ElderLink Dallas-Fort Worth Session Information

Why You Should Care about Honor and Shame

The cultural dynamics of honor, face, and shame have often been thought to be possessions of foreign, non-Western cultures. Those of us in the English-speaking world have often thought we have "outgrown" such issues—no more "pistols at 20 paces!" In truth, there is no such thing as "Honor Cultures" or "Shame Cultures." Not only do these appear as dominant themes in scripture, but all cultures practice these basic dynamics, including our modern English-speaking North American culture. To understand and engage our current cultural context well, ministers and church leaders need to pay closer attention to such issues. In this session, Chris draws on some of his recent publications and research to help North American church leaders think deeply and critically about honor, face, and shame.

Growing  Ministers and Leaders for Your Church

Within the past few years churches are finding it very challenging to find ministers to serve. This shortage of preachers, youth ministers, children's ministers, and more may create opportunities for congregations to re-imagine ways of staffing vital roles. This workshop will offer some context about the current shortage but will quickly turn to exploring ways to develop ministers and other leaders within your own congregation and community.

Self-Care and the Church Leader

As a church leader, you’ve experienced firsthand the joys and challenges of congregational life. You signed up for the beauty and potential of a gathered faith community. As for the perplexities and hardships? Not so much, though you knew it came with the territory.  As contemporary society forges onward in extraordinary and hurried change, churches are neither immune nor secluded from such seismic shifts, which certainly contribute questions and uncertainties to the church at large. Through it all, how are you as a leader taking care of your own spirit and your own heart, so that you can take care of others? How are you taking care of your team, whether ministers, volunteers, or eldership, who even more acutely feel the pressures and concerns? In this breakout session, Dr. Chelsie Sargent will explore the need for proactive and intentional self-care for church leaders.

Leading from Your Thinking System

Church Leaders are called upon to shepherd the flock through many challenges and crises, too many to prepare for individually. So, it is incumbent upon leaders to develop and strengthen their best operating system and be prepared to utilize it when challenging opportunities arise. This session is designed to help elders and other church leaders become more intentional about operating from the best in themselves to lead their congregations through today’s challenging issues.

Spiritual Preparation for Eldering in 3 (Not so Easy) Steps

At its core, shepherding concerns the care of souls. And while this is daunting, there are practices that empower us to do this. In this session, we will learn a trajectory that prepares us to do this with humility and without guilt.