Transforming Church

Our purpose is to Equip Disciple-Making Leaders and our Mission states:

We are a Learning Community of Leaders:
· Grounded in the Risen Christ
· Living as Disciples
· Using Our God Given Gifts
· Serving the Community, Church, and World
· Connecting People to Jesus

The board met for three and a half-days and combined our work of team building with a strategy session. Several teams came out of our planning and we are developing detailed action plans to make our vision a reality. A broad range of leaders from across the ELCA are involved in this project, and we seek broad representation on the teams that will lay the foundation for this important leadership work.

Want to build on what you already know? Connect to a Learning Community unlike anything you’ve ever experienced!

The TransformingChurch.org Leadership Learning Community is a four-year post-seminary learning journey that will equip you with new skills and paradigms for pastoral ministry in the 21st century church. Our focus will be the Kingdom of the Left, the practical theology of building and leading discipleship communities.

Leaders with at least three to five years of parish experience will experience this journey in a collegial learning group. In these ongoing relationships participants will visit signature churches, learning with and being mentored by experienced pastors and leaders. These are disciples of Jesus with kingdom values who will equip you as a disciple making-leader. This transformational journey for you and your congregation will increase your effectiveness in ministry and your level of satisfaction. Formal certification will be granted upon completion of the program and credit towards a Doctor of Ministry is being explored with ELCA seminaries.

Planning Teams will develop our financial resources, design the learning journey, and identify mentors, coaches and candidates over the next six months.

While we seek start-up funding from foundations, churches and individuals, the work to build the learning community will continue. We are currently defining the outcomes we hope to create and the competencies we plan to build. At the same time, we are strengthening our relationships with key stakeholders among the Seminaries, Churchwide Staff, Bishops and Synods.

We will be introducing the details of the Learning Community and networking with potential participants, coaches and mentors at the next Transformational Leader Gathering in January in Orlando. We will also publish updates in our upcoming Newsletters, and will soon be developing a website to publicize our efforts.

Gregg Burch has been named Executive Team Leader of the organization. Jerry Cox is our Treasurer, and Lou Forney is Secretary. Ron Lee, Bob Driver-Bishop, George Weinman, Al Sagar, Charlotte Roberts constitute the rest of the Founding Board. Dave Stark is the liaison to our partners, the Changing Church Forum. Doug Hill is our liaison to our partners at the Abiding Hope Adaptive Leadership Academy. Wyvetta Bullock is our liaison to the ELCA Churchwide staff. If you are interested in this project, and would like more information, please contact Gregg at atl@transformingchurch.com.

Transforming Church Initiative: a Leadership Learning Journey and Transformational Leaders Initiative are copyrighted by TransformingChurch.org.

To see and learn more about Transforming Leaders Initiative on its home website, click here.