LEAD Ministry

Deacon Jessica had a great weekend with Bishop Emily and the North Carolina Synod Strategic Planning Team! Bonus / worship with and hear the stories of First Lutheran Church in Lexington!

"In Search of Paul" - A LEAD Pauline study pilgrimage to Turkey and Greece for rostered leaders and inquiring disciples. We are leaving post-Easter, April 6-22, 2027.

Full info at: leadconnects.org/in-search-of-paul-2027/

Registration closes 10/31/2026.

$1000 scholarships available for leaders rostered 10 years or less.

This week's blog post - - - >
For the Love of God by Deacon Peggy Hahn (she/her), Senior Consultant at LEAD

For the love of God – don’t say you don’t have a vision!

So you may not have a particular vision for your congregation or organization in this very minute BUT GOD HAS A VISION that we are part of. It is a vision that looks like people trying to live like Jesus. OUR BAPTISMAL PROMISES OFFER A VISION. It is a vision of teaching the faith, serving people in the world God made. JESUS HAS A VISION. “Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength – and love your neighbor as yourself” in the Gospel of Mark and Matthew. THE APOSTLE PAUL HAD A VISION – tell your own transformation story, respect all the parts of the body of Christ (hands, feet, etc.) and for the sake of Jesus, as much as it is possible, live at peace with all. Even PETER GOT THE VISION – Feed the sheep! Feed the lambs! Feed the sheep!

Read more here - leadconnects.org/for-the-love-of-god/

TODAY on The Daily LEAD podcast - What happens when the organizational chart starts determining not only who is responsible, but who is allowed to talk to whom? This episode explores why healthy churches and nonprofits need both open communication and clear accountability. We’ll talk about organizational silos, communication vacuums, the danger of making leaders the middleman for every conversation, and why talking to people instead of about them is essential for healthy culture. Great organizations don’t just have good information—they create pathways for that information to move. Because your organizational structure may need lines, but your communication culture needs bridges.

Listen now on your favorite platform or at leadconnects.org/podcast/

Today on The Daily LEAD podcast - Why do some of us need reassurance again and again—even after we've already received it? This Mental Health Monday explores the deeper roots of reassurance-seeking, from anxiety and uncertainty to attachment, self-trust, and fear of disconnection, plus practical ways to begin breaking the cycle.

Listen NOW on your favorite platform or at leadconnects.org/podcast/

Today on The Daily LEAD podcast - How much is your organization spending—through time, energy, bureaucracy, missed opportunities, and frustrated leaders—trying to make sure nobody ever makes a mistake?

This episode explores what happens when healthy accountability becomes organizational paralysis. For church and nonprofit leaders, the challenge isn’t to eliminate mistakes; it’s to know which mistakes require strong safeguards and which ones we can afford to make, learn from, and fix. Because sometimes the greatest cost isn’t the mistake itself—it’s everything we sacrifice trying to guarantee that nothing ever goes wrong.

Listen NOW on your favorite platform or at leadconnects.org/podcast/

A Book That Changed Me
by Deacon David Hope-Tringali, LEAD Board Member and Executive Director at Tree 4 Hope

If you look around the world today, things like generosity and forgiveness seem to be in short supply. Billionaires hoard their wealth, media and messaging tell us that our happiness is dependent on acquiring more and more and more, and that helping a neighbor get ahead is a weakness when they should just pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. In the face of another’s wrongdoing, we are given example after example of retaliation as the only appropriate response rather than reconciliation. If someone pushes us, we must then push back harder, if another country flexes its military might, we must show them, often at the cost of millions and millions of dollars, that we are stronger. The irony to all of this is that, living in a place that likes to claim Christianity is at the foundation of its identity, none of these actions reflect the teachings of Christ and none of these actions make life better for ourselves and our neighbors. Read more here -leadconnects.org/a-book-that-changed-me-6/

It's always a good time to begin thinking about the next step in congregational ministry and every congregation can benefit from strategic planning!

LEAD's unique Strategic Planning process starts with listening to God in scripture, congregation and the neighbors.

Consider LEAD to do this important work with your leaders! Next info meeting is Sept 23 at 11:30amCT - https://bit.ly/4bqhkZ

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Get signed up now to get this Thursday's newsletter - leadconnects.org/lead-newsletter-signup/