Being a Network Advisor in the Strategic Leadership Network

Everything you always wanted to know

about being a Network Advisor

but were too busy to ask

You are not alone! Nearly all Strategic Leadership Network Advisors have questions about their responsibilities within this new Network. Just remember, your Network Fellow – whom you probably know – has few preconceptions about your relationship. Your personality, professional attitude, and knowledge of multiple churches in your area and Vision New England, are all you need to succeed. And you have all those already!!!

Why am I a Strategic Leadership Network Advisor?

You are a Network Advisor because someone within Vision New England believes that you, as a lay leader in your local area, have:

1)      a broad knowledge of a number of churches in your local area;

2)      a lay person’s awareness of the social and cultural climate out there as well;

3)      a passion for what could be done in your area for the cause of Christ;

4)      an uncommonly rich understanding of where leading churches and pastors are successful in penetrating your area with the Gospel of Christ;

5)      a favorable attitude toward and conversational understanding of Vision New England based on previous positive experiences with us in your life.

As a result, you have already been recognized as a Regional Advisor in the Vision New England Annual Report. The Strategic Leadership Network wants lay leaders like yourself to be our “eyes and ears” in your local area. But there’s more; we believe there are benefits for you as well.

What’s in It for Me?

I know that you are already a busy person. How can I possibly ask you to take on anything more? That’s not an easy question to answer, and I can’t answer for you, but I do have some thoughts.

We believe that participation in this Network will make you more effective in what you are doing for Christ within your own Christian network. Participation in the Strategic Leadership Network as a Network Advisor can:

1)      put you in touch with dozens of other strategic and effective Christians – both lay people and pastors – across New England, and what they are thinking and doing;

2)      enrich your relationship with several of the leading churches and their key leaders within your area;

3)      position you as an informed source of information on where Vision New England and its Field Ministries are headed. You will have direct contact with your Network Partner at Vision New England. If that person can’t answer your question, they know who can;

4)       enhance your reputation and effectiveness as a leader who understands what is going on in the Christian ministry world on many fronts across New England.

Understanding Your Network Fellow

You will be aligned with several Network Fellows in your area. You will probably know them already; you may have even nominated them for membership in the Strategic Leadership Network.

Each Network Fellow is a personally invited participant, recruited because of his or her ministry expertise and reputation as a leader in their church. Network Fellows like to think strategically about future plans and talk about them with other people. Network Fellows love the Lord and are action-oriented decision-makers eager to explore and influence the next stages in their ministry development.

In simple words, Network Fellows are the “thinkers and talkers”, able and willing to give us strategic program and ministry direction recommendations. And in their church, they are “doers.”

What Do I Have to Do?

Compared to the benefit that you receive from the Network, we believe that this is not a heavy burden. First of all, you are a knowledge broker between your Network Fellows and Vision New England. You provide Vision New England with an understanding of the ministry needs within your area – especially as they relate to your Network Fellows. You provide your Network Fellows – and any other Christians whom you regularly contact – with your broad understanding of what Vision New England can do regarding ministry for them.

One of the most important activities that you can do as a Network Advisor is nominate, from your area, the very best churches and their representatives to the Strategic Leadership Network. The characteristics of both the candidate churches and key leaders we want in the Network are outlined in the flyer “Strategic Leadership Network Overview.” A Nomination Form is part of that flyer. If you need multiple copies let me know. Or I can send it to you over e-mail. Or you can even get it off the Strategic Leadership Network page on the Vision New England website. 

You will be invited to the Strategic Leadership Network conferences – two times per year for two days each. With your Network Fellows, you will hear detailed, future plans from specific Field Ministry Directors. You will be able to give your feedback. You will be able to discuss detailed questions with your Network Partner and virtually any of the Field Ministry Directors and Vision New England leadership team. We will all be there. Yes, we know you are busy, but we encourage you to attend as many of these conferences as possible. We know that you will benefit greatly.

Between conferences, we suggest that you call, visit, e-mail, etc. your Network Fellows periodically just to keep in touch, and just to see if they have any questions about Vision New England. You may even want to visit one of the Vision New England offices – preferably with your Network Partner – to address specific strategic issues or even plan some strategic direction with your Network Fellow and Network Partner. Regardless, you can contact your Network Partner at any time to discuss any specific strategic questions you might have for your area.

That’s it!

It’s very simple, and we believe not very time-consuming or burdensome. But we believe that the relationships that you form with your Network Fellows and Network Partner can significantly enrich your own ministry effectiveness, and leverage the ministry effectiveness of your Fellows’ churches. And you will be seen even more as a leader in ministry in your area.

Vision New England welcomes you as a Network Advisor in the Strategic Leadership Network.