LEADERSHIP ROLES AND CULTURE

What is the role of a Mooring Leader?

  • Understand and articulate the vision for Bluewater Moorings 

  • Plan and coordinate your Mooring meeting time and place

  • Prepare for and facilitate group discussion with questions that align with our vision for Moorings and that challenge members to grow in their walk with Jesus

  • Pray regularly for those in your Mooring

  • Contact members on a regular basis via text message, email, phone call, or one-to-one visits

  • Build a sense of community by coordinating pastoral care within the group

  • Encourage group activities outside of the regular weekly meetings

  • Share stories of transformation, concerns, and insights with Mooring Pastor

  • Participate in Mooring Leaders’ Moorings (MLM)

  • Identify potential new leaders and invite/equip them into leadership roles

  • Provide direction for the missional component of the Mooring

What is the role of a Mooring Co-leader?

  • Support the leader in building a sense of community

  • Work alongside the leader to plan and coordinate Mooring meetings

  • Lead Mooring when the leader is absent

  • Participate in Mooring Leaders’ Moorings (MLM)

The Co-Leadership Model: Developing a Culture of Apprenticeship

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

- Paul to Timothy (2 Timothy 2:1-2)

Corinne and Chev explain how Moorings provide an incredible opportunity to develop and release new leaders. They share how a culture of apprenticeship allows group members to develop their gifts in a safe and caring environment, and how this ultimately allows Bluewater, as a church of small groups, to plan for future growth. Check out the B.O.A.T. !

Mooring Leaders and Pastoral Care: No One Forgotten

Pastoral care is one of the essential functions of Moorings; it’s our strategy to ensure no one at Bluewater falls through the cracks. Mooring leaders are the primary providers of pastoral care for group members. Leaders are like triage nurses who decide what level of care is required. A key part of building a sense of community in our Moorings is caring for one another in practical ways. Leaders do not carry this load alone, but it is part of the Leader’s responsibility to make sure needs within the group are being met.  

When Mooring members care for one another, they are being the Church. There will always be a place for professionals, but Mooring leaders and members are well-positioned to provide basic pastoral care to one another.  

In this video, Chris discusses how quality relationships and good listening skills enhance your ability to care for your Mooring flock. He discusses the importance of quality relationships based on warmth, trust, and understanding, as well as the power of being a good listener. For more tips on listening well, watch a clip from Corinne’s talk to Bluewater on May 2, 2021 here.

Some practical ways to “pastor” your group might include:

  • Provide meals 

  • Visit those who are ill

  • Arrange to go for a walk or have coffee 

  • Send notes/texts on a regular basis to each group member

  • Check in when someone misses a meeting

Include your group members in this ministry, and make use of their gifts. As you get to know members, you will become more aware of their gifts, and you can match the needs of your group members with the person(s) most suited to meeting them. Often you will see leadership gifts in someone before they see it themselves! Take the opportunity to encourage and call out those skills/gifts. 

Encourage your group to stay connected throughout the week. A great suggestion might be for leaders to touch base with a different person in their Mooring each week. This could be as simple as having a short conversation via text. Be sure to encourage these connections between all members. 

Many of the needs expressed by those in our moorings can be met within the group itself. That said, if you feel that there is a need that goes beyond what the group can provide, get permission from the individual(s) involved and share this need with the Mooring Pastor and/or Lead Pastor. We don’t want you or your group to be shouldering burdens that are too heavy to bear alone!  


Mooring Leaders and Mission: Building the Kingdom

We believe that mission should be in the DNA of every Mooring. Each Mooring will have the opportunity to engage in a “reaching out” project yearly. This could be a community project or something with an international flavour. Whatever project your group takes on, ideally, it will be something that requires a commitment from the entire group. 

Consider whether there is someone in your group who has the gift of serving or administration. Maybe there are two or three individuals who have these gifts. Allow them to be the mobilizers in your group; give them the responsibility to pray and search for opportunities to serve, and work together with them to develop a practical plan and keep the momentum going once plans are in place. 

Once your Mooring has identified a “mission,” let the Mooring Pastor know your plans! We want to share our stories with one another as we all serve others in a variety of ways. 

Choosing Study Material

Leaders select their own material and occasionally be invited to participate in a church-wide study. Keep the vision of our Mooring ministry in mind as you and your group discuss what you would like to study.  Although the material you choose to study is not a huge predictor of the health of your Mooring, it is a good idea to vary the kind of material you use.   

In 2021, RightNow Media launched Study Tracks.  There are a number of different Tracks/Roadmaps for men, for women, for mixed groups. Each Roadmap presents a range of options, including discipleship, life application, Scripture study, community and relationships. This tool helps Leaders embrace a wider range of topics for a well-rounded Mooring with a forward trajectory.  

When you are selecting material, avoid controversial topics such as end times and creation theories; conversation can quickly resolve into theological debate. Remember to keep the main thing the main thing – personal transformation and a deeper relationship with Jesus! 

Looking for advice? Let your Mooring Pastor know what kind of material interests your group! Once you make a decision about what your group will study, communicate your choice with the Mooring Pastor.