The Gideon Project Experience
Re-Connecting the body of Christ to itself and mission
Raising an Army of 300 Great Commission Churches for such a time as this
Do you feel like Gideon as you work to lead your church in a Post COVID Culture?
A need to regather, refocus, recommit?
Staying tuned to the commission of the church of making disciples in a healthy way?
A large group of people in need of the gospel and few workers?
Building leaders and not just doers?
Have training for an army of new leaders from experienced leaders?
A time for you and your staff to have support with a fresh look at your leadership?
You are invited to join other churches and their leadership in The Gideon Project Experience which offers support to you as a leader and your church.
Gideon is known as the greatest of all the 15 judges.
When God wanted Gideon to bring an army to take on the enormous Midianite army, he brings 32,000 men. Although not as sizeable as the Midianites, it’s enough for Gideon to be comfortable with leading the charge.
God has other plans. He decides to enlist a series of tests of His own upon Gideon.
First, he makes Gideon send home anyone who is afraid. It turns out that 22,000 of the people in the army have their doubts and head on their way.
Now, with 10,000 left, God makes them drink water. Apparently only 300 of the men drank water via putting their hands to their mouths. The other 9,700 who knelt to drink are sent home.
With just 300 men remaining, Gideon knows he has to rely on God to provide a miracle.
Judges 7:15
When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to Israel’s camp and said, “Get up, for the Lord has handed the Midianite camp over to you.”
Lessons from the life of Gideon
God uses tough times to get our attention.
God always sees more than we do.
God confirms His priorities with His presence.
God is patient with our faith process.
Success is determined by God's power, not ours.
Gideon and his men prepared themselves for battle.
COVID-19 has created a Culture of Disconnection on many levels
COVID -19 has caused a challenge to regather as a church body, engage in discipleship, fellowship, worship, evangelism and missions.
This culture of disconnection also provides an opportunity for the church to prepare to be its best with an impact on history and culture like never before.
Trauma Informed Guidance through “The Gideon Project Experience”
Pastors are facing a greater pressure in their ministries to support and guide their people from a year marked by uncertainty, distance, and trauma-perhaps while their own mental and emotional well-being are also suffering. With recent data discovering that three in ten practicing Christians distance themselves from church during crisis suggest that regathering the church will be a process and not just “ let’s open the doors and they come” Leading the church to sustain or strengthen its health and mission will take time as each, pastor, staff, leadership and congregants reconnect within themselves from feeling relational strain during the crisis, to serving in a different evolving paradigm of resilience. It is not a guarantee that practicing Christians will turn to the Church in the midst of their struggle. Most pastors agree that trauma is an issue the Church should address, but many church leaders have had little to no training in the way of trauma care.
Congregants are not the only ones feeling relational strain during the crises. One in four pastors say that their relational well-being is a part of life that they’re struggling with the most right now, second only to emotional well-being and burnout during this crisis.
Data: Barna Research 2020
Resilience is the ability to come back from experiences in our lives that challenge us emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. At its core resilience is the capacity to handle stress and adversity effectively rather than allowing difficult situations to cloud our perspective or knock us off center. Jean de La Bruyere said resilience is our ability to trust that “out of difficulties grow miracles” A Japanese proverb “The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists” demonstrate the paradox of resilience.
The Gideon Project Experience offers perspective into trauma care which will be beneficial to a pastor personally and to core lay leadership as they begin the regathering of the church. CORE 7 “Dare to Define Your Destiny” deals with relational, emotional well-being as well as trauma informed guidance that will be helpful for the leadership in these critical areas of well-being.
Trauma Informed Guidance involves:
Seeing trauma as a vehicle for transformation
Realizing the essence of trauma is disconnection
Understanding cultural and intergenerational trauma
Viewing disturbances from a trauma perspective
Understanding how resilience helps us thrive
Understanding the importance of building and nurturing a resilient life
Post COVID-19 Ripple Effects of its Culture of Dis-Connection
Substance Use Disorders – one outcome of COVID -related stress is the accelerated use of drugs and alcohol. Between February and March of 2020 there was a 34% increase in the use of prescription drugs
The Journal of Anxiety Disorders study revealed 72% are experiencing heightened symptoms of anxiety disorder and the virus has created OCD symptoms in those with pre-existing anxiety diagnoses suffering from stress
The increase of isolation and agoraphobia (an anxiety disorder that causes aversion to certain surroundings)
It is predicted that children will experience greater onset of anxiety disorders and worsening social anxiety disorders when they are able to gather in person again
References: APA Services, Journal of Anxiety Disorders, Leeb R.T.,Bitsko P.H., RadhakrishnanL
The most alarming things we are discovering about COVID impact on our churches
1/3 of Christians have not attended church online or in person
50% of Christian Millennials have stopped attending online worship services
3 kinds of Christians are emerging, creating disunity and conflict within the church
Those who want ministries back like before
Those who feel like the above group, but don’t feel safe returning yet
Those who could come back but are enjoying the “time off”
73% of churches report that they have not yet made any long-term changes to their ministry. This is alarming in the face of the worldwide impact of COVID-19. It also speaks to the fact that pastors and churches are being content to just continue to “drift” in the midst of our current crisis.
Research shows that the power of groups is seen in higher levels of evangelism, service, giving, disciplines, and relationships. Yet, 30% of churches do not communicate the importance for every adult to be involved in a small group.
“Drift” may be our biggest challenge in the days ahead
There is a time to build.
There is work for God’s people to do.
We do not want to be remembered for our inaction.
The Gideon Project Experience is a relational consulting/coaching process providing leadership in supporting a church’s staff and lay leadership in designing, and implementing 7 CORE Principles/Practices and Nine Corporate Values.
Key Steps and Values of The Gideon Project Experience are foundational to reconnecting the body of Christ to itself and mission. Rebuilding a strong leadership core and creating multiplying healthy small groups also are key to the “The Gideon Project Experience”.
KEY STEPS for Re-Connecting
Re-Connect with the gathering of key lay and staff leadership for the Gideon Project Experience
Clarify or redefine the philosophy of discipleship with key lay and staff leadership
Clarify or redefine a strategy for implementing and executing the philosophy of discipleship with specific training
Re-Connection with the body will follow these two previous steps over a period of time
Emphasis on building staff and key leaders for the future
Concentric circles of leadership will begin to evolve
CORE 7 VALUES that Engage Re-Connection. We believe:
The importance of biblical community – people who are not a part of a small group are not part of a healthy community
The importance of gospel relationships – each identifying those around them that do not appear to have a relationship with Christ
The importance of healthy groups – creating new groups so there is room for new relationships
The importance of leadership development – constantly developing new leaders to do the work of ministry
The importance of competency and commitment – not enough to enlist leaders but to train them as well
The importance of alignment – every leader and small group need to work from the same page and be on mission together
The importance of having space to grow – having space that is attractive and appropriate
The importance of ministry within small groups – weekly contact by various means and ministry with the small group is about doing life together
The importance of gospel conversations – having gospel conversations with the people you have identified as not having a relationship with Christ
CORE 7 Principles, Practices of The Gideon Project Experience
Church Leadership – Pastor/Staff/Key Leaders
Vision Framework - Vision, Values, Mission, Strategies, Scorecard
Personal and Teams Development
Church Polity and Decision-Making
Church Systems
Facilities – In person and Online
Safety and Security
Finances
Communications
Fellowship – (koinonia - community, one’s place)
Why in the Church?
Where in the Church?
How in the Church?
Worship
Corporate, Personal, and Family
Prayer
Giving
Discipleship
Disciple-Making Strategies – Small Groups, etc.
Age-Graded Ministries
Leadership Development and Pipeline
Ministry
Pastoral Care
Preschool, Children, Students, Adults, Families
Community Ministries
Evangelism
Personal and Corporate Evangelism
Community Engagement
Assimilation
Missions
Consultants of CORE 7
Experienced leaders trained by CORE 7 for The Gideon Project Experience. These consultants will bring to your church:
Experienced Leadership - CORE 7 consultants are experienced leaders that bring the intangibles and a level of credibility which cannot be measured.
Great Credibility – Great leaders have often seen it all and done it all. They know where mistakes can be made and know the difference between sensing opportunity and seizing it.
Have the Right Work Ethic – Not only do they work hard; they know what to work hard on.
Knows How to Prepare – You will either prepare or repair. Many great experienced leaders have had to repair a lot in their lives’ therefore they know how to prepare.
HOW does The Gideon Project Experience involve churches and leadership?
Learning Pods of five to six churches coming together corporately and individually for support, encouragement, training, connecting to leadership sources to strengthen the health and strengthen its mission of a great commission church
CORE 7 Consultants onsite for 14 months over a two-year period
Pastoral Care involving:
10 Personal Coaching Sessions with trained certified coaches for Senior pastors over the 14 months
Expanding one’s self-awareness and balance with ministry for pastor and spouse through the “Dare to Define Your Destiny” 3DE
A Birkman Personal Assessment – identifies behavioral strengths, motivational needs, and stress behavior supporting one’s
Monthly Zoom Upper Room leadership development/renewal for pastors of the pod churches
Training for key lay Leadership
Monthly Zoom Calls with key leadership
Monthly Email Support
An Evening Celebration Rally @ 7th Month for all churches and leadership
Special focus is given to Multiplying Small Groups demonstrating the culture of a Great Commission Church.
The WHAT Questions?
What extent do our decision-making processes, operating procedures (official and unofficial), board and team structures facilitate rather than hinder the fulfillment of our church's mission?
What extent is the ministry of the leaders focusing on equipping other Christians to serve?
What extent is attending our worship service an inspiring experience?
What extent do our small groups meet the real life needs and Bible study of members in a holistic way?
What extent are the relationships of the members of this church characterized by a high degree of love and affection?
WHY The Gideon Project Experience?
Refresh/Renew Pastors and Staff
Regather/Reconnect the post-quarantine Church
Recast vision for Great Commission Churches
Revive healthy Great Commission Churches
Raise a new generation of Leaders
For more information of a Gideon Project Experience in your area contact
Inquire about the Gideon Project
Fill out the form here to submit your interest in experiencing the Gideon Project Experience for your church.