BUILDING “LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY”
Leadership is a Nazarene essential. While all Nazarene characteristics are important, healthy churches pay special attention to developing leaders. They equip, support, motivate, and mentor individuals to become Christ-like, visionary, strategic thinkers and team builders. In the leadership community gathering, they plant the seeds of micro-multiplication by encouraging every leader to develop an apprentice leader.
Healthy, multiplying churches learn to do exactly what Jesus did as he modeled healthy organization. After a few months, Jesus called the Twelve to himself and sent them out to preach (Luke 9:1-2). Just a short time later, Jesus appointed seventy-two other leaders and sent them out two by two to do ministry (Luke 10:1). When they returned and reported their activities, Jesus gave them spiritual encouragement (Luke 10:17-24) and celebrated in prayer how these leaders were developing.
The process Jesus followed in developing leaders is similar to the way Paul trained Timothy as his apprentice. Healthy, multiplying churches understand and practice these same biblical principles. They operate with a micro multiplication mentality. They plan their groups and ministries with a focus on leader development so groups can easily multiply as the Lord raises up new leaders (Luke 10:2). They regularly expect and pray this will happen.
A key district ministry we have is resourcing local churches to establish a leadership community. It does not have to be a complicated process. For churches hungry to keep developing, here are four steps you can take.
Complete a Leaders and Groups Inventory
Create a Simple Leadership Path for Group Leaders
Organize Your Leadership Community
Celebrate and Train Your Leaders
In all churches, we believe group leaders should be involved in planning their own ministries. Because leadership community training is practical and helpful, momentum in the church will begin to build. Healthy, multiplying churches understand every group leader needs simple tools to use as they mentor their Timothy. They keep the church simple by using a leadership path everyone learns. Here is a four-step, micro-multiplication process that Jesus and Paul used and that we can use to train new leaders: 1) we identify, 2) we ask, 3) we apprentice and then 4) we multiply.
In every church, what gets talked about and what gets celebrated is what gets done. This is why in the leadership community gathering, we celebrate every new apprentice leader. We celebrate every time we have an apprentice leader who becomes a group leader. We celebrate every time someone chooses to lead a new ministry or start a new grow group. This is the heart and soul of Jesus’ teaching about healthy soil (Mark 4:20).
Your church can become a healthy, multiplying church, regardless of its size! The seed that you plant can reproduce fruit if you focus on healthy roots. You have wonderful days ahead in ministry. If there is any way we can serve you better, please contact us anytime.