Team talk...

Ours is an individualistic culture. No surprise, then, that for most of us the word ‘leadership’ prompts a mental picture of ‘the person in charge’ – singular, not plural.

In CL71 (appearing late January) James Lawrence urges an approach to leadership development that’s as countercultural as it biblical. And he begins with the sad story of Nigel (or Nigella).

Once upon a time there was a church leader called Nigel (it might just as well have been Nigella) .

Nigel arrived six years ago to find the church struggling with a stack of problems: high debt, low morale, no children or young people, and traumatic fall-out from a pastoral crisis in the recent past.

Some of the congregation were suspicious of Nigel. Others quietly hoped he would be their saviour. Fortunately, Nigel was certain that this was where God wanted him to be, and he loved the job and the people from day one.

He poured himself into the life of the church, getting to know people, prayerfully discerning a new direction, and working hard to enable action. In the first year there were small, encouraging signs of change, boosting the congregation’s level of expectation. By his second year financial giving was rising, a new service had started and people felt cared for. And though a few doubters remained, many people now thought that Nigel really was their saviour.

Came year three and things were buzzing. But, of course, the more Nigel did, the more work there was to do. The more he visited the sick, the more unwell people there were expecting a visit. The more he reached out within the community, the more there were to be reached. The more he started new things, the more things needed continuing.

Not surprisingly by years four and five Nigel was struggling. Facing exhaustion, he knew he couldn’t continue as things were. And yet everything was going well in the church – the bishop (or was it the area superintendant?) spoke warmly of what he had achieved. But Nigel knew that work at this pitch wasn’t sustainable. He started looking at job adverts in the church press. In year six, he left to take up a new post.

What would your message be for Nigel / Nigella?

Gospel Imprint

Here's a new source of resources from our friends in the catholic area of the wonderful spectrum of the Church of England.

Gospel Imprint offers a variety of materials including seasonal liturgies, all downloadable free of charge.

What's more, they are thoughtfully provided as Word documents, allowing the user to cut and paste at will.

Prismatic mission

More and more young adults are choosing to live without a faith commitment. How can the church connect with this 'missing generation'?

That's just one of the questions addressed by an upcoming conference sponsored by RUN (the Reaching the Unchurched Network), suggesting that a 'rainbow approach' might hold clues for the future...

The conference is led by Gerard Kelly, Senior Pastor of Crossroads Amsterdam.

3-4 November 2009, King's Park Centre, Northampton.

Check here for full information!

A Theology of Women's Priesthood

I am so used to thinking that the theology of women’s ministry is all about St Paul that starting to read this book was quite a surprise.

Of course the word ‘priesthood’ is key, and the book’s focus is on women presiding at the Eucharist, rather than women as preachers or leaders. That said, the book gives a fascinating insight into many of the issues which underlie opposition to women’s ministry, whatever the tradition they represent.

The introduction sets out the premise of the book: ‘The relationship between the Church and women has never been straightforward, and the root of the difficulties lies in sexual difference.’ I certainly agree with the first half of this. When it comes to difference, the author seems unaware of recent research that minimises the differences between men and women in terms of their performance. But at the same time, women’s difference is significant, if only because of the way it has been seen (different = lesser), and the basic differences due to the fact that women can bear children.

The book is split into three main sections: ‘in the image of God’, ‘broken body’, and ‘new covenant’. In each of these, the author looks at ‘the story so far’ followed by ‘the woman priest’, showing how a woman priest, while presenting a challenge to inherited understandings, enables the Church to gain a more complete picture of God and of humanity.

The author covers a great deal of important ground in exploring areas such the way women have been seen as either bride (of Christ) or (forgiven) whore, either temptress (Eve) or virgin (Mary); in philosophical terms men have been seen as logical and rational, and representing spirit, while women have been seen as emotional and irrational, representing body or flesh, and their femaleness has been seen as a source of defilement, shame and impurity.

While we may be aware that these ideas have long been underlying views about men and women, the book brings into stark view their prevalence not far below the surface when it comes to how women priests are seen. Only a couple of months ago, I was told of a remark made to a woman priest, ‘surely you don’t go into the sanctuary when you are menstruating?’

A number of times I felt that Green was overstating things. ‘God has been imagined as an idealised projection of masculine identity, leaving women bereft of a divine horizon and hence of a sense of self’? But yes, it is a fair point. Again, I heard recently of a six-year-old who had deduced that God was a man because that was the message her church gave her.

I was particularly struck by the discussion of women and self-sacrifice. Green makes the point that all too often women’s self-denial has entailed serving male privilege, which has been damaging for women, as they have learned to suppress their own desires and failed to develop their full potential. But as this concept of self-sacrifice is redeemed through women’s priestly ministry, women should be able to enter into it as ‘the chosen option of a free and responsible agent.’

This book is quite an uncomfortable read, and as Green points out, most books on theology do not have words like ‘womb’, ‘blood’ and ‘miscarriage’ in their index. It is written from a feminist position which some readers may not share, but the careful analysis of symbolism shows how deep some prejudices have run, and how liberating it will be when women and men can more fully live and work together as members of the body of Christ.

The Rev Rosie Ward, CPAS Leadership Development Adviser

Check out CPAS Growing women leaders.

Planning to buy this book? Please support your local Christian bookshop.

Creation...

Impossible not to notice that this year is Charles Darwin's bicentenary.

But maybe you weren't aware that next month brings the release of a new bio-pic that charts Darwin's youthful struggles with his faith as he worked on The Origin of Species.

Creation will be in cinemas from 25 September. Click here to visit the movie's website.

Advance 'buzz' suggests that this film is in a similar high-quality bracket as last years's Amazing Grace, which focused on the life of William Wilberforce.

Better still, the team at the Damaris Trust are soon to launch a varied selection of high-quality resources to help churches and smaller groups 'engage' positively with the deep questions posed by the films themes.

And, please, don't think-dryer-than dust 'study notes' - Damaris are famed for the accessibility and adapatability of their top-notch resource materials.

Check out all that's on offer via the Damaris website.

Popular actor Paul Bettany portrays Darwin in the years before he mislaid his razor. And what a mistake that was. Natural de-selection, or sheer carelessness? We'll never know.

Pod squad

Downloadable broadcasts (podcasts) provide an easily accessible way of listening to what you want to, when you want to.

While walking to work, CL's editor zones in to such varied BBC offerings as Melvyn Bragg's 'In Our Time', Clive James's witty commentaries in 'A Point of View' and the ludicrous ramblings of 6Music's Adam and Joe.

All of these are downloadable via the click of a mouse from the BBC website or, even simpler, from iTunes.

In recent weeks he has moved on to sampling podcasts emanating from Church House, the Fresh Expressions team and from the Evangelical Alliance's Slipstream initiative.

What about you?

• Do you listen to podcasts? Here at Church Leadership we're eager to provide as useful an array of resources as possible. Consequently it will be very helpful to know about any podcasts that currently resource/inspire/refresh you in your role as a church leader.
• Are you podcasting? Many churches are already old hands at providing downloadable materials for people to listen to on their computers or MP3 players. Please let us know what your doing in this area.

Comments to cl@cpas.org.uk please! Thank you!

All change for CL70

Here's a sneak preview of Church Leadership 70, set for mailout at the end of September.

This early draft version of the cover shows we'll be carrying new resources for Advent, Christmas and Mothering Sunday.

We're continuing our thematic journey around the key elements of the CPAS 'leadership doughnut', with this issue focusing on 'enabling' action - so expect plenty on the topics of change and change-management.

Want to know more about Church Leadership?

To request a free copy of the magazine, and to download some sample resources, simply click here.

Four psalms

Many thanks to the Rev Penny Frank (Stoneleigh, Warwickshire) for sharing four fresh and creative small-group resources, ideal for a short summer series - or for any time of year!

Penny explores:

• Psalm 23 God of my journey
• Psalm 51 God of forgiveness
• Psalm 100 God of worship
• Psalm 139 God of relationship

To download, CL subscribers should click here!

Not for boys?

A visit to Holy Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon, on Fathers' Day included perceptive, provocative thoughts on the perennial problem of 'the missing men'.

Preacher the Rev David Banbury reminded us of Rowntrees' breakthrough marketing ploy of creating a 'masculine' chocolate bar - the hunky, chunky Yorkie.

After mentioning the bar's current 'not for girls' strapline (see pic), he produced a second, seriously oversized confectionary item - the Jesus Bar.

Not for boys?

His point, of course, was that many men see church, faith, religion as 'not for me'.

He went on to challenge this perception - and to encourage us to 'rediscover' the dynamic, challenging, adventurous aspects of Jesus' character in particular - and of our whole faith in general.

Readings were 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 (St Paul's pull-no-punches assessment of his working life) and Mark 4:35-41 (Jesus' in 'power' mode).

Imporantly, the preacher emphasised that he was not advocating the promotion of a macho Jesus, or boosting a gung-ho 'muscular Christianity'.

Rather, he was trying to impress on us the amazing totality of Jesus' character - incorporating the fullness of the 'mascuine' and 'feminine' aspects of what it means to be human.

And because it was Fathers' Day the service closed with a gift for every man in the congregation - a cool DIY glider mini-kit.

Hurrah!

Chris Moyles bigs up church

Popular Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles woke early-ish on Pentecost Sunday morning and caught a service being broadcast live from the Kingsgate Community Church, Peterborough.

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He was impressed.

Fathers' Day

The increasingly popular custom of Fathers' Day had not reached these shores when my father (above with my brother) was alive.

One only has to head for the shops this week to realise how big a deal Fathers' Day has become.

I guess the day's relative newness and its lack of connection to the church calendar (unlike Mothering Sunday) partly explain the absence of any FD resources in the CL archive.

But watch this space - all being well we'll have a brand-new Fathers' Day resource ready to download in the spring of 2010.

Meanwhile, here's a link to the Oxford Diocesan website, currently featuring a very useful set of FD resources from the excellent newspaper The Door.

Mentoring must-read

'I would recommend Ruth's book to every youth leader and church leader involved in work with young people.'

So writes Dot Tyler of Emerging Culture in the current issue of Youthwork magazine.

Here's the full text of Dot's review:

Waiting until people are in their 20s and 30s to start mentoring and training them in leadership is just too late - Ruth Hassall.

In BRF's series on Growing Young Leaders, authors explore the 'whys' and 'hows' of developing and releasing emerging leaders. This honest guide to mentoring teens is both very accessible and practical.

From the Biblical foundation for why it is so important to mentor young people, to practical help with how to start meeting up and what questions to ask, this book not only equips the reader to be an effective mentor, but also inspires and encourages the reader that they can do it.

As part of the work of Emerging Culture, we have run FRESH, a practical leadership training course, and as part of the final weekend we asked for feedback about the best bits of the course. Was it the great teaching, fun activities, or brilliant worship? Above all these, it was the 1-2-1 time with mentors that they really valued.

We need to be intentional about building up the young people in our churches and giving them the necessary platforms to grow, explore and reach their potential. Mentoring is so key in this process and Ruth's book gives helpful models, objectives and direction for how to incorporate these as part of our own mentoring.

Often as a mentor we can feel obliged to know everything about the Bible and teach them about how to be a 'good Christian'. Ruth highlights a simple and critical issue in her book: young people need and desire support from those who believe in them and their potential. When it comes to equipping young people in their growth as leaders, good resources like this help us journey with them, enjoying the highs with them and helping them deal with the lows.

I would recommend Ruth's book to every youth leader and church leader involved in work with young people. Her insights and helpful guidance are so relevant, practical and mobilising. I love her honesty, her passion and her firm belief that we need to be building up young people to be leaders in our churches and our communities.

As Ruth says, 'Mentoring young leaders really does have the potential to change a generation and renew leadership in both the church and the nation.'

And to link with Growing Young Leaders, please click here.

Readers

A good proportion of CL subscribers serve God and his people through Reader ministry.

'Readers are lay people in the Church of England, from all walks of life, who are called by God, theologically trained and licensed by the Church to preach, teach, lead worship and assist in pastoral, evangelistic and liturgical work.'

Reader ministry is one of the areas of vocation that are covered in the regular programme of CPAS You and Ministry conferences.

Want to know more about Reader ministry? Simply click here.

The image above shows the cover of The Reader magazine.

Mentoring for Spiritual Growth

James Lawrence reviews this recent publication from Bible Reading Fellowship....

Tony Horsfall is clear that this book is about spiritual direction, and the focus throughout is on this practice. But there is so much good material here that it would be a pity if readership was limited to those solely interested in spiritual direction.

Each chapter offers a short, simple, sensitive reflection on an aspect of the mentoring relationship. These reflect the author's breadth of reading and personal experience as a spiritual director. Thus they offer great practical insight on 'how to mentor'.

Having read fairly extensively in this area, I think that this is among the best introductions to the subject that I have come across, characterised by a wonderful gentleness and freshness.

The book is well organised, beginnning with helpful defintions. Tony then examines his subject biblically and historically, before going on to distinguish very helpfully between the qualities / skills /tools of a mentor. He also examines the mentoring process itself.

The chapter 'Road maps and guidebooks' outlines four ways of locating where someone might be in his or her 'development journey'.

Although I don't think I am particularly suited to being a spiritual director, I have still learned a great deal from this book on the 'ministry / leadership' aspects of mentoring.

Highly recommended.

Available from your local Christian bookshop or via Bible Reading Fellowship (check a chapter extract here)

Northern light

A member of the CL team has just returned from a refreshing week as a guest of the Iona Community.

Iona, a missionary hub of the great Celtic saints, remains a place of pilgrimage, refreshment - and of challenge.

Well worth the journey!

Pentecost

Sunday brings the joyful, empowering, challenging and glorious festival of Pentecost. Hurrah!

A quick search in the CL archive reveals some twenty downloadable resources for all-age worship - service outlines, pictures, dramas and sketches. And a recent peek at our 'download-ometer' bears witness to the large number of subscribers who have been accessing them as they prepare for Sunday.

Of course, many subscribers will be preparing their own original materials for Sunday.

Here at CL, we'd be delighted to know what went well - and to share ideas and materials, with your permission, with others via our website. You can contact us via cl@cpas.org.uk.

Meanwhile, we're commissioning a brand-new service outline and back-up resources for Pentecost 2010.

(The splendid image above comes from St Mary's, Warwick.)

He must increase

Here at Church Leadership, Advent has just begun - a splendid Oasis reflection for the October issue of the magazine has arrived.

Author Jane Williams ponders John the Baptist's words: 'He must increase, but I must decrease.' (John 3:30)

She writes: 'All the gospels agree that John the Baptist had a very high-profile and successful ministry. People came to him in their droves, and hung on his every word. Although he was perfectly clear that his mission was to prepare a way for someone else, could he really have expected to be so utterly swept away when the one for whom he had been waiting came? Was no part of him expecting to be at least second in command, with a continuing ministry of his own, in support of Jesus’? This one little sentence in St John’s Gospel suggests otherwise. John the Baptist knew when to step aside.'

Mrs Williams continues with a thoughtful and perceptive meditation on the sacrifice and solace of knowing when, as a leader, it is time to 'let go'.

The picture above would have been instantly recognized by contemporary viewers as depicting Jesus' cousin John - from the symbolic Lamb, and from the upward-pointing gesture, acting out the famous 'increase/decrease' remark.

More info on subscribing to Church Leadership here.

Women in Mind

It's almost a year since the publication of Rosie Ward's paperback Growing Women Leaders.

Practical, perceptive and provocative, the book has been well received both for its biblical integrity and for Rosie's can-do emphasis on opening doors to women at all levels of the church.

And with practicality in mind, Rosie has produced two three-session courses in the the style of book-group discussion materials. They are available as free-of-charge downloads from the CPAS website.

One is for mixed groups, while the other has a special focus for groups of women-only participants.

The emphasis is on user-friendliness for ordinary men and women in today'c church - these are definitely not dusty academic tomes!

Every blog has its day

Here at the CL blog we're excited about positive exposure thanks to Dave Walker, editor of the Church Times blog.

Today's post focuses on the work of Si Smith, celebrated here recently.

Check out Dave Walker's work here!

Want to learn more about CPAS Church Leadership - click here, please!

Today's Church Times links directly with Church Leadership 69, focusing on the developing story of the pioneering church of St James in the City, Liverpool.

Led by the Rev Neil Short (blue shirt), the fledgling congregation has recently moved into a formerly redundant listed church building, built at the height of the city's mercantile prosperity.

Bishop James Jones (purple uniform, no helmet) was on hand to join in the celebration of the congregation's first adult baptism - of Jessica Main (no uniform).

The church still lacks a water supply, so a friendly firefighter (uniform and helmet) was on hand with a plentiful supply of H2O.

Read the full story of the 'vision journey' of this new congregation on pages 8,9 of CL69.

Jesus Leeds

CL subscribers are familar with the work of artist Simon Smith creator of our popular Stations of the Cross images.

Si is currently at work on a new series of images that will be launched in CL71 (February 2010), this time depicting the 19 'Stations of the Resurrection'.

In common with many other artists of religious themes, Si has chosen to depict the New Testament events as if they are happening here and now.

And in Simon's case, 'here' equals Leeds. So above we can see his depiction of John 21:9-13 with the Sea of Galilee appearing in the guise of Roundhay Park's boating lake.

The images will be accompanied by a series of texts for meditations, created by the Rev Ian Adams of the Maybe community.

Click here for more information about Si, and to download samples of his work.

And click here for the CPAS website.

Vision on!

Here comes CL69 - plunking onto subscribers' doormats towards the end of May.

This issue has a special focus on the key leadership topic of vision and direction-setting.

Check here for a preview of James Lawrence's article In the right direction.

Of course, being CL, we offer brand new resources for seasonal events - and this issue carries a challenging all-age service for harvest from Kelly Betteridge.

Based around the narrative of Exodus 16, the materials include tip-top illustrations from the inimitable Brent Clark.

On a more reflective note we have included useful materials for services of  'commemoration of the departed' - in recent years these have become a greatly appreciated aspect of the local church's link with the surrounding community.

Mothering Sunday

Here comes the fourth Sunday of Lent, when the mood lightens and we celebrate Mothering Sunday. Hurrah!

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No surprise that the CL website is busily downloading multiple copies of Francesca Proud's new service outline and resources, including a series of images by the brilliant Brent Clark.

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The text refers to a video clip. Apologies that some subscribers have had difficulty locating it. Check this link!

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And while I'm here .....

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You can also find tip-top Mothering Sunday resources via the splendid website of (who else?) Mothers' Union. Check here for this year's service.

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And - if you're stuck for a gift for your Mum. Check MU's Make a Mother's Day scheme.

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I was particularly touched that this brilliant idea is open to people (like me) whose mother is in heaven, a location unreachable via Interflora. MU allows you to make a gift 'in memory'.

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Inclusive, or what?

Ready to Lead

Published in January, this new book from CPAS Leadership Development Adviser Ruth Hassall is already making an impact.

Here's a link to a very enthusiastic review from the Sophia Network.

More information from the CPAS online shop. And click here for info regarding the new course Growing Leaders - Youth Edition.

The Things He Carried

Not too late to decide on a Lent book, if you haven't already done so.
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These meditations for Lent and Holy Week come from Bishop Stephen Cottrell, who focuses on the ancient Christian tradition of pondering the 'instruments of the Passion'.

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You can check an extract here.

The Hermeneutics Cafe

Here's a new UK-based Facebook group for church leaders (of all types) to chat, swap ideas and generally do what you'd do during a relaxed visit to a cafe with friends.

You can check it out via this link.

Know of other internet networks that may be of interest to CL readers? Please let us know!

Lent approaches

Broadcaster and writer Brian Draper (Oasis, CL68) is preparing for Lent.

He says: Lent starts on 25 February, and this year I’m writing a series of daily reflections for leaders like you, to help you make the most of a season packed with potential, and to regain some soulful perspective.

Personally, I've always found Lent to be an exceptionally fruitful time for focused reflection; it offers a profound period in the calendar to think about ‘what we do’ and how it really aligns with ‘who we are’, for a start.

My brand new e-mail reflections won’t take you long to read, but they will help you to start each week-day in Lent as you mean to go on – by reflecting on who you are, what you do, and how this links with Lent.

They’ll include inspiring quotations, incisive questions and practical ideas, and will form a 40-day journey of spiritual re:discovery.

My suggested contribution is £20 for the series (groups such as cells, businesses and churches may sign up corporately for £80).

To receive the ‘Lent 40’, please e-mail me quoting 'Lent 40' and saying ‘Yes please’.

I’ll put your name on the list and send you details of how to pay.Your journey will begin on February 25. Now – at this time of all times! - is the chance to regain some soulful focus. I look forward to hearing from you!

Check Brian's Echosounder website here.

Epiphany

Happy New Year! Here's to a great 2009 for all CL subscribers - and readers of the CL blog!

How encouraging to return to work to find two unsolicited contributions of resources that have gone down well at recent services.

There's a neat idea for Christmas morning featuring crackers. Thanks to David and Tina Smith of Exeter.

And you can also download a monologue and PowerPoint for an Epiphany monologue. Tip-top! Thank you, Nick Grew of Surrey.

Subscribers can download these resources in the usual way, using the 'Search CPAS' box. Use key words: CL70 Crackers / CL70 Epiphany.