Per Brance’s request, I will answer some of Jeremy’s questions post by post over the next few days. They will not be comprehensive answers, but hopefully offer some take-aways for your own leadership and churches. Question #1:

• How do you train your missional community leaders?

We train them four main ways:

1. Leadership Seminars – these occur at least twice a year and focus on the philosophy and practice of leading gospel-centered missional communities. We focus on two areas: Pastoral and Missional leadership.
2. On-the-Fly Training – because we are a church that spends time together throughout the week, we converse regularly about the challenges and rewards of leading missional communities. This happens through email, at the pub, during social events, eating together, etc. This can be especially effective because leaders are more teachable when they are facing a challenge they don’t have the answer to.
3. Monthly Coaching – our Director of Missional Community meets with each MC leader to coach them through particular issues each month.
4. Missional Community Leaders Meeting – MC leaders and spouses meet each month at a local pub to share how MC life and mission is going. It’s like we are MC to one another. We share a joy and a struggle in our MC with the whole group of leaders. We listen to one another, counsel one another, pray for one another, encourage one another. These are proving to be sweet times.

Feel free to contact Nate, our Director of Missional Community with questions. He blogs here.