Jonathan Shively has resigned as executive director of Congregational Life Ministries for the Church of the Brethren, effective April 30. He has served in the position since July 2008, working out of the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill.
Shively has worked for more than 15 years as a member of the denominational staff. Prior to his position in Congregational Life Ministries, he was director of the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, a ministry training partnership of Bethany Theological Seminary and the Church of the Brethren through the Office of Ministry. During that period of time he worked out of offices located on the campus of the seminary in Richmond, Ind. Previously he spent some years serving as a pastor.
As executive of Congregational Life Ministries, he helped his staff reach many milestones and accomplishments. He encouraged vital congregations, church planting efforts, discipleship formation, and life-long learners, and invited constituents to follow the leading of God’s Spirit where they live and serve.
During his tenure, the Congregational Life Ministries staff continued a vital ministry for youth and young adults, continued to develop the denomination’s Intercultural Ministry and worked at relationships with new Hispanic congregations and their leaders, maintained a high level of involvement by older adults in the National Older Adult Conference, developed a program of online webinars for continuous training of church leaders organized by staff for Transforming Practices, and developed the new Vital Ministry Journey as an initiative for revitalization of congregations across the denomination.
In addition to his work as an employee of the church, he also has freely shared his gifts as a musician, preacher, workshop and retreat leader, and team builder. He and his family are members of Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill.