The blueprint for developing leaders like Jesus
How did Jesus train up and develop Self-Leaders? We see this most clearly n the first eighteen months of Jesus’ ministry. Once again, Harmony of the Gospels allows you to see Jesus’ life and ministry from a chronological perspective. As I studied these passages, a few training elements stood out. Training Self-Leaders as Jesus did requires you to incorporate these themes into your development plan for every volunteer or server in your ministry.
Start with curiosity that invites discovery
This is where Jesus began with his potential leaders. We saw in Chapter 3 how Jesus invited his first followers to “come and see” where he was staying (John 1:35–39). Thus, Jesus stimulated their curiosity. Later he explained even more clearly who he was and why he had come, but for now it was good for them to ask questions and seek answers for themselves.
Cultivating curiosity in new leaders is imperative. Encourage them to ask questions because seeking out answers is an integral part of their development. This starts with curiosity about their role. What is expected of them? How much time will this role require? How should they dress? To whom do they report? What should they do if things go wrong? Why is their role important to the entire vision of the church? What are the basic skills necessary to succeed in this role? So cultivate curiosity and invite questions. Also, invite new leaders to speak into the process. Ask them, “Is there a way to improve what we are doing? Do you have new ideas?” Ae more relational bonds you forge with new leaders, the stronger their commitment will be to your ministry and to
the church.
Invest time that builds trust and connection
Another way to train Self-Leaders is spending time with them. Jesus was a master at this. He spent time with his disciples. Immediately after calling his first five disciples, he spent time with them. He took these men to Cana to a wedding (John 2:1–11). Afterward, he took his disciples with him on a family vacation to the Sea of Galilee for a few days (John 2:12). Following that, Jesus traveled with them to Jerusalem for the Passover, where they worshiped together. Then we read, “After this, Jesus and his disciples went to the Judean countryside, where he spent time with them” (John 3:22). Clearly, Jesus spent time with his men in these early stages of development.
Now if you are a Department Leader, you might have hundreds of volunteers under your direction. You can’t spend time with every volunteer outside of your ministry time together. This is why Self-Leaders are managed by Team Leaders (whom we will discuss in the next chapter). And Team Leaders are responsible to train, develop, and care for the servers on their team. As you break down large ministry departments into small ministry teams, you can begin providing the relational care and support each team member needs and deserves.
Create conversations that spark spiritual growth
Some memories you can never forget. They are etched in your brain forever. Some are shocking, unexpected, even dangerous memories. His men had been with him less than a year. They were still trying to wrap their minds around what made this rabbi so different from everyone else. As Jesus took them into the bustling city of Jerusalem for the Passover, he shocked them by dipping over the moneychangers’ tables and rebuking them for turning his Father’s house into a den of thieves. Then, if that wasn’t enough, one of the most powerful men in the city, a member of the Sanhedrin named Nicodemus, came calling for Jesus at night. And Jesus, without hesitation, said Nicodemus must be born again (John 3:1–21). That took incredible courage, and Jesus’ men never forgot it. Even though they were with Jesus, they were still formulating their understanding of who he was and why he had chosen them.
These spiritual conversations were integral to their own spiritual growth and development. As you develop Self-Leaders in your ministry, you must have spiritual conversations with them. Where are they on their own spiritual journey? What questions do they wrestle with? Can they articulate a clear time when they received Christ as Lord? Never assume a person knows Christ. In fact, if you are going to assume, assume that they don’t. Why? Because every volunteer needs someone to look after their soul. They need someone to care where they stand in view of eternity. These conversations are best had one-on-one over lunch or a cup of coffee. Sometimes they can begin as simple prayer requests. I like to ask people the open question, “So what’s your story?” They usually ask what I mean, and I’ll say, “Start wherever you want, and end wherever you want. Just tell me your story.” You will be amazed at what you will learn when you ask for someone’s story. Every Team Leader should know where their team stands spiritually so they can shepherd them well.
Challenge comfort zones to unlock potential
As you develop your volunteers, don’t be afraid to stretch them beyond what they think is possible. Jesus certainly did. Within that first year, Jesus pushed his men way out of their comfort zones. Returning to Galilee after their visit to Jerusalem, Jesus directed his team to head north through Samaria. This was outside the norm for two reasons. First, the trek through Samaria was incredibly difficult. The mountains were steep and the water sparse. Ais is why most Jews traveled north along the Jordan River valley on level ground along a constant source of water. Also, Jews didn’t travel through Samaria because of the conflict between Jews and Samaritans. Years of division and hatred made travel in that part of the country dangerous. No good Jew would ever be caught dead in Samaria. That is, except for Jesus, who had business there (John 4:4).
While in Samaria, Jesus spoke to an outcast woman drawing water in the heat of the day. Ais again was way outside the bounds for most Jewish men in that day. Men didn’t speak to women, certainly not a Samaritan woman (John 4:27). And then there was her reputation. Men didn’t speak to those kinds of women, but Jesus broke down barriers. He broke down cultural and racial barriers and deep-seeded prejudices and animosities that had caused some people to be seen as deplorable or less than human. And when the disciples asked if Jesus wanted something to eat, Jesus said reaching people and doing his Father’s work were his food, his nourishment, and his satisfaction (John 4:34–38). These were teachable moments, where Jesus stretched his men to think differently, act differently, and see the world through a whole new lens. Look for ways to stretch your volunteers. Stretch their thinking by asking questions that cause them to think deeper. Stretch them spiritually by asking them to lead team devotions or prayer meetings. Stretch their leadership by asking if they would consider stepping up to another level of leadership. Stretch their vision by asking them to dream bigger. And while you are stretching them, stress that you believe in them and that God has bigger plans for them than they even realize.
This post originally appeared at: Disciple First