(1888PressRelease)
January 16, 2007 - OVERLAND PARK, KS / Jan. 16, 2006 – The past few months have been disheartening for Evangelicals with disappointments felt across the country. Within the country’s well known, but aging evangelical leaders many are asking “where are the future leaders going to come from?”
What is starting to surface as the likely source of where tomorrow’s leaders are going to come from is a new movement of a yet unnamed concept similar to that of a guild. These evangelical guilds are often either entirely independent or part of a larger network from which young adults are increasingly becoming involved in. The movement either gained significant momentum or was birthed from the famous Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer, who along with his wife Edith founded the L’Abri in Switzerland over 50 years ago. Though they likely did not intend to start such a movement, nor would they likely refer to the L’Abri as a guild.
Though there is no model of what these guilds consistently look like, the concept is very unlike the traditional college or seminary setting. They are springing up in churches, existing Para-church ministries and in new independent groups. One large factor in their success is that they foster authentic community, of which is increasingly being sought after from young adults suffering from the breakdown of the traditional family. They combine authentic community with intellectual thinking, often conservative theology and historically orthodox doctrine with real world experience that many are seeking as part of their college and seminary education. International mega Para-church ministries such as Campus Crusade for Christ have used a concept similar to this for over 30 years through their summer projects with thousands college students each year. The concept has the last decade been further developed and prolonged though ministries such as Nieu Communities and nationally known Focus on the Family with their Focus Institute.
Of the many movements or programs out there developing this concept, one of the most unique and rising international networks for them is Desired Life Ministries (http://www.desiredlife.org). The ministry is so confident in this concept they have built it into their entire strategy through different forms within a multi-level plan for implementing their vision for building, training and equipping hundreds of evangelical visionaries through their life map teaching each year. Their strategy builds on the concept on all levels up to the highest concentration of the guild movement in its plans for the Kingdom Manor Institute (KMI). The KMI a planned estate for theological and philosophical world view study, growth and development of young adults will board hundreds from all over the world enrolled in the program. After a period of time at the estate the ministry plans to send young adults in small groups to different cities around the world to work towards their individual vision from their calling in life and carry the vision and its guild concept to then implement and teach it all over again in the cities they go to.
What is uniquely different about these guilds are that they are by nature smaller, independent and free of a corporate Christian atmosphere. By and large nationally while even mega churches are not able to draw and keep young adults as a whole the guild movement is attracting them and often they move hundreds of miles to come join them. They bring groups of some of the worlds brightest, most talented and passionate young evangelical leaders together for mutual support and encouragement that fosters learning and bold faith. In many ways they are providing an environment in which the networking of young leaders today will likely prove to be exceptionally beneficial to participants in the coming decades as they begin rising in leadership roles within hundreds of different industries and markets globally. They often are supported by local congregations, funds raised by participants through their networks of friends and family and donor giving from unrelated and or unassociated individuals who believe in the concept.
Desired Life Ministries is a 501(c)(3) Christian Non-profit ministry that teaches people what their spiritual life has to do with the rest of their life. The ministry’s life map walks people in heart, mind & vision and relies heavily on the guild concept.
For more information, please visit http://www.desiredlife.org
EDITORS: For review copies or additional information, contact:
Desired Life Ministries
Attn: Public Media Department
11936 W 119th St #194
Overland Park, KS 66213
Email: staff ( @ ) desiredlife dot org
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