Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Nov/85

Contributor - Murray Moerman

Title - Focusing on Church Growth

Topic - Leadership Training

Developing a growing base of trained and committed lay leadership is essential to a growing church.

Picture a triangle. Picture a base line one inch long and then the volume of a triangle constructed on that base line. The base line represents the number of trained and committed leaders which are active in a given local church or parachurch ministry. The volume of the triangle constructed upon it represents the total size to which that church or ministry can grow on its current leadership. A church cannot outgrow its leadership. For a church to expand, the number of trained and committed leaders serving that community of believers must continually be growing.

Training leadership does not happen by accident. Jesus was very conscious and deliberate in the process of leadership training. We must be as well.

First, we must model quality leadership. Current leadership must be committed to excellence. Excellence must be demonstrated in the love and care for the people served. Excellence grows out of commitment to a goal which is worthy of demanding our best. Current leadership must be convinced that the Kingdom of God is such a goal.

Secondly, we must train leadership precisely and specifically in the goal o the task and how we believe it to be best done. This step involves a great deal of work, especially in the early stages.

We have learned several things in this regard:

(a) Training events are necessary. These training events should be held in your home church if possible. A significantly higher percentage of your leaders will attend if the training is offered "at home" than if they are asked to go "outside" for it. These training events should be led by people out of your own congregation if possible. People trust those they know more fully than they do outside experts.

(b) Written manuals are very important. The manual does not have to be long. Manuals can be expanded and updated. But training manuals have several advantages: People can learn more when what they are being taught verbally is reinforced visually by the manual in hand. Quality control. You will know that all of your leaders have had the same training experience, whether or not they have been trained at the same time. Leaders who leave their post turn their manual over to the person who follows them. The training can be reviewed at home. More can be learned when we experience the input on several occasions.

(c) Holding training events on a weekend is most beneficial. If a training event is held on six consecutive Tuesday nights some people will miss certain evenings, others will be absent on different evenings. A Friday night and/or all day Saturday training event ensures more even participation.

Thirdly, we must support the leadership we have begun to train. This also needs to take place in a number of consistent ways:

(a) Quarterly, or more frequent, leadership meetings. When we meet with our lay pastors we will go through one of the tabs in their looseleaf manual, perhaps "leadership", "counselling", "preparing for" or "leading a Bible study', "pastoral care of absentees" or whatever we feel the greatest need for ongoing support to be. Leadership meetings need to contain elements of inspiration, training reinforcement, sharing and interpersonal ministry.

(b) One-to-one support. Each lay leader needs to know who is in charge and feel personally supported by that person. Each "department head" or "elder in charge" (or whatever your organization term may be) must follow through with personal one-to-one visits for fellowship or prayer. This may take place after church, during lunch hour at work or some evening. Each lay leader must know that someone cares.

(c) Periodic public recognition and prayer. It is important for serving lay leadership to be supported by the congregation in prayer. From time to time we will ask all our Sunday School staff, youth leaders, or lay pastors to stand for recognition and prayer on a Sunday morning. This gives opportunity for recognition, encouragement, expressions of thanksgiving and prayer.

Lay leadership is your most valuable resource for the health, growth and support of your church. Train them with care.

Please click the "Back" button of your browser to return to previous page.