Enhancing the Effectiveness of All Members

Core Ideas: OMF Leaders have primary responsibility for equipping people for effective ministry, facilitating their learning as adults.

1.      Who? (Who are these learners?) Approximately 40 newly appointed OMF organizational leaders with a wide variety of professional and ministry experience. Some might be classified as “reluctant” leaders, but all are internally motivated to some degree.

2.      Why? (What is the problem that calls for the course?) Orient these leaders to OMF’s philosophy and practice of organizational leadership so they will be able to lead their diverse members into focused, effective ministry.

3.      When? (When invites serious consideration of just how much can be taught in the available time.) One week (five days) May 19-23, 2003

4.      Where? (An environment that feels safe for all and has room for small-group work at tables.) OMF IHQ, second floor training room. Tables seating six to eight available for all.

5.      What? (content; knowledge, skills and attitudes; nouns)

1. Theory on how adults learn.
2. Cognitive, affective and psycho-motor aspects of adult learning.
3. How to do a learning needs assessment.
4. Design and use of open questions
5. The seven steps of planning training for adult learners
6. Dealing with needs and fears of facilitators of adult learning
7. Training methods for working with adult learners
8. Scriptural principles of member development
9. Obstacles to member development in OMF
10. Elements of an effective developmental experience for adult learners
11. Principles and practices of developmental assignments
12. Use of assessment, challenge and support in developmental assignments
13. How to conduct developmental interviews
14. A developmental mindset for OMF leaders
15. How to identify marks of effective ministry
16. Means of assessing potential and actual performance in ministry
17. Developing action plans for development
18. Current best practices in OMF member development

6.   What for? (achievement based objectives; verbs)

1. Reviewed principles of adult learning theory
2. Participated in cognitive, affective and psycho-motor training experiences
3. Practiced designing and using open questions
4. Practiced doing learning needs assessment.
5. Used and evaluated the Seven Steps of Planning for adult learning
6. Reviewed the needs and fears of facilitators of adult learning
7. Reviewed various methods of active training for adult learners
8. Developed Scriptural principles of member development
9. Evaluated obstacles to member development in OMF
10. Reviewed elements of effective developmental experiences
11. Practiced developing developmental assignments
12. Reviewed use of assessment, challenge and support in developmental assignments
13. Practiced conducting developmental interviews
14. Identified characteristics of a developmental mindset for OMF leaders
15. Reviewed means of assessing potential and actual performance in ministry
16. Developed action plans for personal and leadership development
17. Identified current best practices in OMF member development

7.   How? (learning tasks; materials; sequence of tasks)

A.  Principles and Practices of Learning for Adult Learners

Each of us has experienced many years of education and training before joining OMF. But there is a major difference between training designed primarily for children and that designed explicitly for adult learners. We want to be sure that training we do in OMF is designed to meet the unique challenges and needs of adult learners.

1.   Quick Quiz: What is your experience with adult learning concepts?

Based on your own knowledge and experience mark the following statements “C” or “A” to indicate whether they are most characteristic of learning for (C)hildren or (A)dults

____    Decide for themselves what is important to be learned

____    Have little or no experience upon which to draw – are relatively “clean slates”

____    Expect what they are learning to be immediately useful.

____    Accept the importance of what is being presented at face value

____    Expect what they are learning to be useful in their long term future

____    Little ability to serve as a knowledgeable resource to teacher or fellow classmates

____    Have much experience upon which to draw – may have fixed viewpoints

____    Significant ability to serve as knowledgeable resource to trainer and fellow learners

2.   Program Review and Expectations

a.       Quickly review the program elements for this principle on pages 19-28.

b.      In pairs at this table, name at least one personal expectation you have of this session. Write it down. The table group will hear all.

c.       (Warm-up) Think about your experience of growth and development as an OMF member or leader. Think of a word or phrase which best describes your experience of learning and development in OMF and share it with your partner. Tell why you chose that word or phrase.

d.      How useful have you found this learning task (review/expectation/warm-up)? The group will hear a sample of the responses

3.   How Adults Learn

a.       In pairs describe the best learning experience of your life. Write the factors that made it so good on post it notes and share them at your table.

b.      Listen to a description of research on adult learning:

“In order for adults to learn effectively, programs must respect the learners experience, acknowledge their need for immediate application and show relevance to their current situation. Tasks must have a “hands-on” component since we retain 20 percent of what we hear, 40 percent of what we hear and see and 80 percent of what we do.”

c.       What are your questions and comments?

4.   Implement a learning process that involves ideas, feelings and actions (20 minutes)

a.       Read this case study of a leader’s work in some other mission (not OMF!).

JIM’S DILEMMA

Jim Johnson is a team leader on your field. He has been working with his team members who are planting a church. He has been teaching his team members about church planting movements that he learned at a seminar last year. He has developed a comprehensive outline, and is highly motivated. Jim’s team members are confused because this new approach seems to be quite different from the “cell church” model they have been working on.

All but one of Jim’s team members have come to the field without professional ministry training. They have experience in evangelism and discipleship, but not in cross-cultural church planting. Jim keeps teaching them about the “ten universal elements” and “POUCH”.

Jim is getting frustrated because his team members are not “getting it”. He is frustrated because they don’t respond to his instruction. During team meetings when he is sharing his carefully prepared training sessions, they sit there like lumps, nodding respectfully and not learning a thing.

b.      Examine this model from Kurt Lewin:

Learning always involves ideas (cognitive material), feelings (affective considerations), and actions (psychomotor activities)

c.       What are your questions about this model?

d.      Using the model with a partner, decide at least one or two things Jim can do to make his collaboration with his team more successful. The group will hear all ideas.

5.   Practice Design and Use of Open Questions

a.       In pairs, look over the following list of questions. Mark those you consider “open.”

__ What town are you from?

__ What do you hope to learn from this session?

__ What field to you represent? What is your role on that field?

__ How long have you been a member of OMF?

__ Is your spouse with you at this training session?

__ How has being a member of OMF enhanced your ministry?

__ What is the most important thing that OMF provides you?

b.      As a pair, name at least two differences you see between “closed” and “open” questions.

c.       Write two open questions Jim might have used with the training session group (above). The group will hear a sample.

6.   Use the Seven Steps of Planning

1.      WHO: Who are the learners? Look at learners' needs assessments, cultural perspectives, and immediate needs regarding the topic. Ask the question 'Who needs What as defined by Whom?'

2.      WHY: What is the problem this course must solve and why are the learners attending?

3.      WHEN: Is the time convenient for the learners?

4.      WHERE: Is the course situated in the best place to meet the needs of the learners or could a better place be found?

5.      WHAT FOR: What are the achievement-based objectives (verbs) and why should the learners want to participate?

6.      WHAT: What is being committed to (nouns) and will be presented? This is a framework, not a boundary.

7.      HOW: How will the material be presented? What is the best way to present the material given the information from #1 above? Will the instructor play an active role or simply act as a resource?

a.       Examine the seven steps of planning at the beginning of this session (who why, when, where, what for, what, and how). What questions come to mind?

b.      Name one thing you found useful in the seven steps.

7.   Dealing with Needs and Fears in Facilitating Adult Learning

Dealing with My Needs: To be an effective facilitator of adult learning, I must come to grips with my need to …

·         Be in control

·         Feel comfortable

·         Teach, talk or lecture

·         Cover the material

·         Be the expert

·         Tell everything I know about …

·         Tell my neat stories

·         Demonstrate my PowerPoint^® skills

·         Be admired

·         __________________________________________________

·         __________________________________________________

Dealing with My Fears To be an effective facilitator of adult learning, I must come to grips with my fear of …

·         Dissent

·         Not having the answers

·         Failure

·         Resistance

·         Losing control

·         Conflict

·         Disappointing people who want a lot of facts

·         Being perceived as “not earning my money”

·         Criticism from my colleagues

·         Criticism from my audience

·         __________________________________________________

·         __________________________________________________

8.   Thirteen Training Methods

	Determines Content			Learners Role		Senses
	Trainer	Learner		Passive	Active	Sight	Sound	Hands
Structured Warm-up	4				4			4
Presen-tation	4			4		4	4
Reading	4			4		4
Demon-stration	4			4		4	4	4
Video	4			4		4	4
Note-taking	BOTH			BOTH		4		4
Discus-sion	BOTH			BOTH			4
Quiz/Ques-tionnaires	4			BOTH				4
Case Study	4				4		4	4
Role play	4				4			4
Role play case study	4				4			4
Games	4				4	4	4	4
Structured Closure	4				4			4

Adapted from Training Methods that Work, Lois Hart, Crisp Publications, Menlo Park, CA, USA

Think back over your training experience at NLIC. Using the list above, identify the methods you have experienced.

9.   Synthesize the Information

a.       Examine with a partner the content (what) and achievement based objectives (what for) set out at the beginning of this session. What strikes you about them?

b.      Identify one thing you learned that you might use. The group will hear a sample.

B.  Understanding Member Development in OMF (45 minutes)

1.   Principles of Development from Scripture

We all are familiar with personal development. We use a variety of terms and ideas to communicate the concept of growing or changing as we progress from birth to maturity. Sometimes we use this concept in the sense of physical or social development. We also use these ideas to refer to spiritual development or growth in ministry competencies. Using the following scriptures as a base, plus other Scriptures you are familiar with, try to draft at least five principles concerning an individual’s personal development.

1.      2 Cor 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2.      Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

3.      2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!

4.      1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

5.      Eph 4:14-15 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

6.      2 Peter 1:5-8 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7.      Prov 24:30-34 I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment; thorns had come up everywhere, the g round was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

8.      1 Tim 4:7-8 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

2.      Read the vision statement  of the OMF Member Development Programs.

We long to see OMF members glorifying God through their lives and serving fruitfully and strategically in their God-given roles. We long to see every OMF leader with a passion to inspire, mobilize and develop their ministry teams, and equipped to strategically lead them to accomplish OMF’s mission and vision to the glory of God.

What are your questions? What would you add? What would you change

3.      What indications have you seen that member development is being taken more seriously by OMF leaders? What factors contribute to this renewed emphasis? What are major challenges you have observed to better equipping OMF members for effective ministry?

4.      Look at this list of obstacles to member development you submitted.

Underline the one you would you be most ready to address in your situation.

Circle the one with the greatest long-term impact on effectiveness if resolved

4Put a check mark in front of the one which you have personally felt most strongly about.

1.      Need for specialized ministry training

2.      Distance between workers

3.      Diversity of training and experience makes it difficult to provide appropriate help

4.      Demands of ministry or other work commitments

5.      Lack of experienced trainers and developers

6.      Unwillingness to commit to OMF-related training

7.      Lack of perceived value in OMF training

8.      Lack of time and skills for intentional mentoring

9.      There is no clear ministry/career development path

10.  Knowing how much to invest in people on field from 3 weeks to years

11.  Trying to maintain balance while living in a CAN

12.  Normal “church experience” is not possible and family aspects suffer

13.  Ensuring that investment in training translates into actual “effectiveness”

14.  Difficulty in measuring ministry effectiveness

Be prepared to share your responses in your table groups

5.   Developmental Assignments

One of the intentional ways of developing emerging leaders or staff is through developmental assignments.  These are situations in which a person is placed to stimulate growth and the development of new skills, attitudes, values or knowledge.   Research has identified three key factors in making developmental assignments maximally productive for younger leaders (assessment, challenge and support).  Development experiences are most effective when all three elements are present.  These elements serve a dual process in the development process.

·         They motivate people to focus their attention and exert effort toward learning growth and change. 

·         They provide the raw material or resources for learning: the information, observations and reactions that lead to a more complex and sometimes quite different understanding of the world.

The following table summarizes the motivational role played by each element, as well as the kind of learning resource each element provides.

Element	Role in Motivation	Role as a Resource
Assessment	Desire to close gap between current and ideal	Clarity about needed changes; clues about how gap can be closed
Challenge	Need to master the challenge	Opportunity for experimentation and practice; exposure to different perspectives
Support	Confidence in ability to learn and grow; positive value placed on change	Confirmation and clarification of lessons learned

1.   Assessment.  The best developmental experiences are rich in assessment data. Assessment gives people:

·         An understanding of where they are now

·         What their current strengths are

·         The level of their current performance

·         What are seen as their primary development needs

2.   Challenge.  Developmentally, the experiences that can be most potent are the  ones that stretch or challenge people. Individuals develop certain strengths – ways of thinking and acting – that work for them. These strengths become comfortable patterns and lead to habitual ways of thinking and acting.

·         If conditions don’t change, people feel no need to move beyond their comfort zone to develop new strengths.

·         In a comfortable assignment, they use familiar strengths well in serving the needs of the organization, but they do not learn very much from it.

·         The same is true for a comfortable relationship, feedback that confirms, or a training program on skills that have already been mastered.

·         In these cases, comfort is the enemy of growth and continued effectiveness.

3.   Support.  Although developmental experiences stretch people and point out their strengths and weaknesses, they are most powerful when they also have an element of support.

·         While the element of challenge provides the disequilibrium needed to motivate people to change, the support elements of an experience send the message that their efforts to learn and grow are valued.

·         If people do not receive support in the form of confirming messages, and if other people do not allow and encourage them to change, then the challenge may overwhelm them, rather than opening them up to learning.

·         For example, an organization that wants to develop more effective teamwork is unlikely to make progress if it continues primarily to reward individual contributions.

Think about it: How did the apostle Paul use assessment, challenge and support with his co-workers

6.   Developmental interviews:

Facilitate Reflection

·         What worked well in the last six months?

·         What have you learned from success?

·         What will you do differently in the future?

·         What have you learned from failure?

·         What are on-going problems or needs?

·         What would make you more effective?

Facilitate Action

·         Prioritize high priority major developmental needs

·         Envision future results in this area

·         Create specific steps leading to results.

·         Follow up development in the next interview.

Watch this demonstration of a developmental interview, and see how many of the factors highlighted above you can detect.

In groups of 3 role play a developmental interview based on a situation given by the facilitator. Each person should take turns playing the leader, member and observer. After five minutes of interaction, the observer will provide feedback to the “leader.” Rotate roles and continue until all have had opportunity to participate in each role.

C.  Identifying Steps Toward Ministry Effectiveness – A Developmental Mindset

Identify a member of your team or ministry staff that you know well enough to be aware of their spiritual gifts, natural abilities and acquired skills. (You might use yourself if no one matches this description.)

1.      Identify the goal: What does ministry effectiveness look like in their situation based on the following resources you might use?

·         Scripture

·         Ministry profile

·         job descriptions

·         models

·         examples

·         articles

·         books, etc.

2.      Identify the gap between your current situation and the goal: Training and development needs assessment

·         How could you assess current levels of awareness of ministry potential and developmental needs? (methods and means)

·         What is your current assessment of ministry potential and developmental needs?

3.      Identify resources for moving from the current situation to the goal: Training and development options and opportunities

·         Formal training -- academic study

·         Informal training --workshops, seminars, classes, etc.

·         Non-formal training -- self-study, developmental assignments, mentors, etc.

·         Which is most likely to enhance effectiveness?

·         What resources are needed?

·         What resources are available?

4.      Create an action plan for training and development

·         Who will do what by when with which resources?

·         To whom am I accountable for implementing these steps?

·         How will I know that my capacity has increased in this area?

·         How will I celebrate my progress?

D.    Best Practices in Ensuring Effectiveness

1.      Review this list of examples of best practices and identify those that are already functioning well in your situation. (page 11 in the five practices study guide)

·         Use of development assessment forms

·         Appointment of member development coordinator for the field/region/team/etc.

·         Using the SYIS materials

·         Surveying MDP effectiveness

·         Field leaders using developmental questions

·         The use of developmental assignments

2.   Which has the potential to make the greatest impact on effectiveness in your current ministry situation?