In the early 1990s, a vision began to take shape that would transform Christian leadership in Australia. Arrow Leadership Australia emerged out of the need to equip the next generation of Christian leaders who could not only lead the church but also navigate the changing world around them. Central to this vision was Rev. Peter Corney OAM, whose commitment to spiritually mature, innovative leadership would lay the foundation for Arrow’s impact.
Peter, a pastor, mentor, and leadership strategist, led one of Melbourne’s most dynamic churches, St. Hilary’s Anglican Church, Kew, where he fostered growth, evangelism, and church planting. His extensive experience and vision for church leadership positioned him perfectly to lead the initiative.
The birth of Arrow
Arrow Leadership Australia began in July 1994 with a landmark conference following Rev. Stephen Hale and Rev. Karl Faase’s visit to the U.S., where they observed the American Arrow program led by Leighton Ford. The event gathered 300 emerging and senior leaders from across Australia, sparking a conviction that young Christian leaders needed ongoing training and support to grow in their ministry leadership.
In 1995, Stephen and Karl tasked Peter with establishing Arrow Leadership Australia as its first director. He built its vision around spiritual formation, cultural engagement, and practical leadership, ensuring it equipped young leaders for long-term impact.
Peter recalls the excitement of those early days, working alongside passionate young leaders with the potential to shape the future of the church. “It was very easy at that stage to pick the young emerging leaders,” Peter reflects. “No one else was doing it, and they stood out because they were doing interesting things around the country. We invited them, and everybody said yes.”
Leveraging his deep network of church connections, Peter identified and recruited these future leaders from across Australia. Mentoring, spiritual growth, and leadership development became the core of Arrow, shaping a generation of Christian leaders who would go on to influence the church and beyond.
“They almost selected themselves,” Peter recalls. “They were the most gifted bunch of people.”
The distinctives of Arrow
The Arrow program stood out because it was unique at the time. It was the first initiative to address the need for Christian leadership training in a way that was both spiritually transformative and practically effective. It wasn’t just about developing skills; it was about cultivating a deep, personal commitment to the gospel and the mission of Christ.
“Leighton’s motto was, ‘Led more by Jesus. Lead more like Jesus. Lead more to Jesus,’” Peter explains. This became the guiding principle behind Arrow and continues to be today—a combination of personal, spiritual development with the tools and mindset to engage with a changing world.
A key feature of Arrow in its early days was its emphasis on engaging with the cultural shifts of the time. The 1990s were marked by a seismic shift in philosophy, particularly with the rise of postmodernism, which brought new challenges to the church’s way of thinking and interacting with the world.
“We brought in speakers who could talk about postmodernism and the philosophical shifts happening in the culture,” Peter says. Notably, Graham Cole, a leading expert on postmodernism, came to speak, providing invaluable insight into how the church needed to respond to these changes.
In addition to theological insights, Arrow brought in top leaders from the business world—Christians who had proven themselves in the secular arena. The combination of spiritual wisdom and practical leadership created a program that was unlike anything else in Australia at the time. “It was elite,” Peter admits, though he acknowledges that such a term feels less comfortable today. “But we brought in the best people we could find, and we set a standard.”
A game-changer
One of the cornerstones of Arrow was its emphasis on mentoring, which, according to Peter, was groundbreaking. Mentoring wasn’t a new concept in itself, but it was uncommon in the church context.
Peter highlights the role of Rev. John Mallison OAM, a key figure in the early days of Arrow, who led the mentoring initiative. “John was greatly respected across the board, denominationally. He sparked off the small group movement in Australia and wrote the book that everybody used,” Peter says. John’s contribution to the Arrow program was invaluable, bringing spiritual depth and practical wisdom into the lives of the leaders being formed.
The mentoring process became a core component of Arrow’s success. Leaders underwent rigorous assessments, including tools like DISC profiling, to better understand their strengths and weaknesses. This self-awareness and accountability helped shape leaders who were not only skilled but also deeply reflective about their role in the church and the world.
The power of community
But as Peter and others soon realised, it wasn’t just about leadership training—it was about community. The people who came together for Arrow were not just building skills; they were forming relationships that would support them throughout their lives and ministries.
“The connection of people with each other was serendipitous,” Peter reflects. The community that Arrow created wasn’t just about training leaders; it was about creating a network of support, encouragement, and accountability that would last long after the program was completed.
The future of leadership development
Peter’s vision for leadership development remains clear: the church needs leaders who are spiritually grounded, innovative, and deeply committed to the gospel. He believes the key to reaching the world with the gospel lies in developing leaders who can engage meaningfully with the culture. “Contextualisation is key. We have to understand the world we’re living in and think creatively about how we reach it.”
Peter acknowledges the challenges of sustaining a program like Arrow, especially as more groups have followed its lead over the years. However, he sees this as a positive development. “We pioneered it, and now others are picking it up,” he says. “But with growth comes the challenge of maintaining quality and depth.”
Impact and innovation
The impact of Arrow is evident in the success of its alumni, many of whom have become influential figures in the Christian community, both locally and globally. “If you think about what some of those people have done now, they’re all outstanding in some way,” Peter says proudly.
Peter’s hope for the next generation of Christian leaders is to continue innovating, especially as the cultural landscape shifts. “You just can’t do things the way you did 30 years ago,” he observes, acknowledging the challenges of reaching younger generations in a rapidly changing world. “Innovation is what we’ve always done in the church. We’ve always found new ways to reach people with the gospel.”
At the heart of leadership development, according to Peter, is the goal of raising up leaders who are not just competent but also deeply committed to following Christ and making disciples. As Peter puts it, “The church needs great leaders, and we have to keep finding ways to raise them up, year after year.”
Peter’s legacy is not just in the leaders Arrow has trained but in the generations of Christians who will be impacted by their work. His unwavering commitment to equipping leaders who can lead with both wisdom and conviction continues to shape the future of the church. As Arrow grows and continues to transform Christian leadership, Peter’s story remains a testament to the power of visionary leadership and the lasting impact of faithful service.
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This story is Part 1 of a three part series on ‘Arrow, a legacy of transformed leaders’.
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