What is the Center?

The Christian Leadership Center is an interdisciplinary organization of Andrews University providing inspiration, on-going leadership development, coaching, consultation, and research, for a network of church and community leadership throughout the world from Andrews University.

What is the vision of CLC?

Our vision is people transformed and empowered by Christian principles who provide outstanding leadership for the local church, and church and educational organizations throughout the world. The Center provides these leaders with ongoing leadership development based on the servant leadership model of Christ.

We envision a center that promotes and pursues a biblically based model of servant leadership, a place for academicians and field practitioners to link in a process of theological reflection that shapes the church’s understandings of leadership and clarifies transformational leadership development across cultures.

We see CLC involved in ongoing leadership development relationships with; a) specific church entities willing to make commitments to accountability over a period of years involving conferences, accountability groups, interaction with literature, and small groups, and b) enduring coaching or mentoring relationships with individuals.

We seek transformation of persons in the context of leadership development and see the development of leaders on three distinct levels, the first being transformation of the person, the second being development of leadership traits, and the third being formation of administrative skills.

What is the Mission of CLC?

Our mission is to accompany and develop people in their journey as servant leaders in the church and as Christian market-place ambassadors in a changing world.

Why is a Christian Leadership Center needed?

1. To develop strong leaders in the Seventh-day Adventist church.

2. To call and equip pastors, church administrators, leaders in education and church members to a high standard of purposeful leadership. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a mission driven movement. Therefore the Church needs leaders who cherish and communicate vision, are skilled in motivating others, and offer integrity in character and leadership.

3. To call out extraordinary leadership from believers in Christ as they minister within their churches so that our church may advance in its mission. Leadership is not the private practice of selected charismatic men or women in leadership positions. It is also the activity of ordinary men and women when they are bringing out the best from themselves and others.

4. To provide through the need for Christian leadership development an entering point of community and world service.

5. To develop leadership and administrative skills within people for the mission of the church. Effective leadership is supported by sound administrative activity.

6. To provide a place for developing administrative skills across a broad range of practice including strategic planning, human resource management, organizational dynamics, and financial administration.

7. To assure that leaders in the local context, which is the Afrontier@ of mission, receive excellent support in leadership development as well as those who serve in institutional settings. Leadership is needed in the context of the local church and school as well as in church institutional settings.

8. To support research, provide a vehicle for distribution of research, and support people who dedicate themselves to that endeavor. Research is needed that will contribute to understanding effective leadership and how it is developed.

9. To provide leadership development and resources to our communities as well as to church entities.

What are the goals of the Christian Leadership Center?

1. Dynamic understanding: A shared and dynamic understanding of a biblical model of servant leadership that informs the global practice of church and community leaders

2. Transformed leaders: Christian leaders transformed by a biblical model of servant leadership

3. Leadership network: A Christian leadership network comprised of a pool of leadership specialists capable of providing global leadership training and development

What action steps will be taken to achieve these goals?

Steps for Goal 1: Dynamic Understanding

1. Form “position papers” offering definition and guidance for the church and other communities on key leadership topics. These papers reflect the vision and core values of the CLC, are formed through careful study and reflection, and remain dynamic.
   
2. Periodic revision of position papers
   
3. Support and conduct research projects in the discipline of Christian leadership
   
4. Publish a refereed journal: “Journal of Christian Leadership”
   
5. Maintain a dynamic website that offers dialogue, papers, and insights into Christian leadership

STEPS FOR GOAL 2: TRANSFORMED LEADERS

1. Provide ongoing leadership development to specific church entities willing to enter into intentional contracts for three years or longer. The CLC leadership development process integrates conferences, accountability groups, assessment, and interaction with literature into these specific contracts.
   
2. Provide the same ongoing leadership development service to community organizations inline with the vision and values of the CLC.
   
3. Establish a process or curriculum
5. a . Spiritual Component - Transforming Heart/Spirit
7. 1. Personal core values
   2. Personal mission statement
   3. Spiritual renewal/formation
   4. Authentic community
   5. Self – leadership
      a. Self-care
      b. Support system

   b. Educational Component – Transforming Mind

   1. classroom
   2. reading
   3. seminars
   4. web-based knowledge and skill building resources
   5. writing/publishing

   c. Clinical – Transforming Practice

   1. mentoring/coaching
   2. support
   3. accountability
   4. theological reflection
   5. accountability for research
      
8. Provide a “Develop the Team” event annually in which teams who go out from CLC to provide leadership development debrief, process issues, receive guidance, and are strengthened for the task.
   
9. Provide a leadership coaching service to individuals

Steps For goal 3: Leadership Network

1. Ongoing assessment of global needs
   
2. Develop a marketing plan
   
3. Develop the capacity of the website to support the network
   
4. Develop the capacity to provide individual and organizational assessments
   
5. Develop a professional society
   
6. Gather names of qualified individuals to serve as part of pool of trainers/consultants/coaches-mentors
   
7. Team building and strategic planning of the pool
   
8. Develop an evaluation process

Why should this be done by the Seminary along with other schools at Andrews University?

1. Andrews has a legacy of leadership and exists to serve the church and community.

2. The Seminary is an integral part of Andrews University and provides the context of training for ministry throughout the world. The Center should be affiliated with the Seminary, the School of Business, and the School of Education to assure focus on mission and provide networking with other entities concerned with this endeavor, such as the Institute for World Mission and the North American Division Evangelism Institute. The Center needs to be an interdisciplinary effort from the beginning.

3. The School of Education provides excellent guidance to degree programs in leadership for church and community leaders.

4. Interdisciplinary programs enhance the University community.

5. The University will further its mission of world service by association with the Christian Leadership Center.

What resources will be needed for the Center to accomplish its goals and objectives?

The Center will accomplish its mission by casting vision, providing staffing and developing financial resources.

The organizational structure of the Center will be a leadership team. The divisions of the Center, such as the Journal, the conferences, research, and degree programs will be served by interdisciplinary leaders appointed by the Center=s leadership team. The functional structure will be a team of professionals from the Seminary, the School of Education, professionals in ministry and other schools of the University who work as colleagues leading the various divisions of the Center.

What other financial resources are needed?

Financial support for support staff of the Center, conferences, research, supplies, and publication will be provided by grants from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist, the North American Division, Andrews University, and grants from non-institutional sources.

Summary

The Christian Leadership Center is needed to provide the best leaders possible for the global mission of the church. Its activities will challenge and develop those in leadership positions in the church, inspire church membership to leadership in their church and community, support growth of leadership competencies, and provide much needed research on issues in Christian leadership. It is a natural part of the mission of the Seminary at Andrews University to provide the Center and thus further its service to the church.