Types of Online Communities at TransformingTheChurch

Our online communities are composed of multiple facets that collectively we call "The Connect Community." Each type of community serves a targeted segment of our audience.

Connected Community Members Portal

For all current and former students, we maintain a secure Members Portal where members can meet for discussion, sharing of information or social interaction. Whenever you purchase any of our courses, you automatically get a lifetime membership in the Member Portal.

The Members Portal provides an excellent opportunity for "cross-pollination" of ideas beyond the boundaries of any single course. All members have some demonstrated interest in church transformation, and this pool of experience and multiple points of view provide a special interest group that can be very useful.

Special-Interest Communities

Special Interest Communities form a section of the larger Connected Community and are typically focused on a single topic. Special Interest Communities are sometimes referred to as "birds-of-a-feather" groups, groups of people sharing a common interest in the topic.

Over time, we will build many Special Interest Communities based on the wishes and demand of the general Connected Community.

Private Communities

Private Communities have all of the features and functions of our primary Member Portal of the Connected Community. However, where our Member Portal is open to anyone wishing access, Private Communities provide restricted access to serve members of particular ministries and working group.

Private Communities provide a secure controlled-access space for judicatories (Regions or Areas), special interest groups, private education initiatives or other situations where controlled access is desired.

Live Events

From time to time, we will offer access to Live Events. Each of our Live Events will have some combination of live streaming video and interactive features. The components of each event are tailored to the nature of the event.

Private Meeting Rooms

As an option to our Interactive Distance Learning Courses, private groups can opt to use one of our Private Meeting Rooms. Private Meeting Rooms are secure virtual meeting and work spaces that groups of people from the same church to connect with each other on-line without have to travel to a central physical facility to conduct discussions, meetings and working sessions. Private Meeting Rooms are password-protected, and only those granted access can enter into the space and participate. Inside the Private Meeting Rooms, groups are provided with expanded sets of virtual meeting and discussion tools such as Telephone Conference Calls, Web Conferencing, Private Group Forums, Live Chat, etc.

By providing privacy for church groups doing group studies on church transformation, groups might be more inclined to speak more frankly and openly than they would in an open public session. It is hoped that this will lead groups to more fully and directly address the issues facing their churches.

By meeting and working together virtually without having to drive to the church for meetings, groups using Private Meeting Rooms might be more inclined to meet more often and make the most efficient use of their time. Members of groups can use the Private Meeting Rooms from their home or office or even when they are traveling out of town or otherwise unavailable.

By creating private meeting spaces dedicated to single churches, groups can focus on the particular context of transformation in their churches instead of broader generalities.

Private Meeting Rooms can be engaged for any length of time, even beyond the duration of the course. In fact, we recommend that Private Meeting Rooms be used as long as the group is continuing to work together as a functioning group.

Consulting and Coaching

As an additional option for Private Meeting Rooms, private, individualized Consulting and Coaching can be added to any Private Meeting Room. Our instructors are available to meet virtually with a church group in their Private Meeting Room to provide customized consulting and coaching to assist churches in their transformation efforts.

Consulting and Coaching are based on an hourly billing rate of the consultant and groups may consume as little or as much as they wish.

Since the consultant/coach meets virtually within the group's Private Meeting Room, travel time, and expenses are not required; this makes the process of using private consulting and coaching very cost effective.