LEAD Cohorts

LEAD Cohorts are online meeting places for small groups of MB pastors and leaders – or anyone interested in learning more about a specific topic or gathering with like-minded people.

LEAD Cohorts are FREE to all participants. The only cost is for books or materials, if recommended by the cohort leader. LEAD Cohorts typically last three months and meet online every two weeks for about an hour.

The following cohorts will be starting in September. Registration information will be sent via email over the summer. If you are interested in joining a future LEAD Cohort, please email Lori Taylor.

Becoming a Good and Faithful Steward – Jon Wiebe and Dennis Fast
Money is often a difficult topic for pastors to address. This cohort will help leaders become familiar with Biblical instruction on money and stewardship, develop tips for faithful stewardship and provide resources to help your congregation take hold of real life! 

Jon Wiebe is MB Foundation president and CEO, and Dennis Fast is MB Foundation church relations director.

Coffee Shop Talk – Patrick Coyle
Grab a cup of coffee and sit down with some of your ministry peers to talk about common issues and challenges in ministry.  Each gathering will be focused on a specific topic such as “balancing ministry and family”, “personal spiritual growth” or “dealing with conflict.”

Pat Coyle has been the Senior Pastor of Shafter MB in Shafter, California since 2001.

Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery – Chandelle Claassen
Embark on a personal journey of self-discovery using a personality assessment tool called the Enneagram (a study of nine interconnected personality types that help us understand ourselves and others) as we learn to recognize and respond to God in our life stories. Participants will learn how they respond under stress and how to make choices that lead to a healthier and authentic life.

Chandelle Claassen is a trained spiritual director and certified life coach and member of the USMB LEAD Coaching team.

Gospel Priorities for a Healthy Church – Jared Pulliam
Study the scriptures and encourage one another, with regard to living as disciples of Christ in community together. Understand three significant topics that impact our ministry in the local church: Understanding our Identity by working through what it means to be part of Christ's church, both globally and locally; Defining our Purpose by giving careful thought to the kinds of things we are called to pursue as local churches; Implementing Healthy Leadership by examining what scripture says about those who are called to shepherd the people of Christ. 

Jared Pulliam is the lead pastor of Christ Church Sellwood in Portland, Oregon.

Hero Makers – Brian Allen
Delve into five powerful practices found in Jesus’ ministry that will provide practical tools and strategies for multiplying the dreams God has given us. Regardless of the size or notoriety of our ministry we will dig into the book Hero Maker and support each other as we seek to maximize our leadership and shift the culture of our churches and ministries to a sustainable path of reproduction and multiplication. 

Brian Allen is the lead pastor of Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church in Hillsboro, Kansas.

Introduction to Spiritual Formation – Chandelle Claassen
An introduction to biblical and Christ-centered spiritual formation, or the maturing of one’s relationship with God. Explore the importance of soul care practices with the intent to embrace who we are uniquely created in Christ to be. Participants will be equipped with and experience application of various tools and spiritual exercises. The cohort will be contemplative in nature.

Chandelle Claassen is a trained spiritual director and certified life coach and member of the USMB LEAD Coaching team.

Jesus and Me – Terry Hunt
Everyone needs renewed hope and streams of encouragement. This cohort is designed to remind believers of the presence of Jesus and to walk with Him daily. Through the book, Jesus Today: Experience Hope Through His Presence, we will discover and understand better His longing and deep desire to walk alongside us – in the good and not-so-good days of our lives.

Terry Hunt is the North Carolina district minister and lead pastor of The Life Center in Lenoir, NC.

Overcoming Performing for God by Abiding in Him – Ed and Carol Boschman
Join as couples or individuals on this introspective and freeing journey unpacking the devastating trap of pursuing God’s love and approval by our performance. Together we will consider whether moralism has captured our thinking to the degree that we adhere to a certain set of external regulations to find acceptance, worth and self-esteem, and whether our churches have fallen prey to meritocracy, which is the way of the kingdom of this world.

Ed Boschman leads the USMB LEAD Coaching program and was the previous USMB Executive Director.  He and Carol gladly share from their years of experience and hearts to serve.

Practical Disciple-making – Bob Davis and Stephen Humber
Jesus commands us to make disciples as we go, so this cohort will help us do that very thing. Each participant will choose someone along the discipleship pathway (from not yet a believer to moving into community, service or leadership) that they are intentionally discipling. We’ll support each other, share, learn and pray together for these 9 sessions. It’s going to be creative, stretching and a lot of fun.

Bob Davis and Stephen Humber serve on the mobilization team of MB Mission and desire to see healthy churches engaged in making disciples. 

Refreshing Your Pastoral Counseling – John Oelze
This cohort model and example will provide a great context and guide for working with others through everyday struggles of life by focusing specifically on the heart of the counselor.  Through personal counseling interactions from within the cohort, we will be reminded and refreshed as the Holy Spirit guides us in examining our own hearts to bring about change in others

This cohort is led by John Oelze, the executive pastor at First MB Church in Wichita, Kansas.

Youth Ministry Realities – Russ Claassen
Get to know other youth workers and engage in passionate discussion focused on the realities we face as youth workers. We will explore topics relevant to the group, such as personal leadership development and spiritual growth, recruiting and training volunteers or talking about Jesus with teens in the iCulture. The possibilities are endless.

Russ Claassen is the Southern District youth minister and youth pastor at Koerner Heights Church in Newton, Kansas.