by Cindy Jansen

Let’s be honest—when it comes to leadership development in the church, we don’t always do a great job. More often than not, we identify someone who looks like a leader (you know…faithful, reliable, shows up on time), hand them a title, and say, “Congrats! You’re in charge now.” No training, no mentorship—just a best wishes and God bless.

And then we wonder why leaders burn out, struggle or get frustrated.

The truth is, leadership development isn’t just a corporate concept—it’s a biblical mandate. Jesus didn’t just appoint leaders; He developed them. Paul didn’t just pick Timothy; he trained him. Church leadership is too important to be left to chance.

So, let’s dive into why every church needs to take leadership development seriously—with some Scripture to back it up.

1. Developing Leaders is Biblical

The Bible is full of leadership development moments. Jesus didn’t pull the disciples into ministry and immediately send them out. He spent three years teaching, mentoring, and preparing them. Even after that, He sent the Holy Spirit to guide them (John 14:26).

Paul had a similar approach. In 2 Timothy 2:2, he tells Timothy, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” That’s a four-generation leadership development plan—Paul trains Timothy, Timothy trains others, and those others train even more!

Leadership development isn’t just nice—it’s necessary.

2. Untrained Leaders Lead to Unhealthy Churches

Imagine hiring a pilot who’s never flown a plane before. Or a surgeon who’s never held a scalpel. Sounds ridiculous, right? But we do something similar when we place people in leadership roles without training.

When leaders aren’t properly developed, they often lead from insecurity, frustration or exhaustion. Proverbs 27:17 reminds us, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Leaders need mentors, training, and preparation—otherwise, they’re just trying to lead with a dull blade. And let’s be real… dull blades cause a lot of unnecessary damage.

3. Leadership Development Prevents Burnout (and Exodus)

How many times have you seen church leaders step down, burn out, or disappear altogether? A big reason for this is that we throw people into leadership without giving them the tools to thrive. Leadership is hard, and without guidance, it can feel overwhelming.

Look at Moses—he was this close to total burnout before Jethro stepped in and said, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out,” (Exodus 18:17-18). Moses was trying to do everything alone. Jethro helped him set up a leadership structure and develop leaders to share the load. ( And Moses even echoes this same sentiment in Deuteronomy 1:9-13 as he shares the same wisdom to those leaders beyond him.) 

When churches intentionally develop leaders, they create sustainable leadership, stronger ministries, and a healthier church body.

Final Thoughts: Leaders Are Made, Not Just Named

Great leaders don’t just happen—they are developed. Jesus knew this, Paul knew this, and Moses learned this. It’s time we take leadership development in the church as seriously as we take Sunday sermons.

So, the next time you think about giving someone a leadership role, ask yourself: Are they trained? Do they have a mentor? Are they being developed? Because if we want strong churches, we need strong, well-equipped leaders—not just people with titles.

And who knows? Maybe the next great church leader is sitting in your congregation right now—waiting for someone to invest in them.

What do you think? How has leadership development (or the lack of it) impacted your church? Drop me an email—I’d love to hear your thoughts! Reach me at [email protected]

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