What is ICNU?
I first learned of the ICNU conversation from the life-changing book Exponential and those letters have become part of our language for my husband and me.
ICNU means “I see in you.” It’s a call out for leadership. It says, “I see in you things like:”
— A gift of listening to people and truly caring.
— The ability to encourage people no matter where they are at in their journey.
— Leadership qualities that may be ready to share.
Think about it. Can you remember a time when someone said something like that to you?
I have a pastor friend, Eric, who is brilliant at this! He regularly encourages me in my giftings and challenges me to move forward. Honestly, sometimes he sees things more clearly than I do.
Left to myself I would not have had the courage to do many of the things I have done, but with the encouragement and challenge of others, I have become more of myself than I could have seen without them.
Exponential talks about how Jesus was the king of ICNU conversations. He called his disciples out from their current professions when they were not even close to ready to commit to him. He gave Peter a new name that meant “rock.” He saw in them what they could be.
What do you see in the people around you?
It’s the opposite of freeze-framing, which we have talked about before. ICNU looks not only into what is visible but into the future of what could be.
Pastor Eric spoke life into my leadership capability long before I was thriving in ministry. He encouraged me when I didn’t do as well as I thought I would on something. He invited me to share with his people and paid me what he wanted others to pay me. He truly believed me into the person I am today.
I’d like to think I have done that with others. I remember college students I asked to become RAs or coaching trainees I thought would be good facilitators or coaches. And now they are doing ministry they may not have done without the encouragement.
So, what do you see in the people around you?
Maybe you can make a list of the people in your group and intentionally speak vision and hope into their lives. That could be a great adventure!
And, while you are at it, take a moment and consider who in your Group is ready for a call into Small Group leadership? Or maybe you have a friend who’s not in your Group that could be a good Small Group Leader, and an ICNU conversation could make all the difference.
Worship Center regularly launches new Groups. Feel free to tap a shoulder or two and encourage them to fill out the form on worshipcenter.org/groups, or let us know who you think would make a great Small Group Leader and we will contact them.
Remember, you are an influencer, and your words can bring life!