Vital Evangelical Leadership Collaboration
Changing Church Forum received a $380,000 grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans for a two-year pilot evangelism program. The program, the Vital Evangelical Leadership Collaboration (VELC), is a collaboration of Changing Church in Burnsville, MN (affiliated with Prince of Peace Lutheran Church), Joy Leadership Center in Glendale, AZ (affiliated with Community Church of Joy), and the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries. In brief, VELC uses a common "coaching" methodology to train and guide pastors, congregational leadership teams, and lay congregants toward transforming their churches into growing, evangelism-focused congregations of disciples. David Stark, Director of Changing Church, directs the program.
Since different congregations have different strengths and needs, the VELC program consists of three learning tracks, each designed for a particular group in the congregation.
• Vital Pastoral Leadership (VPL) is designed particularly for pastors, and is the responsibility of Changing Church. VPL emphasizes personal faith behaviors and post-modern leadership for pastors.
• Vital Congregation Network (VCN) is designed particularly for a core leadership team in the congregation, and is the responsibility of Joy Leadership Center. VCN emphasizes post-modern leadership and visionary, strategic planning for congregational leaders.
• Vital Lay Witness (VLW) is designed particularly for lay congregants, and is the responsibility of Changing Church. VLW emphasizes personal faith behaviors and how to establish a lay witness environment in the congregation.
Vital Pastoral Leadership Affinity Groups
We appreciate your interest in the Vital Pastoral Leadership (VPL) ministry! Fourteen VPL affinity groups of pastors are currently formed throughout the country. These pastoral groups serve approximately 80 congregations in the Indiana-Kentucky, Minneapolis, Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana, and Southeastern ELCA Synod areas.
The affinity groups are comprised of senior pastors and/or pastors with responsibility for evangelism. They are coached by a pastor using postmodern leadership principles. Download a list of VPL Coaches (PDF). The program is designed to support and refresh pastors in their ministry and provides an opportunity to relate with colleagues and continue to develop tools and skills for ministry. The participants register their congregations for the coaching process. Congregational profile surveys are completed and evaluated to provide feedback to the pastors and identify the progress of the collaboration. Conferencing and consulting services are also available to the participating pastors.
An annual training event will focus on personal characteristics of spiritual development, leadership skills, and the Marks of Discipleship. More detailed information will be forthcoming regarding this conference.
If you have an interest in joining us for this ministry, please contact Beth Maland at 952-898-9303 or e-mail bmaland@princeofpeaceonline.org. We are accepting nominations from the ELCA synod offices for pastoral leaders to coach new affinity groups. Changing Church would embrace the opportunity to expand this ministry to the judicatory office in your area.
