Spiritual growth doesn’t happen well in isolation. Formation needs a community that joins the worker’s journey – wherever they may be in their soul or the world. It is a necessary element that allows Christ to be formed in us. But we don’t want to just join a journey, we want to be a compassionate catalyst of change by challenging the assumptions we all hold about who God is and what he’s up to. In these days when disconnection and isolation figure so predominately in the burnout and lack of vitality and vigor in global workers, we believe spiritual community can not only catalyze change but ignite hope that revitalizes global workers.
Ministry Essentials is a spiritual formation agency offering soul care…’til Christ is formed in all of us. Essential Connections (EC) is our digital platform that hosts our online small groups where we unfold conversations and build the kind of communities that result in spiritual formation and personal growth. We use it to see “Till Christ is formed in you…” happen in the lives of people like you. This is our alive, deep mission and vision: Vibrant global workers whose lives, marriages, and conduct in their community show a holy God, who lets nothing get in the way of showing his love. This kind of vibrancy cannot happen in isolation. It requires encouragement, nourishing, challenging, and walking together. Our desire with EC Groups is to provide nuanced, personal, meaningful, regular times of conversation that catalyze this kind of spiritual growth in global workers.
Who are EC Groups for?
Any global worker, but particularly those who cannot easily have community where they are.
What kind of groups are offered?
We are planning three kinds of groups:
- Focused Topic Groups – Focused Groups will center around a particular topic like burnout, parenting, resilience, grief, expressions of prayer, or listening. The conversation will be organic but hold to the subject at hand.
- Community Groups – These groups are for those who need or want spiritually formative conversations that help them grow. The leader will have prepared talking prompts taken from life issues we all face, and the conversation will be organic and thought-provoking. Members may bring in a particular thing they want to “put on the table.”
- Courses – These groups will have a particular subject and utilize more learning methods. Subjects will include things like Books of the Bible, Discernment, People Care, Listening, Burnout, Sabbath, and Spiritual Journey. Some outside reading and reflecting will be a normal part of these groups.
What are the group particulars?
- Length: Groups last 6-8 weeks, having the option to continue meeting if the leader and group want to.
- Size: 8-10 people
- Demographic: Mixed. Some groups will have men/women, some groups are just men, and some groups are just women.
- Meeting Times: TBD by leader and group.
- Cost: $50 for 8-week groups; $37 for 6-week groups.
If the group chooses to continue past 8 weeks, the cost will be $25 for each additional month.
What groups are you offering right now?
We do not yet have a schedule for our new groups. We plan to offer new groups in the spring and fall. We will post information about new groups here as they become available.
How do I express my interest in joining a group?
Complete the EC Group Interest Form below. (If a couple, both spouses should each complete their own form.)
Your interest form will be received and reviewed. If there is an existing matching group and space, we will inform you of the opportunity. If you are interested in joining that group, we will send you a registration and payment link to join the group. Once payment is received, your group leader will send you the EC Group link.
If there is not currently space in an advertised group, or if we do not yet have the type of group you are interested in, you will be put on a waiting list and notified when a new group is available in the future.