Church Leadership Training

Our church leadership training includes two elements: PATHWAY (for those called to church leadership as a vocation, as well as general on-going training for leaders), and CORE (for all leaders).

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PATHWAY

Pathway is a flexible hybrid (online and in-person) leadership training programme (spread over two years). Pathway does a couple of great things, including:

• Creating a clear route for raising and releasing leaders in local Pioneer contexts. This includes those who see church leadership as their ‘primary life-work’ and others who will outwork that calling to lead church whilst in other employment.
• Training existing leaders through life-long learning.
• Facilitating an accessible space for discerning and growing in leadership, whether you work full-time or are busy raising children.
• Equipping students through Pioneer’s distinctive set of values and culture.

You can watch a summary video below:

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Joining the programme

You can apply for the full 2 year programme, or, you can attend one-off modules.

Before applying for the full 2 year programme, it is important that each applicant has explored their call to leadership with their local leader. Once an application has been received, the Programme Director will be in contact to arrange an informal interview over Zoom. If successful, the applicant will be added onto the course.

Every student will be assigned a mentor to guide him or her through the programme.

Content and Training Focus

The training focus is on developing leadership competencies under six modules (three per year):

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• Planting and Missional Leadership
• Hermeneutics and Theological Foundations
• Healthy and Authentic Leadership
• Care and Pastoral Leadership
• Supernatural and Charismatic Leadership
• Strategic and Visionary Leadership

The main place for learning is Google Classroom, with teaching In addition, all students will complete the Pioneer CORE programme, as well as attending the Annual Leadership Conference (ALC) and any Theological Forums.

Over the two years, each student will produce a ‘portfolio of learning’, which forms the basis for ongoing learning.

Structure and Expectations

Each module consists of eight online Tuesday evenings (7:30-9:00pm). These fall in three slots (Jan–Mar, June–July; Sep–Nov). Six of these are primarily teaching and interactive, with two sessions being tutorials focused around discussion and theological reflection.

Students will need to read selected articles and book chapters and articles in preparation for the tutorial sessions only. There will also be two written assignments per year (approx. 1,500 words) tying in with each of the core values.

Formal Theological Training

In order to fully equip each student in an understanding of the Scriptures, to the equivalent of a diploma level, we will signpost a number of options for theological training. Previous training will be taken into account.

Course Fees

For all of this, the cost is just £75 per month (£900 per year), or you can save £150 per year if you pay £750 28 days before starting Pathway each year. This payment covers the cost of entry to the CORE training modules, the ALC* and any Theological Forum, as well as all the teaching, resources and mentoring provided through PATHWAY.

The fees do not include travelling expenses, any required overnight accommodation, additional courses or conferences. Any changes to the fees will be announced here as part of the redesign of the course.

Mentoring

Every student will be paired with a mentor. They will meet with their mentor at least six times per year online or in-person.

Start Dates

You can start the full Pathway Programme at the beginning of each new module (January/June/September)

Apply now

You can join Pathway in January, June or September. You can apply to the whole programme here!

Flexible Attending

If you do not wish to join the full programme, each module will be open for anyone to attend at a cost of £95 per module. All modules will be accompanied by standardised teaching notes and resources in order to build a complete training manual.

Sign up for module 5 here!

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CORE

Pioneer CORE training is a modular training course for all those in leadership in Pioneer Churches. The modules are arranged around the four core values that we embrace as Pioneer:

                                                                                                    
                                                  Relational                      Missional                       Charismatic           Kingdom Orientated

• What is it about these values that we would seek to build a whole church network around them?
• What can we learn from the Bible and what does that mean for us all in practice?
• How can we stay united in the vision that God has given us to pursue together?
• How can we grow strong and healthy churches that truly witness to the gospel of Jesus?

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“I found Pioneer CORE educational, challenging and great fun – it has really strengthened our commitment to Pioneer and helped us understand again what makes us distinctive as a Pioneer Church in Burton. To unpack our relational value from a theological perspective has validated so much of our culture at TCC.”

Scott Pettingale | The Community Church

Pioneer CORE is suitable for anyone at any level of leadership. It’s a great way of connection with others from across the network as well as exploring some key biblical and theological values for your own leadership.

Pioneer CORE is designed to give you greater understanding and confidence so that you can be sure that you are building on good foundations.

The modules can be completed in any order; we aim to offer two each year.
> Module 1: Relational – May 2024
> Module 2: Missional – November 2022
> Module 3: Charismatic – May 2023
> Module 4: Kingdom Orientated – November 2023