Learn to Lead

A one-year program of masterclass sessions for ministry apprentices. Refreshingly practical to set you up for a lifetime of gospel ministry.
Ministry isn't meant to be done, or learned, alone
Learn to Lead equips apprentices for a lifetime of ministry and connects them with people on the same journey. Our churches need spiritually vibrant, evangelistically urgent, theologically driven and practically skilled church leaders.
  • Work on being a better gospel worker and leading yourself
  • Work on being a better leader and leading others
  • Work on starting something new

It’s a program that has godly, wise leaders who will invest in your apprentices and church volunteers. They’ll bring back knowledge and wisdom to your church, and back in discussion with you.

It’s worth the financial cost of sending them to Learn to Lead. Nowhere else will you get that wide variety of godly, capable leaders and teachers of God’s word for that price.

James Hoey
Ministry Training Strategy (MTS) Victorian Partnership Developer

Learn to Lead gives an extra voice that compliments yours in training an apprentice. They’ll get to network with experienced ministry practitioners from other places. Your apprentice will get fresh perspectives –  they’ll bring back something to the table that will help push and challenge your own thinking on local ministry.

We’ve got to play the long game with apprentices. The more we invest in the formation of them now, the more they will be healthy, enduring gospel workers. I get the cost of time and money to do Learn to Lead to your church right now, but it’s worth it.

Russell Schmidt
Ministry Training Strategy (MTS) Director of Training

Over 39 churches have supported their apprentices and key volunteers to do Learn to Lead

  • MBM Church
  • Vine Church
  • Grace City Church
  • Grace West Anglican Church
  • Christ Church Gladesville
  • The Bridge Church
  • EV Church
  • Coast Evangelical Church
  • Lake Mac Evangelical Church
  • South-West Evangelical Church
  • St John’s Cathedral Parramatta
  • Manning Bible Church
  • Hunter Bible Church
  • Cross and Crown: Melbourne
  • Laneway Church
  • Wagga Wagga Evangelical Church
  • Central Village Anglican Church
  • Dubbo Presbyterian Church
  • Enfield and Strathfield Anglican Church
  • St Luke’s Anglican Church Miranda
  • Auburn Anglican Church
“Learn to Lead was really refreshing to get to learn from different people with a wide range of experiences, instead of just from people in your own ministry context. It was well-presented and organised, and helped me think about how to do healthy ministry.”

Lisa Amos
Ministry Apprentice at the University of Southern Queensland with the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students

Do Learn to Lead if you are ...

A ministry apprentice or high level church volunteer.
Wanting to learn from key church leaders across the country.
Someone who doesn’t want to keep doing things just because it’s the way it’s always been done.
Willing to ask the hard questions about what it looks like to reach Australia with the gospel.

People *REALLY* like Learn to Lead

loved it!
I'm in a space where I'm allowed to say I don't understand.
grew hugely in my understanding of what ministry looks like in a local church.
I got the confidence to participate in discussions with people in ministry.
It's a really wonderful starting point to begin to understand church ministry.
started to understand why we did things in my church a certain way.
It's super valuable, particularly if you're stepping into MTS.
Learn to Lead gives you insight into all these areas of church life.
It's the best way to get a snapshot of what ministry looks like. So why on earth would you not do it?
You hear from so many excellent thinkers about how to do ministry well.
There's gold to glean from all the presenters.
We tackled how to lead teams, how to interact with your staff team and how to think about evangelism.
You get thoughtful pastors sharing what they're passionate about.
It's helped me to think more strategically and think more big picture.
I started setting goals for our youth group.
Learn to Lead changed the way I spoke to my team and how I led meetings.
It helped me articulate to others that we want to see lives transformed through Jesus.
I run a welcoming team at church, and I started telling my team the reasons why we do things a certain way.
Learn to Lead raised my vision of what's happening across Australia.
started to understand why we did things in my church a certain way.
Cohorts
Join a community as you share goals and next steps for ministry.
Online training
Meet with people across the country one Friday morning a month from 9.30 to 11.30am. Hear from a key church leader about an area of ministry they’re passionate about.
National Conference
Meet everyone in person over dinner in May along with 1,300 church leaders from across Australia.
Church planting stream
Ever thought about starting a church from scratch? We have a stream to do some reading, thinking and talking about preparing for church planting.
1:1 coaching session
Through the year there is an opportunity for you to have a 1 to 1 coaching session with our coordinator based on the Gospel Workers Questionnaire.

The 2026 program

February
Leading with clarity, not confusion

You’re midweek, the inbox is full, and everyone’s pulling in a different direction.

Vision is clear in your head, but somehow, no one else sees it.

This month, we’ll unpack a framework that churches in our network use that brings clarity when chaos hits.

You’ll learn how to align people, priorities, and plans so your team moves with conviction, not confusion.

March
Building teams that actually work

Your ministry is only as healthy as the trust around your table.

How do you name unspoken tensions, build shared accountability, and keep people aligned when personalities clash?

We’ll look at practical steps for building honest, unified teams that don’t just work together, they fight for the same gospel purpose.

May
Reach Australia National Conference

Zoom is helpful. Dinner is better.

Ministry can feel isolating. Who actually gets what you’re carrying?

Faces become friends when you sit at the same table, swap stories, and ask the questions you can’t fit into a session.

At National Conference, we’ll share a meal, build real friendships, and strengthen one another for the long haul.

June
When men and women work together, ministry multiplies

You’ve seen it. A meeting where only one kind of voice gets heard.

When men and women work side by side, listening, challenging, and shaping each other’s thinking, ministry becomes richer, wiser, and more effective.

We’ll look at how to build that kind of partnership in your team: clear, confident, and united for the gospel.

July
Praying like ministry depends on it

If you’re leading without prayer, you’re leading on fumes.

What stops us from actually depending on God? Pride, fatigue, distraction?

We’ll learn simple, durable habits that move prayer from the margins to the centre of ministry.

September
When mission drifts off the radar

You don’t drift into evangelism; you drift out of it.

How do you keep mission visible when Sunday keeps swallowing your week?

We’ll talk about how to normalise evangelism in meetings, teams, and leadership priorities so that mission isn’t something extra, it’s the reason we exist.

October
Resting before you break

If you can’t stop, are you not trusting? Maybe you call it faithfulness.

What’s really driving your pace — pressure, guilt, or pride?

We’ll explore biblical rest and practical rhythms that protect your joy, your team, and your endurance for years ahead.

Apply for Learn to Lead 2026

Learn to Lead 2026: Expression of Interest

It's great to see you're interested in the 2026 Learn to Lead Program.

We believe God works through the local church and are excited about the opportunity to invest in the next generation of leaders.

Please fill in the form to register your interest in joining us for 2026.

Got questions?

The online workshop is once a month online on a Friday morning between 9.30 and 11.30am Sydney time.

Learn to Lead is $200 per person. If the cost is a problem, please reach out and we’ll see how we can help. Participants get 25% off a National Conference ticket.

25% off the ticket price 🙂

If your trainer doesn’t know what Learn to Lead is and has lots of questions, we are happy to organise a call with Pete Hughes to discuss the program. Send them this webpage and fill out the contact form so we can get in touch.

All the sessions will be recorded and you can be sent a link to watch the workshop afterwards. We strongly encourage you to make every effort to attend the workshop live, especially so you can partake in the Q&A sessions and other discussions.

Contact us and we’ll discuss 🙂

Pete Hughes will talk with you about your next steps depending on your future plans.

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