In brief
- To ensure that everyone has lots of fun and a brilliant holiday
- Offer a good Christian role model to members in your tribe; caring, encouraging, and praying for members and, where appropriate, offering a spiritual challenge to them
- To look after the members, making sure they are cared for physically and emotionally
To do what exactly?
- Pray for the members of your tribe before, during and after Bridgwater
- Contact the members and leaders in your tribe before Bridgwater – to build relationships and initiate activities
- To spend time with your members, getting to know them, helping them to have a brilliant holiday that is both happy and safe
- Lead Bible Breaks in your tribe, having thoroughly prepared for these before Bridgwater
- Sit with your tribe members at mealtimes and evening meetings and join in with members on activities and ensure that no-one is left on their own
- Take on other jobs, as required and to lead by example in group tasks, clearing up
- Be aware of any special needs of members identified in advance or evident whilst at Bridgwater
- Ensure that safety and risk assessment policies are applied at all times
Special responsibility of Main Tribe Leader
- Be responsible for the practical arrangements within your tribe including dealing with paperwork, health forms and banking throughout the week
- With the leaders in your tribe, find time to catch up and pray about your tribe and Bridgwater life, making sure the leaders are cared for.
- Ensure the tribe is in the right place at the right time (meals, activities, meetings etc) and that there is a sensible amount of discipline over bedtimes, getting up, tidying dorms
Remember
- Your role is to create a Christian family feeling where all are accepted and belong: your relationship with God will have a big effect on all members of your tribe
- Your role will include concentrating on your members 24/7. You need to be aware there won’t be time to yourself or to spend with other friends on site
And for everyone
- Your relationship with God will be really important as you serve Him and other people at Bridgwater
- Look out for the needs of others and try to care for members and leaders with practical, emotional and prayer support
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10
What’s expected of leaders
The personal qualities we expect from all our leaders are based on what the Bible teaches about the characteristics that Christian leaders should embody and demonstrate. Leaders should:
- Accept Jesus as their personal Saviour and be willing to share their faith
- Accept the authority of the Bible as the Word of God
- Relate well to children and young people
- Be prepared to work hard and practise servant leadership
- Be prepared to work as part of a team and give loyalty to overall leaders
- Regularly attend a Christian place of worship
- Be of good Christian conduct and follow biblical teaching in relation to money, sex etc
Leading at Bridgwater is a fulfilling and rewarding area of Christian service. Come prepared to give lots of yourself – and expect to receive lots from God too as you take part in His work.
Being a leader at Bridgwater will be great fun and an amazing experience! Of course it will be tiring, and you’ll need to sacrifice personal time and space; but it’s a fantastic opportunity to be involved in changing the lives of young people, form life-long friendships, challenge yourself with new activities and be refreshed, renewed and inspired in your own faith.
How can you get the balance right and make sure you survive to the end of the holiday? The key is to remember that you’re in a team – several teams really. Other leaders on site will support you in practical ways and pray for you too. If you’re feeling under pressure do share with others in your area of the holiday – they will be sympathetic and will find ways to help.
Bridgwater 2023 