Leadership Academy

  September 24-28, 2012  |  Indianapolis, Indiana

Church leadership today is more challenging than ever!  Rather than excusing away this challenge by pointing to a shift in American culture, or changing demographics — successful leaders will look creatively at how the church can become relevant for this new age in ministry.

Whether you are called to lead a congregation through transformation, or even start a new church, you will benefit from the Leadership Academy for Empowering Courageous Leaders hosted by Hope Partnership for Missional Transformation.  During this week of training, you will be introduced to new ways of leading, find inspiration for the art of ministry, and begin to find clarity for your church’s mission.  Building on the success of the new church movement, you will go back home eager to develop a contextually relevant congregation.

The Leadership Academy will be built around three learning communities:

• Transformational Leadership

• New Church Planting

• Affiliating Leadership

WHEN:           September 24-28, 2012

WHERE:        Marten House and Conference Center | Indianapolis, Indiana

COST:            Registration Fee:  *  $ 900.00     * SCHOLARSHIPS available      

        *Transformational Community – Up to $400 per person

*New Church Planting and Affiliation Communities  - up to $800 per person. (This scholarship is made possible by gifts to the Pentecost offering).

The registration Fee will cover the cost of food, lodging and training for each participant. Please note that participants must cover all transportation expenses.  Please submit your registration fee or a minimum deposit of $ 100.00 (per person) with your COMPLETE APPLICATION BEFORE AUGUST 25, 2012.  Full payment must be received prior to training.

LEARNING COMMUNITIES DESCRIPTIONS:

Transformational Leadership Community:

This learning community is designed for people who have the desire to lead a congregation through change. Many of our congregations resort to technical changes to try to face the new realities of effective ministry. Congregations that want to take their ministry to the next level need to embrace adaptive change as part of their culture. Adaptive change requires changes in attitudes as well as behaviors.  In this community you will learn about:

1. Situational leadership and how it applies to the different stages of the congregational life cycle.
2. Creative conversations about how to deal effectively with conflict.
3. Time of self-reflection about your own leadership style, and capacity to lead through change.
4. Evangelism strategies, recruitment and empowerment of leaders, and stewardship training that are all components of this learning community that seeks to provide participants with tools to engage congregations.

Participants in this track may want to contact our office to learn about DARE to Lead, an introduction to a comprehensive leadership development process that engages both clergy and lay leaders in a longer transformational journey.

New Church Planting Community:

This learning community is designed for planters and people who have felt the call to be the generating force of something new. In this community you will:

1. Develop leadership skills for the first stages of the new church.
2. Analyze your church target area including an in-depth analysis of demographics, and more.
3. Acquire tools for evangelism methodology, stewardship and fundraising, strategic planning for ministry and other practical tools for planting.  
4. Participate in a series of workshops to explore specific areas of interest and help them focus on strategies for planting a growing sustainable church.

Opportunities to interact with successful church planters, as well as opportunities for holy conversation and prayer will add a spiritual dimension that empowers planters to handle both the logistics of planting, but also on the spiritual challenges of this holy task.

Affiliating Leadership Community:

This learning community is designed for pastors and leaders of existing congregations that have made the decision to join the Christian Church.  In this community you will:

1. Engage in training and conversation about what it means to lead their congregation into a new place of ministry as a Disciples congregation.
2. Participate in conversations around Disciples ethos and identity.
3. Explore what it means to lead a congregation through change that could involve restructuring of congregational polity, financial policies, leadership styles and participation, and other elements of church life.
4. Engage in conversations around being church in the context of our ever-changing world, which is particularly useful for our ethnic congregation serving immigrant populations.

Participating in this learning community you will have opportunities to interact with pastors and planters who have faced some of the similar challenges.

Each learning community will engage participants on topics that are meaningful for the challenges you face as a pastor.  Unlike many events, you must complete a registration process to be considered for participation.

How do I APPLY?

Registration for this event can be done via:

Mail application to P.O. Box 7030 Indianapolis, IN 46207

Fax application to 1-317-635-6534

Online application

If you need more information or have any questions, please call Sharon Merchant or Brenda Rossy at 1-800-274-1883 or email info@hopepmt.org.