Throughout 2024, the Leadership Team at St Andrew’s and St Bartholomew’s church in Churchdown, Gloucester, embarked on a transformative journey using our CPAS Lead On book. This resource offers 30 insightful reflections on how to refresh and re-energise leadership, which the St Andrew’s and St Bartholomew’s team used as a devotional and training tool over the year.
‘We started in January and used it every week in our staff meetings,’ explains Rev John Monaghan. ‘Lead On facilitated some amazingly deep conversations. There was a buzz in the room each time we opened the book and worked through a chapter.’
‘It’s helped every staff member step up a gear and take their leadership development seriously.'
The team of nine, including lay leaders and church wardens, found this shared experience both enhanced their individual leadership skills and strengthened their unity and vision.
‘It’s helped every staff member step up a gear and take their leadership development seriously,’ says Rev John.
Celia Anderson, churchwarden, shares, ‘The most memorable parts for me were about sustaining joy in service and understanding how to create a good environment for volunteers.
'Reading Lead On made me realise that much of what I feel about church leadership is shared by others.'
Jamie Flores, Youth Pastor, shares: 'I enjoyed the short chapters enabling us to discuss at the beginning of the staff meetings, so it wasn’t so onerous to do weekly. We would sometimes even have discussions in pairs or threes to unpack it a bit more which we found helpful as well gave us the opportunity to listen and support each other.'
‘If you're a leader that's looking for ideas to develop your team, to bring them closer to each other and closer to God, then you need to buy Lead On,’ adds Rev John. ‘It’s absolute gold dust.’
Are you looking to invest in your own leadership team’s development? Lead On could be the perfect book to read together, just like St Andrew’s and St Bartholomew’s.
Visit www.cpas.org.uk/leadonbook to get your copy and start your team’s journey of growing in faith and leadership together.