How many times have churches needed new elders or someone to fill some other leadership position only to find no one who seems qualified, ready, or willing?
The solution? Build within your church a culture in which leadership development is an ongoing priority. Identify and intentionally offer potential leaders opportunity to learn and grow and develop into godly leaders, ready to be used by God to make a difference when the time is right. Preparing people for leadership takes time, something fulfilling a last minute need does not afford.
Pragmatically, then, it only makes sense to make leadership development a priority, not optional. But, it’s also a biblical priority.
Precepts for Developing Future Leaders Suggest It Be a Priority
God’s Word commands the discipleship of people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. While Matthew 28:18-20 goes broader than developing believers for specific roles within the Body, it does provide a basis for helping to develop and equip people that comes from the vestment of Jesus’ authority and requires His presence within the process.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18-20)
God takes discipleship beyond salvation and our walk with God. We are also to be preparing people for ministry. In Ephesians 4 we read that He provides the Church with those who have the responsibility of equipping “his people for works of service.”
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Eph. 4:11-13)
God used the Apostle Paul to develop Timothy who was in turn to equip others. This multiplication process is an intentional effort that should carry on into what we do in the Church today.
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Tim. 2:2)
More about the Development of Future Leaders
Be sure to learn more about developing future church leaders:
1) The Identification Process of Future Leaders Who Need to be Developed
2) The Training Process for Developing Future Leaders
3) The Biblical Precedence for Developing Future Leaders