Tending the Apple Tree
By Becca Fletcher.
It’s a lovely August afternoon as I write this article. Outside my office window is an apple tree whose branches are heavily laden with rapidly ripening apples. My spouse and I planted that tree – at my insistence – when we moved into our house 25 years ago. Why did I insist on an apple tree? Because I love to make apple pie, apple crisp, applesauce, and all the apple treats. I was certain that having my own apple tree would make it so easy and inexpensive to bake and preserve and freeze all the delightful apple treats.
At the same time, I also had small children and had started seminary, and my spouse and I experienced the deaths of 3 of our 4 parents within the space of 4 years. Needless to say, the apple tree didn’t get very much attention, and there wasn’t a lot of baking going on. A few years later, when I decided I wanted to make a pie, I discovered that there were worms in my beautiful apples. It was then that I learned that I should have been attending to the tree all along – feeding it and pruning it and protecting it from all the other critters who also love apples.
It’s funny that when you learn how to make an apple pie, nobody teaches you how to grow apples.
This metaphor is true not only for apple trees, it’s true for ministers and churches as well. My colleagues and I have the privilege of working with lots of churches and ministers in a variety of contexts and situations, and it’s almost inevitable that at some point in the process we will hear, “they didn’t teach us that in seminary.” The process of preparing for professional ministry is a lot like pastry school: one learns how to bake apple pies, but one does not learn how to grow and nurture apple trees. In seminary, one learns how to preach and teach, but one does not learn about the day-to-day realities of ministry.
At LeaderWise, we care for ministers and their congregations, providing the nourishment, training, accompaniment, and experiences that help them bear their best fruit. You’ll hear more about options for individual support next week, so for today, here’s a brief rundown of the offerings we provide for groups of ministers and other faith-based professionals.
The Core Four: Our research and experience shows over and over again that ministry professionals need to be proficient in 4 core areas: Boundaries, Conflict Management, Emotional Intelligence, and Self-Differentiated Leadership. All of these courses are available via public offerings and can be brought to specific groups as well. Some of these courses can even be customized for a particular context or situation.
The Shape of Leadership: Over the course of a year, a multi-faith group of ministers gathers for monthly cohort meetings and quarterly all-group retreats to develop leadership skills in areas such as leader identity, self-awareness, power and influence, emotional systems, leading through change, and more.
CrossForm is a program designed for churches seeking to become stronger, more flexible, and make an impact in the world. Over a period of 15 months including five immersive experiences and monthly coaching for ministers, participants explore their foundations, learn about leading through change, and make their own plans for moving forward.
Consulting: Sometimes churches find themselves caught up in conflict, facing a crisis, or wanting outside expertise in working through specific questions or situations. LeaderWise consultants bring a depth of personal and professional experience to these situations, providing an unbiased perspective and helping the congregation achieve its objectives.
As summer winds down and you begin to look forward to fall, this is a good time to check your apple trees. What kind of nourishment and care might they need to help them flourish and bear good fruit in the year to come? If any of the above programs sound intriguing to you, please check out the Leadership Development section of our website and click on the “connect with us” button for more detailed information and upcoming opportunities. We look forward to working with you!
