Recently I led one of our online workshops entitled “Leading Change and Living to Tell About It.” One of the most difficult parts of leading change is how lonely it can feel for leaders. There are all kinds of doubts swimming in our heads about our own inadequacies, things that could go wrong, and whether all the change will be worth it in the end. As I talked with the leaders in the workshop about these kinds of fears and doubts, I found myself not just the presenter of content but much more a member of a community. Even though my head knew where the content was headed and which slide I was on, I found my own heart feeling a great sense of relief and encouragement in the moment as the leaders on the call shared their own struggles with leading change. I could relate!

If you find yourself in the midst of all sorts of change and you’re being called on to lead a group of people through some changes, it’s really important not to remain alone. The first disciples gathered together after the crucifixion of Jesus and again after the resurrection because both of these events rocked their world and called them to lead in the face of massive changes in their understanding of the mission of God. Where two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus, He is in their midst! Leaders of change especially need the promise and power that Jesus gave in those words.

There are loads of ways to meet up with Christian leaders who are agents of change. All of PLI’s learning experiences rely on a robust sense of community because our team have themselves experienced how powerful it is to lead change in a community. A unique opportunity to rally together with leaders who have the courage to face the changes of the 21^st century is coming up in October in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Some friends of mine over at Mission Partners’ Platform are hosting a collaboration (not a conference, not a meeting with Roberts’ Rules of Order, not a class, but a collaboration!) called “Unfettered Word, Boundless Love.” It will take place October 23-25. The end goal of this collaboration will be to develop a strategy for empowering congregations and their members for growth through the development of a national and a regional network. The gathering will include times of worship, prayer, fellowship, and encouragement centered in the Word. It will also include time for strategic planning to mobilize mission-minded people to advance the Kingdom of God.

I will be there and would love to meet you or reconnect with you there. Some friends of mine got together recently on the Lead Time Podcast to talk about this collaboration in Ann Arbor. It will be a fantastic opportunity to connect with leaders eager to follow Jesus, anticipate all the changes that the church of the 21^st century will face, and to do so as a community, as a network.

Don’t lead change alone! Let’s be in touch!

Ben