Paul and the early church counted on young and new leaders to keep the mission moving forward. It’s truly the task of the whole church to discover and develop leaders. However, whenever everyone is responsible, it seems no one is; a point person or small team must be tasked with helping new leadership emerge.
No current leader is excused from constantly and consistently finding and building more leaders. Pastors must work to build leadership in the staff, church boards, and ministry area leaders. Youth pastors must build leaders in their volunteer teams and among students. Worship leaders must discover and nurture the gifts of others who might lead in music and worship ministry. Children’s ministry workers may need more leaders than any other ministry in the church! The leader needs to continue to discover and develop new leaders.
The importance of developing leaders is overwhelming, but it’s one of our primary tasks in the church. New leaders can help add new insights, energy, and passion to an organization. They can also open new networks, help move the mission forward, and help carry the load. New leaders are teachable, eager to learn and help build a new culture.
One thing we must do is fan the flame of leadership development in our own lives! It’s not easy work, but it’s so important. Here are some hints toward moving in the right direction of discovering new leaders:
Document Roles
They will emerge when you are clear on where you need leaders. Exercise: Write down everything that needs to be done and attach a name. If no one is leading the area (and it truly needs to be done), put your name there. After the exercise, determine which area you will seek to fill, strategically chipping away your list until you have invited new leaders in and invested in them. This exercise will be a great starting point if you lead a church or ministry and are the primary leader. Get clarity on the leaders you need.
Get Input
Ask teachers, leaders, and staff to confidentially identify those who seem hungry for leadership within their circles. There may be someone in your church who you may not be connected to or may not readily identify as a potential leader, but others might notice something in them. Leaders are attracted to other leaders.
Survey New Church Members
The church often waits too long to incorporate new members into ministry. Invite them in as quickly as possible. Find out what they love to do, what they enjoy, and how they might serve. Survey new members to see where they might fit into the ministry and mission of the congregation. This requires some intentional work.
Pray For Leaders
Pray that God will bring more leaders into your church or ministry. Pray for your current leaders.
Encourage Staff To Develop Leaders
Call on staff to identify their key leaders and how they invest in each one personally. Ask this question regularly: Who are you raising up in leadership?
Celebrate New Leaders’ Publicity
This begins with treating your current leaders well. Keep them in the loop, give them access, opportunity, and ownership, and celebrate milestones. When new leaders are discovered and begin in ministry, highlight those moments, seasons, and ministries.
Be Bold
Most people you want to be leaders will respond to a personal invitation, but they won’t volunteer. I’m not sure why this is, I j; I know it is. Be bold! Ask. Call. Think of the perfect leader for your team and go get them. Explore. Engage in big, bold, and even prophetic questions. I remember sitting at lunch with a group of grade school boys at an inner-city mission camp. As a conversation starter, I asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up. Five out of six said something similar to professional sports, and one said something in the medical world. After a brief moment, I asked them all (and I’m not sure why I did), “Would any of you like to be a preacher?” They were quiet, and then one boy answered between bites, “I guess I could.” I’ve always wondered if that boy would become a preacher someday.
Develop Systems, But Stay Personal
It’s good to be intentional, but in my experience, leadership development is typically personal, geographically close, and seasonal. About the time you have a system, a new person emerges, and a current leader sprouts wings and moves to a new role or season in life. Don’t get discouraged. Work with whom God sends. One definition of excellence is doing the very best with what you have. Develop systems for consistently bringing in new leaders, but don’t get caught up in the paperwork.
Never forget that your ministry role is interim—everyone’s is. Eventually, someone else will take your place. Who will be there to do so?
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Quotes for leaders growing churches