Comments from Previous Participants in This Course

"The 5Cs will be very useful in every aspect of my ministry. We Christians, no matter what our denomination, need to accept the fact that Christ is the Alpha and the Omega or our existence. However, there is too much interest in power and authority issues that too often take precedence. If one thing sticks out in my learning experience here, it is this. All the other Cs proceed from Him." Paul Wolkovits (Associate Director of the Synod Implementation Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles)

"There is much teaching to make students more familiar with Christian leadership, but your method helps to get them intimate with the Lord and His pattern of leadership." (Reza Roshanzamir, Elam Ministries, UK)

"This course was very useful. It gave me structure, insight and the necessary parts I'm lacking for the way our ministry is working among church leaders and leadership teams." (Pim van Arnhem, Impuls, The Netherlands)

"This course has provided a practical way to bring together many pedagogical and biblical insights with tools to operationalize them, both at the local church level and in the many ways I am engaged in leader development initiatives in our mission agency and around the world. I thank God for this ministry – the best leader development initiative I know." (Richard Showalter, President, Eastern Mennonite Missions)

"The ConneXions Model has refocused my calling to teach, both at home in North America and cross-culturally. I now know so much better how to teach the great truths of the faith in a more relational context. My teaching missions to Asia, Africa and the Middle East are now infused with new energy and focus. Knowing and learning from Malcolm has proved to me the validity of the ConneXions principle: Leaders Build Leaders!" (Eric Vess, Director of Partnership Communications, World Help)

"This course has answered questions that previously seemed to have no answer, and has clearly revealed the truth of scriptural principles of leader development." (Darryl Roos, Regional Leader, AOG Churches, Far Northern Queensland, Australia)

"I understood that while trying to become a leader, I have to depend on and follow Christ Jesus as He is the greatest leader and teacher." (Dr. Akumbu Pius, Cameroon)

"I have been trying to help emerging leaders by mostly focusing on the 'instructional.' This is an eye-opener for me to be holistic in my approach." (Pastor Sam Jato, Cameroon)

"We have never heard teaching like this before - this model puts Christ right at the center of Christian leadership and leader development." (Rafael Grigorian, Church Network Leader, Armenia)

"This model confirms what we have always known about leader development. God has sent you at the right time!" (Pham Dinh Nhan, Vietnam)

“Excellent! Thank you LeaderSource, SGA! I was blessed, encouraged and challenged all week to have the highest quality training and equipping of leaders possible.” (Joseph Parker, KidTrek, Long Beach, California)

 “What you are doing is excellent! I recommend that all pastors from Africa should take this useful course.” (Dorah Makotole, Children’s Minister, Tanzania)

“Very, very helpful. This will definitely have a big impact on the shape of our church! Thank you.” (Chris Martin, Senior Pastor, Columbus, Ohio)

“The course clarified my thoughts on spiritual development and maturity. It was very helpful in both content and format. The grid (5C goal and 4D process) is genius.” (John Waak, Senior Pastor, Victoria, Texas)

"Our organization has as one of its major tenets the need for our programs to be based on leadership. We have benefited much from understanding the concepts surrounding building healthy leaders that Strategic Global Assistance has developed and implemented around the world. SGA has a high level of commitment to the contextualization process. Whereas most organizations settle for contextualization of translated materials, SGA insists that everything be contextualized - ideas, concepts, program design, and program implementation. This results in leadership development that is locally 'owned,' making it much more likely to succeed and to bear much fruit. SGA is always in 'learning mode.' They listen carefully and respectfully to their constituents, ever ready to improve on their premises, principles, and methods. They are not afraid to challenge carefully held traditions and biases that Westerners are prone to carry with them into the international arena. I highly recommend Malcolm Webber and SGA."

 “Up to now I had thought it was not my ministry to build leaders, but, after this course, I am convinced to build leaders, and I have now learned how to do it!” (Church leader, Indore, India)

“This model is just what I was looking for.” (Church leader, Mumbai, India)

“Thank you for the excellent, concise, reproducible material. It is very effective.” (Church leader, Pune, India)

“This was effective in helping us to identify the mistakes we’ve made and to find new ways to effectively bring transformation.” (Pastor T. Thomas, Sri Lanka)

“Fantastic and thought provoking!” (Church leader, Indore, India)

“I’ve been in many leadership trainings, but this one was different. This is the best I’ve been to.”

“You don’t know what you have done! You have really messed us up.” (With a smile!)

“This teaching was better than beautiful! I’m going to start using this model immediately.”

“This teaching was amazing.”

“Your approach is revolutionary!”

“This is a powerful and effective way of building leaders.”

“This model is just what I was looking for.”

"This model is revolutionary!"

"Our lives have been immeasurably enriched and our paradigms changed."

"This Building Healthy Leaders is one of the best events I have ever been a part of. More than just a course, this learning community enriched me personally by revealing some of my own blind spots in leadership, and by breaking down some of the barriers hindering my own growth as a leader. I am full of ideas and looking forward to returning home to begin applying them."

"I don't know that I've ever been around a clearer way of doing theological training."

"You have changed our way of thinking!"

"You have diagnosed the problems in [our national] church and offered solutions. Thank you!"

"This model, if we wholeheartedly let go of our traditions and use it thoroughly, will revolutionize the life of the church."

"Thank you very much for providing the Building Healthy Leaders Course. I am convinced that the ConneXions model of leadership development is biblically sound and will be perfectly suited to developing leaders in our own congregation. I was especially impressed with the fact that you have been unwilling to take shortcuts to leadership development. If the leadership crisis in our own nation is to be solved, it will only be by a return to the principles and practices of Jesus. Of course, I am especially interested in leadership development in other countries, and I believe that this approach can be easily adapted to any culture. May the Lord prosper your attempts to bring reform in this vital area. And to God be the glory."

"This course is outstanding and needs to be learned across our nation."

"The Building Leaders seminar was truly an eye-opener to me. Not because any one thing was so radically different but because of the comprehensive way it was presented. It really helped me put into perspective a whole host of experiences we have been through in our walk with Jesus. Now I believe I have a better 'framework' to provide direction and goals to the work we are called to do here in our own country."

"This course has taken my already shifting paradigms and altered them permanently. The shift is complete!"

"I am very enthusiastic about your model."

"This course was dynamic, life changing and very motivating for me."

"This course was wonderful because of content that was organized well into effective and understandable conceptual frameworks then brought all the way through to practical steps for a leader in any capacity."

"I learned a lot… the course was of great use to me… I could see the impact [the model has] on the ConneXions participants as well as those who participate in various other roles.  I understood that it is a real investment on the part of the church to do that, but on the other hand, it is the Biblical way to do it and the church also benefits."

"I have been challenged, stretched, encouraged and strengthened."

"This model is easily reproducible anywhere."

"The course helped me clarify my thinking, to keep away from 'programs' and 'packages' and focus upon 'people.'"

"I truly thought both the content and the methodology of the presentation were A++. I learned a lot, clarifying and giving much greater specific structure to what my instincts have vaguely felt for many years... Insightful, clear, appropriate use of Scriptures... clear articulation... balance of lecture/assigned activities/discussion... excellent prepared materials... critiquing past models without a critical spirit... overall practicality."

"This was a wonderful course – overwhelming to say the least! It has helped me to realize even more that the process and interaction is the real learning and developing of leaders and not just the teaching. It will help us to design our training in the nations where we work. Thanks ever so much!"

"This is a clear, succinct, and, I believe, valid conceptual model of Christian leadership. It helps me to integrate past experience with non-formal training models with the challenges we currently face."

"The course was handled in a great manner - skillfully and with a great dose of humility. I really enjoyed it. The idea of localized church education is one that MUST be assimilated and integrated in every church. You are right - this is the only environment in which churches can secure the training of their own leaders. I truly recommend this course. It is an eye-opener and spirit-mover. It will introduce you to a new level of securing a new generation of Christian leaders."

"This was a very useful course... it provides a framework upon which you can adapt the specifics for your give situation. Conceptually and practically it was personally challenging..."

"These principles and practices have unlimited potential; they have the ability to turn the church around and impact our culture with releasing capable, empowered believers."

"This model of training can answer the questions and address the disappointments I’ve had with the way we have been doing it for so long."

"The best part of the course was Malcolm’s spiritual- and biblical-centeredness coupled with a recognition of the complexity of leader development along with practical, clear tools for cutting through the complexity to practical applications of principles."

"The principles were thoroughly taught. I understand them enough to start applying them. This is very useful!

"This was very worth while because I was equipped with more than knowledge!"

"This course changed me first and then also gave me a tool to change (build) others."

"The ConneXions models helped clarify and expand things I had known and experienced but had not necessarily pulled together into a cohesive picture."

"I was very pleased to see the heavy emphasis on everything starting with Christ and being Christ-centered... My previous experience with leadership training has been taking a few courses and reading some books. They have typically been information and no application. The key to this 'Building Healthy Leaders' course is that it is about building. Some of the materials that I have studied from other leadership trainers seem to be primarily information-based. They describe what characteristics a leader might have, but they do not tell how to get there. A lot of the characteristics seem to be those related to a corporate leader or a 'successful' leader. We need to look at our definition of success. Does it include significance for God's kingdom?"

"This course affirms and confirms the church culture we have experienced. But it is very helpful in that this is much more intentional and inspiring. It has freshly envisioned me that we can build healthy leaders within the local church."

"I’ve been looking for a way to help individuals rise above their environments. I’ve often said whatever we impart to these individuals needs to be strong enough to overcome present and past; it must also outlast the long-term hurt and dysfunction. I’m confident that I’ve found it!"

"Very helpful and timely for my need. Presented well with a good balance of interaction and immediate feedback. I believe this model will be effective in building leaders among our cross-cultural workers."

"This was very useful! It put practical, visible order to the thoughts, feelings and speculations I have experienced in my leadership career that always made me feel as thought something was just not right. Thank you!"

"I loved this course because I can use it! I don’t have to tell my friends, 'Go visit Elkhart to learn the model'… I can teach them the model myself!"

"The clarity and simplicity of creating and using learning experiences is very helpful. This has been the missing 'building block' for my attempts toward building young leaders!"

"This is the very best we have ever heard, and we have read just about every book on leadership there is."

"This course has helped us reshape our ministry and has given us a new focus on how to serve the indigenous church in the nation where we work."

"It was such a privilege to be a part of the course.  I was energized both by it and by mingling with and listening to all who were involved."

"This course was life changing. Many conferences and courses are usually only instructional and inspirational. For the first time I have come away with a confidence of the 'how to get there' and 'I can do it' in my heart."

"I think you have pretty much hit it on the head! … To say this leadership course is 'timely' would not be totally sufficient. For indeed, because it is based on Christ’s personal walk with His Father it is 'timeless.'"

"This course was both healing and challenging."

"This course has helped me to strategically define, plan and implement leader development in the church."

"This course was practical, challenging and transforming. It opened my eyes to alternative and successful teaching models, and gave me hope that we can build leaders holistically and that we can change the structure of our churches so they will take responsibility for their own leader development and by that, make the church come alive."

"Awesome! We finally found an answer to building strong leaders."

"This course provided goals and a process with a strong biblical basis for the most important task in the world."

"This course gave me permission to do what Jesus did."

"This is a brilliant, spiritual, Jesus-type model of building healthy leaders."

"You have encouraged, convicted, stretched and excited me. Your 5C-4D concept is so simple and unarguable that it is profound."

"I was so impressed at having my eyes opened to the leadership examples of Jesus - what His focus was. I was impressed with the 5Cs and the 4Ds dynamics of transformation."

"This course is very enriching. It is very useful to me in that I have discovered that I can be a very good guide to leaders. This can be done by also improving on the content I already have and providing a means for it will be better for me."

"This course was very interesting. It helped me to sit up as a leader to learn. And also to use different methods. In fact, some of us are behind because we fear to make changes or to be put to shame. Doing this course in the future will help to improve us."

"The transformational context came to me as a surprise. Usually I limit myself to the content. The context to me seems quite essential as it appears to be able to create a long-lasting experience."