BROADENING THE PEOPLE GROUP FOCUS SEMINAR

—The fragmentation of 21st century society has created “pockets” of people who live in multiple social worlds. These ethnogroups and sociogroups may cross ethnic, socioeconomic, or other demographic divides as people form relationships on the basis of common values, attitudes, beliefs, activities, interests or opinions. Based on aspects of social identity, they often display characteristics of a neotribal orientation.

The Broadening the People Group Focus Seminar is a 2 day seminar that builds on a biblical understanding of the mission of the people of God to various kinds of people groups within the ministry setting. The seminar demonstrates how to segment society along the lines of these neotribal groups, design outreaches to these groups in ways that are culturally appropriate to their context, and develop missional strategies that result in culturally-relevant congregations among them.

NEOTRIBAL MISSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
DEFINING MISSIONAL OBJECTIVES	1.       Discover BIBLICAL MISSION  2.       Distinguish PEOPLE GROUPS	3.       Recognize GROUP FORMATION  4.       Differentiate NEOTRIBAL GROUPS	UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE GROUPS
REACHING NEOTRIBAL CULTURES	7.       Develop CONTEXTUAL APPROACHES  8.       Create MISSIONAL STRATEGIES	5.       Categorize ETHNOGROUP IDENTITIES  6.       Catalog SOCIOGROUP IDENTITIES	IDENTIFYING NEOTRIBAL IDENTITIES

.

DEFINING MISSIONAL OBJECTIVES

Discover Biblical Mission

Gain a new appreciation for the mission of the people of God from the early pages of Genesis until this day. Observe the missional call inherent in the conversion experience and first-century congregational examples of implementing that calling. See the how the cultural background of key passages illuminate significant intercultural and missional issues faced in ministry and shape current missional objectives.

Distinguish People Groups

Building on a biblical foundation for understanding “people groups,” examine the missional perspectives of people groups and how these definitional variations could be applied to the North American culturescape. Discern issues of social identity, socioeconomics, and acculturation among people groups and potential implications for ministry. See how these issues are highlighted through a community case study.

UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE GROUPS

Recognize Group Formation

Explore missional perspectives of group formation by contrasting two approaches: social cohesion and social identification. Discover the relationship between geodemography and social identity and see group formation illustrated through a congregational case study.

Differentiate NeoTribal Groups

Visualize the retribalization of western culture as seen through the subcultural lifeworlds and neotribal cultures that abound in North America. Examine the overlapping social identities evidenced through consumption and identify the ministry issues inherent within the population’s quest for identity.

IDENTIFYING NEOTRIBAL IDENTITIES

Categorize Ethnogroup Identities

Define ethnogroup identities, identify characteristics of ethnogroup vitality, examine acculturation in ethno-identity, and pan-ethnicity among hyphenated cultures. Case studies will illustrate neotribal variations within various MOSAIC® segments of African-American, Asian-American, or Hispanic-American identities.

Catalog Sociogroup Identities

Define sociogroup identities and contrast them with ethnogroups. Explore MOSAIC® lifestyle and lifestage segments along an urbanicity continuum. See ministry issues illustrated by case studies among sociogroups such as Bohemian Postmoderns, Cowboy Cultures, or Rural socio-identities.

REACHING NEOTRIBAL CULTURES

Develop Contextual Approaches

Learn to recognize cultural characteristics that are bridges or barriers to reaching neotribal groups. Learn to identify aspects of self-identity (personal, social, & spiritual) that provide ways of building missional relationships. Develop missional approaches to contextualize the gospel message and create contextual ministry methods.

Create Missional Strategies

Discover approaches to NeoTribal Missional Development at local, regional, state and national levels. Observe how components of both congregational and denominational missional strategies are identified, illustrated, and applied to current ministry settings.