Do you want to take a deeper dive into the way of life of The Initiative? Are you interested in integrating missional ecumenism more fully into your current vocational calling? Would you like the encouragement and help of a few other fellow-travelers in exploring practical ways of praying, sharing your life, and working proactively for greater unity in your specific context? Consider becoming part of an Initiative Cohort.

Each Cohort group consists of 8-12 members meeting four times over a nine-to-ten-month period, examining the importance of missional ecumenism and how the prayer of Jesus for the unity of all his followers (John 17:20–23) intentionally and directly impacts the work of effective mission.

The Cohort sessions are constructed around the “way of life” of missional ecumenism that is at the heart of The Initiative:

• Session 1 will focus on “The Way of Unity” with the major theme of engaging with what it means to “intentionally practice deep and growing friendship with God and others, that the love of Jesus might exceed all divisions.”
• Session 2 will focus on “sharing our lives with followers of Jesus from traditions other than our own.” The major theme will be to consider how we intentionally pursue relationships with Christians of other denominations and ethnic backgrounds
• Session 3 will focus on “praying daily for a radical increase of love for the whole body of Christ.” The major theme will be how the outer change we seek in the Church can only come as God works in our inner life, and how the renewal of love is a spiritual discipline and a way of life.
• Session 4 will focus on “working proactively for missional-ecumenism.” The major theme will be to press into the questions: How will you live your life differently in the pursuit of missional ecumenism? What are practical “next steps” you can take to be proactive in the work?

The four day-long sessions will also include participant-led discussions of the assigned reading, group conversations or workshops around various practical topics related to the life and ministry of the Cohort participants, and at least one “take home” assignment to work on after each session. There will also be several remote sessions in between the four on-site gatherings of the Cohort.

The growing trust, friendship and Christian love among the participants is a critical aspect of the Cohort. Members of each cohort must demonstrate a clear commitment to Jesus and his gospel coupled with a desire to become intentionally focused leaders who will impact others for the purpose of changing the world, and a willingness to love others who have different theological and ecclesiological convictions than they do.

For more information and a Cohort application, contact Scott Brill at scott@theinitative.org.