WHAT IS THE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE?

A one-year life-changing leadership development program for emerging children’s ministry leaders

ABOUT THE COURSE

The GCF Leadership Experience is a unique one-year experience that provides the opportunity for leaders to learn together with other emerging leaders from around the globe.

For your church or organisation, it is a unique opportunity to invest in the leaders of your children’s ministry so that they become people who can influence and transform our communities for the sake of children.

Global & Local Vision

The Leadership Experience serves local churches and ministries that are sharing the Good News of Jesus at grass-roots level. It seeks to strengthen their leadership and so ensure their long-term Kingdom effectiveness.

Collaboration

The Leadership Experience is a collaborative project that grew out of the desires of local churches and ministries to nurture their children’s ministry leaders.

Consultation

The Leadership Experience core planning group was nominated by a wider consultative group who helped to frame the Leadership Experience, its value and its content. This group represents a further seven ministries including academic institutions in three continents.

Ministry Based

While a focal point of the Leadership Experience is the time at the five-week intensive, the rest of the course is designed so that the participant can continue their full-time employment throughout the year. For some that will be within children’s ministry, but others will have secular employment while volunteering their leadership within a church or organisation.

LE is the best thing in children's ministry that ever happened in my life. Whoever came up with this idea must have had a quality listening time with God. Tusonge na mbele kwa hii safari (let's move on with this journey)!

2018 Course Participant

I am re-envisioned, inspired and challenged with a more holistic and global view of children’s ministry and of leadership.

2018 Course Participant

The ‘retreat’ nature of the time away was so refreshing, time to rest, recover, be built up by others, and space to engage properly with content that, at home, would easily be read and forgotten.

2018 Course Participant

"Learning from not only the facilitators but also from other participants was very eye-opening and a huge blessing for me! Yes, there was a lot of new information we got - BUT it wasn’t the main thing that changed me. What truly had an impact on me were the relationships with the people I met and the experiences we shared. God changed my heart about children’s ministry."

2018 Course Participant

"To experiment with a truly 'kingdom minded' attitude. Beyond a theory, to experience it with His truth, love and Spirit gave me a beautiful taste. Today I know it is possible to work fully for the Kingdom. I have been a beneficiary, and I am willing to take forward this attitude. Thank you!"

2018 Course Participant

"Helping people flourish, getting children to participate in God’s redemptive plan to bring people into wholeness from brokenness - that has really opened up the eyes of my heart."

2018 Course Participant

"I am re-envisioned, inspired and challenged with a more holistic and global view of children’s ministry and leadership."

2016 Course Participant

"Helping people flourish, getting children to participate in God’s redemptive plan to bring people into wholeness from brokenness - that has really opened up the eyes of my heart."

2016 Course Participant

"I loved the sessions on creativity, multiplying your vision, developing teams, dealing with conflict."

2016 Course Participant

"It has stretched and shaken my whole thinking about equipping people for children’s ministry."

2016 Course Participant

"I will be raising leaders who see children in God’s big story of creation as agent of change walking with Jesus to reach out to others in their own context."

2016 Course Participant

"I now have a freshness and new ideas for current training and future training opportunities."

2016 Course Participant

"I was blessed beyond measure and I leave with the full assurance that God loves me!

2016 Course Participant

"There are over two billion children in the world – yet at the moment, most have never heard had an opportunity to hear of Jesus. The GCF Leadership Experience – with its emphasis on working together – has enormous potential to change this. Its aim is to invest in leaders who work locally to inspire and equip local churches to reach and disciple kids, and who network globally to collaborate on child-focussed projects, thinking and strategies."

Wendy Strachan
Scripture Union International