Seminar Framework

This seminar targets teams of church leaders and emerging church leaders in congregations in Antigua seeking to become a part of the God-driven transformation of our region in the digital age. Accordingly, participants will be invited, and/or recommended by existing leadership in the network of churches and ministries linked to VFM. Participants will need to commit themselves to several weeks of preparatory studies using web based resources and small group sessions in their churches. Across an extended weekend in mid-November, there will be a series of evening workshops, which will feature keynote presentations, discussions, practical exercises, and presentations of proposals for peer evaluation and discussion. Thereafter, refined ministry plans will be submitted by the end of the month, for assessment purposes.

The framework for the seminar is:

Seminar concept: This seminar is about equipping church leaders for transformational ministry in the digital age. It will therefore focus on vision, then develop specific skills to understand and use strategic environmental scanning, strategy alignment and implementation tools, providing practical opportunities for church and ministry team leaders to identify and plan towards implementing visions for their specific local churches and associated ministries. Level: GX/AX, 2 Cr
MODULES	ACTIVITIES/TOPICS	LEARNING OUTCOMES
M1: Biblical Visioning , Mission and strategising	Setting the focus through a challenge, focal scriptures and an assessment of our call in the face of our times in our place; thus helping participants see the relevance and usefulness of the seminar. Case studies.	Participants should seek, understand and commit themselves to a biblical vision, and to a process of learning how to carry it out.
M2: Visionary, strategic, transformational leadership through VMVEGS factors: Vision Mission Values Example Goals Strategy	Understanding and growing in godly transformational leadership, based on the VMVEGS factors and biblical principles. Vital importance of a sense of calling and commitment to walk in that calling, in “an evil day.” Pioneering leadership and the adoption wave process. Power of example for good or ill. Discipleship as a lifestyle and strategy.  Discipleship disciplines. Success as fulfilling one's calling under God vs. worldly sidetracks: lusts of the flesh, lusts of the eyes, pride of life.  Strategic leadership under God as making the most of our opportunities in an evil day. The power of goals. Strategies to make the most of opportunities, in light of resources and action steps towards goals. Identifying and outlining strategies for our churches and ministry teams.	They should understand the VMVEGS strategic leadership framework, and should begin to seek [further] personal transformation through discipleship disciplines and the power of example. Through understanding our time and our place, they should begin to identify/recognise patterns of opportunity for strategies to capitalise on, and where such strategies could take us, under God. They should begin to develop a godly view of success, thus identify goals in light of God's calling.
M3: Key Strategy Tools I: PE2ST, SWOT and strategy alignment	Tools to scan the environment and identify trends, opportunities, threats/challenges. PE2ST as an environment scanning tool. Strategy alignment using SWOT factors and the BAU vs ALT framework. Presenting the strategy analysis.	They should use strategic level planning tools to develop a valid strategic analysis, with medium term [~ 3 years] recommendations for action.
M4: Key Tools II: ADCC and CCN for planning, organising, coordinating, executing & Follow-up	Tools to develop action plans and coordinate implementation. ADCC – action steps, deliverable results, contingencies, control/coordination. Organisation approaches: power-pyramids, project teams, networks: CCN – caves, commons, networks. The body of Christ principle, gifting and service. Mobilising and organising using cells and teams. Presenting the plan/proposal.	They should use planning tools to set up effective action plans and organisation/ networking frameworks for carrying forward the recommended strategy. They should begin to organise, network and mobilise for sustained action.
M5: Practical projects	Analyses, presentations and plans are to be developed, reviewed and revised.	They should develop and effectively communicate sound analyses, plans and presentations for their teams and/or congregations.

The VFM Transformational Leadership Seminar, October - November 2010

INTRODUCTION/MOTIVATION: In Antigua and the wider Caribbean, we are at kairos, one of those pivotal times in history when God forces us to pause, think afresh, decide and act vigorously; to build the kingdom of God in the face of the challenges of the day. But, too often, we are tempted to be so caught up in the urgency of the crises of the day that we may lack vision.

So, we may well find ourselves to be much like the Pharisees of Matt 16:2: we fail to discern the signs of our times. So, first, we must pause and renew our vision under God. Then, we will have to commit ourselves to build the capacity to act strategically and effectively, to lead the people of God and the wider community to the blessing and transformation that God has in store for us. 

Accordingly, God willing, this web and workshop based seminar will first help us to prayerfully seek God's face and word to us in our time and place, thus clarifying vision. 

On the strength of a clearer vision, we will build our capacity to work together under God as networked leadership teams. 

As teams in training, we will then:

1 → Seek to identify the specific missions for our particular congregations and/or ministry teams, 

2 → Identify, also, core scriptural values and commitments that we must hold dear, as we set out to lead through service, vision and example.

3 → List challenging but achievable medium-term objectives that will help us walk in and fulfill the vision based on our biblical values and commitments, 

4 → Develop effective and sustainable strategies to achieve these objectives, using the resources in our environment, and 

5 → Propose, discuss and refine credible action plans and workable organisational/ management structures to carry these out as we work together.