During worship time on Tuesday, Wilf had expressed a stirring in his spirit. "The time together will produce some discord. This is alright," he explained, "As long as it leads to resolution." Well, so far no sign of this. But today would see a few fireworks!
I arrived at Festal early, as I had to set up for our first session on future developments. We were a bit slow getting started. Someone spotted the nice wood-burning stove in the lounge, and we voted for a fire. We found that the two lonely sockets wouldn't support all our gadgetry, so Iain and I set off searching for extension leads. Hans from Switzerland had joined Mark, and we had a round of welcomes with our coffee.
Desmond produced some notes from the discussions on Tuesday afternoon, and I'd already suggested to our senior guys a bunch of new initiatives we should work on. Plenty to occupy us. After all, the future course for several years emerges from these AMEN times. I've heard it said that decision-making in a cross-cultural context is slow and painstaking. Westerners are apt at breaking in with their individualistic opinions, trusting that the final agreed outcome will benefit from the widest range of contributions. Warm-climate cultures seek early consensus, and customarily (and deferentially) appoint a spokesperson to vocalise this on behalf of the group. They also tend to say (respectfully) what they think the majority want to hear, rather than pressing their own contribution. The skill is to draw out the hesitant and tone down the over-confident. It takes time.
I was due to bat first, and Desmond would follow. My opening proposals went down well: for hosting recommended leaders at times apart from the MILC conferences, and providing J Gen teams with wider ministry opportunities. We already had a challenge to improve our practical projects, and still haven't managed to land the deal with the intern scheme. Some guys seemed to be on the edge of initiative congestion/overload/fatigue. We had to pause for more questions and comments, and a chance for people to get their heads round things. So... vigorous debate. I think it boiled down to something like, "Why haven't you (Jesus Fellowship) been this flexible before?", as Mark, for one, expressed it.
I'd only got limited time, and had to press on with the third initiative: to help with literacy by making ESOL-type material available for use in partner churches. Kelly keeps reminding me, "Loads of our folks still just don't get it;" (meaning Multiply). This project would get our grass-roots people involved, marking, perhaps being in on-line contact, etc. Most of the AMEN guys could very practically identify with the idea. Huw checked the clock, and we didn't really do the rest of our possible developments justice.
Stephen, sitting next to me, was giving off a 'blocked' vibe as Mick launched into his session on self-assessment in leadership. We spent a beneficial time on pondering two question sheets: Do you love to be convicted, to confess sin, to lay down your life... We huddled in pairs to share our answers. Then we paused for a delicious lunch of fresh-baked bread cakes and soup.
Desmond led off the afternoon, recommending that a small exec group should prioritise expenditures and other developments. Huw came prepared with some Trust Treasurer paperwork. It was soon clear that this wouldn't meet the situation where we need to provide up-front for budgeted costs. We got on to the difficulties of getting visas, and how it's a gamble how many potential MILC delegates will get them sorted out. And how we need to grip the administration in UK and the regional Multiply offices.
In the teabreak I rushed into Festal's office and checked out possible flight times for next spring's visit to Zambia, etc. We need to get as far ahead with the planning as we can. I then shepherded in Colney to run through a revised itinerary and programme for India this September. This made us the last to leave, and as he was determined to sneak a look at Mark's magnificent BMW motorbike, we popped in to Cornhill on the way home.
My evening was spent at Promise, catching up with the leaders there. I'd committed to giving them some time during this week. Not only had the day been hectic, but our frustration was compounded throughout by Festal's impossible mobile phone signal quality. Tomorrow sees us all at Cornerstone in Birmingham. Mick asked that we start half an hour earlier to ensure we don't add to our pile of unfinished business.
I arrived at Festal early, as I had to set up for our first session on future developments. We were a bit slow getting started. Someone spotted the nice wood-burning stove in the lounge, and we voted for a fire. We found that the two lonely sockets wouldn't support all our gadgetry, so Iain and I set off searching for extension leads. Hans from Switzerland had joined Mark, and we had a round of welcomes with our coffee.
Desmond produced some notes from the discussions on Tuesday afternoon, and I'd already suggested to our senior guys a bunch of new initiatives we should work on. Plenty to occupy us. After all, the future course for several years emerges from these AMEN times. I've heard it said that decision-making in a cross-cultural context is slow and painstaking. Westerners are apt at breaking in with their individualistic opinions, trusting that the final agreed outcome will benefit from the widest range of contributions. Warm-climate cultures seek early consensus, and customarily (and deferentially) appoint a spokesperson to vocalise this on behalf of the group. They also tend to say (respectfully) what they think the majority want to hear, rather than pressing their own contribution. The skill is to draw out the hesitant and tone down the over-confident. It takes time.
I'd only got limited time, and had to press on with the third initiative: to help with literacy by making ESOL-type material available for use in partner churches. Kelly keeps reminding me, "Loads of our folks still just don't get it;" (meaning Multiply). This project would get our grass-roots people involved, marking, perhaps being in on-line contact, etc. Most of the AMEN guys could very practically identify with the idea. Huw checked the clock, and we didn't really do the rest of our possible developments justice.
Stephen, sitting next to me, was giving off a 'blocked' vibe as Mick launched into his session on self-assessment in leadership. We spent a beneficial time on pondering two question sheets: Do you love to be convicted, to confess sin, to lay down your life... We huddled in pairs to share our answers. Then we paused for a delicious lunch of fresh-baked bread cakes and soup.
Desmond led off the afternoon, recommending that a small exec group should prioritise expenditures and other developments. Huw came prepared with some Trust Treasurer paperwork. It was soon clear that this wouldn't meet the situation where we need to provide up-front for budgeted costs. We got on to the difficulties of getting visas, and how it's a gamble how many potential MILC delegates will get them sorted out. And how we need to grip the administration in UK and the regional Multiply offices.
In the teabreak I rushed into Festal's office and checked out possible flight times for next spring's visit to Zambia, etc. We need to get as far ahead with the planning as we can. I then shepherded in Colney to run through a revised itinerary and programme for India this September. This made us the last to leave, and as he was determined to sneak a look at Mark's magnificent BMW motorbike, we popped in to Cornhill on the way home.My evening was spent at Promise, catching up with the leaders there. I'd committed to giving them some time during this week. Not only had the day been hectic, but our frustration was compounded throughout by Festal's impossible mobile phone signal quality. Tomorrow sees us all at Cornerstone in Birmingham. Mick asked that we start half an hour earlier to ensure we don't add to our pile of unfinished business.
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