SPIRITUAL LIFE OF THE LEADER Seminar 1: Spiritual Life Template

Instructions for Seminar Leaders TeamWorks Seminars are designed to encourage discussion. To prepare for each seminar do as follows: Setup a room with table and chairs where groups of participants will interact during the seminars. You will need an LCD projector and a screen or a large TV that can be hooked up to a computer to show the presentations. Download the presentation slides for TW: Spiritual Life Seminar One from. You may get them as a PDF or in PowerPoint. When using PowerPoint use it in presentation mode so you can view the notes for each slide. Before leading a seminar, go to and watch the Seminar Leaders Webinar for the seminar you are leading. The webinar will go through each slide and will offer tips and ideas for how to lead the seminar. Set dates for the seminars or for the one-day experience. Recruit a group of participants who will agree to attend both seminars and to do the MyWork devotions.

Schedule your Seminars Schedule Template Use the template below to schedule your sessions. TeamWorks Seminars are designed for 2-hours. You also can do a one day format, with participants using the MyWork devotions to follow-up their experience. Plan for 4-hours with a break for a meal or refreshments. If you do the 4-hour one-day schedule, participants will need a break to take the Discovering My Spiritual Gifts Assessment found in MyWork 4 before doing Seminar Two: Our Giftedness Together. Session Date Topic Seminar One Spiritual Life Template MyWork 1 What Are My Spiritual Practices? MyWork 2 The Door MyWork 3 The Essentials MyWork 4 Discovering My Spiritual Gifts Seminar Two Our Giftedness Together

How to lead the seminars TeamWorks Seminars are designed to foster discussions within the group. Your primary role as the seminar leader is to facilitate discussions. When you come to a discussion slide divide people into groups of three or four people. Have them share with one another. After they are finished, you can ask individuals to share with the wider group. Avoid starting with the larger group. Why? Because few people are willing to talk in front of larger groups. By dividing into smaller groups you help everyone have an opportunity to share their ideas. Spiritual Life Template: You can do groups as large as 10 people with this tool. If you have more, divide the group into small groups. The key to success is for the same group to meet again in the future.

TeamWorks Guidebooks and Tools TWS: Spiritual life of the Leader TWS: Connecting to Your Community TWS: Creating a Discipleship System Use the Spiritual Life Template to build your group Discover your group s Spiritual Gifts Discover your homeland and learn about displacement Use the NICHE Process to learn about your community Learn about the Lifecycle of the Church Discover your Setting for Ministry TWS: Futurecasting Learn to use the powerful VAPàIT Strategic Planning Tool Take the TeamWorks Church Assessment If you decide to do the whole series of TeamWorks Guidebooks, it is suggested you do them in this order starting with Spiritual Life of the Leader and finishing with Futurecasting.

What s in a TeamWorks Guidebook? Two 2-Hour Seminars Four MyWorks Devotions TeamWorks Two Tools for congregational life Support at

SPIRITUAL LIFE OF THE LEADER Seminar 1: Spiritual Life Template

B O f Christ D Y I Corinthians 12

Blessed to serve Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all or them in every one. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. I Corinthians 12:4-7

One in the spirit For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body Jews or Greeks, slaves or free and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. I Corinthians 12:12-14

Designed to work together But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. I Corinthians 12:18-20

Yielded for the common good But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. I Corinthians 12:24-26

Discussion 1 As a member of the Body of Christ, which of these instructions inspires you most? is hardest for you to do? Blessed to serve One in the spirit Designed to work together Yielded for the common good

But without Love... And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. I Corinthians 13:13

Leadership Values Relationships Actions Spirituality Prayer Worship Witness

Discussion 2 What beliefs or spiritual practices are the most important to leaders in your congregation? What beliefs or spiritual practices are the most important to newcomers to your church?

The Wesleyan Path of Discipleship God calls us to be in a relationship Prevenient grace Jesus call to follow leads to a new life Justification The Holy Spirit calls us to righteousness and service Sanctification We are called to love others in the name of Jesus Love The spiritual life is an ongoing process of conversion

The Wesleyan Path of Discipleship God calls us to be in a relationship Jesus call to follow leads to a new life Justification The Holy Spirit calls us to righteousness and service Sanctification We are called to love others in the name of Jesus Love Prevenient grace Discussion 3 When did you first hear God s call? Which call is most important to you at this time?

LEADERSHIP IN AN EXISTING CHURCH TWO PRIMARY PASTORAL ROLES

- Maintenance - Give directions - Follow the manual - Fix problems CLERICAL ROLES

In smaller churches, the pastor does the clerical roles. In larger churches these are done by a team. CLERICAL ROLES

Visionary Leaders

Listens Visionary Leaders

Listens To the church Visionary Leaders

Listens To the community To the church Visionary Leaders

Listens To God To the community To the church Visionary Leaders

Listens Discussion: List biblical examples of leaders who actively listened Visionary Leaders

Casts Vision Visionary Leaders

Casts Vision To the church Visionary Leaders

Casts Vision To the community To the church Visionary Leaders

To God Casts Vision To the community To the church Visionary Leaders

Discussion: List biblical examples of leaders who casted vision Casts Vision Visionary Leaders

Listens Future To God Casts Vision To the community To the church Visionary Leaders

LEADERSHIP IN AN EXISTING CHURCH WHEN THE PASTOR ARRIVES

In first years of an appointment, the pastor and leadership team must build trust CLERICAL ROLES

LEADERSHIP IN AN EXISTING CHURCH WHEN NEW PEOPLE JOIN

Listens Future To God Casts Vision To the community To the church New people will see the pastor as visionary leader, while those who were there before the pastor will view the pastor as the cleric.

LEADERSHIP IN AN EXISTING CHURCH CONFLICT OVER LEADERSHIP 4 Y E A R S

LEADERSHIP IN AN EXISTING CHURCH HEALTHY LEADERSHIP COHORT

LEADERSHIP IN AN EXISTING CHURCH SHARED LEADERSHIP

Get the Right People on the Bus We expected to find that the first step in taking a company from good to great would be to set a new direction, a new vision and strategy for the company but the executives who ignited the transformation did not first figure out where to drive the bus and get people to take it there. No, they first got the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off it) and then figured out where to drive it. Jim Collins, Good to Great, p. 41

The spiritual life of leaders influence all aspects of congregational life Worship Spiritual Life of Leaders Fellowship The key to growth and vitality is a strong cohort of leaders whose spiritual life is a witness to others. Strong spiritual leaders attract newcomers who want to learn how to live the Christian life. Stewardship Witness Vital congregations establish normative expectations for the spiritual practices of their leaders.

The spiritual life of leaders influence all aspects of congregational life Witness Service Prayers Spiritual Life of Leaders Presence Gifts United Methodists view the spiritual life as an ongoing process. The early Methodists believed spiritual disciplines, such as Wesley s Means of Grace, formed the life of a Christian. Spiritual growth is fostered by being accountable to others for your spiritual life.

Intro to the Spiritual Life Template The Spiritual Life Template is a tool for sharing your spiritual journey with a group. This can be used in a small group, leadership team, Bible study, accountability group, committee, or other such group that meets on an ongoing basis. Three basic principles: 1. The spiritual life is one that is shared 2. Each individual decides for themselves what they want to share 3. The tool is used every time the group meets

Question 1: In which spiritual discipline(s) do you want to grow? One of the foundational aspects of United Methodist Christians is the way they approach the spiritual life as an ongoing process of growth and maturity. The early Methodists talked about Wesley s Means of Grace, that through the practice of spiritual disciplines a believer s life is formed in Christ. In the earliest forms, Methodists met on a regular basis in classes to hold one another accountable for the way they were growing in faith and practice.

Spiritual Life Questions 1. In which spiritual discipline(s) do you want to grow? Weekly worship Daily Bible reading Daily prayer Frequency (Paragraph of communion: 62, p. 70 in the 1996 Book of Discipline) Weekly Monthly Other Service to others Fasting or abstinence Tithing/Giving Family prayer Other: Tip: How does your church teach & mentor people in these disciplines? Wesley s Means of Grace The public worship of God The ministry of the Word, either read or expounded The Lord s Supper Family and private prayer Searching the Scriptures Fasting or abstinence Christian conferencing

The Spiritual Life is expressed through all aspects of who we are. We grow and develop when we expand our understanding of how our faith shapes all aspects of our being. Exploring the Arts Connecting With God Spiritual Growth Caring for your Body Connecting with Others

Question 2: What is your plan for continued spiritual growth and development? How do you connect with God? Christianity is about having a relationship with God through our faith in Jesus Christ. Our relationship with God is key to our personal vitality. How are you connecting with others? Each moment we spend with another person is an opportunity to share in the grace of the moment. We need others to shape us and to form us into mature followers of Jesus Christ. What arts feed your soul? The Creator has equipped us to be creative. Take time to develop your artistic side it will both feed you and connect you to others. How are you taking care of your body? The way we take care of our bodies affects every aspect of our relationship to God and to others. Exercise and healthy eating enhances our ability to be effective in ministry.

Spiritual Life Questions 2. What is your plan for your continued spiritual growth and development? How do you connect with God? Day apart Worship Meeting with a prayer partner or coach Family prayer Daily devotion Other: How are you connecting with others? Time alone with spouse or friend Focused time with your children Regular connection with extended family Prayer or accountability group Time with friends outside of church Other: What arts feed your soul? Playing a musical instrument or singing Writing Drawing Cooking Dance Gardening Acting Other: How are you taking care of your body? Walking/running Active in a sport Healthy diet Yoga/Pilates Other:

How to use the Spiritual Life Template 1. Ask one person to be the recorder, to take notes on the responses of each member. This is to be brought back at the next meeting to refresh everyone s memories. 2. Each person takes turns sharing which areas they want to focus on until the next time the group meets. On Question 1: Pick one area of focus. On Question 2: Also pick only one thing (do not pick one thing from each of the four areas) 3. Each person chooses for themselves what they will focus on. 4. Each person is asked to give specific details. For example, if someone says, I am going to pray daily. A good follow-up would be to ask, How much time? The response may be, 15 minutes in the morning. 5. At the next meeting of the group, everyone shares what happened and they will have an opportunity to continue the same practice or to choose something different. 6. The group is to listen without judgment and to encourage people to try new disciplines.

Sample 1. In what spiritual discipline(s) do you want to grow? Person 1: I will read the Bible for 10 minutes in the morning each day. Person 2: I am going to do a media fast on Tuesdays. Person 3: I am going to say grace at dinner time with my family. 2. What is your continued plan for spiritual growth and development? Person 1: I am going to walk 30 minutes four times a week. Person 2: I am going to learn a new song on my guitar. Person 3: I am going to have an important conversation with a friend.

When the group gets together again 1. In what spiritual discipline(s) do you want to grow? How did it go? Do you want to continue or do something else? Person 1: I did fairly well. About 4 times a week. I want to see if I can get to six times a week this next time. Person 2: I loved my media fast. I am going to keep doing it. Person 3: If I could get my family to sit down together at the same time, I think we could say grace together. I m going to try again. 2. What is your continued plan for spiritual growth and development? Person 1: I am going to bump it up to five times a week. I need to exercise. Person 2: I enjoyed getting back into my music. This time I will try walking four times a week for 30 minutes. Person 3: The conversation wasn t easy but it was good. Before our next time together we are going to meet at a coffee shop and see how it goes.

Discussion 4 Ask each person to respond to the two questions on the Spiritual Life Template. When you finish go over the assignments before the next meeting and close with prayer.

Assignments Read the MyWork devotions before your next meeting. Read the article on The Spiritual Life of the Leaders. As part of MyWork 4 fill out Discovering My Spiritual Gifts and be ready to share your gifts. Keep track on how you are doing with questions you answered on the Spiritual Life Template and come to the next meeting to share your results. As a group set your time for your next meeting.