15 bases were represented at this UniQuip.
We asked ourselves, how can we serve? During prayer and worship we took time to write on a paper in the middle the answer to this question: What’s on my heart for this week? What’s my contribution?
Edwin Fillies welcomed us and gave a short history of how YWAM began in South Africa and the base in Muizenberg. From the start they choose to have mixed races and they told the security forces that was how it would be – they were allowed to do that!
Tove explained that the UofN is a boat we are rowing as we build it and that this week our vision will grow of what it could be. God is inviting all of us to His table this week to partake and bring your gifts as well.
Fiona helped everyone connect with the word “education” – your thoughts and feelings about it. She shared the difference between a Hebrew worldview (truth can be applied to our lives) and the Greek worldview (truth is not about how you live but ideas, knowledge, power). Key thought: Education doesn’t change you – discipleship does. In the UofN character is important. Question: How will this new understanding change how you lead or staff a school?
Our worship times were joyful, spontaneous, and full of passion - and we heard God speak. “God sees you” became a theme that was repeated, and someone had the word “orphan”. Adriano shared his story of adoption with us and how he allowed his inheritance to be stolen from him, because he didn’t know it was his. This led into a time of a call to rise up and take your inheritance – the UofN is our inheritance and is precious and unique and we’re not in it by accident! We went into a time of response, to bring to the cross whatever keeps us from receiving our inheritance – pain of victimization? Unfairness? Apartheid mentality?
Tove shared about what is the UofN, how did it begin, and also about UofN 1.0, 2.0 and now 3.0. Many things are changing, and no one knows what it will look like, but we do know it needs to be spread out and include many more people in regions. Those in the room can help it take shape!
After lunch we had College and Center breakout time. Then after a break there was an optional session with Terry who shared about how we can sustain ourselves in missions by building a team of ministry partners.
We began with a sharing and feedback time, answering the question “How has Holy Spirit been with you?” This inspired us to worship and we had a lively time of dancing and expressing our love for Jesus in many ways.
After the break we connected with Tom Bloomer via video call. He asked the question, “How did we (the Church) lose our inheritance?”. He addressed the topic of Passivity with us and used some of his Cinderella story to illustrate different points. She was the girl sitting in the ashes while her inheritance is stolen. Even while dancing with the Prince at the ball she believes the lie that it can only happen until midnight and flees from his warm embrace. The same as the Garden Story – loved, believe a lie, lose love, searching for love.
We become passive when we don’t know our true identity; The Book gives us the tools and truth of our true identity. Cinderella wasn’t ready to reign – she still thought like a slave. Jesus is preparing us to lead through servant leadership.
Symptoms of passivity:
Theologically based (only pray, no action)
Victim mentality
Personality based (introvert – just observe)
Age based (generational)
Gender based
Religious (allow domination by others)
Retreat into a fantasy world
Only listen to teaching (not apply it)
After lunch - In small groups we shared and prayed together, and then had a feedback time with the whole group.
Rebecca Koenig asked us “How are we passive in the UofN?”
Some replies:
Loyalty can do this
I don’t fit in – my gifts aren’t sufficient
Get too comfortable with current role
Limit ourselves
Serving a structure with no innovation
After the break we took the top 6 topics chosen in a survey given earlier and broke into groups twice to discuss these:
1) Facilitating the Holy Spirit
2) Teaching styles/staff training
3) Intercultural skills
4) Pastoral care skills
5) Protocol on handling moral failure
6) School budgeting and fundraising
As part of our worship we took time to express generosity towards one another. This happened in many creative forms!
We looked at the differences between Formal, Non-formal and Informal teaching.
To understand Transformational versus Transactional Leadership we broke into 3’s to make very short skits illustrating the principle. What a creative group of people!
Then Tove taught about “4 legged learning” using a chair as an example. In each U of N classroom there needs to be
School Facilitator School staff Teacher Holy Spirit
We all can facilitate – Holy Spirit is the leader.
We need healthy tension in the classroom: doesn’t always give answers; comfortable with tension; in a safe place; occurs in community.
A good learning space has 3 dimensions: Openness, Boundaries, Hospitality
The rest of the day was devoted to preparing the Graduation ceremony to happen that evening! There were 4 graduates - 3 South Africans and one Namibian. It was a beautiful time of celebrating God’s faithfulness.
Wonderful, expressive worship began our last day together.
Then during the feedback/take-aways time these comments were made:
Making room for the Holy Spirit was modeled
I’m in charge of the classroom, not the teacher
Character is more important than degrees
UofN wants to serve it's students
Getting a degree is a journey of transformation
UofN is a launchpad for ministry
The graduation ceremony was a picture of restoring/redeeming
Let’s treasure this inheritance from the Spirit of the UofN
Questions were addressed. After the break we had them practice how to explain the UofN to others:
… is for everyone
… the strength of the multicultural diversity
… a multiplier for missions
How to host a UniQuip was shared, people were thanked, and after worship everyone was commissioned as UofN representatives.