February 26, 2014

By Phil Maynard

Selecting Leaders for Ministry

It is often said that the key to leadership is getting the right people on the bus and in the right seats on the bus.

I think there is much truth to this. But how do you know if you are getting the right people on the bus and in the right spot?

I want to suggest 3 ground rules that may be helpful:

First: Persons who are selected to provide leadership should be selected from the pool of persons engaged in ministry. I occasionally come across someone who recruited a person to a leadership role in the hope that the person would become more involved in the ministry of the congregation. This almost never works the way we hope it will!

The persons who have a passion for the ministry of your congregation will have found a way to be involved in supporting that ministry. This is your pool of potential leaders.

Second: Take time to observe the effectiveness of the person in the ministry in which they are involved. Are they committed? Are they a team player? Do they grow strong relationships? Is there a passion for making a difference?

Third: Look for demonstrated leadership. Does this person get things done? Do others actually follow them? (remember: a leader without any followers is just taking a walk!) Do the other members of the team respect them? Would they recommend them for a leadership role?

What’s your process for selecting leaders?