LE structural overview
This is a one-year program that has three basic components
Pre-Intensive Course: from the start of the course up until the start of the Intensive Residential:
- Reading
- Community research
- Mentoring
- Initial communication with the GCF Leadership Experience cohort.
Residential Intensive Course: the duration of the Intensive Residential
- A residential course where four tracks will be explored through interactive and experiential learning:
- Biblical Foundations (the Biblical framework of children’s ministry)
- Understanding a Child's Context (the contexts in which children live)
- Faith Formation (transformational faith formation in children)
- Godly Leadership (leadership that is based on values of integrity, service, trust and collaboration)
Post-Intensive Course: from the end of the Intensive Residential through to the end of the LE course
- Reading and mentoring continue.
- Online forums begin around issues in relation to children’s ministry or leadership.
- A Ministry Project is undertaken that will ground new learning in a way that contributes to the ministry in which the Participant is involved. (The project is agreed by the Supervisor, Participant and GCF Advisor)
- Online course teaching sessions continue
- Completion of course content, ministry project presentations
- Graduation including awarding of GCF Leadership Experience Certificate
Role of the Supervisor
The Supervisor serves as the accountability person who makes sure that the Participant is progressing and staying on track throughout the course of study. This is a coaching role, not an authoritarian role. The Supervisor is a support person for the Participant and so is a member of a support team of three: mentor, supervisor and GCF advisor.
- The mentor is a local Christian leader responsible to encourage the Participant’s personal and spiritual development as a leader
- The supervisor is a ministry-based person responsible for ensuring that the Participant is keeping to schedule and applying the learning in a practical ministry context
- The GCF Advisor is responsible for ensuring good flow of communication and consultation among all members.
Requirements
The Supervisor will be:
- A person who is a growing follower of Jesus Christ.
- A skilled listener.
- Either male or female – they need not be same gender as Participant.
- A person from within the same organisation or church/denomination as the participant.
- A person who is at least one level of authority above the Participant.
- Willing and able to commit the required time for coaching the Participant.
- Proficient in and with access to basic internet communication.
- Ready to motivate the Participant through encouragement and support (rather than criticism and shaming).
Responsibilities
The Supervisor will:
- Meet with the Participant once prior to coming to the Leadership Experience Intensive Course for the purpose of building a relationship and discussing potential Ministry Project ideas.
- Meet with the Participant regularly following the Intensive Course to monitor progress on assignments and Ministry Project(s). It is the responsibility of the Participant to initiate the meetings, arranging a time and place that is mutually suitable, and to keep a record of the decisions and action steps that arise from each meeting so that they can be reviewed at subsequent meetings
- Empower and give guidance rather than solve the problems that emerge or rescue the Participant.
- Give specific guidance in the planning and implementation of the Ministry Project(s).
- Submit two reports to the GCF Advisor on the progress of the Participant. A Report Form will be provided. The final report will include an evaluation of the Ministry Project
Suggested guidelines for Supervisor’s role
We suggest that the following elements should be part of the supervising relationship.
Prayer
- Invite the Holy Spirit to guide your discussion
- Pray with and for the Participant throughout the Course.
Progress report
- Check with Participant about their progress on assignments. If assignments are not completed in a timely manner the Supervisor is responsible to motivate, trouble shoot and hold the Participant to appropriate accountability.
- Discuss what the Participant is learning from the assignments.
- Explore the impact of the learning on the organisation or their ministry within the organisation.
Encouragement with the implementation of the Ministry Project(s)
- Trouble shoot with the Participant if they are facing barriers to the progress of the Ministry Project(s).
- Guide the Participant in determining next steps in their Ministry Project.
- Facilitate ongoing evaluation related to their Ministry Project.
The following are some questions that might encourage good discussion in the meetings. They are suggestions only.
- Tell me about your assignments: Are you up to date? Do you have any questions?
- What has been helpful to you in your assignments?
- What concerns do you have about your assignments?
- Share an example of something you have learned that is helping you better accomplish your purposes in ministry.
- As you read and reflect, what questions do you have about how this could be integrated into your ministry context?
- Are you struggling with any barriers related to the Ministry Project process? What are these barriers? How might you address these barriers and remove them so that you can continue your process?
- What next steps will you take between now and our next meeting?
- Do you need anything from me or the organisation in order to continue in your learning process?
- How can I be praying for you – both now and in the coming weeks?
