I think if I had to pick the area that I feel like I’ve failed at the most as a pastor, it would be equipping leaders, for a couple of different reasons. One, I’ve always been self-motivated, and I’ve expected others to be also. Two, equipping is an ongoing process that takes time and consistency. I’ve often gotten caught up in the day-to-day operations of a church and dropped the ball on leadership development.

This post is part of a six part series on leadership development, largely taken from my notes on John Maxwell’s book, Developing the Leaders Around You. You can check out the first two posts in the series here and here.

Those are my excuses, and I’m sure you have yours. Regardless of what those excuses are, I think we can all agree if you want to lead a growing church, you have to prioritize leadership development.

And not just for a season. That’s a mistake we’ve made. You think, ok, I’ve done this yearlong training. Now, we’re ready to take the next step as a church, but as soon as you stop equipping, your leaders start slipping.

They forget the vision of the church. They forget the why behind the what. They turn insider focused. And before long you’re taking two steps back, for every one step forward.

At least that has been some of my experience.

So, we know equipping leaders has to be a priority within our churches. Now, where do we start?

I think we need to focus on these six areas.

1. Build Relationships. You have to have a relationship with those you lead. Otherwise, they aren’t going to follow you. Relationships not only build trust, but they help you to identify their potential strengths as well as weaknesses.
2. Share the Vision. Don’t assume people know what you know or feel how you feel. Share your dreams and your heart every chance you get. When people hear what motivates you, they will be more likely to help you achieve your dreams.
3. Ask for Commitment. John Maxwell says, “Commitment is the one quality above all others that enables a potential leader to become a successful leader.” This is something I’ve often avoided because I feared it would scare people away. Yet, what I’ve learned is it’s better for them to be scared off on the front end than quit in the middle.
4. Set Goals for Them. People want to know if they’re being successful. Don’t keep them guessing. Give them goals that will stretch them but won’t overwhelm them. Small wins build momentum.
5. Provide Training and Tools for Success. Don’t just tell them how to do something, show them. Then have them do it in front of you, and give feedback. People learn by doing. Also, spend some money on things like books and resources you can give them to develop their leadership. It wouldn’t hurt to even introduce them to blogs like this one.
6. Check Up on Them. When it comes to equipping leaders, your job is never done. Even after you’ve given them goals and the training and tools to achieve them, they still need to be checked up on periodically. If they’re doing well, encourage them. If not, then give them some feedback on how they can get better.

If you will make the commitment to do all six of these things to equip your leaders, I can almost guarantee you’ll see results. And when leadership grows within your church, your church is able to grow with it.

How are you equipping leaders within your church? What would you add to this list? Let us know by leaving a comment and make sure to subscribe to the blog to get tips on church growth, leadership, and more delivered to your inbox each week.