E-Connected Archive - January 2011
GROWING FRUITFUL TEAMS
“Fruitful practices” refer to activities that promote the emergence, vitality, and multiplication of fellowships of Jesus followers in a Muslim context. We call these practices “fruitful” rather than “best” or “good” because they bear life; they produce growth and reproduction. They have value beyond simply being good, value that’s eternal.
We often speak of being good stewards of time, money, people and resources. Rarely, however, do we talk about being good stewards of our experience, especially the insight and knowledge we gain from watching God at work in, through, and around us. |
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We are seeing that intentionally learning from and sharing from our experience increases our fruitfulness. It is our responsibility and privilege to be good stewards of the experience and knowledge that God has entrusted to us.
Frontiers is part of a multi-agency team which has, over a number of years, been investigating and studying fruitful practices in the Muslim world. Rather than hypothesising about which practices are most fruitful, the team surveyed and interviewed effective teams from 13 organisations representing more than 5800 workers in the Muslim world.
The Fruitful Practice list is not a recipe for success nor is it meant to be a formula for us to follow but it does help us to see what many workers are finding helpful.
The practices that the research has identified are helping us in Frontiers to train and equip new and existing teams. By learning from others, teams can be more effective and fruitful as they seek to invite Muslims to follow Jesus. Please pray with us in 2011 for more Frontiers teams that will bear fruit in the Muslim world.
The Fruitful Practices have been grouped into eight categories:
1. How to relate to society
2. How to relate to seekers
3. How to relate to believers
4. How to relate to leaders
5. Our own walk with God
6. Developing fruitful teams
7. Communicating well
8. Helping the church to grow
Note: The full list of Fruitful Practices can be found in the book ‘Where There Was No Church’ which is available from the Frontiers office.
“We’re committed to raising up more teams for the Muslim world in 2011. We’re also committed to helping prepare and equip these teams well so they can be those who bear fruit” Phil Goodchild, British Director, Frontiers.