School of leadership

Equipping leaders to grow their churches

“SOL is easily the best training I’ve ever done.”
“Fantastic – the topics were delivered by people who had ‘been-there-done-that’ and spoke right into the real needs of my parish.”
“The quality of friendship we’ve developed is superb. This will last long after SOL finished.”

Since 2003, the Church Growth Team have been providing clergy in the Diocese of Liverpool with SOL; a dynamic training process that effectively equips and supports them as they grow their churches and explore new mission opportunities.

The SOL is an intensive one day per week (9.30am – 4.00pm) over the first 3 months of each year. The teaching is delivered by top practitioners from around the nation, and happens within a small group learning environment – each SOL being limited to just 10 clergy.

It’s not for the fainthearted! Apart from the weekly small group time there is a 48 hour retreat, required reading with reviews, plus personal journaling. Those accepted onto SOL are expected to clear their diary of all non-essential tasks for 3 months AND commit to 100% attendance.

Following SOL there is a twin track of support for leaders and their churches. One focuses on church growth, using the NCD or Growing Healthy Churches profiling as its starting point. The other focuses on fresh Expressions of church using the 6 week Mission Shaped Introduction (MSI) course as its starting point. This is followed by the longer MSM training for groups within churches who seek to begin a fresh expression of church.

The SOL is provided free by the diocese as part of the church growth team’s ministry. Participants are only asked to cover a small charge for lunch each week.

For more information you can download the SOL Overview or contact Church Growth Team Leader, Linda Jones.