Executive Skills for Church Leaders

JANUARY 5 – 9, 2026
Consider checking in on Sunday, January 4

Executive Skills for Church Leaders

Program of Thriving Leadership Formation

Join us for a transformative week-long continuing education event designed specifically for pastors, deacons, and church leaders. This program provides a dedicated space to delve into leadership and various aspects of congregational life or whatever your ministry context may be.

Hosted by the Thriving Leadership Formation Program (out of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary), Executive Skills for Church Leaders brings together expert faculty and church leaders. Throughout the week, the expertise of the faculty combined with the wisdom and experiences of the participants, will create space for valuable tools to emerge in navigating the complexities of congregational life and ministry.

In the complex environment of congregational management, we all can use new tools for ministry. Each day, we explore a different theme.

Topics covered:

Ministry in a Hybrid Work Climate
Leveraging Social Media & Email Newsletters for Ministry Impact
Tools and Tactics for Congregational Vitality
Practical Tools and Strategies for Using AI in Ministry Settings

Day 1: Thriving in a Hybrid Ministry World

Felecia Boone, facilitator

Session Overview: Whatever your role in ministry, this day is designed to equip your whole leadership team for today’s changing ministry landscape.

Hybrid and work-from-home ministry bring both opportunities and challenges. In this interactive day, you’ll gain practical tools, real-life strategies, and the chance to learn directly from an experienced facilitator who understands the unique dynamics of church leadership.

We’ll explore:

Time Management that Works – Habits and tools to make the most of your day while leaving room for Spirit-led moments.
Building Relationships in a Hybrid World – How to foster connection, trust, and collaboration when you’re not always in the same place.
Effective Delegation – What to hand off, how to set clear expectations, and how to empower others to lead with confidence.
Supervising and Leading Well – Practical skills for managing staff and guiding Church Councils toward shared, healthy leadership.

You’ll leave with:

A set of ready-to-use tools you can adapt for your own context.
Strategies for strengthening your leadership team’s collaboration and accountability.
Fresh insight from group discussion with peers and direct coaching from an expert.

Day 2: AI in Ministry

Practical Tools and Strategies for Church Leaders

Justin Barkhuff, facilitator

Session Overview: In this interactive, hands-on day, participants will learn how to use artificial intelligence as a responsible, practical tool for ministry. Through real-world examples, live demonstrations, and guided exercises, Justin will show how AI can help with worship preparation, communication, administration, and community engagement—while keeping the leader’s unique voice and calling at the center. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use tools and strategies, ethical guardrails, and the confidence to bring AI into their ministry in a way that saves time, inspires fresh ideas, and strengthens their ministry’s impact.

Day 3: The Empowered Shepherd

Tools and Tactics for Congregational Vitality

Carla Christopher, facilitator

Session Overview: Inspiring passion, igniting purpose, integrating practices, all in service to building vibrant and engaging congregations that are relevant to community and reverent for both seekers and steadfasts. Engage practical tools around cultivating communities of belonging, incorporating trauma informed practice, and navigating dialogue across difference and scarcity mindset through evidence-based and data-driven lenses of transformation for congregational vitality. From mission and core value discernment, to internal and external community asset mapping and establishing authentic, relational partnerships to strategic plans and S.M.A.R.T. goals, be equipped in a day for a thriving season of spirit-centered ministerial leadership.

Day 4: Strategic Communication & Growth

Leveraging Social Media & Email Newsletters for Ministry Impact

Catherine Slabaugh, facilitator

Session Overview: Impactful communication begins with a strategy! On this day, participants will delve into building a strategic communication plan that centers social media and email newsletters. You’ll walk away with an outline of a strategy that can be implemented in your ministry setting, with concrete do’s, don’t’s, and how-to’s for your social media platforms and email newsletters. Teachings will be rooted in authenticity, sustainability, and encouragement to try something new!

Who should attend?

Join us for a week of continuing education as professionals from the world of management provide guidance and insight relevant to church leaders. This event is open to leaders from all denominations.

Pastors
Deacons
Bishops
Synod Staff
Professional Leaders
Faith Leaders

This executive skills for church leaders retreat is co-sponsored by Thriving Leadership Formation Program and Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center. The event will be facilitated by Desta Goehner, Director of Thriving Leadership Formation.

WHEN

Monday – Friday, January 5-9, 2026
The program begins on Monday morning so we encourage arrival on Sunday.

COST

Price per person:

One person, private room : $1,300 per person
Two people, two in a room : $1,050 per person
Three people, three in a room : $850 per person
Four people, four in a room : $750 per person
Commuter, incl. program, lunches, dinners, snacks : $725 per person

Price includes: Five days of programming, five nights lodging (Sunday-Thursday) and 13 meals (5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners). Includes breakfast on Monday prior to the workshop ~ participants are on their own for dinner on Sunday evening.