Leadership Communities

Leadership Communities are a proven process to help church leader teams achieve twice the results in half the time. Peer groups of 10-12 teams are formed to help dream, create and execute ideas into real action and tangible results.

Leadership Communities are being formed in the following areas for 2010-11:

Global Connection Churches

Peter Drucker reminds us that any organization that does not change as quickly as the world around them is doomed to failure. Our globalized, flat and connected world has changed and yet many global mission’s efforts are simply iterations of what we have done for the last 160 years. The Global Connections Leadership Community (GXLC) will focus on breakthrough ideas of increasing missional effectiveness on both the going and receiving sides of missions in view of new global realities of mutuality, partnering, cities, business as mission, etc.

The ultimate goal and outcome of this LC is to accelerate the learning, knowledge and application of innovative approaches to global missions. We serve your vision, goals, and objectives. However, specific outcomes may include the following:

A significant increase in number of people engaged in global missions
A significant increase in results per dollar spent
A significant increase in the number of people served / reached through global missions
Development of collaborative relationships with innovative church leaders
Increased growth of those who go—both short-term and long term
Development of new missional, approaches, and resources that serve the “broader church.”

For more information contact Eric Swanson at eric.swanson@leadnet.org

Missional Renaissance

The Missional Renaissance Leadership Community combines church leaders with key influencers from the private, public and social sectors of their cities—such as business executives, school superintendents and nonprofit leaders—to tackle huge societal issues like poverty, hunger, disease and mal-education. These cross-sector teams come together as a strong force and create a unity across interests and occupations for a greater collective impact. The churches involved are creating a new scorecard for the missional church.

To see churches that are participating in our Missional Renaissance Leadership Communities, click here.

For more information contact Reggie McNeal at reggie.mcneal@leadnet.org

Leadership Development

Leadership Development is the #1 issue leaders mention when we ask them to list their most urgent ministry challenges.

Churches need leaders at all levels, serving in all areas of ministry, inside and outside the walls of the church. The Leadership Development Community groups address this critical need. Ministry leaders, together with Leadership Network’s team of facilitators and coaches, explore the various elements of leadership development while working toward achieving bold, new goals in leader development.

For more information contact Brent Dolfo at brent.dolfo@leadnet.org.

Multiethnic Churches

Is the American church ready and willing to reach an increasingly multiethnic, multi cultural, diverse population for the Kingdom?

Consider these research findings:

92.5% of American churches are racially segregated.*
80%+ of individual membership in American churches is comprised of a single, homogenous people group.*
American churches are ten times more segregated than the neighborhoods where they are located.**
American churches are 20 times more segregated than the public schools in their neighborhoods.**
Between 1990 and 2007, church attendance in America increased by 446,540 though the population in general increased by 56,819,471.***

For the past few years, Leadership Network has quietly tracked the rising interest in multiethnic churches in various locations throughout the U.S. From establishing new multiethnic church plants to transitioning traditional and contemporary churches to multi ethnic churches, we continue to observe evidence that this new movement of churches is gaining momentum. We’ve been patiently waiting for the right moment to convene the inaugural group of multiethnic churches for our leadership community group experience. The right moment has arrived. We began the multiethnic church leadership community experience in December 2011.

For more information, contact Linda Stanley at linda.stanley@leadnet.org

* Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith, Divided by Faith, Oxford University Press, 2001
** ibid, from the same updated study, 2007
*** Dave T. Olson, The American Church in Crisis, Zondervan, 2008

University Ministry – New Approaches

Innovative North American churches in proximity to college campuses are beginning to see themselves as a key link in bringing the message of Christ's love and forgiveness to university students. Many are moving beyond seeing ministry with university students as simply an "ought to" because of their proximity to a college or major university campus. They are instead seeing ministry within this demographic to be one of the most strategic investments they can make as they seek to develop leadership for their church and the kingdom. These churches are deploying money, manpower and relationships into reaching, and discipling students and developing leaders. While they often choose multiple partnerships for mission implementation, the church remains the lead partner.

New approaches emerging amongst these churches include:

Church Based Campus Ministry
Church Plants for Students
Church/Para Church Partnerships

For more information contact Chris Willard at chris.willard@leadnet.org

Rapid Growth Churches

Is Your Church Bursting at the Seams?

Are you having trouble with a lack of space and outdated facilities?

Has your organization had trouble keeping up with your church’s growth?

Do you have funding issues?

Are you having trouble with staffing and volunteer deployment?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, Leadership Network’s latest Rapid Growth Leadership Community could be for you. This Leadership Community serves the increasing number of churches that are growing at an escalating pace, and come from a variety of denominational and stylistic backgrounds. Churches eligible for our upcoming Rapid Growth Leadership Community are experiencing a weekly worship attendance (adults and children) of 1000+.

For more details and to submit an application visit the Rapid Growth Leadership Community webpage.

For more information contact Tim Nations at tim.nations@leadnet.org.

Life Stage Communities

Life Stage Leadership Communities are for Senior/Lead/Directional Pastors only:

Life Stage Leadership Community groups create relational peer networks of senior pastors who share similar ministry challenges and desire connections to other pastors serving in similar ministry stages. Beyond relational connections, pastors have opportunities to exchange ideas and ministry methodologies, deepen personal leadership qualities, and encourage and pray for one another. Life Stage Leadership Communities are for Senior/Lead/Directional Pastors only.

Next Generation Pastors – 25-45 years old, 3+ years of lead pastor experience, church weekend worship attendance 800+
Senior Pastor 2 – 45+ years old, 10+ years of lead pastor experience, church weekend worship attendance 2500+

You can find more details on Life Stage Groups here or by contacting Linda.stanley@leadnet.org

European Multi-Site Church Planting

For churches operating across multiple locations: one church in many places. The objective for this community will be to explore how existing churches can plant new congregations without having to reproduce the infrastructure and governance mechanisms.

Click here for more information, case studies and additional resources.

European Young Senior Leaders of Rapid Growing Churches

For churches experiencing rapid growth, usually with younger leadership teams (i.e. senior leaders under 50). I-3 churches are typically innovative in approach, creating significant impact and emerging as national influencers. The objective for this community will be to learn from one another’s models, and to explore models for accelerating growth.

Click here for more information, case studies and additional resources.