Skills matter, but the heart matters more
As you develop Team Leaders, there is certainly a need for skill training. As I mentioned earlier in this chapter, there is work to be done in delegation, communication, organization, coaching, feedback, and the like. All of these are necessary to be a great Team Leader.
But in this phase of ministry, Jesus worked more on the inside than he did the outside. He developed men who were like him at heart. All the skill development cannot replace the need in a leader’s life for godly vision, compassion for people, great faith, and a deep walk with God. These are the foundations upon which higher levels of leadership are built.
So we must work on the foundations. We must cultivate the heart of the leader. We must constantly hold up Jesus as our example and hold ourselves up to his standard to see where we fall short.
The ugliest kind of Team Leader
Earlier I mentioned the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of being a Team Leader. I laid out the good and the bad, but here is the ugly. The ugliest Team Leader is one who doesn’t reflect the heart of Jesus, one who has forgotten they serve and represent Jesus. Yet Jesus looks for leaders who are mirrors that reflect His shepherd’s heart and His love to the people around them.
As go your Team Leaders, so goes the ministry
Developing Team Leaders is essential to the growth and health of your ministry. They set the tone for the ministry and reflect its culture. This is why so much rides on the Team Leaders of any church or ministry organization.
As go your Team Leaders, so goes the ministry. And this is why Jesus spent so much time, during the first stage of his ministry training, developing his men to mirror his heart of ministry. He helped them see the greater vision God had for their lives. He moved them out of the building and fostered environments where they engaged in hands-on ministry.
Jesus was never about seeking position but always about touching and caring for people. He challenged his men to go deep and take high-risk steps of faith and obedience. Last, Jesus imprinted on his men a shepherd’s heart to love those they lead with compassion and grace. Only with this kind of solid foundation could his men grow into leaders of a global movement.
Imagine if every Team Leader looked like Jesus
These are the kinds of leaders needed today. Can you imagine if every one of the Team Leaders in your church modeled these characteristics of Jesus? The impact they would have on every life they touched? Jesus could. He knew with this kind of leadership foundation he could raise up men and women who would not only lead well but could also lead other leaders to do the same. And that is what we are going to discover in the next chapter.
This blog features an excerpt from one of our books, The Disciple-Making Leader.
