Advancing the Church

Year One: Leading the Church (Edwards)

Advancing churches enjoy effective leadership. During the first week, you will learn how to lead your church as you:

• Develop a Biblical understanding of leading and following.
• Explore definitions and theories of leadership.
• Evaluate your current leadership effectiveness.

A distinctive element of Christian leadership is the ability to effectively and accurately communicate God's word. During the second week of this residency, you will learn:

• The place of preaching today.
• How to communicate with clarity.
• How to preach the stories of Scripture.

Year Two: Understanding the Church (Edwards)

Advancing congregations know who they are, where they are going, and how they intend to get there. They have developed a practical and contextualized theology of ministry that did not come out of someone else's box. The goal of this residency is to help you develop a theology of the church that is customized for your ministry context. Your understanding of the church will grow as you go "on the road" with your faculty mentor to visit advancing churches in two major cities across North America. The churches we visit will vary widely in denomination, ethnicity, size, history, and ministry setting, but every one will stimulate your thinking. The conversations you have with the pastors and leaders of these congregations will help you develop a biblical theology for your church.

Year Three: Renewing Your Church (Edwards)

Sometimes churches need healing before they can start advancing. During this residency you will learn:

• How congregations are wounded.
• Develop a theology of personal and corporate renewal.
• Understand your role as a healing leader.