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Over eight hundred leaders have received training in the past twenty-two years through the India Missions Association’s (IMA) Advance Missions Leadership Training (AMLT). AMLT has greatly impacted the Church’s thinking in India concerning missions. Twenty-two emerging leaders from nine organisations attended this year’s AMLT, held 2-15 September 2007 at Satyodayam in Secunderabad, India. AMLT 2007 sought to achieve the following objectives:
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To envision more leaders to meet the increasing challenges in transforming the nation.
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To envision a bigger picture of the national and global mission challenges and prepare adequate leadership.
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To assist in understanding the contemporary missiological issues and mission scenario.
- To create awareness of the principles of leadership from scriptural and management perspectives.
- To create a desire for continuous learning of leadership, management and communication.
- To allow current IMA leaders to spend time with the new leaders.
These objectives were completed through sessions that included lectures, discussions, practical and interactive sessions, book reviews, movie reviews and written assignments. The sessions covered were as follows:
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Biblical Basis of Leadership
- Missions: Where We Are
- Contemporary Mission Issues (member care, stree (women), board members, diaspora, population, influencers, neighbours, tentmakers, business as mission and youth)
- Introduction to Networks
- Understanding Teams
- Understanding Communication Skills
- Understanding Urban Sub-Culture
- Understanding Protections under the Law, FCRA, Financial Management and Income Tax
- Leadership and Management
Each morning began with a time of worship, singing and Bible study on the various characteristics of a leader, including: need, caring, servanthood, integrity, accountability, holiness, partnerships, mentoring, transition and prayer. Each Bible study was based on a character from the Bible.
Each evening, the leaders had time to interact with each other about work, personal concerns and future plans. This was followed by a time of supporting, encouraging and praying for one another. The leaders also had a day to shop and to take a tour of Hyderabad. Pictures are available at: www.imaindia.org/programs/amlt2007/sightseeingphotos.asp.
AMLT 2007 ended with a graduation ceremony. Here, the leaders were prayed for and were awarded certificates for completion of the training. Pictures of the graduation ceremony are available at: www.imaindia.org/programs/amlt2007/graduationphotos.asp.
Now our goal is to continue to focus on the Lord in building and equipping mission leadership in the country (and the world) in light of the changing mission scenario. May the risen Lord whom we love and serve be our guide and focus at all times.
