I've asked our Conference Lay Leader, Mr. Brian Hammons to outline the next leg of the Healthy Church Initiative for us, a Servant Leader training ministry called Lay Leadership Development or LLD. Here is what Brian has provided not only with this writing, but with his powerful witness and leadership - I encourage you to support those pastors involved with PLD, and now your lay leadership committed to LLD, we are on our way friends.
Lay Leadership Development
by Brian Hammons - Conference Lay Leader
Here’s a question I’ve been pondering for over a year: How can laity, especially lay leaders, best help our pastors as they learn new ideas for leading positive change and growth in our existing congregations?
Our bishop and conference leaders have identified effective pastoral leadership as vital to the growth of the church. And this doesn’t apply just to new congregations, but to existing ones too.
As you may know, Bob Farr, our Director of Congregational Excellence, along with other leaders (including some pastors of our most fruitful congregations), have developed a program to help pastors strengthen their leadership effectiveness. This is called “Pastoral Leadership Development”, or “PLD”. It’s been very well received, with 140 pastors participating last year. Bob and many others are now preparing for the second year of a full PLD program.
Now, to help address the question I raised above, a Lay Leader version of PLD has been developed to help Lay Leaders partner with their pastors in leading their congregations toward greater fruitfulness in outreaching ministry.
ANOTHER new program? Well, yes – but this one is a little different. More focused upon partnership with pastors. And only available to congregation Lay Leaders and other laity based upon a pastor’s recommendation.
The idea is to support the PLD program and the pastors who are using concepts learned from it to lead change in their congregations. That leadership can be enhanced with support from Lay Leaders who have been through the same material, which stretches their thinking and ability to understand and communicate “new” ideas for outreaching ministry. Thus, the program is called “Lay Leadership Development”, or “LLD”. I want to emphasize that this is in support of pastoral leadership, not separate from it. And it’s in addition to the fine Lay Speaking courses that are available, not instead of them.
If a pastor goes through PLD, does he / she need to have lay leaders learn the same material through LLD? Well, as Bishop Schnase has emphasized, Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs so that they could encourage each other, maybe talk each other into proceeding with bold new initiatives. So the LLD program helps provide a pastor going through PLD with at least one key lay person who “gets it”, can discuss ideas for changes, and can help communicate those changes to the congregation.
You may hear more about LLD in the coming months. Facilitators are attending training in August, and classes will begin in September (the same as PLD). There will be 8 sessions, covering the same material as PLD. The program will be coordinated through the districts, along with PLD. Schedules will be different, to accommodate the time commitments and availability of lay leaders.
(Kevin comments - our good friend, Mr. Larry Fagan, and I have completed the Facilitators training and are putting together the LLD course for Heartland North in consultation with our supportive DS Susan Cox, and PLD leaders Rev. Steve Breon, and Rev. Dave Hackett)
Please pray for this exciting new program. And if your pastor asks YOU to consider being part of this first-time experience, that means that he / she values your partnership and wants to have YOU on board in helping envision and lead new ideas. Please say yes and invest the time (and small fee) for the future vitality of your congregation.
You will grow in your discipleship and leadership. And God’s work through you will become more effective. THANKS for all your inspired leadership!
(Kevin blabs again - Thank you Brian, and our Conference Congregational Excellence leaders, consultants and staff for this leadership tool - WE HOLD YOU IN HIGH REGARD, WAY TO GO!)
OK, I'm going to depart from my usual leadership musings and share our great joy.
