My Leadership Pipeline
Developing leaders in your church matters. When Jesus builds and grows a church he uses qualified leaders. Below are the following 4 groupings I use as my leadership pipeline.
Those who should be on the leadership board
This group is ready to lead and meets the biblical criteria from 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. They must also meet the criteria specific to your local church. Click here to read my specific criteria list. Only men and women who are on this list should be nominated to be elected to the church board. These people aren’t perfect but they are humble people, growing in the grace of God, and they really love the church.
Those who should be trained to be on the board
The men and women in this group have indicated a desire to lead (! Timothy 3:1). It’s a very bad idea to ask someone to lead who doesn’t have a desire or the training to lead. They may be new to the church or new to the faith or have some other criteria that leads you to believe it would be wise to train them in leadership before asking them to lead. You must take time to qualify them and train them. These folks should be asked to serve on a committee and/or included in your leadership trainings. As they are trained and when the HS tells you they are ready, simply move them into the first grouping.
How do you know if someone has a desire to lead?
They tell you or ask to for an opportunity to lead.
When an issue arises in the church they ask how they can help. They run towards the problems not away from them.
Others suggest to you that they are a leader.
They are leaders in other areas of their life.
They tithe (people who don’t contribute financially should never have a say in church finances).
They volunteer.
People are following them. Their small group is full. Their SS class is full.
Others value their input on many topics.
Those who should be asked to serve on a committee
The men and women in this group have indicated a desire to serve but not to lead. Often they have specific skills and can serve in their area of expertise. These folks are great to include on committees where their expertise can be leveraged. Or if they can’t serve on a committee, simply bring them in on topics specific to their expertise.
Those who should be given emeritus status
This group has served in church leadership and is ready to let others carry that load. Often they have served for decades. Their wisdom and institutional knowledge should be leveraged and tapped into. They should not be put out to pasture. They love the church and their decades of wisdom are very beneficial to your leadership. You should have coffee or conversations with these people routinely.
Here’s some tips:
I have a list of names for each of these groups. It’s ever evolving and changing. My directional team helps me with these lists.
Pray for these people.
Spend time with these people.
Churches should be led by people with leadership gifts.
When it comes to training a leader remember your job isn’t to fill their cup…your job is to empty yours. In other words, give them what you know.
Like you, I don’t have all this figured out perfectly in my own leadership. But the more we work on it the better we get. And when you get better, your church will get bigger.
