Raise Up A Younger Leader Today - Right Now!

This week we talk again with Dan Reiland about raising up younger leaders. This is so necessary for us as older church leaders to do if we expect our ministries to continue building the Kingdom of God. Dan calls them apprentices, some call them interns, others just call them on time for supper - and that makes younger leaders happy! 

If you are a younger leader, you need to ask yourself, Who is building into me, and who am I intentionally pursuing for mentoring, coaching, and growth in my life? If you are an older leader, just turn that question around and say - Who am I training, coaching, and mentoring to succeed me, or at least my generation, in leadership?

Jonny Craig with sons Joseph and Asher!

This is one of those practices that we need to build into our lives as a theme, or mission, of our life work, of our ministry. Mentoring and raising up other younger leaders can't be something we try to put on our to do list, as though it were just another task for us to check off. It comes straight out of Jesus' playbook - he mentored twelve, so that they could carry on his work. Who will carry on your work?

If you had to, could you write down a list of young leaders you are focused on, to mentor? Are there others you are currently mentoring or coaching, even if just on an informal basis? This is like a family. If you are married, but have no children, then you have no one to follow you, to carry on your name, or your life passion. I know many couples cannot have children, so they find others that they build their lives into, that will carry on a legacy of significance for them.

Who will carry on your ministry, or Kingdom legacy? Who are you raising up so intentionally that they will carry on your work your way after you are gone... gone gone, or just gone to another ministry? Of course this is also how we multiply ourselves in ministry. We "hire" other leaders around us, even if they are volunteer. Everyone needs to have a purpose, and be needed. I recently asked a man in our church if he would serve as a Deacon. I told him, "we need you." I wanted him to know his gifts and abilities, and his heart, they are all needed in our church. We need what he has to offer.

In the same way, as leaders and pastors and of small churches, we need what the people in our church have to offer. The Holy Spirit has placed gifted believers in our churches so that they can help us with the ministry God has called us to. Why not right now, write down the names of TWO PEOPLE in your church that you believe would be good investments of your time and energy - of your mentoring and coaching?

Write down their names, and then write up a plan of action for 2014. How will you go about shaping them into leaders who can serve the people of your church? What needs to happen? What are they suited and wired for in your church, your community, their business, or their neighborhood. Get creative! Think way outside the "building", remember the church is the people, not a building. You know that. :)

Jesus called twelve and mentored them to take the leadership helm when he would be gone. Eleven made it! Who will you "call"? Write down their names. Get intentional. And go for it!

And, while you are at it, use Dan Reiland's book, Amplified Leadership, in the process. You can get it by clicking on the link in the right hand column. You can also see other Pastor's Coach articles he has written that may be helpful to you.

HOLIDAY NEWS>>>
Jeff and Jonny are taking a blogging Holiday break between Thanksgiving and New Year's. We normally write posts on M/W/F every week. Between Thanksgiving and New Year's, we will be writing only on Wednesdays in connection with our weekly podcast. Our podcasts will continue weekly, just our Monday and Friday posts will disappear during that time.

We are both full time pastors and students, and this will help us finish our fall semester strong, and retain our sanity only to lose it another day! We love connecting with small church pastors at 200churches.com and through our podcasts - thanks for being a part of the 200churches community!