Leading Ideas from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary
Leading Ideas from Lewis Center for Church Leadership at The Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., United States: "6 Ways to Jumpstart Leadership Formation | Blessing of the Bikes" for Wednesday, 21 September 2016
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Leading Ideas from Lewis Center for Church Leadership at The Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., United States: "6 Ways to Jumpstart Leadership Formation | Blessing of the Bikes" for Wednesday, 21 September 2016
SUBSCRIBE | Topics | Authors | Reprints
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From the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary
"6 Ways to Jumpstart Leadership Formation" by Mike Slaughter Pastor Mike Slaughter says one of the key factors determining the effectiveness of a congregation is the presence of principled leaders who demonstrate a vital personal faith. And, he says, “if you look across your congregation and can’t identify a core group of principled Christian leaders, then you better start growing them!” Slaughter provides six practical ideas for jumpstarting leadership formation in your church.
One of the key factors determining the effectiveness of a congregation is the presence of principled leaders who demonstrate a vital personal faith. If you look across your congregation and can’t identify a core group of principled Christian leaders, then you better start growing them!
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"Blessing of the Bikes" by Daniel Kerlin
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The Right Question
Leaders do not need answers. Leaders must have the right questions.
Someone who helps others anticipate the future in their planning uses these questions:
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Clergy Personal Finance Resources
Our basic responsibility as Christian stewards is to manage our personal financial resources so that we can care for ourselves and our families and marshal the resources needed to respond to God's call to generous giving. This is especially true for clergy who are expected to teach and model faithful stewardship within our congregations. Mastering personal finances is both a personal and a pastoral responsibility. To that end, the Lewis Center and Wesley Theological Seminary have gathered together resources to help pastors better understand and manage their personal finances. Learn more now.
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Quotable Leadership
Your church's weekend services are perfectly designed to reach the people you are reaching. If you want to reach others, things need to change.[Lee Kricher]
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50 Ways to Take Church to the Community
Churches can no longer open their doors and expect that people will come in. Effective congregations go into the world to encounter those in need of the gospel. "50 Ways to Take Church to the Community" provides tips on reaching beyond the walls of your church with worship, community events, ministries, and service.
Learn more now.
From the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary
"6 Ways to Jumpstart Leadership Formation" by Mike Slaughter Pastor Mike Slaughter says one of the key factors determining the effectiveness of a congregation is the presence of principled leaders who demonstrate a vital personal faith. And, he says, “if you look across your congregation and can’t identify a core group of principled Christian leaders, then you better start growing them!” Slaughter provides six practical ideas for jumpstarting leadership formation in your church.One of the key factors determining the effectiveness of a congregation is the presence of principled leaders who demonstrate a vital personal faith. If you look across your congregation and can’t identify a core group of principled Christian leaders, then you better start growing them!
Principled Christian leaders are more than just fans of Jesus; they have made the commitment to follow Jesus in the costly way of the cross. They have moved beyond volunteerism to a lifestyle of servanthood.
Jesus’ disciples didn’t enter his inner circle fully equipped to ignite a movement; they spent three intensive years walking in the dust of the Rabbi Jesus. Discipleship is not an overnight venture; it is an investment of time, energy, and prayer for the long haul. Your congregation will never experience effective mission if a strategy for discipleship is not a top priority.
Here are a few practical ideas for getting started:
- Small groups. If you don’t already have a small group ministry within your church, now is the time to start. Something happens in circles that doesn’t happen in rows. Study of Scripture, prayer, accountability, and care for one another are key components of a vibrant small group community.
- Personal mentoring. If you are a pastor or seasoned church leader, identify those within the congregation whose hearts are strangely warmed and invite them into your own home for deeper discipling and mentoring.
- A clear pathway. Does your church have clearly defined discipleship and leadership paths with easily understood steps and multiple access points? (Some good access points are guest orientation, membership process, classes for deeper spiritual growth, small groups, and service opportunities including some that fall outside traditional ministry roles, such as greeting in worship or serving with children.) How will you make a point of converting the crowd into convicted and active followers of Jesus?
- A coaching ladder. Ensure that you have included in your own circle both those who are ahead of you spiritually and those who are behind. Who is coaching you? Whom are you coaching? Intentionality is important. Who is asking the hard questions?
- Service as a kingdom priority. Use the word servant instead of volunteer. Volunteer is institutional language implying that there is a choice of when, how, and if to serve based on personal convenience. Jesus came to serve, not to be served (Mark 10:45). Does your church culture proclaim and model service as a Kingdom priority? You get what you expect and what you celebrate as priorities. Call is important, but many folks find their call during service, not before.
- Focus on young persons. How are you helping teens and college-age students in your congregation be alert to the call of God into ministry, whether as a layperson or as someone trained for the vocation? How are you connecting students into programs, internships, and ministry opportunities that will help them explore and grow?
Principled Christian leaders are kingdom difference-makers. These folks are more than just fans of Jesus; they have made the commitment to follow Jesus in the costly way of the cross. They have moved beyond volunteerism to a lifestyle of servanthood. Let’s pull out all the stops, set aside excuses, and invest whatever is required to develop principled Christian leaders.
This material is adapted from Mike Slaughter’s book, with Karen Perry Smith, The Passionate Church: Ignite Your Church and Change the World(Abingdon Press, 2016). Used by permission. The book is available through Cokesbury or Amazon.
Related Resources:
- Three Keys to Identify and Develop High-Impact Leaders by Tony Hunt
- 3 Surefire Ways to Fail in Developing Leaders by Tony Morgan
- Mutual Mentoring By Ann A. Michel
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"Blessing of the Bikes" by Daniel KerlinPastor Daniel Kerlin’s Pennsylvania congregation wanted to reach people who wouldn’t normally come to church. They came up with a novel idea — a motorcyclist worship service followed by a “blessing of the bikes” in the church parking lot. “It was a pretty cool sight,” says Kerlin, “to see 80-year-old church ladies across the table from tattooed motorcycle enthusiasts clad in leather.”
The rural Pennsylvania community surrounding our historic church has changed drastically in the past several decades. Following a flood in the 1970s, many people moved away from town, and now the community is beset with problems we used to consider “big city” issues, like gangs and drugs. Trinity United Methodist Church has been looking for new ways to reach people in our community — people whose culture is different in many ways from our own, who might not normally feel welcome at church.
We’ve discovered that connecting with a niche group or a special interest is a powerful way of reaching out to people without them feeling that we’re dragging them in to the church.
Our mission team came up with a novel idea. They reached out to the local chapter of the Christian Motorcycle Association (CMA), and together we brainstormed how we could reach out to bikers. And in June, we held our first Motorcyclist Worship Service. The event was held on a Sunday morning. It began with a special service that took the place of our normal worship. The service featured a presentation by the “4 Given Riders.” Afterwards, everyone was invited to the church parking lot for a “blessing of the bikes.”
Our goal was to reach people who wouldn’t normally come to us and “meet them in the middle.” The event was advertised in the local bars, at the post office, and in the newspaper. CMA members talked to their neighbors who were also bikers, and they shared the invitation with their friends.
After the service, we hosted a fellowship meal where 80-year-old church ladies sat across the table from tattooed motorcycle enthusiasts clad in leather. It was a pretty cool sight! The original plan was that a 30-mile ride would follow the meal, but it had to be cancelled due to weather. But the rain didn’t dampen the enthusiasm for this outreach.
We’re looking forward to another blessing of the bikes in the future. And we’ve also planned a service for first responders in September. We’ve discovered that connecting with a niche group or a special interest is a powerful way of reaching out to people without them feeling that we’re dragging them in to the church. Instead, we are meeting them in the middle.
Related Resources:
- Taking Church to the Community by Ann A. Michel
- Putting Ourselves in the Places Where Life Happens by Keith Anderson
- 50 Ways to Take Church to the Community, a free resource from the Lewis Center
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The Right Question
Leaders do not need answers. Leaders must have the right questions.
Someone who helps others anticipate the future in their planning uses these questions:
Are those you serve changing faster than you are?
Are they learning faster than you are?
Want more Right Questions? Read Right Questions for Church Leaders. --------
Clergy Personal Finance ResourcesOur basic responsibility as Christian stewards is to manage our personal financial resources so that we can care for ourselves and our families and marshal the resources needed to respond to God's call to generous giving. This is especially true for clergy who are expected to teach and model faithful stewardship within our congregations. Mastering personal finances is both a personal and a pastoral responsibility. To that end, the Lewis Center and Wesley Theological Seminary have gathered together resources to help pastors better understand and manage their personal finances. Learn more now.
-------
Quotable Leadership
Your church's weekend services are perfectly designed to reach the people you are reaching. If you want to reach others, things need to change.[Lee Kricher]
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50 Ways to Take Church to the CommunityChurches can no longer open their doors and expect that people will come in. Effective congregations go into the world to encounter those in need of the gospel. "50 Ways to Take Church to the Community" provides tips on reaching beyond the walls of your church with worship, community events, ministries, and service.
Learn more now.
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Editors: Dr. Ann A. Michel and Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr.
Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary
Connect with the Lewis Center:
Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Editors: Dr. Ann A. Michel and Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr.
Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary
Connect with the Lewis Center:
Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Wesley Theological Seminary
4500 Massachusetts Avenue NorthWest
Washington, D.C. 20016, United States
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