The ELCA Youth Ministry Network is excited to launch the Discipling Cohorts initiative, with the goal of training 500-600 children, youth, and family ministry leaders committed to growing and deepening in ministry leadership, personal faith, and vocational confidence. The initiative was created in response to the Network’s strategic goal for every member to create and live into a personal development plan.
The initiative will launch at Extravaganza 2018 (January 26-29 in Houston, Texas), where synods will form a cohort of 8-10 people for an initial session led by a trained peer coach. Cohorts will then convene monthly in local settings for the coming year, working together through a guided process for reflection on ministry leadership, skill development, vocational discernment, and spiritual formation.
The year will culminate with each participant writing and presenting a three-year personal development plan. Some ideas for plans may include:
- Naming the professional growth areas you want to work on, such as event planning, budgeting, conflict management, etc…
- Considering your short- and long-term vocational call
- Developing a plan to deepen your spiritual life and practices
This plan will be shared in a concluding peer gathering at Extravaganza 2019 (January 25-28 in Jacksonville, Florida). Accountability for participants and their plans will come from the cohort group, the synod peer coach, and a web-based system that will track progress.
While this project is different from the Practice Discipleship Initiative, which was completed 18 months ago, it will make use of and build on that project’s infrastructure.
Participation is open to Network members, including paid staff and volunteers, newcomers and veterans, and leaders from churches of all sizes and contexts. Attention will be paid to ensure cohort groups are comprised of a wide and diverse variety of congregations.
If you are interested in participating in this important project, you can sign up to receive more information by going to the Discipling Cohorts web page.
The project, led by the ELCA Youth Ministry Network, is being generously supported by the ELCA Domestic Mission Unit.
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