90 90 NETWORK LEADERS LEARNING COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS
Session 1
Summary: In this meeting, the group scheduled their next gathering for February 26th, asking Jason and Jeff to each prepare a 10-minute presentation for a trade show-style session. Before closing, they confirmed that documents would be shared by email for anyone who missed the download and briefly discussed announcing the next topic. The call ended with a prayer for James, who is navigating challenges with a congregation and its leader, asking for wisdom, strength, and guidance in resolving the situation.
SESSION 2
Summary: The conversation centered on recovering the role of evangelists within the local church and building healthier leadership development systems. Evangelists were described as essential for equipping the church to take the whole gospel to the whole world, yet often underutilized. Speakers challenged the inherited “clergy culture,” where ministry is centralized in professionals, and instead urged creating multipliers—leaders who develop leaders. This requires intentional pipelines, coaching, peer networks, and structures that identify and train people at various stages of leadership (self, others, leaders, multipliers).
Examples included new credentialing processes, coaching for candidates, flexible and affordable training pathways, and expanded recruitment to second-career and retired individuals, not just youth. District leaders emphasized cultivating healthy leaders to produce healthy churches, embedding the call of God into all ministry contexts, and ensuring practical training in areas like HR and finance alongside preaching.
The discussion concluded with a call for patience and courage in shifting church culture, expanding recognition of diverse gifts (apostolic, evangelistic, pastoral, etc.), and working closely with church boards to multiply leaders. Each denomination must adapt these approaches to its own reality, but all share the need to move beyond linear pipelines toward ecosystems of leadership development.
SESSION 3
Summary: The session explored leadership succession as a constant challenge for sustaining the church’s mission, from the early apostles through denominational history. Transitions can either renew culture or slip into maintenance and decline, with local church successions proving especially decisive. The key is not whether leaders are chosen from inside or outside, but whether their strengths align with the organization’s needs. Mismatches in pace, theology, governance, or experience can derail the process. Healthy succession requires leaders to leave before overstaying, surrender control of timing, and prioritize the organization’s future over personal legacy. Ultimately, leadership is a relay race where the baton must be passed well for the mission to continue.