Reflections on Leadership Conference 2024
WHAT A POWERFUL time we had together at this year’s Leadership Conference: ‘Leading Like Jesus’.
As the doors opened the room filled quickly with over 400 leaders from across our churches, all buzzing to get stuck in and busy connecting with one another, many reacquainting with old friends for the first time in several years.
Amongst us was a tangible sense of eagerness to approach the throne room and bring our hearts and ministries before the Lord. To me it felt like a homecoming - we were finally gathered as one people to fix our eyes on Jesus again and encourage each another in his glorious salvation!
Led wonderfully by our worship teams, these moments in God’s presence gave us ears to hear in the main sessions and seminars, where we were served so magnificently by our conference speakers including those from outside Commission churches.
Our own Tim Blaber set the tone by exhorting us, against the backdrop of today’s leadership storms, to be a church that first and foremost stands on Jesus Christ and his doctrine. Mike Reeves seamlessly picked up Tim’s baton - the centrality of the gospel - heralding its truth as the only light that can drive out the darkness of leadership hypocrisy and pride from within our hearts.
The feast continued into days 2 and 3 as Natalie Williams from Jubilee+ shared vulnerably about her experiences of being marginalised within church. She deeply challenged many of us that our ministry must never disregard the poor, but lift them up as Jesus did without concern for his own comfort or reputation.
“We mustn’t settle for leadership that is nothing like Jesus”
The platform was again occupied by new blood as Segun Oladokun spoke so authentically on being a people who truly pray, not just those who give it lip service; before Rico Tice directed us to Christ as the ultimate example of servant leadership, self-sacrificing not self-seeking.
It was fitting to have two father figures in Commission join us on the platform - Mick Taylor and John Groves - offering pastoral wisdom to help us apply all we were hearing. With this, the challenges and lessons from Steve Petch’s church planting journey struck a chord in such stark and helpful detail.
These take-homes were echoed by the prophetic encouragement of a Viking Longship, carrying rowers with tired arms, hoisting its sail to catch new power and momentum from a fresh wind. The Father is wanting to bring renewed hope and strength to leaders who are weary, calling us again to lead with the life of his Spirit within us.
After the last session, as men and women, young and old piled out of the auditorium, Guy Miller’s call to unity from John 17 resounded in our minds as an anthem of the times. Unity was Jesus’ priority as he prayed for his disciples and the church, and is absolutely vital for God’s people to flourish and achieve all he has called us to together.
“There is one body and one Spirit…one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:4-6)
So can we encourage you to drink deeply from this year’s conference, drawing from it to fuel the weeks and months ahead. Download the talks when they’re released, use them to equip others and continue your own growth by booking into next year’s leadership event in February 2025.
We can’t wait to see you again!
- The Commission Team