The USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture supports faith leaders as they seek to reimagine their ministries and help their congregations thrive in a time of significant religious and social change. This series will help you consider your own leadership style, the state of your organization and the needs of your community.
You may attend one or all events.
2025 dates to come
Location in Long Beach will be shared with registered attendees.
The Long Beach Church Collective and Biola University’s Rosemead School of Psychology are partners with CRCC on Thriving Congregations, Thriving Leaders, of which this series is a part.
Previous Sessions
The Jazz of Leadership
Monday, July 29, 2024
10 am – 11:30 am PDT
Breakfast served at 9:30 am
Location in Long Beach will be shared with registered attendees.
Find your groove and create harmony on your team.
If you want your congregation’s work in the world to be more than background Muzak, you need to know how to lead like Duke Ellington. Enjoy live jazz music along with leadership lessons from Ronald McCurdy, professor of music at the USC Thornton School of Music, and Ken Perlman, adjunct professor of management and organization at the USC Marshall School of Business.
Navigating by Your North Star
Monday, September 23, 2024
10 am – 11:30 am PDT
Breakfast served at 9:30 am
Location in Long Beach will be shared with registered attendees.
Guide your organization and stay on course – even through troubled waters.
USC Marshall School of Business professor Ken Perlman will help faith leaders set the direction of their congregations, think strategically and lead change. He will bring his experience navigating challenges as a business consultant and a lay congregational leader in his own faith community. Perlman presented as part of the Jazz of Leadership in July. This session will build upon and follow up with conversations that arose during July’s session. All are welcome, regardless of attendance at the Jazz of Leadership.
Assessing Your Community
Monday, October 28, 2024
10 am – 11:30 am PDT
Breakfast served at 9:30 am
Location in Long Beach will be shared with registered attendees.
Lead your organization to meet your community’s needs.
How well does your congregation know and engage with its neighbors and serve their needs? Learn how to conduct a community assessment from Michael Mata, director of network engagement and leadership development with TogetherLA. Mata has dedicated over three decades to designing and administering community and faith-based urban programs and directed the Transformational Urban Leadership program at Azusa Pacific Seminary.