Based on your reading of our Region’s profile, what approach would you take during your first three years to help us achieve our stated goals?
The Region’s current vision remains relevant: connect, equip, and empower to love and serve like Jesus. It’s a compass for the mission of unity, not uniformity. It’s a compass for the service and work of the Region and all Oklahoma disciples to be a movement of wholeness. My approach would draw from a model created by George Bullard, asking the Region and congregations to consider what is faithful, effective, and innovative about our diverse ministries. How can we identify and support innovative, effective, and faithful ministries in a connection and attention economy as we proclaim the good news of God?
I don’t think this can be accomplished without humble hospitality, collaboration, storytelling, and data analysis. I will collaborate in charting a course for the Region, taking the information from the listening sessions on the road to determine where clergy and laity are willing to engage and participate in creating a future aligned with the Region’s vision and mission. There is abundant skill, experience, leadership, and dollars in our Region. The gifts for being the Christian Church in Oklahoma are among us and represented in the Regional Minister Search Committee. We have to build, in some cases rebuild, relationships and communication that can listen for the Spirit of God among us, pointing toward a future that presents ministry to do and gospel to be locally and through the covenant relationship between congregations, clergy, and the Region.
There is ministry to do and gospel to be in your community that only you and your congregation can do, and only you and your congregation can be. That is true for our Region and this covenant we share.
Thank you for claiming and participating in the covenant we share as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma with your time, talents, gifts for ministry, vision, and financial support.
Disciples, you are a blessing.