Nine Questions to Prompt Your Leadership Development

The New Testament authors clearly imply that church leaders are responsible for developing other leaders. Luke records Paul’s initial recruitment of Timothy (Acts 16:1-5). Paul reflects on his investment in Timothy even as he faces the final stretch of his ministry (2 Tim 4:1-8). The qualifications for overseers and deacons imply development (1 Tim 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9).

Effective church leaders develop future church leaders. So, pastor, are you developing leaders? Here are nine questions to prompt your leadership development.

1. Who developed you as a leader?
   The author of Hebrews calls us to “remember your leaders” (Heb 13:7). Surely this includes those who led us and developed us early in our leadership journey. They taught us the Word not merely as an intellectual exercise but as a means of worship, transformation, and development. Who developed you, and how might their example spur you to develop someone else?
2. Where in God’s word does God command you to develop leaders?
   You are in ministerial leadership because you love God’s word. So, do you see God’s word shaping your approach to leadership development? As you read the Scriptures, take note of passages that provoke you to develop leaders as an act of obedience.

3. How does leadership development fit in with your church’s discipleship strategy?
   Jesus calls us to “make disciples” (Matt 28:18–20). This is your church’s primary and foundational function. Your preaching, your praying, and your leadership should all be acts of disciple-making in some way. Does your church have a discipleship strategy, and how does leadership development fit into that strategy? We do our members a disservice if we are unintentional or flippant about such a critical aspect of Jesus’ marching orders.

4. What is your vision for your church, and how does that vision require leadership development?
   In his book Hero Maker, Dave Ferguson challenges church leaders to write down their vision and put a “100x” next to it. [1] His point is that we should dream bigger. Do you have a vision for your church that is so significant that it requires you to develop leaders? If your vision for your church lines up with Jesus’ command to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:18–20), then it’s too big for you to do by yourself and requires you to develop leaders!

5. What would happen to your church and ministry if you did not develop leaders?
   In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. One sobering reality of that passage is that Jesus does not say “well done, good and faithful servant” to all the servants. He examines the fruit of how they managed his resources. Likewise, Jesus will examine the fruit of how church leaders manage the opportunity of leadership God has entrusted to them (Ezek. 34:1-24; 1 Pet 5:4). I wonder if some leaders fail to develop leaders because they fail to remember that they will give an account (Heb 13:17). I wonder if they’ve misinterpreted “faithfulness” to justify hiding the talents in the ground (Matt 25:25). But Jesus is not satisfied with the servant’s reply, “Here, have what is yours” (Matt 25:26). Do you have a sobering understanding of what will happen to your church and ministry if you do not develop leaders?

6. Who is one person on your “leadership development radar” that you can invest in?
   Again in his book, Hero Maker, Dave Ferguson encourages leaders to have an “I-C-N-U” conversation. [2] This is simply seeing a seed of leadership potential in someone and affirming that. Do you see someone who shows up early? “I see in you a willingness to get this in your calendar and to do what’s necessary to get here early.” Do you see someone who serves even when no one is looking? Do you see someone who is displaying leadership in their life? You, as a leader, have a powerful voice. Use that voice to affirm what you see God doing in their life and then ask if they’d be willing to meet.

7. Who is developing you as a leader in this season of your ministry?
   Leaders never stop growing. They seek out coaches and mentors and continue developing as leaders. So, who is developing you as a leader in this season of your ministry? It can be tempting to reach a point in leadership where you coast. But great leaders fight against that. Your church will be encouraged if they see you growing as a leader.

8. What’s preventing you from developing leaders?
   We need to take an honest look at ourselves and ask, “What’s preventing me from doing this?” When he was challenged about his evangelistic methods by someone who didn’t share the gospel, DL Moody reportedly replied, “Well, I like my way of doing it better than your way of not doing it.” [3] We can all find excuses not to develop leaders. We can all criticize the methods that other people are using to develop leaders. But at some point, we have to be honest with our own efforts.

9. How often do you pray for leadership development?
   As Matthew records Jesus’ calling and commissioning of the twelve disciples, he carefully ties it to prayer. Just before he sends them out in Matt 10:1, Jesus teaches them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matt 9:37–38). Do you pray for God to send out laborers? If you want him to send out trained and equipped laborers, do you pray that he would do that through you? Make praying for leadership development a key part of your staff meetings. Invite your church to pray corporately for this—and see how God answers this prayer!

Pastor, you can get away without developing leaders for a season. And, with some work, you can extend that season. But why would you want to? Don’t rob yourself of the joy of seeing God use you to develop another leader. Don’t rob the church of celebrating God’s continued work of calling out and raising up leaders and ministry workers. Don’t rob God of the glory due his name. Glory that will come, in part, through developing leaders.

[1] Dave Ferguson and Warren Bird, Hero Maker: Five Essential Practices for Leaders to Multiply Leaders (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2018), 91.
[2] Ferguson and Bird, Hero Maker, 104.
[3] James S. Hewett, ed., Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 1988), 178.