Stepping Up to Supervision
The skills you need to lead effectively—while staying rooted in your pastoral identity.
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End date:
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Program Overview
You thought you were called to ministry, not management—but here you are, wondering:
When do you wear your pastor hat, and when do you wear your boss hat?
How are you supposed to manage people who are also church members?
How do you balance accountability and grace, listening and leading, connecting and directing?
Developed from working with hundreds of congregations across the US and Canada, Susan Beaumont’s training series Stepping Up to Supervision equips you with the skills you need to navigate supervision with confidence.
This class brings together covenantal care and supervision, offering theological insight and practical tools to help you lead faithfully and align daily tasks with your faith community’s mission.
Your Learning Experience Includes:
Session Schedule
- 12 contact hours
- 3 lessons
Each session will be four hours in length (including breaks) and will be held live via Zoom, and will include teaching, discussion, and practical exercises. All sessions will be recorded for later viewing.
Session 1: Supervision as Performance Management
Supervision within a congregation begins by understanding the tension between employment relationships and covenantal relationships. We’ll also explore the need for a performance management system and clarify the three unique sets of expectations for every staff member.
Session 2: Feedback: From Daily Practice to Annual Reviews
In our second session, we’ll discuss the ways in which feedback impacts your performance management system. From daily check-ins and quarterly goal reviews to the all-important annual appraisal process, you’ll learn how to craft your reactions and responses effectively.
Session 3: How to Hire and Fire Well
Your congregation is vulnerable to 10 pitfalls in the hiring process. Do you know what they are? Hiring the right people makes supervision easier and more enjoyable. Even then, it will be necessary to end some employment relationships. Learn the right way to do it before you’re in a difficult situation.
Wondering if this is right for you?
Stepping Up is for people who supervise staff within a congregation or ministry setting or…
What’s Included?
Year-Long Access
Revisit every session with one year of access to video recordings and course materials.
Live Cohort Experience
Three extended Zoom workshops designed for interaction, learning, and practice.
Grow as You Serve
Apply what you’re learning in real-time with a guided workbook and tools.
Contact Hours
Show your commitment to leadership growth—and take the next step today. By completing this class, you’ll earn 12 contact hours you can use toward continuing education or personal development. Register now to invest in your calling and sharpen your skills.
- Start date
- Price
Get to Know Your Instructor
The Rev. Susan Beaumont, MDiv, MBA
Consultant, Coach, Author, and Spiritual Director
Susan Beaumont is a consultant, coach, author and spiritual director.
Susan has worked with hundreds of congregations and denominational bodies across the United States and in Canada. She is known for her ground-breaking work in the leadership dynamics of large congregations.
Before establishing her own practice, Susan worked for nine years as a Senior Consultant with the Alban Institute. Susan has also served on the faculty of two business schools, teaching graduate level courses in leadership, management and organizational behavior. She has corporate experience in human resource management and organizational development. She currently teaches at Wesley Theological Seminary.
Susan is the author of How to Lead When You Don’t Know Where You’re Going: Leading in a Liminal Season, and Inside the Large Congregation. She is co-author of When Moses Meets Aaron: Staffing and Supervision in the Large Congregation.
Rev. Beaumont is an ordained minister within the American Baptist Churches, USA.
Susan’s educational background includes a M.B.A. from Northwestern University and a M.Div. from McCormick Theological Seminary. She is a graduate of the Shalem Institute Spiritual Guidance program.
Susan is known for engaging the best of business practice, filtered through the lens of careful theological reflection. She moves easily between discernment and decision making, and nurtures the soul of the leader along with the soul of the institution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this class come with a book or guide?
This class includes a guide with over 60 pages of material from how-to’s for common supervision tasks to sample forms you may adapt for your setting.
How many continuing education or contact hours will I earn?
Completing Stepping up to Supervision is worth 12 contact hours, which can be turned in to your organization for continuing education.
Will sessions be recorded?
Yes! All sessions will be recorded and available to participants for one year.
What if I can’t attend live?
You’ll still get full access to the recordings, workbook, and cohort forum.
Do I need to be clergy to attend?
No. Anyone who supervises in a ministry setting—clergy, program staff, administrators—is welcome!
Is there graded homework?
There is no graded homework.
Don’t see your question addressed?
Email us at faithlead@luthersem.edu for more information. We’ll be delighted to connect!