Will’s Future

I, that is Will, have applied to CPAS to join their Arrow leadership training course which will be starting next year and running for 18 months. It is by far from a foregone conclusion that I will be accepted onto the course. I have had to complete a very in-depth application form, there have been 3 references and they go through a discerning process.

But you may be asking yourself “What is Arrow?” While society is changing. The Church faces huge challenges. Yet Christ’s commission remains constant. Leaders today need particular skills. Evangelism, leadership and the church will all look different in the future. And leadership is more than simply skills. It is based on call and character. It involves vision and commitment. Hear are some main point on the course:

• Be guided by people who understand leadership.
• Discern God’s particular calling for your life.
• Develop your character as much as your skills.
• Balance the various demands on your time,
• Lead people more and drive them less.
• more effective in evangelism.
• Join a network of people prepared to be honest about issues that matter?

A recent article from ChristianToday.com website sums the course, and it’s purpose up well.

CPAS finds training has ‘positive’ impact on church leaders

A new report by Anglican mission agency CPAS into the Arrow Leadership Programme has found that it has “positive long-term effects” on the life and ministry of church leaders.

Arrow was first founded in the US in 1991 by evangelist Leighton Ford with the vision to raise up young Christians into the next generation of church leaders.

The 18-month programme caters for leaders in churches and Christian organisations aged between 25 and 40 and is based around a development model covering the five areas of covenant, call, competency, character and community.

The report has been released to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the programme’s launch in the UK.

It found that graduates of the programme were 38 per cent more likely to have a sustainable pattern of ministry and life than other church leaders, and were 28 per cent more likely to understand their call and gifting.
The report also found that Arrow graduates were more likely to be able to discern where God was calling their corporate ministry (40 per cent) than other church leaders, and more likely to minister acts of compassion (28 per cent).

James Lawrence, who led Arrow when it first came to the UK, said the report demonstrated the “measurable and significant difference” made by the programme to ministry and leadership.

“The results are very encouraging because Arrow is designed to bring about transformation which lasts well beyond the end of the programme,” he said. “The responses and comments indicate that many participants move on from Arrow better equipped for a healthy future life and ministry.”

What Now?

Now, pray. As i have said there is a discerning process that CPAS now goes through with Leaders of the course to see who gets a place. There are only about 20 places per 18 months. Simply pray that if this is the right thing for me to be doing then I get a place.  Any questions about the course please feel free to ask.