Mission Mobilization

Twenty-three mobilization directors representing mission sending agencies and denominations met in Colorado Springs on Nov 30 and Dec 1, 2017, to collaborate and brainstorm how to shape and work together toward a preferred future in North American Mission Mobilization.

Three attendees designed and collated a pre-event survey to help gather objective data about our current realities in mobilization.  Agency and denominational strategies, statistics, and contexts were gathered through the survey to help set the stage for relevantly informed discussions.

The five formal sessions covered the following topics, guided by the pattern of a SWOT analysis:

1. Table discussions where each representative shared informally and personally about their current realities and challenges.
2. A review of our organization’s strengths and weaknesses especially revealed through the pre-event surveys.
3. A look at our current opportunities and threats that included North American church cultural issues, marketing, where to find candidates, and team morale.
4. An envisioning of dreams session broken into a time of personal reflection, team reflection, and organizational reflection then shared with the entire large group.
5. A breakthrough in collaboration session that included brainstorming concrete action steps to take.

The top three concrete action steps for collaboration voted on by the attendees included:

1. The need for a communication platform for mobilization directors to keep us connected throughout the year.
2. Explore cross-organizational training in areas of organizational strength and expertise.  This will require a fuller understanding of what we each have to offer one another.
3. Continue hosting 24 events for mobilization directors, utilizing the time to find and go deep on our most relevant topics.

There was a unanimous consensus to do this event again next year.