Building Leaders

There are no straight lines when leading humans. Many times leaders find themselves having a hard time keeping others dedicated, driven and passionate in the process. What’s the best way to keep a team invested so we’re not left carrying the burden of all the work?

To develop leaders, God uses circumstances, events, and other leaders in their lives. It's not just a matter of giving leaders the right input. Life-on-life experiences are as important as solid training material. Mentoring and coaching are as essential as great curriculum and excellent faculty.

One of the most popular holistic models of leader development in Christian circles is the “Be, Know, Do” model. But I don’t use it, and neither should you! Here’s why.

Which kind of leader are you – a banana tree or a mango tree? There are those leaders who are like banana trees: everywhere they go, they replicate. They mentor others so that others can exercise their leadership abilities and their gifts, they open up conversations for others to join and give their opinion, and they are in the business of growing leaders. And there are leaders like the mango tree – they serve a great purpose, they are strong and persuasive, but emerging leaders don’t seem to grow as leaders under them.

It is not a question of which way the wind blows. Theological education must be reconceived again and again in order for it to remain relevant and on the cutting edge. There are no magical solutions or formulas that give us the answers, but some pointers to spur the discussion are suggested here. Paul Cornelius argues for a reinvention that demands changes in how curriculum is viewed and developed.

“I was helping to train an overseas group of emerging leaders and seeking to impart skills to them for understanding the New Testament. Together we were noticing how Jesus, at first, hid Himself from a couple of disciples (Luke 24:13-16). Then as they walked, while His identity was hidden, He showed them how all the Scriptures spoke of Him (v. 25-27).”

Having church in odd places: planes, trains, or mountaintops? This design is great for any group of believers who gather for some quality Bible study together. The great thing is that it is completely portable so you can do it in a workshop, a classroom, a living room, on-line, or on a mountaintop.

Hindsight may be 20/20, but wise leaders also use tools to keep sailing forward in the right direction. They may not have huge binoculars like a seaman, but they do have assessment tools to understand how leader development training is affecting their organization – if it causes a positive effect or a negative effect. Tom discusses the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of leader development events. He notes that discussing reactions, learning, behaviors, and results helps organizations to analyze the actual worth of training, thus holding the organization’s rudder to good stewardship and accountability standards.

One burning candle can dispel darkness, while many candles can brighten a large place. This case study outlines some of the challenges Steve and his team faced when creating resources to assist China’s church to brighten her future by raising up her own writers and teachers. Steve shares some of the ups and downs they experienced before producing highly effective tools.

Sweet apple blossoms in due time bear succulent fruit, just as sage advice from experienced leaders and emerging leaders bears much fruit in due time when taken to heart and applied. Time does not automatically develop leaders but leader development always takes time. There are no short cuts. Here, Malcolm has gathered some of the wisest and best advice from participants in LDC 2013.

Last week I had two meetings in as many days regarding two proposed leadership training efforts aimed at Christians in China. Both were well thought through and grew out of decades of China experience. As we looked at the various offerings already available to church leaders in China, the question that emerged in both cases was, “Is this really needed?”

An analysis of results from a survey conducted at LDC 2013 where leaders from around the world were asked about trends in Christian leadership. Original answers to questions about leader development, process of development, areas of concern, and some general observations are listed.