Missional Anabaptist Leadership

Missional Anabaptist Leadership equips pastors and congregational leaders through a variety of learning opportunities at different levels of rigor and engagement. The most appropriate level of study for each group or individual learner — informal continuing education, curriculum packages, undergraduate classes, and seminary studies — is based on ministry experience, level of education, ministry setting, personal interests, time constraints, and long-term goals.

Informal Congregational Study Programs

Discovery Course (English & Español)

Discovery is an eight-session, 50-day process that will help you connect in a new way with God and his plans for your life. In the weekly sessions, you join with others in a guided journey of discovery. Through various tools, you learn more about yourself, your gifting, your personality, your emotions, and your relational skills, and then you create a plan to grow.

Discovery helps you:

  • Encounter God in a fresh and intimate way.
  • Confirm gifts you have received from the Spirit.
  • Learn more about your personality and how you relate to others.
  • Review life experiences and discover your passion for serving others.
  • Clarify your unique life purpose as a follower of Jesus.
  • Develop a growth plan that helps you move toward the future God intends for you.
  • Engage in a mentoring relationship that will support your growth over the next two years.

Discovery guides the leaders to the completion of a two-year growth plan. With the aid of a mentor, each leader puts their plan into action.


El Discovery es una clase de ocho sesiones, y de un proceso de 50 días que te ayudará a conectarte de una manera nueva con Dios y sus planes para tu vida. En las sesiones semanales, te unes a otros en un viaje guiado de descubrimiento. A través de varias herramientas, aprendes más sobre ti mismo, tus dones, tu personalidad, tus emociones y tus habilidades relacionales, y luego creas un plan para crecer.

Discovery te ayuda a:

  • Encontrar a Dios de una manera fresca e íntima.
  • Confirma los dones que has recibido del Espíritu.
  • Aprende más sobre tu personalidad y cómo te relacionas con los demás.
  • Revisa experiencias de vida y descubre tu pasión por servir a los demás.
  • Aclara tu propósito único de vida como seguidor de Jesús.
  • Desarrolla un plan de crecimiento que te ayude a avanzar hacia el futuro que Dios tiene para ti.
  • Participe en una relación de tutoría que apoyará su crecimiento durante los próximos dos años.

Discovery guía a los líderes a completar un plan de crecimiento de dos años. Con la ayuda de un mentor, cada líder pone en marcha su plan. Disponible en español para el otoño de 2021.

Empowering Leaders through Mentoring

Empowering Leaders through Mentoring, a seminar on mentoring, either in conjunction with the Discovery Course, or as a stand-alone seminar, provides a half day of instruction and practice for current and new mentors. Mentors help clarify life purpose, set goals, sharpen growth plans, provide a model, offer encouragement, and provide prayer. Mentors leave the session equipped to begin serving as a mentor for another person.

Getting into the Balcony

Getting into the Balcony: a ladder and toolbox for formative congregational assessments provides an assortment of tools that aids leaders to empower congregations. Regular assessments of overall ministry and congregational health stimulates discernment about what God is calling and sending congregations to be and do. Getting into the Balcony gives leaders and congregations a new vantage point from which they can reflect on the identity, purpose, and future of the congregation, as well as how they function as a community. When done with intentional prayer, dwelling in scripture, discernment, and reflection, these formative assessments become “holy conversations” as the congregation seeks to listen to God and respond in obedience.

Explore the Core

Explore the Core helps leaders guide congregations into an Anabaptist expression of faith. The course examines the transformation Christians experience in Christ as the power and effects of sin are placed on the cross. Jesus is the center of Anabaptist faith and life. From this center, Anabaptists gain a greater understanding of God the Father and the work of the Holy Spirit. The study considers this new life in Christ from three vantage points: a way of seeing the world through the kingdom of God, a way of reading the Bible through Jesus, and a way of living a Christian life as disciples. The 13-week video curriculum has an extensive teacher’ manual for those teachers who choose to design their own classes rather than use the video instruction sessions. (This materials are available in Spanish as well)

Explore the Core: reheated

Reheated is a contemporary revision of the original and also focuses on Anabaptist values with a strong missional focus. Engage core values again or for the first time with this 11-sessions video curriculum. The 28 page Leader Guide, lesson plans and Bible studies are all available on our Downloadable Resources page. All the video is accessible on Youtube. Suitable for Sunday school, small group, or adult VBS classes. Classes can extend discussion on the Explore the Core:reheated topics through a related Facebook Page.

This materials are available in Spanish as well.

Sowing Shalom

Sowing Shalom is a 9-session video curriculum that explores the many facets of peace as an Anabaptist core value. The material has a youth and young adult focus, but the material is accessible to all ages. The 24-page Leader Guide is available on our Downloadable Resources page or a video curriculum package can be purchased from the LMC office. All the video is accessible on Youtube. Suitable for Sunday school, small group, or adult VBS classes.

Formal Institutional Study Programs

STEP (Study and Training for Effective Pastoral ministry)

STEP is a part-time, three-year program designed for pastoral leaders — or those exploring a call to ministry — but who do not have college or Bible school training. Students earn 30 transferrable undergraduate credit hours and receive a Certificate in Pastoral Ministry from LMC. Learn more about the STEP program and apply at lmcchurches.org/ministries/step. Contact Marcia Mylin, mmylin@lmcchurches.org, for more information.

Each year of STEP offers three course: Pastoral Topics, Pastoral Skills, and Pastoral Formation.

Training in Ministry (TiM)

In a collaboration with Rosedale Bible College and CMC, LMC now offers undergraduate credit for a range of ministry training courses through RBC. All courses are distance learning classes on a ten-week  schedule. Currently, 16 courses are offered in five tracks. Courses are offered in Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer terms. New leaders can expand their skills and seasoned leaders can polish and hone their ministry. For more information or to apply go here: https://rosedale.edu/tim/. For an in-person LMC contact on the TiM program contact brutherford@lmcchurches.com.

TiM tracks Brochure Here

Track 1: Congregational Care and Counseling

Track 2: Spiritual and Personal Formation

Track 3: Bible and Theology Formation

Track 4: Leadership and Ministry Formation

Track 5: Church Multiplication

Bible School and College

Formal undergraduate biblical studies is available at the following institutions:

Rosedale Bible College in Rosadale, OH

Tabor College, Wichita, KS

Fresno Pacific University, Fresno CA

Seminary Studies

Formal education for masters level work is offered at the following institutions:

Center for Anabaptist Studies, Evangelical Theological Seminary, Myerstown, PA

Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary, Fresno CA

For More Information

On the study programs, mentioned above, visit our Downloadable Resources page.

View More Resources »

Translate »