Hope Community Church is passionate about raising up the next generation of leaders for Jesus! 

The Leadership Development Institute (LDI) is one of Hope’s efforts to train young leaders in three key areas: Biblical Thinking, Christ-like Character, and Ministry skills.

Contact Pastor Cor Chmieleski for more information at cor@hopecc.com

Download LDI TREK 1 Application

Download LDI TREK 2 Application

LDI has 2 treks for young leaders as they begin their journey aimed towards advancing God’s kingdom and mission against the kingdom of darkness.

TREK 1

This is a 1-year journey that entails:

  1. Participation in all 6 of the TREK 1 Biblical and Theological courses over a 10-month period producing a thorough knowledge of God’s Word, skills to faithfully interpret God’s truth, and greater passion for God and neighbor.
  2. Commitment to put on the character of Christ through mentoring relationships, mutual accountability, and observing the lives and teachings of historical “greats of the faith”.
  3. Diligence in ministry through fulfilling the role of small group shepherd leader, playing an active role in the community of LDI and Hope, planning and leading a Spring Break Mission, and engaging in a chosen ministry field.  There exists the option of participating in a 4-8 week cross-cultural experience rounding out the final months of the program in June and July.
 
Time Commitment
A great benefit of TREK 1 is that it is structured to be a full time commitment of 45 hours per week.  We believe this commitment lends itself to maximum impact in the lives of our LDIers.  Any additional desires for alternative schooling or employment need to be discussed with and approved by the LDI Director.
 
Financial Commitment
We realize that participants of LDI have many considerations, including financial, when making the decision to join LDI.  Hope Community Church and LDI have made every effort to keep the financial obligations of this journey to a minimum.  In comparison to other leadership development avenues, we believe that LDI is the most affordable and will give you the most “bang for the buck!” 

Item

Monthly Cost

Total Cost

LDI Program – TREK 1

(Includes cost of classes, required textbooks and any additional class materials, and all LDI-specific retreat expenses)

$150.00

$1,500.00

Ministry Expense Fund

$50.00

$500.00

Cross Cultural Experience

$200.00

$2,000.00

Totals

$400.00

$4,000.00

 Participants are encouraged to develop a team of ministry partners that will support them financially and prayerfully during the duration of their LDI journey. Donations can be made on a monthly or yearly basis.  All gifts are tax-deductible.

 Participants are also encouraged to consider other financial obligations when developing ministry partners.  Needs to consider are, but not limited to, housing, food, student loans, ongoing bills, and health insurance.  These financial needs should be planned for and included when the invitation is made to possible partners.
 
Qualifications
TREK 1 participants will become part of the intern staff of Hope Community and, as such, need to meet the qualifications of a deacon.  The qualifications are biblically outlined in 1 Timothy 3:8-13.
 
TREK 1 Aim
TREK 1 participants aim to build a strong foundation for their lives and potential future ministry.  TREK 1 does not aim to produce a certain type of Christian worker. It is much more important for the participant to give attention to building a strong foundation for their lives.  Then along the journey they invite God to build upon that sure foundation whatever structure he desires.   In the end, this structure may prove to be vocational ministry.  But, TREK 1 participants are encouraged to seek God’s designs for their future vocations.

TREK 2
This is a 3-year journey that prepares the individual for full time vocational Christian work in the areas of (1) Cross Cultural Church Planting (Mission), (2) National Church Planting, or (3) Full Time Christian work as a vocational elder (Pastor) or vocational deacon (ministry professional for a variety of church or parachurch ministries).  This preparation includes:

1. Successful participation in and completion of TREK 1*(description above).
2. Creation and implementation of an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) to get the participant in line with where they and we believe that God is calling them.
3. Belief that God’s designs for their future vocation involve full time ministry including, but not limited to, global or local church planting, global missions, local church ministry, or pastoral ministry.
4. Participation in a 1-week assessment for the purposes of highlighting factors, both strengths and growth areas, which will be given attention throughout the final 2 years of the internship.
5. Participation in all 8 of the TREK 2 Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiological courses over two 10-month periods producing a thorough knowledge of God’s Word, skills to faithfully interpret God’s truth, and greater passion for God, neighbor, the Church, and his Mission.
6. Commitment to put on the character of Christ through relationships and mutual accountability.
7. Diligence in ministry with primary attention given to the corporate church including, but not limited to, church planting, vision, governance, leadership, theological integration, shepherding the flock, global church perspectives, preaching, and teaching.
8. Fulfillment of any and all additional elements deemed appropriate by the LDI staff.  For example, those considering global missions may be required to spend a summer overseas.
     
    Time Commitment
     
    TREK 2 participants are brought on part time with a commitment of 25 hours per week.  TREK 2 participants are expected to be employed, yet no more than 25 hours per week.  We believe this arrangement lends itself to maximum impact as TREK 2 LDIers are given sufficient time to address all factors of the assessment and process the varied issues encountered in full time vocational ministry.  Any additional desires for alternative schooling or employment need to be discussed with and approved by the LDI Director.

     Financial Commitment
     We realize that participants of LDI have many considerations, including financial, when making the decision to join LDI.  Hope Community Church and LDI have made every effort to keep the financial obligations of this journey to a minimum.  In comparison to other leadership development avenues, we believe that LDI is the most affordable and will give you the most “bang for the buck!” 

    Item

    Monthly Cost

    Annual Cost

    LDI Program – TREK 2

    (Includes cost of classes, required textbooks and any additional class materials, and all LDI-specific retreat expenses)

    $100.00

    $1,000.00

    Assessment (1-time expense)

     

    $1,000.00
     
    Participants are encouraged to develop a team of ministry partners that will support them financially and prayerfully during the duration of their LDI journey. Donations can be made on a monthly or yearly basis.  All gifts are tax-deductible.

     Participants are also encouraged to consider other financial obligations when developing ministry partners.  Needs to consider are, but not limited to, housing, food, student loans, ongoing bills, and health insurance.  These financial needs should be planned for and included when the invitation is made to possible partners.

     Qualifications
     TREK 2     participants will become part of the intern staff of Hope Community and, as such, need to meet the qualifications of a deacon or an elder, appropriate to their proposed ministry endeavor.  The qualifications for deacons are biblically outlined in 1 Timothy 3:8-13, and for elders are in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-4.

     TREK 2 Aim

     TREK 2 participants aim to become strategic players ministering on the front lines in the advancement of God’s kingdom and mission.  While it is not the philosophy of LDI to produce a specific type of Christian worker (e.g. church planter), the aim of TREK 2 is to take proven Christian leaders and build them into kingdom impact players.   In doing so, we believe God uses a particular environment – the church – to best accomplish his purposes for training kingdom leaders.  No other setting, we believe, provides as much potential for the personal, mental, and ministerial development than a local church.  As such, the elders of Hope Community Church play a significant role in the identification, development, affirmation, and commissioning of each TREK 2 participant.

    * LDI staff retain the right to extend an invitation to those who have not participated in TREK 1 yet have, by other means, significant maturity in the 3 areas of Biblical Thinking, Christ-like Character, and Ministry Skills.
    Leadership Development Institute (LDI)