About Us
Our Mission is to make Christian leadership development accessible to communities of faith so that they flourish and help others do the same.
For nearly twenty years, groups of pastoral and lay leaders throughout North America have intentionally engaged Churches Learning Change for empowerment and encouragement to discover their true Design.
From our beginning, we have embraced a different approach to leadership development and communal renewal. Instead of supposed quick-fixes or plug-and-play programming, we know that God's Design is best discovered by getting and staying curious, turning to God and each other in reflection, and taking responsibility.
We've learned how to ask the right questions and how to spark the imaginations of communities of faith through teaching material, coaching sessions, guided personal reflection and group meetings. Our participant-practitioners purposefully discover God's Design and activity in their midst. Our approach allows faithfulness to flourish, no matter denominational or theological affiliation.
The practice of living and leading communities by God's Design requires leaders to effectively use adaptive leadership skills and have a wholehearted life expressing the biblical values of love, authenticity, curiosity, courage, and integrity. CLC's process integrates skill-building, spiritual growth, theological and practical learning and praxis, and creates safe but challenging spaces that empower hopeful and playful leaders who transform communities.
Join the hundreds of church leaders who have already discovered the joy of living and leading by God's Design.
Our Unique Focus
We take you deeper than any other renewal program or process by getting to the level of mental models. In CLC, we utilize spiritual practices and values, adaptive leadership skills, and a commitment to contextual discernment that we help you apply immediately in your own setting.
Transformational Leaders
What worked in the past is very likely not what you need to do now. When you can't make heads or tails of what's really going on or even where to begin, our leadership equipping will help you clear the clutter and find your footing as you lead God's people into the future. CLC helps you see how failing is nothing to fear when you're following God's lead.
Overcome Roadblocks
Learning to live with one another requires leaning into Christlikeness. Learning to listen and speak well, to stay true to yourself while staying in relationship in the midst of disagreement requires a lot of practice. CLC will give you the tools you need to see more of what's really going on, overcome fear and shame, and support others as they experience loss and grief.
Shape Thriving Communities
God uses the church to shape the future-- not just react to it. Create space for your community to undergo its own transformation into a relevant, beacon of hope in your city. CLC will help you bring your learning and experience to the curious disciples in your pews and shape a faith community that takes its call to be a blessing to others with a Spirit-filled life seriously.
Our Services
Primer on Mental Models
The CLC Primer takes leaders and communities on the journey of learning change through the Spirit's renewal. We integrate biblical values for living and adaptive skills for leading with a method of learning that honours diverse theological traditions and each church's unique context and culture.
Compass Initiative
The Compass Initiative helps leaders and congregations navigate their inner and outer worlds in order to discover life and leadership aligned with God's Design. We do this by combining the Primer with an intentional spiritual and emotional maturity discipleship process from Faithwalking.
Our Team
Along with a volunteer non-profit board, teacher-practitioners, and a strong team of coaches, a core staff serves Churches Learning Change from across North America.
Edie Lenz
Executive Director & Coach
Indiana, USA
Chelsey Harmon
Content Development
British Columbia, CANADA
Ken Eriks
Fund Development & Coach
Michigan, USA
Our Coaches
Learner Practitioners, just like you.
Our coaches come from across North American and serve in a variety of ministry settings. They are CLC alum trained and naturally skilled at empowering Christian leaders to discover the richness of God's Design.
Renee' Jelsma
Michigan, USA
Sherri Meyer-Veen
New York, USA
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Al Plat
Alberta, Canada
Greg Town
New York, USA
Jess Shults
Michigan, USA