Leadership Matters

By Jeff Turnbough

I just reviewed a Position Results Description (PRD) of a missionary. The PRD, an enhanced job description, focuses on the desired results of a ministry role rather than the tasks. At International Missions, we have implemented it for both our missionaries and home staff. It forms the basis for our annual accountability and evaluations. We first learned about this practical tool through the Leadership Matters Course, or LMC.

Robert Bryan, Dennis Teague, my wife Susan, and I attended our first LMC in 2006. Since that time, I have incorporated many other LMC leadership tools and skills into my life—regular times of solitude, an eight-fold life management plan, the workshop method, storytelling skills, etc.

The Leadership Matters Course—designed by experienced cross-cultural workers for cross-cultural workers—is sponsored by the International Training Alliance (ITA), a partnership of mission agencies such as Operation Mobilization, Wycliffe, Christian Missionary Alliance, Global Partners, New Horizons, Caleb Australia, Caleb New Zealand, Tentmakers USA, General Baptists, and Free Will Baptist International Missions.

Leaders return to their diverse places of ministry with practical tools and encouragement to enhance their effectiveness. Additionally, friendships formed extend God’s Kingdom work. For example, at International Missions, we are working with Operation Mobilization and Christian Missionary Alliance to provide a course to help leaders in Montevideo, Uruguay. Montevideo is the least reached city in all of Latin America. I’m sure the Lord of the harvest smiles when His children from different groups work together in this way.

Because of LMC, I have friends and colleagues on every continent—each of us working to fulfill the Great Commission. This is precisely the fulfillment of Jesus’ heart, expressed in His prayer in John 17.

After attending that first LMC as participants, Free Will Baptist International Missions became a partner. Since that time, several members of our Mission team have become senior trainers, offering time, talents, and energy for at least two courses per year.

In case you think I am the only one at the Mission thankful for LMC, read this unsolicited note from a missionary who recently attended his first course:

We just returned from participating in the LMC course. LMC has been the most practical leadership and ministry training that I have taken part in over the past 20 years. It has provided some very concrete and practical tools for forming our team. It occurred to me that when we send out missionaries, they are expected to have sufficient educational and ministerial experience. We also give them extensive cross-cultural training. After completing this training, it seems that LMC should be a requirement or strongly encouraged aspect of any missionary going beyond the first term. I’m glad that FWB International Missions is part of this training and am very thankful that you allowed us the opportunity to attend. I think it will be giving dividends for years to come.

This note reflects the feelings of thousands of cross-cultural workers from dozens of mission agencies, who have attended the Leadership Matters Course. Consider a handful of the comments from participants in a recent course:

This is the best leadership course I have ever done. I have been encouraged, valued, stretched, and empowered. (Graham, UK)

The best comprehensive training available out there for mission workers that is practical, skills-driven, and relationship-based. (Peter, Creative Access)

This course is well conceived, cleverly put together, and taught with both godliness and excellence. I would recommend it to anyone! (Stephen, Africa)

The LMC is incredibly engaging training. Our leaders walked away with a common language and set of tools we can immediately put into practice. (Dennis)

This course has fundamentally changed my approach to ministry management perceptions and has opened many areas that I didn’t pay attention to before. (Geoffrey, Uganda)

A tremendous asset to anyone who wants to shape their leadership skills and pick up some new tools to enhance their abilities. (Andy, OM Ships)

Because it is taught in such a practical manner, I will integrate this course immediately into my form of thinking and working. It will just be a part of whom I am for many years to come. (Kristi, Spain)

Invaluable, priceless! (Melissa, UK)

While the trainers are unpaid volunteers, comments like the ones above are more than enough payback for the time we invest! Through these workers on the front lines of ministry, we help touch thousands and thousands of people all over the globe.

Courses last two weeks. The maximum numbers of participants in any course are 36, with at least one experienced mission leader/trainer for every three participants. One of the strengths of the courses is having diverse nationalities, ethnicities, and mission agencies involved as workers. In the last course I led, 39 participants represented 15 nationalities from 14 different mission agencies. You will find few gatherings like this…all for His honor and for the extension of His Kingdom.

Robert Bryan (Free Will Baptist missionary to France) has led a team of experienced LMC trainers to translate the course into French, primarily for national leaders in West Africa. They have held two successful courses in Cameroon. I have spearheaded a similar effort in Spanish, focusing on Latin America. We piloted several shorter courses to test the materials with select leaders in Spain, Cuba, and Venezuela. What a blessing to be part of this growing Kingdom effort.

Join us in thanking God for the ministry of the Leadership Matters Course. Pray for the global council and management team, as together we seek to fulfill the requests for more courses around the world. Free Will Baptist International Missions exists to labor with the Body of Christ to fulfill the Great Commission. With LMC, we train workers to be more effective in fulfilling that goal.

About the Writer: Jeff Turnbough has served as director of field operations for International Missions since 2008. Visit www.fwbgo.com.