CBOQ pastors and leaders, you are invited to join CBOQ for a webinar series especially designed with you in mind. Each month we’ll guide you through topical discussions with practical next steps and resources that will help you navigate your ministry.
Sign up below and spend an hour each month in the company of leaders and churches like yours who want to navigate well the challenges and opportunities before us.
We live in world where ‘individualism’ dominates. How has this effected the way we see leadership? What is the role of the pastor to counteract individualism when leading a church? Are there benefits and dangers produced by individualism? How does the spiritual, emotional and physical health of the pastor impact upon the church? What habits and practices can ministry leaders adopt to maintain their health? What are the keys to longevity in ministry? What is the evidence that the health of pastor and church are linked?
In a post pandemic society, rage has become common inside and outside the church. We also know that mental health contributes to how different temperaments behave. What do we mean when we say that there are ‘difficult people’ today? What are some of the responses we might have when dealing with difficult people? What is the root cause of conflicts in our relationship? Is avoiding difficult people a good strategy? What is the role of power when seeking to resolve difficult conversations? Are there new ways to approach people we find difficult? How can we avoid difficult situations becoming toxic? Are there any resources that might help us move forward?
Identity is key for the effectiveness of the pastoral role. So, what is the makeup and role of the pastor today? Has the purpose of pastoring changed from what it used to be? What is the role of the pastor in a polarizing society? When are the expectations of the church helpful or harmful in the role of the pastor? How does the identity of the pastor impact the public good? What do we mean when we use the word ‘pastor’? Does the pastor have a place outside the walls of the church? Do the terms ‘lay pastor’ and ‘bi-vocational pastor’ reduce the identity of the pastor or enhance it? If the pastor is said to ‘lead, feed and care for the flock’, who ‘leads, feeds and cares’ for the pastor and their identity?
There has often been a low view of the small church that negates it’s role in building healthy communities. Here is an opportunity to explore why we are adverse to ‘small’ and what can help us see God at work in small things. What impact are small churches having on their neighbourhoods? What is the role of the small church? How do internal ‘covenants’ help or hinder small churches? What steps can help us move toward revitalization? This panel discussion will also consider the finding of research into the small church.
‘Autonomy’ had become a catch phrase for churches who seek their own discernment – for some it has led to the kind of independence that produces isolation. While some churches and pastors seek to relate to other congregations, others seem to view associating as an unnecessary burden. Is there a right way to view associating for churches and pasters? What examples are there of healthy ways for pastors and churches to relate?
As CBOQ seeks to resource churches toward having a good leadership pipeline; what does it mean today to equip and enable new leaders to flourish? What can we learn from those leaders who have made developing new leaders a priority? Are there landmines to avoid and avenues to pursue as we consider how leaders are formed? How can churches avoid the ‘messiah complex’ when looking for potential leaders? What tools could aid every church to develop a leadership pipeline?
Amidst the closure of churches something else is emerging; church revitalization. What is leading some churches to journey toward revitalization? What does revitalization require? What are the challenges that must be faced? What can help us stay on course with revitalization? What stories can encourage our churches today?
We live in a context where there are few pastors to go around – could it be that God is not calling people to pastoral ministry in the quantities that he was did for a specific reason? Is God seeking every church member to become missioners in our own neighborhoods? What would equipping every member for mission look like in our churches? What landmines would we want to avoid? Are there resources and training that could position us to serve better? How can we enable our churches to be on mission today?
Church planting for too long has seemed like an exclusive club only for certain special people. What is it about church planting today that makes it so easy for ordinary Christians to get involved? How do churches go from a small core team to the multiplication of congregations? What is the mindset of those who love evangelism? How do churches see the world when mission is the central focus?
