This interactive learning experience, presented by New Church Ministry, brings together Disciples from throughout North America to share leadership experiences, wisdom, and training.
It features two track sessions: the Start Track, which is designed to empower leaders whose church/projects have not yet launched, and the Sustain Track, which is geared to empower leaders whose projects have recently launched and leaders of congregations newly affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada.
Leadership Academy also features DOCTalks, joint sessions that address missional transformation inclusive of every stage of leadership and congregational vitality, and LEADLabs, interactive, practical trainings designed to help leaders imagine, ideate, innovate, and implement missional concepts. Past workshop topics have included:
- Team Development and Empowerment
- Personal/Clergy Financial Practices
- Inspiring Generosity and Fundraising
- Congregational Budgeting and Bookkeeping
- 20 Top Pre-Launch Steps
- Understanding Your Leadership Style Using DiSC
- Brand Building
- Coaching
- Church Law and Compliance
- and more!
Past featured speakers have included:
- Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, Founding Director of TryTank, the experimental laboratory for church growth and innovation. Fr. Lorenzo is responsible for the entire process of development and implementation of experiments in innovation for the church and spoke on the 18 underway at TryTank and on how to improve ideation for faith-based initiatives.
- Tamara Plummer, Program Officer for Asset Recognition of the US Disaster Program at Episcopal Relief & Development. Tamara trained in facilitation, program planning, and leadership development and spoke on asset-based community development.
- Maria French, Executive Director of Hatchery LA, an initiative of the Pacific Southwest Region. She spoke on spiritual entrepreneurship. She is engaged in Doctoral work on the intersection of faith, theology and culture and spoke on spiritual entrepreneurship.
- Rev. Teresa “Terri” Hord Owens, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Terri is widely sought after as a preacher, speaker and workshop facilitator. She conducted Leadership Academy’s closing commissioning service.
