An Overview of Sunday REFRESH!

Dear Canaan EM sisters and brothers,

I’d like to encourage you, if you have any leadership, teaching, counseling, worship, or other responsibilities at Canaan to join Sunday REFRESH! Below is an overview of the “class” for your information. We will focus on two resources this year.

The first is an entertaining and useful DVD lesson on “Building Trust.” The foundation for healthy marriages, work life, and church communities is strong trust among the members. This training program will offer excellent ways to become a trust builder. We’ll start this Sunday, so be ready!

The second resource is an excellent book by Kevin Harney called “Leadership from the Inside Out” We will learn how developing our leadership abilities is also a way to grow spiritually.

Here is the overview…. – Tim Tseng

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REFRESH! is an informal and collaborative leadership equipping and renewal experience held every Sunday before worship (9:45-10:45 AM). We begin Nov 28, 2010 and will meet until Apr 17 (Palm Sunday).

What is the PURPOSE of REFRESH!?

REFRESH! will create a group of leaders at Canaan who:

• are self-aware (of their leadership strengths and styles)
• are self-navigators
• are lifelong learners
• can transfer their skills to other contexts (marketplace, missions, family, etc.)
• are proficient at self-care (spiritually and otherwise)
• are enthusiastic and joyful about their participation in the vision of Canaan
• are able to build a culture of trust and confidence at Canaan

Who may PARTICIPATE? REFRESH is open to those who are currently serving in a leadership role and those identified by the ELT as emergent leaders.

What is the PLAN? Each session will include the following elements:
1. Fellowship. 10 minutes each session will be devoted to sharing and praying for one another (confidentiality will be maintained).
2. Care and feeding of leaders. 30 minutes to study and reflect on what leaders are, what they do, and how they grow spiritually and cultivate their leadership styles and strengths OR
3. Equipping. 30 minutes to address specific skill development (e.g., leading bible study, leading worship, leading teams, etc.)

OVERVIEW for 2010-2011. During the first few weeks, we will ask “What are Canaan’s priority areas that we need to fill? What is leadership?” Then we will engage the following resources:

• Trust Building: Loving, Listening, and Leading More Like Jesus. DVD curriculum. (Equipping Ministries, International)
• Kevin Harney, Leadership from the Inside Out: Examining the Inner Life of a Healthy Church Leader (Zondervan 2007)

What is Leadership? What are Canaan’s Priorities (Nov. 28-Dec. 12)

Nov 28: Paul Tokunaga – “Level Five Leadership”

Dec 5: Tim Tseng – What are Canaan’s Priorities?

Dec 12: Grace Hsiao – Review of “Transitions”

Trust Building (Dec 19-Feb 13)

Dec 19: Tim Tseng – Introduction to Trust Building

Dec 26: no class

Jan 02: Non-verbal Trust building (1/2)

Jan 09: No class (joint worship at 10:30 AM)

Jan 16: Non-verbal Trust building (2/2)

Jan 23: Verbal Trust building (1/2)

Jan 20: Verbal Trust building (2/2)

Feb 06: Behavioral Trust building (1/2)

Feb 13: Behavioral Trust building (2/2) & Spiritual Trust building

Feb-Apr: The Inner Life of a Healthy Church Leader

Feb 20: Love Strengthens Every Relationship: The Leader’s Heart

Feb 27: Lifelong Learning Expands Our Horizons: The Leader’s Mind

Mar 06: Attentive Listening Informs Wise Decisions: The Leaders’ Ears

Mar 13: Clear Vision Sees What Lies Ahead: The Leader’s Eyes

Mar 20: Affirming Words Bring Blessing and Energy: The Leader’s Mouth

Mar 27: Humble Service Reveals Jesus’ Presence: The Leader’s Hands

Apr 03: Laughter Sustains Our Sanity: The Leader’s Funny Bone

Apr 10: Understanding and Harnessing Our Sexual Desires: The Leader’s Libido

Apr 17 [Palm Sunday]: Bearing the Yoke of Jesus: The Leader’s Back

REFRESH! Participant Covenant
• I will come 3 out of 4 Sundays each month at 9:45 AM until April 17 (Palm Sunday)
• I will be prepared to share and lead.
• I will commit to meeting one-on-one with one person [a prayer buddy (peer), someone under your care (mentee), a mentor, and/or pastoral staff] twice a month for 30 minutes.

Other Resource

• Robert Banks, Paul’s Idea of Community, revised (Hendrickson, 1994)
• Nancy Beach, Gifted to Lead: The Art of Leading as a Woman in the Church (Zondervan, 2008)
• Jerry Bridges, The Crisis of Caring: Recovering the Meaning of True Fellowship (P&R Publishing, 1985)
• Bill George, Truth North: Discover your Authentic Leadership (John Wiley and Sons, 2007)
• Walter Wink, Transforming Bible Study. 2d Edition (Abingdon, 1989)

Some possible future topics:

• Finding your voice (and helping others find theirs).
• Revitalizing prayer life and spiritual formation.
• How to have a thriving family life AND church life?
• Balancing marketplace and church ministries.
• Canaan’s place among Asian American churches.