Man, what to write, how to summarise the intensity, friendship and productivity of last week's 24-7 Round Table in Herrnhut, Germany? How on earth can I convey the conversations, amused looks, calamaties and adventures in one blog post?...
For those of you who need a catch up the Round Table is probably the most important annual event in my calendar. It's the week when 24-7's key leaders around the globe gather to discuss the challenges we're facing and make decisions about the way forward. Lots of prayer, discussion, beer, pipes(!) and massive cravings for caffine (German tea is weird, I was having serious withdrawal for a good english brew).
This year I picked up the organisation of the project half way through to assist the Spains proudest new Father Jonah and Germany's most alternative intellectual Markus in making it happen. I arrived pretty knackered after lots of stressful organisation and a previous two weeks of travel. The first night of prayer and worship I looked around the room, took a deep breath and realised I was there.
I was standing in a room of people gathered from the UK, the USA, Switzerland, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Mexico and Canada. Each person is a friend I wouldn't have made if I hadn't decided to give my life to this unpredictable movement of people. As prayers were sung and spoken in many different languages I knew there was no where else I'd rather be. I'd have worked twice as hard to get there if I ahd to do it over.
The subjects we were trying to get our head round this year were the licensing of 24-7 boiler rooms and the International structure of 24-7 Prayer. Quite heavy, meaty discussions ensued and decisions were made and beers were drunk in celebration. Freeman and the Boiler team have spent so long looking at boiler rooms and how they're supported and recognised by the wider movement that I swelled with pride as he presented his paper and got a massive thumbs up from the room.
The structure stuff was a little more interesting, and dare I say tense... 24-7 has been priviledged enough to not need to address a lot of structural issues in our first five years as we are mere babies in relation to more establish bodies. With massive growth (from one to three thousand prayer rooms in five years, from one to sixty three nations with umpteen languages and ethnies) and surpirsing success we're starting to feel the growing pains of trying to do everything through relationship, yet not being physically capable of knowing everyone.
Structure is a bit of a cuss word to many people. You mention organisation and some people imediately invision institutions that sufficate life and growth. The truth is that those same people and many more will feel the pain of things that aren't working well and are crying out to be organised. Communcation for example. How many times have we as a team wanted to communicate things face to face with someone because they're a friend but in the time lag between then and actually seeing someone people feel out of the loop.
Every body needs a skeleton to support the flesh and muscle. Our challenge in the coming year will be to create a structure that supports well but doesn't break through the flesh and restrain the growth of the flesh. OK I've just grossed myself out with my own metaphor...
All in all it was hard work but a great success. There'll be a lot of indepth dialogue through out the year but I think (thanks to Jon Peterson) we made a great first step towards finding a solution. xc