Centers of Strategic Initiative (COSI)
A COSI is a post Kairos initiative that seeks to see church planting movements established among least-reached people groups that reside as minorities in communities where churches of the majority culture exist.
COSI participants are primarily lay people who have either existing connections with individuals or families of the people group being engaged or intentionally establish a connection, through such means as, ones occupation, work location, location of residence, participation in a community activity, or any such way in which they are brought into a "natural" contact with the people.
Participants can serve a COSI in a variety of ways, such as, through direct interaction with individuals and families of the people group or in a more indirect, supportive way, through intercession, research, training, mobilizing, resourcing, encouragement etc.
A COSI is open to all Kairos graduates and sees one of its purposes as assisting people on their journey into becoming more meaningfully involved in cross-cultural mission as either a sender, mobilizer, intercessor or goer!
Local Church leaders will be orientated regarding the COSI and encouraged to fully support this cross-cultural initiative by providing general encouragement, encouraging Kairos grads from their churches to participate and advisory input to the COSIs operations and ministry. COSIs will operate autonomously from churches of the majority culture but will establish mature relationships with these churches.
The ministry of the COSI is to establish a "church planting movement" (CPM). As part of the foundation for doing so supportive components will likely be:
A. Research
This will involve identifying the people group - their religion, culture, language, their concentration within community, etc. Included also will be identifying their journey towards faith in Christ using the Engel scale!
B. Training
Training will be given to participants on CPM methods and other important areas of COSI function including doing research!
C. Evangelism and Church Planting
A good portion of COSI participants should have face to face contact with people from the LRP. These will be the “goers”. They will engage in evangelism and the planting of reproducing fellowships of Christ followers!
D. Intercession
Intercession will be a key component of the COSI. Praying not only for the workers but also for the individuals and families contacted and engaged in relationships and witness. COSI members will be given the names of contacts, something that, due to security reasons, could not be shared in local churches!
E. Mobilization
The COSI team will also be involved in mobilization through the Kairos course in attracting others to participate in the COSI.
Note:
1. A COSI may or may not have a physical location where participants gather. They could use private homes or church buildings or any other secure meeting place!
2. Recommended COSI leadership is team leadership with one functioning as Coordinator. Decision making is by consensus!
Summarizing the Key Ideas of a COSI
- This is a post Kairos initiative
- It is primarily “lay” led
- It is comprised of people who have a viable, established role in the community in which they operate.
- Its membership consists of Kairos grads who are at various stages of their journey into mission
- It targets LRPs residing in cities and towns where they represent a minority
- The outreach model is CPM (Church Planting Movements)
Conclusion:
We aim to be proactive in encouraging the formation and development of Center of Strategic Initiative (COSIs) in countries where Kairos has been welcomed and that host significant numbers of least-reached peoples.