Intentional Leaders

This week I finished an amazing month of training at the Anglican Church in Gaborone and continued training at Believers Destiny Academy. For the past 3 Saturdays we have spent 4 hours with 30 children leaders from the local Anglican churches here in Gaborone. Our training is built around developing biblical based leadership with passion and purpose that ends with being intentional in our choices to be leaders of disciples, the children. This group understood and got what we are teaching. Their dedication was amazing; all of them gave up three Saturdays and sat in a hot, 98 degree F room to listen to man who speaks funny English. They connected well on every point we had to teach and were able to use it on their own without me. One of the leaders commented they were looking forward to seeing if someone could come into their church and bring energy to the children's sunday school time. I quote, "from this training, I have learned I have been equipped to bring energy to the children. This has been wonderful and thank you." This is from a teacher of 30 years in public schools who is also teaching children in the church, "You have taught us new ideas and new ways to be intentional teachers of children using bible stories as process of action. This is refreshing for all of us. We are ready to use what you have taught us." There is planning under way to teach all of the locations in Botswana so all of the Anglican churches are equipped, not just in Gaborone.

We had another training with Believers Destiny Academy this week. It was an amazing day with them as well. We have been working to connect them to why they should be intentional with how they teach and reach children. It is more than working from a syllabus, completing tasks and just being there for the children. Children need to know teachers want to connect with to help them mature. We have to be focused on reaching the whole child: mental, physical, social and spiritual elements of a child. There mission statement is based on this point. They admitted they find themselves focused on the everyday items and not the growth elements of a child. They are realizing the Bible story telling process with the intent to see how the story impacts children lives for change, a heart change, is powerful. Advertising and media work very hard to do the same thing but not based on Biblical truth. How are they to know truth if they do not hear it from parents, teachers, or other important adults in their lives. We discussed levels of spiritual maturity to help know what the "next step" should be for a child. They worked through several Bible stories and discovered how this can be effective in child development. The "win" during this session: Hearing truth is not a guarantee; it has to be learned, felt and put into action (head, heart and hands). Their effort must be intentional and well planned by them for behavior change to happen. They were nervous but excited to start seeing how they can be deliberate in developing the "whole child" God has put in their care.

February has been a good month kicking off our work here for 2012. I know God has big things coming our way this year and what we have to share is relevant. I mentioned in a previous blog the "real-life disciple process": Share, Connect, Minister and Disciple from Jim Putnam's book. This is how God is leading me to equip here and it is working. If fits perfectly with Alice Drive Baptist Church process of everyone has a next step with Christ. Continue to pray as more churches are asking for training and this process begins to work for the leaders and the children. We are seeing Jesus making changes in the lives of people.

Tonya is still doing well with her neck and boys are doing well in school. Makenzie and Hunter have busy schedules with school and work but doing well. Chandler is on a camping adventure in the desert with friends this week. He might be able to spot the "big five" animals of Africa; lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. Praying for his safety and no "getting lost" trips this time and that he can outrun his three friends on the trip, LOL.

Thank you for continued prayers and support.

Scott and Tonya Shipes