Exploring Leadership Day 2023: Showing our God colours

A diverse range of people from across the territory gathered for Exploring Leadership Day, reports Territorial Communications Officer Captain Jo Moir. It was an opportunity for worship, teaching, conversation and exploration.

Territorial Candidates Directors Majors Andrea and Mark Sawyer led vibrant all-age worship, which encouraged children and adults alike to be open to God’s voice and calling.

A period of quickfire testimonies gave an insight into different people’s calling to spiritual leadership, each sharing with honesty the challenges and joys of following where God has led them – they all acknowledged that, although it hadn’t always been easy, God had never left them.

Territorial Secretary for Leader Development Colonel Jenine Main unpacked Matthew 8:23–27, the story of Jesus calming the storm, by interviewing two young leaders – Lieutenant Liam Beattie (Leicester West) and Lydia Kim (William Booth College) – who challenged delegates to consider where they might be in the narrative. On the shore watching from a distance? In the boat but frightened, like the disciples? Trying to fight the storm? Or trusting Jesus, the peace[1]bringer? The message echoed the earlier testimonies – get on the boat, even though there may be storms ahead, for God will be with us.

A host of people went forward in response, kneeling at the mercy seat and signing their names beside prayers.

The day continued with seminars covering different subjects, from discipleship and inclusion to wholeness and worship. There was access to a prayer space designed for visitors of all ages to reflect and engage in prayer ministry.

There was also a calling marketplace featuring zones for pioneering, Open Learning, chaplaincy and officership.

One of the busiest areas was the café, where powerful conversations were had as people engaged in meaningful discussions aided by the challenge to ‘be open’, which pervaded the day.

The day concluded with worship led by Lauren and Karl Westwood (Bromley Temple), while children shared some of their learning from the day. They focused on the day’s second passage of Scripture, Matthew 5:14, which calls everyone to shine and show their ‘God colours’ (The Message).

Colonel Jenine expanded on the text by challenging all present to bring God-colours of hope, justice, gentleness and kindness into the greyness of this broken world, saying: ‘We are all designed to bring out our unique gifts, our unique calling and our unique God colours into the places we live and the places God is sending us.’

As voices were raised in prayer and praise, banners waved and children engaged creatively in exuberant worship. There was a glimpse of just how colourful a world it can be when people are open, choose to get on the boat and live to shine for Jesus.