Covenant News - New Leadership Training Program

Covenant News

New Leadership Training Program

WINDSOR, CO (June, 1999) - A new three-day program designed to train both professional and lay church leaders will be conducted August 4-6 on the Colorado campus of Covenant Bible College-Midwest. The program was developed under the guidance of the Center for Management Education (CME) at North Park University in Chicago and is cosponsored by CBC-Midwest.

Believed to be the first of its kind, the program responds to the top priority identified in the Covenant's 1999 Strategic Plan: leadership development. "Leadership development remains the highest need identified in our Covenant Strategic Plan revision process," observed Dean A. Lundgren, CME director and treasurer of the Evangelical Covenant Church. Although the program is not offered for academic credit, participants will receive a certificate of completion.

The course includes three classes:

Discerning God's Spiritual Strategic Purpose: Will address formulation of vision and mission, will explore the data-gathering process, and will provide practical exercises in setting and writing goals and drafting an implementation plan.
Drafting a Ministry Driven Budget: Will examine the concept of zero-based budgeting and will provide tools to evaluate existing budgets and the budgeting process overall.
Developing As a Leader: Will examine Biblical principles of leadership, will explore personal leadership traits, and will review a wide range of leadership skills and behaviors, providing opportunities to practice these skills.

The idea for the program originated with requests that CME take its MBA program off-campus and offer it to a wider audience, Lundgren said. "That is not the real need," Lundgren observed, noting time and expense would make such an effort cost-prohibitive. "We realized that what people want most are practical leadership and management skills, not necessarily another degree," he added.

"This program provides a way for individuals to be better equipped to fulfill their roles as church leaders," said Alan Forsman, a consultant with Arthur Andersen Worldwide and adjunct faculty member of CME. Forsman is responsible for development of the program and serves as one of the course instructors. "The idea is to stress the practical nature of the training, not the theoretical," Forsman added. Who should attend? "Anyone involved in church leadership – people on church boards and councils, the church finance committee and program directors," Forsman answered. "Discipleship involves good stewardship of our time and talents, especially in areas of planning, budgeting and leadership," he said. "We can teach these things. We have put together Biblically based instruction that addresses what local leaders experience."

Plans call for expansion of the program to add other course topics, including use of technology in the church and principles of developing a dynamic team. Lundgren predicted a number of individuals will begin with a certificate program and later pursue formal degree programs in leadership and management areas. "The new program is noncredit and nonacademic in the sense that the course will not count towards a degree," Lundgren said. "It will be demanding, though."

The Center for Management Education has a solid history in developing specialized programs, including two degree and six certificate programs. This fall's offerings include a new certificate in Health Care Management, with programs in Nonprofit Management on the drawing board. The Center also has enjoyed success with its MBA program, launched in 1991. Lundgren anticipated 18 students when the first class began – 60 students actually enrolled. Current enrollment stands at 250, with some 370 having graduated since 1991.

CME also offers another attractive option: dual-degree programs. "They are unique, especially when combining seminary training with an MBA degree," Lundgren said, noting there are currently ten students pursuing dual degrees. "Pursuing a combination of seminary training and management education is especially attractive for people in churches and other service sectors," he observed.

Tuition is $149 and includes all course materials. Participants are responsible for arrangements and expenses associated with housing and transportation to and from the Colorado site. Forsman said special rates have been established with CBC: rooms will run $25 per person per night, assuming two people to a room and two rooms sharing a bath. Meals are expected to average $15 a day on campus. Other hotels and eating facilities are located within a 20-minute drive of the campus.

The program will begin at noon on Wednesday and end at noon on Friday, with classes meeting Wednesday afternoon, all day on Thursday and on Friday morning – a total of 16 hours of instruction. Activities include a worship service Wednesday evening and a dinner Thursday evening for a time of relaxation and fellowship. The schedule was designed to allow participants to fly in Wednesday morning in time for the start of the classes, and leave Friday afternoon. Estimated driving time from the Denver airport to the campus is one and a half hours. The college has agreed to offer accommodations from Monday morning through Saturday morning for those desiring an extended vacation experience in the Colorado Rockies.

Deadline for registration is July 7. For the latest information and an online registration form, visit the Church Leadership Certificate page on the CME web site or call Heidi Griepp at 773-244-6270. Interested individuals are encouraged to respond promptly, as class size is limited to 45 participants.

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