Leadership Now Testimonials

What has Leadership Now meant to you?

"Leadership Now has meant everything to me.  It's meant learning about myself, building confidence, meeting some of the most important people in my life, growing in my faith, having unbelievable life experiences and becoming the person I am today.  Leadership Now is my family, and coming to Lancaster Theological Seminary means being refreshed and renewed even at times when I feel like my life is falling apart."  ~Kristin Vines

"Leadership Now has meant so much to me.  My life and the way I view worship are completely different.  Leadership Now tells the youth that they have a voice and something worth saying in church.  I know that if I did not do Leadership Now, I would not be the first youth as a deacon on consistory in the 267 years my church has been around,.  Not only has Leadership Now empowered me to be active as a youth in my church, it also gave me the chance to join a great community of people that feel as I do about youth in church.  I have made many great friends through Leadership Now and I hope to make more!"  ~Taggart Houck

"To me, Leadership Now has been a life changing experience and it has meant the world to me.  It means building friendships that last and always being able to come home again.  It means that there are people in this world that are caring, funny and are true leaders at heart, even so young.  It means family."  ~Brittany Burkholder

"Leadership Now has opened my eyes to the injustices in the world, and taught me how to use my faith to address them.  It has allowed me to find and explore my faith.  It has haught me to love all people and not to judge or assume.  This program has shown me that the questioning of God is the best way to know him better.  And that the study of His word and the service to all His people is the best way to expand your image of God."  ~Zachary Angell

How have you changed from your Leadership Now experience?

"I can hardly imagine who I would be without being a part of Leadership Now.  I came into Leadership Now scared and shy, afraid to put myself out there and let people in, but the community of Leadership Now fully embraced me and made me comfortable being myself.  Now although I still have moments when I struggle with feeling shy and self-conscious, I am so much more confident and happy with myself than I ever imagined I could have been 4 years ago.  I would not be who I am today without Leadership Now."  ~Kristin Vines

"I have changed drastically from my Leadership Now experiences.  Right now, I am much more mature than I was when I entered Leadership Academy.  I also have a better understanding of what I believe in and how I want to do things in church.  When I went on the Summer Global Experience to India with Leadership Now in 2010, my view of the world was flipped!  Before that, I was always cautious of how much water and electricity I used but ever since coming back, I understood why I should use only what I need.  Last year, after Peer Mentoring at the 2011 Leadership Academy. I got a sense of my leadership style!  It felt great to be in a position of leadership and now I am much more comfortable in that position.  Leadership Now has shaped my into what I believe to be a better person.  This program has really changed me."  ~Taggart Houck

"I learned that it was okay to question things that I see as different.  That is is now ok to be wrong and that it means a lot just to try.  I learned that I can be a loud voice and have a huge impact on the people and community and church around me."  ~Brittany Burkholder

"I have become more open to different types of people who are different from me.  I also have learned what I believe, where as before Leadership Now I really had no clue what I believed about God and about humanity.  Through this program God has become bigger, kinder and more mystical - in a good way."  ~Zachary Angell