By Cindy Jansen
Over the last several months, I’ve had conversations with numerous churches about their desire to sustain, strengthen, and build leadership within their ministries. In those conversations, I see a theme surfacing: We are experiencing a leadership development famine in the church.
Across congregations, ministry leaders are asking similar questions:
- “Why can’t we find leaders?”
- “Why does the same small group of people carry everything?”
- “Why are younger leaders not stepping forward?”
- “Why do leaders burn out so quickly?”
The answer may be uncomfortable, but it is important: In many churches, we have stopped intentionally developing leaders.
Instead, we recruit availability.
The Need for Leadership Development Within Our Church
When people hear the phrase “leadership development,” some immediately assume it sounds corporate, strategic, or overly business oriented. But leadership development is not corporate jargon, nor is it secular leadership theory invading the church.
It is biblical multiplication.
When Jesus chose his disciples, he did not simply gather the nearest available volunteers and assign them tasks. He intentionally selected, invested in, challenged, corrected, equipped, and trained them.
For roughly three years Jesus modeled leadership development through close relational discipleship. The disciples watched him teach, lead, pray, serve, navigate conflict, and engage people. They were not merely assigned responsibilities; they were developed.
Jesus did not say, “Good luck. Let me know how it goes.”
He walked with them before releasing them.
Jesus developed leaders who developed leaders.
Paul later instructed 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” (2 Timothy 2:2 NIV).
What I Currently See Within Our Church
Leadership becomes accidental rather than intentional.
Too often, we do not look for people with leadership potential, spiritual maturity, teachability, or calling. We look for the person willing to say “yes.” The faithful volunteer becomes the default candidate simply because they showed up and nobody else did. Or the pastor makes an announcement from the front of the church, and only a select few respond or show up.
And after placing people into leadership, we often provide minimal training, little coaching, and almost no intentional development. We hand over responsibilities, schedules, and expectations but rarely provide a pathway for growth.
To be clear, this is not criticism of our church. Most churches are filled with deeply committed people doing their best with limited time, energy, and resources. I see that commitment within my own church as well. We are passionate about the Great Commission and serving faithfully.
But somewhere along the way, many ministries unintentionally shifted from developing leaders to simply filling roles.
Developing leaders multiplies ministry.
There is a difference. And maybe once I say it, you will see the difference too…
Filling roles sustains activity.Yet in many churches today, we unintentionally reverse the process. We empower people BEFORE we train them. We hand someone a title before helping them develop the character, competencies, confidence, and spiritual maturity needed to sustain leadership well.
Solving the Famine and Multiplying Ministry
Jesus modeled intentional leadership development and the early church multiplied because of it.
And the modern church desperately needs to reclaim that model.
The leadership famine in our churches will not be solved by recruiting more volunteers to fill empty roles. It will be solved when we return to intentionally developing people spiritually, relationally, and practically into healthy, capable leaders.
Just like Jesus modeled for us.
The future of the church is not built on availability alone. It is built on leadership development.
Next time, I’ll talk about the second leadership famine I see in many churches: leaders who are not developing other leaders alongside them.
If you would like to continue the conversation and learn more how to develop leaders in your congregation, or how a discovery session can better help identify weak spots and how to strengthen your church, email me at cindy.jansen@faithunleashedconsulting.com.
