
This 10-module course has been produced by the Baptist Leadership Hub to help you grow in your leadership capacity.
The course covers ten areas that we believe are markers of a robust leader and is suitable for anyone in leadership in a church, faith community or associated entity.
Each module is facilitated by a different Baptist leader and includes video teaching, follow-up learning, and a practical component.
The course material can be used in a variety of ways:
- On your own
- With a mentor
- In a small group facilitated by another leader
- As an eldership, ministry, or leadership team
You could do one module a month and complete the full course over 10 months, or one module a fortnight and complete the course in 20 weeks. You could also do a “pick and mix” variant and just complete the modules that most interest you – but we think you’ll decide they are ALL excellent!
The course material is accessed either via this webpage or the Baptist NZ app and is FREE for leaders within Baptist faith communities. If you are not from one of our faith communities and would like access to the course please contact Karen Warner.
A “Certificate of Completion: Robust Leadership Training” will be given upon completion.
UPDATE: We’re excited to announce that this course will be available ahead of schedule early August 2022.
Modules:
- Robust leaders have a strong focus on Jesus.
- Robust leaders are biblically literate and able to disciple others
- Robust leaders believe in the power and ongoing work of the Holy Spirit
- Robust leaders are emotionally intelligent and self-aware
- Robust leaders are able to think and work strategically
- Robust leaders have the ability to lead teams and empower others
- Robust leaders have the capacity to effect change, and take risks when required
- Robust leaders have a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, The Treaty of Waitangi and an understanding of Te Ao Māori
- Robust leaders are able to cope with difference and handle conflict situations
- Robust leaders have an appreciation of Baptist ecclesiology, especially church governance
Module Outline
Each module will follow this format and should take approximately 3 hours in total:
- 10 min video teaching
- Follow-up reading – about 750 words from the presenter
- An application exercise where learnings are put into practice – choose one of 2-3 options
Extra resources (e.g. book suggestions) will be supplied for those who wish to go deeper.
Articles on Robust Leadership
“I want to be like Jesus. And Jesus gave his life for the church”
Charles Hewlett believes robust leadership of Baptist faith communities is absolutely crucial if we are to bring gospel renewal to people and places in our…
Regional Hui highlights: Otago and Southland
Rachel Murray shares some highlights from the Regional Hui held at the Catlins River Ridge Retreat, 26-28 May 2022.
Regional Hui highlights: Upper South Island
Julie Chamberlain shares some highlights from the Regional Hui held at Glenroy Lodge Baptist Camp, Canterbury 25-26 May 2022.
Assembly Council update
This is the May 2022 update from Assembly Council. These will become regular updates letting you know what we're up to, the things we are…
Red-orange-green light: a pastor, a church and unity in Christ
Tim Palmer, Senior Pastor, Franklin Baptist Church shares his journey in a local church as they seek to navigate the vaccination discussion, as they listen…
Has the time come to act?
In this opinion piece Andrew Clark-Howard continues the dialogue on mandates, vaccinations, protests and theology.
The other half of what we owe each other
Andrew Clark-Howard’s assessment of the anti mandate protest (What we owe each other: freedom, protest, and responsibility) draws upon excellent resources from Bonhoeffer on freedom.
What we owe each other: freedom, protest, and responsibility
We’ve all seen it; the images and videos on our screen of people gathering to protest at parliament with a rather bewildering array of placards…
Re-imagining registration
“Managing change” and “learning to pivot” are phrases we’ve become familiar with over the last year. Probably more than we would actually have liked! While…
The End of Life Choice Act: the practicalities
What actually happens in the process of assisted dying? In this article we hear from GP Rebekah Kilpatrick who unpacks the approximately 40 hours of work…
The End of Life Choice Act: being a carer
The caring of a person who has made the choice to end their life through physician assisted dying is now a possibility in New Zealand.…
The End of Life Choice Act: what does faithful Christianity look like?
Assisted dying became legally available on 7 November 2021. Continuing on in this series of articles to resource and support our churches at this time, pastor and scholar Jonathan…
Caring for each other helps in many ways: churches respond to the pandemic
Human beings need many things to survive and to thrive. In addition to our obvious physical needs, self-determination theorists point to three things that are…
Not vaccinated: a pastor’s personal opinion
Simon Williams is a pastor at Kaiapoi Baptist Church. The opinions expressed here are his own. View more opinion on Baptist magazine.
Responding to the #MeToo movement—with a message from Jesus and the Samaritan woman
Is sexual abuse an issue for the church in 21st Century Aotearoa New Zealand? In this long-form article Daphne Marsden, one of our pastor/scholar/authors shares…
The End of Life Choice Act: pastoral responses
Assisted dying became legally available on 7 November 2021. Our lecturer in Pastoral Care and Counselling, Dr Phil Halstead, begins this series of articles to…
An individual’s Christian response to a vaccine mandate in the workplace
Vaccination mandates and the workplace: Are Christians in the firing line? Gareth Jones attends Dunedin City Baptist Church and is Emeritus Professor in Anatomy at…
Emerging from a lockdown response to a global pandemic
Rick Pierce, works for the Northern Baptist Association as a Network Pastor, Health & Development. Here he shares some ways local churches can respond as we…
Cross-shaped unity for church through the COVID-19 Protection Framework
Since the Government’s announcement about the COVID-19 Protection Framework, my mind, like that of many pastors, has been occupied by what this will mean for…
Worth giving your life for
Charles Hewlett asks Baptist pastoral leaders the question: “Is pastoral leadership worth giving your life for?” Watch their response in these short videos...
666 and the COVID-19 pandemic
A Baptist pastor asked last week if we would provide something on why the COVID-19 vaccine should not be considered the ‘Mark of the Beast’. Our very own retired Carey Baptist…
Time for action—what comes after staying at home and rolling my sleeve up?
As a follow on from last week's opinion piece: Vaccinations and the local church: Seven views on the current situation, Alan Jamieson, General Director of…
Freedom and responsibility—thoughts from a retired pastor
Vaccinations and the local church: Seven views on the current situation
What we have done is seek a variety of perspectives at this time on the vaccinated/not-vaccinated discussion as New Zealand soon ends lockdowns in favour…
COVID, government and individual soul liberty—a pastor’s question answered by the Principal
One of our Baptist pastors had a theological question. Our college Principal, Dr John Tucker answers this below.
Mental wellbeing for leaders in lockdown
In 2020, as New Zealand was in its first lockdown, it was important to remind ourselves that this was a marathon, not a sprint. We had…
Pastoring in a bubble
This piece was first shared with Baptist church leaders in April 2020 as New Zealand was transitioning out of Level 4 COVID-19 lockdowns.
Iosis appoints Māori development leader
Iosis recently appointed its first Māori development leader. Teina Mita, formerly the Iosis counselling and men’s development team leader, took up the new role on…
“You will be my witnesses”
Charles Hewlett and Chris Chamberlain reflect on why, from a leadership and a governance perspective, we are re-examining the way we communicate as a movement.
SENDing 2020
Amidst a year of lockdowns and cancelled events it was an extra special occasion for Carey students and staff to celebrate our Ministry Training graduates…
Recognising long service
Becoming a Punua Pākehā
At Hui 2019, John Catmur was awarded the Lionel Stewart scholarship. He planned to use the scholarship for advanced studies in te reo Māori and…
5 things I learned about preaching while stacking bread
Loss, laughter and love
Church insurance
Mark Davie explains the aims and benefits of the Baptist Insurance Fund and Brian Brannigan of Trinity Baptist Church shares a cautionary tale about the…
Referenda statements
One of Charles Hewlett’s responsibilities as national leader is to represent Baptist churches within the National Church Leaders Aotearoa New Zealand consortium. He shares below…
Haircuts and holy moments: my barber the pastor
Forming leaders for the future
For local Baptist faith communities to thrive, it is crucial that we have robust leadership. Charles Hewlett interviews Jonny Weir, the director of Ministry Training at…
Imitating Christ, earning influence
Christa McKirland, a lecturer in systematic theology at Carey, offers a personal view of church leadership.
4 benefits of a good accounting system
During this time of economic uncertainty, a modern accounting system is important to provide key and timely information to church leaders. Cameron Fisher of CATAS…
A whole new world of possibilities
On my blog mikecrudge.com I’ve written before about problems with Sunday church services as our primary expression of Christian faith—they can be inauthentic and lacking…
Alcohol: A Dangerous Love Affair
Baptist Leaders’ Retreat 2020
On the 19th and 20th February 2020, 50 Baptist leaders came together for a Baptist Leaders' Retreat centred on the theme ‘That’s just the way…
A little child shall lead them
Patsy Way was on the pastoral care team at Windsor Park Baptist Church for six years before transitioning to director of their children’s ministry, WindsorKids,…
Ngā Pou Amorangi
Ngā Pou Amorangi (NPA) is a community of learners at Carey who are supporting each other to to serve humbly and competently within Māori and…