December 2009

Passing on God's blessing to a thousand generations

A conversation with Anne Clippard, author of the newly released Freeing the Family course.

EMI: Anne, you have co-authored several EMI titles such as Listening for Heaven's Sake and Quick-to-Listen Leaders. We want to highlight one of the new courses you've helped to create, Freeing the Family: Healing the Wounds of Generations. What prompted you to develop this course?

Anne: "In my study of Family Systems, I began to recognize family patterns in my own family of origin. I was fascinated by what I was learning. This fascination developed more into a passion when I realized from the scriptures that we had an opportunity to impact for good a thousand generations that follow us and break unhealthy patterns that precede us.

"That is an amazing opportunity and challenge. I never thought that my choices could have such an impact for eternity. Sharing this realization with others prompted me to want to develop materials that would glorify God and help others to make choices that would impact the Kingdom for good.

EMI: There are many resources out there that deal with this important topic of family. What does this course specifically address?

Anne: "Freeing the Family teaches a tool called the “Genogram” to help people begin to see patterns of health and unhealth in their families of origin. It reveals the blessings and the curses that the scriptures talk about. We want to hold on to the blessings and begin to break the curses that we recognize. Awareness is the first step to change.

EMI: It seems like everyone today claims they come from a dysfunctional family. How does this course deal with this pervasive problem?

Anne: "There is no perfect family. We are all trying to be the best that we know to be. All families have something good and all families have areas that need to change. Sometimes it is hard for people to find anything good in their family and others have a hard time seeing anything bad. We try to do a reality check from both sides.

EMI: In the multiple times that you've taught this class, how have you seen God work? Can you share a story?

Anne: "God is always there when we call upon him, confess, forgive, and move toward healing. The delight in teaching this course comes from watching the “light bulbs” go on in people’s minds. They realize that they are not doomed but that God judges each one of us for our choices and actions and we do not have to follow the patterns that have been set in previous generations. After doing a genogram, one individual recognized the large number of sexual addicts in his family of origin. He chose to pray to break the laws of generations for himself and his family and then began the healing process. God has worked in a powerful way to restore the years the locusts have eaten for this person and his family.

EMI: Some of our readers are currently dealing with difficult family situations. Can you offer some general thoughts on helping them cope?

Anne: "Every family deals with difficult situations. This keeps us all on our knees. Families were intentionally created by God and He desires for us to be in good relationship with him and our families. That is a challenge. The EMI skills of Listening, Renewing the Mind, Speaking the Truth in Love, and being aware of where change needs to happen helps us to move toward health and wholeness in these family relationships. It's a life-long process of change. We also need to realize that we cannot make other people change who do not want to change. There are situations that may not be perfect, but we can learn how to be a healthier influence.

Everything you need to teach this course, including a detailed teacher's manual, powerpoint, and class notes are available for purchase from EMI online.

Freeing the Family course will be offered on June 12, 2010 in Cincinnati, OH. Register online for this class.

Listening for Heaven's Sake, Speaking the Truth in Love, and Renewing the Mind will be offered at the upcoming LIFE seminar, March 19-20, 2010.

For more information, call 513-742-1100 or 800-EMI-GROW (364-4769).

Tapestry Conference -- January 2010

: Tapestry of the Century painting by Vladimir Gorsky

Where Christ's followers from every culture gather to be encouraged, equipped, and knit together by strong ties of love. (Col. 2:2)

Two dynamic conferences that provide spiritual inspiration and practical equipping for leaders of international churches and their members.

Intensive Pastor Conference Wed.- Fri. January 20-22, 2010

Imagine three days of inspiration, intensive equipping and networking designed especially for international pastors and leaders serving in multi-cultural or ethnic congregations. Start the new year with fresh inspiration, vision, and practical ideas that will produce a greater harvest in your life and ministry.

REFRESH your spirit and renew your vision for ministry.

BREAK mental and spiritual habits that are holding your congregation back.

BUILD skills for multiplying the effective leaders you need.

Leaders Conference Sat. January 23, 2010

Get so filled up with Jesus that His love naturally outflows to your family, friends, community, and to the world! Hundreds of thousands have embraced the simple biblical principles of Outflow. You can too with this one-day empowering experience led by author Dave Ping.

Tell your international friends about this special opportunity. Conference hosted by Church on the Hill in Redlands, CA, on the outskirts of Los Angeles.

Click for details or call EMI at 800-364-4769; 513-742-1100.

International Spotlight: Yee Hwa Soon & Christabel Seow, Malaysia/Seattle

: Yee Hwa and Christabel (right front) with students from the listening class.

After completing EMI's ISOS training at Cincinnati in July, 2009, Yee Hwa Soon and his wife Christabel returned to Seattle and found the door opened immediately to start their Chinese ministry.

“Response came from some unexpected quarters. We were amazed at what God would do, it is truly beyond what we have thought or hoped for. We believe that God will use the EMI courses as a channel of blessing to the Chinese churches. There will be much wonder, glory, and praise to His name.

"We mentioned EMI courses to our Malaysia brothers; they immediately requested training. How could we do this when we are in the USA? Then we thought of Skype. We started to train them individually in Listening For Heaven’s Sake: a pastor, a church elder, and a bi-vocational ministry worker, each from a different denomination. We also trained the pastor in Guiding Life-Changing Small Groups from EMI for group dynamics. As he learned, he trained his small group leaders.

"When training was completed, the powerpoint for Guiding Life-Changing Small Groups have also been translated into Chinese. In USA, we completed the Listening course with a pastor in California from Campus Crusade for Christ via Skype. God willing, we hope to work together to provide training for the Chinese churches in California in the near future.

"Our first on-site training on Listening was carried out over 2 Saturdays for a Chinese church in north Seattle. The church membership is about 70; 15 participated in the training. What caught us by surprise was the enthusiastic response when half the class expressed interest in becoming a teacher for this course. So, having just completed our first on-site training, we now have to quickly jump into Teachers Training. Our hope and prayer is that God will raise up many teaching teams who would serve both the local church as well as all other churches in this region.

"All these things happened between July and November. When God moves, He really moves fast. This is a little too fast for comfort, but then God is never about our comfort. He cares for our growth, our character, but not our comfort.

"Please continue to uphold us in your prayers, for we need wisdom to discern where God is leading and the stamina to follow. Pray also for His provision for the days ahead."

Through Yee Hwa and Christabel, God is bringing positive change to the Chinese culture both in Malaysia and U.S. Your donation will impact an entire culture. Sponsor an SOS training in 2010.

Click to donate online.