Growing Leaders

To be led more by Jesus.
            To lead more like Jesus.
                        To lead more to Jesus.

Focus?
While Growing Leaders explores leadership in the local church, it aims to equip Christians to be Christ-like wherever they exercise leadership. People are the church when they are ‘dispersed’ just as much as when they are ‘gathered’ together in the local church.

What's it all about?
Growing Leaders fulfils three main outcomes.

• To be led more by Jesus, knowing him and understanding his will
• To lead more like Jesus, enabling his people to be a reconciling community
• To lead more to Jesus, serving his redemptive purposes in our generation.

Emphasis?
There are various approaches to Christian leadership, each focussing on different key issues. Growing Leaders seeks to offer a biblical framework within which the insights of different approaches can be explored. Christian ministry has long held that encountering God in the Scriptures is God's way of growing healthy disciples and churches, and that this word is empowered, explored, taught and applied by God's Spirit. Growing leaders integrates both insights throughout the programme. Indeed, course leaders and participants are encouraged to be expectant of how God will change them through word and Spirit.

Quick fix?
We live in an 'instant' society in which there is much material suggesting that 'you can solve your problems in six quick steps'! However, Jesus developed his disciples over three long years. Growing leaders takes account of the reality that it takes time for people to change, that people are short of time and that a great deal can be accomplished in a year. Therefore, it seeks to provide low initial input and high ongoing support over a year, rather than high initial input and low ongoing support over a short period of time.

Multi-layered
The focus of Growing Leaders is not academic learning but development and growth. The learning approach is therefore multi-layered and designed to provide high-support. The programme runs over a year, and includes input sessions (once a month), support by a mentor, peer -support groups, some projects and a prayer supporter or intercessor.

Wisley/Pyrford?
We are starting the course in September 2007 as a joint venture with St Mary's Byfleet. This is a pilot programme, with a view to running it annually thereafter, once we have reviewed its effectiveness. The hope and expectation is that Wisley/Pyrford (and St Mary's Byfleet) will develop a culture of supporting, nurturing and developing everyone, who exercises ministry and leadership in their various roles in the church, parish and beyond.

Your involvement?

1. Pray for all involved in the programme this year, for candidates, leaders, mentors and prayer supporters: that God will deepen their walk with Him and strengthen the ministry of God's gospel in Pyrford/Wisley.
2. Offer support if you feel led to do so.
   
   1. Hospitality: There are two long training days on the programme (one in Sept, one in January) at which catering/hospitality support will be needed. If you would like to offer your gifts of care and hospitality then please contact Pippa via the church office or on p.rossmccabe@btinterntet.com
   2. Praying for individuals. There are 26 candidates on this pilot programme and we would very much like to identify at least one person to pray for each candidate during the course of the year. This will not involve meeting with the candidate (though you may do so if you wish, of course) but simply committing to pray for them on a regular basis in relation to the Growing Leaders programme. If you would like to be one such ‘intercessor’ then please contact Pippa via the church office or on p.rossmccabe@btinternet.com
   3. Find out more.If you are interested in exploring Growing Leaders for yourself or in finding out more, please contact Pippa who will be delighted to answer your questions. We hope very much to run the programme again and again so that there is on-going support and development for everyone exercising ministry and leadership in the church, whether it be in evangelism, mission, pastoral care, worship, music and expressive arts, administration, teaching, welcome and hospitality or any other of a multitude of gifts across the whole age-range.