Date of Award
2010
Document Type
Paper
Degree Name
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Department
Seminary
Abstract
In the life of any organization, when a significant upheaval or crisis occurs, the participants are thrown into confusion and a sense of direction can be lost. In the church the crisis is more intense simply because, not only is the church an organization, it is also a group of people who have joined together as a representation of the family of God. Thus significant upheaval and crisis can result in not only confusion and a loss of direction, but also a loss of trust in one another and the questioning of God's purpose for them as a community of faith. In spite of the disorientation and pain caused by such crises, there is an opportunity for leadership teams and congregations to take advantage of the transitional process in which they have entered and move to a missional model of the church, contextualizing the gospel for the community around them. The process of transition is simply the ending of one season in the life for an individual or organization, from which they separate themselves and the preparation to embrace a new season, usually marked by a renewed vision of ministry. By reframing transition and the effective guidance of a spiritual director, a re-visioning of the church's mission and role in the culture can result in a more sensitive, relational approach for leaders and congregation, towards God and their community. This new approach can result in a more effective contextualization of the good news of the kingdom of God for the 21-century. This written statement will develop the framework within which transition will become a tool for such a re-visioning. Through a series of seminars leadership teams of local congregations will be offered training in the context of spiritual direction that will enable them to better navigate future crises and re-vision the future mission of their church, especially during or following a crisis.
Recommended Citation
Regehir, Jim, "Reframing Transition" (2010). Doctor of Ministry. 488.
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/488