Training Hubs

Vision never really becomes a reality until there is alignment.   And the key to alignment is the hub.   I know that from the number of motorcycle rebuilds I have done.  We all know about the importance of the rubber tyres.  When the rubber hits the road we are moving along.  And the rim to which the rubber is attached keeps the tyre inflated.  But inflated tyres do not get a pedal bike, motorcycle, or vehicle rolling along!   You need the hub, the centre piece of the wheel.  When the hub functions properly, the entire wheel begins to get moving.  If the hub is out of alignment, the tyres will not move in the right direction.   You would risk the danger of hitting the ditches along the road.  You need the hub to function well!

As churches we have a vision to reach Australia and beyond with the gospel, to reach the lost for Christ.   But we also know that this vision will not become a reality until there is alignment.   Alignment is much more than knowledge.  You may know what it means to grow healthy churches, make disciples, multiply leaders, reach out with the gospel, and/or plant churches!  But all the knowledge in the world does not do any good until you put that knowledge into practice.   As our Lord Jesus reminded us:  "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13:17: see also Luke 8:21)   Or as Paul instructed the churches:  "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."  (Philippians 4:9)  Not just knowing, but doing.   Not just hearing what we should do, but putting it into practice, aligning ourselves with what God would have us be and do, as churches, as a denomination.

But that is where it gets difficult.   Getting knowledge is easy.  Thanks to Google you can have all kinds of knowledge literally at your finger tips.  But putting it into practice, doing it, is hard.  Alignment is tricky.  And that is why you need the hub.  As churches we realise the importance of hubs.  That is this why we urge that "Classes be used as hubs for training and sharing local ideas, promoting the employment of non-ordained leaders with skills in church planting and outreach and individuals who can connect with the community." (See ALIGN)  When we think of Classes we think of the regular meetings of elders and ministers in the various regions of the country.  The purpose of these meetings are often to discuss how we are doing as local churches and ministers, and to do the wider 'business' of the church.   But what if these gatherings become "training hubs", places where we equip our churches and members to be effective in doing and practicing what we know is our mission and vision?

What might this look like?  Well, have you heard of VHS?   I know I am dating myself, but we used VHS tapes to watch and record movies long before the world heard about DVDs and digital recordings.   But that is not what I am referring to.  VHS stands for Vision, Huddle, and Skills.   What if in our regional gatherings (and in our local churches) we figure out what we need to be DOING better as churches.  At one of our gatherings we invite someone to share the Vision of what we should be doing, how we should practice the ministry we are looking at.  It could be anything -- anything that fits into the Mission, Vision and Fourfold Task we have adopted as churches. We then take this back to our church's leaders and members to discuss together how we are DOING.   At the next meeting we don't just listen, but we get together and Huddle.   This is not a group hug, but getting together in small groups to discuss together how we are DOING and what we need training in so that we can better put these things into practice.  This is a time of accountablity, support, and prayer.  The results of these huddles are noted and then at the next meeting we receiving training in the Skills required to DO what we know needs DOING.   And what if this becomes a regular practice in our gatherings?  What we will notice, more and more, rather than just knowing what we should do, we will be actually engaged in doing these things.  These hubs will help keep things aligned and get things moving in the right direction.  Now that you know what to do, put it into practice.  And the rubber will hit the road.