Leadership Development Programs

Our full leadership potential can only be realized through the full engagement of passion and strength.  All too often, we over-focus on the gaps and the deficits. Transformation involves courage, risk, and letting go of that which does allow us to lead with integrity. It calls us to be attentive our diversity story and our collective experiences of inclusion and exclusion. The Renewing Leadership experience is designed to help you nurture your emotional and social intelligence so that you and your team might thrive in these tumultuous times.

The Renewing Leadership Process

As a participant in the Renewing Leadership intensive, you will complete a 360 assessment through which you will receive feedback from a cross section of people (family, friends, those you work with, colleagues—past and present) who you respect and trust. The assessment will provide insight into who you are as a leader and will allow you to identify strengths, blind spots and growth areas. In a one-on-one session with your coach, you will explore the feedback from your 360. At the end of the Renewing Leadership process, you will have a personal development plan.

LeaderWise Expertise and Value

• Online cohort with other leaders
• One-month intensive includes 6 cohort meetings (September 15, September 29, October 13, October 27,  November 10 and December 1) plus 1 one-on-one coaching session
• Includes administration for 360 assessment 
• Facilitated by certified coaches Deborah Rundlett and Okokon Udo
• $750 (may be paid in installments)

The Shape of Leadership is for ministers who want to make a significant impact on the future of the church through their own bold leadership. In this ecumenical program, Shape participants will gather for one year to develop their leadership—through experimenting with innovative practices; deepening self-awareness; developing a support system of colleagues; and learning to navigate power, change, conflict, and the daily challenges of leadership. Participants integrate their personal theological and Biblical commitments with leadership concepts and practices from a variety of disciplines, especially the adaptive leadership framework. Core to the program is deepening self-awareness and leading from that place. The program is highly experiential and
collaborative and offers the opportunity to develop long-lasting relationships among other exceptional leaders in the church.

The next session of The Shape of Leadership will begin in February 2021 in Arden, North Carolina.

A 4-month congregational discernment program 

What does it mean to be the church in a rapidly changing culture? As leaders, we are being called anew to name our places of resistance, reclaim our core identity in Christ, find the courage to disrupt systems at a rate they can stand, and risk vulnerability as we love, listen, and learn, so that we might lead (in our churches and in our communities).

This four-month learning community is intended for pastors and leaders, circles of five to eight, committed to valuing and fostering personal and social transformation within self, congregation, and community. This journey provides the same space in which to hold oneself and others responsible for the work beyond church as we have known it.

Our fourfold focus seeks to honor the shared wisdom, intelligence, and creativity toward embracing our changing culture with care.

October 1: The Soul of Leadership

Love: What does your soul have to say?

Naming our places of resistance takes courage, commitment, and vulnerability

November 5: The Soul of Community

Listen: What is your community trying to tell you?

How do you belong to your community?

December: Advent Pause

Weekly email reflection from Debbie and Mary Kay

January 7: Building Resilience

Learn: What practices and skills need to be developed, on personal, congregational, and community levels?

February 4: Building Capacity

Lead: What does it mean to fully engage in God’s missional call?

Identifying the thresholds you must cross

In addition, each team will participate in a 90-minute conversation with the Beyond team to reflect on your congregational context and God’s emergent call. In preparation, the congregation will be invited to participate in an assessment that the Beyond team might listen and learn.

CrossForm is a unique approach to equipping congregations for 21st century ministry. Our focus is threefold: strengthening core, building flexibility, and deepening impact. 

With clarity of vision, identity and character, we can build a strong core. Intentionally developing relationships, strategies and partnerships allows us to deepen flexibility. A strong core along with increased flexibility become a foundation for impactful ministry as salt and light for the
transformation of our communities. Without a strong core, even vibrant
outreach is not sustainable. Likewise, a strong core with no flexibility
results in the spiritual journey being disconnected from the flourishing
of community. 

If there is one constant, aside from the grounding love of God, it is that all things change. The root for the word form in Greek is the same we use for metamorphosis; that is, the process of transformation from one form to a more mature form in two or more distinct stages. CrossForm equips pastors and congregational leaders to embrace transformation through an intentional process that honors both the inward and outward journey.