The Leadership Exchange of the Christian Reformed Church is being restructured and all staff positions have been eliminated after its governing board and the executive of the denomination’s Board of Trustees determined that it is not achieving what it was set up for—that is, to identify and train new leaders for the CRC.
In a memo to staff, CRC executive director Rev. Joel Boot wrote, “We have concluded that the Leadership Exchange program, as it currently exists, is not achieving the purposes for which it was created or meeting the needs of the Christian Reformed Church. As a result, we have decided that it is necessary to completely reassess and reconfigure the CRC’s approach to leadership development.” The memo went on to explain that after nearly three years, the program has produced no clear results.
Originally called the CRC Leadership Institute, the initiative was born during the 150th anniversary celebrations of the CRC in 2007. Funds were raised to establish a program that could build on the strengths of existing CRC agencies, especially the educational institutions.
By 2009, the name was changed to Leadership Exchange and Chris Pullenayegem was appointed as director.
Perhaps the most prominent activity of the Exchange is the organizing of the Young Adult Summit that will take place in conjunction with Synod 2012 in Ancaster, Ontario.
Boot wrote that the planning for the summit will proceed, but all other Leadership Exchange programs are suspended. The Leadership Exchange is funded through designated gifts and receives no ministry share funding.
About the Author
Gayla Postma retired as news editor for The Banner in 2020.
