When God Shows Up

Don’t you love it when God shows up?

Last week more than 50 leaders from 5 countries gathered in Honduras for 3 days to to fill their disciple-making "toolboxes," wrestle with cultural obstacles in disciple-making, share about progress toward ministries that are financially self-sustaining, and visit locations where sustainability projects are thriving.

Just being together was fun.

But let's go back.
Before anyone had heard of COVID-19, Lifeline USA leaders began shifting our posture toward the local leaders in all of our fields. The goal of the posture shift was and still is to empower Lifeline's local leaders to "own" God's vision for their communities, end dependency, and restore dignity. Lifeline stepped back to let them take the lead in ministry work and decisions. It was awkward for everyone at first.

Nobody dreamed that posture shift would have the dynamic effect that it did.  

In 2022, Lifeline's Central American leaders attended a Sustainability Workshop. It was well-received and a huge leap forward. Even so, most left feeling hesitant and unsure.

In the developing world, opportunity is scarce, which means that resiliency, creativity and determination are skills practiced daily. Those skills, along with a more complete understanding of the gospel, have become the foundation for a radically new vision for transforming their communities.

The 2023 Leaders Workshop
Entering the 2023 leaders workshop, the leaders were still somewhat unsure of Lifeline's expectations. The stories they had to share were more struggle than victory.

But instead of focusing on failures, this workshop allowed them to keep pressing forward. They asked penetrating questions and talked out fresh ideas. They took charge. They leaned on one another. 

We laughed and cried and dared to dream big.  

My Part, Their Part, God's Part
During each session, we asked them to distinguish between MY part, THEIR part, and GOD’S part. So much is out of a leader’s control. Taking on more than OUR part feels overwhelming, especially in something this big.

Session after session, they kept insisting, "I can do MY part."

Unlike in past seminars which were mainly led by North Americans, 60% of last week’s sessions were led by Latinos. Hearing familiar voices repeat the same message brought us together. Coaches drifted from table to table, giving leaders permission to keep learning… and failing. 

We believe God’s Spirit empowers all of us when we join what He is already doing within our community.

In the past, these workshops might have included a dozen pastors. This year, the crowded room was proof that God is raising up a new generation – young and old; paid and unpaid; men and women – to lead a variety of creative ministries within churches, schools, clinics, businesses and communities. 

Disciple-making is God’s way to multiply leaders who have a unique, God-given calling to advance the Kingdom.

When asked to create an action plan to wrap-up the workshop, these leaders didn’t hesitate. Conversations filled the room as they shared ideas and weighed priorities.

Then, piling those action plans into the middle of each table, we cried out in prayer together, "God, do YOUR part!"

To learn more about Lifeline's leadership development and ministry sustainability initiatives, contact Andy Sims at andy.sims@lifeline.org.