|
|
|
|
|
FTL transference event in Mali in September - Leadership for a Healthy Church
|
|
Dear Friends,
I am currently on a sabbatical from ministry from September 20 – November 20. I wrote this back in September before my sabbatical season.
|
|
 Tuko Pamoja!
I was recently introduced to this Swahili phrase by our brothers from the Church of the Nazarene in southern and eastern Africa. It means “we are together.” I later learned from a friend with one of FTL’s partners Lifeway International in Kenya that the people in his community usually give the more complete phrase that says, “tuko pamoja na mungu pamoja nasi” – which means “we are together and God is with us.” I was so inspired by this that I recently created this little sign to place at my desk, which is a visual reminder of our community of Garden Project leaders around the world, knowing we are indeed together even as we are apart. The world is looking a lot different these days and the times are really hard for many of our people. But we are together in our mission to raise up Christ-centered leaders in places of influence. We are together in prayer for each other as we face a world that is sometimes hostile to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are together in our desire to offer real hope and to see His church grow. And God is with us.
|
|
|
Yannick at home with his wife Corinne and baby Ethan
|
|
You may remember my story of coming home from West Africa at the time of the coronavirus travel ban that was happening throughout the world. I had been in Africa for about a month and was finishing up my last week of Facilitator Training for leaders coming in from six West African nations when borders began to close and I had to figure out a way back to the States. People prayed, God opened doors that really couldn’t be explained, and after a rough eight days I arrived back home. With me in Senegal at the time was Yannick, one of the leaders who was helping coordinate the event. Yannick came in a day earlier than the rest of the group from his home in Congo. And like me, he also got stuck in Senegal. People prayed…and we waited. It would be five and a half months before he was able to be reunited with his wife and newborn son.
There was much rejoicing when we got the text telling us Yannick’s plane had landed. There were tears of joy when we saw a picture of him finally with his family. But there was also a profound sense of guilt on my part.
Why did God make a way for me to get home but not Yannick? Why did Yannick have to miss the birth of his firstborn son? Why did we have to wait so long for God to move? Why has this coronavirus disrupted so much of the world? Why couldn’t we have prevented this? For months I would lay awake at night with these questions.
I still don’t have the answers to these questions. I may never get them. Is God still good? Yes. Was there something behind the scenes going on that I don’t know about? (like a loose screw on one of the 5 airplanes that got cancelled for Yannick?) Possibly. Does God have a greater purpose in all this? I’d like to think so. Are we ever going to see a post-COVID world (at least in terms of being able to travel and gather again)? Yes, I believe we are.
In a post-COVID world, Yannick and I will come back together with the other leaders from these six West African nations. We are going to talk together what it means to be a Christ-centered leader in our contexts. We are going to learn together how to facilitate discussion and create an environment of adult learning and tell stories well. And we are going to dare to dream of a day more groups of Christian leaders from across West Africa will be raised up and be given the freedom to lead their communities well. We’re going to do that because that’s the calling God has given us. That’s my hope.
|
|
Peacemaking in South Asia
|
|
|
Group photo of the participants who were part of the Peacemaking module - not all pictured
|
|
In September I worked with our colleagues Abhi and Kamal in facilitating our Peacemaking module over Zoom with a batch of leaders from India and Sri Lanka. Zoom video will never be able to replace face-to-face gatherings, but we still had a great week. We even got to do a little bit of role play! I was telling the story of Abigail the Mediator (1 Samuel 25) and was struck once again by the incredible courage she had to stand before King David (and 400 of his soldiers). Most of us tend to either fight through the conflict or run away from it. Abigail chose the narrow path of peacemaking and much bloodshed was avoided. Peacemaking takes incredible courage and it is a high calling for us as leaders.
Where have you been called to be a Peacemaker?
|
|
Leadership in the Midst of Crisis
|
|
|
Screenshot of some of the participants from the discussion on leadership in crisis
|
|
This month we at Freedom to Lead have been discussing with church leaders in southern Africa about leadership in the midst of crisis.
When we as leaders are faced with crisis (like what much of the world is experiencing now), our people are watching how we respond. The way we respond to crisis communicates to people what is important to us not only in the immediate moment, but also has a long-term impact on our ministries. How we respond to crisis as leaders will determine how people will perceive us well into the future. We would even say that how we as leaders respond in crisis shapes our church even more than it does in normal times.
Think of Jesus. Look at the stories, for example, from John 6 (Woman Caught in Adultery), John 8 (Bread of Life passage), and Matthew 26 (Jesus responds to Peter at his arrest). In each of these events Jesus was responding to a crisis. Not only were Jesus’ reactions shaping people’s perceptions in the immediate moment, but he was also shaping the mindset of the disciples for the future. How he responded to these critical moments shaped how the disciples would lead the early church, and thus shaped the culture of the church.
Where have you seen both positive and negative examples of leaders responding in crisis?
|
|
|
One of my plans is to take a Sabbatical Journey Course from globaltrellis.com
|
|
I will be taking a 2-month sabbatical from ministry (September 20 - November 20). I am grateful that the leadership of FTL is giving the space to do this. I ask for your prayers during this next season for me.
While I will not be checking my FTL email during this time, you can reach me personally at michellesessoms@icloud.com. Or you can try my phone at 919-348-8018. I’d love to hear from you!
|
|
It is my responsibility to form a team of ministry partners who will support Freedom To Lead with monthly gifts and prayers. Please continue to pray how you might be involved to financially support the ministry of Freedom To Lead.
Make a Contribution Toward The Ministry of Freedom to Lead!
1. To give by check:
Make checks payable to “Freedom to Lead." Please put my name (Michelle Sessoms) on the memo line.
Then, send to:
Freedom to Lead
P.O. Box 3
Cary, NC 27512
*the same applies when setting up an automatic bank draft from your bank
2. To give online: Visit www.freedomtolead.net/donate
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
