Key points:
- The Courageous Conversations project began in 2015 with the goal of equipping churches with tools to facilitate learning opportunities on any subject.
- At the heart of Courageous Conversations lies a belief that the church should be a place where individuals feel brave enough to express their views, question their beliefs and engage with differing perspectives, all while trusting in the shared experience of God's grace.
- All General Conference delegates will receive “Postures of Peace” cards that encourage participants to take on a posture of humility, being sensitive to diverse cultures and Christian experiences.
Photo by Jake Harsh, courtesy of Discipleship Ministries.
Commentaries
When I began at Discipleship Ministries as the director of adult discipleship, I wrestled with this question: How do adults learn? As I collaborated with other staff and educators, I grew in my understanding that learning is about more than gaining information. Adults learn through questioning their assumptions, exploring diverse perspectives and engaging in meaningful dialogue with those they trust. Through dialogue, adults can be challenged and gain greater perspective. Focusing on this way of learning is helpful since we live in a reality where algorithms determine which information we see and do not see.
A guiding Scripture passage is John 1:46. Phillip encourages Nathanael to follow Jesus, even though he hails from a town of no reputation. Nathanael’s famous question reveals his assumption: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” But do you remember Phillip’s response? Instead of arguing or debating, Phillip invites further into relationship, “Come and see.”
These insights were the genesis of the Courageous Conversations project in 2015. The term “hyper-partisanship” had not yet become a staple in our daily discourse. Nine years later, the project still attempts to foster a culture of structured dialogue for learning in a church setting. The goal is to equip churches with tools to facilitate learning opportunities on any subject. I believe that the church can be the best place for the most challenging conversations.
At the heart of Courageous Conversations lies a simple belief: The church should be a place where individuals feel brave enough to express their views, question their beliefs and engage with differing perspectives, all while trusting in the shared experience of God's grace. It is about having the courage to come to the table, not with the intent to win an argument, but, rather, with a willingness to listen, learn and grow together in faith and understanding. And it is about the courage to stay at the table of conversation when the anxiety lifts and disagreements run high.
What exactly is a Courageous Conversation and what does it look like?
Courageous Conversations is a toolbox of resources that equip congregations to hold structured dialogues for learning within local church settings. The aim of engaging in a Courageous Conversation is to learn, not to descend into futile debate. The hope is not simply to achieve unanimity of views but, rather, to cultivate a space where participants can engage deeply with differing perspectives, fostering understanding, nurturing trust and building compassion. By encouraging participants to articulate their views with humility and listen deeply to others, Courageous Conversations aims to grow disciples through learning and listening.
Courageous Conversations offers a variety of resources that are flexible and adaptable to accommodate various learning formats: guest speakers, small-group discussions and interactive exercises tailored to the church's context and needs. It emphasizes creating a supportive environment where participants feel neurologically safe to express their thoughts, using tools like conversation guidelines and physical settings that promote equality and openness — such as circles or small round tables — while also stretching to grow in their own and other’s perspectives.
For local churches interested in implementing Courageous Conversations, the resources include:
- Adapting the Sample Models: Choose from a variety of adaptable models provided, tailoring them to fit specific needs and contexts of your congregation. These models range from open discussions, interviews and guest-speaker sessions to more structured dialogues around specific topics like immigration, climate change and racism.
- Structures to Create (Neurologically) Brave Space: Arrange the physical setting to facilitate open dialogue, using circles or small round tables to symbolize equality among participants. Symbols like crosses, Bibles and Communion elements can remind participants of the spiritual context of the discussions.
- Guidelines and Tools: Employ conversation guidelines and tools like talking sticks, prayers and opening exercises to set expectations and maintain a constructive tone throughout the conversations.
- eLearning Courses: Discipleship Ministries currently offers low-cost Continuing Education Unit versions of “How to Have a Courageous Conversation” e-courses that walk participants systematically through the resources.
Local churches can participate by organizing Courageous Conversations sessions around topics relevant to their community, ensuring facilitators are trained to guide the discussions and promoting an atmosphere of respect, compassion and empathy. By doing so, churches become spaces where challenging topics can be explored thoughtfully and constructively, contributing to the discipleship growth of participants and the strengthening of the church community. My ultimate hope is that churches will witness to their communities on how to disagree, yet love one another.
Participation in the e-courses has increased during the last couple of months as churches prepare for General Conference. Over the last few years, more than 1,000 students have registered for a Courageous Conversations e-course. Participants have responded positively.
“I was almost in tears listening to you list those fears [of engaging in courageous conversations],” said Ginger Coffin, a member of League City (Texas) United Methodist Church. “They are exactly the reasons many of us, including myself, were hoping to avoid the discernment for affiliation conversations. I am so glad that I signed up for this class, if only for this eight-minute video. Bless you and thank you for pointing out the positives that can and will come from this – deeper relationship with Christ and each other being a huge one. Pray for us as we move forward through the conversations.”
Laurel Capesius, a provisional elder from the Iowa Annual Conference, currently serves a United Church of Christ congregation in Claremont, California. She commented, “I have really enjoyed the content of this course. I appreciated the notes about prayer and how to bring silence and intention into these conversations. Highlighting the need to quiet our minds and listen for God is so important. I also loved the idea of using a small hourglass timer as the talking stick. [It is] a great way to hold people accountable to the time and to make sure everyone gets an opportunity to speak.”
General Conference
At General Conference, all delegates will receive “Postures of Peace” cards. We hope that delegates will use them daily as tangible reminders for maintaining a posture of curiosity. The cards encourage participants to take on a posture of humility, being sensitive to diverse cultures and Christian experiences, as urged in Philippians 2:3, “Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves.” The cards call us prayerfully to seek wisdom, being mindful of God’s presence and echoing Philippians 4:6, “Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks.”
The cards emphasize the importance of listening for understanding and assuming positive intent in other attendees, as James 1:19 teaches, “Know this, my dear brothers and sisters: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to grow angry.” Trusting that all are still on the way toward Christian perfection, the cards encourage speaking the truth with love, in line with Ephesians 4:15, “Instead, by speaking the truth with love, let’s grow in every way into Christ.” And they urge us to appreciate the sacredness of our gathering, remembering the witness we are making to the world, as advised in Ephesians 5:15-16, “So be careful to live your life wisely, not foolishly. Take advantage of every opportunity because these are evil times.”
By adhering to these Scriptural principles, the “Postures of Peace” cards aim to guide the General Conference toward respectful, grace-filled discussions that honor our shared mission and the sacredness of our collective endeavor.
I pray that our General Conference will witness to the world, showing love for one another and seeking God’s will corporately before seeking our own agendas.
Scott Hughes is director of adult discipleship at Discipleship Ministries.
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