Dare to Shift Summit challenges OKUMC leaders to dream big
The disciples had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. When Jesus appears to them after his resurrection, he said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”
This shift to right side thinking action is the basis for a new book by Michael Bowie and Stephen Handy called Dare to Shift: Challenging Leaders to a New Way of Thinking. And challenging leaders is what Rev. Dr. Bowie did when he facilitated a day long leadership summit held on November 13 at McFarlin UMC in Norman.
The day brought together conference staff, district superintendents and lay leaders, members of the General Conference delegation, new church planters, conference committee chairs, representatives of the clergy Orders and Fellowship group and ImpactOK2 residents as well as members of the conference Ethnic Local Church Concerns Ministry Team.
“The first disruption to change the world wasn’t COVID-19. It was the death and resurrection of Jesus,” said Bowie. “To this we have two choices: react and complain or respond and praise. The good days are ahead of us!”
In addition to biblical and theological underpinnings, Bowie taught on the fixed growth mindset versus a growth mindset as well as science around brain development and decision making.
Permission to lead in new and innovative ways was the theme of the day. Participants were encouraged to share ideas around the tables and to be honest about the hurt and hope they were feeling.
“We have given permission for many churches and clergy to leave; now it is important that we give permission to our clergy and churches to lead,” reflected Bishop Nunn following the event.
For the weeks preceding the Summit, participants were invited to intentionally prepare for the event by reading a chapter of Dare to Shift, viewing an episode of “Shattering the Stained Glass Window” series and listening to a leadership-related podcast. Finally, participants were asked to pray for a particular group of people in our conference.
Rev. Tish Malloy, director of Transitional Ministry, commented about this process. “I appreciated taking time each week to read a chapter and watch and listen to a related video and podcast. And finally, taking time to pray for specific leaders and circumstances reminded me of how important lifting one another to God really is,” she said.
Those attending were asked to share dreams and ideas for which money was no object. There were over 200 ideas presented and later grouped into various categories. Table groups will be asked to gather again over the next 90 days to think about prioritization and implementation of the dreams gathered that day.
Because the event was held on a Monday, leaders had worked in advance with youth from around the state to produce a video about their hopes and dreams for a conference future where thinking has shifted.
The day ended with a presentation from conference leadership regarding the proposed redistricting which will be voted on at a special conference session on January 6, 2024.
“I am hopeful that feelings of anger and resentment fade away and open the door to a future of hopeful ministry. We must move out of confusion into hope. We are creating a new passion for ministry that will serve us well in the future,” said Bishop Nunn.