By Andrew Jones
Developing godly leaders is anything but simple. In fact, it’s challenging and sometimes messy, according to a 2008 audit of leadership training in the Grace Brethren movement.
“Leadership is clearly essential…and complicated,” says Mike Yoder, coordinator of leadership training initiatives for Grace Brethren International Missions. “Few topics arouse as
much interest, discussion, and debate as the task of training leaders.”
Yoder, a Ph.D. candidate in Intercultural Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) in Chicago, conducted the audit in advance of Charis 2008, the worldwide gathering of Grace Brethren leadership from 17 countries, held in Bad Homburg, Germany. The 58-page document, both an encouraging and sobering report, affirms the complications of leadership training within the worldwide Grace Brethren movement. It also outlines goals and obstacles for leadership training in nearly 20 Grace Brethren groups around the world.