In our current church culture, there is a common struggle that many congregations face – the challenge of developing effective leaders. I have written about this previously, and have discussed this with a lot of other church leaders - and it is a reality that comes up over and over. I have sat in gatherings where the collective lament is the significant lack of emerging leaders coming through. Despite numerous leadership programs, workshops, and resources, the desired outcomes often fall short. We pray and we strategise, we develop courses that few undertake, and pipelines that few enter. During research for my dissertation I wrote and circled two questions that became clearer as I went on, and yet one which concerned me more that our lack of leaders. I asked this question for a recent survey (here) and made a few notes on the findings (here). What I keep coming around to are two main questions:
Is our leadership problem actually a discipleship problem?
Do we have trouble developing leaders because we do not know how to make disciples?
Perhaps, in our zeal to cultivate leaders, we have inadvertently shifted our focus away from a foundational principle – making disciples, and therefore not seeing Christians mature in their faith. In that sense, I’m not sure God called us to train leaders but to make disciples who are then identified as leaders due to their character as mature Christians. This blog explores the paradigm shift from developing leaders to making disciples and trusting God to raise up leaders Himself.
We Have A Leadership Obsession
In many churches, there exists an almost obsessive desire to produce leaders – individuals who can take charge, make decisions, and guide the congregation. While leadership is undoubtedly crucial, the problem arises when the emphasis on leadership development overshadows the primary mandate given by Jesus – making disciples. The New Testament consistently emphasises the call to disciple others, as seen in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Jesus didn't command us to ‘build’ leaders; instead, he instructed us to make disciples who, in turn, would naturally become leaders. In the Irish context, I believe we are heading towards a ‘leadership crisis’ as leaders get older and there appears no emerging leaders to take over. I have spoken about this before, and sometimes this is a challenge to established leaders to plan for this earlier in their ministry. I train a youth soccer team, and constantly talk about ‘passes of last resort’ - when a player dribbles down a dead end only to turn and smash the ball at a team mate who loses the ball. When I stop to coach, the answer normally comes ‘but I passed the ball - it’s not my fault they mis-controlled it!’ Many times our leadership obsession results in established leaders thinking about developing leaders, but not how to transition them. This can end up with a younger leader having a position ‘smashed at them’ with limited experience and a lack of support, leading to inevitable failure.
We Might Have A Discipleship Problem
Discipleship is more than just a church program or a set of classes; it's a holistic approach to nurturing spiritual growth. Often when we talk about discipleship we mention a book or a course. It can feel like skill acquirement, filling in boxes to questions, ending up with a certificate. Making disciples involves not only teaching biblical principles but also modelling a Christ-like life. Is our process of discipleship more about the acquisition of a Christian vernacular, than living as salt and light, or like strangers and exiles as Peter wrote? Even the Apostle Paul urged believers to imitate him as he imitated Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). When the focus shifts from developing leaders to making disciples, the church becomes a nurturing environment where individuals grow in their relationship with God and are equipped to impact others. What develops therefore is a contextually mature believer who grows in ordinary acts of everyday faithfulness in a variety of settings. I would imagine if we had 5 of these type of people in our churches we would not be decrying a lack of potential leaders. However, what we appear to fail to see is that mature Christians just do not fall from the sky, they are nurtured and encouraged, challenged and given opportunities. Take a listen to Alan’s Wilson’s podcast “The Leadership Journey” (available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify) and hear the similarities in the stories - someone took an interest, mentored them, encouraged them as Christians before they even broached the subject of leadership. Ask yourself the question - am I currently doing this in our church fellowship? Do I lament a lack of emerging leaders and yet place the burden of responsibility upon them to emerge?
God's Role in Leadership Development
A significant shift in perspective occurs when we acknowledge that leadership development is ultimately God's responsibility. While we can provide tools, guidance, and mentorship, it is God who transforms hearts and raises up leaders according to His divine plan. The Bible is filled with examples of God choosing and raising leaders – from Moses and David in the Old Testament to the apostles in the New Testament. Trusting God to raise up leaders allows us to move away from human-centered efforts to a reliance on divine guidance and providence. I have fallen into this trap early in my ministry in Ireland - and can laugh a little at it now. Every time a young Irish man walks into the hotel room we met in I found myself planning his whole life in 60 seconds eventually becoming my replacement and leading the church in Loughrea to thrive. Only for him then to realise that he was in the wrong room, apologise and leave. Not every person we encounter will be a ‘leader’ and the purpose of discipleship is not to make leaders. We need to be careful that we are not funnelling people towards what we want them to be or need, rather than who God has called them to be. The biblical model of leadership development is deeply rooted in making disciples. Jesus spent intentional time with His disciples, investing in their lives, and imparting spiritual truths. He didn't organise leadership seminars or delegate leadership tasks immediately. Instead, Jesus focused on building deep, transformative relationships with His followers. This relational approach to discipleship lays a solid foundation for authentic leadership development.
Cultivating a Discipleship Culture
To shift the paradigm from developing leaders to making disciples, churches need to cultivate a discipleship culture. This involves a deliberate shift in priorities, placing a premium on relationships, spiritual growth, and genuine community. Small groups, mentoring relationships, and intentional discipleship programs can become vital tools in creating a culture where people are discipled rather than just trained for leadership roles. Yet these are also not a cast-iron guarantee of anything. A few years ago I fell into the idea that we needed Missional Community Groups because that was the current buzz word in church planting circles. I gazed wistfully at Instagram photos of 20-30 somethings laughing heartily with a Bible open in front of them, with the remains of a wonderful meal and the steam of a flat white drifting through the room. Let’s call them MCGs, and sound hip and cool as we strategise the reaching of our community. Then I realised that this doesn’t work in rural Ireland. These times can often become safe spaces for Christians to have fun and hang out. Don’t get me wrong, this is a good thing. However, I’m not sure if it is that effective in ‘reaching the area for Jesus’ as we intend or expect. Creating a discipleship culture in your context will likely look very different than another, but we also need to understand what mature Christianity is, and develop frameworks in our churches to establish people in those, and indeed nurture growth along those lines.
Redefining Success in the Church
In a culture that often measures success by the number of leaders produced, redefining success in the church becomes crucial. Success should be measured not just by the quantity of leaders but by the depth of discipleship and the transformation of lives. I often wonder if much of our leadership development in church planting movements is trying to raise people that we would be proud of bringing to conferences with our peers rather than people who are faithful in our contexts? As individuals grow in their relationship with God, they naturally become the leaders that God intends them to be in their families and community, and in their local church first. Shifting the focus from leadership development to disciple-making allows the church to align its goals with the biblical mandate and experience a more profound impact on the community. If we have many leaders in our churches, but we have imported them all, and have not well worn paths of establishing these ourselves then a crisis of leadership might just arrive at our door earlier than we expect. We need to be careful about letting others define success for us in this area, and work towards what it looks like to see this happen in our own context.
Conclusion
In the quest to develop leaders, the modern church may have unintentionally lost sight of the foundational principle of making disciples. In my opinion shifting the paradigm from a leadership-centric approach to a disciple-making culture can bring about a transformative change. By trusting God to raise up leaders Himself, fostering a discipleship culture, and redefining success, the church can fulfil its primary calling – to make disciples who, in turn, become the leaders that God desires for His kingdom. This paradigm shift not only addresses the struggle in developing leaders but also aligns the church with the timeless biblical model of leadership development.
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