The discernment process modeled and facilitated by Joe helped me to more fully integrate my personal and pastoral relationship with God in ways that have resulted in a greater degree of peace, clarity, and trust. I find myself personally praying more for the Lord’s provision, guidance, wisdom, and direction in situations, and processing those situations in prayer and reflection afterwards as well. It’s been very helpful to have a framework for understanding how my own feelings about something (“consolation”, “desolation”, “indifference”, etc.) should be weighed alongside what myself and others believe the Holy Spirit might be saying or doing.
It has also shaped the culture of our leadership team, particularly in the way we see our leadership as an expression of our discipleship and growth into maturity. As a result, we are spending unhurried time in prayer at the front end of our leadership meetings, regularly gauging how each person is feeling about decisions being made and potential directions we are sensing, and establishing a habit of having open-ended conversations built around reflection and learning from previous decisions. The process Joe led us through has helped us to take discernment more seriously while also deepening our trust in each other and our willingness to share our perspective more openly along with anything we might be sensing from God. Joe’s input has really cemented our understanding of church leadership as something to be done in community, through consistent interaction with the Holy Spirit.
– Nathan, Pastor