Slipstream - Leaders - in - formation

Slipstream podcast 5 - David Jackman

David Jackman is an internationally renowned speaker, President of the Proclamation Trust, and founder of the Cornhill Training Course. He was previously minister of Above Bar Church in Southampton and also served with the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF). In 1974 he wrote his first short book, Starting as a Student: A Christian Approach, an 88 page pocketbook designed to prepare students for University or College life. David has written many books, most recently Opening up the Bible (Scripture Union publishing, 2006) and Spirit of Truth (Christian focus publications, 2006)

Both Proclamation Trust and Cornhill Training Course exist to encourage and inspire expository preaching and have raised the bar in the level of preaching in this country.

Here’s a taster of David’s podcast interview:

How can we make sure the next generation of leaders are coming through? What should the current generation be doing to pass on leadership to the next generation? 

"I think it's really important. Part of our ministry is raising up the next generation in every church. I would say to any current pastor: who are the young people in your church who you're spotting with ministry gifts? Where are the younger people with hearts to serve, and what are you doing to encourage them? 

I think we can do all sorts of things like that. We can have training courses within the church, or we can let them loose in ministry in the local church, in our town or area, summer camps, house parties, evangelistic missions - all to give them experience. I think what actually gets people into ministry is experience of ministry. The more experience we can give to young people, the better. But it needs to be supervised, there needs to be feedback, they need to be supported in doing it, and we need to go through it with them and say, for example: “That talk didn't really work, did it?” Then we should ask why it didn’t work and help them to understand what has gone wrong as well as what has gone right. 

If pastors and church leaders could see this as a major part of their own ministry, that would be enormously healthy…………"

David recommends two key books:

How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart

Knowing God By J.I. Packer

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Slipstream Podcast 4 - Michael Frost

Michael Frost is a missional church leader from Australia, well known around the world as an inspiring and provocative speaker on how to face the challenge of our times, the future of the church and what direction it should be taking.

Author of Exiles: Living missionally in a post-Christian culture and co-author (with Alan Hirsch) of The Shaping of Things to Come Innovation and Mission for the 21st Century Church, Michael provides us with an interesting take on what it means to be a missional church and gives advice for the next generation of church leaders.

Michael Frost is touring the UK between 3-11 October. For more details click here

Here's a taster from the podcast interview:

What is the one thing you would say to the next generation of Christian leaders?

“If I had to just say one thing it would be to re-discover in scripture God’s great missional plot that begins at the very moment of creation and runs like a thread right through the whole of scripture, culminating in the person of Jesus and then continuing to unravel even to this day.

If we rediscover that one continuous story, that missional plot, missional story, and rediscover the idea that God’s people are always people that are acting up, who are always subverting the status quo and never satisfied with the world, we discover something important about who we are as the people of God rather than members of some institution within western culture.

And it is then that we might re-discover our much more prophetic and apostolic calling.”

Michael recommends reading A Reader's Guide to Transforming Mission by Stan Nussbaum - available to buy from Amazon

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Slipstream Podcast 3 - Bishop Tom Wright

Bishop Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham, is a prolific author and, for some, one of the most influential theologians of our time.  His books include The Resurrection of the Son of God, the Everyone Bible series and most recently Surprised by Hope.  In this month’s podcast we ask Bishop Tom to share lessons he has learnt since being in Christian leadership as well as his advice to the next generation of leaders and his thoughts on Heaven.

Here’s a taster …..

What’s the most important thing the current generation of leaders can do to invest in next generation?

 “What I’d really want to do is say to the next generation, I want you to know your Bibles inside out and upside down in the original languages as thoroughly as you can.  I also want you to get on your knees and learn how to pray and not just 5 minutes here and there but serious prayer for God’s world, God’s people, for anything and everything that’s going onwards.  And the third thing is I want you to learn how to love people.  Some people are naturally loving and they may need to learn other dimensions, some people are a bit shy and don’t quite know how to do it or they don’t terribly like people that much & if you’re going to be a Christian leader the bible, prayer and loving people.“

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Slipstream Podcast 2 - Shane Claiborne

Shane Claiborne is the leader of The Simple Way, a radical faith community that lives among and serves the homeless in North Philadelphia. Shane spent 3 weeks in Baghdad during the recent Iraq war and describes himself as an "extremist for love." Shane has worked with Mother Teresa in India and Bill Hybels in United States. His best selling book "Irresistible Revolution" is published by Zondervan and a sample chapter is available for download. Shane recently spoke at the Salvation Army's Roots conference.

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Slipstream Podcast 1 - Terry Virgo

Terry Virgo (1940-) is the leader of the New Frontiers family of churches. Born and raised in Brighton, Virgo started a small church movement which has grown into an international group of churches in 29 nations. He recently spoke at New Word Alive and is the author of over 14 books.

What are the key things you have learned in your years of ministry?

"I remember God saying to me early on in my ministry that my first calling is to be a worshipper and to always remember that as a priority. That puts everything in perspective. Be a worshipper: however well it is going, however badly it is going. I have tried to keep focussed on Jesus and enjoy him for myself. Anything else is a bonus. ...."

One of the key issues is passing on leadership to the next generation. What principles do you use to pass on well.

"We follow the biblical pattern of Paul and Timothy who worked together. ... The way we have tried to train up leaders is in a living working context wherever possible, rather than going away to academic centres. Not that we despise knowledge but we prioritise working alongside. ... We like to encourage people to take a year or two as a training programme working in churches including theological and practical skills training but also carrying responsibility as well as learning principles. ..."

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