SAS

2024 My Job Workshops for the NW District

2024 “MY JOB” Workshops

The Northwest District and Arkansas Conference are providing resources to equip you in your ministry. All disciples are called to serve and you have demonstrated your willingness to use the spiritual gifts and talents God has given you to lead your congregation in its disciple-making and world-transforming mission.

As we start a new year, you may be wondering exactly what is expected of you if you’ve agreed to serve in a leadership role that is new to you, while others may desire a current refresher of the Disciplinary expectations for your committee. One of the responsibilities of a district superintendent is to train and equip members of the Book of Discipline governing committees. This year, DS Blake Bradford will be leading a series of online ZOOM sessions to share the “why” and “how” of the different committees and answer some of your questions.

Downloadable PDF Workshop Slides:


January 2024 VIDEO Recordings:

Church Council, Finance, and Trustees “My Job” Video

Workshop Links:

Pastor/Staff Parish Relations Committee “My Job” Video

Workshop Links:



Simplified Accountable Structure (Single Board) “My Job” Video

Workshop Links:


Arkansas UMC: Refresher Workshop for Board Leaders

Held at Asbury UMC in Little Rock, Blake led a refresher workshop designed to update leaders on the latest learnings and best practices in simplified accountable structure.

Downloads from Class:

Powerpoint Handout (PDF)

Rules of the Road Board Covenant and Guiding Principles Examples


ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Watch a SAS Board Meeting (Recommended Video). SAS Leadership Boards often struggle with implementing accountability when moving to a simplified structure. Since it is often not used, understood, or modeled, Kay and Blake have provided a 40 minute training video to demonstrate accountable leadership at the Leadership Board level.

For further Board Training: Blake and Kay led a 2-part video webinar for UMC’s Discipleship Ministries: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/articles/new-webinar-series-a-simple-structure-for-missional-effectiveness

Structure and Nominations for Simplified Accountable Structure - "HOW TO" CONVERSATION

A Simplified Accountable Structure (SAS) is utilized as an alternative model for local church governance and is sometimes referred to as the "one board" model. A single Leadership Board serves in the capacity of multiple Disciplinary administrative committees. As we begin our Charge Conference nominations work we invite you to join Dr. Blake Bradford, Northwest District Superintendent, as he walks you through SAS nominations process in this webinar.

Download the slides from the workshop presentation

DOWNLOADS:

District Officers: Training for District Leadership Boards and DBCLB

District Officers: Training for District Leadership Boards and DBCLB

As Dean of the Appointive Cabinet in the Arkansas Conference, I created quick 30-minute training videos for the simplified structure District Leadership Board and the District Board of Church Location and Building. In addition to each video, I have a PDF of the slides I used and some helpful resources.

District Leadership Board

District Board of Church Location and Building (DBCLB)

2021 Webinar: Blake Bradford & Kay Kotan: Understanding the Simplified, Accountable Structure

We’ve all heard about SAS, the Simplified, Accountable Structure. But what is it? During this session, SAS experts Kay Kotan and Blake Bradford will discuss:

  • Understanding What SAS Is

  • The Three Phases

  • Important Shifts in the Model to Know

  • Most Common Mistakes in its Practice to Avoid

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During this one-hour session, Kay and Blake will focus on ministry while making meetings fewer in number but larger in meaning. In this session, aimed at clergy and congregational leaders, particularly United Methodists, the authors provide practical, tested steps to simplify your church structure and unleash more people into ministry.

Too often churches try to simplify their structures by just having fewer people at the meeting table. But real simplification and accountable leadership means that meetings – and leaders – are transformed. Kay and Blake walk you through both the technical and adaptive changes to simplify your structure for missional effectiveness.

ClergyEducation.com is a resource for clergy and church leaders, offering CEUs accepted by most United Methodist annual conferences. ClergyEducation.com is a division of Market Square Publishing LLC.

ClergyEducation.com is a resource for clergy and church leaders, offering CEUs accepted by most United Methodist annual conferences. ClergyEducation.com is a division of Market Square Publishing LLC.

2021 DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRIES WEBINAR: “A SIMPLE STRUCTURE FOR MISSIONAL EFFECTIVENESS”

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2 SESSION DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRIES WEBINAR:

“A SIMPLE STRUCTURE FOR MISSIONAL EFFECTIVENESS”

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Church leaders want to equip more people for ministry. They long for a simpler decision-making process focused on discipleship, not endless meetings. But simply having fewer meetings won’t inspire more people to live into their calling. What will? Creating a clear and focused accountability structure that places the church’s disciple-making mission front and center.

This two-session 2021 webinar series with leadership coach Kay Kotan and District Superintendent Blake Bradford looks at how simplified, accountable leadership structure (often called the “one-board” model) can empower, equip, and set laity and clergy free to focus on the mission of making disciples of Jesus who change the world.

WEBINAR ONE (08/12/21):

What is a Simplified, Accountable Structure (SAS)?

Participants will discover:

  • What simplified, accountable structure is

  • Why churches should consider this model

  • How accountability plays a significant role in simplification

Watch the video archive of this webinar:





WEBINAR TWO (08/19/21):

How to Implement a Simplified Structure in Your Church

An overview of:

  • The three distinct phases of simplified, accountable structure

  • What players are involved in each phase

  • The elements of each phase and what the timeline looks like

Watch the video archive of this webinar: