3DM Learning Community FAQ – Central Midwest Hub
1.What is a Learning Community
Through our experience of working with thousands of churches over the years, 3DM has learned that the greatest way to bring cultural change in a church toward building a missional discipleship culture is through a two-year process of content, coaching, and community relationship. Churches need discipled in the ways of Jesus just like individuals do.
2.What is the flow of the two-year process?
Taking a church through a process requires intentionality in establishing the building blocks and foundation for the transition from a consumer culture to an empowerment culture. This arc of involvement progresses every six months through the following areas of emphasis.
Be Disciples
Call Disciples
Train Disciples
Multiply Disciples
Disciple a Movement
3.What is the LC trying to accomplish?
This two-year journey trains the key leaders in the church how to be living this kind of discipleship lifestyle within their own lives and ministry contexts, but also how the church can inject this kind of missional discipleship DNA within the existing structures and ministries of the church. If a church goes too slow they will never see a culture shift, but if the church tries to change too fast, they can lose the very people they are trying to lead. 3DM is led by practitioners who are skilled in coaching church leaders how to implement this kind of shift. It is about a revolutionary change at an evolutionary pace.
4.What all is included in a two-year LC?
- Three day immersions every six months where content is taught and coaching is processed for both individual and church transformation (total of five immersions)
- Weekly coaching in between the immersions every six month in a cohort with 4-5 other church leaders in a virtual discipleship huddle weekly with an accredited 3DM coach.
- Yearly senior leader and spouse retreat
5.What happens during the three-day LC immersions every six months?
The purpose of the immersions is for a church team to process the content of how to implement the discipleship principles within the church setting. A 3DM coach helps each team process how to contextualize the principles to their setting. At the end of the three days, they put together a tangible plan with six-month goals. Those goals will be revisited at their next immersion and also discussed in the weekly coaching huddles. To be in the LC the church must participate in all of the immersions. Each church can choose which kind of immersion works best for them.
6.What are the options for how to engage in the three-day LC immersions every six months?
An average church team is usually around five people, but some teams are smaller or larger than that. Our recommendation is that a church team have at least three people at every immersion. If a church only has one person that can attend the immersion, special permission must be granted upon request based on the circumstances. These immersions are only available for churches who join the LC and also combine it with the weekly coaching for two years (see question 8). There are three immersion options from which to choose every six months:
Option One: In-person immersion (Fort Wayne, IN)
$150 per person (team of three people or less)
$100 per person (team of four people or more)
Option Two: Virtual Asynchronous (Recorded) Immersion
$750 per immersion for video recorded teaching inputs & team exercises, along
with a two-hour personal video coaching consultation with entire team
Fifth Immersion
- All three options above are prices for the first four immersions
- Immersion five is free for unlimited number of leaders (only cost would be for food if in-person)
7. Can we do some of our immersions in-person and some virtually?
To be in the LC the church must participate in at least all of the first four immersions. 3DM does believe in-person is the best of all the options because of the relational component the church can establish with both the 3DM leaders and the leaders of the other churches. Being in community in-person with other churches is a big advantage in this process. However, churches can select different options throughout the two years. Each church can choose which kind of immersion works best for them and also can mix and match these options throughout the two years. We do highly suggest that at least the first and fourth immersion is in-person, if at all possible.
8. How does the weekly Huddle Coaching work?
We recommend at least the senior leader is in a weekly coaching huddle, if at all possible. These are one-hour virtual settings in groups of 5-6 leaders. To be in the LC, the church needs to have at least one leader in the weekly coaching but can have additional if desired.
One person huddled – $150 per month
Two people huddled – $275 per month
Three people huddled – $350 per month
If spouses plan to huddle together, special consideration will be given to pricing
9. What is the yearly Senior Leader and Spouse Retreat?
- For all churches participating in an LC, they have access to a two-day spouse retreat each of the two years. If the senior leader and spouse cannot make it, the church can designate another couple.
- There is no registration cost for this retreat but is included in the overall fees of the LC. The only cost to the couple is food and accommodation when in-person.
- During the two-year LC, one of these retreats will be in-person and the other retreat will be virtual. These will fluctuate on an every other year basis. The in-person retreats will be all day Friday and Saturday. The virtual retreats will be Friday night and Saturday morning.
- These retreats are key opportunities for leaders and spouses to get on the same page together and process how partnership in marriage helps build a discipling culture both in the family and in the church.
10. What if our church cannot afford to be in the LC?
3DM does not want any churches prevented from joining a LC due to finances. If finances would be an obstacle, there are scholarships available to help reduce cost. If this applies, request a scholarship application.
11. What time of year are these immersions and when is the first one?
Three-day immersions take place the first week in November and sometime during April depending on when Easter falls each year. They are run from Fort Wayne, IN where the Central Midwest Hub is based. New Learning community cohorts begin every November.
12. What if I am interested, but I am not sure about making a two-year commitment?
A church can participate in the first immersion of a LC in November as an investigator before making the two-year commitment. They will then have until Dec. 1 to decide if they want to join.
13. What if I am sold on participating in an LC but I am not sure my board will agree?
It is important during the investigation phase to include and give key leaders and decision-makers an opportunity to engage. Encouraging them to read one of the 3DM books, or viewing a teaching video, or watching a testimonial from a church leader are all very helpful. Also, 3DM is willing to assign a 3DM coach to meet with your board virtually for Q and A if that would be helpful to the process as well. The most effective way is giving them exposure to a workshop or one of the immersions themselves.
14. How are the fees paid over the two years?
Churches can pay the fees monthly or if they pay for one year in advance they receive one of the twelve months off as a discount. For churches that do make the two-year commitment, it is an informal agreement and a church can withdrawal from the process at any time with no penalties.
15. What are some on-ramp experiences prior to a LC?
- Taster workshops are available during the spring immersion. These can be accessed both in-person or virtually.
- Six-month weekly on-ramp huddles are available from May through October for leaders who want to be coached and discipled in these principles and may decide to join a LC in the future.
- One-off Church Consultations are available where a 3DM coach will meet with a church team and suggest discipleship principles that can be implemented right away.
- First immersion as a taster is also available where a team can participate in that first November immersion and then decide afterward if they want to join the LC.
16. Are the video teaching inputs available after the immersions?
Each immersion has 4-5 plenary sessions or teaching inputs that will be video recorded. These are available to any church in the LC. These can then be used to give broader exposure to more leaders in the church.
17. Who can I talk to if I have further questions about this process?
Feel free to contact Erin Paris, our Hub Administrator. Her email address: erinparis@3dmovements.org. She can answer the questions directly or schedule a phone call with her or one of the other Hub leaders. We would love to connect with you!