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Course Information for the CALLED Convention Curriculum on ALC
The following courses have been constructed from strategically chosen CALLED convention presentations. Each course has learning outcomes, video presentations, and quizzes. In addition, each course is labeled with a CORE quality, and given a designated CEU value. Finally, within each course, books mentioned by the presenter have been listed and links provided to amazon where these books can be purchased (not 100% of the books mentioned are available for purchase). There are some courses with more then 20 recently published recommended books!
Course #1 Management: Legal Affairs 0.7 CEUs
This course presents numerous difficult issues facing the Seventh-day Adventist church today. These issues can easily become legal matters if not managed wisely. Learn how to survive a lawsuit. Develop a better understanding of how to address issues of copyright, and effective church board meetings. Gain insight into the complex issues of homosexuality, marriage, the Bible, and church. Lastly, learn to recognize and manage allegations of sexual misconduct.
Presentations from
Bob Burrow – Responding to and Managing Allegations of Sexual Misconduct
Understand how to continue to pastor in the midst of abuse and sexual misconduct situations. Understand the duties of a church official with regards to sexual misconduct
Greg King & Nicholas Miller – Homosexuality, the Bible, and Marriage
Recognize that homosexuality is an issue that is prominently highlighted and discussed in society today. Understand the 7 common objections to the church’s stance on homosexuality. Discover the 7 most common responses to the church’s stance on homosexuality. Understand the Biblical truths specifically addressing sinful practices
Karnik Doukmetzian – Church Boards and Effective Governance
Recognize the value of board policy and processes. Understand the concept of distributed authority. Internalize the importance of confidentiality. Understand ‘conflict of interest’ on a church board
Course #2 Leadership: Organizational Leadership 0.4 CEUs
This leadership course deals specifically with organizational principles necessary to maximize your leadership. By the end of this course you will have a better understanding about different leadership styles, the organizational power of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, how to deal with conflict, and how to be impactful as an agent of change.
Presentations from
Stan Patterson – The Place of Authority in the Organizational Structure of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
The governance structure of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is unique in that authority is vested in the collective membership of the church rather than directly in leaders. Leaders are vested with authority by members on a limited basis of time (period between constituency sessions) and scope (the territory of the organizational unit). This representative system primarily emerged during the General Conference sessions of 1901, 1903, and 1908. It assumes an informed constituency and a hierarchy of order as opposed to a hierarchy of power. This course intends to reacquaint attendees with the beauty and wisdom of this model which must be maintained and taught to our church members if it is to continue to effectively serve the church as a governance model.
Skip Bell – Managing Church Conflict
This workshop will explore the nature of human conflict, and examine the dynamics of conflict in the church. Participants will identify the triggers of conflict in congregations, and why some seem to be constantly harmed by conflict. The workshop will focus on the skills that help a congregation manage conflict in a healthy manner.
David Penno – Discipling Congregational Leaders
What are the theological and theoretical foundations for discipling congregational leaders and what are the best practices for placing these foundations into pastoral life within the context of the local church? These two questions serve as the framework from which this seminar will examine pastors developing congregational leaders as a primary vehicle for discipleship. Whether you pastor a single church district or a multiple church district, there are principles and practices you can take home for the purpose of equipping congregational leaders.
Course #3 Evangelism: Reaching Your Community 0.4 CEUs
This Evangelism course deals with ministry to different populations within your communities. By the end of this course, you will have a better understanding of the Acts model of evangelism, and the importance of a master evangelism strategy for churches and conferences. You will also learn how to reach your community members in innovative, creative ways.
Presentations from
Mark Finley – The Acts Model: Seven Dynamic Principles of Church Growth
The church in Acts exploded in growth against seemingly overwhelming odds. The practical principles in Acts can transform your church. During this seminar we will study together these Biblical principles and especially focus on how to apply them in a church of any size. Whether your church is 50, 500, or 1500 members there is something in this seminar for you. You will go away with fresh ideas that will enable you to lift the vision of your members to be everything heaven desires. I will share with you how churches are applying the Acts Model in the 21st century and it is making an amazing difference in their communities. If you are a pastor that longs to have a spirit-filled church, with members equipped to serve, reaching out to lost people in your community this seminar is for you.
John Bradshaw – Preaching with Purpose
In this seminar, John Bradshaw discusses the how to preach to connect with the modern mind, reach the heart with the gospel, life up Jesus and grow your church through impactful preaching.
Chris Holland – Motivating Members for Mission
Come study the theological basis for lay-led ministry. Learn how to support and train your lay-leaders in transforming your church using the New Testament model. See how this model, when combined with the original intent and purpose of the Holy Spirit promise, will motivate and inspire your members to intentional mission service in your local community.
Melvin Santos – Discipleship Master Plan: A Disciple-making Strategy for Churches and Conferences
Learn keys to transforming non-productive churches into Spirit-filled soul-winning churches.
Create a Disciple-making church through the four levels of Discipleship and the Discipleship Master Plan. Set up an infrastructure for equipping members for effective ministry. Implement keys to reverse pastor-dependent churches to lay minister driven churches.
Establish Discipleship driven churches and maximizing every member’s ministry potential and effectiveness as lay ministers.
Course #4 Scholarship: Apologetics 0.4 CEUs
This Scholarship course deals with Apologetics. By the end of this course, you will have a better understanding about reaching people of other faiths – Atheists..
Presentations from
Ganoune Diop – Sharing Jesus with People of Other Faiths or No Faith; Practical Roadmaps
Witnessing to Christ always happens in context; therefore the need to take into consideration peoples' beliefs and be fluent with their world views. To be relevant and share the everlasting Gospel, it is helpful to know how to approach world religions and philosophical persuasions. Articulate the gospel knowing what matters to people, their concerns, existential struggles, and problems will make you 'scratch where it really itches'" This seminar is not just for missionaries or professionals but for every disciple of Jesus who takes the Great commission seriously. Your neighbor needs to hear the gospel in his or her thought patterns or "mother tongues." You will enhance your understanding of your neighbors world and be practically equipped to share and promote life in abundance.
Oliver Glanz – Fighting the Gods with Rebellious Prophets – Applying Postmodern Mission in Amsterdam
My presentation intends to give a report on what does work and what does not work in my missionary experiments with the postmodern well educated citizens of Amsterdam and students of the Free University of Amsterdam.
In my presentation I will (1) first explain what the typical questions of the postmodern persons I am working with are (focus on the dilemmas of subjectivism and objectivism). Here I will show how and why traditional answers offered by the church, are incapable of relating to these types of questions.
I will then (2) show what type of strategy with regard to cognitive contents (topics, themes and literature), social architecture (meeting place, role definitions), and study procedures (frequency and length of meetings) have proven to be most effective (I'll try to support my claims by statistical observations).
As a next step (3) I would like to report what the challenges are, after a person has decided to join the Adventist church.
Finally (4), I will try to clarify in which areas our church is lacking needed study material (content side) and an understanding mentality (potentials for empathy). I will try to relate each of my four steps to a real examples of my missionary activity.
Ron Clouzet – The Rising Need for Apologetics in Adventist Education
An increasingly secular society and media-accommodating church membership have called for new evangelistic approaches. Who are the New Atheists? Can you defend the charges made against the Scriptures? Do you understand the materialistic worldview? Do you know the issues about science and evolution? How would you go about doing apologetics, or pre-evangelism? Which resources would be useful for pastors and leaders? These and other important questions will be addressed for this critical need in 21st century North America.
Subodh Pandit – Meeting Non-Christians Confidently (Using language they are familiar with)
Introduction: The overwhelming majority of those joining the SDA Church are from other Christian groups. We appear ill-equipped to tackle the five billion others who populate Planet Earth. If we must go “to ALL the world”, it is imperative that we address their concerns too, and learn how to approach them in a friendly, non-threatening way. The information in this presentation will prepare you to converse with them in a calm and convincing manner.
Description: How does one compare apples and oranges (different religions)? In this session, I describe a unique method I developed. The five great world religions (Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity) are evaluated utilizing ten questions; three directed to the sacred writings and seven to the flesh-and-blood founders. We will only sample them and yet get to see the gripping picture that inevitably confronts the honest seeker. Christianity is extraordinary and its claims are unequaled and truly matchless.
Course #5 Relationship: Ministering to Focused Communities 0.6 CEUs
This Relationship course deals with ministry to different populations within your communities. By the end of this course, you will have a better understanding about how to reach persons in prison, victims of abuse, situations of high conflict, immigrants, and children.
Presentations from
Douglas Tilstra – Hagar’s Daughters: Reconsidering some Commonly Quoted Scriptures & Concepts related to Abuse, Violence, and the Home
How is the Scripture used to support domestic violence in Adventist congregations? More importantly, when it is used to support violence against the vulnerable, how can pastors and church leaders respond? How do we use our understanding of Scripture to make the church a place of safety, healing, and hope for those in danger of violence and abuse at home?
Alexandria and Allan Martin – Danielle in Digital Babylon: Dad & Daughter Navigate the Media Lifescape
Alexa and Allan share their experiences as a family fully immersed in the multimedia age. How do children and parents relate to technology, texting, and each other? This 90-minute interactive seminar dives into the topic from both the parental and Millennial mindset.
John Amoah – Ministering to My Immigrant Members
It is not your grandfathers’ church anymore. Those who sit on the pews are people with different background, ideologies of public and private life, different taste of music, style of delivery and mode of receptivity. One-size-fits-all approach will not go far in meeting the needs of the different people who come through your church doors.
This seminar provides specific pointers to minister to the needs of your immigrant church member. You will leave this seminar not thinking the same way about how to minister to your immigrant member.
Cleveland Houser – Theo-Social Reasons for Pastoral Involvement in The Facilitation of Prison Ministry
The Biblical and Social relevance for participatory engagement in ministry to the disenfranchised who are constrained in the concrete jungles of correctional facilities. Responding to the call of Jesus in Matthew 25:35-40 and Isaiah 61:1-3.
Washington Johnsons II – The Call to Chaplaincy
If you are interested in an exciting career in chaplaincy and want to know more about what is required to become an endorsed Seventh-day Adventist chaplain, this seminar is for you! Chaplaincy is rewarding hands-on ministry that is performed in a non-traditional religious setting. Several areas of chaplaincy will be explored, including campus, community, correctional, healthcare and the armed forces. If God is calling you to make a difference in the lives of others by extending hope, encouragement, and strength through chaplaincy, this seminar on “The Call to Chaplaincy” is for you.
Course #6 Worship: Preaching 0.5 CEUs
This Worship course deals with multiple approaches to preaching God’s word. By the end of this course, you will have a better understanding of preaching, generational inclusion, story telling, and focused populations sermon application.
Presentations from
Dwight Nelson – Preaching 101 for Seasoned Pastors
No matter how long (or how short) you’ve preached, a 101 refresher class is never out of vogue. In this seminar you’ll explore the bottom-line basics of third millennial preaching, and share a few secrets and techniques that come with doing it for a lifetime. From sermon preparation on Monday to the preaching event on Sabbath—and praying hard in between—renew the journey and share the discoveries.
Randy Roberts – From Text to Pulpit: The Sermon Journey
Every preaching pastor takes the weekly journey from text to pulpit. It’s an exciting, exhausting, exhilarating, enervating trip! This seminar, led by one who often travels this path, seeks to provide a guided tour of terrain, taking note of pitfalls, considering the validity of certain shortcuts, and providing a map for the journey.
Faith Hunter & Falvo Fowler – It’s Sabbath Morning. What are your children learning?
In a world of apps, hyperlinks, social media links, do you have the right link to the children in your church? Are they linked to God's grace? Learn how the GraceLink curriculum offers a Bible-based, child-friendly, active-interactive Sabbath School learning experience that encourages your child's understanding, memorization, and practicing of Bible truths.
Elizabeth Talbot – How to Preach while Mining the Gospels
Join us for an insightful and in-depth study of the Gospel's witness to Christ. We will analyze how to effectively preach and minister through these four unique portraits of Jesus.
Douglas Jacobs – The Forgotten Generation: How to Preach Sermons that Meet the Needs of Older Adults
When was the last time you preached a sermon for older adults in your congregation? Although older adults are the largest generation in many Adventist churches, few pastors consider their senior listeners when preparing sermons. Preachers who want to meet the needs of their audience must consider the unique needs of older adults.
In this seminar you will learn how to preach biblically-based sermons which provide answers to the needs, questions, and doubts of older adults. The seminar will reveal questions older adults are asking and needs older adults have in every dimension of life. You will learn how to answer their questions and needs with God-centered, Good-news truths from every biblical genre. You will also learn how to develop, illustrate and apply each truth for every member of your congregation.
Dick and Brenda Duerkson – Storycatching and Storytelling for Pastors
Dick Duerksen is an Itinerant Pollinator of Grace, a Storyteller whose presentations help listeners experience Scripture personally. In this seminar Dick will focus on how stories, permeated with Divine Velcro, help the Gospel “catch” the hearts of those who hear.
The seminar features six practical aspects of Narrative Preaching, and includes a special portion on how to enhance sermons with stories that every listener will remember.
Storycatching and Storytelling
1. How to recognize a “good” story.
2. How to capture the story and catalogue it for future use.
3. How to use research to give “life” to the story.
4. How to assure that the story is permeated with “Divine Velcro.”
5. How to use common objects to add power to the story.
6. How to weave the story into you sermon so that it “catches.”
At the end of the seminar you will receive a 1-year assignment that will help you search out and use transformative stories in your preaching.
John McVay – Preaching from the Gospels
The hearers of Jesus were stunned by His preaching but our listeners are too often bored by ours. Is it possible that the Gospels themselves harbor clues about how they should be preached? Can we learn from Jesus as Preacher? Come and renew your commitment to creative, passionate preaching of the Gospel from the Gospels.
Course #7 Scholarship: Creationism and Evolution 0.3 CEUs
This Scholarship course deals with the Theory of Evolution, Darwinism, and Creation. By the end of this course, you will have a better understanding of Biblical Creation and Scientific proof that Darwinism (Evolution) is evil and not a valid theory.
Presentations from
Tim Standish – Darwinism, Evil and the Gospel
While nature abounds with wonder and beauty, it also exhibits evils ranging from cruelty to suffering and ultimately death. How can a good God have created a world that has turned out so badly? We will examine an example of natural evil that exhibits the same characteristics as other systems that are commonly argued to be designed.
How might Christians deal with the apparent paradox of a good Creator God presiding over a creation that exhibits natural evil? Where is the everlasting gospel in the creation as we see it today and the judgment we all face? The Bible addresses these questions in a fascinating, perhaps unexpected and without question wonderful way. The biblical approach frees us to see the beauty of the creation – even when marred by sin – and a future filled with hope.
Jim Gibson & Tim Standish – Why Can’t We Put Evolution into the Bible?
Many scientists and theologians assure us that the Bible and evolutionary long ages can be combined, but is this valid? A careful survey of all attempts to do so reveals that none of them succeeds in producing a coherent picture of origins. This seminar will examine the theories of evolutionary creation, theistic evolution, day-age creation, and others and point out the conflicts these theories have with mainstream science and their lack of logical coherence. The talk will conclude that, despite our inability to explain everything in scientific terms, biblical creation is the best explanation we have for origins.
Greg King – Preaching the Doctrine of Creation
The biblical teaching on creation has generated controversy and conflict, both in the church and in society. Some pastors simply avoid this doctrine, feeling it is too complicated or has become too controversial. This seminar will suggest positive ways the pastor can approach the biblical teaching on creation and highlight valuable resources for the pastor in dealing with this topic.
Course #8 Relationship: Mental Health 0.5 CEUs
This Relationship course deals with stress, loss, and forgiveness. By the end of this course, you will have a better understanding about the process of loss, grief, recovery, forgiveness, and personal stress management. You will also have a beginning understanding of the process of referring someone to a professional counselor.
Presentations from
David Sedlacek – Adventist Recovery Ministries: Christ centered 12 Steps for Healing and Wholeness
This seminar provides practical information on how Adventist Recovery Ministries (ARMin) can become a successful tool for healing within the church and also in community outreach using Christ-centered 12-Step support group.
David Sedlacek – Pastoral Family Stress: The Challenges of Pastors, Spouses and Children
This seminar will present the results of the survey of pastoral families in the North American Division that was conducted in 2012. A sample of pastors, spouses and adult children of pastors shared their experiences in both quantitative and qualitative formats. The findings and recommendations will be presented.
Michael Mupfawa – Grief Ministry: Help for Healing the Hurting
In the wake of rapid last day events and pestilences, even God’s flock is in peril. Unfortunately, multi-tasking Shepherds tossed in the whirlwind of pressing obligations, inadvertently neglect sheep in abject vulnerability. This oversight mercilessly negates our otherwise successful ministry.
Michael Mupfawa espouses that the Holy Spirit is partnering with caring clergy employing them as catalysts in healing the grieving.
This workshop equips Pastors with tools for meeting the felt needs of the hurting. The presenter draws from decades of pastoral experience and years spent ministering to dying believers and their bereaved families. Pastor Mike derives from his book - “Faith that Glows in the Dark” not only tips (to help members cope with grief) but also tools (that help pastors to provide relevant support to the hurting.)
This workshop adds ability to the Pastor’s availability by sharing both the “how” and “what” to do in ministering to the bereaved.
Susie Hill – Embracing Courage: Living Beyond Fear
Learn how to defy FEAR and embrace courage so that you can live the plan that God has for your life.
Robert Peach – When and How to Refer to a Professional Counselor
Pastors and pastor’s spouses talk to a lot of people. Some of that talk takes the shape of formal or informal counseling. You love to help people and minister to their needs, but you only have a limited amount of time to spread among quite a few people and the complexity and severity of the emotional pain can be astounding! How can you effectively make referrals to mental health professionals in your community such as psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and others who might be of great help to your parishioners and others for whom you care? Join Dr. Bob Peach as he reviews the various mental health professionals that might be available in your community and tells you how to know when you should refer them and also how to make a high quality referral that they will actually act upon.
Craig Carr – The Antidote to Anxiety in Pastoral Ministry
Pastors are caught in the crossfire of expectations and a plethora of pitfalls within the relationally saturated environment of ministry. The competing sources of the demands on a pastor’s time and energies can often produce unnecessary stress and anxiety. From one’s personal and family needs, to congregational leadership challenges and conflicts, and conference expectations and requirements, pastors can easily find themselves overly busy but never keeping up. A proven solution that has helped pastors thrive amid the never-ending demands and emotional pressures of ministry is found in the principles of Sabbath rest and emotional maturity. This approach to one’s position in the ministry environment represents a healthier way of engagement with even the most difficult people, as well as improved personal and professional boundaries.
Neil Nedley – Depression Among Pastors
Depression or Anxiety can come close to home. Pastors and pastors' spouses can frequently suffer from depression and/or anxiety. Learn the latest research on the way out of depression or anxiety. You will learn how the brain works, the often unrecognized effects of depression/anxiety, as well as what recent research reveals is the best way out of depression or anxiety. Instead of brain fog, feeling dark or enclosed, and lack of productivity, you or your loved one can experience clear thinking, freedom and renewed productive energy.
Neil Nedley – Increasing EQ
This area of your life has more to do with your success and happiness than any other. Learn how to really know and understand the reasons behind your emotions, know and understand the emotions of others, and learn how to respond to your and others emotions in the healthiest way. You will also earn how you can be highly motivated to achieve your goals, how to improve self control, and how you can increase in empathy for others. Learn how the sky can be the limit on your future success.
Artur Stele – The Book of Acts – A Manual of Creativity that Leads to Growth
The Book of Acts makes a very strong emphasis on the absolute necessity to spread the Word to the world. The numerical growth of the Church is only a result of the growth of the Word.
First, the Word must "grow" and only then one can expect the growth of the Church. However, the most overlooked part of the proclamation aspect of the Word is the call for creativity, for new ways to
deliver the Word. Thus the Book of Acts becomes a plea for creativity in the matter of "how," "when," "what," "where," and to "whom" of the dissemination of the Word.
Gordon Botting – Surviving in Tough Times
Since the economic crisis of 2008, many people—including pastors and their families—have been struggling to make ends meet.
You can find some useful help and encouragement in the seminar “Surviving in Tough Times,” presented by Dr. Gordon Botting (better known as “Mr. Stewpot” to hundreds of Adventist congregations). In this seminar you’ll learn some of the best financial principles for the 21st century, as well as practical solutions and suggestions for pastors and their spouses about effective money management. Topics include: defining your financial future, owning a home of your own, understanding the magic of saving and investing, the advantage of debt-free living, planning for your children’s education, victory over vehicles, and the best strategy for your retirement.
Whether your current economic situation is good, bad, or doubtful, this seminar on practical and effective money management is the best cure for a struggling pastoral family.
Vicki Griffin – Lessons on Loss
Loss is a part of life—the hardest part—and it starts early. How can faith grow and find hope, meaning, and strength while navigating through intractable problems, pain, and perplexity? Lessons on loss will provide tools. God wants us to experience abiding peace in the physical, mental, and spiritual realm. How can we secure maintain peace at every level in the midst of trouble, turmoil, and temptation? Discover powerful principles for advancing in every line of growth, and how God’s Peace Plan can play out in your everyday life and help you cope with stress be prepared for crisis. Learn how to adopt and incorporate God’s total plan for peace into your life—for good!
Darold Bigger – Human Forgiveness: Scripture and Research in Practical Use
Does research add anything to the biblical injunctions to forgive? Do research findings undermine biblical instructions? Is forgiveness a choice as researchers say, or is it a requirement as the Lord’s Prayer implies?
Darold believes a scriptural misunderstanding of forgiveness can lead to a limited understanding of God’s grace while research findings about forgiveness without a biblical view of God and human nature can limit the impact of forgiveness.
When their daughter, Shannon, was murdered he struggled to forgive her killer. Intention, effort, religious and popular methods did not work. He describes the “miracle” that made it happen for him and how that event changed his interpretation of some biblical assumptions, especially the Lord’s Prayer plea for God to forgive “as we forgive . . .”
Darold’s and his students’ studies suggest that a combination of Scripture and research will serve us best. Darold’s book and DVD seminar material about forgiveness will be available to all attendees.
Course #9 Leadership: Administrative Leadership 1 CEU
This leadership course addresses multiple aspects of leadership within the church organization. By the end of this course, you will also have a rich reading list of current books on leadership that are influencing some of the best and brightest in our church organization.
Presentations from
Gary Hamel – Leading Innovation
The only way the Adventist denomination can thrive in changing times is through creating a climate of innovation for pastors. How can administrators free their pastors to innovate and create an innovation exchange?
Calvin Rock – Effective Board and Committee Leadership
This seminar address the question: "After prayer-then what?" It will present proven ways to:
1. deal with vested interests and disruptive personalities
2. correctly time the call to vote
3. maintain fairness even though opinionated
4. influence decisions appropriately
5. neverbe seen as weak or lacking control
6. answer challenges to the chair
7. deal with subordinates and/or superiors in administration
(As this will be a discussion group questions will be welcome at any time.)
Leslie Pollard – Building High Performance Leadership Teams
"Building High Performance Leadership Teams" addresses the dual roles that follower trust and leader discernment play in selecting members of the leadership team. Issues addressed will include information on the secrets of exceptional talent acquisition, clues for how leaders can identify "keepers," how electronic assessment can develop leader performance, and creating team cohesion through authenticity, collaboration, and accountability. Anyone building a team will find this information useful and timely.
G. Alexander Bryant – Leading Traditional Thinking Members to Minister in Non-Traditional Times
The major point of the workshops is how to get Adventists who are very traditional in their thinking and their outreach approaches to think differently. That is, to adopt new approaches of reaching the people in the twenty first century.
How can we get our members to embrace methodologies and strategies that will reach people who are non traditional in their thinking? How do we assist a congregation in making this transition will be the focus of this seminar?
Barbara Davis – Coaching For Excellence: What Can Coaching Do For You?
Every leader has natural strengths and development needs. Great leaders also have strong adaptive leadership skills. Coaching from a leadership coach can help leaders identify how to leverage their natural strengths and minimize the impact of development needs. A common assumption is that the only way to address a development need is to improve on it. In this session, you will learn eleven other ways to address a development need. The session will also cover best practices for creating a personal development plan.
Gordon Bietz – Servant Leadership
The mother of James and John asked that Jesus give her sons Prime Minister spots in the coming kingdom and Jesus called the disciples together and said “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.” (Matthew 20:26-27)
Is it possible for a leader today to exercise leadership as a servant and a slave? Assuming we are to follow Jesus’ description of leadership, what does it look like and how does it work?
Lowell Cooper – Boards and Committees – The Task of Leadership for Effective Group Decision-Making
This seminar explores ten leadership principles and practices that contribute to efficient and effective board and committee meetings. Participants will understand the importance of group decision-making in Seventh-day Adventist Church organization and will be familiar with best practices in business meeting processes.
Paul Brantley – Executing Excellence: Translating Church Strategy into Results
Introducing NAD’s new book on church strategy by Paul Brantley, Dan Jackson, and Mike Cauley.
Each church pastor receives a complimentary copy of this new book. Now the task ahead is to help pastors actually use strategy to accomplish mission in their churches. In a recent survey, NAD pastors rated “strategy” dead last in the pastoral tasks they do well. This session explores ways to reverse the trend.
At least nine conference administrators, in varying stages of strategy implementation, will be featured along with compelling anecdotes and “lessons learned” from the authors. Joining them will be pilot group of pastors from a diversity of small and large churches throughout our territory who will share their insights from the local church perspective.
The session will offer practical resources and ideas for church administrators including a prototype demonstration of a strategy management system for church organizations (a first?). This Onstrategy software, especially tailored to Adventist churches, facilitates paperless communication online within churches and between church and conference office.
Richard Hart – Leading through Challenging Transitions
“Bringing about change in any organization is both slow and intensive. Clear understanding must be obtained of the eventual goals, and then intermediate steps determined to proceed. Leaders must be sought or developed who believe in this mission, while some may need to be transferred or let go who block progress. Many times it is best to seek out the “reluctant leader” who has clear insight into his or her own limitations, yet has a self confidence that allows them to put bold thoughts into action. These are usually not those who seek positions, but are thoughtful reflective people who process information carefully before expressing opinions.
This seminar will consider ways to move churches and institutions forward by jointly discussing common goals, gradually reaching a consensus, and then articulating a path forward. Considering differing opinions, the cultural background from which they arise, and how to incorporate diverse thoughts into a cohesive plan is always the challenge. Examples of both successes and failures will be shared.”
Ella Simmons – Beyond Theory: Real Leadership for Real Outcomes with Real People in Real Organizations
Is your goal change or transformation? Do you distinguish between the two? Are the distinctions important for your leadership? In this session we will analyze best practice theories and real-world advice from change-leadership experts and practitioners including Kotter [What Leaders Really Do, 1999; Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail, 2007; Leading Change, 2012; Accelerate: Building Strategic Agility for a Faster-Moving World, 2014], Quinn [Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within, 1996; Building the Bridge As You Walk on It: A Guide for Leading Change, 2004], Jennings, [Seven Signs of Ethical Collapse: How to Spot Moral Meltdowns in Companies... Before It’s Too Late, 2006], and Bell and associates [Servants and Friends: A Biblical Theology of Leadership, 2014]. Participants will apply leadership principles to their everyday experiences for achieving God's ideals His organizations, and in an interactive segment will test Kotter’s Eight Steps to Transforming Your Organization for applications to their own environments.
Roscoe Howard III – Leadership in a Multi-Cultural Society: Navigating Between State & Regional Conferences
This Seminar will seek to give a brief understanding of how we arrived at our present structural state within the North America Division Church. The idea of culture and diversity and the impact it is having on the church and what it has taught us as leaders will be discussed. The cultural competencies that will be needed for future leaders in a multicultural, multi-ethnic organization and our relationship with the broader community of society will be explored. And finally we will look at solutions to navigating between State and Regional conferences in an increasingly diverse world.
Ted Hamilton – Insuring the Personal & Professional Success of the Pastors & Leadership Staff of the Conference
Clergy experience obesity, hypertension, and depression at rates higher than most Americans.
In the last decade, the use of antidepressants by clergy has risen, while clergy life expectancy has fallen.
Why? What are the causes and warning signs of clergy turnover and burnout? What can be done about it?
Come prepared to dig beneath the surface, explore the issues, and consider potential remedies.