From the Field – VITAL

In 2015 Q Place presented five regional VITAL events in four different cities. With God’s empowerment, the one day format, a strong call to action, and steady follow up has led to increased Q Place activity wherever we have taken the event. And the results? Here are some updates from VITAL in Seattle and Denver.

VITAL: Seattle

On March 26, 2015, Q Place presented VITAL: Seattle, where many pastors and ministry leaders were introduced to Q Place and the 9 Arts of Spiritual Conversations. At the end of the event, all attendees were invited to join Initiator Coaching sessions. In the months since then there were four 7-week Initiator Coaching Sessions, and 21 individuals became equipped to start Q Places. Now, in early 2016, those Q Places are being launched!

Seattle area YMCA leaders who came to VITAL invited volunteers to go through Initiator Coaching, and they have now started Q Places. Trinity Lutheran College, in Everett, WA, is using Q Place methodology and materials to encourage their students to reach out to other students, engage in spiritual conversations, and start Q Places. A Christian grade school has started Q Places with parents who have questions about God.

One pastor who attended VITAL: Seattle did a preaching series on the 9 Arts. He also invited Q Place’s Susan Burbank to present a workshop in November for a Christian Reformed Church Classis Conference. There, more than 100 pastors gathered to hear about the 9 Arts and inductive Bible studies with people outside of churches. Many of these pastors plan to join our Jesus 3:12 pastor cohort training calls starting in February, 2016, to build a Q Place ministry in their churches. Through those ministries, Christians will actively follow in Jesus’ footsteps of discipleship: relating with people, helping them discover and come to know Him, and make new disciples who continue to multiply.

VITAL: Denver

As a result of VITAL: Denver, held on September 23, 2015, four pastors in the Denver area have been part of a Jesus 3:12 group to prepare to build a Q Place ministry. They are all taking Q Place where it hasn’t been in their churches. Pastor Wayne C. Darbonne, Head of Staff of St. James Presbyterian Church in Littleton, Colorado, recently said, “Q Place is a key component in my church in making disciples and in neighboring. I’m going to start a Q Place.”

Another pastor has preached on the 9 Arts and is gathering a group of pastors in his area so they can encourage each other and hold each other accountable as they spark Q Place activity throughout their churches. A third pastor is using the 9 Arts in his small group, and a fourth is encouraging his small groups to use the 9 Arts.

Because of VITAL: Denver, many churches and even a Christian high school have not only heard of Q Place, but are now using our method and materials to encourage their people to reach out in new ways!

Again and again as a ministry we have listened to Jesus’ impassioned call to His followers in Matthew 9:36-38: “On your knees and pray for harvest hands!” (The Message). Through every aspect of VITAL planning, we have prayed for crowds of people today who are confused and aimless, like sheep with no shepherd, and for the Lord of the harvest to use this ministry to help raise up workers. With God’s blessing, we see a harvest ahead!