Winnipeg Discipleship Training School

WOW! Can you believe it’s already been two of the five months of the Winnipeg DTS of 2007? As we serve, grow, and love more, a time comes when we as students need to address questions about us as a group and how we can be moving and forming a community that would be representative of Jesus. In light of this revelation, the topic of Missional Community was guided by the intellectually sparkling (which is probably a good thing since he’s one of the directors of our school…tee hee hee) Jamie Arpin-Ricci. Jamie emphasized such questions as “What is the Gospel?”, “What are the stages of community?”, “What qualities should a community should poses, and how does/should a community grow?”.

We began by brainstorming ideas of what we the students felt the Gospel (aka Good News) was? A wide variety of ideas were presented, which we then discussed thoroughly. We came to a conclusion that not only is the Good News the fact that Jesus lived, died, and rose that we may be forgiven and have eternal life, but that as is best explained by the following quote,”The Gospel is the work of the Trinitarian God to reconcile every person to union with God, to communion with others, to fullness with self, and to harmony with Creation, in the context of community for the glory of God and the good of all.”

Imagine a beautiful country scene with a nice car winding down a smoothly paved road. Now picture in the middle of all this serenity a creepy person/thing (whatever is was) popping up and saying “Wake up and get back to work!.” HAHAHA….Yep…that’s how Jamie used a joke video clip to start off one of our lectures about missional community. We think we’re getting some sweet media to convey his ideas but instead we get the life scared out of us. Good stuff. After the shock of it all (hee hee) we began talking about the journey that true community has taken through the Bible and how it represents the growth of community in general.

The stages can be best described as The Garden of Eden (hidden nakedness, i.e false community, the one we generally tend to begin with), The Cross (the point where differences in others are brought to light, where chaos, pain, and revelation of our inadequacies are revealed), The Tomb (when emptiness of  a self-seeking attitude occurs, when the right to be angry or manipulative are relinquished), The Resurrection ( when we are reborn and gathered together), and lastly Pentecost (meaning that the Holy Spirit is empowering us to serve Christ and love others fully).

Another thought provoking teaching occurred when Jamie presented a slide show of art portraying Jesus. There were images that shocked, awed, horrified, inspired, and even confused us. We then shared what each thought of the artwork, with Jamie hitting right on the mark inside us with the question, “What kind of Jesus does the world see when they look at you?”  I could feel the sting of disappointment wrapped around my heart as he spoke this (by the way, I know this question was not meant as a guilt trip, but God was showing me that I needed to fully live out what I admired about His Son). Many of us had never considered the fact that we spoke of Christ one way, but then conveyed His character completely different with our lifestyles. After all, we are reflections of Christ, not radios for Christ…

As students, we experienced a tremendous amount of breakthrough concerning the intensity and intimacy of our relationships with one another. Jamie’s questions brought about discussions such as how can we could promote the depth and breadth of our relationships, and what we should do to bless the community around us. In the pursuit of answers, we were left to reflect and ponder for some time. At one point, we were completely left alone by the staff to begin preparation for a community outreach that incorporated and embraced the strengths/talents of every individual in the group. This was an agonizing and pivotal moment. Students who were more prone to dominance seemed frustrated with the lack of input from some, while the more reserved students found themselves overwhelmed by the situation. Eventually the group had a breaking point, which required us all to stop, listen to each other, and pray. It was a very emotional time. It was hard, emotionally messy, and scary, but honestly, I know it was one of the most crucial points of the school. We are really beginning to become a strong, unified team that will be able to serve Christ wholeheartedly with deep love and trust in one another. This is very, very good!

Overall, this week was rich in knowledge and Scripture. As staff and students, we are continually working towards creating a beautiful and intimate community around us. We realize that Jesus is Lord, and that this is the core, the center, the most important thing to know. We desire to train others( and ourselves of course) to serve Christ, and to not just wait around for someone to ask for help, but rather, live out what Jesus preached and go into the world looking for the marginalized, hurting, and afraid. We are growing organically, spreading Christ’s love like a weed, not mechanically or with a cold and business like mentality. Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful week, and remember….love God and love others as yourself…and hey…you may be entertaining angels and feeding the Savior of the world. Peace!

Always your sister in Christ,
Stacie J.

Previous Post - Weeks 4 & 5

WHATS UP EVERYBODY!! Yeah, I know, excited to have me back arntchya? Arntchya?!?!?!  Well I suppose you’re wondering, okay DYING, to know about the spectacular and awe-inspiring Mission Adventures week. Let me some up what I thought of this week in two words: OUTRAGEOUSLY AWESOME! Everyday was jam-packed with hands-on outreaches and team building time.Not only did we dig into each others lives, but we were inspired by the needs and the beauty of the community around us. I think everyone would glean the a greater depth of knowledge about our experiance if it were to be reviewed on a day by day bases….so without further adeu…I present to you Mission Adventures week (insert blazing trumpet noise here)!

Monday:

Mission: Prayer Trip, Panhandling, and Roses to Prostitutes

Monday morning, shuffling sluggishly onward with slew of luggage and a sleeping bag, we entered the Mission Baptist Church pondering, “What in the world is this week going to hold?” Our leaders had kept it all a surprise.  As we gathered together, it was revealed that we were to split in two groups and go on a cross city, “Prayer Trip”, with nothing more than two bus tickets. We stopped at various locations, like the Law Courts, CTV, and my favorite, the Parliament Building, praying that God would influence and be amidst its daily functions. The most profound moment ( or at least I felt) was when we all gathered in the very center of Manitoba’s Parliament building, and immediately proceeded to sit down in a circle, hold hands, and begin praying. How privileged we were to be able to gather in the heart of a prominent government building and to proclaim/demonstrate that we loved and believed in God!

After this, we proceeded to panhandle on the bitterly cold Portage Avenue. Some may be wondering, “What in the land negotiations are our family members/kids doing panhandling?” Simple; we needed to raise money for our crazy outreach fees….hahaha just kidding, but seriously, I caught you off guard didn’t I? Actually, this was to teach us about the injustice that the poor face, and how the responses of others affect them. This proved to be, for the most part, both challenging and disheartening,  Most people rushed by, drifted to the other side of the side walk, or made no eye contact.  As I Sheepishly requested “Excuse me, ma’am/sir, do you have any spare change,” people stared, awkwardly turned aside, or to my bewilderment questioned harshly, “What you need money for!?”  Some treated me with the dignity of eye contact and a “No, sorry,” but overall, I felt scummy and invisible. What I did not expect was the love of a poor man I encountered( well..whom I presumed was poor). As I asked a couple for change, a man in dingy clothes limped by. His eyes were brimming with compassion. Without me even asking, he turned around, extended his hand and gently placed a toonie in my hand. I began to cry. I didn’t want to take his money. He looked like he really needed it, and frankly, I didn’t. Another man upon hearing my voice stopped dead in his tracks. I was scared at how he was going to react. He thrust his hands into his pockets and began to scrounge up all the spare change he had. Then he gave it to me with a smile. That was really cool. Overall, I received a whopping four dollars…woo…which I proceeded (with the other students of course) to hand off to a real panhandler. What baffled me the most was how those dressed in immaculate clothing and who seemed quite wealthy treated me with about as much dignity as a cigarette butt, while those with the least gave much. Wow.

All of this was still resounding in my mind as the last activity of the night began to unfold. Us students clamored into the “marvelous” YWAM van with a armful of roses and began to stake out our neighborhood and the North End. We were on the search for some working girls (frankly, I hate calling them prostitutes. They are humans, daughters, mothers, just like us, and that one word should not define them.) We would exit the van in groups of three, two of us staying slightly behind to pray and one going ahead to present the rose to a girl. At first we weren’t doing so well.. We were 7 and 0 concerning ladies getting the roses. Some didn’t want one, some were picked up right before our eyes, and some actually sprinted away (sheesh I never knew we were that scary.) Two girls received a rose that night, and I was one of the privileged students who got to give out a rose. The lady who excepted my rose just smiled self-consciously and nodded. It was interesting to say the least. It was a rewarding experience for us( even though that’s not the point), and we were grateful for receiving the opportunity to bless a daughter of God  (we’re all his childern.)

Tuesday:
Assignment:Winnipeg Harvest

We arrived at the Winnipeg Harvest, a food distribution agency. It is a facility where surplus food is taken in, sorted out, and sent to families across Manitoba. We got the job of bagging rice and flour. We had such a good time. We laughed, sang goofy songs, and ended up being covered head to toe in the white powder. It was a day well spent, with our efforts contributing to the feeding of about five hundred people (that’s an estimate..What I know for sure is that we packaged A LOT of rice and flour!) We came back to the church and closed up the night with information concerning Uganda and a mind-boggling game of Outburst (by the way, the ladies TOTALLY SCHOOLED THE GUYS!) Go girls!

Wednesday:
Quest: Cultural Day

 
Cultural day was quiet deep and even amusing at times. We started off the morning watching a documentary with Desmond Tutu and Dr. John Hope Franklin discussing with a multicultural group of kids about justice and racism. The kids were moved to remote location for a week to work out their differences. After watching the video, we had an in depth conversation about such topics as Affirmative Action, mixed culture marriages, etc. We also played the tribal/cultural game. It was crazy to say the least.  The student and staff divided into three groups. Then we were told to create our own language,expressions,etc. Also, we were informed about what the characteristics we as a tribe should posses. Then the fun began (woo!). Trying to interact with the other groups was frustrating, confusing, and next to impossible. We had such crazy greetings as the “wookie” sound followed by a big hug, or an aggressive BAROGA (which is a made up word…don’t worry if you are confused, I am too!) followed by the beating of one’s chest. When the game was over, we were informed that there where two tribes; one a warrior tribe and the other a farming tribe. The third party was supposed to be a group of missionaries. It truly demonstrated how cultural differences can be a huge obstacle to conveying the Gospel, and that we need to be very sensitive to this fact.

Thursday:
Objective: Union Gospel Mission (UGM)

Thursday was a great day of service. We really got to working. We arrived at UGM, an organization dedicated to feeding the hungry, providing a safe environment from those recovering from addictions, and preaching the Good News. We proceeded to jump in head first. Some created food packs for families. Some worked busily preparing lunch for the homeless and underprivileged that would be coming in soon. Others tidied up. One even spent a significant amount of time counting a whole lot of donated pennies (hehe). It was great. The highlight of my day was seeing the people we had been preparing for come in and enjoy a meal. I received some very warm thank yous, which honeslty wasn’t the goal, but it was great to hear that others were benefiting from our time their. The night closed with the memorable practical joke (from our conniving staff) that the students were to build and sleep in an igloo that night. They reassured us with a “don’t worry, we’ve studied about hypothermia, so you won’t die or anything.” Wow…that’s comforting. In the end, we realized they were just giving us a REALLY hard time, and as Lindsey would say, “They pacified our anger with chocolate.” (Which by the way, tasted scrumptious, and as Michelle noted “Worked beautifully.”)  

Friday:
Final Destination: Lazarus Housing

Walking down Maryland Street to the New Life Ministries church, we pondered, “So, what exactly do we get to do today?” Immediately upon arriving, we are informed that the Ellice Theatre is in some desperate need of cleaning for tonight’s movie. Mopping, toilet scrubbing, and closet sorting occurred that day. I guess God was showing us the practical side of ministry. After, we helped clean up two apartment buildings. I guess by some peoples’ definition it wouldn’t be described as a “riveting” day, but we met the needs of our community, and that is what is important…so go us! (haha actually it should be more like GO GOd…cause we get to show his love to those around us, which is a gift in itself!)

Stacie!

Alas, our busy schedule got the best of us recently, tying up our roving student report, Stacie.  She will be returning next week to her regular duties as your faithful insider in the world discipleship & missions.  Until then, I thought I would step in and bring you up to speed.

Week four of the DTS saw former YWAMer, now Winnipeg Centre Vineyard pastoral staffer, Andy Wood join us as the weeks lecturer.  Here’s a quick bio:

Andy & Beckie lead a mixed up life. They love to mix up people of different social and economic stratas, people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and people of various ages. To them this mixing is a picture of the kingdom of God. It is a drawing together of different people to worship together, to serve each other and to learn from each other. They want to see everyone to find their place and become passionate, productive and well equipped disciples. Andy & Beckie have a passion for interacting with the poor both locally and globally and are involved in Mercy In Action, a branch of the Vineyard College of Mission. They have been part of WCV since 1998 and have three kids, Grace, Elijah and Asher. www.mercyinaction.com

Given this engagement in urban missions and justice issues, Andy was well suited to guide our students through a deeply Biblical and practical theology and missiology of justice.  Living and studying in one of Winnipeg’s inner city communities, the teaching seemed to connect with the students hearts.  As they prepare for their months in Uganda, I believe Andy’s teaching will further help them understand what it means to proclaim the Good News of Christ in word and deed.  It was an excellent week.

On the heels of Andy’s teaching came MissionFest Manitoba, a weekend event dedicated to inform, inspire and involved believers in God’s global call to missions.  We felt this was an ideal experience for the students to have, allowing them to see many different models, opportunities and ideas about missions around the world.  We challenged them to be open to new ideas, while critically engaging what they saw and heard.  While not exploring the booths, they sat in on sessions and worships, including the keynote speaker Steve Saint, son of the martyred missionary pilot, Nate Saint, and author of the book turned film, The End Of The Spear.

After taking Monday off to catch up on their rest, the students enter week five with great enthusiasm.  Unique to other weeks, the remaining four days were broken into one day sessions led by YWAM staff.  Highly interactive, the teaching and activities included an inspiration young missionary video biography, teaching on spiritual warfare, personality/temperament & team dynamics teaching, team building games and more.  A group of YWAM staff from various Western Canada ministry centres were visiting throughout the week, so they sat in on a panel discussion about questions about faith and theology.

This week the school is participating in our Mission Adventures program, emersing them into the urban context.  Simulating an outreach experience (in part for preparation for the Uganda trip), they are staying in a local church for the week, thus my corresponding on Stacie’s behalf.  I am sure she will have many exciting stories for you next week.  Keep us in your prayers!

In His Peace,
Jamie Arpin-Ricci - Co-Director
YWAM Urban Ministries Winnipeg