Reshaping Church in a Volatile World: Congregational Leadership CollectiveA Thriving Congregations Initiative by Central Seminary in partnership with Pinnacle Leadership Associates
Our world is growing less stable with increasing volatility. Extreme economic disparity, racial injustice, political destabilization, distrust for institutions...we could go on. No wonder conversations, research, and exploration of volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) conditions is ramping up. These are some of the circumstantial or contextual large-scale shifts we are likely to see in the near future. All of this in a culture which was already undergoing major culture change, from the modern to postmodern era.
Though no one wants volatile events to come our way more frequently, we recognize that trend in our common experience. So what do followers of Jesus do when VUCA conditions arise? How do we respond? What’s our spiritual perspective or posture toward these kinds of experiences? What does effective church leadership look like in this kind of world?
This is the focus of the Reshaping Church Congregational Leadership Collective. Church leaders, ordained and lay, are invited to join the Collective, February – June, 2022.
Anticipated Outcomes:
A greater and more accurate understanding of our VUCA context, along with the greater understanding of how churches are responding
Increased confidence and competence for leading effectively during volatile times
Learning emerging church leadership practices which help open the door for missional movement and reshaping the church for effective ministry during volatile times
Collaborative learning with other congregational leaders
Activities and Format
Three primary activities are the heart of this Congregational Leadership Collective.
- Monthly Online Seminar - Third Tuesdays, 1:00-2:15 Central Time, February – June; Participants will engage in an online Seminar once a month (75 minutes), facilitated by Mark Tidsworth, author of ReShape: Emerging Church Practice In A Volatile World. Since March 2019, Mark has led numerous seminars for church leaders on emerging leadership practices which open the door to forward progress. Each participant receives a copy of the ReShape book as the text for this Seminar.
- Coaching Group - Participants engage in an online coaching group each month (90 minutes) with other congregational leaders and a Coach. The primary activity in each coaching group is linking emerging church practices with one’s church context and considering implementation opportunities
- Basecamp Online Platform - Participants are invited to join us on Basecamp, an online place to collaboratively learn and share emerging church practices.
Participation Fee is $250 per church. This fee includes an unlimited number of clergy or lay leaders from each congregation and a book for each. The participation fee is subsidized by the Thriving Congregations Initiative of the Lilly Endowment.
To register, complete the form on the next page. If your church has not already paid the $250 participation fee, an invoice will be emailed to you. Registration is open until February 7, 2022.