Discipleship is a lost love in our culture of “Go Big or Go Home.”
At Praxis Gathering 2016, however, we are gathering to recover the act and art of discipleship, and we want you to join us.
This unique annual church planting experience combines real-time practice with rich theology and deep reflection. Participants of all backgrounds, denominations and ecclesial styles will join together to plummet deep into the hands-on work of shaping disciples in their neighborhoods and networks. Join the V3 Movement, leading missiologists and hundreds of passionate practitioners like yourself this September to be equipped, nourished and renewed for a life of intentional, place-based discipleship.
Meet Natasha Sistrunk Robinson
Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is one of those rare persons who seem to be able to do more in a day than most of us do in a week. One can get fatigued just reading the list of accomplishments found on her CV. And in many ways, this leader, speaker, author and advocate is just beginning.
At an early age, Natasha Sistrunk Robinson’s academic, athletic and leadership abilities shone: “Even in high school, I loved working with my peers to accomplish a common goal. I enjoyed motivating others to reach their highest potential, encouraging team work, and managing projects,” she writes.
Natasha attended the United States Naval Academy. There she earned a Bachelor’s degree in English and was active in the United States Naval Academy Gospel Choir. In the Academy she had the opportunity to especially exercise her innate leadership gifts and see their impact in salient ways.
After graduating, Natasha served as a U.S. Marine Corps Officer. In her role there, she was responsible for managing multi-million dollar accounts and overseeing government contracts and payroll. When her time of service was completed, she returned to the Naval Academy and served as the Senior Diversity Admissions Counselor in the Office of Admissions where her leadership skills and experience became a blessing to field officers and a volunteer workforce across the U.S. This platform allowed her “to teach and train leaders, engage the public, dialog with national influencers, counsel candidates, and mentor current students.” In fact, her team was recognized for having “recruited the [then] most racially, ethnically, and gender diverse class in USNA history.” Natasha left the Marine Corp as a Captain after six years of service.
Following her service in the military, Natasha worked with the Department of Homeland Security. Her experiences there included “the facilitation of international partnerships, the awarding of international grants, interagency agreements, and executive reporting to the White House.” During this time her innate passion for excellence led her to take the ways she was leading spiritually within her community (e.g., discipling others, leading Bible studies) to such levels of excellence as she had experienced in military, academic and professional endeavors. Soon, she began attending Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. A few years later, Natasha graduated cum laude with a Master of Arts in Christian Leadership.
Natasha is passionate about many causes—anti-human trafficking advocacy, education, and leadership, to name just a few. In fact, along with a handful of friends and leadership experts, Natasha created Leadership LINKS, Inc., a nonprofit organization that “exists to educate and equip servant leaders who are committed to using their skills and resources for the greater good of humanity.”
The Speaker
A highly sought out speaker, Natasha is known for her wisdom, excellence and her ability to convey the most meaningful aspects of mentoring, discipleship, leadership and leadership training, youth leadership development, women’s issues, reconciliation, justice and spiritual wellness in an age of busyness. Because of her extensive experience living out and pouring in in the areas of discipleship and mentorship, Natasha is an obvious fit for Praxis Gathering 2016.
The Author
Accompanying her gift for speaking are Natasha’s gift and love of writing. Of her own writing Natasha writes, “While attending Gordon-Conwell, God began preparing my heart to write so I started my blog, A Sista’s Journey, and began publishing professionally in 2010. I specifically write about being a servant in God’s kingdom with a focus on leadership, mentoring, reconciliation, and biblical justice. Attending seminary was personally transformative for me as I learned and practiced spiritual disciplines, explored the practical elements of mentoring and discipleship, and completed independent studies on the topics of prayer and fasting, racial reconciliation, and biblical justice.”
Her recent book Mentor for Life: Finding Purpose through Intentional Discipleship has received great acclaim and provides an important corrective to the individualism that has tainted modern definitions of mentorship and discipleship.
As described on Amazon:
Though churches are filled with good ministry programming–activities, outreach events, and an endless selection of options–many churches neglect their fundamental mission: to make disciples and equip them for service. All humans are asking the same fundamental question: “What is my life’s purpose?” Through the pursuit of Christ and with a focus on his kingdom work, we find the answer to that question. Mentoring for God’s kingdom helps us find our purpose and prepares us to lead well.
In Mentor for Life, Natasha Sistrunk Robinson lays a solid foundation for mentoring as intentional discipleship, within the context of a small community. It is based on God’s kingdom vision, and challenge followers of Christ to consider the cost of discipleship.
Leaders in the American church is facing various challenges regarding the changing demographics and cultural climate in the world, and the discipleship crisis within the church. We must rise to meet these challenges, and develop creative ways of equipping all believers to mentor well. Mentor for Life shows how to develop mentoring relationships that function communally in existing small groups that are diverse and inclusive. It also presents a mentoring framework of knowing and loving God, understanding our identity in Christ, and loving our neighbor, which encourages theological reflection and cultivates a basic Christian worldview.
Filled with examples from Robinson’s experience in the military and business world, this resource gives readers the wisdom and practical insight they need to disciple others. It proves an invaluable resource for pastors, small group leaders, seminary professors, and those who desire to take the initiate, make the commitment, and mentor others well.
What A Few of the Many Are Saying
“Bold and wise, Mentor for Life is an intentional discipleship guide for the women who officially or unofficially lead others. With refreshing boldness, this book trains and equips leaders for a great purpose.” ~ Sarah Bessey, author of Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith and Jesus Feminist
“‘Spiritual growth is something we do by ourselves and is between us and God.’ That’s a very American thought, but it has nothing to do with biblical Christianity. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson explains clearly not only why Christians need to mentor and be mentored but how to best go about it. The information in Mentor for Life will revolutionize your spiritual life.” ~ Shane Blackshear, host of Seminary Dropout, author at ShaneBlackshear.com
“With passion and clarity, Natasha Sistrunk Robinson has presented a case for mentorship that conveys both the urgency of the mission and a vision for execution. Mentor for Life is written with the real world in mind and provides a framework that is relevant to real people. If you want to engender a stronger faith in yourself and others, Robinson has offered up a valuable resource.” ~ Richard Clark, Managing Editor, Leadership Journal, Christianity Today
Christianity Today Leadership Journal
In addition to her blog and her excellent book, Natasha is a regular contributor to Christianity Today’s magazine Leadership Journal. She has written numerous articles spanning from “Mentoring as Discipleship” to “Answering the Call of God.” Whether you are a leader looking for some practical how-tos for your organization or you’re a soul seeking rest, Natasha Sistrunk Robinson has written something that will minister to your needs.
Get to Know Natasha Sistrunk Robinson
Mentoring Takes a Village
“Mentor for Life is unique in that it addresses mentoring from a community standpoint. It does not talk about mentoring or discipleship in a one-on-one context. What I love about it is it’s communal. We find through the biblical text, especially in the New Testament that disciples are growing because of their interactions in relationship to other people.” ~ Natasha Sistrunk Robinson
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Graduation Speech
Although this video is perhaps a little more personal that informational in content, we think it is a great share because so much of what we do at Praxis Gathering is relational over informational, and the truth is we are flat out huge fans of Natasha Sistrunk Robinson. We want you to see her tell some of her own story and fall in love with the heart of a divine mentor-disciple. If everything was simply about information, the church would just be a storehouse of data—a slower Google of sorts. But then it would cease to be the church. Church is the people and the stories that are stored inside of them. So take some time to hear Natasha and get a sense of her heart. You’ll feel more human after you do. This Assistant Director of the Center for the Development of Evangelical Leadership (CDEL) with over fifteen years of leadership and mentoring experience is not someone you want to miss.
“Sign me up to hear Natasha at Praxis Gathering 2016!”
About the Author
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