COR GROUPS
We strongly advise all Missionaries to belong to a COR Group and meet min. twice a month, in person an/or online or both to build spiritual friendships, form deep bonds with each other in Christ and find safe space to grow and be freely accountable.
COR (Lat. heart) stands for:
Care (prayer and ministry time, support, equipping, encouragement, accompaniment)
Openness (sharing; emotional health; inner growth; vulnerability and risk taking)
Responsibility (growth and accountability; character building and integrity)
Resources:
STFC provides access to Emotionally Healthy Discipleship courses for STFC Missionaries (you have to get your own books, we provide streaming videos) as one of the basic tools to deep personal transformation. They can be used in ecumenical settings and should be taken in order.
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality is a great tool to check your heart’s health and establish Rhythm of Life.
People slow down their lives to develop their own personal relationship with Jesus. Eight sessions:
The Problem of Emotionally Unhealthy Spirituality
Know Yourself That You May Know God
Going Back in Order to Go Forward
Journey Through the Wall
Enlarge Your Soul Through Grief and Loss
Discover the Rhythms of the Daily Office and Sabbath
Grow Into an Emotionally Healthy Adult
Go the Next Step to Develop a “Rule of Life”
2. Emotionally Healthy Relationships is a great tool to embody STFC values and culture while learning how to relate to others.
Equips people with practical relationship skills to love others like Jesus. Eight sessions:
Check Your Community Temperature Reading
Stop Mind Reading and Clarify Expectations
Genogram Your Family
Explore The Iceberg
Listen Incarnationally
Climb the Ladder to Integrity
Fight Cleanly
Develop a “Rule of Life” to Implement Your New Learnings
BOOKS that you might want to use for reading, sharing, discussion are in our Resources. Especially recommended:
“Look at Jesus. The world did not pay any attention to him. He was crucified and put away. His message of love was rejected by a world in search of power, efficiency, and control. But there he was, appearing with wounds in his glorified body to a few friends who had eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand. This rejected, unknown, wounded Jesus simply asked, “Do you love me, do you really love me?” He whose only concern had been to announce the unconditional love of God had only one question to ask, “Do you love me?”
The question is not: How many people take you seriously? How much are you going to accomplish? Can you show some results? But: Are you in love with Jesus? Perhaps another way of putting the question would be: Do you know the incarnate God? In our world of loneliness and despair, there is an enormous need for men and women who know the heart of God, a heart that forgives, cares, reaches out and wants to heal. In that heart there is no suspicion, no vindictiveness, no resentment, and not a tinge of hatred. It is a heart that wants only to give love and receive love in response. It is a heart that suffers immensely because it sees the magnitude of human pain and the great resistance to trusting the heart of God who wants to offer consolation and hope.”