LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP
Based on the Collected Papers from the Leadership Symposium
General Conference Session July 3-7, 2005

Leadership in the 21st Century Adventist Church presents many challenges. Since 1995, our church has grown at an average annual rate of 5.23 percent. Most of this growth has taken place in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. This growth has signifi cantly changed the ethnic and racial complexion of the church.

More than ten years ago, Adventist Review editor William G. Johnsson wrote a book entitled The Fragmenting of Adventism. That book described ten issues that were facing the church in 1995, some of which threatened to split the church. Under the blessing of God, the church has not split and is still strong. However, many of the issues that threatened the church then continue to impact signifi cant segments of the church today.

In addition to these internal stresses, external forces also threaten to invade the church. Increasing secularism and secular humanism in many parts of the world infl uence our thought processes and make it easier for our institutions and organizations to edge ever closer to the world. Materialism, rampant in the secular world, is an ever threatening danger to the church and to its members.

In view of these and other challenges faced by church leaders, time was set aside at the 58th General Conference Session in July, 2005, to consider the characteristics needed by leaders in the 21st Century Adventist Church. Five presentations focused on the character and personality of Adventist leaders, with special emphasis on responsibility, integrity, the role and scope of ecclesiastical authority, and responsiveness to diversity. These presentations have been printed and bound into a booklet called “Profi ling Adventist Leadership.”

This workshop, prepared for church leaders around the world, is based on those presentations. It addresses such important questions as

1. How church leaders can act with responsibility, and how they should deal with irresponsible behavior.
2. Why integrity is important for leaders and church organizations in the 21st Century, and how leaders and church entities can ensure that they act with integrity.
3. The nature and scope of ecclesiastical authority, and how church leaders should respond to it.
4. Why responsiveness to diversity is an essential quality for leaders in our global church, and how leaders can develop this quality.

Some of the issues the workshop addresses are very sensitive and may reveal changes that we need to make in our leadership practices. These issues are not meant to offend; rather they are addressed in order that we may become more effective leaders as we grow and work together to hasten the coming of our Lord. This workshop is intended for church leaders at every leadership level from the local church on up. It has been prepared with the prayer that each leader who attends may be blessed and strengthened to meet the challenges the Adventist Church faces in this Century.

You will need Microsoft Powerpoint to view each of the following presentations. You will need Windows Media player to play the videos. You will need Adobe Acrobat 8 to view the facilitator guides and workbook. If you wish to download the presentations or guides to your computer, righ click them and choose the "save as" option.

• Printed Materials
  • Facilitator Guide Introduction
  • Workbook
• Presentations
  • Session 1: Character and Personality of Adventist Leadershipi
  • Session 1 Video
  • Session 1 Faciliator Guide
  • Session 2: Acting with Responsibility: Aspirations of a Servant Along Pathways of Governance–PART 1
  • Session 2 Facilitator Guide
  • Session 3: Acting with Responsibility: Aspirations of a Servant Along Pathways of Governance–PART 2
  • Session 3 Facilitator Guide
  • Session 2 and 3 Video
  • Session 4: Integrity: A 21st Century Imperative–PART 1
  • Session 4 Facilitator Guide
  • Session 5: Integrity: A 21st Century Imperative–PART 2
  • Session 5 Facilitator Guide
  • Session 4 and 5 Video
  • Session 6: Leaders and Ecclesiastical Authority: Acceptance of Authority–PART 1
  • Session 6 Facilitator Guide
  • Session 7: Leaders and Ecclesiastical Authority: Acceptance of Authority–PART 2
  • Session 7 Facilitator Guide
  • Session 6 and 7 Video
  • Session 8: Profiling Adventist Leadership: Responsiveness to Diversity–PART 1
  • Session 8 Facilitator Guide
  • Session 9: Profiling Adventist Leadership: Responsiveness to Diversity–PART 2
  • Session 9 Facilitator Guide
  • Session 8 and 9 Video