Training for Discipleship - A Huge Success
Training for Discipleship a Huge Success
By TC/DH
A special Province IV meeting was the venue for the first of several planned training sessions in disciple making. On Friday, Oct 21 and Saturday, Oct 22, Dick Hooper, Province IV President, lead a group of 22 men in a training program sponsored by “Man in the Mirror”, called “No Man Left Behind”. The training concluded with a service where all agreed to be disciples, “Kingdom Builders” whose purpose is to train others in discipleship. In between the seven course segment, questions sparked healthy spiritual discussions about our life and walk as Brothers Andrew in an age of declining church involvement and commitment.
“It was a special time of reflection in which I built clarity of thought and prayer-filled understanding of what we are being called to do differently to share God's Kingdom and bring others to Christ,” Peter Williams, Chapter Director St. Peter/St. Paul Roswell GA, declared. Others received a different message. Billy Harrison, Vice President of Province IV, remarked, “The course has enabled me to see the Brotherhood‘s place in the entire mission of the church “. Although Dick professes that instructing is not his specialty, he did a magnificent job of bringing an understandably difficult concept to life.
This training is part of a National Council objective approved at our June meeting. The goal is to provide discipleship training for every Brotherhood member. We have started on our walk to Emmaus, and the walk continues in the second part of the “No Man Left Behind” course, “Methods and Tactics.” It is designed to apply the principles learned in the first in order to develop a comprehensive men’s ministry not only for each Brotherhood chapter, but for each parish serve by the Brotherhood. “Thus equipped,” Dick Hooper says, “the Brotherhood can renew the mission for which it was founded and individual brothers can get their mojo back.”
Dick will lead “Methods and Tactics “in his diocese of the Central Gulf Coast November 5, and the Province IV course is slated in Atlanta February 2, 3 and 4. Billy Harrison, Gordon Shumard and Pete Williams of that Brotherhood chapter will be the hosts. Province VII plans to take the first course in the spring of 2012. Dick Hooper envisions a “make up” course in Nashville for those brothers missing Part II just before and in conjunction with the Triennial Meeting.
All exit survey responses were favorable, so sign up for the nearest session and be part of the renewal process. In preparation for the training, Dick recommends the book “No Man Left Behind” by Patrick Morley, David Delk and Brett Clemmer which may be purchased through the ‘Man in the Mirror” website.
Thanks go to All Saints Episcopal Church in Concord, NC and especially to the Rev. Nancy Cox, the rector, for not only allowing us to come and share this program, but also for her enthusiastic support.