Above All, Guard Your Heart: Leading With Integrity
Leadership integrity begins with guarding the heart. This article reflects on Scripture, ministry experience, friendship, and spiritual formation as essential foundations for faithful leaders.
Articles for tag: Leadership Development
March 7, 2026
Intentional Churches Conference 2026
Intentional Churches Conference 2026 is a two-day gathering for church leaders and teams focused on helping churches bring radical alignment to the Great Commission. The conference is designed to help leaders deepen their understanding and implementation of the ChurchOS leadership system through practical teaching, interactive tracks, and collaboration with other ministry leaders. Intentional Churches says attendees will leave with practical tools they can take back and implement in their churches.
March 7, 2026
OneTeam Activator Training
Intentional Churches’ OneTeam Activator Training is a three-day experiential training designed for church leaders who want to learn the OneTeam leadership system and help their churches activate the Great Commission. The training focuses on the skills of the OneTeam Activator role and includes teaching on OneTeam principles, the IC toolbox, group practice time, meals, and an Activator dinner, along with access to training resources and the broader Activator community. The next listed training is in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, March 24–26, 2026.
March 7, 2026
Lap 1: Executive Leader Training + Learning Community
Intentional Churches’ Executive Leadership Training Cohort – Lap 1 is a year-long development experience for executive pastors and church leaders who are either in their first five years of executive leadership or preparing for a future executive role. The cohort includes two and a half days of in-person training, a special group dinner, monthly 90-minute Zoom calls, the Intentional Executive Leader Toolkit, and workbook materials. Lap 1 is built around the 12 Disciplines of an Intentional Executive Leader and is designed to provide practical tools, coaching, and peer collaboration for leaders serving in the complex world of executive ministry.
January 1, 2026
How Do You Retire When Your Successor Ain’t Ready?
If you’ve spent your career walking with Jesus, your last days should be your best days, not your worst. Jesus’ last moments before his death were spent pouring himself completely out for us.
January 1, 2026
Nurturing: Succession Planning for Children’s Ministry, Building a Future-Ready Team
A healthy children’s ministry should thrive even when its primary leader isn’t in the room. That’s why succession planning is essential.
January 1, 2026
Thriving: The Hit-By-A-Bus Principle
If you serve as an elder or staff member, it’s not just a theoretical question, it’s a vital one. Succession planning is one of the most important, but often most neglected, responsibilities of church leadership.
November 6, 2025
This Generation is Now
We’re hearing stories from across the country about college ministries where thousands are giving their lives to Christ and being baptized in obedience to him. There’s something real happening in This Generation.
September 3, 2025
Can You Communicate Your Vision?
When a vision is communicated effectively, people are drawn to the vision and not just the leader. In the long term, this gets far more traction for the church and for the kingdom of God.
July 3, 2025
Community Change Brings Life Transformation: Denford Chizanga and Africa Development Mission’s Impact
Denford Chizanga's life is a testament to transformation—not only the transformation of his own, but also transformation in the lives of countless people across Africa.
February 27, 2025
“The World Outlook: Leadership”: A Christian Standard Article from 1919
The January/February edition of the Christian Standard has been dedicated to the development of Christian leadership. The concern for leadership within our churches is nothing new. Over 100 years ago, on July 12, 1919, M. M. Boteler addressed the subject of developing Christian leaders in the pages of the Christian Standard.
February 4, 2025
Nebraska Nonprofit Aims to Call, Create, and Care for Local Pastors
A Nebraska church has launched a nonprofit organization aimed at calling new pastors to the ministry and supporting those who already are serving
December 31, 2024
Leadership Development: Lessons from Churches Around the World
Churches around the world have a variety of methods for leadership training, even in the midst of persecution. We may be able to learn from them.
December 31, 2024
Churches Stepping Up: How Local Churches Are Developing Elders
It’s time to hand the keys of leadership to the next generation of elders and watch them accomplish more for our King’s kingdom than we ever thought possible.
December 31, 2024
Where Do We Go from Here?
We’re all interim leaders and at some point retirement is inevitable. Therefore, church elders and boards should be proactive to ensure a healthy, smooth pastoral transition.
December 31, 2024
Filling the Leadership Void
In addition to praying for harvest workers (Matthew 9:38), David Faust offers several suggestions for addressing the church’s leadership shortage.
October 31, 2024
A Trustworthy Ministry
It’s hard to know which organizations to trust today, but you can tell much about an organization that pours into you when it has nothing to gain. The Solomon Foundation was encouraging me and mentoring me long before I worked for a church associated with their network of churches.
‘Step Forward’ Teaches Youth Leadership and Fosters Discipleship
The "Step Forward" program is intentionally raising up students to be leaders in the church and teaching them to make disciples.
10 Reasons to Send a Student to Christian College for a Year
David Fincher writes, "I have met innumerable donors, volunteers, lifelong ministers, and other Christian leaders who have this in common: They attended a Christian college planning to stay only for a year, and the experience changed their lives for the better. . . . Here are 10 reasons for encouraging your loved one to commit to attending a Christian institution for at least one year."
July 1, 2022
Healthy Churches Are Built on Trustworthy Leaders
By Ken Idleman In 2011, New York Times best-selling author Tina Rosenberg published Join the Club: How Peer Pressure Can Transform the World. The question she addressed in her secular book was, How do you get people to change for the better? How do you get them to live healthier lives . . . to diet, exercise, and not drink excessively? In short, how do you get individuals to grow in a positive direction? She concluded that the masses don’t change simply because they desire to change or by getting more information. Virtually everyone who smokes knows smoking is bad
