PRMI's Pinnacle Phrases - Presbyterian-Reformed Ministries International

Culture is our leadership values. It connects all the track volunteers to the team.

Culture is the “why we do” (being) versus “what we do” (process). Behavior and task flow from underlying values.

Culture grants us common language in multiple locations to declare “this is who a Dunamis volunteer leader is, and the ‘why we do-what we do-in the way we do.’”

While many of these are true across the entire PRMI ministry, I’m thinking specifically of Dunamis Project volunteers. It may be that future thought development would expand this to all volunteer leadership in all our events.

These “pinnacle phrases” of Dunamis Culture has depth. Each one has a whole slew of characteristics, habits, or behaviors behind them that make Dunamis Project a reality (like “Eagle Scout” condenses 7-8 years of character formation and activity into two words).

Our Pinnacle Phrases Booklet

1. WE ARE CONTEXT CREATORS.

We create the context for the Holy Spirit to work.

We create contexts where it is safe for the curious and skeptical to ask questions, where relationships are formed through small groups, where permission is sought before ministry, and where lab times give people a place to try without fear of failure or criticism.

We lead events as a team, practice mutual submission to each other and to the Holy Spirit, and utilize the gifts of men and women in leadership. We create an intensive four-to-five-day context for the Dunamis Project. It recognizes the value of withdrawal before returning to regular life.

Our events are places where people can:

Experience the power of the Holy Spirit (receive ministry)
Grow in cooperating with Him (do ministry)

We teach the material of the Dunamis Institute—that’s our ministry grid that underpins all other teaching expressions. We meet regularly between events to plan, pray, and work through the logistics of publicity, registration, etc. to create that context.

In all of this, we nurture excellence, like a farmer preparing the field and nurturing the soil for the best outcomes, covering areas such as hospitality, event promotion, registration, quality of teaching, and ministry experiences.

2. WE ARE KAIROS SEEKERS.

God sovereignly moves in ‘Kairos’ moments as the Holy Spirit starts to move over a situation or person. It is an invitation to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to advance the Kingdom of God.

We position ourselves to look for Kairos moments with expectancy. We constantly ask: What is God doing? How is the group doing? What does God want? We seek Him in prayer, listen, and respond.

Some Kairos moments occur during structured lab times, where we move from teaching to experiential involvement. Teams plan for lab times: where, how, and when a lab time can occur in a teaching block. For example: We have taught on healing, let’s pray for it. We have talked about ‘tongues’, let us pray for those who want to receive it.

Other Karios moments are unplanned developments during teaching, worship, or prayer as a response to something the Lord invites us into. We use our PRMI ministry style (teamwork, mutual submission, discernment, cooperation, permission, etc.) throughout these Kairos moments. Much of this is spelled out in our 7 Habits of Effective Ministry Etiquette brochure, that can be found at www.prmi.org.

We debrief many of our Kairos moments to remove the potential for confusion, to help people understand what may be new to them, and ensure we remain submitted to one another in love. We always will include opportunity for a person to recommit themselves to Jesus Christ and pray for empowerment to accomplish all that the Lord has prepared for them.

3. WE ARE PRAYER PRIORITIZERS.

Without prayer, nothing occurs.

Every prayer pattern we use stems from this value.

Lead intercessors mobilize their teams ahead of the event, and may make site visits in advance to prepare the way through prayer. As “watchmen on the wall,” intercessors watch over the room, pray for the work, and aid in the process of discernment.

In accordance with the PRMI style of prayer ministry, prayer ministry is conducted in teams. Some events offer personal prayer ministry appointments during free time.

Morning prayer sets the stage for discerning what God is doing during that conference day and prepares the way for ministry during the day.

A guided pattern of private prayer and reflection called The Walk of Prayer is accessible on the PRMI website at www.prmi.org.

Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

4. WE ARE CONTRIBUTORS NOT CONSUMERS.

PRMI invites you to volunteer with us.

We find ways for all people to volunteer their time by helping with logistics, event promotion, and advocacy, as well as trying out ministry roles like prayer teams or serving as intercessors.

Volunteers take on roles in which they can express their gifts in ministry and find meaningful ways to contribute to the Dunamis community.

We encourage people to contribute generously to our vision.

We live out the PRMI faith basis and trust that God will provide through those who receive and participate in ministry. We only charge what the conference center does.

We excel at asking for donations to support PRMI’s vision because the ministry has been funded by free-will offerings.

As people become more involved in their local Dunamis community, we invite them to transition from event-based giving to regular automatic giving via our Sustaining the Flame program found at www.prmi.org/donate.

Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24

5. WE ARE COMMUNITY BUILDERS.

We invite people to use the community time away from everyday life to form an extended family.

We create the context for community formation and ownership:

New people join
People who have already joined grow
Fellowship members look out for one another
They eagerly await the next event to gather together

We share a PRMI common language in community such as ‘the dance of cooperation,’ ‘Kairos moments,’ ‘on the wall,’ ‘getting guidance,’ and ‘practicing discernment.’

Friends are turned into family at the Dunamis Project through:

Meal times
Kairos moments
Small group relational work
Small group prayer ministry
Unstructured relationship times

We foster community ownership, ongoing connections between events, and advocacy to spread Dunamis expressions. We are not a closed community. We welcome newcomers, assist visitors in connecting, and foster a sense of mission to establish a new community.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25

6. WE ARE MINISTRY MULTIPLIERS.

To extend our programs beyond current locations and to future generations, we are intentional in identifying future leaders, giving them places to grow and serve, deploying them to serve on teams.

We embody our culture and teaching. Then we step into the role of mentor or coach, encouraging the growth of upcoming leaders.

We look for those who have begun to embody our Dunamis culture and are demonstrating giftedness for serving our context.

We intentionally look for new leaders of all ages.

We have many roles where people can join in prayer ministry or intercession teams, worship teams, or test out their spiritual leadership skills during evening prayer and praise times. There are places to serve in hospitality, technology, photography, or directing a track, for example.

We look for potential leaders, including people who might lead in any of the PRMI Ministries, PRMI’s Board of Directors, Dunamis Fellowship International, and/or the Dunamis Institute.