How To Develop More Effective Leaders
When I became the Lead Pastor of Allison Park Church, one of my first big epiphanies was that I was never going to be able to do everything all by myself. I tried for a few weeks to please everyone, make every visit, return every phone call, be present for every meeting and event.
The result? I almost burned myself out only one month into the job!!!
Then someone reminded me, “Your job is not to do everything, or even to be good at everything, but it is to equip your people to do the work of the ministry!” So I decided to stop doing it all, and start designing ways to train and equip others to do what God had called them to do. (see Ephesians 4:11-12)
That was in the early 1990s, and life was not as busy as it is today. Habits were different. It was fairly easy to get people to come to the church building on a Sunday morning, Sunday night, and a Wednesday night. We had people’s presence and attention three times a week. In this day and age, it’s hard to believe this, isn’t it?!
On top of that of all of this, I scheduled extra meetings to train leaders. We would meet at 6am every Wednesday and I would teach leadership and ministry principles to my small group leaders. Believe it or not, people came out for these leadership meetings as well!
Gradually, as life began to get busier in our culture, we at Allison Park Church started offering less and less training, mainly because we did not want to place another demand on people who were willing to lead, but already had a crazy busy life. As I have written in some of my most recent posts, the pandemic exposed that we have swung too far in trying to be careful with peoples’ schedules and have not been doing enough to support, train, and equip those who are volunteer leaders in our midst.
Currently, I am working on a schedule-friendly, but content-heavy leadership development process. (More about that in future posts.)
Where we are starting is with an assessment of five types of leaders that every church has:
#1 - STARTER LEADER
The first type of leader is one who is just beginning their leadership journey. They may be new to faith in Christ and growing in their understanding of the Bible. They may be in their first role as a leader. They have served for a season and are now asking others to follow them.
A STARTER LEADER needs several things:
Feedback- A coach or mentor is critical in this early phase. A brand new leader can’t just be asked to lead without anyone looking in on them.
Encouragement is key because it’s just so easy to give up in the difficult moments that every leader faces from time to time.
Coaching - Many problems are incredibly complicated and a coach or mentor can bring great wisdom and insight.
Skill development - We want STARTER LEADERS to learn to lead with excellence.
Biblical literacy is needed so that these leaders become more competent in their faith.
Accountability is needed to help them manage their habits, their relationships, and their soul.
#2 - THE SOLID LEADER
We use the term SOLID LEADER because this leader is well established as a person in Christ. They are strong in their understanding of God’s Word. They are experienced in several spheres of leadership and ministry. They have held a role or position in a previous church or situation.
But sometimes, you come across a leader that is solid but they are not active in doing what they need to do to lead well. These leaders need feedback as well. They need to see the expectations clearly. They need to have regular conversations about the need and the vision. Most of all the SOLID LEADER needs a challenge. Solid but under-performing leaders can often be bad for the leadership culture of your organization. Younger leaders look up to them because they have so much knowledge or experience, but when they see their low levels of commitment or effectiveness, it sends the wrong message about what it takes to lead well.
Leaders who are solid but not yet performing consistently need the challenge, “Either step up and lead well or step down for a season and return when you are ready.” They need the opportunity to step down without judgment or consequence.
#3 - THE STEADY LEADER
This leader is defined by the word faithful. They are always there, on time, and ready to follow the plan. They are solid in their faith and steady in their walk. This group of leaders makes up the majority of most volunteer leadership teams.
What is so great about this STEADY LEADER is that you know that you can count on them. They are loyal. They are positive. They are present. They are tremendous models of what it is to participate and be intentional in engaging with the plan.
Often this STEADY LEADER produces long-term, deep and satisfying relationships within the group or team that they lead. Their group is doing life together and enjoying it.
#4 - THE SUCCESSFUL LEADER
The difference between level three STEADY LEADER and level four SUCCESSFUL LEADER is defined in the word fruitfulness. Some leaders are faithful but not effective. They are always there, but few follow them. The participate actively, but not in such a way as to engage others to join them.
A STEADY LEADER might have a group or ministry team that is the same size as it has been for years. Maybe it is even made up of the exact same people. No one new has been added. No one outside has been engaged or reached. There is not much recruitment or passion around reaching out.
It’s not that the STEADY LEADER does not do the steps involved in recruitment or reaching out, it’s just that they do not do it well enough to actually be effective in it. SUCCESSFUL LEADERS show fruit in several ways:
They are constantly and personally recruiting people to join their group or team.
Their team has caught their passion and they are welcoming new people and recruiting others themselves.
Potential leaders are being identified within the group and being given an opportunity to learn as an apprentice.
The STEADY LEADER and their team or group regularly discuss what to do with the size of their group, because it quickly grows too large to manage.
The gap between the STEADY LEADER and the SUCCESSFUL LEADER is the most common gap with volunteer leaders. In fact, if STEADY LEADERS can be taught how to gather, recruit, and raise up others - not only will they be SUCCESSFUL but the church that you lead will begin to aggressively grow.
#5 - THE SENDING LEADER
The final category for leadership is the SENDING LEADER. What marks this leaders is sons and daughters. This leader is not just solid in their faith, steady in their habits, and successful in building a growing group or team, they are effective in identifying, apprenticing, and releasing new leaders into new groups and ministries.
This person evidences the ‘equipping’ gift that Ephesians 4 describes. They can spot potential. They can cultivate a young leader’s passion and gifting. They are secure enough to give them opportunity and let them shine. They have a large enough faith to be able to send them away to start something new.
Our goal in developing a leadership training pathway is to help prepare leaders to take steps to advance in these levels of effective leadership.