The leadership of the Boston Church is committed to the support and equipping of the Saints, but especially those who have committed themselves to shepherding the flock is some manner.  To that end the leadership retreat was set up to equip, train, inspire and help these brothers and sisters that serve this great church to feel appreciated and supported.

To listen to the messages from the retreat (Click here) or go to the Media tab on the BCC web site and under there you will see a new section called "BCC Leadership Retreat".

To see the pictures from the reteat (Click here) or look under the "Recent Albums" section on the right column on the BCC web site.

We started out on Friday night with a lesson called, “The Anatomy of a thriving Family Group”.  Chip and Ruby Mitchell shared from their own experience of leading a group for the past year; some of the obstacles, plans and victories.  Then Mike Lamb let the group in a fun time entitled, “No eye has seen, no mind has conceived…”  This was a group competition with lots of hilarious competitions and questions to answer. 

Saturday morning we awoke to a great breakfast for those that stayed over Friday night and then separate workshops on inspirational leadership that Doug and Joyce Arthur led.  Doug’s theme was “The mystery of Motivating Men” and Joyce’s was “What women want”.  Both were intended to help all of us to be inspirational leaders in our various roles and in the settings that we lead. 

After lunch Mike Van Auken led along with a group of brothers to talk about what the church is doing and how it is lead.  They shared about the Elders, the Board, the International Missions society, the Singles ministry, the Youth and Families ministry (new name and function for the previous Teen ministry) and how the church is serving the Poor and Needy.  It was incredible to hear all that God is doing in our church in so many ways and through so many who lead so tirelessly.  Kevin Miller and Hector Morales then closed us out with the message, “Keeping your spiritual fervor.”  They shared how the church can have all these great programs going on but challenged us on whether we have maintained our own spiritual fire and motivation.  What are our personal dreams and plans and what are we doing to accomplish them? It was challenging and convicting to hear them share personally about what they were doing and the zeal and passion that they spoke with. 

For Sunday we had a real treat to hear from two great brothers, John McGuirk and Fred Faller on the “Spiritual life of a leader”.  John shared two great points, “Has self denial gone out of style” and “Is this not the hour for alternative power” talking about the primal call we have as disciples to deny ourselves and how we have to tap into the Spirit to allow us to maintain our spiritual strength, especially for some of us that have gotten a bit older as Christians.  Fred spoke about two types of leaders; the “Natural” leader and the “Appointed” leader and how each has a role to fulfill and yet the challenge is for each to serve with God’s power and calling and with great humility.  Doug then closed out the retreat with a lesson called, “The Great Banquet”.  He told us to not get discouraged when people make excuses but to “go get the grateful” and even when we have done that there is still room.  We need to persuade people that they need to be become a Christian and join in the “Banquet”.  He set the goal for us to reach out to three groups in 2009, the children of the disciples, the “lost sheep” who have wandered off and the folks on the “highways and byways”.  He challenged us to have a great love for our brothers and sisters, their children and the lost and to go out from this retreat with a renewed commitment and zeal about the mission that God has given to all of us.  In the end many hearts were moved and all felt and renewed calling to the mission that all of us heard as we became disciple of Christ ourselves.  Brothers and Sisters lets recommit ourselves to leading in whatever way God has seen fit to call us.