It is the role of leaders to help people define:

• the current reality of their congregation and its setting,
• congregational vision and / goals
• the change plan.
  

This page hosts a collection of articles and links which speak to the nature of leadership.

An Introduction to Leadership: (Posted 1 November 2006).  This is a short article that gives a general definition of leadership.  It was created as one of the Awareness Studies (see Leadership page for the whole document).

Leadership as a Spiritual Practice: is leadership a modern, technical skill only, or is it first and foremost a spiritual practice?  This article explores the issue of where our starting point for leadership could be.

Leadership as Stewardship (Posted 1 November 2006)  This study paper looks at the emerging trend in the business world for seeing leadership as stewardship -- a concept that they have taken from religion!  Peter's article explores how we as Christian leaders can re-appropriate this wonderful concept of stewardship into our leadership practices.

Leadership Vs. Management: "Leaders manage and managers lead, but the two activities are not synonymous".  This article explores the difference between the two practices. Which of these two  practices do you tend to follow? Which one does your church need today?

"Leadership Without Easy Answers":   a book review by Peter Coutts of this great leadership text by Ronald Heifetz.    Peter considers this a "must read" book!

Elders Institute: There are many leadership resources and learning opportunities at this Centre located at St. Andrew's Hall, Vancouver School of Theology.

The Centre for Clergy Care and Congregational Health: This is a project under the direction of Dr. Andrew Irvine and Dr. Stuart Macdonald at Knox College. New in the spring of 2006, they will be providing a growing collection of resources and learning opportunities for ministers and churches.

The Leader to Leader Institute: (Posted 1 November 2006).  "Established in 1990, the Leader to Leader Institute furthers its mission--to strengthen the leadership of the social sector--by providing social sector leaders with essential leadership wisdom, inspiration and resources to lead for innovation and to build vibrant social sector organizations. It is this essential social sector that changes lives and builds a society of healthy children, strong families, decent housing, good schools and work that dignifies, all embraced by the diverse, inclusive, cohesive community that cares about all of its people". This is a legacy resource in memory of Peter Drucker.  This is simply an excellent resource.