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Congregational Life: Leaders & Outreach: Leadership Development

tools for empowering leadership, developing joyful, informed volunteers and supporting effective teams which strengthen outreach and hospitality

Welcome

Welcome to The Ministry Lab's curated list of resources to encourage pastoral care providers to engage in needed self-care. Here you'll find:

  • Online Courses, Videos & Webinars - to spark interest and conversation
  • Retreats & Websites - to develop personal awareness and growth
  • Blogs, Podcasts & Articles - for moments of encouragement and support
  • Books, Curricula & Downloads - to develop skills and confidence
  • Judicatory & Other Denominational Resources - for tips and how-tos specific to your context and doctrine

If you don't find a resource to fit your need, don't hesitate to consult with The Ministry Lab's director, Emily Meyer, who is happy to assist you.

Books

     Buried Talents          Clergy Burnout, Revised and Expanded: Surviving in Turbulent Times     The Conscious Enneagram: How to Move from Typology to Transformation     Dirt Road Revival     Book - Paperback     Don't Burn Out, Burn Bright: Young, Jason: 9781540902955: Amazon.com: Books     The End of Burnout by Jonathan Malesic     Book cover image: Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive     Finding Our Way to the Truth: Seven Lies Leaders Believe and How to Let Go of Them - Ciavarri, Sarah     First and Only: A Black Woman's Guide to Thriving at Work and in Life     For the Common Good          Picture of And He Saw That It Was Good          Holy Friendships: Nurturing Relationships That Sustain Pastors and Leaders     How to Have an Enemy          In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World     Indispensable Church - Lifeway     Intentional Leadership in between Seasons (Drummond)          Lead from the Outside     Leading Faithful Innovation: Following God into a Hopeful Future     Leading While Black: The Intersectionality of Race, Leadership, and God               Made to Lead: Empowering Women for Ministry     Make a Move: How to Stop Wavering and Make Decisions in a Disorienting World     Managing Congregations in a Virtual Age     Many Voices, One Song     More Than Ready     Only Work Sundays | A Laidback Guide to Doing Less while Helping Your Church Thrive (Miller)     Pastoral Imagination: Bringing the Practice of Ministry to Life          Picking Up the Pieces: Leadership after Empire     The Power to Bless: How to Speak Life and Empower the People You Love:  Wright, Alan, Chapman, Gary: 9781540900555: Amazon.com: Books     Professional Christian     The Purpose Gap     Purposeful Empathy: Tapping Our Hidden Superpower for Personal, Organizational, and Social Change     Reclaiming Power in Congregational and Community Ministry     Recovering Abundance: Twelve Practices for Small-Town Leaders     Lreinventionofwork.jpg     The Resilient Pastor: Leading Your Church in a Rapidly Changing World:  Packiam, Glenn, Kinnaman, David: 9780801018695: Amazon.com: Books     Searching for Agabus: Embracing Authenticity and Finding Your Way to You          Sharing Leadership | A United Church of Christ Way of Being in Community (Drummond)     Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul: How to Change the World in Quiet Ways     The Solo Pastor: Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges of Leading a  Church Alone - Kindle edition by McIntosh, Gary L.. Religion & Spirituality  Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.     Stuck: Why Clergy Are Alienated from Their Calling, Congregation, and Career ... and What to Do about It          Through Dangerous Terrain               You Don't Owe Anyone: Free Yourself from the Weight of Expectations               

Retreats & Websites

A call to social action and spiritual vigor with a mission to create a more equitable and inclusive world by nurturing skillful justice advocacy and the depth to act on it.

Bearing Witness offers resources for supporting whistleblowers in the workplace, governmental agencies, and congregational settings.

Blogs, Podcasts & Articles

What is Small Church, Big Impact? | Small Church. Big Impact. | Podcasts on  Audible | Audible.comThe Small Churches Big Impact Collective shares best practices, ministry innovations, compensation concerns and more through their Facebook page, website and blog, and podcast.

Start With Why Summary

How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

By Simon Sinek

How Do You Know When It's Time to Go?

by Cindy Halvorson with Susan Miller

Part 1: Internal Factors

Part 2: External Factors

Jessica Guleth wonders, "What does it look like for the voices of our youth to be invited in, heard and included in the ways we do for adults? What needs adjusting in our minds and hearts to see and hear them as members?" in The Future of the Church Is Young.

The Voices of Young People Podcast

Lewis Center for Church Leadership has a growing list of Covid-19-related resources on topics of Social Action, Stewardship, Technology, and Hospitality.

 

For Collard Girls is a journey, a conversation, and a podcast, that shares the unique, bold and beautiful narrative of womyn of color who are in spaces in the church, in the community, and in the world.

MennoMedia's ~ing Podcast hosts Rev. Dr. Dennis Edwards and Allison Maus discuss current issues in church leadership, growth, and community engagement with national church leaders.

Judicatory & Other Denominational Guidelines/Tips

Rev. Diane Shallue created Twelve Devotions for Ministry Teams & Committees as part of the Christian Education Network of the ELCA series, “Learning Strategies for the Life of Faith Initiative.” They were developed "to equip congregational leaders to find ways to love and serve the world in all that they do", are ecumenical in scope, and free to share with teams and leadership groups.

Engage the whole congregation in the conversation of pastoral care during quarantine, rostered leaders assisting area chaplains, etc.

Two Building Resilience webinars with accompanying downloadable handouts.

Bearing Witness offers resources for supporting whistleblowers in the workplace, governmental agencies, and congregational settings.

Denominational Specifics - In Our Library

The Presbyterian Ruling Elder: An Essential Guide - eBook  -     By: Paul S. Wright, Stephens G. Lytch

Cohorts/Support Groups

Mindful Leaders Lounge is a supportive conversation space for leaders who are working on themselves so that they can be creative, mindful, adaptive and resilient through change. Part of her Defy the Trend Community, it is moderated by Nicole Havelka of Nicole Havelka Consulting. Learn more at defythetrend.com.

Online Courses, Videos & Webinars

ecoAmerica logoecoAmerica expands climate leadership beyond traditional environmental circles. They are building a diverse network of major institutions and thought leaders in five sectors — faith, health, communities, higher education, and business — who have the power to inspire tens of millions of Americans on climate change, in counties and communities nationwide including the heartland. Watch this video to learn more about their programs and hear leaders speak.

OPEN HANDS, WILLING HEARTS

What is mine to do? Who am I called to be?

Living into one's call is a lifelong process of discernment. This online class invites you to look at your life, no matter what age, and notice your unique contribution to God's vision. Lean into spaciousness and learn to become more receptive to the ways the spirit is guiding you with this six-session series. Listen to stories of discernment and engage in enriching experiential exercises.

Registration is open.

Learn more and register here.

Taken on your own schedule. Group discounts available.

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Lifelong Faith Training is Lifelong Faith's Free Video-Based Training to Guide for Leaders in 
Designing & Leading Faith Formation with All Ages & Generations

The Video Editing for Churches course will help you learn how to use editing tools like Adobe Rush and iMovie to create videos your members, newcomers, and others will want to see.

The Video Editing for Churches course will help you learn how to use editing tools like Adobe Rush and iMovie to create videos your members, newcomers, and others will want to see.

This is an open enrollment course.

The Faith+Lead Learning Lab is a place to listen, learn, innovate, and grow. Join other spiritual leaders in grappling with real-world challenges and discoveries of ministry in the 21st Century.

CONVERGENCE offers numerous leadership and community development webinars on-demand or in a cohort:

                                                                                     

Learn more about Futures Literacy here.

Learn more about Convergence's Futures Literacy Labs here.

Coaching4Clergy

Coaching4Clergy offers:

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Convergence offers Executive Coaching for congregational leaders.

See Joe Davis' invitation to Deepen Humility and Compassion with the IDI; develop institutional intercultural awareness and competence; and/or join Round 2 of Davis' and Dave Scherer's Next Faithful Move.
Opportunities for self-care, personal growth, new learning and more, include:

 

free, seven-part on-demand video teaching series from Carey Nieuwhof

 

Personal growth and continuing education pertinent to COVID-19 days and beyond

Living Like They Believe is an online video study series on vocation and discipleship.

Church Pension Group offers Safeguarding Online - boundaries training for folks who work with children and youth; and Safeguarding People, which includes Training Resources and Model Policies & Resolutions.

Curricula & Downloads

Picture of Enneagram Essentials These insightful cards are an innovative and uniquely interactive way to learn about and apply the highly popular Enneagram personality model as you uncover your inner feelings, motives, and desires; nurture your empathy and compassion for others; and grow toward the best version of yourself.

     Raising Engaged Humans: A Book List for Big-Hearted Parents     

Cover for Right Questions for Church Leaders, Volumes 1-4Right Questions For Church Leaders, Volumes 1-4

Leaders do not need answers.
Leaders must have the right questions.

In the Works Series

In the Works Series

This five-session series explores how Christians can be part of God’s mission in the world. Each title includes five inspiring daily readings for each week; five easy-to-use discussion guides (with activities, Bible study, and discussion activities); and follow-up action options to apply the study to real-world life.

Sessions include:

  • How Do I Begin? Sharing Your Faith
  • How Do I Make It Right? Doing Justice in a Broken World
  • What Do I Do with My Life? Serving God through Work
  • What Do I Owe? Managing the Gifts God Gives You
  • Where Do I Come in? Joining God's Mission

More Church Leaders | Stronger Church Leaders Video Tool KitMore Church Leaders | Stronger Church Leaders” Video Tool Kit

Learn strategies to identify and support new leaders and build and maintain effective ministry teams.

Leading Like Nehemiah:

Rebuilding Together

  • Six-session video-based study curriculum
  • key themes in Nehemiah’s witness
  • inspire and guide today's faith leaders today
  • accompanying Study and Discussion Guide
Serving with Grace: Lay Leadership as a Spiritual Practice

Studies - In Our Library

20823250     9780819216083: Listening Hearts: Manual for Discussion Leaders     Making Disciples, Making Leaders-Leader Guide, Second Edition: A Manual for Presbyterian Church Leader Development - eBook  -     By: Steven P. Eason, E. Von Clemans     Making Disciples, Making Leaders-Participant Workbook, Second Edition: A Manual for Presbyterian Church Leader Development - eBook  -     By: Steven P. Eason, E. Von Clemans

In Our Library

Front Cover Preview Image - 1 of 10 - Broken and Whole: A Leader's Path to Spiritual Transformation     9781558963788: Churchworks: A well-body book for congregations     Book - Paperback     Cover Image     In the Name of Jesus          Leaders Who Last: Sustaining Yourself and Your Ministry  -     By: Margaret J. Marcuson     Leadership Directions from Moses: On the Way to a Promised Land  -     By: Olu Brown     9780687335954: Leadership Essentials: Practical Tools for Leading in the Church     Leadership for Vital Congregations (Robinson)     Leadership That Fits Your Church : What Kind of Pastor for What Kind of Congregation     9781614485896: The Leadership Triangle: The Three Options That Will Make You a Stronger Leader               Never Call Them Jerks  -     By: Arthur P. Boers     Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church   -     By: Robert Larochelle     9781501815034: The Passionate Church     Book - Paperback     Pursuing God's Will Together     Front Cover Preview Image - 1 of 16 - Refill: Meditations for Leading with Wisdom, Peace, and Joy     The Relational Pastor     Book - Paperback     Reviving the Congregation: Pastoral Leadership in a Changing Context     Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of under 250     So Much Better: How Thousands of Pastors Help Each Other Thrive (The  Columbia Partnership) - Kindle edition by Marler,Penny Long, Roberts, D.  Bruce, Maykus, Janet, Bowers, James, Dill, Larry, Harewood, Brenda K.,     9780827234680: Spirited Leadership: Empowering People to Do What Matters     Book - Paperback     SPIRITUAL PRACTICES FOR EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP     Cover Image          Cover Image     Book - Paperback     What Church Leaders Really Need to Know | A Practical How-To Guide (Naylor)     Cover Image     Women, Spirituality and Transformative Leadership - SkyLight Paths  Publishing