The 21st Century requires bold, courageous leaders willing to engage in courageous conversations. I help facilitate these conversations, journeying with leaders and congregations through uncomfortable times of wilderness toward health, vitality, and missional focus.

Workshops

• Simplified Governance Structure

• Small Church LeadershipBoard of Ordained Ministry Training & Processes

• Right Sizing for Ministry (Church Size Theory)

• Strategic Planning

• Small Church Ministry Planning

• Pastors in Transition

• Staffing for Ministry

• Congregational Leadership and Administration

• United Methodist Polity & Discipline

• SPRC/PPRC Training

• The Role of Associate Pastors & Executive Pastors

• Six Thinking Hats Parallel Thinking & Group Creative Planning

• Circuit Elder/Shepherd Training

• District Simplified Structure

Conflict Transformation Group Facilitation

Conflict and anxiety are a given in any community.  With intentionality and communication, conflict can be transformed into a creative opportunity.  I address conflict through some particular lenses:

• Relying on Christ as our Center

• Modeling Covenant Community

• Defining Clarity in Committee Roles and Structure

• Encouraging Creative Collaboration among all parties

Group Facilitation & Consulting

• New Leader Onboarding (Blake is a certified onboarding facilitator)

• Staffing for Ministry

• Clergy Formation

• Board of Ordained Ministry Training & Processes

• Strategic Planning

• Simplified Governance Structure

• Congregational Leadership

• Supporting Associate Pastors & Executive Pastors

• Leading a Large Congregation

• Six Thinking Hats Parallel Thinking & Group Creative Planning

Coaching

Blake is trained as a leadership coach through the Holmes Coaching Group.  CAST is a training program approved by ICF, the International Coaching Federation.  Learn more about coaching in the Arkansas Conference at the Center for Vitality website.

Benefits of Coaching  

• Discovery: The coach approach is a self-discovery process, where the person being coached discovers solutions & implementations independently as the coach promotes discovery throughout the conversation.

• Expand the possibilities: The person being coached is challenged to envision many different perspectives and possibilities before committing to a plan of action.

• Action: Coaching is action-oriented.

• Calculated Risk Taking: A coach challenges the person to push the envelope and take risks that are proceeded by reflection and preparation.

• Support: Throughout the coaching relationship, the coach provides support and encouragement to the person being coached.

• Accountability: A key characteristic of coaching is accountability — not to the coach, but from the person being coached to him/herself.

-- Rev. Chris Holmes, creator of CAST, the Coach Approach Skills Training