Vision
Our passion is to see a NEW INDIA -
leading as many as possible to Christ, especially the most needy in society, by growing the ministries we offer.
Our passion is to see a NEW INDIA -
leading as many as possible to Christ, especially the most needy in society, by growing the ministries we offer.
Letter from the Director
Dr. Alex Philip
September 6, 2010
NEW INDIA EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION
India
September 6, 2010.
TRAINING of CHRIST-LIKE LEADERS
Dear friends of New India,
“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Tim 2:2)
Leadership Development is a topic of global interest especially in contexts where the Church is attempting to prepare leaders to meet the leadership demands produced by accelerated Church planting movements. Lateral thinking or adaptive thinking is needed to address the issue of a severe dearth of leaders or the process by which they are groomed or equipped. This is necessitated especially since it has been noticed that the average Bible school graduate seems to be to a large extent helplessly inadequate, poorly oriented for ministry and often ill prepared.
For Jesus, life was full. He often reminded His disciples that His Life was lived in constant communion with His Father, and He always sought the Father’s glory (Jn 1:1, 14ff). So intricately related was He with the Father, that he declares that He is the Way to the Father, also reiterating that He is the Truth and the Life. Jesus came to planet earth to accomplish three major tasks. Firstly, to redeem mankind. Secondly, to serve mankind through a variety of ministry tasks; and thirdly to train a group of disciples who would carry out His ministry after His earthly time was over. Jesus’ style for leadership development, which resulted in a healthy group of NT leaders, provides insight for those interested in designing stronger models of leader development.
Components of Leader Development: Any program that wishes to engage in training needs to define three non-negotiables. The goal of the program, the processes that need to be built into the program to bring out the said goals and finally a clear blue-print or design map. All too often, in Christian training of leaders or pastors or shepherds, a design is first made; then designs are incorporated with the hope that a goal is reached! Exactly in the opposite order of what has to be done!!
Last week a few NIEA Bible Training Institute leaders were with Malcolm Webber in New Delhi. He suggests a 5C model to Leader Development or the Connexions Model after about 30 years of Biblical study, reflection and experience. The five C’s are Christ, Community, Character, Calling and Competency. Christ is at the core of our ministry - our relationships and our very life. All training is done within the context of a community, building character, resulting in affirmation of calling and enhancing competencies. A well rounded development program will address all these components and ensure that they are represented and are in good place. An absence of the C- for Competency, would result in chaos, though Calling and Character building could be there. An absence of C-for Calling would obviously be like a rudder less boat, since from Christ comes our life and ministry – even if Character and Competencies were present!
The Development of Process: In Mark 3:11-14 Jesus reveals his methodology (or process) that marked his strategy for the leader development. His disciples were with Him, that He might teach them and He then sent them out with authority. The dynamic of this process embraces Spirituality (Connecting with God), Experiential (Connecting with Life), Relational (Connecting with People) and Instructional (Connecting with Truth).
At NIEA’s 7 Training Institutes, we are attempting to transform lives by offering them a model of education that impacts them for effective Christian service. Today over 1500 leaders receive training through these institutes. Thank you for your commitment to equip, multiply and launch effective ministers of Jesus!
Your servant in Christ,
Dr. Alexander Philip,
Director