Orality Journal Volume 3, Number 1, 2014 | Page 18

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Orality Journal, Volume 3, Number 1, 2014 Barfoot, MacIlvaine, Ballard

4. Go with the ebb and flow. Every
cohort has a life cycle. There is a
rhythm and an ebb and flow to
a cohort. This is normal. Some
years, it may feel like there is a
significant momentum going and
other years it will plateau and
feel less euphoric. It is important
that you ride the cycle anchored
in the Lord Jesus. If a cohort
is a setting sun, it may give
birth to something new or it
may require some tweaking to
bring renewal. Also watch for
the rising stars as new needs. As
different challenges emerge, it is
an opportunity to birth a cohort.

Follow up with a Cohort
Below are three suggestions for
following up with a cohort.
1. Remind cohort alumni they
are family. Over the years,
cohorts begin and soon come to
completion. Soon enough, you
may have hundreds of alumni.
It is important to remind them
over and over again that they
are a part of a family Regular
.
communication, perhaps reunions
and other occasion gatherings, can
foster their continued growth post
the cohort learning experience.
2. Empower alumni to mentor
new cohort members. Alumni
are often further along than new

members and can make great
mentors. Provide opportunities
for one or two alumni to join with
a new cohort to help shepherd
and encourage participants in
partnership with the leadercoaches. This cross-pollination
can provide a continuity of
learning from cohort to cohort.
3. Evaluate ongoing needs of
alumni. It is important to keep
up with alumni and determine
ways to formally and informally
assess how they are doing and if
there are surfacing gaps in their
ministry If gaps are determined,
.
then alumni cohorts or modified
peer groups could be established to
help further encourage them to stay
the course in God's call on their life.
Oftentimes, alumni go through a
major crisis or ministry transition
and need an extra measure of
support that may not have surfaced
during their cohort program.

Summary
The cohort learning community
approach is a proven method for
ministerial training. It is a powerful
means by which godly global servant
,
leaders can be equipped for ministry
.
These basic steps outlined in this article
serve as a starting point for ministry
leaders who are wrestling with the
process of developing, sustaining, and
following up with cohort participants.