Though I’ve been a part of a few different cohorts over the years I haven’t had much experience in the “faith and work” space.
Was the DreamForum going to be some “Shark Tank” like space of hawking our dreams to an evil panel intent on putting it to shreds? (I didn’t really expect that, but, who knows!)
Or, perhaps, we were going to get training in certain leadership skills essential to entrepreneurship and “starting things.”
I definitely wasn’t expecting imaginative prayer exercises, spaces to rekindle hope and to listen to God’s voice for one another! (As a Charismatic Anglican deeply influenced by the predominantly Pentecostal Church in the Global South it was a bit fun, I must admit, to see the Presbyterians in the room squirm a bit uncomfortably at the beginning of our cohort when hearing our the instructions for our first listening assignment!)
It is always a temptation for us “ministry professionals” to resort to skills, strategies and natural giftedness for the outworking of our God give dreams and to slowly drift from the centrality of listening and being guided by God’s voice.
The first 2-week Trellis times in our cohort were all about the calling of hope. And hope was rekindled in my soul as internal voices on repeat that spoke lies were named, rebuked and replaced with God’s gentle whispers of hope and love.
What a gift to be drawn back to the center and source of my dream and to receive refreshment and nourishment for its ongoing practical outworking.
Jonathan Abraham Kindberg is one of twelve Dreamers in Goldenwood’s 2024 Dream Forum. This reflection is part of Goldenwood’s #InsidetheDreamPod series. Hear more and connect with Jonathan at the Dream Forum on November 14th.
About Jonathan’s Dream, The Diaspora Network [event image above]: Immigration is one of the hottest political topics of the day. It is also a central theme throughout the Scriptures. Over and over we see movement and migration being at the heart of the purposes of God and his people. The majority of immigrants coming to the US are Christians who are planting churches, starting businesses and bringing renewal to the city and the church in North America. I dream of a national community of city networks which connect and mobilize immigrant churches and church leaders, empower the next generation (1.5 and 2nd generation immigrants) as global Christian leaders and partner non-immigrant churches with the nations here in each city.