Leadership Exchange Charts Course

The board and staff of the Leadership Exchange (LEX) recently met at the Christian Reformed Church in North America’s denominational office in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and shared information and suggestions on ways "to catalyze a culture of Christ-like, kingdom-minded leadership in the CRCNA and beyond.”

LEX was formally started a little more than a year ago by the denomination with the purpose of finding ways to identify, train and encourage new leaders of all ages and ethnic backgrounds in the CRCNA.

During the meeting, Chris Pullenayegem, director of the exchange, says he and LEX staff presented “their plans and interacted with the board members on a number of policy and operational issues."

Several Power Point presentations were shared, helping to detail the work and vision of the LEX.

"This was the first time the Board met the program staff and heard about their collective passion and competencies in helping" to create "good and effective leaders who can move through all three time zones with grace, balance and intentionality," says Pullenayegem.

Such individuals, says Pullenayegem, "are able to treat history with great respect, the future with eagerness and remain firmly in the present with fortitude. Good leaders are also like artists – they paint pictures of how they see the future and influence others to journey with them into that future.”

Many people ask him as director of LEX what does that future look like for the CRC.

Pullenayegem says, "It depends on how you see that past, what you do with it and how you imagine the future. The Leadership Exchange, after a year of planning and strategizing, invites you to see an exciting future and invites you to participate in our journey towards that future."

LEX has a wide-ranging agenda for developing leaders in all areas of the church. The Power Point presentations helped to define that agenda and chart a course for the future. Of the many program initiatives and approaches described in the presentations, here are a few:

• Identifying and developing leaders who will facilitate and serve as resources for leadership development in different areas in which CRCNA congregations exist or are being planned;
• Training leaders through multiple channels: live events, mentorships, retreats and web-based technology;
• Helping to create a CRC with an increasing number of churches and leaders who are intentionally "making" disciples for the Lord as the core of their ministry;
• Working to "produce" Christ-like, obedient, and reliable disciples who in turn are able to connect with, teach and train new disciples for Christ;
• Strategically identifying, training and raising up ethnic leaders to "bless our denomination and make her rich with diverse culture";
• Encouraging the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world, not just neighbors, as church members meet with others day-to-day in offices, factories, fields, shops, clubs, streets . . .
• Developing ethnic leaders who will be supported to grow their ethnic churches, as well as to develop other ethnic leaders whose role will be to serves as "ministry catalysts and bridge builders into their communities";
• Equipping, encouraging and empowering young adults "to use their gifts in the church and kingdom by serving God and loving others";
• And developing a culture in the CRC where "we are intentional about equipping and empowering believers to articulate and demonstrate the whole gospel to the whole world."

Clearly, LEX has important ambitions and has started to implement some of the various programs and events the Power Point presentations listed.

Overall, says Pullenayegem, LEX "seeks to serve men and women from diverse backgrounds and spheres of life: pastors, elders, deacons, youth, business persons, professionals, missionaries, community developers, and students to name a few. And, we seek to do this by being a catalyst that creates and sustains environments that nurture and promote transformational servant leadership that contributes to the vision of our denomination."

For questions or comments send an email to Chris Pullenayegem at [email protected],or visit, LEX.