Six congregations have been recognized by the Division of Higher Education’s 2004 Leadership Harvest for their innovative approaches to nurturing their youth for leadership in the church.

“Our church has an urgent need for young leaders, and Leadership Harvest gathers the good ideas congregations have about leadership development and shares these programs so individual congregations can improve or start their own efforts,” said DHE President Dennis Landon. “These congregations are already putting a lot of thought and a lot of hard work into developing these programs.”

The five congregations provide a sample of the diverse approaches to leadership development.

• Two Arkansas congregations, First Christian Church of Bentonville and First Christian Church of Rogers, combined their resources to create “Cross Training.” Cross serves as an acronym for the program’s tenets: Care for one another; Reach their unchurched friends for Christ; Offer themselves in worship, and Service; and to Share in God’s word, work and family.

• First Christian Church of Boulder, Colorado, views their youth not as tomorrow’s church but as the “church of today.” The program focuses on three areas: worship, outreach, and education. Youth planned and led three worship services, explored and carried out several outreach projects, and joined in both new and traditional Christian education programs.

• Central Christian Church in Waco, Texas, focused on the importance of worship and people’s participation in worship. The youth studied different forms of worship and then planned a worship service that incorporated traditional and contemporary styles.

• First Christian Church of Leavenworth, Kansas, created “Worship Expressions,” a youth program that incorporates the fine arts into worship. The program currently focuses on music, drama, puppets, and drawing, and plans to add dance this year.

• First Christian Church of Meridian, Mississippi, found a variety of special projects that also provided opportunities for service. Some of the organizations that benefited from the congregation’s work include food pantries, children’s shelters and their residents, an international aid program, and the Disciples Mission Fund. They also continued the 20-year tradition of leading services on Fifth Sundays.