Academy of Servant Leaders
Track 1
Module 1
Our Kickoff Event
was held May 20, 2023
Dear Friends:
This past Saturday at New Creation Church of God in Flint Township, we experienced God’s favor as we launched our Academy of Servant Leaders. Just under 90 people gathered to share together in learning, fellowship, great food, and great sharing by Rev. Karl Vaters. Overwhelmingly, the reviews were very positive for the event and for Karl Vaters sharing with us. The four sessions were clearly shared with great illustrations and personal stories of his ministry experiences in small churches for over 40 years.
Understanding the somewhat short notice (just 7 weeks), and the busyness oof May, several of you may have wanted to attend with your key leaders, but were unable. Thankfully, Karl Vaters gave us permission to film the sessions and make them available to our assembly. The links to the videos and his slides are provided for you as well as on our website under the Academy of Servant Leaders. I hope that you will take the time to watch the videos and take in the presentation materials. They are excellent. This was a great first session of what will hopefully be a growing and transforming ministry of The Church of God in Michigan for several years.
I also want to take the time to thank Pastor Mark Staton, his wife Jessica, and the wonderful ministers, staff, and servant leaders of New Creation Church of God. Their hospitality and service were excellent. They are such a blessing to us and the Body of Christ.
In the love of Jesus Christ,
Rev. Mark K. Richardson, State Pastor
This Leadership track will kick off on Saturday, May 20, from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. with a special guest speaker, Rev. Karl Vaters, nationally known speaker and author. The Kickoff Event will take place at the New Creation Church of God in Flint, MI. The cost of the event, as with all the Track 1 sessions, will be $25 per person, or $125 per congregation with up to 8 people attending. This is primarily to cover the cost of the speaker, a continental breakfast, and lunch. We are hoping to see all our pastors and key leaders join us for this exciting kickoff. We hope it will forge a partnership between us that will help develop stronger congregations and leaders for years to come. Track 2 and Track 3 will roll out later this year, as will information on the second session of Track 1 to take place in September. Please register by Friday, May 12, so that we may have an accurate count to New Creation Church of God and the caterers for the kickoff event. Information on Karl Vaters and his ministry, including the books he has written are included below. Please utilize the link for registration to this exciting event.
Blessings to you,
Rev. Mark K. Richardson, State Pastor
Rev. Karl Vaters
Karl Vaters is the author of four books.
The Church Recovery Guide: How Your Congregation Can Adapt and Thrive after a Crisis,
100 Days to a Healthier Church: A Step-By-Step Guide for Pastors and Leadership Teams,
Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of Under 250
The Grasshopper Myth: Big Churches, Small Churches and the Small Thinking That Divides Us
Karl produces resources for Helping Small Churches Thrive at KarlVaters.com.
His heart is to help pastors of small churches (up to 90 percent of us) find the resources to lead well, and to capitalize on the unique advantages that come with pastoring a small church – something virtually every pastor will spend at least some of their ministry years doing. He also believes that big and small churches can and should work together more often – to the benefit and blessing of everyone.
Karl also hosts a bi-weekly podcast, The Church Lobby: Conversations on Faith & Ministry (Formerly, Can This Work in a Small Church?). Episodes feature in-depth interviews with a leaders about the topics that concern pastors, especially those who minister in a small church context.
Karl has written for many publications, including ChristianityToday.com, Outreach magazine, Church Law & Tax, and more.
Karl has been in pastoral ministry for over 40 years. He is the teaching pastor of Cornerstone Christian Fellowship, a healthy small church in Orange County, California, where he has ministered for over 30 years with his wife, Shelley. They have three children and two grandkids.
Module 2
Track 1, Module 2 was held September 30, 2023
The Clarity Quest
Providing Purposeful Leadership Amidst Confusion
In a world filled with uncertainty and rapid change, the role of spiritual leaders has never been more crucial. This immersive conference is your guide to unlocking the secrets of purposeful leadership that can breathe new life into complacent congregations and ignite a renewed sense of purpose and mission.
Conference Highlights:
- Navigate the Confusion: In these bewildering times, clarity is a priceless asset. Discover how to cut through the noise and confusion to remember your calling, focus on your mission, and discern a clear path forward for your church and its members.
- Inspire Action: Learn effective strategies to inspire action and engagement within your congregation. Uncover the keys to motivating and mobilizing your members towards a common vision.
- Reconnect with Purpose: Rediscover the core values and purpose that drove you to ministry in the first place. Reframe your leadership perspective to rekindle your passion and guide others with unwavering clarity.
- Fostering Community: Discover how to cultivate a sense of belonging and authentic community within your congregation. Forge connections that withstand the trials of contemporary life.
- Clarifying the Board's Role: Learn to define and refine the roles and responsibilities of your church's leadership board. Gain insights into creating a harmonious leadership structure that supports your congregation's growth.
- Creating a Healthy Decision-Making Culture: Explore techniques to foster a culture of healthy decision-making within your church leadership. From consensus-building to transparent communication, acquire the skills to guide your congregation through critical choices.
- Leading with Empathy: Develop emotional intelligence and learn how to lead with empathy, understanding, and compassion. Cultivate a leadership style that nurtures individual growth alongside collective progress.
Our presenter was
Pastor Bob Moss
Bob Moss is an energetic leader and communicator dedicated to introducing others to the transforming love of Jesus Christ. A hallmark of his ministry is his deep love for people expressed through a pastor’s heart.
He is a former Senior Executive with Church of God Ministries in Anderson, Indiana and currently serves as the Church of God coordinator for Transitional Interim Pastor Services (TIPS). Bob has served as a lead pastor in several different regions of the country, including congregations in Michigan, Ohio, Washington, and Wyoming. He has developed meaningful relationships with many pastors across the country and has walked with many as a coach and mentor. He is a frequent guest speaker at conferences, and pastors’ gatherings.
In addition to Bob’s heart for pastors, he has been at the forefront of change and growth at the regional and national church. He served as the state minister for the Church of God congregations in Indiana and led with distinction as a two-term chairman of the North American General Assembly of the Church of God. Internationally, his ministry has extended to four continents. He is the author of two books published by Warner Press: Lost in Logistics and Rediscover the Passion, the Promise, the Power
Bob is an alumnus of Warner Pacific University and the Anderson University School of Theology. He and his wife Renée have three married adult children and eight grandchildren.
All files are in PDF format:
Conference Schedule:
9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
9:30
10:15
10:30
11:15
11:30
12:15
1:00
1:40
1:50
2:30
Breakfast
Devotion
Session 1
Break
Session 2
Lunch
Session 3
Break
Session 4
Adjourn
Track 1, Module 2:
Managing Expectations, Evaluations, and Rules of Engagement
Many of the situations that cause the biggest conflicts in our congregations, and which lead to pastoral and leadership transitions, happen because of unfulfilled expectations. Everyone has expectations of our congregations, our pastors, and our leaders. The challenge is that they are often not clearly understood, agreed upon, and documented. They are just expected. Pastors deal with this most significantly, and it can lead to mental and physical health issues, as well as burnout and transition to another ministry or leaving ministry altogether.
This module will focus on the clear stating of the expectations of congregational leaders for their pastors, as well as the pastors’ expectations of congregational leaders and the members of the congregation. Resources will be provided that will encourage clearly developing these expectations and agreeing upon them in writing as a part of an agreement between pastors and their congregation. This will provide a practical opportunity for pastors and their key leadership to build upon the partnership that they have in leading the congregation. It will also provide a way for pastors and leaders to evaluate how effective they have been in fulfilling the vision, mission, structure, and function of the congregation. While guidance will be given in terms of compensation for pastoral leadership, the hope is that our key leaders will utilize it as a way of working together to be most effective in the ministry as partners. In addition, it is crucial that pastors, leaders, and the congregation have clearly defined rules of engagement that govern how people interact with one another in the church and carry out its vision and mission. We will provide guidance for the development and functioning of how we engage each other in the course of ministries of the congregation.
Module 3
Track 1: Module 3 was held
Saturday, February 3, 2024
9:00 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.
Managing Expectations
Every pastor, congregational leader, and member has expectations for the church and its leadership. When expectations are managed well, great things happen in the lifeblood and ministry of the church. When they are unstated, unrealistic, and/or not agreed upon, conflict invariably ensues with challenging and often painful results. During this webinar, the third module of the Academy of Servant Leaders Track 1, pastors and the key leaders of our congregations will receive helpful teaching and tools for managing expectations. We invite our pastors to join our webinar along with their key leaders to help grow in-depth relationships, trust, and effective ministry. This webinar will be free of charge, but we need you to register so that we can ensure that we have enough webinar slots for the event. As you register, we need each person to register with an email address so that we can forward the link to the webinar. We also encourage our pastors to view it together with their leaders if that is possible.
Presenters
Rev. Dr. John Miller
Rev. Dr. John Miller assumed the pulpit of the Oakley Community Church in 2011. Prior to this assignment he pastored the First Church of God of Owosso and the Arcadia, Ohio Church of
God.
He earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Tri-State College, Angola, Indiana; his M.
Div. from Winebrenner Seminary; and was awarded a Doctor of Ministry degree from Anderson University in May 2013.
Prior to entering the ministry Pastor John served as an engineer with Owen-Corning
Fiberglas, the Morgan Packing Company, and the Cummins Engine Company. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Raised in Newark, Ohio, and has been married to Lucille (Crow) of Plymouth, Indiana, for 51 years. They have five children and nine grandchildren.
Pastor Bob Moss
Bob Moss is an energetic leader and communicator dedicated to introducing others to the transforming love of Jesus Christ. A hallmark of his ministry is his deep love for people expressed through a pastor’s heart.
He is the Executive Pastor of Ministries at First Church of God in St. Joseph and also serves as the Church of God coordinator for Transitional Interim Pastor Services (TIPS). Bob recently served as a Senior Executive at Church of God Ministries in Anderson and as lead pastor in congregations in Michigan, Ohio, Washington, and Wyoming. He is a frequent guest speaker at conferences and pastors gatherings.
In addition to Bob’s heart for pastors, he has been at the forefront of change and growth at the regional and national church. He served as the state minister for the Church of God congregations in Indiana and led with distinction as a two-term chairman of the North American General Assembly of the Church of God. Internationally, his ministry has extended to four continents. He is the author of two books published by Warner Press: Lost in Logistics and Rediscover the Passion, the Promise, the Power
Bob is an alumnus of Warner Pacific University and the Anderson University School of Theology. He and his wife Renée have three married adult children and eight grandchildren.
Rev. Mark K. Richardson
Session Event
9:00 a.m.
Welcome & Prayer -
Rev. Mark K. Richardson
9:10 a.m.
Why Things Go Wrong
And How to Help Things Go Right -
Rev. Bob Moss
9:55 a.m.
Break
10:05 a.m.
Managing Expectations -
Rev. Dr. John Miller
10:50 a.m.
Break
11:00 a.m.
Growing Stronger Together Through
Managing Expectations -
Rev. Mark K. Richardson
11:45 a.m.
Closing Prayer -
Rev. Mark K. Richardson
Module 4
Track 1: Module 4
Saturday, April 27, 2024
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
New Creation Church of God
Flint, Michigan
Bylaws, Policies, and Practices
Every congregation is required by law to have a set of bylaws that describe the structure, legal representation of the congregation, and so much more. Many churches have updated and/or totally revised their bylaws in recent years. Some haven’t and perhaps are operating with a set of bylaws that might be decades old. There have been many things that have happened in the courts and the culture that necessitate bylaws that protect the congregation and its assets. During this module, we will help pastors and their key leaders to review their current bylaws and lay the foundation for updating them to be current in today’s increasingly hostile culture. We will also include information on key legal decisions that impact the bylaws and policies of our churches.
In addition to current bylaws, congregations need to have clearly written and periodically reviewed and updated policies. Policies are important because they define how the day to day functions of the congregation are to work, and they are important in giving specifics to things in the bylaws of the congregation. They need to be written and clearly shared with the congregation so that people will know what can and can’t be done in and through the congregation. We will provide policy templates that cover nearly every aspect of church life, so that pastors and their key leaders can develop a policy manual for the congregation.
Along with bylaws and policies, there are practices and rules of engagement, as well as expectations for ministry that impact the daily functioning of the congregation. These are things that aren’t necessarily documented like bylaws and policies, but they are a key part of congregational functioning. They are purposefully flexible so that as things change and new ideas and ministries emerge, ministry can develop and solidify. It is important that there are clearly understood rules of engagement that provide a foundation for pastors, congregational leaders, and members to work together to accomplish the vision and mission of the congregation. We will provide pastors and their key leaders with the opportunity to understand the ones that currently are a part of their congregational life. We will also provide some examples and recommendations for managing these in congregational life.
Module 5
Saturday, September 28, 2024
8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
New Creation Church of God
Flint, Michigan
Bylaws & Policies | Next Steps
This winter and spring, we started the conversation about bylaws, policies, and expectations. We are convinced that having “foundational documents” in place enables our ministries to move toward fulfilling our mission with confidence and courage. When our pastors, governing boards, and congregations understand the boundaries in place, they have the freedom to dream creatively about the future. These dreams create hope as we work together to share the good news about Jesus and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit with our neighborhoods.
Since the spring, we received several calls asking for help in taking the next steps with bylaws and policies. About ten churches are currently working with our State Office to ensure that their foundational documents empower their mission. If you have questions, you are not alone! During our next Academy of Servant Leaders (ASL) meeting on September 28, we will review some best practices with bylaws and policies. Then seasoned leaders will work with a couple of churches at a time to answer questions, make suggestions, and help you decide next steps.
We encouraged all of our pastors to attend with their governing boards. This will be an opportunity for you to receive encouragement and practical advice about your foundational documents. In order to facilitate the conversation, you are encouraged to send your most recent bylaws ahead of time to micog@micog.org.
Date: Saturday, September 28, 2024
Times: 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: New Creation Church of God, Flint Township, MI
Registration: $25.00 per person or $150 per church up to 10 people
Continental Breakfast and Lunch are included
Audience: Pastors, Governing Boards, Key Staff Leaders
Module 6
Saturday, Feburary 1, 2025
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Zoom Meeting
Preventing and Responding to Abuse in Your Church
Abuse impacts a significant number of people in our churches. Church leaders do well to prepare for this reality. This interactive training will give ministry leaders essential tools to shape a culture where the policy and training on abuse are effective. The training will explore:
▪ How the Bible Speaks to Abuse
▪ Policies that are Actually Effective
▪ How to Educate the Congregation on Abuse
▪ How to Engage the Whole Community in Appropriate Prevention
▪ The Essential Role of Leaders in Prevention and Response
This training will include Q & A as well as interaction around concrete scenarios to consider both prevention and response best practices. GRACE will provide additional resources to all participants. This training is designed for all church leaders, including pastors and ministry staff.
Mike Sloan
This training will be conducted by Mike Sloan. Mike is the Director of Safeguarding at GRACE. He is a former pastor, who has worked for 14 years to see reform on abuse policy and culture relating to abuse within churches. Mike helped develop and now leads GRACE’s Safeguarding Initiative, which is focused on changing culture on abuse within churches on all forms of abuse. As the leader of GRACE’s Safeguarding Team, Mike and his colleagues train faith-based leaders and congregations in abuse education, dynamics of abuse within faith communities, and best practices in prevention and response. Mike consults with churches on policies, conducting written reviews and developing new policies in cooperation with organizations. Mike also consults regularly with faith-based organizations on abuse response issues including reporting and trauma-informed care. GRACE has existed for 20 years as a Christian non-profit ministry with a mission to educate and empower churches to recognize, prevent, and respond to abuse.
Date: Saturday, February 1, 2025
Times: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom Meeting
Registration: Free; a Zoom link will be emailed once registered.
Audience: Pastors and Church Leaders
Downloads
Rev. Mark Richardson Summary, PDF
Registration
Cost: Free; a Zoom link will be emailed once registered.
