2023 Evangel Gathering - Friendship and Flourishing for Missions

W orkshop 1 Flourishing with Friends: How Spiritual Classics Can Help Us Finish Well in Ministry Rev. Dr. Hank Voss

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith

~ Hebrews 13:7

What you wish to ignite in others must first burn inside your heart.

~ Augustine

Big Idea Engaging Sacred Roots Spiritual Classics with friends can help pastors finish well in ministry. Objectives: 1) Head. You will know how to answer the question, “Why spiritual classics?”

2) Heart. You will feel excited about using spiritual classics to form the hearts and minds of the next generation of missional leaders.

3) Hands. You will be ready to fill out the six components of your cohort’s Thrive Plan.

I. Story Time: The Voss Family Visits Italy and Mrs. Elisabeth Fry

A. The catacombs of St. Callixtus

1. There are over sixty Christian catacombs in and around the city of Rome. 1

2. A deacon in the Roman church, Callixtus, was appointed administrator of the church’s burial ministry. He later became the “senior pastor” of Rome (“bishop”) and was martyred on August 6th, 258.

1 Antonio Baruffa, The Catacombs of St. Callixtus: History, Archeology, Faith , trans. William Purdy (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2006), 11.

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