Faithwalking

An Ongoing Spiritual Formation Journey

What Does Living Missionally Look Like?

 

What does living missionally look like day to day?  Below Ken shares a story about what it looked like for him recently as he sat in a doctor’s office.

This week I had to make my bi-annual trip to the doctor’s office to have blood work done. The same woman draws my blood every time I go. She is a very quiet and reserved woman who I believe is a Muslim because of the head covering she wears. I typically engage her in conversation, but she rarely says much. This week when I went in, I asked her about her family. She told me about her two children, and then she asked me if I had heard about what happened in New Zealand. I was startled by how quickly she changed the subject, but I recognized that this event had touched her deeply. She then asked me if I had seen what the shooter had posted on Facebook about it. I said I had, and I responded with my deep sadness that it had happened. I was a bit taken aback that she was talking to me about this. I wanted to show compassion and empathy. I wanted to express my solidarity with her. I wanted to love her like Jesus loves her. It didn’t take long for me to fill four tubes with blood, and I was soon on my way again. As I left, I wondered what I could have done better to represent the love of Christ in that moment. How would Jesus have shown up and what would Jesus have done?

I believe that living missionally is a way of life. I believe that living missionally includes small everyday things. Simple things like looking someone in the eye or calling someone by name. Seeing every person as a human being who has been created by God and who is deeply loved by God is missional. I believe that Faithwalking helps me learn to love like Jesus loved.

Faithwalking in Spanish

Faithwalking 101 in the Dominican Republic

 

Below is a summary of the work Faithwalking is doing in Spanish-speaking communities. If you would like more information about this work and how you can support it, please contact Marcos Leon at marcosleon@faithwalking.us.

The Faithwalking work in Spanish started in late 2013 and has served approximately 500 people, primarily in Houston and in five countries in Central America and beyond (Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Spain). Over the years a community of about 30 coaches and at least three strong leadership networks has developed in these countries. All of the work has been undertaken by volunteers working closely with one Faithwalking staff person who dedicates half of his time to the work in Spanish. Faithwalking in Spanish has been offered at a significantly reduced fee in the US and free of charge in Central America. Tickets and travel expenses have been covered through fundraising efforts. Local hosting networks have covered the local expenses for providing the retreats and other Faithwalking offerings. The stories of transformation and of the immense value of the Faithwalking process in these communities are encouraging and inspiring, affirming the need and desire to continue to expand this ministry. What we often hear from network leaders is that Faithwalking addresses needs that are not addressed by other programs available to them.

Presently, there is mutual agreement among the leaders of the host networks and Faithwalking about the need (a) to create a structure for the Faithwalking work that fosters growth and that is less dependent on Faithwalking Central, (b) to support that growth while ensuring quality in Faithwalking coaches and facilitators, and (c) to develop a process that is financially sustainable for the growth of Faithwalking on the ground and for Faithwalking Central. Solutions for all of these issues are being explored, particularly through the emerging idea of creating a Faithwalking certification in Spanish. Conversations are in progress regarding this end. Financial support will be required for the implementation of the early stages of this certification process. Your prayers for guidance are deeply appreciated as we continue dreaming and creating more spaces for wholeness among Spanish-speaking people in Central America and beyond.

Faithwalking: What Does Transformation Look Like?

 

What happens in a person’s life as a result of being engaged in the Faithwalking process? Below is a summary of the kind of transformation that takes place over time.

Through participating in the Faithwalking process, participants are given tools that will enable them to:

  1. Grow in their emotional maturity and become less reactive in life.
  2. Experience increasing wholeness in their relationships.
  3. Live reflective lives in relationship with God.
  4. Increasingly integrate their three selves (public, private, secret) into one authentic and true self.
  5. Experience healing for internal wounds that are keeping them stuck.
  6. Love like Jesus loved.
  7. Become movie trailers for the Kingdom of God where they live, work, and play.

I believe that as people implement the tools of Faithwalking in their lives that the world becomes a better place and that the Kingdom of God begins to come here on earth just as it is in heaven.

I believe that we are planting seeds today that will result in transformation and a better world – ten, twenty, or even fifty years from now.

– Ken Shuman

Why Faithwalking?

What is Faithwalking? Why is it needed, and what is it all about? Well, uh, it’s complicated….

In the video below, Ken Shuman addresses this complexity, explaining clearly and concisely what Faithwalking is all about and what its impact on people is as a powerful tool of personal and spiritual transformation. The bottom line is that we at Faithwalking desire to lead people in the way of Jesus. In an increasingly anxious, reactive, and polarized world, it is more and more difficult to live as our best selves, in ways consistent with our values and beliefs and the teachings of Jesus. Faithwalking helps people uncover issues beneath the surface that are preventing them from being on mission with God. It gives them a process and a set of tools that work to bring real change – bringing wholeness to every dimension of people’s lives and, by extension, the world we live in.

 

 

Audio version below

 

 

Transition

2018 is a year of exciting transition for Faithwalking. The team is working hard to navigate this transition, and we are really excited about the possibilities before us and about our future. Below is a summary of some of the changes on the horizon and ways you can help us accomplish our vision.

Beyond the transition of leadership we face as Faithwalking founder Jim Herrington has stepped down from active leadership in the organization, we are currently engaged in making large strides toward becoming a vision-centered organization rather than a leader-centered organization. We recognize this is a normal process in healthy organizations.

Expanding the reach and impact of Faithwalking is the second task at hand for us. We have reenvisioned our strategy of empowering Faithwalking Circles to use the Core Four to continue to expand the Faithwalking “movement” that is our legacy. This is really exciting, as we hope that this revamped strategy will align more clearly with our core value of being missional in the world and reaching those who are poor, marginalized, and in need.

On the other side, the very real challenge of creating wholeness and workability for Faithwalking in the financial arena has proven to be a creative force for us. On the one hand we have carefully considered an increase in our fees and implementing a scholarship structure. On the other, we couldn’t be more excited about the creation of a new Faithwalking curriculum, “Faithwalking Foundations,” and new offerings, such as “Becoming Differentiated with our Families,” that we hope to begin rolling out in September.

Stay tuned – there is more to come! For now (and as usual), we invite you to help us. We are currently seeking grants to help fund the following special projects:

  • a professional rewrite of our materials
  • a professional rebranding of Faithwalking
  • hiring a bilingual (Spanish) intern

If you are familiar with any grants you think we should consider applying for, or if would like to discuss how you might help us fund any of these projects at any level, we would love to hear from you! You can also click below to donate immediately. If you would like to designate your contribution to a particular project, you can do so in the “special instructions” box.

DONATE HERE

Contact: Angela Raley, angelaraley@faithwalking.us