A WEEK BETWEEN
Next week we revert to our normal podcast and Afterthought process. This week introduces you to resources that may lend themselves to the type of people you are praying for during Envoy. It acts as our bridge between your words and the next block which focuses on discipling those who are responsive to our message about Jesus.
This block is technically our last for this years Envoy, however, there is an optional block for those who wish to complete the full 24 weeks of Envoy. As you begin this weeks Envoy meet-up have a discussion with your host and the others in your Envoy community and decide as a collective if you will continue beyond the next five weeks. In our experience it is best to end together or continue together.
What's the last block about (help me decide if its worth staying)?
We return to where we began. We started Envoy by introducing you to a life lived and an evangelism that happens from the inside out. For many the weeks of seeing, hearing and valuing released them into a whole different way of evangelism. We then moved to 'nuts and bolts' type teaching and inevitably that means a focus shift from the internal to external practices even though we tried to always root you back into the inner reality that isn't as much about you, the one that isn't as focused on critiquing your evangelism in terms of failure or success, good or bad, try harder next time.
The final block will have teaching and stories to draw us back to the source and the sustainer of our evangelism and discipleship. We often hear that it's not about me but then live like it all depends on me. It really doesn't. I am fairly sure on your good days your evangelism isn't as good as you think it is, nor on your bad days is it as bad as you think it is, because, it isn't about you. Evangelism isn't yours. It belongs to the one who lives in you. It is caused by the one who lives in you. The final block won't be everyone's cup of tea as the focus is the Holy Spirit - our majority shareholder and partner in evangelism. I hope you decide to join us.
THIS WEEK ...
Go back to your notes and find the names of the people your Envoy community is praying for.
If you remember the three descriptions of the kind of people they might be. Chance encounters - those who are random, unexpected or you know you are unlikely to meet again. Connected people - those on our street or in our hall of residence. The people we work with, play sports with. The people we share space or life with on a regular basis. Chosen relationships - those who we are in covenant people, our siblings, partners, children.
Pick which description covers the most of the people you are praying for, or pick the one you really want to find out more about.
Click on the relevant link below, it will take you to that category. Please do not leave the teaching with either a like or dislike, an agreement or disagreement with what you see or hear (one of them generates a love it or hate it reaction every year)). If that's the reaction you have, work out why and then answer our weekly question, 'How then shall I live?' Use the afterthought process if you need to work that out.
We won't know which you decided to engage with (you are welcome to engage with them all). At your meet-up feedback which you decided to watch/listen to and what it is generally about. Finish with the answer to the, How then shall I live?/what ideas or questions has it generated that you can put into practice when the time is right.
THE AFTERTHOUGHT
Deutsch NachGedanken​
Awareness (1-2 minutes)
Record what thoughts, feelings or attitudes are floating around your head after listening to the podcast? Create a list of between 4-7 thoughts.
Attention (4-5 minutes)
Pick one of the 4 -7 thoughts to think and write about a little more deeply.
Why this thought?
What is it there for?
Is this thought part of a bigger network of thoughts, experiences or conversations I’ve had in the past or recently?
What emotions are attached to it, how am I feeling because of it?
If I pursue this to its conclusion what will it cost me/What will its gain be?
Amend (1-2 minutes)
Read over what you have just written in the attention section.
Ask the Holy Spirit if anything needs to be amended, added or removed.
Now amend add or remove.
Apply (1 minute)
You have reached the point where you can answer the earlier question. How, then, shall I live?
Think of it as a conclusion or perhaps the bit of gold or pearl that you’ve uncovered after all the digging around.
This is what you will bring to your next meet up.