We engage in prayer before, during, and after the gatherings, attentively seeking the guidance of the Spirit.
God has a unique future in store for your congregation, whether you envision clear skies or notice clouds on the horizon. The Church Leadership Center’s Discernment Gatherings are designed to guide you in discovering the most fitting path into God’s future for your congregation.
Emphasizing the importance of listening, we first turn our ears to God and the leading of God’s Spirit. Simultaneously, we attune ourselves to the congregation. As the authors of Leadership on the Line wisely assert,
“…leadership needs to start with listening and learning, finding out where people are, valuing what is best in what they already know and value and do, and build from there. It is dangerous to lead with only change in mind. You need a healthy respect for the values, competence, and history of people, as well as the changing environment, to build the capacity to respond to new challenges and take advantage of new openings.”
At the heart of our discernment gatherings is the central theme of listening—to God and to the people of God.
