Warren Searles, of Willow Springs Mennonite Church in Tiskilwa, IL has become the latest Illinois Mennonite Conference participate to complete the Journey program through Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS)!

Journey is a three-year program for persons who wish to deepen their foundation for leadership in the local church. The work is done through two, annual, weekend learning events, online study, and regular meetings with a pastoral mentor.  Warren’s mentor was pastor Cal Zehr of Willow Springs.

The Journey program helps students develop strengths in six areas:

• Spiritual disciplines, focusing on prayer and nurture of the inner spirit.
• Theological and biblical studies, developing familiarity with Anabaptist theology and approaches to Bible study.
• Character development, exploring qualities such as courage, consistency, love and self-discipline.
• Mentoring and community, providing strong mentors and discerning what it means to live in Christian community.
• Gift development, challenging students to develop their own spiritual gifts and to nurture the gifts of congregational members
• Leadership skills, strengthening preaching, worship leading, conflict transformation, time management and other ministry skills.

During the three years of study, students cover five units on the following topics.

• Unit 1: The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church
• Unit 2: The Biblical Story
• Unit 3: Anabaptism: Foundations and Future — A Way of Being Church
• Unit 4: The Ministry of Reconciliation: Leadership for Communal Formation, Process and Witness
• Unit 5: Announcement and Celebration: Proclamation and Worship that Participate in the Mission of God

Everyone in IMC is proud of Warren’s work and look forward to the fruit that it bears in ministry through Willow Springs!

If you are interested in Journey: A Missional Leadership Development Program, click here.