Leadership in a challenging culture

I have just returned from the Council Meeting of Evangelical Alliance, which was at High Leigh Conference Christian Centre, near Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire. It was an incredibly valuable 24 hour gathering where we focussed mainly on the challenges facing leaders in the modern world.  

Gavin Calver the CEO wrote online this week:

“What a joy it has been to be together with our council these past two days. They exist to help and support us and speak into the work of the Evangelical Alliance. This amazing group of people consists of 70 evangelical leaders from all different spheres of society and places across the UK.

As we met this week, we were looking at leadership and how to do this healthily in our day. I am so grateful to all those who attended. Do pray for our council and the amazing contribution they make throughout the year.

It has been a privilege to serve among this amazing group of leaders, some of whom have grown to become true friends over the 8 or more years I have been involved. There is such a breadth of experience in the room, and it is a delight to chat to people around the tables and over coffees and meals and hear what God is doing across the church in the four home nations. Council members are drawn from all manner of church streams as well as para-church organisations, charities, industry as well as politics and the media. 

Shanklin URC is a member of EA – one of about 3000 UK congregations which belong to the Alliance. It was really encouraging to hear that around 5000 personal members have joined over the last 12 months, making some 25,000 individuals or couples in total.  

Please do consider becoming a personal member – there are some leaflets in the lobby, or you can find out about what EA stands for at the website where can you join if you feel so moved. www.eauk.org 

It is good to stand together with like-minded folk who share similar biblical values and have a passion to reach the lost in our nation. The greater the membership, the more influence the team have in representing believers across the UK. 

Do please pray for leaders in today’s church and in Christian organisations, as well as fellow believers who carry such responsibilities in the secular world. There are all kinds of new pressures developing in modern society, and the spotlight is very much on those who lead, with so many stories of bad management and abuse in the press. 

Do please pray for our leadership team as we seek to oversee the work in Shanklin and seek to serve the needs of the congregation and wider community. The Church Members elected each of the Elders and gave a promise of support when they were inducted to serve. Many issues we face are complex and challenging, and we need your love and support as we seek to do the right things at each juncture.

We plan to have a day together in early November to allow more time for reflection and team building. Please pray that this will be a good time of growing in relationship and effective leadership.

With love and very best wishes,