LEADERSHIP STUDIES

STUDIES I - VII can be requested for retreats, course formats and conferences.

STUDIES FOR RETREATS: At the end of this page there are shorter studies that can only be requested for spiritual retreats.

STUDIES IN PSALMS: Study # VI includes several Psalms you can chose from!

I. LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF PETER

Peter is one of the most interesting and colorful leaders in the New Testament. He left everything to follow Jesus: his family; his home; his friends; his fishing business; his identity. It was a bold move. He loved Jesus and was one of His most zealous disciples. However, in addition to zeal, there were other things that also characterized Peter: failure; pride; fear; guilt; and shame. These were also things that were part of who Peter was and they are things that make it easy for us to identify with him. He was far from perfect. In this course, we'll study how Jesus called and equipped Peter (in the gospels) to become the bold and faithful leader of the early church (in Acts), and we'll identify some of the timeless truths he passes on as a sage old disciple near the end of his life (1 & 2 Peter). Along the way, we'll seek to make application from Peter's life and leadership into ours.

II. THE SPIRITUAL LIFE OF THE LEADER

This course focuses on spiritual formation and will study the nature of spiritual growth, how God has designed spiritual maturity to happen, and its importance as the foundation for all biblical leadership. Leadership adds an extra layer of pressure and busyness that can make it challenging to keep our spiritual lives strong and fresh. In the midst of the demands and expectations of leadership, one can begin to substitute organizational skills, strategies and methods for the spiritual principle of abiding in Christ and serving Him and others with humility, grace and spiritual dependence. When this happens, we are in danger of trusting in our own efforts rather than in His presence and power within us. We will seek to learn how to faithfully implement our organizational responsibilities from a strong spiritual base.

III. LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM HAGGAI

Designed by John Henderson - 4 sessions
After 70 years of captivity in Babylon, King Cyrus of Persia allows the people of Judah to return to Jerusalem. The temple is in ruins. There is much work to be done. Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the people made a good start on rebuilding the temple. However, almost immediately they encounter opposition that makes them fearful and the work stops. Instead of persevering and staying faithful to God’s call, the people leave God’s house in ruins and instead turn their attention to building their own houses. In this study, we’ll learn together how to regain vision after it has been lost, and we’ll also study how to lead with faith and courage in the face of opposition.

IV. LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF DANIEL

Designed by John Henderson - 4 Sessions
Daniel and his friends are examples of what it looks like to live and serve God in a society that does not honor their God. We will study 3 of their stories in Daniel 1-6, which include the themes of "Identity ", "Devotion " and "Boldness". Specifically, how our identity in Christ and our devotion to God produces boldness in us to follow and serve God in the face of opposition and ungodliness. A key principle of our study comes from Daniel 11.32: "the people who know their God will display strength and take action." We will seek to apply what we study in the lives of Daniel and his friends into our own lives and leadership.

V. CALEB AND THE DIFFERENT SPIRIT OF HIS LEADERSHIP

Designed by Laci Baczynski
This course will study selected biblical leaders from the life of Israel during the times of national transitions and the absence of godliness. It will look at the examples of Caleb, the tribe of Dan, Joshua, Samuel among others and seek to learn from their successful moments as leaders as well as their failures. In the process, we will attempt to distill specific leadership principles and together search for the best way to apply them in our contexts.

VI. LEADESHIP LESSONS FROM THE PSALMS

Designed by John Henderson
“This is a series of lessons for leaders from the Psalms. Psalms is a source of strength, guidance and spiritual food for our souls. You may want to choose from the various Psalms and topics and personally design a 1, 2, or 3 day retreat for your team, leaders, volunteers, etc. These might also be something you could incorporate into your staff conference. You can contact John Henderson or Laci Baczynski about these studies and they can help you design something specifically to help meet your needs.

VII. Abiding in Christ as Leaders

Designed by John Henderson - 3-5 sessions
"Abiding in Christ' is a foundational truth for disciples of Jesus and for those who have accepted the stewardship of leadership in His kingdom work. But what exactly does 'abiding' mean and what does it look like in my life, ministry and leadership? John uses this word 41 times in his NT writings and has much to say about it. I have come to think of John as the 'Apostle of Abiding". In this study, we focus on the transformational truth of abiding, who & what are we to abide in, the relationship between abiding and experiencing the 'living water' that is to flow from our innermost being, and the connection between abiding and fruitfulness. Several years ago, I came across a quote that says, "The world is thirsty for the living water but will never believe it exists if it is preached by parched messengers". Abiding in Christ is one of the ways we can keep from becoming 'parched messengers'.

STUDIES FOR SPIRITUAL RETREATS

Leading from God's rest.
Understanding and combating the guilt-shame-fear messages of your culture
Creating an environment of unity and camaraderie
Understanding shepherd leadership and what it looks like in our context
Jesus' model and heart for making disciples
The importance of forgiveness in our relationships
Calling & Identity: How these sustain us, especially during hard times
God's Divine Rhythm of Work & Rest
Taking Steps of Faith; Overcoming Fear; Risking Failure
Living in newness of life: put off, renew, put on

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