Raising up men and women as disciple-making leaders is crucial to our health and future as a family of churches. That’s what the Catalyst Leadership and Theology Training Course exists for. We are a learning community, investing to grow existing and emerging leaders on strong foundations of theological understanding, grace-based spirituality, character integrity, and practical leadership. Church planting, cross-cultural mission, postgraduate theological study, youth work, leading worship teams, and church leadership are just some of the wide range of things people have gone on to do after completing the course. At present, we have 37 women and men on the course, gathered from across the UK. We worship together, pray together, eat, chat, laugh, and cry together, as well as digging deep into theology and leadership practice.

This year, alongside our year-long exploration of biblical theology, we have had a rich mix of powerful spiritual encounters. Wendy Mann led us on developing a supernatural culture, Andrew Bunt shared pastoral insight on sexuality, gender, and singleness, Simon Holley provided superb input on disciple-making, and Natalie Williams and Joe Macnamara delivered inspirational teaching on justice and God’s heart for the poor. Some of the highlights looking ahead include a day with Amy Orr-Ewing on apologetics, Glen Scrivener on evangelism, as well as lots more teaching from leading figures within Catalyst.

We have also introduced a new focus on leadership health in terms of character, spirituality, and building healthy rhythms of work and rest. Each time we meet, we give time to focusing on this key area in some way, convinced that it is crucial to our long-term resilience as disciples and leaders.

The course was developed in partnership with Moorlands College, where several people have gone on to further study, often receiving credits for their study with us. We are exploring the potential to develop this relationship in the future, as well as beginning conversations with various Catalyst leaders outside of the UK about what the course could contribute to churches in other nations (alongside other training initiatives).

We are very glad to welcome students from other streams, but the course reflects the vision and values of Catalyst and is set up to develop leaders for our family of churches. The course has three core elements:

Classroom learning – 40 days (Fridays and Saturdays) of learning together over two years, hosted at New Life Church, Milton Keynes. Our classroom learning then follows 3 major tracks: Biblical Theology, Historical/Systematic Theology Leadership, explored through the lenses of the apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, and teaching ministry.

In-church mentoring, to focus personal development and integrate learning into everyday practice.

Optional written assignments, to consolidate and extend learning, which lead to the Catalyst Certificate in Theology and Leadership Training.

People who join the course include site leaders, youth and children’s leaders, newly appointed elders, worship pastors, and many others too, but they are all there with the backing of the elders of their churches who recognise their potential and want to invest in them as leaders.

We are open for applications for starting in September 2024, so now is the time to spot the people in your church whom you see God growing into leadership of different kinds and to explore how the course could be part of their journey. All the information you need (including application forms to download) can be found here or you can be in touch with our Course Administrator, Alecs Atkinson, at [email protected].