Servant Leadership Course

SKILLTRACK

Leadership training courses offer a comprehensive, practical way for you as a church minister or lay leader to investigate contemporary topics and approaches toward leadership excellence in a biblical and church­centered context. Dr. Lloyd Elder has brought his life’s work and study–in ministry, leadership, teaching, conferences and consultations–together into the SkillTrack leadership curriculum. Each course will:

• Provide self-assessment activities to explore your leadership practices.

• Offer Scripture, glossary, commentary and other tools for advanced study.

• Include specific steps you can take to enhance your leadership outlook.

Guidelines for Leadership Skill Development Using the SKILLTRACK Leadership Courses:

SKILLTRACK, a multiple course curriculum for developing and renewing leadership skills for more effective Christian ministry. It is designed for self-directed interactive study (with print material also available for conferences and independent study). These guidelines have been tested, proven, and are now suggested for your use:

Decide on a time frame, usually a four-to eight-week period, to complete your self-directed study and skill development from selected courses. Let others know what you are doing.

Schedule blocks of time for concentrated study and use informal time periods (log your study time on your calendar).

Review the Help text and Course Introduction to get familiar with its contents.

Study carefully the SKILLTRACK course–one section at a time. Identify and note those areas that “speak to your needs.” Review this until you are familiar with its ideas and suggestions. Assess your own strengths and immediate needs for improvement and application.

Plan specific areas in which you will try to put these skills and practices into action: write these goals/actions and print them out to keep them before you.

Act–that is, actually “install or sharpen” those skill tools in your personal life and ministry: repeat event by event, task by task, relationship by relationship; if possible, work with a mentor or peer group.

Reflect on what you are doing and how it turns out, learning from your successes and mistakes. For many of us, leadership is developed as much by honest reflection as it is in the action.

Work persistently through each unit of the courses as suggested above until your actions become natural behavior and/or leadership skills; also set some long-range goals.

Share with others about your skill development process: model what you are doing; affirm skills in others; request feedback; establish a peer-learning group of like-minded people; share the biblical principles and practices involved.

Live and learn for a lifetime. After the study period, use the program material like a good tool box. And remember–God gives gifts, but we have to develop and faithfully use them in His service (see 2 Tim. 2: 15).

SKILLTRACK – A Publication of the Moench Center for Church Leadership

Author: Dr. Lloyd Elder, Director

Editor: Joyce M. Byrd, Associate Director

Project Manager: Don Byrd

Publisher: Moench Center for Church leadership, Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee

Partnership:

Belmont University

1900 Belmont Blvd.

Nashville, TN 37212

Website: www.belmont.edu

SKILLTRACK is copyrighted by Lloyd Elder & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Commentary taken from the Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

© Copyright 2003 by Lloyd Elder & Associates, Inc., Nashville, TN

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this material or portions thereof in any form whatsoever except by permission in writing from the publisher.

Lloyd Elder–Director, Author, and Consultant

Continuous ministry to the churches and other Christian groups including: interim pastorates, preaching supply, consultation, Bible conferences, leadership seminars, weekends, and conferences.

Extensive study, research, and writing in the areas of leadership, management, strategic planning, people skills, staff guidance, and personal/spiritual development, including SKILLTRACK® curriculum.

1996 – Present: Director, Anna & Ernest J Moench Center for Church Leadership, Belmont University. 1991 – 2000 Professor, H. Franklin Paschall Chair of Biblical Studies and Preaching, Belmont University. Teaching: Leadership in Christian Ministry, Worship and Preaching, and Baptist History.

Prior to 1991: President of the Baptist Sunday School Board of SBC, Nashville; Executive Vice-President, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Ft. Worth; administration in the Baptist General Convention of Texas; local church pastor for 22 years in Alaska and Texas.

Education: Th.D (1966) and MDiv.(1961, 1973} from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; B.A. in history (1956), Howard Payne University, Brownwood, Texas.

Joyce M. Byrd–Associate Director, Editor

Continuous denominational ministry to churches, associations, and state conventions as a consultant in administrative office management, research, and writing; pianist, organist, and clinician; Baptist pastor/university professor’s wife. Former Executive Assistant to the President, BSSB, Nashville.

Present: Associate Director, Anna & Ernest J Moench Center for Church Leadership, Belmont University.

Education: B.ME (1968) from Murray State University, Kentucky; seminary and professional studies/training. junior High and High School Teacher, Kentucky Board of Education (English and Music).