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School for Leadership Training 2005“Dwelling in God’s Space and Time: Core Practices for Transforming Leaders”
 See what's in store for 2006 SLT archives |
“Dwelling
in God’s Space and Time: Core Practices for Transforming
Leaders” was the theme for the 76th annual School
for Leadership Training (SLT) event for pastors and church
leaders at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Jan. 17-20, 2005.
*Review class offerings, conference highlights, and information on key speakers.
Church leaders experience the real challenges today of leading God’s people in the midst of significant change. The message has been communicated loudly and clearly that congregational leaders cannot carry on as usual in these postmodern times but must become innovative and responsive to the fresh winds of God’s Spirit. In recent years, Christians have embraced a renewed vision for becoming missional faith communities actively engaged in transforming individuals, local communities and the whole world. These transforming congregations require transforming leaders.
The goal for the 2005 School for Leadership Training was to equip today’s church leaders with concrete practices for generating missional congregations engaged in God’s transforming work. Drawing on research done with a variety of congregations who moved from primarily a maintenance to a missional identity, Dr. Patrick Keifert presented three essential practices for becoming transforming leaders and congregations. Keifert is President and Director of Church Innovations (CI), Professor of Systematic Theology at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, and an ordained Lutheran minister.
Using Luke 10: 1-12 as a key text, Keifert offered biblical teaching for increasing our capacities for mission. Church leaders from three congregations that have experienced significant transformation (Captial Christian Fellowship, Laurel, MD; West Union Mennonite Church, Pannell, IA; and Calvary Community Church, Hampton, VA) shared their stories and wisdom. Keifert drew principles from these diverse congregational stories and offered practical visioning processes that take seriously the particular realities of each congregation.
In addition to plenary sessions featuring Dr. Keifert and a transforming congregation, Richard Blackburn gave a plenary address on how transforming leaders deal with resistance to change. SLT registrants also had the opportunity to take four of more than fifteen classes offered to resource pastors and church leaders for their ministries. Classes were offered on topics such as transforming congregations, couples in ministry, medical ethics, preaching, congregational systems and more.
