He made my mouth like a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.

Isaiah 49:2

About Arrow

Arrow is about leadership development, focusing on church and para-church organisation leaders. It is a transformative process that explores character, call and competence in the context of a Christian community. We are a registered Charity in Ireland (CHY17508, Company No. 446825). We are open for enquires and applications for the eighth Arrow cohort in Ireland which will begin in 2025.

Aims

Arrow Ireland aims to develop leadership that is intent on seeing God’s Kingdom grow across this land, north and south. To raise up leadership that equips God’s people in following and serving Jesus Christ.

We want to develop leaders who possess spiritual resilience and determination, decreasing attrition from leadership and ministry roles.

Arrow seeks to enable leaders to develop Godly character, to have clarity about God’s call, and to develop skills in the areas of leadership, mission and evangelism.

Process

Over a two-year period, Arrow provides an opportunity to grow through teaching, reflection, worship, interaction, application, accountability and fun.

Group numbers are kept small, a maximum of 24, to enable maximum interaction with experienced Christian leaders, trainers and mentors.

Arrow is based on an integrated learning process that includes:

  • four residential gatherings
  • a monthly meeting with a mentor
  • significant personal assessment and feedback
  • meetings with other participants in peer cells from your area between each residential
  • guided reading, reflection and integrated learning tasks

Participants

You should consider Arrow if you are…

  • Aged approximately 25-40 and in a paid leadership role in the life of the church or Christian organization.
  • Committed as a disciple of Jesus Christ, seeking to be guided by the Word of God and led by the Holy Spirit.
  • Committed to developing your leadership and the leadership of those around you.
  • Committed to following through with all the process entails.
  • Supported by your family and your church or organization.

Community

  • Arrow currently operates in 10 countries… with over 2000 people having completed the process in Britain, Ireland, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, Norway, Poland and the Philippines.
  • Ireland
    • 7 programmes since 2007
    • 110 participants
    • 77 based in north, 33 based in south
    • 72 denominational leaders, 38 from para-church organisations
  • Arrow participants are local church leaders in denominational and non-denominational churches, and leading significant ministries north and south including Scripture Union NI, Love for Life, YFC, The Leprosy Mission.

Leadership
Team

Andy Hewitt
Jill McKee
Karen Hewitt
David Stanfield

Board
Members

David Dunlop
Board Chair, Pastor of Windsor Baptist, Belfast
John Alderdice
President, Methodist Church in Ireland
Andrew Frame
Church of Ireland, Knocknagoney Parish
Rick Hill
Council for Mission in Ireland, PCI
Jude Barry
YMCA Dublin
Leanne Dunlop
Scripture Union, NI
Sam Moore
Director, Innovista Ireland
Tim Wray
Director, UCD Smurfit Executive Development
Olwen Laird
Treasurer

Testimonials

What some recent participants have said:

Arrow for me has been one of the most refreshing and insightful “courses” I have ever committed to. Not that the word “course” does the process of Arrow justice. Arrow is not just another leadership development course – it is much deeper than that. God has this wonderful habit of bringing us to a place where we desperately want to meet him in a deeper and more intimate way – if you are hungry for that – then I couldn’t recommend the process, the journey and the adventure of Arrow any more highly.

Jasper Rutherford

Christ in Youth

Arrow has helped me to increase my self-awareness and confidence as a child of God and a Christian leader in the present and given me a ‘tool kit’ for the future’.

Leanne Dunlop

SUNI

The Arrow leadership programme is extremely difficult to concisely explain its impact. For me its been a time of equipping with essential practical tools for Church leadership. Its also been a time of thinking deeply about my own Christian discipleship and relationship with God. The genius of Arrow in my humble opinion is the time taken to build authentic community where conversations about church, faith and life can happen. Yes it is a great cost in terms of time and finances but it has been an investment well made. If you’re thinking about arrow … do it!

Robert Ferris

Associate Minister, Carrigrohane Union of Parishes