Last week, Monday through Friday, our training team lead 70 of our JV missionaries through a week of training called "Winter Academy"; now they're back to lead another 70 of us for the week.
This is a two year training program that was started three years ago in order to bring everyone up to speed on all of JV's training materials and systems.
I started my two year program last year, since the first year we held Winter Academy I was babysitting our two grandsons so that Tyler and Lara could go. I went second week last year, and now am finishing my two years of training at this year's "week two".
People asked me, "Why do you need to go to training since you've been here from the beginning?" Good question!
And the answer is...the JV that we started is not the JV that we are today. Through the years as our team has grown, our strategy for reaching young people with the Gospel and discipling them into leaders has grown as well. Parts of it have been rolled out at various conferences, but not everyone got everything.
So leadership decided to implement this two year program so that we're all up to date on everything, and don't just know it, but can use it effectively in ministry.
Today was a review of what we learned last year, which included this illustration that we use for what it takes to grow in Christ.
It is one of my favorites since it captures the essence of how to grow as a Christian. We get rooted in Christ through prayer, the Word of God, the Spirit of God and the family of God. And then as more of Christ is in us, we begin to bear fruit through our obedience, worship, love and witness.
I'm looking forward to this week, and all that God has for us through our training team's teaching!
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