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Our twice-yearly residential training conferences for junior leaders (interns and ministry apprentices). Formation Residentials “[Formation Residentials are] so foundational to the whole year and what we’re trying to do on the Ministry Training Scheme because it’s not looking at developing skills, it’s not about increasing knowledge, but it’s actually about the heart… its really about the person of the Christian leader.” Church Leader Character-focussed training for junior leaders How can you give your junior leaders the best start? The demands of new ministry roles often mean prioritising skills and competency over spiritual formation. We know that establishing these rhythms and heart attitudes are essential for sustainable joy-filledservice. Formation Residential Conferences are designed to complement your existing training by helping new leaders to ask “What does healthy Christian leadership look like?” Across the two conferences, in September and March, we teach about living in the love of God day by day (including disciplines around rest and using our time), experiencing God’s grace, loving God’s church, becoming Christ-like, and being a servant. We also encourage supervisors of junior leaders and overseers of church internship schemes to accompany their delegates. This provides a great opportunity for teams to bond and be refreshed together. We would love supervisors to take an active part in the program - sharing their wisdom and experiences with the junior leaders. Booking to open soon... We are just confirming final details, but we anticipate 2025/26 dates as follows: 9th - 11th September & 3rd - 5th March in Nottingham *With accommodation available at local Travelodge if booked early Supervisors offer!! To help supervisors join in the fun, we want to cover your conference costs* *This means you will only need to pay your accommodation and travel - though we may be able to find alternative accommodation options if needed. More details to follow What people say about Formation Residentials: I left Formation feeling more prepared for the year ahead, the challenges and opportunities, but also with the joy of the Lord, and the reason why this year is worth doing: for His glory.” Delegate Formation Residential Conferences Who are the Formation Residential Conferences for? Up Up Formation Residentials are for anyone getting their first taste of ministry. Traditionally this will be those in trainee or internship roles in churches and organisations, though anyone in their first ministry role is welcome and would benefit from the content. The content has relevance those exploring vocational ministry and is also beneficial for equipping believers to live a life of joy-filled faith and service beyond their current roles. We’d also love to have any supervisors join us! This provides a great opportunity for teams to bond and be refreshed together. We encourage supervisors to take an active part in the program - sharing their wisdom and experiences with the junior leaders. What to expect at a Formation Residential Conference Up Up Across the three days of the conference delegates will take part in a variety of sessions, including seminar-style sessions, expository sessions and an open Q&A. We also try to ensure there is plenty of space to reflect on the things they are learning individually, in groups or by talking one-to-one with a member of the team. As a conference particularly for junior leaders, it provides an ideal opportunity to get to know others in similar roles with similar challenges. With this in mind we also build in time to socialise and have fun with the other delegates and team. What is the difference between the autumn and spring conference? Up Up Many roles start (or re-start) in line with the academic year, so our September Conference is designed with this in mind. The conference is intended to help leaders lay essential foundations for sustainable and joy-filled ministry, particularly as they start to establish routines and get to grips with ministry life. We cover subjects such as enjoying God’s grace, loving the Church, becoming Christ-like, being a servant, and day-to-day disciplines and tips for living in the love of God. We also take time to help them understand what changes they may experience as they transition into a formal role at church (where applicable). Our March conference provides an opportunity for the junior leaders to stop and take stock. Throughout the Conference, we help them unpack how they see the Lord teaching and developing them, and the areas that have been challenging for them. We tackle important subjects such as “faith vs. going through the motions”, and how to set our hearts and minds on Jesus especially as we might need consider what’s next. Throughout this conference, we spend time dwelling on Jesus and the grace we have received in him - a balm for those who are weary and an encouragement to spur the junior leaders on. Our junior leaders are undertaking a ministry training courses, should they still attend a Conference like this? Up Up Ministry Training Courses provide vital training in theology, Bible handling and practical skills, however by prioritisng such aspects of ministry they often don't cover topics relating to the life and heart of the junior leader. This is where Formation Residentials come in! All conference tickets include meals throughout the course of the conference (breakfast, lunch and dinner) which are served at the conference venue. Accommodation tickets (shared and single) include accommodation at a nearby Travelodge. You are welcome to arrange your own accommodation if you’d prefer. What are the food and accommodation options? Up Up Several ticket options are available at the time of purchase. All conference tickets include meals throughout the course of the conference (breakfast, lunch and dinner) which are served at the conference venue. Accommodation tickets (shared and single) include accommodation at a nearby Travelodge. You are welcome to arrange your own accommodation if you’d prefer. Related ministries Formation Courses Formation School Formation Seminars Gospel Shaped Pastoral Care Course Pastoral Care Foundations Course

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Paul Coulter explores the idea of "servant leadership" and its roots Servant Leadership or Leading Servants? (Part 1) Back to all Articles Servant Leadership or Leading Servants? (Part 1) Paul Coulter explores the idea of "servant leadership" and its roots Download Related articles Servant Leadership or Leading Servants? Part 2

Picture the scene. We’ve just moved into our Midlands office, located on the second floor of a former town hall; it's now a church. While there’s a generously sized staircase and a lift connecting the ground and first floors, the second floor is only accessible via a narrow, winding wooden staircase. As part of our setup, we were generously gifted a large, five-foot-tall metal cabinet, with sturdy metal shelving. We were very grateful, but I’m sure you can already see where this is headed. Getting this heavy, unwieldy cabinet up that staircase was no small task. Thankfully, two staff members from the church and two from the neighbouring office graciously offered to help me. Well, ‘help me ’ might be a generous interpretation of my own role. To my embarrassment, I somehow ended up in the least load-bearing position during the cabinet’s ascent. Determined not to let others do all the work, I joined in, stretching to grab hold of the cabinet with one hand while awkwardly huffing and puffing with the strain of even that minimal contribution. And just when I thought I was making a difference, disaster struck. I tripped over my own feet, let go of the tiny portion of weight I was carrying, and went flying backwards into a wall! My ego took the brunt of the damage—don’t worry, I was fine—but while I was busy dusting myself off, my comrades powered through. They heaved the cabinet to the top landing, mounted it onto a trolley, and rolled it into the office, where it now sits in pride of place. So, why am I sharing this (rather mortifying) story? BEARING THE LOAD A few weeks later, I was praying to the Lord about some things that were weighing on me. Certain responsibilities were especially burdensome, and some tough relational situations lay heavily on my heart. I confessed to God that the weight of these burdens felt too much. Like Atlas in the Greek myth, I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders; I was straining, unsure how much longer I could keep going before I would be completely crushed. And then this cabinet-shifting memory came to mind and a question rang out in my heart. Who is really bearing the load? In ministry, as in life, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the responsibilities placed upon us. The Lord calls us to good works in his name, but in this fallen world, this work is never easy. Our labour is a struggle, and there is brokenness in our relationships—even in close ones with people we are seeking to love and serve. In addition, we are at risk of slipping into the belief that everything depends on us. We’re tempted to believe that if we don’t push a bit harder, do a bit more, and just keep going (even going beyond our own healthy limits), things will fall apart. This mindset is mistaken, and deep inside, most of us know it. Instead of bearing down harder, what if we stepped back a moment and reconsidered who is truly holding things together? THE TRUE BEARER OF ALL BURDENS The first thing we can do is turn to the Psalms. Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens. Psa 68.19 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55.22 (ESV) At times, we’re tempted to present an image of self-sufficiency. I can handle this. I can handle everything! But if we believe we’re the ones holding up the weight of the world, no wonder we feel crushed. Of course it’s too much for us! We were never designed for such a task. And, in fact, it’s an illusion that we’re doing it. This is what these beautiful verses in the Psalms remind us. It is the Lord who is the bearer of our burdens, each and every day. It is the Lord who carries the weight of all the things he’s given to us to do. It is he who lifts, steadies, and sustains all things (including us). Where your strength fails, his never does. Where you stumble, he remains firm. It is the Lord who really ‘gets it up the stairs’, even if he delights to have us ‘helping’. He is not asking you to carry a weight that only he can bear. He is inviting you to release your grip on that weight and trust that his hands are already firmly in place. ARE YOU FEELING THE STRAIN? What are you heaving up the proverbial staircase right now? Are you overloaded with ministry responsibilities? Is relational friction weighing you down? Are financial concerns or practical tasks feeling like too much? Today, remember this. You do not bear this weight alone. The sovereign Lord of the universe bears your burdens with you. When you face a daunting ‘staircase’, you can entrust the task to the Lord who is already at work with you and in you. He’s always there, always reliable and faithful. The responsibility doesn’t lie with you alone. He’s by your side, shouldering your burdens. Always. So, may I encourage you with the words of Psalm 55 again? Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you (Ps 55.22a). Knowing that our Lord carries our burdens gives us amazing freedom. And yet there is another truth that is just as precious. We too are being carried. Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you . I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. Isa 46.3-4 These are prophetic words for the ancient Hebrews, but they resonate, don’t they? They contain so much encouragement that continues into the new covenant era. If you’re a leader, you have many responsibilities, that much is true. At times, it’s natural to feel burdened, but be assured of this. As you carry the weight of your obligations, he is carrying you. At all times. He will never, ever drop you. If this post has spoken to you, do join me in this prayer. Heavenly Father, I come to you today with tight fists grasping on to things that are weighing me down. I know I need to let go of them, but I’m struggling. [Take a moment to name some of the things that spring to mind.] Father, help me see afresh that you are the one who is bearing the weight of these burdens. Loosen my straining grip, and help me to believe and trust that they do not depend on me. Help me to rest in the liberating truth of your sovereignty. Give me eyes to see that you lovingly bear me, even as I seek to serve you and those around me with love and faithfulness. Amen

Don’t look at them, look at me! Over twenty years ago, I heard these words in a sermon, and they remain with me to this day. They have left an indelible mark inside me. In fact, my response to them—either in heeding them or ignoring them—has defined my whole life. Let me set the scene. I was living in Southern California with my wife and children, and we attended a Presbyterian church. The preacher, called Chuck (Charles), was the youth leader; he attended our homegroup. He is black, and was in his thirties at the time. I was not a close friend of his, which is an important detail. The impact of his words did not come from a shared bond of friendship. It came from the power of the words, their truth and relevance to my life, and the Holy Spirit. Though it might sound odd, he wasn’t the significant one. His words were. This is what happens when God chooses to speak. The one mediating the message is important, but not as important as the God who is speaking. THE STORY Chuck told a story about an incident in a car park. He was with his white girlfriend, and a gang of youths started taunting him. A black man with a white girlfriend was quite capable of stoking racist attitudes in the U.S.A. back then, and sadly remains so. He was becoming agitated and was about to shout back at his tormentors, when his girlfriend took hold of his face and turned it gently towards her. ‘No, Chuck, don’t look at them, look at me!’ In other words, ‘Look at the face of the one who loves you. Stop wasting energy on people who mean you harm. There is nothing to be gained by doing that. When you look at me, my love will be all you need. So, look at me!’ And that’s what he did. He gazed into the eyes of his girlfriend. His girlfriend became his wife, and they have lived together happily as man and wife to this day. So, what did I learn from this story? DISTRACTIONS Like many Christians today, there are times when I have been ‘Laodicean’ in my approach to my faith. Luke-warm. Neither hot nor cold. At times, I have deserved to be spat out. The principal reason for this can be summed up with one word: distractions. I have been distracted by the cares of this world. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. Matt 13.22 It is not uncommon in our churches to find swathes of people seduced by what I call the ‘There’s nothing wrong with . . .’ affliction. (A post on this coming later). Enjoyable pastimes that aren’t classified as sins (watching TV, children’s sports, repairing our homes etc), that are all well and good, except that they gradually swell to engulf not just some of our time, but almost all our time. The flame flickers and gradually dies, though we pretend that Sunday church attendance still keeps it alive. Don’t look at them, look at me! Before writing about the descent towards ‘Nothing’ (the complete frittering away of our time), C.S. Lewis includes this line in his Screwtape masterpiece. He will want his prayers to be unreal, for he will dread nothing so much as effective contact with the Enemy (i.e. God). His aim will be to let sleeping worms lie. The Screwtape Letters: Letters from a Senior to a Junior Devil (i) Our hearts become cold when the contemplation of the Lord becomes something we fear. We avoid ‘effective contact with the Enemy (God)’. Distractions then function as suitable methods by which we avoid intimacy with him, because . . . well . . . why? There’s a question. Perhaps, in part, because we haven’t properly understood grace. Or maybe because prayer and worship require concentration and effort, and we have never trained ourselves to focus for longer than a few minutes at best. THE BEATIFIC VISION In The Divine Comedy, Dante imagines the soul’s journey towards God. Regardless of your view of Dante’s theology, he has the right destination in mind. He does understand that the ultimate goal of all believers is to experience the ‘beatific vision’. I particularly like these lines in the final Canto. I remember I grew bolder for this reason In bearing up with it, until I merged My gazing with the infinite Goodness. O grace abounding, by which I have dared To fix my eyes through the eternal Light So deeply that my sight was spent in it! Divine Comedy. Paradiso. Canto XXXIII. Lines 79-84. The ‘beatific vision’ of Dante’s conception is considered to take place after death, but the apostle Paul believes that our contemplation of the Lord is something that changes us here and now. Two verses come to mind. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory , are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor 3.18 Paul acknowledges our current limitations, even as he longs for perfect vision. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face . Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 2 Cor 13.12 The contemplation of the Lord’s glory. The Westminster Confession puts it this way: ‘To glorify God, and enjoy him forever’. This is our destiny. I think this is why Chuck’s sermon has left such a mark in me. For me, his story encapsulated exactly what God is saying to me every day of my life. Trust me. Love me. If you gaze upon me, you will see that I can be trusted to give you all you need right now. Don’t allow anything out there to take your focus away from me, because when you look at me, you will see that I love you. And that’s all you need. So look at me, and know that I love you. TRUST Implicit in these words is a link between faith and love. While Chuck was becoming distracted by his tormentors, his girlfriend was inviting him to trust that she knew what was best for him. When he turned to gaze into her eyes, it was an act of faith. Faith and love are inextricably linked. To love God is to trust him. And when we trust him, we will turn to him in worship. Every morning, we all awake in that car park. Every morning. The world is screaming for our attention. It is dragging us down or it is telling us lies. It may also be filling us with so many enjoyable pursuits that we no longer desire to gaze in the face of the one who loves us. We have become distracted or we don’t really believe the words of the one who made us. Yet, our beloved stands before us, pulling our face towards his. He asks us to trust him. He wants our attention; he wants us to catch a vision of his glory. MOSES’ SHINING FACE It is said that Moses, on coming down from Mount Sinai, had a face that shone (Ex 34.29-35). His contact with the Lord had left a physical mark on him. That mark was light. So he put on a veil to cover his face. It was too much (too bright?) for others to bear. I’d be surprised if the apostle Paul didn’t have the Exodus account in mind when he wrote to the Corinthians. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory . We, like Moses, are invited to contemplate the Lord’s glory. What an astonishing thought. No mountain. No tablets of stone. No veils. Just a vision of the believer who worships, who gazes upon the Lord’s glory. So, a few questions to finish. Do you trust the Lord? With all your heart and soul? Or have you become distracted? Are you listening to him when he pulls your face towards his? Don’t look at them, look at me! The Lord says this to me every day. Does he say it to you? Look at me. Enjoy me. Worship me. Love me. When you look at me, you will see that I love you. And that’s all you need right now. So look at me, and know that I love you. (i) Letter 9. The Screwtape Letters: Letters from a Senior to a Junior Devil. C.S.Lewis. 1942. Bodley Head.

The third day he rose again Nicene Creed   On the third day he rose again Apostles’ Creed Jesus’ resurrection is a unique event in history. It’s a critical historical event, foundational to Christian belief. As the apostle Paul wrote, ‘if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins’ (1 Cor 15.17). No wonder, then, that it’s mentioned in the creeds. So, too, is the resurrection of all believers (more on that in a later post). Today, we’re focusing on the significance of Jesus’ resurrection for Christian leaders. The Bible tells us of a handful of other people who died and returned to life [1] , but, remarkable as these miracles were, they were not the same as the resurrection of Jesus for two important reasons. HUMAN AGENCY INVOLVED First, in these other cases, the miracle happened through the words or actions of another person—Elijah, Elisha, Jesus, Peter, or Paul. By contrast, when Jesus rose from the dead, no human agency was involved. God the Father raised Jesus to life. In doing so, God declared Jesus’ identity as the ‘Son of God’ (Rom 1.4). It was the same declaration God the Father made at the baptism of Jesus (Matt 3.17) and his transfiguration (Matt 17.5). In life and death Jesus was fully pleasing to his Father. In raising him from the dead, the Father declared that he was eternally pleased with his Son. UNIQUE Second, in the other cases, the person who returned to life went on to die at some later date. Life returned to a dead body, but that body remained perishable. By contrast, when Jesus rose from the dead, he had a unique kind of body, one that could not die again. As the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again ; death no longer has mastery over him. Rom 6:9 His resurrection body was imperishable. Jesus’ resurrection was more than a temporary reprieve from death; it was death’s decisive defeat. Writing to the Corinthians, Paul makes it clear that Jesus’ resurrection is a ground-breaking event, a ‘firstfruits’ of the general resurrection to come. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits ; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 1 Cor 15.21-23 It is not simply that Jesus rose again. As he declared (in John’s gospel), he is the resurrection, and through him, others will share in this resurrection (John 11.25). That’s why his resurrection gives us ‘living hope’ (1 Pet 1.3). The resurrection of Jesus was not merely the most important event in history, it was also the beginning of a new natural order, the starting point of a new creation. The apostle Paul speaks of our participation in the resurrection of Jesus as something that will take place in the future as well as a reality we experience in the present. To the Romans, he writes, For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his . Rom 6.5 That’s in the future. Yet to the Colossians, he refers to the resurrection in the present, through baptism. Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. Col 2.12 We will be raised with Christ and we have been raised with Christ. Christians live in two parallel realities. THE OLD We are still part of the old creation. Outwardly, we are ‘wasting away’ (2 Cor 4.16). Our bodies are subject to decay along with all physical things in the universe. Yet we are also waiting. In his letter to the Romans, Paul writes that ‘we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies’ (Rom 8.23). The day will come when we are declared to be God’s sons in a resurrection event like the resurrection of Jesus. For now, though, we groan with suffering and long for a resurrection body. Here’s the apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians. For while we are in this tent [our present body], we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 2 Cor 5.4 THE NEW At the same time, we are already part of the new creation. As Paul writes emphatically, ‘if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (2 Cor 5.17); and to the Corinthians, ‘though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day (2 Cor 4.16). When writing to Titus, Paul calls this ‘renewal by the Holy Spirit’ (Titus 3.5b); it takes place also when our minds are ‘transformed’. That’s why he urges the Romans to ‘be transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Rom 12.2b), so they can know and do the will of God. Believers are urged to ‘put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator’ (Col 3.10). A verse in his letter to the Corinthians is particularly descriptive of the manner in which we are being changed as we gaze upon the Lord’s glory. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor 3.18 What does this mean for Christian leadership? I have two thoughts. RESURRECTION – PRESENT AND FUTURE First, our ministry to others should reflect both the present and future benefits of Christ’s resurrection. We need to acknowledge the groaning we experience now in these perishable bodies. For this reason, we should make space for lament and be tender towards those who struggle physically or mentally. After all, our brains are physical things—they’re part of the body—so they too are decaying! Yet as we walk alongside those who suffer, we call them to wait patiently and eagerly for future resurrection. This is not passive waiting, but active—as they wait, we encourage them to be transformed by gazing on Christ. We should never set limits on the degree to which God can change a person’s thinking, affections, and passions in this life as they offer themselves to him and the renewing work of his Spirit. For as we present the glories of Christ to others, we pray that the Spirit will change them. DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED Second, recognising the present and future benefits of Jesus’ resurrection is key to being sustained in ministry. The apostle Paul writes about outer decay and inner renewal in order to encourage believers. ‘Therefore,’ he writes, ‘do not lose heart (2 Cor 4.16a); ‘we are of good courage, I say’, he writes in the same letter (2 Cor 5.6a). When people in our churches focus only on the things of this physical world, they can easily lose heart. We see this on a daily basis. We see the frailty of ageing bodies and the devastation of disease. And so we minister to them in their suffering. This is right and good, but we too can become discouraged by our own suffering. If we’re not careful, we can be led into all sorts of temptations to satisfy the desires of the body, to seek a temporary reprieve. But, as Paul notes, ‘we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5.7). We see the reality of physical decay and we know the lure of physical indulgence, but, with the eyes of faith, we also catch a glimpse of the glory of Christ and the weight of his coming glory. Because of this, though we look forward with confidence, we focus on the job at hand right now. We rejoice as we see people changed in their attitudes and affections as they grow to know the Lord more. We even see progress in ourselves! So, we must lift our eyes above our circumstances to gaze on the Lord Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus should change how we look at life. Paul’s advice to the Colossians is especially noteworthy. Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above , where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God Col 3.1 When we set our hearts on things above, it should change how we live. Just a little further on in his letter to the Colossians, Paul writes, Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion , kindness , humility , gentleness and patience . Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love , which binds them all together in perfect unity. Col 3.12-14 In light of the resurrection of Jesus, this is how we should live. ETERNAL HOPE Brothers and sisters, we will be raised with Christ. We wait in certain hope of bodily resurrection. But we have already been raised with Christ. We are ‘new creation’ people, being renewed in the image of Christ by the Holy Spirit. This is why our ministry should be marked both by patient endurance and by good courage. So, make this your confession today: ‘ I believe in the resurrection’. The son of a widow from Zarephath was returned to life through Elijah (1 Kings 17.17-24). A boy from Shunem was raised through Elisha (2 Kings 4.8-37) and the body of a man whose body was thrown into Elisha’s tomb also returned to life (2 Kings 13.20-21). Jesus returned to life the son of a widow in Nain (Luke 7.11-17), the daughter of Jairus (Luke 8:49-56), and Lazarus of Bethany (John 11.1-44). The bodies of many saints were returned to life when Jesus died (Matt 27.52-53). Tabitha (Dorcas) was returned to life through the apostle Peter (Acts 9.36-42). Eutychus was returned to life through the apostle Paul (Acts 20.7-12).