General Church Leadership Resources

• Thriving Essentials - Thriving Essentials is a new way to get all the ministry leaders in your church—elders and deacons, volunteers and staff, newbies and old-timers—aligned on core concepts of mission, discipleship, discernment, and leadership. 
• Leading with Integrity - A seven session resource designed to orient ministry leaders to the Code of Conduct for Ministry Leaders
• The Power to Do Good - a training course that explores the nature of power and authority in the church, reflecting on its use, abuse, and how it can be redeemed for the glory of God and the flourishing of God's people.

Resources on Stewardship:

• Check out this online, self-directed course: Biblical Stewardship: Living as Stewards of God’s Goodness.
• Or these fantastic resources from Diaconal Ministries Canada on stewardship at diaconalministries.com/stewardship/, including helpful handouts on stewardship; sermon resources; more on stewardship of treasures, time, talents, and trees; and even an online course on Biblical Stewardship

Resources on Mercy

• Guidelines for Benevolence (PDF file)—This publication by Diaconal Ministries of Canada expands on the work of benevolence.
• Serving with Dignity Cohort—An asset-based approach to service that moves us beyond meeting immediate needs to creating lasting change and transformation. Offered by World Renew. 
• https://diaconalministries.com/mercy-justice/

Resources on Justice

For a more in-depth exploration of pursuing justice that brings change and healing, consider taking these free, online courses: 

• Justice: An Everyday Spiritual Journey for Deacons
• Faith In Action: Practicing Biblical Advocacy (US)
• Faith In Action: Practicing Biblical Advocacy (CAN)

For additional resources and great ideas about the deacons’ role in pursuing justice, check out these fantastic resources from Diaconal Ministries Canada: diaconalministries.com/mercy-justice

Resources on Engaging the Community

• Welcome to the Neighborhood - More and more churches want to connect and engage with their communities. But how do we get involved in our communities in a healthy way? World Renew created this series of seven webinars to explore ways churches can be better neighbors! (Recordings for this series are available upon request at worldrenew.net/events.)
• Community Scan Information - A program sponsored by Diaconal Ministries Canada that helps churches discern how God is at work in their communities and how they might join him in that work.
• MissionInsite Report - Available for US congregations. Reach out to your Regional Connector to access your report. Find your Regional Connector at crcna.org/thrive/regional-connectors.
• Engaging with Your Community: Introduction to Community Partnerships
• Ideas and Resources - Information regarding community engagement from Diaconal Ministries Canada