Do you need more leaders?

I’ve never heard a pastor complain about having too many qualified and equipped leaders in his or her congregation. In fact, quite the opposite is often true. Pastors frequently express frustration over the shortage of kingdom-minded, spiritually mature, theologically sound, and emotionally healthy leaders in our midst. It’s easy to feel disheartened in such situations and simply resign ourselves to the idea that there will never be enough leaders in our churches. But I believe we can take a more proactive approach.

I understand that among our newsletter recipients, we have pastors, staff, elders, deacons, volunteers, and other covenant partners. Therefore, there may be various ways to respond to this article, but here are three potential next steps:

1. Be a Barnabas: In Acts, we learn that Barnabas’ given name was Joseph, but he was called by his nickname, which means “Son of Encouragement.” I wonder whom you might identify in your midst as someone whom God is calling to take the next step. Like my father, who served as an elder in his Presbyterian church and taught Bible studies for years, sometimes people need a little encouragement and belief that the Lord can use them. So, regardless of your current role in the church, who might you encourage to step out in faith for greater ministry?

2. Be a Guide: Sometimes, you may need to point people in the right direction as they continue to grow and develop. There is no shortage of resources available, but allow me to highlight the Introduction to Core Competencies series (https://courses.eco-pres.org/courses/intro-to-the-core-competencies). This series outlines our core leadership competencies and offers a general overview, which might help individuals determine other ways to grow. It might be through the larger Commissioned Lay Pastor Training (https://eco-pres.org/clp/). Don’t let the name Lay Pastor Training throw you off, as this is an excellent training for anyone in the church seeking to be more available for ministry. Finally, individuals can take anywhere from one course to a whole degree at the Flourish Institute of Theology (https://flourishinstitute.online/). It’s heartening to see how many people, with no intention of entering full-time vocational ministry, are enrolling in our classes, certificate programs, or even pursuing degrees. So, where might you direct people to develop into who the Lord is calling them to be?

3. Take Your Flourishing Next Step: When we introduced the concept of your Flourishing Next Step (FNS), it wasn’t just a theme for a national gathering; it’s a concept we want to continually address. I would be delighted if every congregation, every leader, and every disciple in ECO could take their Flourishing Next Step. Whether you are an officer, staff member, lay leader, or covenant partner, maybe one of the above is the next place for you. Perhaps you are a pastor with growth areas, or you want to utilize our mentoring materials to help mentor and develop those in your congregation. Whatever it may be, I am confident that the Lord is calling each of us to the next step to grow and flourish.

In the coming months, I pray you will embrace the challenge of taking your Flourishing Next Step and inviting someone else to do the same! 

In Christ,

Dana

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