This is an almost universal question among church leadership. It might be the most common one I am asked. “How can I find more leaders?” The phrasing of the question suggests that they are lost or ready-made and ripe for the picking, if you can find them. I don’t know of any churches who say they have too many leaders, so I don’t think it’s a matter of “finding” the extras somewhere else. Let’s shift to a question that you can actually do something about: How can you develop people into leaders?
In any local gathering of the Body of Christ, God has placed enough people with the gift of leadership. It’s a matter of developing it rather than finding pre-made leaders. There are people in your congregation right now that God want to use as leaders and I’m willing to bet they have the desire stirring in them, they just need some help getting there.
There are people in your congregation right now that God want to use as leaders and I'm willing to bet they have the desire stirring in them, they just need some help getting there. Share on XThe Path for Developing Leaders
The first step to achieving your goals is knowing what you’re trying to accomplish. If you want to develop leaders—and know that you’re being successful in that endeavor—you need to get more concrete and specific about what you’re aiming for. What does a leader look like? How do you know if you have one? A good map isn’t helpful unless you know your destination.
If you want to develop leaders—and be successful in that endeavor—you need the environments, relationships and processes that help people grow into leaders. Interested and ready to get serious? Then download this article — the path analogy gives you a framework for you and your team cultivate leaders.
Resources
For an even deeper dive into the development of ministry leaders, check out The Leadership Difference. If you are running up against barriers in leadership development that aren’t specifically theological but are more about how to lead people and get along with them as you work together, this book is for you. The Leadership Difference focuses specifically on key leadership skills you need to be effective as a leader.
The Leadership Skills Guides provide a parallel resource you can use as curriculum for leadership training and development. This comprehensive set of Leadership Skills Guides will help you develop 37 essential leadership skills in others. It’s likely that your potential leaders already show competence in some areas. These guides were developed to be used nonlinearly so you can meet people where they are at help them take the next best step in their development.
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