I recently attended a conference at Duke University in North Carolina on congregational and clergy health in the church. It was an inspiring experience to be surrounded by so many people of different denominations and backgrounds, all united by the common goal of strengthening and healing the clergy and congregations in their care. The conference made me think about the importance of community and mentorship, and how working alone can feel isolating and futile when faced with the massive changes that need to be made. The story of Elijah in the Bible reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles, and that God cares for his leaders and is doing something beautiful for his church. Click through to read more about my reflections from the conference.

As a mentor and professional supervisor, I have found that providing a safe space for leaders to discuss their thoughts and emotions can be incredibly beneficial. Recently, I was supervising a young pastor who was struggling with a difficult situation involving a team member. By reflecting on how Jesus responded to similar situations, we were able to find new ways of thinking and responding for my supervisee. It’s important to consider not only the supervisee in a presenting issue, but also to guide them in considering Jesus’ responses to all those involved. Remember that Jesus suffered and endured every test and temptation, so that he can help us every time we pass through the ordeals of life.

Focusing on the clients This perspective focuses on the sort of third party involved. For a mentor or coach talking with a Professional Supervisor, this person would be their client. With a school Principal talking with a Professional Supervisor, the third party would be their teachers, the students or the parents of the students. For a pastor in the same

Seven Eyes Model of Supervision If you have been in leadership, and have had to supervise coworkers and employees for more than a few years, it’s likely you have heard of the seven-eyes model of supervision. This is a method of supervision developed by Peter Hawkins. It is designed to help practitioners grow in their professional development, particularly to understand

The way we interact with the world around us has everything to do with how we choose to perceive the world. If we wake up each morning, and roll out of bed dreading the worst parts of our day, imagining worst-case scenarios, feeling like we can’t change the aspects of our life we don’t enjoy or that life feels empty

In any relationship there are mistakes made on both sides. As human beings we aren’t perfect; we can let our insecurities, fears, irritations and anger get the better of us at some point or another, causing hurt to others. Inevitably, the people around us will harm us and we will harm them. Since there is no going back in time,

I am so excited to finally share the release of my book Burnout and Beyond! It has been a lot of hard work over the last year, but finally, I can tell the story of my burnout, my recovery and how the experience has changed me forever. I hope that my journey will resonate with others and guide those in

The act of mentoring doesn’t usually bring administrative work to mind, but anyone who has spent time in ministry knows that organizing and planning are key to ensure excellence. good work is done. Administration keeps things effective, safe and professional. It’s essential to organize and plan to ensure sound execution and flow of work.  The relationship between mentor and mentee

An often overlooked task in the mentor role is ensuring safety; safety for the mentor, for the mentee and for the larger community around both. In fact, safety is an important component in Verve Lead’s front page statement; “Lift buoyancy and resilience of Christian leaders, to enhance the well-being, sustainability and safety of our communities.”  The effect of a Christian