25 Years Chicago HQ Affiliates in 18

US states, South Africa, Great Britain

Leadership training

Congregational development

Leadership tables of clergy, lay leaders and allies

Issue Campaigns

Professional organizers

LOCAL/REGIONAL/STATE ISSUES

Affordable housing Education Health Care Transportation Treatment Instead of Prison Work force development Tax reform

NATIONAL ISSUES

Voting Rights Act re-authorization

Civil Rights of Immigrants Health Care Education

I. Build our collective power

II. Strengthen faith communities

III. Heal our democracy

THREE YEAR STRATEGIC CAMPAIGN

THREE OVERALL GOALS

“We have been silent witnesses of evil deeds; we have been drenched by many storms; we have learnt the arts of equivocation and pretence; experience has made us suspicious of others and kept us from being truthful and open; intolerable conflicts have worn us down and even made us cynical.

Are we still of any use?”

Where are we now?

Attitude I

The work of the church is in matters of life and death – what could be more important?

What do we do to undermine our importance?

Attitude II

Our ministries should have an urgent relevance to the daily lives of people

Are our ministries resulting in a stronger congregation or are we just “managing?”

PEW: 20% OF AMERICANS ARE NOW ATHEIST, AGNOSTIC OR UNAFFILIATED WITH A RELIGION

“The unaffiliated are less trusting of churches and religious organizations than the general public overall.

“In particular, they claim that these groups are “too concerned with money and power, too focused on rules, and too involved in politics.”

“That being said, a majority believe that faith and religion can be a positive force in society and that religious organizations bring people together and help strengthen community bonds.”

Attitude III

Congregations must build power to be relevant

Who instilled the spirit of timidity in us?

PowerAbility to act

Two components

Organized people

Organized money

Attitude IV

Relationships based on an understanding of self-interests are the key to building powerful congregations

How can we love one another if we do not know one another? What stands in the way of

knowing our neighbors?

Discipline IIntentional relationship-building: fostering natural

but uncommon exchanges

A. Build trust

B. Understand self-interest

C. Gain/offer clarity

D. Gather information

Discipline IIMeetings that respect people.

A. Have a point - action

B. Follow an agenda – prepared in advance

C. Begin and end on time – this is business

D. Ratify decisions that have already been made

Discipline IIIBuild a culture of integrity and accountability

1. Specific, measurable plans

2. We say what we’ll do and we do what we say

3. Evaluation: Did we meet our goals? How did people grow? How is this building the congregation?

Discipline IVBuilding a public life for our faith communities

“We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spike into the wheel itself.” 

Discipline VOngoing leadership training and development

1. All leaders are grooming their replacements

2. No one is expected to “sink or swim”

3. Everyone moving toward the center of congregational life

Attitudes Disciplines

1. The work of the church is a matter of life and death

2. Our ministries must be relevant

3. To be relevant we must build power

4. Relationships are the key

1. Intentional relationship-building

2. Effective meetings

3. Culture of integrity and accountability

4. Life in public arena

5. Ongoing development of leaders

GAMALIEL NATIONAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING

www.gamaliel.org

Norton@Gamaliel.org410-458-3380

 

 

National Leadership Training (7 Day): Jul 14-20: Mundelein, IL  Nov 11-17: Sacramento, CA 

Other Important Dates  National Clergy/Team Training April 24-26: St. Mary’s, Mundelein, IL Advanced Leader/Strategic Campaign TrainingJune 10-14: Gallaudet University, Washington DC International Leadership AssemblyDecember 3-5, Washington, DC

Most Rev. Mark Hanson, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

“My own experience of Gamaliel leadership training gave me a deep sense that churches were not simply being used for some narrow political agenda, but that there is a real respect for the faith-based nature of our work. I also appreciated the emphasis on the individual and their call to leadership in the church as well as the community.

I believe we can use this methodology to integrate the attitudes and disciplines of community organizing even more deeply with our church revitalization efforts, using it as a principal tool in developing churches and their leaders as powerfully relevant to the daily concerns of our people.”