We asked a group of public leaders in Ashby de la Zouch to pilot SENT. A group of five local Christians delved into the course together over four months to explore the ways that they could use their leadership to influence their workplaces for God. Here’s how they got on.
We started each evening with a meal, which made an excellent icebreaker for the group. We were made up of a wide range of ages, from some in their late twenties to others in their early seventies, and covering a variety of abilities and skills.
We thought the material was very well produced. Each session is accompanied by a video featuring a key speaker covering various issues, including developing a Christian worldview and the distinctives of Christian leadership. One group member watched the videos multiple times and commented that, “they don’t lose value at all for the repetition”.
Some of the content was completely new to the group, which could prove challenging as each member goes forward in their public leadership. We considered whether having two meetings for each session, one learning-focused and one more reflectional. would have been beneficial, or perhaps including peer mentoring to allow for more reflection. At the end of session four, we agreed to have one final meeting to reflect upon what we had learnt from the course and what we might do next.
Over the four sessions the time we spent together increased, as people talked more, and more prayers were offered. We quickly felt comfortable sharing experiences and challenges, aided by the videos. The video from session four, with Claire Morgans of Ykids, generated the most discussion and thought, and in one case provided an answer to prayer.
Finding time to do the activities was challenging, as most participants have demanding jobs, but those that completed the exercises found them beneficial and a blessing.
Overall, we felt that SENT is be particularly impactful to those in their 20s & 30s and those with higher education, but everyone felt that it was worth being involved. By the end of the four months, all participants were more conscious of their roles as leaders and more importantly, as Christian leaders.
