coming up when you pray for this mission?” You would be amazed if you begin to ask these questions, what you might begin to hear from God.
- If you are a permission giver, how can you assist your pioneers in recruiting and equipping a prayer team?
- If you are a pioneer, how will you foster a connection with your prayer team that is a two-way conversation?
At any given moment, it is always a challenge to discern whether what we are hearing is the voice of God or our own ambitions. Perhaps these suggestions and practices can help you experience more deeply the voice of the Shepherd.
Need some prayer help? Learn about how you can experience Breakthrough Prayer with the Fresh Expressions team HERE.
