Plan to Grow Local Church Leaders: Planting a Seed

1
Plan to Grow Local Church Leaders Planting a Seed

• Wyoming Conference Board of Laity
• Leadership Workshop
• General Session
• December 1 2, 2007

Presented by Rev. Linda Bryan Ralph Allen
2
Purpose

• To plant a seed to grow local church leaders.

3
Outline

• Leadership Ralph Allen
• Model and Process
• Actual Implementation
• Results Pastor Bryan
• Wrap Up Ralph Allen

4

• Leadership

5
Leadership is Key!

• Good leaders
• Are aware of what their organization is about.
• Understand its mission.
• Have a vision for its future.
• Stay abreast of changes in their environment and
  new management techniques and tools which
• Keep their organization relevant.
• Allow the organization to achieve its mission and
  vision.
• This applies to local church leaders.

6
Jesus Aware of Importance of Leaders

• He selected twelve apostles to lead his early
  church.
• He put them through two years of intensive
  training.
• He left them with
• A mission Great Commission to make disciples.
• A vision Great Commandment to love God and to
  love your
• neighbor.
• A process
• Start with prayer
• Identify need (clear objective)
• Identify tools and resources
• Give direction (concise instructions to follow)
• Involve others to make the work happen

Faith Quest A Journey Toward Congregational
Transformation by Dan R. Dick
7
Importance of Local Church Leaders

• Wyoming Conference made Leadership Development
  one of this Quadrennial's two critical issues
• We will develop leadership that enables laity and
  clergy to have greater insight, skills, and
  confidence amid the changes and challenges that
  are confronting us.
• Board of Laity
• Charged in The Book of Discipline to provide
  organization, direction, and support for the
  development of local church leaders.
• Made growing local church leaders a major goal
  for 2007.

8
The Challenge

• Getting the local Church Council or
  Administrative Board to realize it is the
  leadership of the local church!

9
Meeting the Challenge

• Using the process Jesus used with the apostles
• Start with prayer Todays Workshop opened with
  prayer.
• Identify need (clear objective) From the
  preceding, Jesus, the Wyoming Conference and the
  Board of Laity have identified leadership as
  crucial.
• Identify tools and resources Todays objective!
• Give direction (concise instructions to follow)
  Also part of todays objective.
• Involve others to make the work happen Your
  homework assignment.

10
Identifying Tools and Resources

• Model for growing local church leaders.
• Process for growing local church leaders.
• Implementation of model and process
• Example of an actual church implementation
• Results of implementation

11
Model for Growing Local Church Leaders
12
Model for Growing Local Church Leaders
13
Model for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)
14
Model for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)
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Model for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)

• Five elements to developing future leaders.

Church Council
Continued Growth of Current Leaders
Development of Future Leaders
Raise Level of Awareness
Local Church Leadership Workshop
Local Church Continuous Learning Environment
Identify Leadership Positions
Leadership Reading Program
Identify Leadership Candidates
Formal Training
Map Candidates to Positions
On-The-Job Training (OJT)
Eliminate Candidate Knowledge Skills Gaps
16
Process for Growing Local Church Leaders
17
Process for Growing Local Church Leaders

• Focus on current leadership first.

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
18
Process for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)

• Establish continuous learning environment.

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
On-The-Job Training
19
Process for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)

• Include Leadership Workshop as part of formal
  training.

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
Take Conference Leadership Workshop
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
On-The-Job Training
20
Process for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)
21
Process for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)

• Next, focus on development of future leaders.

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Develop Future Leaders
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
Take Conference Leadership Workshop
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
On-The-Job Training
Incorporate Learning Into Church Program
22
Process for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)

• Raise level of awareness of leadership program.

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Develop Future Leaders
Raise Level of Congregational Awareness e.g.,
Newsletter
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
Take Conference Leadership Workshop
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
On-The-Job Training
Incorporate Learning Into Church Program
23
Process for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)

• Identify leadership positions.

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Develop Future Leaders
Raise Level of Congregational Awareness e.g.,
Newsletter
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
Take Conference Leadership Workshop
Identify All Needed Leadership Positions
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
On-The-Job Training
Incorporate Learning Into Church Program
24
Process for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)

• Canvass membership to identify leadership
  candidates.

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Develop Future Leaders
Raise Level of Congregational Awareness e.g.,
Newsletter
Canvas Membership for Talents Skills
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
Take Conference Leadership Workshop
Identify Leadership Candidates
Compile Results of Membership Canvass
Identify All Needed Leadership Positions
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
On-The-Job Training
Incorporate Learning Into Church Program
25
Process for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)

• Map candidates to positions.

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Develop Future Leaders
Raise Level of Congregational Awareness e.g.,
Newsletter
Canvas Membership for Talents Skills
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
Take Conference Leadership Workshop
Identify Leadership Candidates
Compile Results of Membership Canvass
Identify All Needed Leadership Positions
Map Candidates to Positions
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
On-The-Job Training
Incorporate Learning Into Church Program
26
Process for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)

• Nominate candidates and approve.

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Develop Future Leaders
Raise Level of Congregational Awareness e.g.,
Newsletter
Canvas Membership for Talents Skills
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
Take Conference Leadership Workshop
LLC Nominate Candidates for Leadership Positions
Identify Leadership Candidates
Compile Results of Membership Canvass
Church Council Approve Candidates
Identify All Needed Leadership Positions
Church Conference Approve Candidates
Map Candidates to Positions
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
On-The-Job Training
Incorporate Learning Into Church Program
27
Process for Growing Local Church Leaders (cont)

• Eliminate candidate knowledge and skills gaps.

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Develop Future Leaders
Raise Level of Congregational Awareness e.g.,
Newsletter
Canvas Membership for Talents Skills
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
Take Conference Leadership Workshop
LLC Nominate Candidates for Leadership Positions
Identify Leadership Candidates
Compile Results of Membership Canvass
Y
Church Council Approve Candidates
Need Refresher
Identify All Needed Leadership Positions
N
Church Conference Approve Candidates
Y
Map Candidates to Positions
N
New to Position
Current or New Churched Member
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
N
Eliminate Knowledge Skills Gaps Via Continuous
Learning Environment
N
Leadership Reading Program
Y
Gaps Eliminated
Y
Formal Training
Knowledge Skills Gaps
Y
On-The-Job Training
Incorporate Learning Into Church Program
N
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How to Get Started

• Looks complex and daunting!
• Its not!
• Can take baby steps and implement a little at a
  time.
• Following is an example of how one small, rural
  church with limited management skills did it.

29
Actual Implementation of Model for Growing Local
Church LeadersatTompkinsville UMC
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Actual Implementation of Model for Growing Local
Church Leaders

• 1st Year Focused on current leaders
• Established continuous learning environment

Church Council
Continued Growth of Current Leaders
Local Church Continuous Learning Environment
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
On-The-Job Training (OJT)
Key TUMC Year One
31
Actual Implementation of Model for Growing Local
Church Leaders (cont)

• 2nd Year Focused on future leaders
• Raise level of awareness and identify
  positions

Church Council
Church Council
Continued Growth of Current Leaders
Continued Growth of Current Leaders
Development of Future Leaders
Raise Level of Awareness
Local Church Continuous Learning Environment
Local Church Continuous Learning Environment
Identify Leadership Positions
Leadership Reading Program
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
Formal Training
On-The-Job Training (OJT)
On-The-Job Training (OJT)
Key TUMC Year One
TUMC Year Two
32
Actual Implementation of Model for Growing Local
Church Leaders (cont)

• 3rd Year Started to identify leadership
  candidates.

Church Council
Church Council
Continued Growth of Current Leaders
Continued Growth of Current Leaders
Development of Future Leaders
Raise Level of Awareness
Local Church Continuous Learning Environment
Local Church Continuous Learning Environment
Identify Leadership Positions
Leadership Reading Program
Leadership Reading Program
Identify Leadership Candidates
Formal Training
Formal Training
On-The-Job Training (OJT)
On-The-Job Training (OJT)
Key TUMC Year One
TUMC Year Two TUMC Year
Thre
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Actual Implementation of Model for Growing Local
Church Leaders (cont)

• 4th year Identified leadership candidates and
  mapped to positions.

Church Council
Church Council
Continued Growth of Current Leaders
Continued Growth of Current Leaders
Development of Future Leaders
Raise Level of Awareness
Local Church Continuous Learning Environment
Local Church Continuous Learning Environment
Local Church Leadership Workshop
Identify Leadership Positions
Leadership Reading Program
Leadership Reading Program
Identify Leadership Candidates
Formal Training
Formal Training
Map Candidates to Positions
On-The-Job Training (OJT)
On-The-Job Training (OJT)
Key TUMC Year One
TUMC Year Two TUMC Year
Thre TUMC Year Four
34
Actual Implementation of Model for Growing Local
Church Leaders (cont)

• On-Going Eliminating candidate knowledge and
  skills gaps.

Church Council
Church Council
Continued Growth of Current Leaders
Continued Growth of Current Leaders
Development of Future Leaders
Raise Level of Awareness
Local Church Continuous Learning Environment
Local Church Continuous Learning Environment
Local Church Leadership Workshop
Identify Leadership Positions
Leadership Reading Program
Leadership Reading Program
Identify Leadership Candidates
Formal Training
Formal Training
Map Candidates to Positions
On-The-Job Training (OJT)
On-The-Job Training (OJT)
Key TUMC Year One
TUMC Year Two TUMC Year
Thre TUMC Year Four
On-Going
Eliminate Candidate Knowledge Skills Gaps
35
Actual Implementation of Process for Growing
Local Church LeadersatTompkinsville UMC
36
Actual Implementation of Process for Growing
Local Church Leaders
37
Table 1 Leadership Reading Program- Monthly
Book Selection

• How do we get there/what tools do we need
• Understanding Your Congregation as a
  System-Jun-Jul 06
• Selling Swimsuits in the Arctic-Feb-Mar 07
• Paradigm Shift of the Church-
• The Wisdom of Teams Creating the
  High-Performance Organization-
• Moving Off the Map A Field Guide to Changing
  the Congregation-
• Leading Change in The Congregation Spiritual
  and Organizational Tools-
• The Learning Congregation A New Vision of
  Leadership-
• Ten Steps to a Learning Organization-
• Facilitation Skills for Team Leaders
• Leadership
• Developing the Leader Within You-Sep 04
• Facilitation Skills for Team Leaders-Apr-May 07
• The Buck Stops Here-
• The Shepherd Leader-
• The Christian as Minister-
• A Learning Congregation A New Vision in
  Leadership
• Three Dimensions of Leadership
• Your Leadership Grip

• Who we are
• Meet the Methodists- Apr 04
• Who Are We?-May 04
• The United Methodist Way-Aug 04
• Understanding our Church organization
• Guideline series 2 or 3 per month
• Church Council, Trustees and Finance
  Committee-Oct thru Dec 04
• Pastor, PPRC and LLC-Jan-Mar 05
• Mission, Evangelism-Apr-May 05
• Understanding the world around us
• Post-Moderns-The Beliefs, Hopes Fears of Young
  Americans-Feb 06
• Where do we want to go
• The Purpose Driven Church-Jun 04
• 12 Pillars of a Healthy Church-Jul 04
• Practicing Right Relationships-Feb-Mar 06
• Partners in Ministry Clergy and Laity-Apr-May 06
• Natural Church Development-
• Healing the Heart of Your Church-
• The Next Church Now Creating New Faith
  Communities-Aug-Sep 06

• Leadership (cont)
• The Courage to Teach
• Behavioral Covenants in Congregations A
  Handbook for Honoring Differences
• What Every Leader Needs to Know
• Ministry
• A Ministry of Caring-Jun-Jul 07
• Revolutionizing Christian Stewardship for the
  21st Century Lessons from Copernicus-
• Possible additional readings
• Natural Church Development
• ABCs of NCD
• The Age of Unreason
• Future Edge Discovering the New Paradigm of
  Success
• The Once and Future Church
• Transforming Congregations for the Future
• The Book of Discipline, Part V, Chapter 1
• The Christian Minister
• Start with Conference Center Resource Listing
  Video Book Catalog

38
Sample Formal Training Course

• Church Council
• 04 Beginnings
• 05 Faith Quest
• 06 Stewardship
• 07 Creating New Faith Communities
• 08 Culture Shifts-A Group Bible Study for
  Postmodern Times
• Support continuing individual training as
  required
• 05 (1)Finance Committee and Auditors, (2)Lay
  Leadership Committee, Sunday School Teachers
• 06 (1)PPR, (2)Trustees
• 07 TBD

Start with Conference Center Resource Listing
Adult Study Video Series for Sunday School,
Bible Study, Lenten Services
39
Table 3 On The Job Training (OJT)

• Monthly CC meeting
• Inspiration/Vision
• Celebrate Whats Right with the World-Jul 04
• Everyday Creativity-Aug 04
• Focus Your Vision-Sep 04
• Small Churches Can Make a Big Difference-Oct 04
• West Michigan Vision 2000-Dec 04
• Leadership
• A Peacock in the Land of Penguins-Jan 05
• Searching for Community
• Parts 1 2-Feb 05
• Parts 3 4-Mar 05
• Leading in the Spirit
• Parts 1 2-Apr-May 05
• Parts 3 4-Jun-Jul 05
• Reinventing Leadership-Aug 05
• Tools
• The Abilene Paradox-Sep 05
• Leadershift-Oct 05

• Monthly CC meeting (cont)
• New Ministry
• Ministry for a New Day-Jun 06
• Churches in Covenant Communion-Jul 06
• Diverse Culture, One Gospel-Aug 06
• Taize That Little Springtime-Sep 06
• Additional resources
• Beyond 30 Seconds
• Parts 1 2
• Parts 3 4
• Parts 5, 6 7
• First Love
• Parts 1 2
• Parts 3 4
• Parts 5 6
• Ginghamsburg The Power of Teams
• Ancient-Future Worship
• Parts 1 2
• Parts 3 4

Start with Conference Center Resource Listing
Video Book Catalog
40
Actual Implementation of Process for Growing
Local Church Leaders

• 2nd Year Focused on future leaders

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Develop Future Leaders
Raise Level of Congregational Awareness e.g.,
Newsletter
Identify All Needed Leadership Positions
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
Key Year One
Year Two
On-The-Job Training
Incorporate Learning Into Church Program
41
Raise Level of Awareness

• Accomplished through
• Newsletter articles
• Wanted Posters
• Short announcements reports in Worship Service
• Word of mouth

42
Actual Implementation of Process for Growing
Local Church Leaders

• 3rd Year Started to identify candidates.

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Develop Future Leaders
Raise Level of Congregational Awareness e.g.,
Newsletter
Canvas Membership for Talents Skills
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
LLC Nominate Candidates for Leadership Positions
Compile Results of Membership Canvass
Church Council Approve Candidates
Identify All Needed Leadership Positions
Identify All Needed Leadership Positions
Church Conference Approve Candidates
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
Key Year 1
Year 2 Year 3

On-The-Job Training
Incorporate Learning Into Church Program
43
Membership Survey

• To identify candidates and their skills and
  abilities, used membership survey, My response
  to Gods Love (1) (2)
• (1) Modified Maple Lake UMC survey to meet local
  church needs.
• (2) See sample copy at back of briefing package.

44
Actual Implementation of Process for Growing
Local Church Leaders

• 4th Year Identified candidates and mapped to
  positions.

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Develop Future Leaders
Raise Level of Congregational Awareness e.g.,
Newsletter
Canvas Membership for Talents Skills
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
LLC Nominate Candidates for Leadership Positions
Compile Results of Membership Canvass
Identify Leadership Candidates
Church Council Approve Candidates
Identify All Needed Leadership Positions
Identify All Needed Leadership Positions
Church Conference Approve Candidates
Map Candidates to Positions
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
Leadership Reading Program
Formal Training
Key Year 1
Year 2 Year 3
Year 4
On-The-Job Training
Incorporate Learning Into Church Program
45
Actual Implementation of Process for Growing
Local Church Leaders

• On-Going Continuing to emphasize leadership
  training as key!

Continue to Grow Current Leaders
Develop Future Leaders
Raise Level of Congregational Awareness e.g.,
Newsletter
Canvas Membership for Talents Skills
Church Council Approve Process for Growing Laity
Leaders
LLC Nominate Candidates for Leadership Positions
Take Conference Leadership Workshop
Compile Results of Membership Canvass
Identify Leadership Candidates
Y
Church Council Approve Candidates
Need Refresher
Identify All Needed Leadership Positions
Identify All Needed Leadership Positions
N
Church Conference Approve Candidates
Y
Map Candidates to Positions
N
New to Position
Current or New Churched Member
Establish Continuous Learning Environment
N
Eliminate Knowledge Skills Gaps Via Continuous
Learning Environment
N
Leadership Reading Program
Gaps Eliminated
Y
Formal Training
Key Year 1
Year 2 Year 3
Year 4 On-Going
Knowledge Skills Gaps
Y
On-The-Job Training
Incorporate Learning Into Church Program
N
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• Results

47
2003

• Tompkinsville UMC Church Council (CC)
• Meetings typically
• Had six to ten people attend.
• Were as much social gatherings as business
  meetings.
• Made little progress in accomplishing church
  business.
• Approved a new visioning process which
• Identified investment in leadership as key!
• Made leadership training a major objective.
• Began what is now, four years later, a continuous
  learning, leadership training environment.

48
2004

• As a result, TUMC CC leadership went through a
  learning curve
• At first
• Didnt fully accept role as church leaders
• Poor management decision making skills
• Unsure of how this was going to work
• Required firm hand to stay focused
• Intensive leadership training program
• Read a book a month (40-60)
• Took two formal courses/year (60-80)
• Took OJT (100)
• Percentage of active Council members who
  participated in training sessions.

49
2005

• TUMC CC Leadership
• A year later
• Started to understand their role as church
  leaders
• Management and decision skills improving
• Became more confident in process
• Began incorporating learning in operations
• Required less direction to maintain focus
• Training became less intensive
• Read a book every other month (40)
• Took one formal course/year (50-60)
• Took OJT (100)

50
2007

• Today
• Attendance at CC meetings averages 12-18 with as
  many as 25
• TUMC CC Leadership
• Has fully embraced role as church leaders
• High performance team
• Good management and decision making skills
• Confident in using process
• Continue to incorporate learning into operations
• Requires less direction and more facilitation
• Training emphasis shifted from business to
  spiritual
• Where possible, combining leadership training
  with church-wide quarterly themes e.g., 2007
  themes were faith, prayer, relationships and
  stewardship
• Read/participated in class each quarter (50)
• Took one formal course/year (50-60)
• Took OJT (100)

51
Future Leaders

• Tompkinsville UMC Church Council (CC)
• In 2003
• Consisted mainly of members who had been there
  for ten years or more.
• In 2004
• Developed Plan to Grow Local Church Leaders
• Initiated campaign to raise congregations
  awareness of the leadership program.
• Identified all needed leadership positions.
• In 2005
• Approved Plan to Grow Local Church Leaders
• Surveyed membership for talents and skills
• Used to identify 2007 church leaders
• Today
• Has ten members who joined the church within the
  last five years.

52
2007 Membership Review

• CC review of church membership resulted in
  telling story
• Total membership 163
• Moved out of area 29
• Available membership pool 134
• Active members 72
• Percentage of available pool 65
• Typical CC meeting attendance 12-18
• I.e., active CC members 24
• OR
• One quarter of active members are now
• active leaders in CC.

53
Bottom Line

• Investment in TUMC leadership training has paid
  major dividends!
• Church Council has become a high performance
  team!
• Has signed Member and Meeting Covenants
• Operates on trust
• Is focused
• Addresses difficult issues e.g., funding
  concerns
• Accepts continuous learning as a necessity
• Conducts rigorous, on-going self-examination
  e.g.,
• Has become very good at conducting business of
  the church
• Recognized it needs to work on its
  spiritual/ministry side

54
Following Jesus Example

• How does TUMC leadership approach compare to
  Jesus approach to leadership?
• It has been through four years of intensive
  training.
• It is implementing His Great Commission and Great
  Commandment through its visioning process.
• Its process incorporates His process
• Start with prayer TUMC System
• Identify need (clear objective) TUMC
  Implementation Plan
• Identify tools and resources TUMC Budget
• Give direction (concise instructions to follow)
  TUMC Committee Meetings and Action Items
• Involve others to make the work happen 100
  participation of active members plus constituency
  and community participation in TUMC activities

55

• Wrap Up

56
Summary

• Planted a seed!
• Investment in leadership is key!
• Provided
• Model and process for
• Growing current local church leaders
• Developing future local church leaders
• Example of small, rural church implementation
• Small, incremental steps over time
• Results
• High performance leadership team
• Method for identifying and developing future
  leaders

57
Homework

• Take the seed home and replant it in your local
  churches!
• Implement the model and process for growing your
  local church leaders.
• Get others in your church involved.
• Help is available.
• See Board of Laity contact for your church in
  attached listing.

58
Next Years Workshop Theme

• Nurturing the Seed!