We are looking at key leadership skills needed in the changing times in which we live and when considering what the Lord is calling His Church to become and to do. As the Lord moves His true disciples away from man’s church and builds His Church we need a brand of leader who is ready and able to move God’s people in the right way and in the right direction. This leadership is apostolic and not pastoral.

One of the new skills needed by apostolic leadership is to build identity into the local church. Effective leaders embed a common strand of DNA into the life of the local assembly. This embedding can happen in several ways – preaching, teaching, prophetic revelation, and Bible studies. The important thing is that the leader identity the church’s flavor and then communicate it well to the people – sharing the vision for the church in such a way that the people can buy into it and thus own it. This means all the other leaders as well as the people will share a common understanding of the plans and purpose of God for the local assembly and all share a common identity.

Effective leaders also know that most of the time spend in various committee meetings is a total waste of time. Instead, they move the church to a team-based model and away from functioning, long-term committees. The following points show the basic differences in these two approaches – pastoral and apostolic…
Pastoral – Committee elected
Apostolic – Individuals called
Pastoral – Committee members nominated
Apostolic – Leader invites individuals according to the grace and calling on their lives
Pastoral – Standing group that never ends
Apostolic – Is self-ending when their one task is complete
Pastoral – Maybe has a mission
Apostolic – Has a clear mission and purpose as well as stated boundaries
Pastoral – Someone outside the committee controls final decision
Apostolic – Is autonomous within boundaries
Pastoral – Needs permission to act
Apostolic – Acts on their own within the stated mission
Pastoral – Not responsible for final outcome
Apostolic – Responsible for all resulting outcomes
Pastoral – Not connected to each other
Apostolic- Connected to each other through a common DNA

So, developing team ministry that leads a church and creating a church that has a common identity and DNA and ownership of who they are and what God has called them to be is the way of the future. And leaders today need to change and learn the skills to function in and even lead in this new environment.

There are new skills that leaders of churches will need to learn if they are to be a part of the church that Jesus is building today. Let me comment on two today… (see the list on September 27th blog)

The day of oral tradition is back. In the days of Moses and Jesus the stories of God’s interaction with His people were told orally and often were not written down for many generations. People were able to listen and to remember. Story telling was a vital part of their daily life as the elders shared the history of events that had formed them as a people.

E-mail has brought us back to that place once again – where oral tradition or storytelling is making a comeback. Today, people learn more through well-told stories than through the old fact-and-lecture method. Personal stories are often the best at getting a point across. Many churches are reverting to using personal testimonies from their people as part of the worship message – having the person tell their story right within the context of the message or sermon being delivered.

This, of course, flies in the face of what most Bible school or seminary graduates were taught as well as what most popular children’s curriculum is based on today. So, we are going to see a major change but it will come slowly as those now leaders learn new skills or set aside to allow other younger leaders to lead and teach.

Another major change today will be the use of the leader’s time. In the past he would be seen teaching the confirmation class as they prepared to make a commitment to the Lord or the baptism class where he would prepare people for this awesome act of obedience. This an visiting members would occupy most of his working day. This will no longer be the case.

The most important thing that leaders today do is to gather and coach a core team of adult leaders. The effective pastor will spend the vast majority of their time in the selection, training, and mentoring of this group of leaders.

Effective and authentic leaders realize that the church is not based on democratic principles and the the fewer people the leader works with the stronger the local church will be over time. The key is to take a core team deep and then have structures in place for that core to replicate itself throughout every level of the local church.

Just two major changes in the way that we “do church” today…

I have finished my official ministry schedule here in Russian until November when I will, once again, return. It has been a tremendous two weeks and THE best trip I have ever taken to minister in this great nation. Siberia is wonderful. Late yesterday I flew from Nyagan to Moscow and spent the night in this city of 20 million. And, of course, held a meeting with some of those I will be ministering to in November to finalize details for that time.

Today I am in several other meetings before heading to the airport, one final meeting at the airport, and then resume my trip home – Moscow – Frankfurt – Toronto – Regina. I am, as always, looking forward to being home. I would appreciate your prayers for the travel – that all flights are safe and that they arrive and depart on time so that all connections (some of them are tight) can be made.

As this is the last daily report for this apostolic trip I want to thank you for your interest in and concern for this ministry and what it is accomplishing in many nations of the world. Without your prayers and financial support our work would not be possible. Everywhere we have gone this time (4 cities) we have heard praise reports of lives changed as a result of having received ministry through us during previous visits to one nation or another. Many have traveled a long way to be ministered to in the past and now that I have been here and in their homes I realize how far they really did travel and how hungry they were to do that type of journey to hear God’s Word taught and maybe receive a prophetic word.

I am looking forward to a few days of rest as the last part of this trip involved a few 3:00a mornings driving back from remote cities in Siberia to where we were living and so I am tired…

Thanks for standing in faith with us. It is greatly appreciated.

Our last day of corporate ministry is half over and it has been a phenomenal week here in Siberia as we obey the Lord and “go into all the world.” I never thought that I would be ministering is such a remote yet beautiful place as Siberia, Russia. The people are wonderful, warm, accepting, and seriously hungry for the Lord and all that He has for them to do. They love Him and obey Him even at great cost as they are persecuted and suffer hardship in this area because they are believers.

The fellowship has been really blessed, sweet, and powerful. It is often during the fellowship time that the Lord ministers to me personally and touches my life in fresh and new ways. Every trip this ministry goes on always results in God touching and changing my life and this ministry through the love and the prayers of the people that we came to minister to. That is often God’s way – you come to minister and get ministered to.

It is going to be difficult to leave this northern area and the people here. It has been a terrific week of the Lord’s presence and power. Lives have been transformed and, as always, our hearts have become fondly attached to the people we have met and the churches we have ministered in. Please pray for all believers in Siberia, Russia and their witness in the midst of a difficult situation.

We appreciate your prayers – especially as we wind down the major part of the ministry (a few planning meetings left here and in Moscow) and prepare to begin to travel. Pray for safety and that everyone’s connections will be made and everyone on the team will arrive in their respective cities and countries safe and sound. Thanks.