Pressing On in 2013: Cross-Sector Collaboration in City Movements

A Strong 2012~~

In the world of Frontline Ministries, we saw a very strong end of year. A few hi-lites:

• completion of a first draft of a new book. Working title: The Practitioners Guide to Birthing and Building City Transformational Movements
• Participation in my third “Movement Day,” hosted by the New York City movement. I serve on the Leadership Cabinet for MD, a one day gathering of 1200-1500 practitioners of city movements from North America. In addition, I am partnering with colleague Glenn Barth (Good Cities) hosting a fresh leadership learning community that meets the two days prior to MD, the “City Advance.” This past September we had 80 participants from 25 city movements of varying size, complexity and stage of development.
• Significant “traction” and growth momentum in three of the cities I’m privileged to coach: Eugene, Abilene TX, and greater Kansas City. We saw major breakthrough at a retreat for leaders of influence in Kansas City: an executive team was put in place to birth a greater Kansas City Kingdom Coalition, an attempt to better collaborate on and coordinate missional endeavors in the region. Here’s one of my favorite pix of 2012, prayer for the Police Chief in the Abilene Summit (“cross-sector collaboration!”)

• An excellent, 10th annual Pacific NW Regional City Impact Roundtable for cities in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, hosted by the Luis Palau Association. Steve Sjogren (author, Conspiracy of Kindness) was our plenary speaker, sharing practical ideas for a prayer, care, share lifestyle, and Rick McKinley, Pastor of Imago Dei, in Portland. The PNW-CIR is the largest and longest-running model of this kind in North America.

In short, I am as inspired and energized as ever! Unmistakeably, the Holy Spirit is moving sovereignly in cities, bringing increased health and John 17 oneness in the Body of Christ, and stirring increased interest in collaboration on kingdom endeavors.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2013

Here’s what the first half of 2013 is looking like:

• Jan 7-9  Good Cities Leadership Learning Community, Phoenix, AZ. A gathering of some 50 leaders of major city movements in the US.
• Jan 28-30  Leaders Prayer Summit for Eugene-Springfield, Cannon Beach OR (Terri and I help to co-facilitate this vibrant gathering. The movement in Lane County OR is the “One Hope Network.”
• Feb 4-7  Leaders Prayer Summit, “Church of the Valley,” OR (this is our 23rd annual Summit, always a huge blessing. Terri and I lead facilitation teams for parallel men’s and women’s Summits)
• Feb 22-24  City-Wide ministry in Roseburg, OR
• March 26-29   First-Ever Leaders Prayer Summit for leaders of influence in the Chinese Church (Frontline is financing and facilitating this, with invitations being extended to high level leaders in many of China’s Provinces)
• April 21-27   Leaders Prayer Summit & City Transformation consultation, Northern Wisconsin
• April 29-30   Leaders Summit, Abilene, TX (fourth in two years)
• May 1-2   Retreat with Middle Tennessee Leadership Team (a regional movement with a vision to engage collaboratively in outreach and discipleship)
• May 15-16   Leadership Consultation, Willow Creek Association, Chicago
• May 20-31   Terri and I will be on the East Coast. Our son Josh formally receives his Ph.D. with high distinction, from Johns-Hopkins Univ. He is an expert on Pakistani politics and South Asian Affairs.
• June 16-22  High level leadership consultation, Bangalore, INDIA, sponsored by the Lausanne Committee, discussion on the progress of world evangelism. I have been asked to bring inputs on city transformational movements.

That’s just the first half of 2013! Stay tuned for breaking news and developments!