The Foundry’s church leaders training has revolved around these main categories, with each session focused on a specific topic designed to grow in one or more of these areas.
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- Character – Spiritual and Emotional Health
- Knowledge – Bible, Theology, Polity, Culture
- Skills – Listening, Care, Teaching
- Responsibilities – Leadership, Discipleship, Worship
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The information below provides examples of the topics church leaders have engaged previously.
Marriage, Singleness, Sexuality, and Gender
Overview: What does the Bible teach about marriage, singleness, sex, and bodies? Can the church lovingly engage LGBT+ people and their families and still hold to the historic Christian view of marriage? How do we navigate the biblical and practical dimensions of these questions with both clarity and proper complexity?
This three-part training revolved around these questions and more.
Saturday, April 20, 2024 | 9:30am – 12:30pm
Clarity and Care for LGBT+ People and Their Families
Churches have often emphasized doctrinal clarity on marriage without equal clarity on good pastoral care for LGBT+ people and their families. So how can churches who hold to the historic Christian view of marriage come alongside LGBT+ people and their families in order to show the love of Jesus in tangible ways? These workshops will equip participants to engage with good pastoral wisdom and care in these areas.
Format: Three 45-minute sessions of teaching and dialogue with fifteen minute breaks for refreshments and further discussion.
Saturday, January 20, 2024 | 9:30am – 12:30pm
A Biblical Theology of Marriage and Singleness
What does the Bible teach about marriage and singleness? How do we faithfully communicate these things, both in direct teaching as well in our life together as the family of God? These workshops will equip participants to go beyond a surface understanding of these matters and have a better vision for how the church, as family of God, should be a true family for single and married people alike.
Format: One session of teaching, an interview with singles in different situations, and a time for Q&A. Between each session we have breaks for refreshments and interaction with others.
Saturday, October 14, 2023 | 9:30am – 12:30pm
Foundations: Grounded in the Gospel, Engaging our Culture
What do we need in order to enter into conversations around sexuality, gender, and discipleship? How can we be rooted in the gospel and engage our culture? These workshops will equip participants with key marks of a gospel culture, which is crucial for any church to engage these matters well. It will also lay the foundation for understanding our broader culture’s framework and terminology when it comes to questions of marriage, sexuality, and gender.
Format: Three 45-minute sessions of teaching and dialogue with fifteen minute breaks for refreshments and further discussion.
Using the Bible Wisely
Saturday, April 22, 2023 | 9:30am – 12:30pm
9:30 – 9:45 Welcome and Introduction
9:45 – 10:30 Session 1 – What is the Bible?
The Bible is the big story of God’s redemptive work, centered on Jesus. But do we approach it that way in our personal devotions, our church services, and teaching? Sometimes the Bible gets treated as a rule book, a collection of inspirational stories, or stories about examples we should follow. How does looking at the Bible as a story affect how we use the Bible, personally and corporately?
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:30 Session 2 – Self-awareness and Biblical Interpretation
Do we use the Bible simply to serve our own agenda? How can we cultivate a greater sense of self-awareness as we approach the biblical text? We want to hear what God is saying, not our own voice or echo in the text. How can we be more aware of what we are bringing to the text so that we can truly hear what God is saying and share that with others?
11:30 – 11:45 Break
11:45 – 12:30 Session 3 – Teaching the Bible
How do we teach others from Scripture, whether in formal or informal contexts? Every church leader at every level has the responsibility to pass on to others what they have learned from Scripture. So how do we teach well?
Leading for Discipleship
Saturday, January 21, 2023 | 9:30am – 12:30pm
This particular workshop focuses on the roles of church leaders and structure of the church, practices and rhytms of healthy relationships, and understanding responsibilities around church discipline.
9:30 – 9:45 Welcome and Introduction
9:45 – 10:30 Session 1 – Leading Together with Distinct Roles
This session explores the distinctive roles of deacons, elders, and pastors. How has Jesus structured the church he promised to build? What are the specific roles and responsibilities of the people he has given as leaders to the church? How can leaders work together to serve and strengthen the people of God?
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:30 Session 2 – Relational Ministry
In order to serve well, church leaders need to invest in building and maintaining relationships with the members they are serving. What are key practices that help build and maintain these relationships? How do we make time for these relationships in the regular rhythms of life and service? Why is relational ministry so foundational to all other aspects of ministry?
11:30 – 11:45 Break
11:45 – 12:30 Session 3 – Discipleship and Discipline
The term “church discipline” has negative overtones and connotations for some people and, in many church contexts, is never used. What does Scripture teach about the responsibility of church leaders to exercise discipline? How do we make sure that we neither ignore nor abuse this powerful responsibility? How do we faithfully exercise discipline in a way that is both loving and firm?
Called to Lead in the Church
Saturday, June 11, 2022 | 9:30am – 12:30pm
This workshop centers on a few of the essential elements of knowledge regarding the church, Scripture, and authority. With so many voices competing for our attention and time, we as church leaders need to recenter our focus on what God has said about our purpose, our role, and our place in his ongoing mission. The goal of our time together is not simply to acquire content but to discern ways of applying these truths.
Basic Schedule
9:30 – 9:45 Welcome and Introduction
9:45 – 10:30 Session 1: Why church? How do we see God carrying out his purpose and mission in your church and the Church?
10:30 – 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:30 Session 2: Why leaders? How does the Big Story of the Bible shape our perspectives on church leadership?
11:30 – 11:45 Break
11:45 – 12:30 Session 3: Why lead? How can church leaders faithfully exercise our authority and responsibility to influence people’s spiritual lives in this current climate?