REINVENT YOUR FUTURE

Welcome to the Leading Well PLD Program

Join a community of curious leaders who strive to live and lead well every day.  This community helps church leaders do less, do what matters, and design a lives that life-giving, purposeful, and Christ-centered.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES
  • Craft rules for living and leading well.
  • Clarify your leadership principles and practices.
  • Grow in leadership agility.
  • Use the Wholeness Wheel to assess well-being.
  • Assess the health of your ministry team leaders. 
  • Increase your self-awareness through Positive Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence assessments. 
  • Create 1-page plans for living and leading well.
  • Increase collegial support via the Leading Well Facebook Group and annual retreat.
  • Receive individual and group coaching to support your next steps for living and leading well..

OUR "3As" COVENANT
  • Attitude:  Be positive, present, playful,  and open-minded,
  • Actions: Be on time, ready to contribute, and "go first."  
  • Assumptions:  Be willing to unlearn & stretch yourself.

The 3 ROCKS of the PLD program

1 | SABBATH REST
  • Give yourself permission to rest and be renewed.
  • Set better boundaries; learn to say no nicely.
  • Create new rituals and rhythms of renewal.
  • Remember who you are whose you are.
  • Model a sustainable lifestyle for others.

2 | PRACTICAL LEARNING & ONGOING COACHING
  • Crowdsource with other leaders.
  • Participate in ICF-certified coach training courses.
  • Participate in Learning Labs & Master Classes.
  • Access videos, blogs, and articles on demand.
  • Gain insights and ideas at Learning Retreats.
  • Engage and grow via 5-session coaching cohorts.

3 | COLLEGIAL SUPPORT
  • Connect online on Leading Well Facebook Group.
  • Connect online via the Surface to Soul App.
  • Meet 1-on-1 with a coach or spiritual director.
  • Meet monthly as part of a coaching cohort.
  • Participate in annual Leading Well Learning Retreat.

Funding Criteria for the PLD program

Eligibility & Funding Criteria for Pastors

The Siebert Lutheran Foundation strengthens Lutheran congregations by providing opportunities for ordained pastors to enroll in leadership training programs designed for equipping leaders of the 21st century. The Foundation’s Pastoral Leadership Development Grant Program provides grants for pastors in full-time and part-time congregational calls and certain para-church calls who have served at least three years in approved programs. Para-church calls include, but are not limited to, pastors serving as campus ministers and directors of youth centers as well as other ministries focused on youth and young adult faith development. (Questions on whether your call would qualify should be asked of the
program provider.)

The Foundation commits designated funding on a yearly basis to provide grants to this program. Currently, the max is $250,000 per year. Grants of up to $15,000 per pastor (or pastoral couple in the case of Pastoral Leadership Institute) are awarded to support the enrollment of pastors in Siebert Lutheran Foundation Board-approved leadership development programs. The staff of the leadership development program applies for the scholarship grant(s) on behalf of the pastor(s).

The Foundation expects the congregation to contribute financially to the pastor’s leadership program. This congregational contribution will be established by the program provider based on the financial realities of the individual pastor/congregation.

The Foundation has approved certain leadership development programs for funding.which includes Vibrant Faith's Leading Well program.
COMMENTS FROM PAST PARTICIPANTS
  • "I exercise leadership differently after defining my leadership principles, practices, and superpowers." 
  • "I received tools that helped me give away ministry to our members."
  • "The Leading Well program helped me set better work/life boundaries."
  • "The training and coaching helped me discern what to say "yes" to.
  • "I've developed habits and a mindset that helps me navigate change."
  • "I've become more comfortable with being uncomfortable."
  • "Sabbath is woven into my daily life; it's no longer an afterthought."
  • "I'm a more strategic, self-aware, future-oriented leader."
  • "I love the crowdsourcing that we do at the learning retreats and through Facebook."
  • "I'm a more confident, calm, and capable leader now."
  • "I've learned to let go of trying to control everything"
  • "I've become more authentic, transparent, and relational as a leader."
  • "I'm now an ICF-certified coach through this program."
  • Lutheran pastors serving full-time and part-time in congregations and certain para-church calls are eligible. Para-church calls include campus ministry, youth center leaders and other ministries focused on youth and young adult faith development. 
  • Pastors must be located in Wisconsin and upper Michigan to be eligible. 
  • The Foundation will not accept applications for pastors serving military bases, chaplains in colleges, universities, hospitals, nursing homes or prisons. 
  • The pastor must have served in a congregation for a minimum of three years after graduation from seminary.
  • The Foundation will fund up to $15,000 max over a pastor’s lifetime service to the church.
  • The pastor must be a member, in good standing, of his or her denomination, and the pastor must have received a master of divinity degree from a theological school accredited by the Association of Theological Schools or a recognized judicatory seminary.
  • The pastor’s congregation must commit to support the pastor during the leadership training program, including continuation of the pastor’s salary and benefits. 
  • The pastor must be accepted into the Leading Well PLD program. pastoral leadership development program approved by the Siebert Lutheran Foundation Board of Directors (see above list).
  • The staff of the leadership development program will apply for the grant(s) on behalf of the pastor(s) and their congregations. Applications are accepted once a year; during the Foundation’s fall funding cycle.
  • The Foundation’s funding is contingent upon the congregation’s financial contribution to the pastor’s leadership program. The amount of congregational funding is established by the program provider, pastor and congregation leadership.
  • Siebert funds will be disbursed directly to the leadership development program. The pastor then must work with the leadership program to disburse funds appropriately.
  • In the event it becomes necessary for a pastor to drop out of their leadership development program after being awarded a grant, and before completion of the program, all remaining funds must be refunded to the Foundation by the leadership development program.
  • In the event a pastor accepts a new call while enrolled in a leadership development program, the funds granted by the Foundation are to remain in place at the leadership organization for the pastor to complete the leadership development program. A letter of commitment from the new congregation supporting the pastor in his leadership development program must be obtained and sent to the Siebert Lutheran Foundation.

ENROLLMENT STEP 1  | COMPLETE ONLINE ENROLLMENT

ONLINE ENROLLMENT FORM 

Upon completing this form, you'll receive an email from Surface to Soul, one of Vibrant Faith's ministry partners, which will include a sample Congregational Approval Letter that you'll need to have your Council President complete and send to jimladoux@surfacetosoul.org. Assuming that you meet all the criteria this grant and complete all enrollment steps, you'll be tentatively enrolled in the PLD subject to Siebert Foundation funding. 

Submit

ENROLLMENT STEP 2 | DOWNLOAD STS APP

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ENROLLMENT STEP 3 | REGISTER FOR UPCOMING EVENTS

As long as you meet the grant criteria, you may register for any of Surface to Soul's events except for the Leading Well Retreat and Coaching School. If there's a charge for an event, simply register as a part of the Leading Well Community.
Calendars
Events
Upcoming Events

ENROLLMENT STEP 4 | JOIN LEADING WELL FACEBOOK GROUP

The Leading Well Facebook Group is for pastors, deacons, and church leaders who seek to live, lead, and coach well.  It's a positive online community that seeks to support and resource one another. If you are interested in being part of the community, send a request to join the group. As a PLD enrollee, you'll also begin receiving Leading Well e-newsletters which usually occur twice a month.
Send  me a Facebook Group Invite

ENROLLMENT STEP 5 | REGISTER FOR THE RETREAT

MARK YOUR CALENDAR | JANUARY 6-8, 2026

Our next Leading Well Retreat will be held in Scottsdale, AZ at the Franciscan Renewal Center January 6-8, 2026.  Retreat themes and training topics are in process. Registration and Retreat details will be available early March. 
THE BASICS
For PLD grant recipients, The Siebert Foundation pays for meals, lodging (double occupancy), and tuition for the annual Leading Well Retreat using access codes provided by Vibrant Faith Ministries. Participants may wish to pay an extra $250 for a single room if they wish.
HOW TO REGiSTER
To register for the retreat, go to: https://vibrantfaith.org/leadingwell/

If you are a Siebert PLD grant recipient, use the following access codes to register.
  • Enter "SiebertSingle” if you wish to have a single room and pay the extra $250. 
  • Enter "SiebertDouble" which will allow you to register at no cost.
Please email Cris Alsum your airfare arrival and departure times.  Please use the LW Facebook Group to coordinate ride-sharing opportunities to and from the airport and for activities taking place during Sabbath opportunities.
WHAT TO BRING
Items to bring include a Bible, pen, notebook, sunscreen, swimsuit, hat, sunglasses, games to play with others during Sabbath and hospitality time, and anything that helps you experience Sabbath and moments of renewal. Dress is casual. Bring clothes for both warm and cool weather.
RETREAT PRE-WORK
A Leadership Formation Booklet will be emailed to participants a month before the retreat that will include a retreat schedule. Participants are encouraged to complete the pre-work exercises, and review resources related to learning sessions. 
SUBMITTING EXPENSES
You will receive a Reimbursement Form at the retreat. Please email Cris Alsum (calsum@vibrantfaith.org) a completed Reimbursement Form along with copies of your receipts no later than November 30th.
COMMUNICATIONS | UPDATES
Updates about the retreat will be sent via messages on the STS app, the Leading Well Facebook Group, and in periodic Leading Well newsletters.
QUESTIONS | WHO TO CONTACT
Please contact Jim LaDoux (jladoux@vibrantfaith.org) if you have questions related to retreat programs and activities.

Please contact Cris Alsum (calsum@vibrantfaith.org) if you have questions about registration, meals, lodging, and logistics.