by Gary Reinecke | Dec 18, 2024 | Focused Ministry, Leader Development, Personal Development, Uncategorized |
Take a look at the top 10 InFocus blogs of 2024. Why do you think these were the most viewed? Do you find a general theme that runs throughout them? Did any of them resonate with you personally?
10) Practices for Building Spiritual Resilience This Lent
Leaders should view Lent as a time for self-examination and spiritual health. Connecting with past messages can help sustain engagement. Jesus’s experience of falling and rising illustrates that vulnerability is a shared human experience, supported by scripture like Psalm 73:2.
9) Thanksgiving Blessings
We encourage everyone to seek moments of gratitude, as it’s easy to overlook everyday joys amid larger goals. Simple pleasures, like nature’s beauty and good news, can uplift our spirits.
8) Three Highlights from Lausanne 2024
The Fourth Lausanne Congress in South Korea brought together over 5,000 believers from 200 nations, showcasing the Lausanne Movement’s influence on global evangelical mission strategies over the past 50 years.
7) Unleash Your Coaching Potential: The Abiding in Christ Advantage
Despite a successful career, the coach faced challenges that led to three years of self-reflection and a deeper spiritual connection, aiming for a richer relationship with Christ rather than perfection. This inspired the coach to assist others in their spiritual growth.
6) Ignite the Flames of Faith: Coaching Your Congregation to a Transformative Lent
Lent is a season for reflection, spiritual renewal, and personal growth, emphasizing faith over strict rituals. While rooted in Catholic traditions, its principles resonate across denominations.
5) Planning for 2024? We Are Too.
As you prepare for 2024, remember that effective leadership impacts both your role and those you lead, fostering future leaders and thriving ministries that advance the Kingdom. Consider ways to expand your ministry’s influence and deepen its impact to foster meaningful life changes and grow God’s Kingdom.
4) Lead Like Jesus
Lent is presented as a time for contemplation, encouraging leaders to reflect on their roles and community dynamics. The duality of “Hosanna” in Luke 19:28-44 highlights the complexity of human emotions—celebration intertwined with a longing for salvation—inviting leaders and congregants to examine their responses to Jesus.
3) Finishing Strong
InFocus’s mission is to empower leaders to transform lives, encouraging contributions through financial support, prayer, and service. The End-of-Year Campaign, including a Giving Tuesday Matching Gift Campaign, seeks to double donations up to $30,000 towards a $90,000 goal.
2) 5 Questions to Empower Your Leaders on Work-Life Balance
It is crucial to engage leaders in reflective conversations about their overall well-being—spiritual, emotional, physical, social, financial, and recreational. These discussions should prioritize listening and questioning to understand their challenges and promote accountability.
And finally, #1, THE most-read blog post of 2024…
1) Project Congo
InFocus is launching a new board led by Chairman Wilita Sanguma of Lobiko. Through Project Congo, InFocus aims to combat extreme poverty in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Thank you for all of your prayers and support this year. We look forward to seeing you very shortly in the new year! Blessings!
Photo by Avi Richards on Unsplash
by Gary Reinecke | Dec 12, 2024 | Focused Ministry, Leader Development, Personal Development, Uncategorized |
The Democratic Republic of Congo, a nation rich in resources, yet plagued by poverty, inequality, and instability, desperately needs transformative change. Project CONGO is a bold initiative designed to empower local leaders and equip them with the tools needed to address these pressing challenges. On Monday, December 9th, we held an informational meeting to discuss some of the big ideas surrounding Project CONGO, highlighted below!
Why Project CONGO Matters
By investing in the leadership potential of Congolese leaders, we can unlock a wave of positive impact. Our focus on coaching will enable these leaders to:
- Inspire change: Catalyze positive transformation within their communities.
- Empower others: Develop future generations of leaders.
- Build sustainable solutions: Make more and better disciples that make more and better disciples.
Our Vision
To achieve this ambitious goal, we have outlined a comprehensive two-year plan:
- Launch a 2-year coach training program in January 2025.
- Conduct an in-person workshop in the Democratic Republic of Congo in July 2025.
- Complete Stage 1 of the training program by the end of 2025.
- Begin Stage 2, the train-the-trainer cycle, in January 2026.
Generosity Update:
We have already raised $25,000, which is 55% of our goal of $45,000. I am encouraged that we will reach our year-end goal so that we can deliver the full package of what we have prepared. My hope is that we can include a Health & Wellness workshop that Gina would lead to enriching local community leaders to establish important habits for physical, mental, and spiritual health.
How You Can Help
Your support is vital to the success of Project CONGO. Here’s how you can contribute:
- Provide: Donate to support the training programs, curriculum development, and logistical costs – CLICK HERE.
- Pray: Lift up Project CONGO in prayer, asking for God’s blessing on the leaders, trainees, and the communities they serve – to receive my weekly update, write “Weekly Prayer Update” in the Subject Line and e-mail to admin@infocusnet.org.
- Partner: Share this message with your network and encourage others to join this important cause – reach out to Samantha at admin@infocusnet.org to schedule a time to meet.
Together, we can empower a generation of Congolese leaders to build a brighter future for their nation.
Feeling led to donate? Please click the button below.
Image courtesy of https://bloomerang.co/template/fundraising-thermometer-generator/
by Gary Reinecke | Dec 5, 2024 | Focused Ministry, Leader Development, Personal Development, Uncategorized |
I’m excited to share Project CONGO, a program focused on coach training in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We’re nearing launch, and this is a powerful opportunity to empower capable leaders who are already transforming teams and communities on the other side of the world.
I know many of you share a passion for advancing God’s work in underserved regions, so I immediately thought of you. Project CONGO aligns perfectly with this mission by equipping local leaders with the skills and resources they need to become effective coaches. By building capacity at the local level, we can create a ripple effect of positive change that reaches individuals, families, and entire communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Project CONGO: Building a Brighter Future
Project CONGO is more than just a coach training program; it’s an investment in the future of the Democratic Republic of Congo. By equipping local leaders with coaching skills, we empower them to unlock the potential of the people around them. These leaders are already making a difference, and Project CONGO will give them the tools needed to take their impact to the next level.
Join Us for an Informational Meeting
We’re hosting a quick informational meeting on Monday, December 9th at 5 pm PST / 8 pm EST to share more about the project’s vision and goals. It would be fantastic to have you join us! Feel free to invite anyone else who might be interested in learning more about Project CONGO and how they can be involved.
Here’s what you can expect at the meeting:
- Inspiring overview of the coach training program in the DRC
- Meet Wilita Sanguma, a key player behind the project
- Q&A session – bring your questions!
Meeting Details:
Let’s Connect!
Let me know if you can make it by replying with a “YES” and I’ll send you a calendar invite. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions before the meeting.
Looking forward to connecting!
How You Can Help
Giving Tuesday Matching Gift Campaign (November 5-December 10): Double your impact with our matching gift opportunity. Every dollar donated during this time will be matched up to $30,000, speeding up our journey towards the $90,000 goal.
By supporting InFocus this giving season, you’ll empower leaders through coaching to create lasting change in the lives of children and communities in the Congo. Together, we can restore well-being and build a future filled with resilience and hope!
Feeling led to donate? Please click the button below.
Image courtesy of https://www.ctvnews.ca/ctv-national-news/2.1993/infographic-congo-maps-and-facts
by Gary Reinecke | Nov 27, 2024 | Focused Ministry, Leader Development, Personal Development, Uncategorized |
It’s astonishing to think that we’re already expressing “Happy Thanksgiving!” As we look back on this year’s journey, we at InFocus are genuinely grateful for you—our readers and supporters. Thank you for your faith in our vision, constant prayers, and unwavering encouragement. We eagerly anticipate 2025 and all of the wonderful things God has in store for InFocus.
As you navigate the final 35 days of 2024 (That’s right, just 35 days left!), we invite you to consciously seek out moments of gratitude in your daily life. It’s easy to become so fixated on the larger goals that we overlook the countless small blessings that God places in our way—the cheerful songs of birds at dawn, a stunning sunset to wrap up your day, positive news from your doctor, or the joyful giggles of a child.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8) Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. (Psalm 100:4) Start each day with a spirit of thankfulness, and you will discover an abundance of reasons for which to be grateful. We wish you a wonderful holiday with your loved ones and look forward to continuing this journey together.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
by Gary Reinecke | Nov 15, 2024 | Focused Ministry, Leader Development, Personal Development, Uncategorized |
Did you realize that more than 4 million children in the Congo are experiencing severe poverty? This situation encompasses inadequate shelter, healthcare, and education. Alarmingly, 42% of these children suffer from chronic malnutrition or stunting, significantly higher than the global average of 22%.
InFocus is focused on empowering leaders through coaching. In partnership with Lobiko, we will launch Project Congo in 2025.
Project Congo is a “Train-the-Trainer” program aimed at developing a select group of local leaders in the Congo, who will subsequently train others. To maximize our impact, we will concentrate on equipping a few Indigenous leaders so they can, in turn, mentor additional Indigenous leaders. We are starting with this approach and foresee future training cycles extending to other nonprofit leaders, local church planters, pastors, and denominational leaders. However, let’s focus on the present vision:
- Launching a 2-year coach training process in January 2025 (virtual setting)
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo in July 2025 (in-person workshop)
- Complete Stage 1 by the end of 2025
- Begin Stage 2, the train-the-trainer cycle, in January 2026
A brief overview cannot fully capture the significant impact of Project Congo, but I hope it piques your interest to explore further. On December 9th at 5 pm PST/8 pm EST, I will be conducting an informational Zoom session to provide additional context about our partnership with Lobiko and host an interview with Founder, Wilita Sanguma. I will also give you an opportunity to address any inquiries you may have. To reserve your spot for the session on December 9th, please reach out to my assistant, Samantha, at admin@infocusnet.org.
Here’s a sneak peek of some of the questions I will ask Wilita…
Q. How will coaching be used to combat severe poverty in The Congo?
Q. What makes coaching such a valuable asset for leaders?
Q. Why does InFocus need to be involved?
How You Can Help
Giving Tuesday Matching Gift Campaign (November 5-December 10): Double your impact with our matching gift opportunity. Every dollar donated during this time will be matched up to $30,000, speeding up our journey towards the $90,000 goal.
By supporting InFocus this giving season, you’ll empower leaders through coaching to create lasting change in the lives of children and communities in the Congo. Together, we can restore well-being and build a future filled with resilience and hope!
Feeling led to donate? Please click the button below.
by Gary Reinecke | Nov 7, 2024 | Focused Ministry, Leader Development, Personal Development, Uncategorized |
The InFocus team trains leaders in the methodologies and competencies essential for effective Christian coaching.
Since the year 2000, more than 10,000 leaders have been equipped to accelerate their development in coaching (verified using the 360° Christian Coach Assessment)
A mission agency that InFocus has been collaborating with since 2015 that plants churches in the “10-40 Window, shared: “Since adopting a coach approach with a reproducible disciple-making process, we have reduced the amount of time it now takes to plant a church by 50%. “
As we conclude 2024, I want to express your support’s profound impact on InFocus and the leaders we serve. The trip to Seoul, South Korea, to attend the Lausanne Congress was a watershed moment for me. It brought back memories of my early ministry when I raised support and witnessed God’s faithfulness throughout that journey.
I feel as though I am embarking on a new chapter. Last week, I shared the vision for Project Congo. I’m excited about the prospects of the fruit that could be generated through training Indigenous leaders in coaching. If you want to refresh your memory or get an overview – CLICK HERE.
As you read this, pause and reflect. Our mission at InFocus is to empower leaders to transform lives. You’re investing in a future filled with hope and impact by supporting us.
Whether you give financially, support the work in prayer, or serve through your gifts, your contribution makes a difference. Let’s work together to build a brighter future.
If you have prayed, discerned, and reflected on how you wish to practice generosity, and feel led to support InFocus, here are three ways you can help us end 2024 on a strong note, and set a solid foundation for 2025:
- Participate in our End-of-Year Campaign: Giving Tuesday Matching Gift Campaign (November 5-December 10): Double your impact with our matching gift opportunity. Every dollar donated during this time will be matched up to $30,000, speeding up our journey towards that $90,000 goal.
- Prayer: I have a weekly prayer update that I send out, and I would like to build on that. Do you have a passion for prayer, mobilizing intercessors, and building a team? Please reach out to Samantha at admin@infocusnet.org and ask to be put on our weekly prayer blast.
- Serving: If you have skills in any of the following, I am eager to connect with you and discuss how we can partner.
- Web-hosting
- Website maintenance
- Fundraising
Please reach out to Samantha at admin@infocusnet.org to schedule a time with me that works with your schedule.
Thank you for your prayers and support. I hope you receive this blog with the heart behind it. My desire is to build on the vision to make more and better disciples, cultivate leaders, and plant healthy churches that reproduce.
Feeling led to donate? Please click the button below.
Photo by Hanna Morris on Unsplash
