Hi fellow SEND-ers,

Bertha and I are still in Canada on a short home service. Our daughter is getting married in less than 6 weeks, so the big event is getting closer, and the female members of the family are doing a masterful job of preparing for it. We are returning to Ukraine on January 1, 2015, and I am hoping it will be warmer there than it is now in Saskatchewan (-18 C with the wind chill).

As we approach the end of the year, I encourage you to be preparing your Individual Growth Plan for 2015. A few of our fields have already made it a practice over the past number of years to expect all their members to develop an IGP each year. Now, Directors' Council is making it a requirement for all members mission-wide. We believe that everyone of us should be a lifelong learner, and that this learning should be intentional and planned. The SEND U Individual Growth Plan guide explains the rationale and walks you through the process, and we encourage you to use it.

Let me clarify that the IGP is not about setting goals for accomplishing your ministry tasks. The IGP is about setting goals for your own learning and growth. So a goal to write a newsletter every 2 months in 2015 is a good ministry task goal but not an IGP goal. But learning how to use MailChimp to send out your newsletters is a good IGP goal. The SEND Canada office is recommending a YouTube video entitled “Sending email newsletters with MailChimp - Beginner's tutorial” which could be a learning activity towards this goal.

We want you to be growing in both your personal life and in your ministry competency. So you can set IGP goals about learning more about prayer and fasting, improving your parenting skills,becoming more fluent in your host culture language or understanding disciple-making movements. For an extensive list of different areas in which we could be growing and learning, look at the Missionary Growth Areas on the SEND U wiki. You can do a quick self-assessment of where you most need to grow by going to this wiki page.

How do you find learning activities that will help you grow in those areas you have identified as your highest priority growth areas? Darlene has been working on organizing the resources on the wiki by these different growth areas. Just click on the major headings on the Missionary Growth Areas page, and each link will take you to a catalog of the resources on the wiki for each of the 32 growth areas. Pick a couple of these resources to read or do from your chosen category - or choose your own learning activity. Find someone you respect in this area and interview them. Do an inductive Bible study on the subject. Sign up for a webinar. You get to choose what you want to do to grow. The important thing is that you have a plan for your own growth.

What are the basic characteristics of a good IGP?
Valuable - growth in these areas will clearly help you become who you want to become and do what God has called you to do

1. Holistic - growth goals in both personal character and ministry skill areas
2. Personal - goals that address your own areas of need and interest; goals for you, not for someone else
3. Measurable - you will know when you have reached your goal (when you have completed the learning activity)
4. Attainable - realistic goals that you can complete this coming year
5. Written down - you won't forget it
6. Accountable - you have shared this plan with someone else who will encourage you to pursue this learning

Remember SEND U coaches are always willing to do a one-time coaching call with you to help you choose your growth goals - at no cost! Just let me know if you would like a coach to help you with your IGP.

Keep learning,
Ken

Ken Guenther
SENDU Director
currently on home service in Canada