"I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” (Ephesians 4:1)

Shift is all about movement – with the help of one another and the power of God to reach our broken places and move ever closer to living a life worthy of our callings as churches and leaders. Leadership development begins with acknowledging and trusting the process and the people God uses to grow us. We cannot lead others where we have not been ourselves.  All CRCA pastors are encouraged to establish a coaching relationship for themselves where a series of questions can be intentionally and regularly discussed.  This coaching relationship could be with a ministerial peer, an elder, a wise and mature member of the congregation, or in a professional relationship. Church Councils are also prompted to review their actions toward the professional development of their pastor(s).  

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17)

The following questions are aimed at developing good practises of loving community, discipleship, leader multiplication, and reaching the lost.

All questions are on a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is best).

Love one Another

• How would you rate your own passion and love for God and His people? What do you need to do to move that one more step toward 10?
• How visible to those outside the church is the love your members have for one another? What could be done to move that one more step toward 10?

Suggested Resources:

• 5 Things to Pray for Your Church: Prayers That Change Things for the Life of Your Church by Rachel Jones
• 6 Steps Toward Loving Your Church by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne
• The 10-Second Rule : Following Jesus Made Simple by Clare de Graaf

Discipleship

• What is your own “discipleship temperature”? What are you personally doing to grow disciples in your church? What could you do to move that one more step toward 10?
• How would you rate the culture of “growing disciples” in your church (i.e. among the members, not just from the pastor)? What current initiatives are in place for growing disciples or establishing a culture of growing disciples? What could be done to move that one more step toward 10?

Suggested Resources:

• The Trellis and the Vine: The Ministry Mind-Shift That Changes Everything by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne
• Jesus Christ Disciplemaker by Bill Hull
• Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden
• Just For Starters by Phillip Jensen, Tony Payne
• Short Steps for Long Gains: Brief Studies for Christian Growth by Simon Manchester
• Christian Living For Starters by Gordon Cheng

Multiplying Leadership

• How would you as pastor rate yourself in “training and multiplying leaders” (in terms of coaching them, praying for them, and resourcing them, etc.)? What would you need to do to move one step more towards 10?
• How are the existing ministry leaders in your church going at raising up leaders? What is the most significant factor that inhibits your church from raising up new leaders? What could be done to move that one more step toward 10?

Suggested Resources:

• Leadership Essentials : Shaping Vision, Multiplying Influence, Defining Characterby Greg Ogden and Daniel Meyer
• Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden
• The Trellis and the Vine: The Ministry Mind-Shift That Changes Everything by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne
• The Vine Project: Shaping Your Ministry Around Disciple-Making by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne
• Passing the Baton : A Handbook for Ministry Apprenticeship by Colin Marshall
• Wisdom in Leadership: The How and Why of Leading the People You Serve by Craig Hamilton
• (Podcasts) Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast (find via iTunes, etc.)

Reaching the Lost

• How would you rate your own “outreach temperature”? What would you need to do to move one step more towards 10?
• How would you rate the “outreach temperature” of your church? What would you need to do to move one step more towards 10? Where do you see opportunities for your church to intentionally leverage its resources, ministries, time, care, energy, and love toward those in the community who are still far from God?

Suggested Resources:

• Organic Outreach for Ordinary People by Kevin Harney
•Organic Outreach for Churches by Kevin Harney
• Me, an Evangelist? by Willian J McKay
• Witness Essentials by Daniel Meyer
• The Vine Project: Shaping Your Ministry Around Disciple-Making byColin Marshall and Tony Payne 

Professional Development

These questions could be asked regularly at Church council/session meetings, Classis meetings, and/or during church visitation:

• What is your church council/ session doing to ensure your minister has developed a plan for ongoing learning, both personally and professionally, and is progressing in that plan?What resources could you make available to assist with that (e.g. time, finances, coaching etc.)?

• What are you doing, as a minister, in terms of your personal and professional development? What would you need to do to further fulfil your PDP plan? What has provided you with the greatest spiritual growth/ learning/ skill development that may be of value for your colleagues in Classis?

You can learn how to develop a plan for professional development by going to:  Professional Development Process .

The TRAIN Workgroup together with Clinton Berends (CRCA Ministry Development Coordinator) are available to provide encouragement, training, and/or additional resources for effective coaching relationships.  To learn more about how you can establish an effective coaching relationship contact:

Clinton Berends
CRCA Ministry Development Coordinator
e. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
m. 0424 477 487

For a list of coaching tools go to Coaching Resources

Attachments:

SHIFT Brochure