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PLI is devoted to empowering leaders for wider influence for the sake of the gospel in their communities and effective leadership in their ministries. Learn more about our vision and process here.
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We provide a number of resources and materials to educate both our participants and the general public on effective leadership principles.
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Blog
The Most Popular Blog Posts of 2020 – COVID-19, Racial Reconciliation, & Church Finances
By: Jock Ficken
Our world needs innovative, adaptive, faithful leaders! Thanks for being one of them. It’s no surprise that COVID-19, racial reconciliation, and church finances captured the most attention on our blog in 2020. We shared the “best practices” we heard you and your leadership peers getting right in the long road of the pandemic. Read “11 … Continue reading
The Clock is Ticking
By: Jock Ficken
The clock is ticking down on 2020. Most of us would say that it couldn’t come too soon. And most of us would say that while taxed and tired, our faith has been strengthened and we’ve been reminded that God can be trusted to protect and provide. Thanks for leading and following Jesus with integrity … Continue reading
4 Memories of Leading at Christmas Eve
By: Jock Ficken
A blessed Christmas Eve 2020! 2020 is its own unique adjective for Christmas this year. It’s an understatement to say that no matter where you are, celebrating the birth of Jesus is different this year. Here are 4 memories I have of Christmas Eve: 1. I remember our first Christmas Eve together. (My favorite.) Gail … Continue reading
Proximity, Racial Injustice, Mission, and the Incarnation
By: Jock Ficken
Last month I read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. It’s a compelling read. If you want your notions of racial injustice, poverty, and the criminal justice system challenged, Stevenson will do it. He makes the case for proximity! If we’re going to genuinely address the current divisions, perceptions, and inequalities within our country, we have … Continue reading
An Unreached Mission Field
By: Jock Ficken
In 2034, for the first time in U.S. history, there will be more Americans over the age of 65 than children under the age of 18. (My friend, Dr. Mike Gibson, tipped me off to this fact.) So, what if you and your congregation identified it as a “larger than you realized,” unreached mission field? … Continue reading
Tap Into Some New Ideas
By: Jock Ficken
Can I offer a word of encouragement and an idea going into Thanksgiving and Christmas? Because… It’s tough to be a leader now. You’re tired! Are you discouraged, too? Let me suggest “Idea Parties” at your church. Keep it light and fun! The next great idea for the future of your congregation almost certainly won’t … Continue reading
Gathered and Scattered
By: Jock Ficken
Remember when we all shut down and scattered back in March…for two weeks? Remember when whatever it is that you lead adjusted…adapted…zoomed…went online…got creative? And remember when you started talking about “going back to normal?” Do you remember the first time it occurred to you that “back to normal” would not be “normal”—maybe similar but … Continue reading
Letting Go of the Single Voice to Reach the Many
By: Gail Ficken
Many of you know that I grew up in suburban Washington, D.C. Our neighbors changed based on who was ushered in by the most recent presidential election. To say that “I work for the government” was oftentimes code for CIA or FBI, or someone who wanted to appear important or mysterious. As a child I … Continue reading
3 Fundamental Problems Facing the Christian Church in the U.S.
By: Jock Ficken
Last year, pre-pandemic, we proposed that the 2030 church landscape in the U.S. will look dramatically different—mostly gone as we’ve known it! You can download the epub or a PDF. There are 3 fundamental problems facing the church in the U.S. Allow me to simply name them today and talk about doing something with them next week. … Continue reading
A Picture of Urban Ministry
By: Jock Ficken
Dan Czaplewski continues the conversation from last week about urban ministry, systemic racism, activity in the city, etc. Tell me about bringing Ben Piering on your staff as community minister and director of youth. Ben is great. He had just joined us when the riots occurred here in Milwaukee in 2016. The next morning he … Continue reading
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