Your tribe, your group, your clique, your sounding board, your homies. Whatever you call your community, it’s an integral part of your life and what makes you who you are. And when that community is not at 100%, you likely start to notice that YOU are not at 100%.
It’s not a secret that 4word highly values community. We’ve built up communities in cities across the country and are aiming to reach 10 million women by 2030. In being so passionate about building communities, we’re also acutely aware of how a fracture in a community can quickly, effectively, and sometimes permanently, bring it down.
So how do we build a healthy community that is in line with God’s vision for His children?
On this episode, Marion Medina, 4word’s new Director of Programs, shares what she believes God’s role is for community in everyone’s lives. She also discusses how listening—really listening—to each other is the best way to build bridges in communities that might be experiencing some fractures.
Marion served in pastoral ministry for 17 years at three local churches including, most recently, Willow Creek Community Church. During her church ministry, she incorporated her organizational development skills with her practical knowledge of effective discipleship to create growth strategies that focused on the equipping and mobilization of congregations on the mission of Jesus. She holds degrees from Trinity International University and Wheaton College in Organizational Leadership and Missional Church Movements.
She directed vision and strategy for the Alpha Chicago Board during her tenure as Chairman of the Board, and she partnered with Dr. Rick Richardson to develop and launch the nation-wide Church Evangelism Institute, a ministry of the Billy Graham Center of Wheaton College. As a member of the Christ Together Midwest Board, she provided guidance, training and strategy and individual coaching for pastors and church leaders throughout the central United States.
Marion and her husband, Ray, reside in Dallas and have two adult children and two amazing grandchildren.