Leader Development
When leaders get better, everyone gets better! Whether you are leading yourself or setting direction for a team, we want to help you develop your leadership thinking, maturity, and skills right where you are. TDC’s Leader Development offers tools for self-guided leader development, as well as cross-missional application, nomination, and invitation programs.
“David shepherded them with integrity of heart and with skillful hands he led them.” Ps. 78:72
The last paragraph of our Vision statement helps us know where developing leaders fits into our overall vision:
The leaders of this movement, developed and empowered for God’s service, live out a growing commitment to Christlikeness. They are dependent upon the Holy Spirit. New generations of leaders are emerging, rooted incarnationally in their local and national contexts. An international leadership community brings focus, alignment and energy to their movement. These leaders are clearly committed to long-term impact in generational ministry.
Our identity as leaders – who we are – is that of a servant. Jesus models this in John 13 in the all too familiar act of washing his disciples’ feet. Though this action is never repeated (that we know of) by any of the disciples, Paul or NT leaders, the principle Jesus models is one of humility. As servant leaders we act with humility + genuine concern for others + helpful action.
Psalm 23 is one of the most familiar passages in the Scriptures – even among unchurched peoples. It is one of many places in the Bible that describes what the Good Shepherd does – leads, develops, and cares – for the flock. The Lead Develop Care (LDC) model of shepherd leadership is a foundational framework for leading people at the local, regional, national, and organizational levels. Understanding and using the LDC model is the focus of the LDI program.
In the parable of the talents, Jesus tells the story of a landowner who goes on a journey. He entrusts three of his servants with 10, 5 and 1 talent(s) respectively. His expectation is that each servant would multiply what has been entrusted to them. In the same way, God entrusts leaders with the responsibility to multiply – or to steward well – what has been entrusted to them. In The Navigators, we are trusting God for an audacious goal of one million disciplemakers. Senior leaders at the regional, national, and organizational levels are invited by God to be stewards, not only of His people, but also of the resources needed to complete the task at hand.
The Navigators Leader Development Initiative utilizes a Shepherd Leadership Model known as LDC, or Lead Develop Care.
