Developing Leaders

by hal haller

“Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing.” Philippians 4:9 (NLT)

The foundation for reproducing churches lies in the raising up and sending out of new leaders. Leaders don’t magically appear. Leaders are cultivated, developed and sent. Leaders are forged and developed in mentoring relationships.

We can find an intentional leadership development strategy from the Apostle Paul to the Philippian church that makes use of formal learning (heard from me – that’s teaching) and informal learning (saw me doing – that’s modeling). In leadership development, you need both. The Apostle Paul said ‘listen to me’ and ‘watch me’ as you put your learning into practice. Our goal at Reproducing Churches is to establish these very kinds of relationships that will increase our ability to develop and send out more leaders.

There are several key ideas tied to developing leaders:

We trust that Jesus will always answer our prayer for leaders by sending leaders for His harvest.

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:36-38 (NLT)

Ultimately, we know God is the one who will provide the leaders we need. So we spend a great deal of time on our knees asking God to divinely raise up leaders for the harvest.

We trust God for the future leaders to come from those who will one day trust Him.

Paul said to Timothy:

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1st Timothy 1:15-16 (NLT)

Over the years in starting a number of churches, I have discovered this principle: the best leader opportunities come from those that I have led to Christ. I used to pray that God would send me Christian leaders. After God answer that prayer, I begged him to send me lost people that I could develop for Him.

We believe that a true leader exists for the success of others rather than the promotion of self.

We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.

I Thessalonians 2:8 (NLT)

We pour our lives into others selflessly. We don’t hold back but freely share what we know and what we have. We purposely invest in others. That can be exhausting and tiring but we do it because we love them and want to see the gospel spread.

Leaders are interchangeable, mobile, and “position-less” and will be shared among the network for the greater benefit of the Kingdom.

“But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT)

If we are looking for a title or badge, we remember that we are first servants of Jesus Christ. Titles and positions of authority often get in the way of being a great, reproducing leader because we are looking to be served rather than to serve. I remind myself that I can lead up front or I can take the back seat. It doesn’t matter, whatever my brother or sister needs from me, I’m willing to serve them. My first question is, “How can I help you?”

Leaders will be developed within the context of relationships through the process of mentoring and internship, challenged in their very construct of church as a “who” and in practical methods of execution, and then unleashed to live to the fullest of how they are wired and gifted in their specific context.

“Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for the next two years, so that people throughout the province of Asia—both Jews and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord.” Acts 19:10 (NLT)

Our goal is provide specific guidance and instruction to those who desire to live and lead out for Jesus. We want to engage in their dreams, passions, abilities, and giftings and help them on their journey to being the church where God has called them. It’s not cookie cutter teaching but a customization plan for each person. Why? So the Gospel can go out to all peoples…so that all can hear the word of the Lord.