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.
SESSION 5
The video presents an orientation session for a leadership cohort designed specifically for denominational and network leaders who often operate without clear models, peer support, or shared language for the unique challenges of their role. The facilitator explains that the cohort will use Gil Rendle’s Quietly Courageous as a guide to explore themes like assumptions, adaptive leadership, and the complexity of leading systems rather than individual churches. He outlines how each session will mix personal reflection, small-group discussion, and teaching to help leaders think more clearly about their influence, navigate organizational challenges, and apply practical insights to their own ministry contexts. Overall, the video sets the tone for a collaborative, thoughtful learning environment aimed at strengthening leaders who typically carry heavy responsibilities with little structured support.
SESSION 6
Our meeting focused on preparing for and engaging in a substantive presentation and peer-learning session around church revitalization, discernment, and the complexities of church closures.
Church Closure Discernment Insights
Koon Wah Leung offered a rich overview of the church closure discernment process, emphasizing the balance between spiritual sensitivity and operational diligence. Key insights included:
The importance of accurate data, thorough documentation, and continuous improvement.
Recognizing post-COVID shifts and helping congregations reimagine ministry models.
Reviewing financial health, employment implications, ministry viability, and congregational capacity.
Approaching every closure conversation as a process of spiritual discernment, seeking God’s direction.
Koon also highlighted several financial assistance programs available through CBOQ that support churches navigating sustainability challenges.