Wouldn’t it be nice to sit down for a break with some friends who get it? Most people feel the appeal of this question. You are working hard and need a break. You need connection with people who really understand you and the issues you are struggling with. People who are asking similar questions along the journey. Support, encouragement, learning, and revitalization comes from gathering in life-giving leadership communities.
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
Where do you have those communities? What life-giving communities does your team have? If those essential spaces are missing, how can you help create them?
Let’s call these spaces Leadership Communities.
What are Leadership Communities?
The essence of a Leadership Community is having a group of like-minded ministry practitioners with shared or similar goals who collaborate, connect, and support one another through both practical and emotional interactions—and help one another move toward action.
These communities foster open communication, a safe space for debate, knowledge sharing, and resource exchange among leaders of different but similar organizations. People from different perspectives can help spur each other on, even when they are not necessarily working together but are sharpening each other and holding each other accountable for similar goals.
Ultimately, Leadership Communities are action-oriented and forward-moving—aiming to leverage their relationships for greater Kingdom impact. They consist of a group of people who come together and say, “We all want to accomplish X. How can we each do that in our own sphere?”
What kinds of Leadership Communities can be helpful?
Any number of groups might benefit from forming Leadership Communities. When I was coaching many church planters, I helped them create church planting leadership communities so they could encourage, support, and learn from one another. Any group of people with a shared role could benefit in a similar way. Consider first-year teachers, new parents, writers’ groups, new coaches, small group leaders, non-profit leaders. Who is in your circles that might benefit? How could you bring them together?
What do Leadership Communities do?
These groups connect at regular intervals (most often monthly). Although there may be a five-minute presentation on a particular skill or topic of interest to most, the majority of the time is spent in peer coaching:
- Taking turns sharing current journeys
- Listening and praying together
- Celebrating successes
- Providing encouragement in the face of challenges
- Sharing ideas and perspectives
- Challenging one another toward new goals
- Facilitating shared learning and problem-solving
- Providing opportunities for feedback and critique
- Enabling resource and best practice sharing
- Focusing on a results-orientation
Form Leadership Communities that bring transformation
We can base our Leadership Communities on Hebrews 10:23-25:
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Here we see the transformation that comes through Jesus, the way the gospel so thoroughly transforms us that it impacts how we live. Change happens as we journey with others, as we learn how to listen and encourage and respond to the Holy Spirit.
These kinds of communities remind people that they are not just delivering goods and services, but contributing towards Kingdom ends. They are building a culture where they can release more of their creativity, use their skills, and maintain hope in what God is doing. Leadership communities create more leaders, better leaders, and more effective ministries, increasing capacity.
Logistically Speaking
Life-giving communities sound great, but the logistics… where to start? We have you covered. This blog on The Missional Cohort Model offers structure and steps that can be easily adapted to fit your needs.
Let’s face it, facilitation makes or breaks small groups. Groups where someone has all the answers or monopolises the conversation are far from life-giving. Finding the Flow* addresses these facilitation pitfalls and others while providing a clear example of effective group facilitation. If all of your small group leaders need a refresher on facilitation, download this turn-key training kit that will get the job done!
*Affiliate link