Change is a natural part of life. Without change I suppose I'd still be hitting my wife over the head with a club and dragging her off to my cave. Change is good. This year has been filled with a lot of change, and the next year promises to be filled with even more.
When Daleen and I were called to serve with NieuCommunities in South Africa we didn't know just how long we'd be here. Our calling was the strongest we'd ever sensed, and the most specific as well. We were not about to leave NieuCommunities until we were confident that God was leading us that way.
to change : to modify
This year it became clear that NieuCommunities South Africa was on a journey of its own. What we had created over the past seven years was good, and it was affecting deep change in our apprentices' lives, but it was not sustainable. It was evident that our staff was becoming less missional, and our apprenticeship was becoming more programmatic. It was obvious to our staff that it was time to go back to the drawing board, learn from our experience, and modify our course.
When I mention making some modifications, I am not talking about small changes. Rather, NieuCommunities is revamping how they will apprentice young leaders, as well as who they will be apprenticing. The team will be moving away from the suburbs and into the city of Pretoria, and they will begin to focus on apprenticing South Africans. The apprenticeship will be slimmed down and stretched out over a longer period of time, as well as less curriculum-driven and more mission-driven.
Although these are changes that Daleen and I completely agree with, we don't feel called to make these changes with NieuCommunities. We sense that it is time to pass the mantle to new leadership that will guide NieuCommunities into its future. Therefore, at the end of this year we will be moving on from NieuCommunities into our future.
to change : to deepen
The past seven years have been highly formative for Daleen and me. Most importantly, we have deepened our intimacy with Christ. We have also grown in our leadership abilities and deepened our understanding of who God has created us to be. We see our true selves much more clearly.
In light of this, we sense that God is calling us into a new phase of life and mission. We feel that we are moving toward a more focused time of ministry that will utilize our 18 years of cross-cultural experience with CRM, as well as a clearer understanding of our personalities and gifting.
to change : to move
Daleen and I are both wired to mentor/coach others, helping men and women reclaim their hearts and all that God has for them. We also enjoy creative worship, unleashing creativity in ourselves and others, and encouraging creative expression. We want to help people better understand their spiritual formation in order to be transformed in their love relationship with Jesus. And we see ourselves using our hospitality gifts in an intentional community of people.
What we feel called to can happen pretty much anywhere in the world. Therefore, in order to help us better understand where God might be leading us, we are going through a Mid-Career Assessment at the CRM home office on December 9-10. We want to continue working with CRM, but we are not sure where we will be located. Daleen and I both sense that we will be leaving South Africa, which would most likely mean a move to America or Europe sometime next year.
to change : to prayPlease pray with us:
- for clear direction.
- for peace in moving away from South Africa. We have been amazed with how God is bringing peace to our children's hearts already. Daleen's dad is in ill-health and we know that it will be emotionally hard on her parents if we move away.
- for attacks of the enemy to be thwarted – we have been facing some pretty tough attacks lately. In this, we are focusing on who God is rather than on what the enemy is able to do.
- for needed financial resources – in light of the future, we need to raise about $1200 per month in new support - monthly, yearly and one-time gifts all help to provide for this need.
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing all of this, Bryan. It's good to read about the process and hints of what lie ahead. We'll miss you but look forward to seeing how things unfold!
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