After successfully graduating its first batch of LeadLab students in May 2024, the Adventist Church in the Southern Asia-Pacific (SSD) region is ready to welcome its second batch of enrollees. This new cohort will primarily include students from Indonesia and Malaysia. Fifty administrative leaders and directors from various organizations in these two countries attended the LeadLab orientation program, which began on January 28 in Bali, Indonesia.
Pastor Stephen Salainti, Vice President for Leadership at SSD, expressed his excitement as the organizing team prepares for LeadLab 2.0. "The impact of this program on our spiritual leaders is immense. The curriculum is unique, and I believe it will equip our leaders to face challenges systematically and professionally, embodying the character of Christ in handling various situations holistically," Salainti said.
The Global Leadership Institute (GLI) at Andrews University will design the curriculum for LeadLab 2.0, an eight-month hybrid program. The General Conference (GC) of Seventh-day Adventists supports GLI, which is devoted to the total development of Adventist leaders. LeadLab serves as a learning laboratory, nurturing leaders for mission and supporting their ongoing growth as Adventist leaders.
After a four-day in-person program in Bali, participants joined a plenary Zoom meeting every two weeks and engaged with their assigned learning groups. There are eight learning groups in this cohort, each under the direction of a coach. In their learning groups, participants will discuss lessons from the plenary sessions and address current issues in Adventist leadership. This program is expected to culminate in September. This gives way to another batch of LeadLab enrollees from the Philippines and Singapore who will start in October this year.
LeadLab offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to provide leaders with diverse perspectives on leadership. The program emphasizes immersion and interaction, allowing enrollees to learn from the experiences and cultural orientations of their peers. This contextualized approach enriches their understanding of leadership styles and strategies in various countries.
Edward Rodriguez, SSD Communication Department