Facilitation is a way of leading which is empowering and participative.

The word 'facilitation' comes from the Latin 'to make easy' and facilitation is a way of managing processes that enable people to engage in learning, belonging, participating or growing.

This book is designed for those who wish to encourage and empower through their leadership skills. Facilitation is about managing process - drawing people in, enabling them to contribute and holding the boundaries and values of a context to create a safe and productive place. Many ministry training courses do not teach facilitation skills per se and ministers are often left to learn on the job. Some become effective facilitators through reflection on their practice, others develop tacit skills. Many others flounder when it comes to facilitating effectively and participatively.

In a culture where ministry roles increasingly involve community involvement and working with congregations who expect to participate in decision making and ministry, this skill set is one that is increasingly needed. This is particularly important in pioneer contexts where a more team-based approach is the norm.