Growing leaders

The idea of a church and its life being led by two or three busy people seeking to provide for the needs of all its members and the wider community is neither Biblical, nor viable, nor effective.  We need a team of leaders.

Growing Churches are marked by a number of factors.  The Natural Church Development approach to Church growth identifies eight.  These are:

Loving relationships

Passionate spirituality

Inspiring Worship Services

Functional Structures

Holistic small groups

Need-orientated evangelism

Gift-orientated lay ministry

Empowering Leadership

All of these need our attention and these are picked up in the  “Priorities for St Luke’s” over the next three years.  But one that that we especially want to focus on this coming year is that of “Empowering Leadership” and the need to grow leaders.  With a team of leaders who know they are chosen by God, called to serve, demonstrating Christlike character, competent and gifted and committed to community we shall see the church here continue to grow and develop in new ways and ministries

So in September we are running a course called “Growing Leaders” written by James Lawrence of CPAS. We have invited a number of people to be the first group taking the course and we would value your interest and prayers as we seek to raise up new leaders alongside our existing people.  The course and the material will also be very useful for people in leadership in their places of work and in the community.

Our aim, as expressed regularly in the course is this –

“To be led by Jesus, to lead like Jesus and to lead people to Jesus.”

Chris Strain